Disclaimer same as always.
Writers Notes, thanks to everyone that has been following along and reading this story. Thanks to gginsc, cdmartinez, WizardSmurf, setokayba2n, RhodaBush, PiffyEQ and Lena2244 for your wonderful reviews.
It is now late November and the weather was hinting that winter is definitely on its way. Over the past few weeks Harry didn't talk to Severus and pretended that he didn't exist. Which frankly didn't bother Severus in the slightest and didn't approach Harry at all. He didn't even try to talk to him. Hermione has been trying for weeks to get Harry and Severus to see eye to eye. Severus didn't know why she dragged him into this as it was on Harry, who jumped to conclusions and lashed out at him.
The two young men barely acknowledged each other's existence as they were waiting inside a tent for the first task along with the other champions. Harry along with Fleur were both nervously pacing around the tent completely overwhelmed with anxiety about the dragons. Severus figured Fleur learned about the dragons from Olympe. Cedric and Krum like Severus were sitting down not showing any fear or letting their faces betray their thoughts.
"Young love," Skeeter smiled as a cameraman took a picture of Harry and Hermione who just recently came in and hugged him.
"You have no business here vulture! Now leave before I shove that camera where the light don't shine!" Severus hissed as Skeeter just smiled.
"You do talk." Skeeter said smirking.
"Snape is right," Krum walked over to them. "This place is for champions and friends."
"Which the last time we checked... You're neither." Severus glared at Skeeter and with nonverbal magic damaged her camera and notes.
"You Idiot!" Skeeter shrieked as she hit the cameraman. "What did you do?" She shrieked and hit him again as the two left the tent as Dumbledore, Bartemius and the other school's professors entered the tent.
"Good luck," Hermione smiled wrapping her arms around Harry then ran over to give Severus a hug before leaving the tent as Bartemius called the champions over to him.
"Gather around champions, gather around me," Bartemius smiled as he took a small red sack from his pocket and holds it out to Fleur, "Miss, Delacour if you would?" Fleur nervously sinks her hand into the bag and pulled out a small green dragon. "Common Welsh Green," Smiled Bartemius as he hands her a second bag in which she pulled out a two. Then he moved up to Cedric who pulled out a dragon called the Swedish Short-Snout and drew a one.
Next Bartemius moved to Severus who pulled out a Norwegian Ridgeback dragon and drew a four. Up next was Harry who pulled out a Hungarian Horntail dragon and drew a five. Last up was Krum who pulled out a Chinese Fireball dragon and drew a three.
"Now champions, each of these dragons represents a very real adult size dragon, each having been giving a golden egg to protect. Your task is simple, collect the egg. The egg contains a clue which will help you in your second task." Bartemius explained, Severus was appalled with Bartemius' explanation, he made it seem like fighting a dragon is as easy as buttering a piece of toast. "Now, the number you picked is the order you will go in, remember you can only bring your wand inside to face the dragon." Bartemius smiled and turned to Cedric. "That means you're first up young man, now gives us some time to set your dragon up."
There was neat little sitting area so that rest of champions could see into the large area that was surrounded by a massive stadium where the school was watching. It didn't take long for Cedric to make his way out to face his dragon. Cedric turned a nearby rock into a dog and made it run at breakneck speed distracting the dragon long enough to get the egg. Up next was Fleur who used a sleeping spell on the dragon and collected her egg. Thrid up was Krum who used a spell to temporarily blind the dragon to collect his egg but the dragon smashed some real eggs and up next was Severus.
"Good luck," Harry said quietly, Severus just nodded and waited until his dragon was set. Taking a deep breath, Severus made his way out to the field, pointed his wand and summoned the egg with Accio. When making his way back, Severus could heard the other schools yelling "foul". The fifth and final champion to face the dragon was Harry Potter, Severus quickly muttered a good luck to him and made his way up to watch Harry with the other champions.
"You cheater!" Fleur complained.
"Yes you weren't allow to do that!" Krum agreed as they both glared at Severus angrily.
"Correct me if I'm wrong, but Bartemius didn't say we couldn't use Accio and he didn't say we couldn't collect the egg by hand," Severus coldly interjected as he took his seat next to Cedric, "Have something to add?"
"No," Cedric said.
"First, Hogwarts gets three champions and they cheat during the task," Fleur said.
"Believe me French tart I would rather be anywhere else then competing in this glory seeking tournament," Severus glared with cross expression then turned to watch Harry make his way out to the field. Using Accio as well Harry summoned his Firebolt at which Krum angrily muttered to himself "we can't use a broom, Bartemius said you're not allowed to bring a broom with you. Only your wand!"
"He did bring in just his wand, he didn't take the broom in with him, he summoned it. So it still stands and wasn't against the rules," Severus explained as Harry flew around the stadium and dove down to collect his egg.
After all the champions were finished they made their way down to the tent and waited their placement which took a few moments for the judges to place. "Attention everyone! The winner of task one with a record time of fifteen seconds is Severus Snape!" A very small applause broke out as Dumbledore smiled and tired to shake his hand but Severus refused as Olympe and Igor gave a clearly forced smile.
Severus eyed Igor; ever since he arrived here he was acting nervous, mostly because of the Dark Mark at the World Cup "Bloody coward." He thought to himself as Dumbledore continued.
"In second place we have Cedric Diggory! In thrid place is Harry Potter! Fourth place is Fleur Delacour and in last place as caused by damaged eggs is Viktor Krum!"
