Chapter 14 - Unexpected Developments

Nov. 25th, 1994

It's a normal weekday again - Wednesday - and lessons and things are taking their normal course again. In the lunch break, I wrote a long letter home to tell everybody about the First Task. Gabie, at least, will be happy and proud of her big sister, and that's really all that matters, but I can just see Maman's frown hearing I'm last. "Are you sure you tried hard enough?" is sure to be in her next letter. However, I've grabbed the occasion, as she will be in quite an agreeable mood (as far as 'agreeable' can ever be a quality of my mother's), to ask her to send my CdF. I really miss the occasional flight, and these old school brooms here are rather a nuisance. If she hurries, my faithful broom should be here within a couple of days.

Funny how such a competition can influence your mind. When the Tournament was first announced, it was only reluctantly that I put up my name at all, just because I knew my mother would expect me to, and I was very confident I wouldn't even make it to the shortlist; then, being one of the chosen few, I secretly hoped I would not be champion, and now that I'm in the middle of the Tournament, I'm really prepared to do my best to actually WIN, too.

Not that it will be easy. I've been dreaming of Harry Potter tonight, saw him doing this amazing flying feat round the Horntail again. Anybody trying to win against HIM will have a hard time indeed.

+++

After dinner, I went up to Cedric.

"There's something I'd like to discuss with you," I said, taking him aside. "I think we really need to talk about that egg."

"Good idea. I was going to suggest something like this myself. What's on your mind?"

"Well, this is supposed to be a competition, so we can't work together on that clue thing very well."

"That's right, each of us wants to win, don't we?" He grinned.

"Yes. And I'm amazed at myself, really. So what I wanted to say: Let's each try to work out the clue, whatever it may be, without expecting or asking help from the other. Do you think we can agree on this and still be friends?"

"This is more or less what I had in mind," he gave me a reassuring smile. "Unless one gets told by someone else, or finds out by a stupid coincidence... "

"Which would make it unfair on the other," I finished. "So if, for example, Maxime tells me something she shouldn't, I'll tell you, too, but otherwise each of us will just conduct their own research. Right?"

"Good girl. Let's shake hands on it."

+++

I'm relieved a good deal, the prospect of losing Cedric's and Cho's friendship because of a stupid competition really worried me. It's about the first time I have someone be my friends without any ulterior motive. At the weekend, we'll start the testing of the egg; Margaux and Iphigenie have promised to help me.

Nov. 28th, 1994

"It's almost as if it was a dragon's egg," Margaux said. "So why not try putting it in the fire for some time, and see what happens?"

"I don't know," I replied. "What if the fire damages it?"

"We all must take risks from time to time," Iphigenie told me in a firm voice that I only rarely hear from her. "Besides, it's unlikely. They must expect the champions to try all sorts of things, so I'm pretty sure that egg can't be damaged easily."

A horrible wailing sound from the castle interrupted her.

"See?" she grinned at me. "They are at work over there. So let's get started."

Margaux conjured a fire up in the grate of our common room, and with another spell I deposited the golden egg in it.

"Now what?" I asked a bit nervously.

"Wait and watch," Margaux said calmly. "Watch the egg and look out for any changes."

After about ten minutes, nothing had changed in the appearance of the egg. At any rate, the heat didn't seem to affect it at all, which was some relief.

"Perhaps we should open it," I suggested. "Even if the sound makes us sick."

"Why not? Alohomora!"

The lid of the egg sprang open, and the awful noise jumped at us. Only this time it sounded distinctly like derisive laughter.

"Clausum!" I shouted quickly, and the lid closed again. "Obviously this is not the right way. Let's finish for today, we've got lots of time left."

Dec. 2nd, 1994

Nothing new; I spend most of my spare time in the library, reading up on eggs of all sorts, but there is nothing useful. There are certain creatures that lay golden eggs (the basilisk is one of the more disgusting ones), but there is nothing whatsoever about eggs that can be opened and emit horrible noises.

Also, we keep getting much homework, too, so there is not as much time as I'd like. On Saturday, we'll continue our testing.

Dec. 4th, 1994

My broom has arrived at last! I'm going to take it for a ride round the castle grounds tomorrow.

Dec. 5th, 1994

Nothing new about the egg; but something else happened today that I find somewhat irritating. This is how it was:

The day started bright and sunny, and not too cold for this time of the year. (At least this is what I've been told, it still seems perfectly freezing to me.) So I decided to go for a ride on my CdF right after lunch.

"What about the egg?" Margaux asked reproachfully.

"Oh bother the egg," I replied impatiently. "We can always deal with that later. We've got over two months, haven't we?"

"I'll tell you what you can do," Iphigenie was calm and logical as always. "Why not take the stupid egg with you up into the air? I mean, there can't be any harm in trying the four elements on it. We've tried fire already, so why not air as another approach? And we can always try earth and water later if this doesn't work."

"Great idea." And even if it didn't work, which I rather expected, it still gave me a fine pretext to go flying.

So I took the egg and put it in my backpack, which I shouldered.

"Wait a moment," Iphigenie said. "You'll need to open the egg while flying. How are you going to do that if you have it in that bag?"

"You're right, of course. Hm - yes - I'll wrap it in this shawl and sling it round my stomach. So I can get at it easily."

It was quite uncomfortable, as this egg is a good deal heavier than it looks, but I finally managed to tie the shawl securely around my middle.

"You look like seven months pregnant," Margaux giggled after I had put on my warmest cloak and was clumsily descending the steps from the carriage. "And with triplets."

I told her to shut up, grabbed my broom and kicked off.

The familiar intoxicating feeling of weightlessness and freedom was there again, I forgot the cold and the heavy egg round my middle, as I soared up into the pale blue sky. Circling the turrets of the castle, I slowly rose until the grounds were far below me, and the blue Beauxbatons carriage was no bigger than a child's toy.

I kept enjoying the speed and the wind rushing at my face and tearing at my hair for some time. Then, using the Hover Charm to steady my broom, I started fumbling with the egg in the shawl. Only now I noticed how cold and stiff my fingers were, which made it quite difficult to get a secure grip at the egg, which, in its own turn, was quite cold and slippery to the touch. And just as I had got it out from the folds of the shawl, my fingers slipped and the thing dropped!

With an exclamation of anger I forced my broom into an almost perpendicular dive, but already I could see no sign of the egg. Frustrated, I broke the dive and started to cruise around, completely at a loss what to do.

"You've messed this one up thoroughly," I told myself. "What can I do now?"

While I was still reproaching myself, there was suddenly a voice next to me:

"I believe this is yours?"

The shock almost made me fall off my broom. A hand grasped my shoulder in a strong grip. "Steady," the voice said quietly.

Only now did I turn my head to look at the speaker., and looked straight into a pair of brilliant green eyes - Harry Potter!

"You should be more careful with this," he said, grinning at me widely, and offering me the egg. "Oh sorry," he went on and took his hand off my shoulder. "You're ok now, aren't you?"

I could only nod dumbly. Not even at this close distance did he show any of the usual effects of the Veela charm, no embarrassed stammering, no blushing, no stupid showing off, only a friendly, open smile.

"Here, take the stupid thing," he said, offering me the egg again. "I know it's no business of mine, but I wonder what you're up to, taking this heavy thing for a ride on your broom? Which is a very good broom, from what I've seen you doing with it."

I found my voice at last.

"Thank you," I said, still a bit shakily, taking the egg from him and stowing it away in he shawl. "I just wanted to go flying for a bit, and my friends insisted that I take this thing with me; they said perhaps I'd have an inspiration. And yes, I suppose this is quite a good broom."

"And have you had any inspiration yet? I mean," he added hastily, "I'm not asking you to tell me anything, after all, we are supposed to be competitors."

"Some competitor! If it hadn't been for you, I'd probably be out of the competition already, losing the egg in this clumsy way. But there's nothing at all that I know about it. Which reminds me - " I reached for the egg again, "I was just going to open it when I dropped it and you so chivalrously restored it to me. It's amazing - you are the very best flyer I have ever seen!"

"Come, there are sure to be loads of people far better than me, Krum, for example. Anyway, you were going to open it; shall I leave you to do it without me spying?"

"No, stay here, please. If it gives any hint at all, you deserve to be there, too. However, I have a feeling it won't, anyway. And if I drop it again, it might be a good idea to have such an excellent seeker present."

So I opened the egg and as I had expected, there was the same horrible derisive laugh that it had emitted in the fire.

"Exactly what I thought," I muttered and now put the annoying egg away for good.

"Oh forget the bloody thing," Harry told me. "There's still loads of time to work it out. Why not enjoy yourself? Care for some rounds together?"

I complied, and we circled the towers and turrets a couple of times, Harry practising various stunning tricks, with me trying to follow him as best as I could.

Finally, flushed and somewhat out of breath, I landed next to Quidditch pitch, Harry next to me.

"I've not had so much fun for a long time," I told him. "Thank you so much, Harry. For everything."

"Everything? I just caught that stupid old egg for you. It's not such a big thing!"

"There's more to it than you imagine. Perhaps I'll tell you some time. I do hope we can do this again."

I extended my hand and when he took it, I felt myself blushing. I, Fleur Delacour, quarter -Veela, blushed shaking hands with a fourteen-year-old boy!

"Yes, let's. You're quite a talented flyer yourself, perhaps I can show you a few tricks. What position do you play in your Quidditch team?"

"I don't play Quidditch. I hate sports where you have winners and losers. Why can't one just enjoy a thing like flying simply because it's a great feeling? Do you really have to throw those bludgers all over the place? - I'm sorry, I expect you love Quidditch..."

"Yes I do. But I dare say you have a very good point here. Especially if you play against a less than fair team... And what you say about flying being a great feeling is absolutely right. Well, I believe I must get going. I do hope Ron doesn't find out about this, he'd be so jealous again..."

"Jealous? That red-haired friend of yours, isn't it? Why would he be jealous?"

"Oh, it's a long story. He was jealous when my name came out of that goblet, thought I had been cheating, and he only came to his senses when he saw those dragons... "

"But why, in Morgaine's name?"

"He'd like to be famous, I suppose; you see, he's the youngest of six brothers. He'd want to do something spectacular, I think... Anyway, you may have noticed how he behaves whenever he looks at you..."

"I have indeed," I laughed. "Who could possibly not notice? So you think he'd have a fit or something if he saw you talking to me?"

"I'm sure he would, I mean – just look at you …" he stopped abruptly, then continued. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that; I can imagine you hear this sort of thing so often you can't stand it any more. See you around! And good luck with the egg!"

And he kicked his broom off the ground and disappeared in the direction of the castle.

+++

Margaux was shocked when she heard how I had almost lost the egg.

"How could you?" she exclaimed. What an amazing piece of luck, too! I can hardly believe it! But tell me, what's he like?"

"What do you mean? He's nice, of course; after all, he rescued the egg for me. But you can hardly expect me to know much about him after talking to him for a few minutes."

"Come, there must be a bit more than that," Iphigenie eyed me shrewdly. "I mean, for one thing, he seems to be immune to that Veela charm in your hair… Oh, I do believe you're blushing!"

"Nonsense," I said, rather crossly. "I don't know what gives you such stupid ideas… He's very nice, that's right, and he is an extraordinary person, but that's it, really. He's only fourteen, remember?"

"All right, all right. Keep your hair on; I was only joking." But I don't think she was quite convinced.

+++

Now that I've finished writing this I find that I'm not convinced myself. All I know is that I've never felt like this about anybody before. Like this? Like what? I don't know. But I still see those green eyes looking straight into mine…

I really must pull myself together. There are things to be done, and a clue to be found. I can't allow myself to get irritated so easily.

Dec. 6th, 1994

When I told Cho about my encounter with Harry, she wasn't too surprised.

"He IS the best Seeker Hogwarts has had for many years," she said. "And about being immune to that charm - I don't suppose this is much ofa surprise, either. Do you know - they say Professor Moody put the Imperius Curse on him in one of his lessons -"

"No!"

"Yes, he did. And Harry resisted it!"

"He what? Resisted Imperius? I didn't even know this could be done! And he's only in his fourth year!"

"You see? So it's no wonder he isn't bothered by a stupid Veela charm - no offence meant."

"Don't bother, I've always thought of it like that."

+++

Really, the more I learn about him, the more fascinated I am. There's no guessing what else he might be able to do.

Dec 10th, 1994

At lunch, Maxime announced that there is what they call the Yule Ball on Christmas Day, starting at eight in the evening.

"Each champion must attend with a partner." She said in her best authoritarian manner. You'll have to do the opening dance."

I'm not too happy about the whole thing. But with the use of the Coma obscurata spell I should be fine enough. It might even be some fun, I do like dancing. Wonder what music they are goingtohave.

+++

Roger Davies has asked me to the ball, and I have accepted. I've been getting on with him quite nicely, so I suppose it will be all right. To be honest, a part of me had secretly hoped, Harry would ask me, and I almost turned Roger down. But how should he ever even get the idea to askme? I expect he'll go with that brown-haired girl who is always with him, Harmony, or whatever her name is. Not that my mother wouldn't appreciate it if I opened a ball with Harry Potter... I'd never have expected that there might be something I could agree on with her.

Dec. 12th, 1994

First success with the egg! That cheating scum Karkaroff! If it hadn't been for this tiny piece of luck- but I'd better start from the beginning:

Although I'd have preferred going for a spin on my broom again (and perhaps come across Harry), Margaux and Iphigenie persuaded me to go for a walk round the lake with them.

"But I'm not taking the stupid egg along this time!" I insisted.

"Why not? You might try throwing it in the water for a change! Let's see who brings it back to you this time!Hey, I'm only joking!"

Now, looking back, I can't believe how close we were. But back to the story:

We put on our warm cloaks, - although the weather is still sunny it's getting colder every day- and went out and down to the lake, chatting about the usual meaningless things, the impending ball being the most important topic, though.

I still can't say exactly what made us stop near a group of bushes near the palce where the Durmstrang ship was at anchor, black and sinister against the pale blue sky.

"What can he be up to?" Margaux whispered in surprise, pointing at a figure in swimming trunks making ready to jump into the lake from the ship. It was Viktor Krum. Karkaroff was standing next to him, wearing thick robes.

"Just imagine - the water can't be muchabove freezing point!" Iphigenie shudddered under her cloak.

"Well, everyone will have their hobbies," I said, but then I noticed something shining golden in Karkaroff's hands. "Wait! I do believe - yes, that's the egg!"

"Let's see what they are doing!" Margaux whispered excitedly. "Aren't headmasters supposed not to help their champions?"

"No surprise here," I replied. "Just what you can expect from this lot."

Krum had already jumped into the lake and was now treading water. Karkaroff was shouting something down to him, but he was speaking in what must have been Bulgarian, so the only word I could understand was "Mermish". Then, with a sweeping gesture, he threw the egg down to Krum, who caught it neatly, and disappeared under the surface with it.

"Mermish!" Iphigenie exclaimed. "Of course! The language of the mer-people! You can only understand it if spoken under water."

"The stinking cheating ..." Margaux began, but we shut her up.

"We ought to be grateful to him, rather," I grinned. "Without him, we might never have found out! Let's get back and try our egg, too!"

"You're not going to jump in the lake, are you?"

"No way. I'll take a nice warm bath back in our carriage - it's also water, isn't it?"

+++

The bathing session was very relaxing, to be sure, I am not much wiser now, I must admit.

The first part was easy enough, just a matter of holding your breath long enough to hear these verses under water:

Come hear us where our voices sound,

we cannot sing above the ground,

and while you're searching, ponder this:

We've taken what you'll sorely miss.

An hour long you'll have to look,

and to recover what we took,

but past an hour - the prospect's black.

Too late, it's gone, it won't come back.

Margaux and Iphigenie both had a go at the egg, too, and we all more or less agree on the meaning of the verses.

"It's Mermish", Iphigenie reflected. "So the people taking are mer-people. Possibly they live in the lake."

"So much seems clear enough," Margaux went on. "And apparently they have taken something that you have to get back, and you have an hour's time to do it."

"And, to make sense, this hour must start on the twenty-fourth February, at 9.30, when the Second Task is starting." I finished their reasoning. "So the only thing I don't know is what that thing is that I have to find."

"Apart from the small question," Margaux grinned wickedly, "how to survive under water for an hour. But no doubt we'll figure out thisone too."

+++

At dinenr in the evening, I said to Cedric, "Remember what we agreed on about the clue of the egg? Have you found out anything yet?"

"No, I haven't. To be honest, I've been trying to ignore it as best as I can. I mean, there's no point in messing up your Christmas with it, is there?"

"Well, I just wanted to tell you this: I've seen Karkaroff telling Krum how to go about it, and it's only fair you should know, too. Take the stupid egg into the bath with you and see, or rather listen what happens."

He looked at me in surprise. "A bath?"

"Yes. Unless you prefer jumping into the lake with it as Krum did. And - yes - tell Harry, too, will you? After all, I owe him for saving that egg for me in the first place. But don't tell him I told you." I added as an afterthought, and I believe I blushed when I said it.

+++

Well, a big step forward, at any rate, and I think I will follow Cedic's example and put the stupid egg out of my mind until after the ball. Ireally don't think it can be too difficult to find some spell or other to enable me to survive under water. If only I had an idea WHAt I'll have to look for!

A/N:

Thioshas been a bit difficult to do, as it is the first episode that really has not the slightest support in canon. But otoh I trust it doesn't contradict anythin, either. (If there should be, please point it out to me.) Next part, Yule Ball is on the way.

Lu - Where are you? After your valuable comments, I've been mising your review on the last chapter!

Wicked (sorry - Wicker) Basket - Thanks for your encouragement. I must disappoint you: It's not that I have succumbed to your iron will, I've been planning this for some time, but I hope you'll enjoy it, anyway.