I still can't believe Ch.5 is out of the way for good. My hands keep cramping. Ch.6 should be shorter. I hope it turns out shorter. I might do up to the First Task, or the Yule Ball, but I have to think about it.
You know in the first movie when Snape bangs through the door? Doesn't he look like Zorro?
Jogging as silently as she could, Daniel returned to the Slytherin Common Room in the early hours of the morning. Stepping over the unconscious forms of her classmates, she found Draco lying slumped in an armchair with a crepe hat perched awkwardly on his head. Climbing up the stairs to the girls' dormitory, she found a senior boy sleeping in her bed, surrounded by what she hoped wasn't a bodily fluid.
The Great Hall was empty. Sitting at the Slytherin table, she knocked sharply on her plate. A single piece of toast appeared in front of her. Eating it moodily, she waited for the rest of the school to make an appearance.
Draco didn't seem to mind that she didn't show up for her own party. In fact, he admitted he couldn't remember most of the night anyway. Apparently, the senior she had found sleeping in her bed had procured some poteen, which in Draco's opinion, was like rocket fuel.
The entire common room had had at least two glasses of the stuff, the result of which was they were all intoxicated by midnight.
The Slytherins spent the majority of Sunday nursing their hangovers. Never had the Common Room been so quiet, any sound, no matter how quiet, felt like rocks dropping on their heads. Daniel retired to her bed, which had been cleaned up by the house elves. Finishing off some homework for the next day, she wondered if Harry was having as much fun.
The next morning, the Slytherins were walking down the slope towards Hagrid's cabin. Draco wasted no time in making fun of Harry, but when the skrewts were brought out, along with leashes, the smirk that had plastered itself on Draco's features disappeared.
Within minutes, the class were covered in mud, burns and grass. The skrewts kept exploding at flying forward, pulling their walkers along the ground. Daniel had solved this predicament by digging her heels into the ground, and managed to stay upright long enough to see Harry and Hagrid engaged in conversation, before her skrewt blew up suddenly and caught her off guard. She ended up in the mud with the rest of the class. A muddy person whom she identified as Draco was shaking his head sharply trying to get rid of the all the muck.
"I don't think that's going to work." she said after a while.
It wasn't so bad being champion, thought Daniel. People moved out of her way in corridors, juniors offered her a seat at the Slytherin table, providing, of course, that Draco hadn't already saved her a seat. Harry seemed depressed about it all. Severus had told her about the Chamber of Secrets fiasco. It wasn't much different from that, but Ron and Harry weren't friends anymore, and the pained expressions on their faces during class were enough to suggest they were both too proud to say sorry.
A few days later, the Slytherins were waiting outside the Potions classroom. Malfoy was handing out badges saying, "Support Cedric Diggory, the REAL Hogwarts Champion". Daniel politely declined and tried to look interested when Malfoy showed her the alternative message. ('Potter Stinks', for those of you who've forgotten.)
He ordered them to shut up when the Gryffindors approached.
"Like them Potter?" Draco shouted mockingly, flashing 'Potter Stinks'
around the corridor. He offered one to Hermione, but snatched it away when she reached for it. Draco was apparently unable of seeing Hermione without making a 'mudblood' joke. Ron and Harry immediately jumped to her defense, and a slagging match ensued. Hermione looked at Daniel, and smiled gratefully when she saw that at least one Slytherin wasn't wearing a badge. "He's a poof." she mouthed over Draco's shoulder. Hermione giggled, and then got hit in the teeth with a spell gone awry. Goyle stumbled about clutching his face, roaring in pain. Prof. Snape took that opportunity to come down the corridor, staring at the scene with a 'what have those bloody Gryffindors done now' look. He sent Goyle to the Hospital wing, with Crabbe to accompany him. He was less sympathetic to Hermione, however. "I see no difference." he announced coldly, and ushered the Slytherins into the classroom. Hermione ran off in tears. Punching him in the kidney, Daniel ran after her.
A head poked around the door to the Hospital Wing. "Can Daniel Snape come down to the Wand-Weighing Ceremony?" squeaked an obviously excited Colin Creevy. Leaving Hermione sobbing in a chair beside the door, Daniel followed the hyperactive Third Year to a classroom she hadn't been in before. The other champions were sitting on chairs. Except Harry. Maybe Colin was away to get him from Potions. She sat for 15 minutes before Harry was dragged through the door by Rita Skeeter, who was followed by Dumbledore. Rita caught a glance of Daniel, and gasped. Standing up to let Dumbledore have a seat, Daniel eyed the fluorescent reporter wrathfully. Rita set up the Quick Quotes Quill, and Daniel watched it skitter across the page as Rita whispered to it. Occasionally, Rita looked up at the Champions, and continued to dictate to the Quill skating across the parchment. Harry stood beside her.
"I brought your bag from potions." he whispered quietly.
"Thanks." She replied, still watching Rita. "Is Snape mad at you?"
"Ron and me are in detention. After you left we started shouting at him in the corridor and now we have pickle rats brains."
"Too bad." Daniel said without much enthusiasm. "Hermione's upset, you know. Understandable I suppose. You wouldn't expect a teacher to come out with something that callous. Even Snape. She could report him to Dumbledore and get his pay docked," at this she smiled, imagining Severus having to live of beans over the summer. "but Madam Pomfrey shrunk her teeth, and she's o.k. now."
Before Mr. Ollivander checked the wands, Ludo Bagman gave a short explanation of what he would be checking for. Fleur was first, and Mr. Ollivander nodded encouragingly, inspecting the wand closely for cracks. When satisfied, he shot flowers out of it and gave them to Fleur with a short bow. Cedric and Harry's wands was given more attention than Krum's, probably as Ollivander had made both of theirs. Daniel's wand had been made by Tikiro Hosikai, the Japanese equivalent of Mr. Ollivander. Finally, after a long inspection, he made a gerbil fly out of it and explode into a shower of golden stars before he was satisfied.
"Right. Photographs." said the man sitting beside Rita. Harry gave her a frightened look from the other side of Madame Maxime, and reluctantly moving into position.
Dinner at the Slytherin table was a solemn affair. Draco told her what she missed from potions, but she knew it anyway. "Are you worried about Tuesday?" asked Draco, surprisingly kindly.
"Suppose I should be. God knows what the judges've got planned. Bet you a tenner it's a great big monster. Something really depraved like that. Or an obstacle course. Or both." Daniel couldn't hear her voice quavering as she rambled to Draco about it.
The corridors of Hogwarts were a bit eerie at night time. Strolling slowly back to the Slytherin Common Room, after a few hours of studying for the First Task in the library. Just going over spells, charms and curses, which could help her fight the unknown. Pausing at a window, scanning over the moonlit countryside. The lake looked like ink. A small figure was sprinting over the grounds, following two huge silhouettes. It was keeping a good bit behind them, obviously not wanting to be seen. Quelling her curiosity, Daniel descended the stairs and entered the Common Room. No-one was there. Completely empty, the cold stone room felt like a tomb.
Climbing into bed, it took a while for her to fall asleep through the loud snorting noises Pansy frequently made in her sleep.
The tension in the school built up to an unbearable air of controlled hysteria the weekend and Monday before the first task. The champions were the brunt of many taunts from their rivals' supporters, and hearty, "I know you'll do well!" from their classmates.
On Monday night, Daniel sat in the Slytherin common room until the small hours of the night talking to Draco. He was convinced she'd do well.
"You know what the task is yet?" Draco asked, trying to steer her attention away from the weird stain on the carpet she seemed so engrossed in.
"No. Harry looks terrified. Maybe we have to fight a troll. Or fight each other." she smiled. "I'd win that."
The Great Hall was almost completely silent the next morning. Everyone was so excited they could barely speak. The teachers were silent also. Dumbledore was talking somberly to Madame Maxime, both of whom looked very worried about something.
Krum, Fleur and Harry were white as sheets. Hermione was talking encouragingly to Harry, while Ron gazed at his plate. There was a mass turning of heads as Mc Gonagall, Karkaroff, Mme. Maxime and Snape stepped down from the teachers table.
"Come on. You have to go now." said Snape quickly and he followed the other teachers and champions down to the tent beside a huge arena, that had presumably been erected overnight.
Ludo Bagman and Mr. Crouch were there. Ludo was obviously excited, while Crouch remained calm and steady. He explained to the champions about the task, revealing only that they had to get the Golden Egg. Daniel noticed the other champions paling slightly.
They knew something.
Severus wished her an embarrassed 'good luck', and strode haughtily out of the tent. Ludo held out a small velvet bag, and said excitedly,
"Ladies first." Fleur extended her hand and picked out a perfect little dragon. Daniel nearly had a heart attack.
"Dragons?" she whispered dazedly. Harry gave her a "you didn't know?" look, and took out his dragon. Krum chose a little red one with lots of spikes, and when she got her turn, Daniel picked the one with great big horns and huge teeth.
While they waited for the whistle, (Fleur was going first), Daniel let her dragon run around chasing a beetle.
"You really didn't know?" said Harry beside her. Daniel shook her head. "None of us knew until about, three days ago, I think."
"Doesn't really make me feel any better." Her dragon began digging little holes in the dirt near her feet. Picking it up gently, she watched it run in circles on her lap, chasing it's spiny tail. It blew little tongues of flame into the air, singing her robes. Stretching it's wings, it flew around her head a few times, before landing awkwardly in the crook of her elbow and settling down for a nap. "Cute, isn't it." she said affectionately, scratching it's head. "I think I'll call it Alan. That suits it, don't you think?"
"Yeah, suppose. I might call mine.." the whistle blew from the stadium. A loud voice announced, "Ladies and Gentlemen, Fleur Delacour!" Fleur walked shakily out of the tent. Her dragon squeaked miserably and tried to fly after her, but the thick canvas defeated it. Going over and picking it up, Daniel tried to keep the two dragons in her care apart, but was burnt for her trouble. Picking up Alan protectively, she nudged Fleur's dragon away with her shoe, but the little bugger started biting her foot. Ignoring it, Harry, Krum and Daniel listened to the sounds of the crowd. With every cheer or groan from the audience, her stomach seemed to implode. Bagman's depressing commentary wasn't much better. Finally, there was a huge cheer, and the loud voice saying again, "Fleur's done it Ladies and Gentlemen!"
"What dragon did Fleur have?" asked Harry.
"A Welsh Green."
"What dragon does Krum have?"
"A Chinese Fireball."
"What dragon do I have?"
"A Swedish Short Snout."
"What dragon do you have?"
"A Hungarian Horntail."
"That's the bad one."
"I know."
Ludo announced Krum's name, and a cheer sounded as the sulky Bulgarian walked into the enclosure.
"Oooh, very narrow there. He'll have to be more careful if he wants to stay alive!" yelled Bagman over the roaring crowd.
"Have you got a plan?" asked Harry. Daniel giggled.
"I'm trying to think of one. " There was a pause. "Do you have a plan?"
"Sort of."
They waited in silence for the inevitable.
The crowd screamed and cheered and gasped theatrically. It reminded Daniel of a pantomime.
"It's behind you! Too late, you've been cremated. NEXT!"
The crowd erupted into applause. "Good luck." she said shakily as Harry walked out to the enclosure. Desperately trying to formulate a plan with what was left of her mind. Most of it had been shredded by thoughts of dragons and fire and big fucking teeth. Fleur and Krum's dragons were still fighting in the dust. Alan was curled up on her knee. He was only about the size of a big hamster. A fire-breathing flying hamster with scales.
The crowd were shrieking and cheering more than ever. Harry must have had a plan after all. Bagman was praising him wildly. "Good move!" The final cheer came far quicker than any of the others.
"That's going to shorten the odds on Mr. Potter!" Bagman yelled.
Daniel's stomach seemed to tighten. She stood up and prepared for the task ahead of her. Alan scurried up her trouser leg and perched happily on her shoulder.
"You want to come?" Something clicked in Daniel's brain. stuffing the tiny reptile into her pocket, she waited for Bagman to announce her.
"Daniel Snape!" he screeched into the warm autumn air.
Her legs wouldn't work. Slapping herself mentally, she breathed deeply and walked briskly into the enclosure.
The Horntail lay curled up at the other end. It's clutch of eggs lying protected in the curve of it's tail. The crowd stopped clapping and sat in icy silence, awaiting her plan. Walking forward a few paces, she settled her raw nerves and thought of a spell with a bit of range.
"Notticus!" she barked sharply, her wand pointed straight at the dragon. A volley of arrows shot out the tip of the wand and right to the dragon's spiny head. Arrows were, of course, harmless against it, but it was enough of a distraction to get it to open it's eyes. Yellow flashed from under it's eyelids and the Horntail raised it's head and snarled.
Daniel started walking forward toward the dragon until she was in the centre of the arena. A murmur rippled through the crowd. Standing on all four legs, the Horntail looked pissed. It's top lip curled back.
She was well within firing range.
Opening it's mouth, the yellow teeth of the Horntail were nearly the height of Daniel herself. "Aqueous!" she screamed, and a jet of water shot straight into the Horntail's throat. Roaring in anger, the Horntail tried again, smoke furling out of it's nostrils. The second the flames started, she threw herself to one side. She wasn't quick enough. The tail end of her robes smoldered. Pulling them off, she watched them disintegrate as the Horntail caught her off guard again. The crowd shrieked, and she caught a glimpse of Malfoy clutching his face with both hands as she dodged the third flume of scorching fire. The Horntail paused slightly to turn around properly. Pulling Alan out of her pocket, she threw him about ten or twelve feet away from her, and roared, "Engorgio!" Alan swelled to the size of a large horse, and then to the size of an elephant, and finally, nearly as big as the Horntail herself. The two dragons glared at each other, and the Horntail's eyes flashed angrily, and made a lunge for Alan's neck. He retaliated, and soon they were both airborne, divebombing each other ferociously. Sprinting forward, Daniel reached for the golden egg. The crowd were shouting and screaming, but suddenly went silent. Daniel looked up. The Horntail had gotten her fearsome teeth around Alan's neck, and he was screaming in pain. She made a final crunch through his spine, and he fell heavily to the ground. As he was merely a conjured dragon, he dissolved into the ground, soon replaced by a very angry Horntail. Daniel already had the golden egg, but the Horntail was advancing slowly, head low to the ground and swinging slightly from side to side. Her yellow eyes and teeth were fixed on Daniel. The wizards who took care of the dragons came rushing into the enclosure behind the Horntail. Firing spells at her, she spun around quickly for an animal her size, and the last thing Daniel seen before everything went black, was a huge, muscular, spiky tail swinging right at her.
The crowd didn't stop screaming for a long time.
Ha. I'm stopping now.
This chapter was fuelled by Red Bull, Columbian coffee, Rammstein and Marilyn Manson. I'd like to thank them for keeping me alive these past few months.
The next Harry Potter book is out on June 21st!!!!!
If Snape is the "surprising death", I'll die. I will. I'll just die.