Thank you for reading! I don't own any of Harry Potter! Please let me know if you enjoy! Updates every Saturday!

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Once Severus woke in the morning, he frowned as he glanced down and noticed Lily still lay on his shoulder.

Her knuckles had whitened as she gripped him tightly in her sleep, as if holding onto him stopped her from rolling towards unimaginable doom.

In the early light, Severus closed his eyes as he held his darling flower close and nuzzled her gently.

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Severus's usually surly expression became a frown of nervous tension over the next few weeks.

As soon as Lily overheard an interesting bit of conversation between Hagrid and Madame Maxime one morning at the High Table, she relayed the information to Severus before they both warned their daughter about the first task she would have to face.

"A dragon! How am I supposed to fight a dragon?!" Harriet hissed to Ron and Hermione at dinner that evening.

"Harriet!" Hermione shushed her in a warning whisper as several students looked in her direction.

"Sorry…." Harriet whispered as Ron widened his eyes, "Really, though…..this should be illegal."

"Dumbledore did say it would be dangerous." Ron shrugged as he frowned. He furrowed his brow while he thought out loud, "I didn't think it'd be this dangerous, though…..Dragons kill loads of people every year!"

"Thanks, Ron." Harriet huffed.

"Listen, Harriet," Hermione reassured her, "We're going to find a way for you to make it through this, alright? I'll read every book I can. I'll ask Professor McGonagall, maybe there's a spell that could be helpful!"

"Thanks, Hermione." Harriet nodded with genuine sincerity.

Despite Hermione's kindness, Harriet couldn't rid herself of the dread that churned her stomach as she ate her meal.

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After dinner concluded, Harriet took her worries to the one who could always relax her troubled mind, no matter great her problems seemed.

A glowing candle flickered on the nightstand beside her as she sat on her bed and scribbled onto the blank page of Tom Riddle's diary with her quill clutched firmly in her hand.

She sighed as she watched her inky words disappear:

Can you believe they're really going to make me fight a dragon? I don't know how to even begin planning…..I can see the fear in my parents' faces. They're as worried as I am.

Slowly, a moment after her words faded away, Tom Riddle's elegant handwriting appeared on the page:

It pains me to know that a talented witch like yourself continues to doubt her own abilities. Harriet Snape, don't you realize? You're already more than equipped. I hardly think you'll have to do more than open your mouth.

Harriet narrowed her eyes incredulously as she wrote back:

My mouth?

Tom's words came across the page a moment later in a single question:

You can speak to snakes, can't you?

Harriet proudly grinned as she answered:

Yes, I can. Everyone's always told me it's a rare talent. I only know one other person who's able. Well, one other besides you.

Harriet frowned as her words slipped away.

Tom's response came a second later:

And what is a dragon but a snake with wings and claws? I can teach you how to tailor your speech until the creature understands you well enough. It may be helpful to learn, however, what kind of dragon you will face? Each comes from a separate land and speaks a separate dialect, of course.

Harriet's frown twisted into an expression of confused bewilderment at Tom's suggestion.

Was he right?

Could Parseltongue be her ultimate advantage?

Right, thanks, Tom. I think I may have a way to find out more about the dragon…...Goodnight.

She watched her words disappear on the page before she snapped the diary shut and headed out of her dormitory.

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Harriet took full advantage of the last hour before curfew began to wade through the throngs of students drifting here and there in the castle as she made her way outside.

Madam Sprout stood in the courtyard on chaperone duty that evening while many of Hogwarts' students enjoyed the cool autumn breeze as they lingered and chatted.

Harriet watched her Herbology teacher very closely as she inched her way towards the edge of the courtyard.

As soon as Madam Sprout turned her head to speak with a fourth year Ravenclaw student who came to ask a question about the assigned homework, Harriet made her escape.

She crept out of the courtyard, hidden by the thin shadows of early twilight.

Careful not to wander too far inside the dark line of trees, Harriet gradually made her way over to Hagrid's Hut before she knocked on the heavy, wooden door.

A moment later, it swung open as Hagrid peered down at her and exclaimed, "Harriet! What are ya doin' here this late? Shouldn' ya be on your way up to bed soon?"

"Sorry, Hagrid." Harriet said quickly as she urgently asked, "Do you mind if i come in?"

Hagrid blinked but moved aside as Harriet stepped into his hut.

"Is somethin' wrong?" He asked as Harriet and Fang exchanged mutual frowns.

"I need your help." Harriet explained as she nodded, "I need you to tell me where the dragons are."

"Tell ya where the dragons are?!" Hagrid gasped. His eyes widened as he spoke, "I shouldn' have said that…..Who told ya there were any dragons at Hogwarts?!"

"Hagrid……" Harriet sighed.

"Well……!" Hagrid sputtered, "Even….Even if there were…..certain creatures……here and they were goin' ta be used for……certain things…..Harriet, I couldn' take ya to 'em! That'd be cheatin'!"

"I'm sure the other champions already know!" Harriet exclaimed, "I've watched them….they're all working on their own strategies! Won't you help me with mine, Hagrid? I don't need you to do anything, just take me to them or tell me where they are and I'll find them myself. Isn't it sort of cheating to force me into this to begin with? I didn't put my name in the Goblet of Fire! I thought you and I were friends!...Do you really want to watch me burn to death?"

"O' course not!" Hagrid scowled.

"Then at least tell me where they are!" Harriet pleaded, "I've seen Cedric talking with Madam Hooch and Professor Sprout….I…I don't know what was said, but I'm not thick. He's got to know something……Fleur and Viktor probably do too! How is that fair?"

Hagrid frowned as he glanced down at the floor and sighed, "Alright, Alright………..Come on then, stay close to me so ya aren't seen. We'll have to walk quite a ways."

Harriet nodded before she obediently followed Hagrid out of his hut and into the Forbidden Forest to meet the dragons.

She had told herself she wouldn't be afraid.

She had told herself the dragons would be smaller and less ferocious than she had imagined, like lazy lizards with wings.

She told herself she would attempt to speak to one, but the witches and wizards near the cages who worked to calm the dangerous magical creatures prevented that.

As Harriet crouched behind a wide bush and watched one of the attending wizards nearly get burned to death by a series of unpredictable bursts of fire, she froze.

Her eyes widened as she gazed at the brief glimpse she received of a single dragon from between the bars of its cage.

Huge spikes lined its head.

Golden brown scales covered its face, even its reptilian eye seemed soulless as it peered out and sought to destroy its captors.

"Are they all like that?!" Harriet hissed to Hagrid.

Hagrid glanced over before he quickly looked away and shook his head, "No, not all of 'em. They all breathe fire and none of 'em are particularly friendly, o' course, but that Hungarian Horn Tail…..." Hagrid's voice trailed off as he pointed at the angry, spiked dragon who shot another potentially deadly flame from inside his cage.

Harriet watched Hagrid with her eyes wide and her mouth open as he glanced back over at her and nodded, "Well……let's hope ya don't get that one, eh?"

Harriet found little comfort in Hagrid's words.

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She hastily concluded her impromptu visit to Hagrid's hut with fifteen minutes left before curfew began.

As Harriet dashed back into the castle, her feet pounded down the stone stairs that led to the dungeons as she headed for her father's office.

Anuman's eyes cracked open as he listened to the sound of approaching footsteps.

Once the heavy, wooden door swung open, he lifted his head and flicked his tongue in interest as Harriet raced inside.

"Hello, Harriet." Anuman hissed as she flung herself down in front of his cage.

"Hello, have a good evening?" Harriet asked as she hurriedly unlocked his cage.

Anuman blinked as he watched her hands tremble while she unlatched the door, but once his opening to freedom appeared, he slithered out and wound himself in loose, playful coils around her lap.

"I suppose……" He hissed, "Although it would have been greatly improved had we been together."

"I wish I could take you with me everywhere!" Harriet laughed.

Anuman raised his head in interest.

"It's not fair, really." Harriet frowned, "Hermione can carry Crookshanks to class and Ron can take Scabbers too."

When Anuman paused, Harriet explained, "That's her pet cat and his pet rat."

Anuman wasn't particularly interested in Harriet's friends' companions, though the prospect of eating a rat did intrigue him.

Regardless, his mind focused on the dreamy fantasy of being with Harriet all day, every day.

The idea pleased Anuman to the point of reverent silence.

A long moment passed before he remembered himself and suddenly hissed, "People are frightened of me."

"They shouldn't be." Harriet shrugged, "They should be frightened of the dragons……Have I told you they've brought dragons here for the first task? They're on school grounds! What if they just get loose?!"

"...Then I'll protect you." Anuman replied.

"You'll protect me?" Harriet chuckled as she hissed.

"Yes, a dragon would understand my plea." Anuman replied.

"Would one understand me too?" Harriet asked.

"Perhaps……." Anuman mused, "Although I think a dragon would be more willing to listen to me. I've seen dragons a few times in my homeland, they are not very patient or forgiving creatures."

Harriet frowned as Anuman raised himself to lay his chin on her shoulder in the best gesture of affection he could manage in his reptilian form, "You do not have to worry, Harriet…….as long as I am here."

As Harriet gently stroked Anuman's scaly head, her heart swelled with gratitude that she had so many helpful friends.