CHAPTER 20

The First Task

The corridor outside the Great Hall. Harry is about to tell Cedric what the first task is.

HARRY: Diffindo!

Cedric's bag rips open, spilling the contents on the floor. When he's alone, Harry walks over to him.

CEDRIC: Oh, hi, Harry. My bag…

HARRY: Cedric, the first task is dragons.

CEDRIC: What?

HARRY: Dragons.

CEDRIC: You mean, we have to get past them?

HARRY: Well, not exactly…

CEDRIC: Then what? And why are you telling me this?

HARRY: Only fair-now we're on an even footing. Anyway, the task doesn't just involve dragons.

CEDRIC: What could be harder than getting past a dragon?

HARRY: It's not the dragons we have to get past.

CEDRIC: Then what?

HARRY: Floor salesmen from Madam Malkin's Robes For All Occasions.

Pause.

CEDRIC: You're having me on.

HARRY: No, I'm serious! Hagrid showed me. I'm guessing that we have to get past the floor salesmen in order to get…something.

CEDRIC: You mean there are floor salesmen penned up next to dragons out there or something?

HARRY: Actually…yes.

CEDRIC: So where do the dragons come in?

HARRY: Well, I'm just guessing…But I think that the salesmen have dragon eggs that we need to get. Hagrid hinted at it, anyway.

CEDRIC: Well…Getting past salesmen shouldn't be too hard.

HARRY: No, not hard at all.

Awkward pause.

HARRY: Well, I thought I'd let you know. Good luck.

CEDRIC: Thanks, Harry. You too.

LATER…

Harry waits in the champion's tent for his name to be called for his turn to face the salesmen.

HARRY: So all I have to do is get a golden dragon's egg worth fifty Galleons from a Madam Malkin's salesman. Could be worse…They could be those snobby, pushy salesmen from Harrod's of London…Harrod's golden eggs would probably be more expensive, too.

LUDO BAGMAN'S VOICE: HARRY POTTER!

HARRY: Okay, here we go…

Harry walks out of the tent to the enclosure nearby. There's a little stage in the middle, dressed to look like Madam Malkin's robe shop in Diagon Alley. Two elegantly dressed wizards, one tall and spare, the other short and a bit chubby, are standing near one of the displays. Harry mounts the stage, wondering what to do.

HARRY: (to himself) Well, I'm in a shop…(out loud) Excuse me, I'm interested in buying a golden egg.

TALL WIZARD: Certainly, young sir! I'll get someone to help you. (turns to the short wizard) Mr. Travers!

BAGMAN(commentating): Incredible! Harry's being polite, and it's working!

TRAVERS: Can I help you, young sir?

HARRY: Yes. I'd like to buy a golden egg. For…er…fifty Galleons.

TRAVERS: I'm terribly sorry, young man, but our cheapest golden eggs are 500 Galleons.

HARRY: 500 Galleons? But I've only got…

BAGMAN: Well, folks, let's see if Harry knows how to haggle!

HARRY: I've only got fifty Galleons.

TALL WIZARD: I ought to have told you that Mr. Travers tends to exaggerate. Every figure he gives you will be ten times too high.

HARRY: I see.

TALL WIZARD: Otherwise he's perfectly all right.

HARRY: All right. Er…So that means that your cheapest golden egg is…fifty Galleons?

TRAVERS: 500 Galleons, yes young sir.

HARRY: Well, what would you say to…500 Galleons?

BAGMAN: Oh, it looks like he's getting it! Harry's cottoning on!

TRAVERS: Fifty Galleons?

HARRY: Er…Well, yes.

TRAVERS: Sorry, I thought you said 500.

HARRY: I did, because that tall man said that you multiplied everything by ten.

TRAVERS: Do I?

HARRY: I guess…I really don't know.

TRAVERS: I suppose I could let the egg go for 400 Galleons.

HARRY: Oh, well, great! Here! (hands over the money bag)

TALL WIZARD: Of course, that doesn't include the clue that's inside.

HARRY: Oh…That's extra?

TALL WIZARD: Well, we don't just give them away.

HARRY: Okay. How about the forty…er, 400 Galleons for the egg, and then the rest for the clue?

TALL WIZARD: Sounds reasonable. Travers, will you show these ten young men to the golden eggs with the flobberworms inside?

HARRY: Flobberworms? No, no…I want the clue!

TALL WIZARD: I'm sorry, I should have told you: You have to say "flobberworm" to Mr. Travers, because if you say "clue," he puts a paper bag over his head.

HARRY: What!

BAGMAN: Oh, it looks like Harry's losing it! He'd better keep his cool!

HARRY: I…I mean, I see. Okay. Er, could you please show me the eggs with the flobberworms in them, Mr. Travers?

TRAVERS: Flobberworms?

HARRY: Yes, please.

TRAVERS: We don't sell those here. You'll have to go to the Magical Menagerie.

HARRY: Whaa…? No, no! I'd like to see the eggs with flobberworms inside.

TRAVERS: Yes, young sir. Magical Menagerie is where you'll find flobberworms.

HARRY: But I don't want to see FLOBBERWORMS! The tall man said that…

TRAVERS: Oh, what's he been telling you?

HARRY: But you were standing right…Oh, never mind. He said that I should say "flobberworm," because if I say "clue," you'll…

Travers puts a bag over his head.

HARRY:…do that. Oh no.

BAGMAN: Come on, now, Harry, you can figure this out!

TALL WIZARD: Did you say "clue" by any chance?

HARRY: Well, yeah, but not on purpose!

TRAVERS: (muffled) I'm not coming out!

TALL WIZARD: Didn't I tell you to say "flobberworm?"

HARRY: Well yes, but…

TRAVERS: (muffled) I won't come out!

BAGMAN: Come on, Harry!

TALL WIZARD: Sing to him.

HARRY: Huh?

TALL WIZARD: It's the only thing that helps. Sing.

HARRY: Er…

TALL WIZARD: Come along, now. Do you want that egg or not?

HARRY: Sing? But…(sighs) Okay. Any song in particular?

TRAVERS: (muffled) I'm not picky.

HARRY: Uh…Okay. Let's see…Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts…

BAGMAN: Good show, Harry!

HARRY: It's been three years, I can't remember all the words…

TALL WIZARD: There you are, it's working!

HARRY: Um…Something about dead flies…Bits of fluff…Scabby knees…

Travers begins to lift the bag off of his head.

HARRY: Bald and old, teach me something, please…Oh, I feel like a prat…

Travers takes the bag off his head.

TRAVERS: What a lovely song. Here's your egg, young man.

Hands Harry a golden egg.

HARRY: Uh…wow…thank you. And…this one's got a…flobberworm in it?

TALL WIZARD: No, for Merlin's sake! It's got a clue in it!

Travers promptly pulls the bag back over his head.

TALL WIZARD: Oops…

HARRY: Okay. I think I'm done, then. Um, thank you.

TALL WIZARD: Of course!

TRAVERS: (muffled) Come again!

Harry walks back to the champion's tent, to the cheers of the crowd, heartily embarrassed and clutching his hard-won egg.

BAGMAN: Good show, Harry! Harry was the only champion to actually sing a song! Of course, a few points will have to be deducted, because Travers put the bag over his head twice. But still…Absolutely spiffing, Harry!