DRACO MALFOY AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE
BY Lady Lestrange
DISCLAIMER: Everything you recognize belongs to JK Rowlings. Thanks JK.
THE THIRD TASK
After dinner, Pansy was waiting for Draco in the now deserted Slytherin Common room. "You said you would be down at seven o'clock," complained Pansy.
"Did you miss me?" He asked.
"No," she pouted, a slight blush coloring her sallow cheeks. "I just have better things to do than waiting around for you."
"I doubt it," said Draco.
With a huff, she turned away. "Forget it," she said as she headed for the Entrance Hall. "I don't want your omnoculors. I can see the Tri-Wizard Tournament without them."
"Ah, Pansy, don't be like that. I need your help."
"Why should I help you?" She asked, her eyes narrowing and her lip jutting out in a pout.
Draco moved closer to her and put his hands on her shoulders. He was already late for the third task. He didn't have time to argue with her or convince her. He just needed her compliance, and he was quite sure he knew the fastest way to win her over to his way of thinking. It was time to turn on the Draco Malfoy charm. "Why wouldn't you help me?" He asked softly, his lips now only a breath away from hers. He fought the urge to close his eyes. He needed to see her acquiesce to his will, and if he needed to kiss her to make that happen, so be it. As he gazed into her eyes he tried to ignore her pug face and concentrate on her soft and feminine body. "Pansy," he whispered. "Will you help me?" Just as his lips descended for a kiss, Pansy turned her head, and Draco found himself planting a chase kiss on Pansy's cheek.
"I'm not one of your conquests," she spat.
"Of course, you're not," Draco shot back. "You're my best friend."
"Best—" said Pansy shocked. "What about Vincent and Greg?"
"Pansy," he said sarcastically. "They only have one brain between them, and it's mine!"
She burst out laughing. "You'd better hurry. You're late. Give me the omnoculors, Draco. I know what to do with them." She paused and then planted a swift, hot kiss on his lips. "A kiss for luck," she said. "Go." She gave him a shove in the direction of the door.
Draco was nearly at the maze before he realized that he had forgotten to tell her that luck had nothing to do with it. He gathered his thoughts and fondled his wand in his pocket. Excitement coursed through him. He was going to win this thing. He was going to beat Harry Potter, and all the damn snitches that Potter beat him to would mean nothing—not after today.
==
Draco stood at the entrance to the maze and surveyed the stands. In the especially reserved front row, He saw Dumb-as-a-door and Professor Moody--or Barty Crouch--considering how you wanted to look at him. Moody had just rejoined Dumb-as a door. Professor Snape was approaching them. Draco knew why. Professor Snape wanted to see the results of the lack of polyjuice potion in Moody's bloodstream. Pansy was working her way through the crowd behind them. She shuffled several younger students out of their seats so that she could have a good view of Moody. While Draco watched, Moody took out his hip flask and took a long drink. Draco smiled. That meant that the polyjuice was due to run out soon.
Severus Snape was hurrying to the quiddich stands. Draco knew that he had a specific seat that he wanted to procure for himself to see not the end of the Tri-Wizard Tournament so much, as the end of the creature that was masquerading as Professor Moody. Snape finally settled himself in the row behind Moody and Dumbledore. Professors Sprout and Vector were seated just a few seats in front of them. Moody was standing and heading back toward the maze.
"What was he doing?" Draco wondered.
Snape also stood, and urged Moody to sit back down with Dumb-as-a door. After considerable discussion, Moody gave in and Snape headed for the maze. His cape as usual was billowing out behind him as he strode purposefully forward.
"Let's go, Draco," said Snape as he glided forward. "It's time for the task to begin."
"Aren't you going to watch?" Asked Draco.
"No," growled Snape. "I'm going to patrol the perimeter of the maze to see that there is no cheating. I hate to see Professor Moody clomping around on that wooden leg when his hip has been hurting him."
"How kind of you," said Draco with a sneer.
"Yes, it is. Isn't it," Snape answered back dryly. "I just hope Moody stays right there with Dumbledore."
Snape joined the other patrollers: McGonagall, Hagrid, and Flitwick. Draco heard Professor Snape explaining that Moody's leg was hurting him, and he had offered to take his place. McGonagall and Hagrid, both gave him quizzical looks and then continued to explain that if the Champions had trouble and needed to be rescued, they should send up red sparks from their wands.
Just then, Ludo Bagman began his sonorus spell and announced the order of the champions. Draco would enter the maze first because he was already in first place. Next would be Potter and Diggory, tied for second place with eighty-five points, followed by Krum with eighty points, and finally, the beautiful Fleur Delacour.
"Last," thought Draco. "Why did Gagman, just say 'beautiful Fleur Delacour' like the tournament was a beauty contest instead of a test of wizarding skills. Ha! No one wanted the Veela to be last, but that's where she was. It just goes to show you that beauty cannot compete with brains." For some reason, he glanced up at the stands to see Pansy. Blaise had joined her, and waved at Draco when she saw him looking in their direction. Pansy did not look at him. Pansy had the omnoculor trained on Moody. Too bad Draco could not watch the little show that would soon be played out when Moody's polyjuice potion wore off.
++
Gagman gave a short blast on his whistle and the task had started. Draco sprinted into the maze, but stopped a few feet into it. It was very dark. Either it was enchanted to be dark, or it was just the towering shade of the hedges. Draco would have bet that it was enchanted. He lit his wand and wandered a few steps further into the maze. About fifty feet from the beginning he came to a fork. He took the right branch, went several more steps and extinguished the light from his wand. Then he waited. He heard Gagman's whistle blow. That meant that Potter and Diggory were in the maze. A moment later, Diggory came racing toward him. Draco raised his wand and breathed a spell. It was a whisper on the night air: "Somnus!" And Diggory dropped off to sleep right in the middle of the path. Although the spell should last at least an hour, Draco decided to be safe. He thought about sending up the sparks, but it was awfully early in the game to do that. He had a better plan. He blocked the pathway, by growing more of the hedges in front of Diggory, and then he continued on his way. He wished Potter had chosen the right path.
Another short blast on the whistle signified Krum entering the maze. For a moment, Draco contemplated waiting for Krum too, but he could hear Krum's footsteps retreating in the opposite direction. He too, had chosen the left path. Draco lit his wand and hurried forward. He knew he needed to go Northwest to the center of the maze. He looked up at the now visible stars and found constellations that he knew so well from his study of Astronomy: Pegasus, Ursa Major and Ursa Minor, Draco of course or simply the North Star. Unfortunately, there was a blank hedge in front of him. He couldn't go Northwest, he had to choose North first and then hope for a west branch soon.
He turned a corner and nearly ran into one of Hagrid's Blast end Skrewts. It was huge. It was at least twice the size of the one he had given Camilla for a Yuletide gift. Draco held his wand in front of him, ready. "Imperio!" He shouted. "You will follow me. You will not attack anything or anyone except on my order." Draco hesitated. Should he really take this thing with him, or should he just immobilize it? He didn't delude himself into thinking he could kill it without a particularly strong spell, like Avada Kedavra and of course that was illegal. It didn't bother Draco that imperio was illegal because the skrewt wasn't going to give evidence against him. On the other hand, a dead skrewt body without any blemishes except for a touch of green around it, pretty well indicated that Avada Kedavra was used.
The skrewt followed him like an overly large puppy dog. All it needed was one of Hagrid's leashes for around its middle.
Draco hesitated. In front of him, at the next intersection, was a golden mist. It was obvious that it was some sort of enchantment, but he didn't recognize it. If he entered it, he might lose his concentration on the skrewt and that could be dangerous. Fortunately, the problem was solved as Fleur hurried from the opposite direction. She studied it for a moment, and then spoke "recindo!" to try to eliminate the enchantment. Unfortunately, that didn't work. Instead of dissolving the enchantment, it expanded it. Fleur was caught in the golden mist and swung in a complete circle. She screamed. It was obvious that Fleur was disoriented. She was standing with her feet now a little above the ground on the mist. Her hair was hanging upwards as if she was upside down. She was reaching pathetically with her hands. Draco waited for her to get out of the spell, but she didn't. In a few moments, Krum, having heard her scream, came to her rescue. Draco set the skrewt on him. Fleur, in a panic, sent up red sparks from her wand. She had quit.
Krum was hit with a blast of fire from the skrewt and screamed with the pain of the burns. Draco had really thought that Krum was a little better at magic. He had botched the shark transfiguration earlier in the tournament, but Draco had thought he could do a simple impedimenta charm to stop the skrewt. Shaking, Krum attempted another spell, but the skrewt was too close. Draco, jumped out from behind the hedges and performed an impedimenta charm. It slowed the skrewt down, but didn't stop it. "Stop, where you are," demanded Draco, pulling on the power of the imperio curse instead. The skrewt froze.
"You hav saved us," said Krum, shaking with the shock of his burns. "How can I effer repay you?"
"Quiddich World Cup Tickets?" Suggested Draco. "Front row—"
"Done," said Krum shakily.
"Are you continuing?" asked Draco, eyeing Krum's burns. "You really look like you need Madam Pomfrey."
"Pleeze," said Krum. "Vil you send zee red sparks?
Draco took Krum's wand and sent a shower of red sparks into the air. "Well, then," said Draco. "I'm on my way."
"Good luck," Krum called after him.
As soon as Draco was out of view, he called the blast-ended skrewt back to him. "Just one more contestant to take down," thought Draco. "Potter."
Draco was picking his way carefully. He didn't want to run into any more blast ended skrewts without some advance warning.
Draco turned the corner and there, right in the maze was his father. His wand was out and trained on Draco. "You are such a disappointment to me, Draco." said Lucius. "When will you learn—"
"Father, I didn't mean to—I thought—"
"Crucio!" spat Lucius, and as soon as the curse was released from his wand—or rather as soon as it wasn't released from his wand, Draco realized that the thing in front of him was not his father. It was a boggart.
"Ridikulous!" shouted Draco, and the image of his father vanished. Draco tried to soothe his shaking muscles. He had tensed, expecting a real crucious curse, and the boggart's version of it was almost laughable. Draco sat down in the middle of the maze and took a few deep breaths.
This was exactly where Draco was when Harry Potter came upon him.
"Malfoy!" shouted Potter. "Look out!"
Before Draco could turn to see what was behind him, Potter shouted "Expecto patronum!" and a stream of white smoke billowed out of his wand. The white smoke coalesced into a stag and charged at whatever was behind Draco. Draco followed it's progress as it attacked a dementer. The dementer tripped as it tried to run.
Draco gathered himself up and let Potter fight out his own fears with the boggart/dementer. He hurried forward, anxious to find and claim the Tri-Wizard Cup. He knew it wouldn't take Potter long to discover that his dementer was a boggart and then he would be right behind Draco. In his haste, Draco took a dead end and had to retrace his steps. He saw Potter in front of him speaking to a sphinx. She stepped aside and allowed him to pass.
Swearing loudly, Draco began to run. He was out of breath when he reached the Sphinx.
It had the body of lion, a great golden lion with long claws, but the face was that of a woman. She had soft almond shaped eyes of a tawny gold and long brown hair that curled like the ruff of a mane. She was pacing from side to side, blocking his progress.
"May I pass?" Asked Draco, panting and holding his wand in front of him.
"Not unless you answer my riddle," said the Sphinx.
"Is there another way to the center of the maze?" asked Draco.
"Yes. But the quickest way is past me. You are very near your goal."
"Yes, yes," said Draco impatiently. "Just get on with it." But the sphinx appeared to have a set speech that she had to say.
"To pass me, you must answer my riddle. If you answer correctly on your first guess, I will let you pass. If you answer incorrectly, I attack. If you remain silent, I will let you walk away from me unscathed."
Draco nodded. "Will you repeat the riddle, or only say it once?"
"I will repeat it," said the sphinx.
"I'm ready," replied Draco. "Let's hear the riddle."
The sphinx sat back on her hind legs and recited:
It costs nothing to you if you give it to me
But never can mine be given to me.
You can give it to me but I can't give yours back
Although, I might give you mine to fulfill the lack
Tho' you can give it again and again
It is something that you can never lend
Something you keep, to keep a friend
For if it is broken, it will not mend.
More fragile than crystal. More precious than gold
It cannot be bought. It cannot be sold
It cannot be taken. Only given away.
And you'll have it still, to use another day.
"Hmmmm. Costs nothing? Costs nothing? Not bought. Not sold. Not taken. Can't be a physical object then--Must be some kind of quality…." Thought Draco. "Just a minute. I'll get it," he told the sphinx.
The sphinx just nodded and smiled at him.
"Can you repeat the middle part?" He asked. "The part that rhymes with mend . . ."
She repeated:
"Tho' you can give it again and again
It is something that you can never lend
Something you keep, to keep a friend.
And if it is broken, it will not mend."
"Let's see—something you give again and again. That's lots of things—not lend—give—" Draco bit his lip in concentration. He usually was pretty good at this sort of thing, especially if it was an object. "What could you give? He thought. "Love, hate—no those can't be broken—a curse?—no—That's not fragile—couldn't ok—broken—what could be broken? I'll come back to that," he thought. "Something you keep, to keep a friend. His mind skipped to Pansy—Ah—"
"I've got it," he said. And after he answered, the sphinx just smiled her enigmatic smile and moved to the side of the maze to let him pass.
(A/N: What? You expected me to tell you? Review and tell me your guess. I need to know if this was too hard. I will tell you the answer—next chapter or ten reviews from now. LL.)
Draco sprinted ahead. It was a straight line to the cup now, but Potter was ahead of him. Potter-- who beat him to every snitch at every Quiddich game. Draco poured on every bit of speed that was in his body, but Potter was still going to get there first.
Just then, out of no where, a giant spider appeared and attacked Potter. "Stupefy!" yelled Potter, but to no avail. "Stupefy! Stupefy!"
"Honestly," thought Draco. "Is that the only spell he knows?"
Draco raised his wand to keep Potter from getting killed—he didn't want to win the Tournament by default—he wanted to beat Potter because he knew he was the better wizard. The hot breath of the blast ended skrewt distracted him. There was the big fellow, right at his feet.
"Attack the spider," said Draco. Immediately, the skrewt headed for the spider. Unfortunately, it's aim was not very good and Harry got a good dose of the sting along with what seemed to be a broken ankle from the spider. At last the spider was dead and Draco moved out of the shadows. The Tri wizard cup was his for the taking. He looked at Potter, unconscious beside the giant spider. He looked at his skrewt. He knew he should summon help, but first, he thought, the Cup.
Draco reached out and wrapped his hand around the handle of the Tri-Wizard Tournament Cup. Immediately, he felt a familiar tugging just behind his navel. The Cup was a portkey!
==
When Draco's feet touched the ground, he bent into a crouch and pulled out his wand. He had serious doubts that whatever was happening now had anything to do with the Tri-Wizard Tournament. No one had told him the cup was a portkey.
"Hello, Mr. Potter," said a voice behind him.
Draco whirled around the disarming spell on his lips as he moved. "Expellaramus!"
The wizard behind him lost his wand and slammed into a nearby tree. The bundle he was holding fell to the ground with a hard klunk.
Draco, wand still poised, surveyed the area. He eyed the gravestones—little Hengleton Graveyand—he surmised. He noticed the bubbling cauldron. It was huge. Draco, still scanning the horizon for others, spoke aloud. "Someone was planning a party for Potter," he sneered. "Figures. Potter gets a graveyard party. I get—" Draco sniffed. "A big pot of soup."
A low, growling laugh came from the bundle on the ground.
Slowly, with wand still drawn, Draco touched the bundle with his foot, knocking the blanket aside.
Red eyes stared out at him. "Hello, young Malfoy," said Voldemort. "You weren't invited."
"Oh, I guessed that," said Draco, surveying the helpless thing in the blanket. It was hairless and scaly, a dark raw, reddish black. "But I'm a Slytherin." Draco continued. "This isn't the first party I've crashed. Of course it might be the most auspicious company though." He sat down next to the blanket. "Lord Voldemort, I presume."
"Your father assured Wormtail that you'd be no trouble," said the voice from the blanket.
"Oh, I've always been trouble. It's in my blood," replied Draco carelessly.
"Your father also said that he would eliminate your little quest to win the Tri-Wizard Tournament."
"Yes, well. Just goes to show that father isn't always reliable," said Draco. "Terrible lack of communication—"
"I've had that problem with my wizards for quite a while now," said Voldemort.
"About thirteen years, if I'm not mistaken." Draco stood and paced over to the bubbling cauldron. "I'd like to correct my mistake, if I could."
"Oh, I expect you to," answered Voldemort coldly.
"I assume there are some key ingredients missing from this potion."
"Yes," replied Voldemort. "Potter's blood."
"You know," said Draco. "I don't know who thought of this plan, but it's obvious you need a few Ravenclaw Death Eaters. I could have delivered Potter to you on September first if you had asked me to. I could have enchanted his quill on the first day, or his divination book— Trelawney would have loved it. She was always predicting Harry Potter's doom. There would be some ironic justice for him to disappear from her class."
Voldemort laughed. "Yes, Sybil always was predicting doom, even when she was a child. Of course, she did predict that a dark wizard would be vanquished by a babe—unfortunately I ignored that prediction"
**
(A/N: See Author's other story, Harry Potter and the Seers' Truth, for more information about Trelawney's prediction and lots of action—and lots of Draco--since this story is almost over—except for the hilarious lol last chapter and epilogue.)
**
"There were so many ways I could have gotten him to touch a portkey," said Draco. "I could have put the portkey enchantment on his potions book. Snape wouldn't have missed him. His owl's cage… His Firebolt…"
"Oh no," said Voldemort. "It wouldn't do for him to arrive on broomstick. I'm afraid I have enough trouble holding a wand with the body--A broomstick is out of the question. However, since you have so kindly volunteered your services, young Malfoy," sneered Voldemort. "I will expect to see Harry Potter here by tomorrow night—the same time will be fine."
"I'll do it, sir. I have an idea. Draco shared his plan with Voldemort.
"Well," he said, "If you can pull that off, it will be quite a feat. Your father never mentioned how resourceful you were."
"My father has no idea," drawled Draco.
"You should probably be getting back to Hogwarts then," suggested Voldemort. "If another champion reaches the center of the maze and realizes that you are missing—"
"Oh, they won't," Draco assured Voldemort. "I took care of all of them before I came."
"All of them?"
Draco nodded and headed toward the portkey.
"Oh young Malfoy, would you wake Wormtail before you go? He's inept, but he is here, after all."
"Of course. said Draco, turning his wand on Wormtail. "Enervate!" he said, "And if you would, please call me Draco."
"Certainly—Draco. One other thing, you should know," Voldemort continued, his raspy voice cold in the night air. "You should know what will happen if you should fail—Cruci—"
"I won't fail," said Draco as he took hold of his Tri-Wizard Cup, which was also a portkey. He felt the heat of the crucious curse above his head, just as the familiar pull behind his navel took him away from Little Hengleton Graveyard and the Dark Lord.
++
REVIEW PLEASE: DO IT NOW.
ANSWERS TO MY REVIEWERS:
Marek-Malik-fangirl8 I'm glad you think this is VERY well written! Please read some of my other fics, now that this one is drawing to a close. Sorry Pritch couldn't be in Draco's pocket. Pritch is busy with Moody right now. Look forward to seeing him in the action packed finale. Harry crucioing Volde? Nah.
creativeguy18 Of course I'm going to continue it. It's almost finished. Granted, I was a little stumped trying to make this chapter funny, but it's done now.
Olivia Wood You hate waiting! I hate trying to figure out where I'm going to go with a story that's almost finished. You said: I really don't see how you intend to pull this off, but so far the story is really good and I have faith. I really think your faith in me helped me to stay with it. Thanks for reviewing.
Miakuluchi Thanks for the encouragement.
Nyki (Animebabe159@aol.com) I think Draco should get portkeyed to the Dark Lord. Thanks for the advice. I took it.
Padfoots Girl Thanks for saying: Anyway i love this story. (who wouldn't?) You are going to update this soon right? And apologies for taking so long to update. I was really stuck for a while.
Rei.K WE*jumps up and down in anticipation* This is by far THE best chapter yet—Really you think so? Wait until you see the next one. It's my favorite. I've had it written since the beginning of the story.
Miakuluchi I finally Updated.
MIforever Slytherins are the best.
icybluesky You wrote: I loved your portrayal of Draco Malfoy, it seems so real, just as the way he behaved.:) I look forward to reading many more of your stories. :) Hope you enjoy them all.
Miakuluchi Draco Should definitely win! PLEASE! Draco won. Are you happy?
Miakuluchi You wrote: OOh,it's really good.You know it is very hard to find a interesting fic these days and this one is brilliant! THANK YOU THANK YOU.
smart-cookie I like how u made goyle and owen. Me too. Come and see what I did to Vincent Crabbe in Harry Potter and the Seers' Truth.
Rei.K You wrote: A house elf?!!?!?! I would've never guessed, the thing he cared about most was a house elf!! Now you know why it was a house elf—Had to work Crouch's house elf in there. You wrote: Draco in boxers, M! *drools* so hot!! If you think Draco was hot in this story, he's even hotter in Harry Potter and the Seers' Truth. Promise. Come and read it, but first, REVIEW THIS ONE.
REVIEW. REVIEW. REVIEW.
If you have a fanfic, I'll review yours.
Tell me what you think the Sphinx's riddle is.
If I get 10 reviews, I'll answer what the sphinx's riddle is in the next chapter.
Stay tuned. I should have the next chapter and the hilarious epilogue up on fanfic VERY shortly.
In the meantime, if you are looking for a good read, try my epic: HARRY POTTER AND THE SEERS' TRUTH. Rated PG-13, for violence and sexual innuendo, so it's a little racier than this story. It has funny moments, but not as funny as this one. Trust me. I'm a Slytherin. I don't do "sappy" and "sweet", and Draco plays a big part. –LL