Harry sat in his personal corner of the Champions tent with Remus and tried to center himself. Late last night, he, Hermione, and Remus snuck out to the Forbidden Forest and to have a look at the dragons. He didn't know if it made him better prepared or if he'd rather have not fully comprehended the sheer size of the creatures. There were dozens of dragon keepers racing back and forth trying to keep them in line. His eyes were drawn to the deep purple iridescence of the Vipertooth, her scales glinting red and black in the firelight. She was by far the smallest of the dragons but just by her movements she was the wariest.
The goblins were using simulations to train him, sort of like muggle holograms and even then Harry didn't really connect those with an actual creature. The simulations were cast from magic being filtered through crystals that held a fragment of a dragon - like a memory in a pensieve. The magic that moved through the crystals animated the dragons. Get hit by a blast of fire - get blasted by a wave of hot air. Get smacked by a tail - get hit with a knockback jinx. Effective for building up speed and stamina but still not real. Sort of like dinosaurs in a museum. You could get a feel for their size but until one came up and roared at you with actual hot, stinky dragon breath, it wasn't really something you thought about eating you. He'd even been brave enough to try his Firebolt against two of the varieties of dragons the Ministry chose. Neither of those attempts ended very well. For him anyway.
Well, he was thinking about death by dragon now. Seeing how quickly Norbert grew first year didn't begin to prepare him for the living, breathing, walls of fire, magic and muscle waiting just outside the dingy fabric with over a dozen handlers trying to keep them contained and from breaking down the wards protecting the screaming and cheering audience. An audience who were all going to watch three students who were barely legal adults and one who was barely into his teens try and get past them. Brilliant idea there. Wizards were a bloodthirsty lot.
When he woke this morning, he'd found Hermione wrapped tightly around him, her nose pressed into his neck and her legs draped over top of his. When he'd shifted, she just held on tighter. Unlike in the past when she'd cry and pace, wringing her hands or pestering him with a barrage of questions while she frantically researched spells and methods to keep him alive, this time she'd simply held him. With the bond their magic was creating, it was impossible for him not to feel her fear (and for Hermione to feel how afraid he was) so instead they'd simply talked. She'd shifted to run her fingers through his hair and he'd laid listening to the steady beating of her heart, letting his magic mingle with hers. Feeling safe for probably the last time today. He didn't want to admit to himself how attached he'd become to Hermione this year, especially after they started interacting with more of their peers. Now, with Ron being a colossal pillock, three quarters of the school thinking he was a no good cheater and the other quarter thinking he either cheated and wasn't admitting it or cheated and didn't care as long as Gryffindor was represented, he was feeling both guilty and lonely.
So they laid together as long as they could get away with, talking about anything but the dragons. They talked about the twins latest prank - anyone who switched their badges to Potter Stinks ended up smelling like dungbomb - and Harry was sure Hermione had a hand in that one since she couldn't stop gigging, Ginny and her plans to try out for the Quidditch team next year, Krum seeming to stare and follow Hermione around anytime she was in the castle. That last one bothered Harry to no end and he let Hermione know that if he got too creepy that Harry would help her out. When they finally had to make an appearance at breakfast, they chose to take it in the Great Hall along with the other champions.
But the lack of sleep on top of the stress had both of them anxious and irritable and apparently Harry's swirling magic was 'scaring the plebs' according to the twins. Oh well, he was used to stares. It didn't help that both he and Hermione had a Goblin guard escorting them and said Goblins were standing only a few feet behind them with gleaming axes and sheathed swords. Or maybe it was the head to toe dragonhide outfits that had everyone looking. The twins were brave enough to ask how they could get the same outfits and they were told by killing a dragon. They were trying to convince Cedric they wanted matching green ones.
Now it was the infernal waiting.
He could hear the sounds of the crowd and Bagman's commentary on the other Champions but he couldn't see what was going on. Cedric had gone first, followed by Fleur and then Krum who was competing now. Harry knew his luck and of course he'd drawn the Vipertooth. They'd planned on it and Hermione's idea was catered more towards that particular dragon than any other, though it would have worked on any of them. The champions were allowed their wands and the clothes on their backs and that included cloaks. The committee just never specified what kind of cloaks were allowed.
Hermione and the Goblins had combed through every copy of the tournament rules they could find, nothing prohibited the use of invisibility cloaks by name. So she and Sirius had carefully attached Harry's invisibility cloak to a regular cloak with the outside of the fabric touching Harry. Once he detached the black outer layer and flipped the cloak, presto!, invisible Harry without the ripples of disillusionment.
He also wore a modified version of his Quidditch uniform and armor. It wouldn't protect against dragon fire but it was snug fitting and would help if he got knocked around (technically the Goblins could have provided him with dragon armor too only no one but the Goblins thought it was a good idea to face a dragon wearing…well a dragon). The last trick was Harry's Box of Dragon Toys. Hermione held a shrunken box on her lap in the stands. The plan - for Harry to get to a safe place and summon the box. All without the dragon flambeing him first.
"And what a performance by Durmstrang's Viktor Krum! Though I think he'll lose points there for the dragon stepping on her eggs. And those burns look like they could be nasty! Still he got his egg in record time, I think. What a show, too!
And now on to our youngest Champion, who will face the serpent like Peruvian Vipertooth. HARRY POTTER!!! Witches and Wizards this dragon is not happy to be here. Let's see what young Mr Potter can do!"
Harry made his way to the opening of the arena. He'd felt Remus clasp his shoulder but he was more focused on the feeling of Hermione's magic settling over him. While he could feel her nerves, her fear for him, he was calmed by her faith and the plans they created. He was as ready for this as he was going to be.
The area was set up like a rocky desert. High cliff-like structures lined one side while large boulders were scattered around the dirt. Harry just had time to make out the purple swish of a tail before a blast of flame sent him tumbling head over heels into a group of boulders.
'Okay, now or never. For my first trick…"
"Accio Harry's Dragon Box!"
It took a moment - and the thought that the box might not even cross over the wards protecting the spectators flashed through his mind - before he swore he heard Hermione whoop. Glancing around his hideaway, he reached out and snatched the shrunken box before diving on to the next pile of rocks. He could hear the dragon grumbling and shifting but so far she didn't seem to want to leave her nest.
"And Harry Potter has used the Summoning charm to bring a small box into the arena! What an interesting way to interpret the rules that you can only bring yourself, your wand, and clothes into the arena with you!"
'Wonderful. Now I have to listen to Ludo wax on about what I'm doing as I do it.'
Harry tried one last trick from Hermione before he started on his plan. Well, her plan really, but he was executing it, so, it was his plan, too. He shifted slightly and aimed his wand towards the Vipertooth's nest.
"Accio golden egg!" Nothing. Well, it was worth a try. Keeping half an ear on the dragon, he enlarged the box and pulled out several muggle flares and a bag of dung bombs. Now for the hard part. He carefully pulled his cloak off and separated the invisibility cloak from the regular one and threw it on. Now that they were all getting taller, it was getting harder to hide all three of them under the cloak. Harry decided one night to try it on as a regular cloak, clasping it around his neck and tossing up the hood. Worn like this, anything in his hands became invisible, too. It was all part of the plan.
A whispered Inflamari and the first flare was tossed as far from the nest as Harry could make it. A second and third followed.
Curious at what the tasty morsel trying to invade her nest was throwing, the Vipertooth slithered closer to the flares. With the dragon distracted by the false heat source, Harry moved carefully along the line of boulders until he was diagonal from the dragon's nest. It also placed him dangerously close to the Vipertooth's head.
Drawing a deep breath, he moved onto the next step and not a moment too soon, the dragon must have smelled him because she shifted her bulk and slinked towards the rocks where he was hiding. Quickly lobbing a number a dung bombs in the dragons general direction, Harry got ready to cast his next spell only to rear back when he realized the dragon was about to sneeze.
There was really nowhere else to go, the rest of the arena was an open area and he wouldn't have time to outrun the blast. Thinking quickly, he doused himself with an aguamenti and dropped down as low as he could behind his rock.
When the heat came it was horrible. Harry swore he heard the dirt snapping and crackling under his boots. He had his left arm out steadying him and he hissed as it burned, tucking it close to his body as the wave of heat washed over and around the boulder. As soon as it stopped, he popped up and lobbed more dung bombs at the dragon followed by a bright Solaris Maximus to have her seeing spots.
While the dragon was blinded and smelling nothing but the dungbombs, an invisible Harry made his way to the nest and grabbed the golden egg, slipping it under his cloak before running back to the arena entrance hugging close to the wall. As soon as he crossed the wards he tossed his hood back and raised the now visible egg to cheers and screams.
"And Harry Potter has his golden egg, Witches and Wizards! Ladies and Gentlemen that was an amazing use of an invisibility cloak! Oh, ho, look out, it looks like our dragon friend wants payback!"
Harry looked back towards the arena at Bagman's words and saw the Vipertooth charging at him. Even safe behind the wards, Harry darted back as the dragon keepers fired stunner after stunner at the beast. A tug on his good arm distracted him.
"Well done, Harry! Well done. But Madam Pomphrey is no doubt going mad waiting to see you. Not to mention Hermione is already down and out of the stands," Remus chuckled, drawing him into a one armed hug. He let go when Harry hissed in pain.
He held up his left arm. His uniform was burnt away and his Quidditch armor was practically melted. "I got caught right before I cast the Solar flare spell. This is the worst of it other than some bumps and bruises."
"Let's get you to the medical tent and get you fixed up, pup. Then you can explain to Hermione how uninjured you really are." Harry grimaced.
Madam Pomfrey was indeed waiting for him at the entrance to the medical tent, clucking away about idiotic tournament judges and students battling dragons before dragging him behind a curtained area containing a bed and a very agitated Hermione Granger.
"Harry! You did it! I am so proud of you! And with the fastest time of any of the champions," Hermione engulfed him carefully in a hug and began to help him pull off his ruined Quidditch armor.
"Miss Granger if you are going to be here, you might as well make yourself useful," the matron clucked without even looking up from her potions and salves. Remus chuckled.
"I think the kids are a few steps ahead of you, Poppy."
She glanced up with a frown and noticed Hermione had Harry up on the table and was just easing his arm out of his uniform sleeve.
"Humph. Very good. Please leave the armor where it is. I want to make sure it isn't melted to Mr Potter's arm before we go pulling it off."
Harry groaned. "I could have done without that image, thanks."
"Sure, you can face down a dragon but you cringe at a little bit of melted flesh," Remus muttered.
"Hey, when the melted flesh is yours, then you can mock, until then keep quiet. It bloody fu… fracking hurts." he mumbled glancing at Hermione to see if she was going to correct him for his almost lapse in language but she was too busy with Madame Pomfrey.
Hermione assisted the mediwitch in applying a numbing salve before gently prying the forearm shield away. The burn was deep, the flesh white with red and blistered edges. Second and third degree burns easily.
"Well, Mr Potter, it's certainly not good but you are in better condition than the other Champions. Dragon fire is a fickle thing and scars something fierce, mostly because it goes directly to third and fourth degree burns and is magical on top of deadly.You, however, seem to have only caught the most indirect glance of it."
Harry smiled (though it was more of a grimace since Pomfrey was still pulling at the remains of his melted armor). "I have old family magic protecting me. We know from first hand experience it works on minor spells and hexes, it's supposed to work for potions, too. I guess we can add mild protection against magical fire to that as well though I'm not in a hurry to do any experiments with it."
Hermione nodded her agreement while handing Madam Pomfrey a cleaning potion that popped and fizzed when applied. "I agree. I don't want anyone trying to blast you with fiendfyre and seeing if you light up."
"Mr Potter, whatever spell you have provided significantly more than just minor protection. I would expect a burn such as this to leave you with some nerve damage at minimum but I believe with a few days of rest and salves, you should be right as rain."
A scuffling sound near the mouth of the tent caught their attention and drew eyes towards their red headed visitor. Pomphrey finished wrapping Harry's arm and gave her instructions to Hermione before bustling over to the next screen to see to her other charges.
Hermione frowned. "Hello, Ronald. How can we help you?"
Ron ignored her and focused on Harry.
"Harry, mate, that was amazing! I can't believe you used dung bombs against a dragon. The twins are thrilled." He looked down at the ground and poked his toe at the dirt. "And I guess someone is really out to kill you. I mean, they had you up against dragons!"
Harry snorted. "Really, Ron? You think? What made you come to that stunning conclusion?"
He watched as Ron's ears gradually turned red. "Hey, now, there's no need to get all bent over it. So it took me a little while to come 'round. You know I've got your back."
"You've got Harry's back? That's rich. So, you had his back when Malfoy made those ridiculous pins and handed them out to everyone? You had his back when the seventh year Hufflepuffs were sending out stingers and tripping jinxes in the halls? You had his back in detention when his homework was banished before it could be handed in to Professor Flitwick?" Hermione's curls, which were held back in a ponytail, snapped their confines and sparked with magic. Remus shifted himself closer to the oblivious redhead in case the irate witch lost control.
Ron was doing an admirable job holding back until Harry ran an absent hand over Hermione's hair. The gesture was so casual, so effortlessly intimate, Ron let loose.
"And what do you know about it, huh? You sit there whispering shit in Harry's ear, all high and mighty because you have all of Harry Potter's attention? Let me tell you something, Hermione Granger, I'm Harry Potter's best mate, his first friend and that's a hell of a lot more than some muggleborn, know-it-all bint he lets in his bed. I taught him all about Wizard's Chess and Quidditch and…"
"And that even first friends will turn their back on me when the popular opinion is against me. First in second year with the whole Heir of Slytherin mess and now, now that I've lived through the first task you're ready to be my friend again. Well, let me tell you something Ron, I don't know if I'm ready to forgive and forget so quickly this time."
"What?! Harry, that's, that's just the stress talking! You don't know what you're saying, mate…"
"Mr Weasley, I think it's time you joined the rest of your house in waiting for the scores."
With a huff and stomping his feet, Ron turned tail and headed back to a trio of waiting redheads just beyond the medical tent flap. Hermione groaned and let her head fall on Harry's shoulder.
"I'm sorry, Harry. I should have held my temper better. He was coming to apologize. You might have even been able to go back to the dorms if things had worked out."
Harry chuckled. "And go back to his snoring? I think not. Besides, what would you do without me keeping you company at night?." He wrapped his favorite witch in a one armed hug. "I'm not ready to talk to, much less forgive one Ron Weasley for what he's put either one of us through. Maybe when he apologizes to you for being a prat for the past four years, I'll consider it, but until then, I say we find out how these fine representatives of magical education score us and then see if we can convince the goblins to let us throw a little party. We haven't introduced them to the twins' fireworks yet…"