Chapter 24 The First Task
I was sitting with Harry and Hermione the next day. Ron had decided that Harry needed us more than he did.
I was eating some bacon, trying to figure out what to do about my new found connection with my grandmother, and how to help Harry with his dragon problem.
Then Harry stood up suddenly, and something crossed his face.
I turned around to face the direction he was looking and saw Warrington walking from the Slytherin table.
Harry looked at me with wide eyes.
"Hermione, we'll meet you at the greenhouses," Harry said, gesturing between the two of us.
But, Harry, you'll be late, the bell's about to ring -"
"We'll catch up, I promise!" I said to Hermione.
Harry and I chased after Warrington who was heading down to the dungeons.
"Go in there!" I pushed Harry towards an empty classroom.
"Are you goi-?" Harry asked.
"I can get him." I nodded.
I turned away from Harry and raced after Warrington.
"Warrington!" I called out.
I got several people to turn around and some of them glared.
Warrington was tapped on the shoulder and a hand pointed in my direction.
"Warrington!" I called again, waving at him.
He nodded to his friends and worked his way through the crowd.
"Zwart, what is it?" Warrington asked.
"Can we talk in private?" I asked, looking pointedly at his friends.
Warrington nodded to everyone and they took three steps away from us.
I let out a chuckle.
"What's a fourth year going to do against a seventh year?" I asked loudly.
Several chuckles echoed mine and we got just a little bit more space.
I looked around one more time.
"Follow me, I promise, it's not an ambush." I murmured.
"Okay?" Warrington asked behind me.
I heard his footsteps following mine so I didn't look back.
"Go in there." I pointed to the empty classroom.
"Are you sure it's not an ambush?" Warrington asked warily.
"It's Potter, he has something to tell you." I gestured towards the classroom again.
Warrington pushed the door open, and only walked in when he saw it was Harry in there.
I waited outside, not wanting to be a part of that conversation.
After five minutes Warrington came out of the classroom, looking at me suspiciously but heading towards the dungeons.
Harry came out, his face a mixture of emotions.
"How did it -?"
I stopped my question when we heard a familiar clunking sound.
I turned around and glared at Moody who was glaring back at me.
"Come with me, Potter. Off you go, Zwart." Moody growled.
I glared at him.
"We're supposed to be in Herbology." I answered firmly.
"Never mind that, tell Professor Sprout Potter's joined me for a cup of tea. And you're excused for being late." Moody growled at me.
I looked at Harry who only shrugged.
"Alright Professor." I nodded to him.
I walked around him, not wanting to be closer to him more than I had to be.
I walked into Herbology by myself, earning Gryffindor a loss of five points but no more than that thankfully.
"Where have you been?" Hermione hissed at me when I passed her.
"Where is Harry? Weren't you two together?" Neville asked when I joined their group.
"Harry's with Moody, I don't know why but I don't think he's in trouble." I murmured to them.
Harry came in a few minutes later. He muttered an apology to Sprout, I pouted that he didn't get any points taken.
"Hermione! Cassie! I need your help!" He hissed to us as he joined our group.
"What do you think we've been trying to do?" Hermione hissed back.
"What do you need?" I asked.
"I need to learn how to do a Summoning Charm properly by tomorrow afternoon." He said in a final matter.
"You have got to be kidding me." Hermione and I rolled our eyes together.
We found ourselves in an empty classroom during lunch, trying to get Harry to summon little things to him.
They would get halfway to him, and then drop to the ground.
"Concentrate, Harry, concentrate…" Hermione said.
"What d'you think I'm trying to do?" Harry asked angrily. "A great big dragon keeps popping up in my head for some reason… Okay, try again…"
I explained to him how I imagined the fishing pole.
His summoning improved a quarter of the way, but that dragon was in his mind.
Harry wanted all of us to skip our next class. I had to remind him that I needed the Divination lesson even if it was going to be useless, and Hermione wasn't going to miss Arithmancy. He stomped the entire way up the tower with me.
The lesson turned out to be useless because Trelawney wouldn't stop going off about how the position of Mars with relation to Saturn at that moment meant that people born in July were in great danger of sudden, violent deaths.
"Well, that's good," Harry exploded.
I didn't stop him.
"Just as long as it's not drawn-out. I don't want to suffer."
Ron let out a noise from behind me, and Harry just focused on the table.
I knew he was practicing the wand motion and he was whispering the incantation under his breath. I nudged his leg with my foot and gestured to my quill and put it under the table.
I would feel it tug out of my hand, but it never left.
After dinner, I changed into my sneaking clothes. I did put my cloak on over those since Hermione, Harry, and I did not fit under the Invisibility Cloak. I brought my map to use as a lookout and I was only going to sneak if we needed to split up.
We helped Harry until past midnight, then Peeves found us in the classroom and was under the impression that Harry wanted objects thrown at him.
So we went back to the common room, Hermione carrying my cloak, Harry my map, and me following their footsteps as I darkened my body so that I wouldn't be seen at first glance.
The common room was, mercifully, empty when we got back. So I went upstairs to put on my pajamas instead of wearing my sneaking clothes.
By two o'clock, I was fighting back yawns every few minutes, Harry was surrounded by heaps of objects: books, quills, several upturned chairs, an old set of Gobstones, and Neville's toad, Trevor.
Harry seemed to finally have the hand of the Summoning Charm.
"That's better, Harry, that's loads better." Hermione fought back a yawn.
"Well, now we know what to do next time I can't manage a spell," Harry held the book he was holding towards me.
I summoned it to myself so that he could get it from me again, "threaten you with a dragon?" I smiled jokingly at him.
"Exactly. Accio Dictionary!"
The heavy book flew out of my hands and Harry caught it.
"Harry, I really think you've got it!" Hermione said in delight.
"Just as long as it works tomorrow," Harry gave a huge sigh. "The Firebolt's going to be much farther away than the stuff in here, it's going to be in the castle, and I'm going to be out there on the grounds…"
"That doesn't matter," Hermione said firmly.
I couldn't fight this next yawn.
"Just as long as you're concentrating really, really hard on it, it'll come. Harry, we'd better get some sleep… you're going to need it."
I waited for Hermione to go up the stairs as Harry and I waited.
"Do you want me -?" I gestured to the boys staircase.
Harry slowly shook his head.
"Are you sure?" I asked.
"I don't want us to give everyone the wrong impression." He admitted.
"Okay, if you need me…" I paused.
How was he supposed to get a hold of me if he needed me during the night?
"Don't worry so much about me." He chuckled.
"I can't help it." I chuckled with him.
The next morning, I didn't leave Harry's side. I had laced our arms together and made sure to guide him to all of his classes.
He seemed to be losing track of time because he was always surprised when we were somewhere new.
At dinner, he finally came around. Only because McGonagall had come over and was tapping his shoulder.
"Potter, the champions have to come down onto the grounds now… You have to get ready for your first task."
I noticed that McGonagall was looking quite pale.
"Professor, are family members allowed?" I asked as Harry nodded and stood up.
She looked at me and her lips grew thin.
"Can she come?" Harry asked.
"Miss Zwart can come with us, but she can't be there for the instructions." She finally nodded.
"Good enough for me. See you in a bit, Hermione." I stood up quickly and followed Harry and McGonagall.
My hair was a mess of colors from the emotions I was feeling. When it was just McGonagall, Harry and I, I grabbed Harry's hand and squeezed it.
Harry gripped my hand so hard, it actually kind of hurt.
I drew in a small breath, and he loosened his grip, but only a little bit.
"Now, don't panic," McGonagall said, looking over her shoulder at us. "We've got wizards around standing by to control the situation if it gets out of hand… The main thing is just to do your best and nobody will think any the worse of you… Are you alright?" She asked Harry.
"Yes." Harry nodded. "Yes, I'm fine."
McGonagall and I shared a worried look with each other.
She led us to a yellow tent in the forest.
"Miss Zwart, you'll need to stay out here, Potter the other champions are in there." McGonagall's voice had started to shake. "Mr. Bagman is in there… he'll be telling you the - the procedure… Good luck."
"Thanks." Harry's voice had gone distant.
McGonagall and I shared another look as she left us.
Harry opened the tent and stood in the doorway, not willing to step inside.
I saw Fleur Delacour was looking quite pale on her little stool. Krum was looking surlier than usual. Warrington had noticed us in the doorway, he gave Harry a nod and me a quizzical look.
"Harry!"
I looked and Bagman was beaming at Harry, then he noticed me.
"Mr. Bagman, this is Cassie. She's my God-sister." Harry gestured to me.
I waved at him nervously.
"Come in, come in!" Bagman grinned kindly at us. "Make yourself at home!"
"Thank you!" I tried to smile, but it was more of a grimace.
"Well, now we're all here - plus a guest -" Bagman gestured to me.
Harry and I were standing close to each other, but no one cared so I just grabbed his hand and squeezed.
"- time to fill you in!" Bagman turned back to champions.
"When the audience has assembled, including Miss -" He gestured to me.
"Zwart." I offered.
"Zwart." He nodded again, his smile never leaving. "I'm going to be offering each of you this bag" - he held up a small sack of purple silk and shook it - "from which you will select a small model of the thing you are about to face! There are different - er - varieties, you see. And I have to tell you something else too… ah, yes… your task is to collect the golden egg!"
I inhaled sharply through my nose and looked at Harry with wide eyes.
Harry looked at me, but I don't think he caught my meaning. I wasn't sure if he would hear what I had to say so I kept my mouth shut.
Within seconds of deciding not to say anything, there was hundreds and hundreds of feet walking past the tent we were all in.
Bagman had put a hand on my shoulder, making me jump and give a squeak in surprise.
"Sorry Miss Zwart." He chuckled.
"It's okay, Mr. Bagman." I chuckled back.
"Why don't you go with the rest of the students?" He suggested kindly.
"Okay." I nodded, standing up and giving Harry's hand one last squeeze.
"Good luck." I directed it at Harry, but I said it loud enough for them all to hear.
I slipped out of the tent and managed to blend in with the students. I looked around, either looking for red hair, silver blond, or Hermione's bushy hair. But I didn't find any of them.
'I forgot to tell Harry to imagine the egg as a snitch!' I cursed myself.
"Cassie!" My shoulder was grabbed.
I looked up and was relieved to see George.
"George!" I couldn't keep the relief out of it.
"Are you alright?" He asked.
He put an arm around my shoulder, not to be close to me, but to guide me through the crowd.
"I am terrified!" I answered.
"Are you kidding? This is going to be amazing!" He was grinning at me.
I tried to return his grin but my lips wouldn't obey.
"Weasley, have you found -? Cassie!"
George and I turned to see Draco pushing his way through the crowd.
"Draco!" I sighed in relief.
I reached my hand out and he grabbed it, using it to pull himself towards me.
"I saw you leave the Hall with Potter. Is he alright?" Draco gave George a nod who nodded back.
"No. I think he may die of a nervous breakdown." I admitted as George led us through the crowd.
I saw Ginny, Fred, Ron, Hermione, and Neville all standing together.
Neville went pale and tried to go stand somewhere else but Hermione was whispering into his ear.
"I forgot about Longbottom." Draco hissed in my ear.
"Just don't tease him like how you haven't been teasing the others." I hissed back.
"How is Harry?" Hermione asked when Draco and I joined her.
"Not good." I shook my head as I leaned against the post.
I had wrapped my arm through Draco's and was squeezing his robes, trying to calm my nerves.
"This is an awfully big arena." Draco looked around.
There were wizards on the ground, they were moving strangely shaped rocks carefully. I noticed something glittering in the center of the pile.
"We're such idiots!" I hissed in Hermione's ear.
"What do you mean?" Hermione whispered to me.
"Harry should just summon the egg rather than his broom!" I whispered urgently.
Her face paled at that.
"And he's not going to think about it like that!" I shook my head as a whistle blew.
"Welcome!" Bagman's voice boomed across the arena.
I grabbed Draco's arm and squeezed it.
"If I hurt you, please let me know." I told him.
I wasn't going to trust my voice through this task.
"Our first task we have our champions doing, is DRAGONS!" Bagman roared.
There were cheers from around the arena, but you could hear the gasps of horror.
A cage door opened and a beautiful blue-grey dragon crawled out. She roared and blue flames flickered out of her nostrils.
My stomach dropped as Warrington walked into the arena.
"Cassius Warrington is our first champion and he will be facing the Swedish Short-Snout!" Bagman informed the crowd.
I think Draco was at a loss of words at what he was seeing before him.
Warrington saw the egg and tried to go after it. I couldn't hear what spells he was using and I didn't recognize most of them.
The dragon noticed him and reared up, letting out a roar and going after Warrington.
Bagman was still commentating, but I couldn't hear what he was saying.
He pointed his wand at a rock and it Transfigured into a labrador. The dragon went after it and Warrington was able to get to the egg. But the dragon realized what had happened and changed her mind, going after Warrington.
"Oh no!" Hermione's hands were digging into her face.
I was trying to keep from digging my nails into Draco's arm so I was squeezing his robes sleeves instead.
"Warrington has the egg! Excellent showmanship of Transfiguration!" Bagman's voice echoed.
Wizards came out from hidden areas and were doing everything to get the Short-Snout back into her cage.
I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding.
"We have three more of those to go through." Draco said in a horrified voice.
Ron turned to me, his face pale.
"Whoever put his name in the Goblet, they're trying to do him in!" Ron said, his voice a pitch higher.
"No shit!" I snapped at him.
"Time for Warrington's scores!" Bagman called.
I didn't pay attention to the scores. I had turned around and crouched, putting my head between my knees.
"Breath deeply in through your nose, and out of your mouth." It was Neville who was crouched next to me.
"I'm okay." I said, my voice shaking.
"Our second champion is Miss Fleur Delacour as she takes on the Welsh Green!" Bagman called out.
I stood up, with Neville's help, and turned around to see a small green dragon was released with a new egg in the middle.
The silvery blonde came out with a confidence I couldn't match. When she faced her dragon, she pointed her wand at it. The welsh green went into some sort of a trance and fell asleep, laying her head.
Delacour hurried over to the egg pile, not wasting any time. But the dragon had let out a flicker of flames and Delacour's skirt caught on fire. She put it out with her wand and grabbed her egg.
"That was quick!" I clapped along with the cheering crowd.
She was scored and the dragon keeper wizards cleaned up the dragon easily and put out a new golden egg for the next contestant.
Krum was introduced with Chinese Fireball.
Krum didn't waste any time, pointing his wand at the dragon and hitting it in the eye. Only problem is that the dragon didn't go down. She went on a painful rage and ended up destroying half of the eggs under her. Krum had to wait for the moment to get the egg so the dragon keepers could get her under control.
"Here comes Harry." Hermione had laced her arm through mine and was still digging her nails into her face.
"And that!" I pointed in horror.
The last dragon they released, looked mean! She had spikes all around her skull, and her tail had them going a fraction of the way up. She was breathing fire out of her mouth and I did not want to mess with her.
"Our last Champion is Harry Potter with the Hungarian Horntail!"
"Use your wand!" Hermione and I both shouted down.
Harry didn't hear us, but I watched as he pointed his wand in the air and summoned his broom.
"Oh no. Oh no. Oh no. Oh no…" Hermione repeated next to me.
"It'll work!" I assured her.
Luckily for me, I was right.
Harry's Firebolt was zooming through the air and stopped just behind him.
"Think of it like Quidditch!" I shouted, almost falling over the rail.
Draco had grabbed the back of my robes and pulled me back over.
"What is this? Potter has used a Summoning Charm to summon his Firebolt? Amazing use of charms!" Bagman complimented.
Harry got on his broom and did a lap around the arena. He was focused on the ground and his shoulders seemed to relax.
"That's better!" I gave a small sigh of relief.
The dragon didn't leave her eggs, instead following Harry with her head and using her tail to make her hits.
I let out a screech of horror when her tail went for Harry, but Harry was able to dodge it in time.
"I hate to admit it, but he's good." Draco grumbled in my ear.
I let out a laugh at that, and it helped the tension in my shoulders.
Harry started to do evasive maneuvers around the Horntail. He wasn't focused on the crowd and I was relieved to see that.
He dodged a burst of fire, but her tail caught him in the shoulder.
The crowd let out a scream of fear and disappointment.
The Horntail was still not leaving her clutch of eggs, and Harry noticed that. He flew around her head, getting steadily higher and higher. When she reared up, he dove straight down and snatched the egg!
"Look at that!" Bagman's voice finally reached me. "Will you look at that! Our youngest champion is quickest to get his egg! Well, this is going to shorten the odds on Mr. Potter!"
"We're going to go see Harry, do you want to come with us?" I turned to Draco.
He hesitated for a second then nodded.
I grabbed his arm and Hermione and I led our small group out of the stands as the crowd mingled with excited shouts and laughs.
Hermione rushed into the medical tent where we knew Harry was going to be, Ron right behind her.
"Harry, you were brilliant!" Hermione squeaked.
I had waited outside with Draco, not wanting to crowd the tent.
"Aren't we going inside?" Draco asked.
"Not yet." I shook my head.
Draco looked at me in confusion before Hermione came out howling.
"What just happened?" Draco asked.
"Harry and Ron finally made up." I grinned as Harry walked out with his Firebolt over his shoulder and his egg under his arm.
Ron was right by his side.
"Thank Merlin's Pants you're alive!" I couldn't stop myself from leaping on Harry.
"Merlin's Pants?!" Draco and Ron both let out laughs.
"I'm glad I'm alive too!" Harry didn't drop anything, he let his head drop onto my shoulder as I hugged him.
That moment of relief we shared between us was the best feeling I've had that year.
Ron couldn't keep his comments to himself.
"You were the best, you know, no competition." Ron started to speak.
I pulled away from Harry and Draco offered me his arm.
"Warrington Transfigured a rock on the ground into a dog." I added my comment to Harry as we walked back to the arena.
Ron took over explaining to Harry what the other champions did as Draco and I walked behind them.
"You can breathe now." Draco murmured in my ear.
I slowed us down so that they were farther ahead of us.
"I can't actually." I murmured back.
Draco tilted his head at me.
I wished, in that moment, that I could just tell someone the truth about what was going to happen at the end of this year…
First task is over and done!
Shout out to Awritingbookworm, Pamela Hutchins, LilyLunaPotter for leaving a review!
Awritingbookworm: Thank you! I want there to be pent up anger towards her mother's side of the family because, you know, disowning and things. As for the George, obviously there's emotions there and I wouldn't have gotten back together with him in that situation.
Pamela Hutchins: Yeah. Cassie has a lot of feelings about that and since George hurt her, she wanted to hurt him back. Which is never okay but she is only fourteen years old so it's understandable that she would hit him where it hurts; verbally. I've been playing with who she should end up with in the end. There's still so many books to get through so when I find the right fit I'm sure we'll all be happy with whoever they are. (Again playing with many different people.)
LilyLunaPotter: YOU. ARE. A. CHAMP! I looked forward to your reviews and I laughed at them! I didn't have the idea of Ariel to be Karen because I did state that she was still a kitten when Cassie got her. But that has the potential to be a good story line! To answer, I update every Friday unless I have something unexpected come up and I will post on either Thursday or Saturday depending on what is happening. As for your idea of asking questions, I wouldn't know what to ask because eventually I would run out of questions to ask.
So how about you all ask me a question and I'll answer it?