Jade didn't hear from Harry or Hermione until Monday, the last day before the tournament's first task. To her surprise, Harry and Hermione had come up to her at breakfast that morning and asked if she would join them on a walk.

"Piss off, Potter." Draco scoffed. Harry's jaw clenched as the Slytherins began to chuckle.

"I can make my own decisions, thank you," Jade told Draco as she rose from her seat. "Let's go." They left the Great Hall, left the castle, until they were near the lake again. There, Harry told them everything, he told them about Sirius, about who Karkaroff really was, and about the first task of the tournament.

"He was a Death Eater?" Jade asked, lowering her voice out of habit.

"Sirius thinks he still is one." Harry nodded. "It makes sense, he got out and Voldemort ordered him to come here to enter me in the tournament to try and get me killed. It's also why Dumbledore wanted an ex-Auror like Moody at the school."

"But… Voldemort learning about the tournament through a loudmouth at the Ministry? How did he find her?"

"I don't know."

"I agree we should keep a close eye on Karkaroff, but how are you supposed to fight off a dragon?" Hermione asked.

"I don't have to fight one, I just have to distract one. Let's just keep me alive until Tuesday evening and then we can worry about Karkaroff." Harry told them. "Sirius said there was a simple spell I could use."

"Which one?" Hermione asked.

"I don't know, Ron came down and Sirius disappeared before he could tell me. He was a right royal prick about it too."

"What happened?" Jade sighed.

"Nothing, I said something, he said something… and then I threw a badge at him."

"You what?" Hermione asked angrily. "Harry-"

"I know, it was stupid. But, I was angry, and I didn't get to hear what Sirius was going to say, which could have been very helpful in keeping me alive against a dragon!" He concluded heatedly.

"Alright. We'll help you." Hermione told him carefully, trying to calm him down. "After classes, we'll meet in the library and read up on dragons." She told him and Harry nodded.

"Okay, thanks."

Their morning classes went by in a blur but after lunch, time seemed to crawl by for the last of their lessons.

"Would you cut it out?" Draco snapped at her quietly during Divination, she was bouncing her leg anxiously, watching the clock tick away the time until they could meet at the library. She had been doing it to the point where it was starting to move their table, she mumbled an apology, tuning out Professor Trelawney's voice completely. "What's up with you today?" He asked. "You've barely said ten words."

"Nothing." She told him but he cocked an eyebrow, waiting for a further explanation. "I'm going to help Harry figure out his first task." She offered him, she wouldn't tell him that she knew what it was. "We're meeting in the library after class."

"What about dinner?" Draco asked.

"Not hungry." She told him, her eyes returning to the slowly ticking hands.

"You know, time might go by faster if you stop staring at the clock." The only other thing to do was listen to Trelawney go on about a recent "vision" she'd seen in her crystal ball about the death to come. Sounds interesting enough, if she weren't making a different prediction every few days. Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil were the only ones left hanging on to her every word, the rest of the class was working on assignments, fighting the urge to doze off, or whispering quietly among themselves.

"Got anything in mind?" Jade asked. Draco thought for a moment and then dug into his bag before sliding a piece of parchment in front of her. He leaned scooted closer to her and then drew an empty noughts and crosses board. She glanced at him and he waited with a smirk on his face. Jade grabbed her quill and marked a cross on the board, agreeing to play his little game. He reacted quickly, marking a nought to the left of her cross. She thought about her next move and carefully marked the parchment, Draco followed her movements, again and again until he won. "Another round," Jade told him and he created a new board. They played multiple games and by the time class was over, she hadn't won a single one. "How is that possible?" Jade huffed as they packed up their things.

"There's a strategy," Draco told her vaguely with a grin.

"You're an expert at noughts and crosses. Interesting little fact." She joked and he winked back at her.

"I'd be willing to share my secret." He offered as they made their way to the step ladder that led them back down to the seventh floor.

"Hey, ready to go?" Harry came up to them, his eyes shifting awkwardly between her and Draco.

"Yeah." Jade nodded and waved to Draco as she and Harry started down the Grand Staircase. Hermione had beaten them to the library, she pulled out a stack of books she thought might help. Harry and Jade sat down and grabbed a book.

" 'Talon-clipping by charms… treating scale-rot…' This is no good, this is if you want to take care of them." Jade sighed, it wasn't helpful for their current situation, but she glanced over the title once more in case she wanted to do some light reading later.

" 'Dragons are extremely difficult to slay, owing to the ancient magic that imbues their thick hides, which none but the most powerful spells can penetrate.' But Sirius said a simple one would do it." Harry mumbled quietly.

"Let's try some simple spellbooks, then," Hermione said, taking the books away from them and handing them different ones.

"The trouble is, like that book said, not much is going to get through a dragon's hide. I'd say Transfigure it, but something that big, you really haven't got a hope, I doubt even Professor McGonagall… unless you're supposed to put the spell on yourself? Maybe to give yourself extra powers? But they're not simple spells, I mean, we haven't done any of those in class, I only know about them because I've been doing O.W.L. practice papers-"

"Hermione," Harry sighed through gritted teeth, "will you shut up for a bit, please? I'm trying to concentrate."

"Hey!" Jade hissed at him. "She's just trying to help." Harry looked from Jade to Hermione, whose face was flushed slightly from embarrassment.

"I'm sorry." He told her, sliding his hand across the table to give hers a quick squeeze. Hermione smiled at him, accepting the apology.

"Potter!" They heard someone snarl and all three of their heads snapped to the entrance of the library. Professor Moody was limping his way towards them. "A word?" He asked Harry, "In private." He clarified when Harry didn't move. Harry stumbled to a standing position and followed Professor Moody out of the library with a glance back at his friends.

"Oh no, he's back again, why can't he read on his stupid ship?" Hermione noted irritably as Viktor Krum slouched in, meeting Jade's eye and offering a grin before settling himself in a distant corner. "What was that?" Hermione whispered.

"What was what?" Jade asked even though she knew what she was referring to.

"Are you two friends?" She gasped and Jade shushed her before Madam Pince came around and did it for her.

"No, he just sits with us in the Great Hall." She told her, "I was trying to get an autograph for Ron, though. Hoping that would be an acceptable apology and we could put that stupid fight behind us."

"It's a good idea," Hermione admitted with another glance behind her at Krum. "Come on, let's go before his fan club gets here." As if on cue, as the girls grabbed their things and stood from their table, a few girls came whispering into the library, spotting Krum and giggling as they made their way over to the table next to his.

Jade woke up the next morning with a pit in her stomach, one mixed with excitement and nervousness. They only had their morning classes that day, after lunch, the first task of the tournament would take place. There was constant chatter at breakfast and teachers struggled to keep their students' attention during class. Jade hadn't spoken to Harry, only caught glimpses, and he looked awful. Large dark circles were under his eyes as if he didn't get enough sleep and his skin was pale, all while wearing this blank stare as he walked into the Great Hall for lunch. Jade moved quickly, catching him before he got to the Gryffindor table.

"How are you feeling?" She asked him and it took him a second to look at her.

"How would you feel?" He asked honestly.

"Terrified." She told him and he nodded numbly. "Harry," Jade reached up and rubbed his arm reassuringly, "You've faced worse."

"Worse than a dragon?"

"The Dark Lord, yeah." She reminded him, "Acromantulas and basilisks, Dementors and werewolves." He nodded again but this time he met her eye, a small spark flickered life in his previously dull stare. "You've got this." She told him. "Good luck." She offered him a smile and then returned to her table, unable to eat anything from the pit swirling in her stomach.

"Come on," Draco drawled once she sat down. "It's Harry Potter. I'm sure he'll make a grand scene for us all." He told her, trying to make her feel better but she just offered him a false smile. Professor McGonagall hurried into the Hall and made her way over to Harry, catching the attention of many students. She was saying something to him but Jade couldn't hear it over the chatter. Harry got up from the table and followed her back out.

"Wonder what that's about," Pansy said.

"Probably getting him ready for the first task," Blaise told her, watching the two of them until they disappeared.

"He only gets fifteen minutes?" Theo asked, checking the expensive-looking watch on his wrist.

"Fifteen minutes?" Jade asked and Theo nodded. In fifteen minutes they'd see the dragons. Would they fly in? How would they keep the dragons from attacking everyone? Or eating them? The dragons could burn them all as they watched. How would they keep the champions safe? Fireproof cloaks? Jade's leg began bouncing again and Draco's hand shot out and caught her knee, making her jump.

"None of that." He told her, "You'll make us all anxious."

"You should be," Jade said quietly, mostly to herself but Draco had caught it and he cocked an eyebrow.

"What does that mean?"

"You'll see. How much time now, Theo?" Jade asked and Theo checked his watch again.

"Thirteen minutes."

"Wait, do you know something?" Draco asked, turning in his seat.

"About what?" She tried asking innocently but Draco gave her a look, a look to let her know he wasn't fooled by her attempt.

"I told you about the Goblet." He reminded her quietly. She thought about it, it was only thirteen minutes away from him finding out on his own, there wouldn't be any harm in telling him now. Jade leaned over and whispered the first task into his ear.

"What?" He gasped and Jade shushed him.

"No fair, tell us too!" Pansy whined but the two of them ignored her, a silent conversation passing between them that the others watched, waiting for one of them to fill them in.

"It's a surprise, Parkinson." Draco finally said, looking away from Jade with a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"Oh, you two are keeping secrets now?" Blaise asked.

"It's not a secret, you'll see soon," Jade told him, braving a sip from her pumpkin juice but then finding it hard for her to swallow.

"How much longer?" Blaise asked Theo.

"Ten minutes," Theo told them.

"Really?" Draco turned back to Jade, and she nodded.

"Okay, well you two shut it for ten minutes then!" Pansy huffed. Jade glanced behind her shoulder at the Gryffindor table where Ron and Hermione sat with the twins. Hermione looked just as anxious as Jade was feeling, she wasn't partaking in the boys' conversation but she looked up from the table, as if she could feel someone staring at her, and met Jade's gaze. She smiled at her and Jade nodded. They were worried about Harry, if Ron knew what was going to happen maybe he would get over his fight with Harry and share their burden of knowing what was to come. She wished Ron would get over all of the fights he had with people recently. She missed him. Her eyes flicked over to him. She missed his dumb jokes and the easy way she could talk to him. He had wished her a happy birthday, he didn't have to do that. Maybe he was getting over it, she would accept him back in a second, she didn't even care about an apology anymore. Hagrid walked into the Great Hall and caught her eye.

"Alrigh' everyone!" He announced, catching everyone else's attention. "I'm here ter escort ya ter the firs' task!" A loud round of applause broke out from the crowd as everyone quickly finished their food and got to their feet. Hagrid nodded with a large smile and then turned and the students excitedly followed him out of the castle and towards his hut. hundreds of people made their way down the hill and past Hagrid's home, through a small patch of large trees near the Forbidden Forest and then Jade saw it. A huge enclosure was set up that couldn't have been spotted over the trees, no one had known that it was there or noticed adults coming and going from that area before. There was a tent behind the enclosure and a smaller one a few feet away from the first with a large red cross on it, a first aid tent, just in case anything went wrong, hopefully not too wrong. Harry must've been in the larger tent with the rest of the competitors, she kept her eyes on it as she climbed into the stands but it was harder to see behind the enclosure. Jade didn't see any dragons at first, but large black cages were hidden a bit aways with something dark moving around in each one. There were four in total, one for each champion.

"You see them back there?" Draco smiled in the direction of the cages and Jade nodded, the pit in her stomach growing larger. What kind of tournament task was this? Fight a dragon? Children, children fight a dragon? But Jade remembered quickly what Harry had said, he didn't have to fight, he just had to get past it.

"See what?" Pansy poked her head in between Jade and Draco from behind them to try and see what they were talking about. The crowd had gathered and they sat impatiently, waiting for something to happen. Jade didn't know what to expect but she thought Dumbledore would've spoken to them beforehand, to let them all know what was going to happen, but there was just a jangling sound coming from the cages and then a team of wizards escorted an uncharacteristically quiet dragon towards the enclosure. When the crowd saw what it was, everyone erupted into cheers and thunderous applause. The dragon struggled at this but the wizards had secured it into the enclosure, one brave wizard clamped an enormous metal collar around its neck. Not really a collar, more like a shackle. The dragon's large head turned to watch the wizard go and then looked up at the stands. A sharp whistle blew through the air, catching everyone's attention and a few moments later, Cedric Diggory entered on the other side of the enclosure. The crowd erupted in applause again, large banners of 'DIGGORY' and "HUFFLEPUFF CHAMPION' emerged. Cedric looked at the stands and Jade could see how scared he looked but he seemed to shake his fears, taking a moment to gather his thoughts and then continuing closer to the dragon, who hadn't spotted him yet. Cedric crouched down behind a large boulder, one of many in the dirt and rock enclosure, and muttered something, pointing his wand at a smaller chunk of rock. Jade watched as the rock shrunk down and grew four legs and a tail before growing blonde fur and completely transforming into a dog. The dog ran around, barking loudly and catching the dragon's attention. Since it was distracted, Cedric moved stealthily behind the rocks, getting closer and closer. Bagman had appeared, he was standing on a high platform and narrating everything, but Jade didn't focus on what he was saying, too focused on Cedric's movements. As if he were caught it would be dangerous for her. Cedric was behind the closest rock to the dragon but the dragon was watching the dog closely, taking a few steps to where it was running around. It was then when Jade saw it, huddled in a pile of gray boring looking eggs, there was one made of pure gold in the middle. Cedric saw it too, he left his cover and ran towards it. The dragon let out a blood-curdling screech-like roar and the dog disappeared in a cloud of flames. Meanwhile, Cedric had gotten to the eggs and grabbed the golden one but he had caught the dragon's attention and it sent another cloud of hot fire that Jade could feel from the stands towards him. The crowd gasped and they waited in silence until Cedric's figure bolted out of the fire and then everyone cheered. Cedric covered his face with one hand but the other was curled around the egg. The one wizard who had shackled up the dragon whistled at it and the dragon turned, recognized the man, and then lowered itself until it was laying on the ground. The wizard approached it cautiously but quickly. Maybe it was the dragon's trainer or handler, whatever the right term was, because the dragon allowed him to get close and then escort him out of the enclosure where the rest of the group was waiting to get it safely back in its cage. Cedric had disappeared back from where he entered.

"You think he's okay?" Pansy asked, even though she was right behind Jade, she had trouble hearing her over the crowd. Bagman waited for the crowd to die down before he announced the next champion, Fleur Delacour. She had taken a different approach than Cedric, she simply stood in front of her dragon, which was a different breed than Cedric's, and it looked like she had hypnotized it. The crowd watched, astonished, as she simply walked up to the dragon, grabbed her egg, and turned to leave. The only flaw in her plan was that the dragon grew tired from her trance and he yawned, letting out a stream of flames from its mouth and catching Fleur's robes on fire. She quickly extinguished them and then left from where she had first come. The whole encounter took maybe ten minutes, she hadn't cheated, but Jade felt robbed of watching Fleur try and get past her dragon. Krum's go was more entertaining, he dodged bursts of fire, making the crowd gasp and shriek, before hurling a curse at the dragon's eyes. The dragon was immediately distracted, unable to get whatever was cast on its eyes out of them. Krum took the chance to run up and grab his egg, barely missing the dragon's large feet stomping around him as it moved blindly, the dragon had ended up crushing the remaining eggs under the weight of its feet. Jade scooted to the end of her seat as she waited for the final contestant to complete his task. The pit in her stomach had been forgotten while watching the others finish but it returned angrily now that it was Harry's turn. Jade almost didn't notice the red-haired man who brought the next dragon into the enclosure. She knew this man, she squinted to get a better look at him and her suspicions were confirmed, it was Charlie Weasley. She didn't know why she didn't put it together that he would be here the moment she knew dragons were involved. But he didn't look around for his brothers or his brothers' friends, he secured the dragon and left again. It felt like forever before Harry finally emerged from the tent and into the enclosure. An added spark of nerves ran up Jade's spine when she realized that Harry had the scariest-looking dragon by far. Harry, like the other champions, looked at the crowd first before moving slowly towards his dragon, stopping and ducking behind the first boulder he could before raising his wand in the air and chanting something. Nothing happened and Jade watched him anxiously, had he tried to cast something and it didn't work? She waited for a painful minute before she saw something flying towards the enclosure and flying fast. It soared into the enclosure and stopped dead in midair beside him, it was his broom. Jade cheered loudly as he hopped on and took off up into the sky.

"Yes, Harry!" She screamed at the top of her lungs. Blaise clapped casually at her side while Draco just watched silently on her other. She was surprised to see some of the Slytherins surrounding her clapping along with the crowd, none as excited as her, but still showing their approval of his decision to call his broom, it was a smart idea, not one she would've ever thought of, not one the other champions thought of, not one anybody expected. There were 'POTTER' banners fluttering through the crowd too, coming from the Gryffindors, but it wasn't just them who were cheering him on. Jade watched as Harry shrank to a dot in the sky before diving back down quickly only to stop a few feet above the dragon's head. He then began whizzing past the dragon, getting lower and lower, the dragon followed his movements as if it were shaking its head no. When it felt like the dragon was within biting distance of Harry, he rose higher, making the dragon crane its neck to keep him in its sights. Harry did this back and forth, over and over, the dragon inched up and up until the gold from the egg in the middle of the cluster could be visible between the dragon's back legs as it had risen to its feet. Harry now moved further away, taunting the dragon to come closer, he flew lower and closer, only to drift back a few feet again, dodging the dragon's lazy attempts to burn him with fire. The dragon stepped towards him, one, two, three steps, and then Harry zoomed past the dragon and reached for the egg. The dragon's tail lashed out dangerously and Harry veered to the left to avoid getting swatted like a bug but one of the long spikes coming from the end of the tail made contact with Harry's shoulder and he faltered only slightly before doubling back and going for the egg again. Jade watched with wide eyes as Harry secured the egg in his grasp before the dragon could fully turn around, and flew out of the enclosure. The crowd erupted for a final time as Harry's broom lowered him behind the enclosure. Jade cheered until her throat was raw and begging for water. Everyone was still too busy cheering to notice the two students making their way from the stands towards the tent behind the enclosure. Jade quickly excused herself past the students in her row and rushed down the stands to catch up with them.