Hello everyone! So this is the next chapter of Legacy and as I'm sure you've noticed it is a long one. This chapter will show the First Task as well as some personal changes I have made to it as well as the aftermath.
As a reminder this is an AU story so not everything will be cannon. If this are not your types of stories I ask you to please stop reading now instead of leaving comments that can see seen as insults.
Disclaimer is in Chapter One.
Chapter Five
Hermione couldn't help but giggle at the sight before her. Harry and Tonks were slowly running around having Kallisto chase them while Lunar helped her by staying by her side to keep her on her unsteady feet.
All the while Kallisto was smiling at the game she was playing with her Daddy, aunty, and big brother.
It just looked so quaint that it warmed Hermione's heart. Nearby Neville filled the food troth with help from Champ.
"Ursa!" Kallisto called as she ran towards Hermione who smiled widely as she accepted the gasping little one into her arms.
Kallisto buried herself into Hermione bosom as if to hide herself from the chasing teens. "Not fair…hiding in Mia like that." Harry gasped slightly as he fell to the ground by the pair.
Kallisto peeked out at her daddy with a smile as Hermione kissed her head and held her close. "Don't worry Kallisto I'll protect you from the Daddy Monster." She joked getting a laugh from Harry and a laugh from the babe in her arms.
Tonks was about to comment on the pair before they all jumped at the sound of a loud whine coming from the trees.
"Boss!" Dasher cried out as he ran into the enclosure sweat pouring down his body.
Harry rushed to his feet his sword already in hand as he rushed forward with Ronin following right behind him.
All while Hermione rose with Kallisto in her arms, and ran off towards Mystic who had surfaced after hearing the panic filled voice.
"What happened?!" Harry demanded of the panicked Fire Horse Pokémon.
"Fire…fear…danger!" Dasher panted before Neville arrived holding a bucket of water that the horse drained rapidly. Once he was done he looked at Harry.
"Something…big is in the forest…something surrounded in the aura of death…and fire." He panted to his boss who gripped his weapon tightly.
"Mystic stay here and keep watch over everyone! Shellshock, Lora, and Champ we're going to investigate."
"I'm going with you." Neville said making Harry look at the teen and saw in the eyes of the boy that he wasn't going to take no for an answer.
Harry nodded before he looked at Tonks. "Stay here and keep an eye on Kallisto with Mia." He ordered making her nod as she drew her wand and moved to take a guarding position.
"Let's move." Harry said taking off into the forest with the mentioned group right behind him.
The group eventually arrived at a clearing where the two humans and three Pokémon gasp.
"Dear Arceus." Harry called at the sight of the four massive reptilian creatures before him.
All of them were chained but thrashing around in anger the largest one suddenly sent out a blast of fire out towards a group of humans nearby.
"Dragons…why are there dragons here?!" Neville demanded under his breath.
After a moment Harry growled. "They're here for the tournament." He said making Neville look towards him in shock.
"They want us to deal with the shock of handling them in some way, shape, or form." Harry said before they all ducked when a burst of fire came close to them.
"How do they expect the dragons to go along with…whatever they plan?" Neville asked him making Harry almost shrug until he felt a stab of fear in the Aura around him.
He looked around trying to place it until he realized…it was coming from the dragons. "My babies!" He heard screamed through the air.
Harry rose up making Neville almost grab his shirt to keep him in place. However when Harry spoke up he froze. "Because they brought nesting mothers." Neville rose up as well and saw the four clutches of eggs in straw covered boxes.
"Bloody hell…" He gasped before Harry suddenly jumped out into the clearing making Neville curse as he and the Pokémon with him followed.
"What the hell are you…?!" He called behind his only male friend.
"Those eggs need their mothers!" Harry called back making Neville blink before the group ran up.
"Shellshock…keep those idiots away from us." Harry said motioning to the humans nearby that were gathered together away from the dragons.
"Blast!" He called aloud moving off while the others ran to the egg clutches.
Lora grabbed the one closest to her before heading towards the smallest one of the dragons green in color.
"Champ…that one to the red one!" Harry called pointing to the clutch in question making the Punching Fiend nod as he grabbed it and headed off.
"Nev…that one to the tan one!" Harry called as he picked up the last and rushed towards the largest one. Neville internally cursed yet again as he marched towards the tan and blue one.
Harry placed the clutch down moved away quickly before meeting Lora in the center of the area.
Lora was gathering stones around a circle moving just as Harry arrived making a pillar of blue fire leave his hand and surround the stones.
Neville and Champ had moved off allowing them to work before Harry stopped showing off brightly glowing stones.
Both he and Lora glowed blue as they made the stones rise into the air and move towards the clutches.
Soon each clutch had a circle of stones among the eggs warming them greatly also causing the mothers to relax.
Harry sighed in relief. "Good…we made it in time." Harry said as each mother moved in close and gently breathed fire around the eggs helping the stones warm the young ones inside.
"OI!" A voice shouted making Harry growl as his eyes suddenly glowed blue making Neville jump back.
"What do you think…?!" The voice shouted before suddenly cutting off at the sight of an angry Harry.
"Which one of you criminals separated the eggs like that?!" He demanded making the group of men shirk back.
"We are professional dragon handlers…!" The leader started the shout before he was rendered unable to talk when Harry seemed to vanish and appear before him holding him in the air by the throat.
A red haired man reached into his robes only to stiffen when he felt a wand against his neck.
"I wouldn't recommend that mate." Neville growled at the red head making him look at the teen in shock. Lora and Champ were surprised at the speed the teen moved at when he saw the redhead try something.
However both also couldn't help but smirk at one another when they felt the loyalty and courage wafting off said teen.
"The young in those eggs were close to death because of your actions!" Harry growled at the man in his grasp.
"A moment longer and they would've been dead! Then you would've had four rampaging mothers looking to destroy anything and everything around them in vengeance!" Harry hissed at the man before launching him through the air into a nearby tree.
The man gasped for air as he held his abused throat. "You put the lives of every human in this clearing, in the castle, and in the village in danger!" Harry yelled at him.
Harry took a moment to breath as he allowed himself to calm down making the glow leave his eyes before opening them again.
"If we were in the Pokémon regions I would be arresting you for criminal negligence right now!" He hissed.
"As it stands I'll settle for reporting your crime to Madame Bones and remaining right here until she arrives to handle this mess." Harry said before he looked towards Lora.
"Go back and tell Mia and Dora what happened here. Then ask either one of them to get Madame Bones or Auror Shacklebolt here…it looks like I have another criminal for them to round up." He said glaring at the leader of the dragon handlers while the others looked towards the ground.
He was sending Lora because she and Psymon were the only ones who could communicate with humans outside of the bond via Telekinesis.
As soon as Lora left Harry waved his hand making bands of blue light surround the man before him before he took a seat on a nearby stump.
"You can let him go Nev…he was only reacting to his boss being in danger." Harry said never taking his eyes off the man before him.
Neville nodded as he removed his wand from the neck of the red head. "Who here is second in command?" Harry demanded of the group as Neville moved off and stood behind him with Champ joining him.
"That would be me." The redhead said.
"Why weren't the eggs kept with their mothers?" Harry asked in a tone that demanded a satisfactory answer.
"My boss there…" He said motioning towards the bound man. "…ordered us to leave the clutches to him while we focused on the mothers. None of us knew that he was keeping them away from said mothers." He said as the green eyes of the teen stared into him as if peering into his very soul.
"I believe you." He said moving his eyes away making the red head release a breath he hadn't realized he was holding.
By the time footsteps were heard approaching the sun had already begun to set. Harry never looked up to see whom was approaching but he could feel that there were more than were needed.
"What's all this then!" Harry groaned internally at the voice…the toad was back.
"I distinctly remember calling for the Aurors…not the Ministers kiss ass." Harry said as he looked at the glaring toad of a woman who had a small group behind her.
"See here young man! Even if you are a Lord you will respect my authority…"
"Respect is never given." Harry interrupted making the woman seethe again.
"It is only ever earned…and you haven't earned a single bit of respect from me." Harry said before looking as another group entered.
"Ah here are the ones I called." He said as Madame Bones arrived with two Aurors.
One the familiar Shacklebolt while the other was a tall man that sort of reminded Harry of a lion with the way his hair framed his face.
"Lord Black I received your report…although I didn't think you had sent the information to the Ministers office as well." She said as she took out her cigar and blew out a smoke ring while glaring at the men in red robes behind the toad.
"I didn't. I was just as surprised to see toady here as you are." Harry said not moving from his stump as the woman glared once more.
"Umbridge! Dolores Umbridge I am Under Secretary to the Minister of Magic…"
"And one of the foulest women I've ever had the displeasure of knowing." Harry said making her halt before he looked towards Madame Bones.
"This man is under civilian arrest for criminal negligence. Mainly by endangering the lives of every human in the immediate area by placing the eggs of those nesting mothers in danger." Harry said gesturing towards the dragons. Madame Bones looked at the man.
"What did he do?" She asked making Harry lean back.
"He placed the clutches in straw filled open boxes allowing the cold air to surround them and placed them so far away from their mothers that they wouldn't be able to save them in time.
Luckily one of my partners caught the scent of said mothers sending myself, Neville, and the Pokémon you see here to investigate.
When we arrived I noticed the danger and handled the problem." Harry said as Shacklebolt moved off to verify the information.
"As you so like to point out Lord Black you are a foreign national and thus cannot place any member of Magical UK under citizen arrest." Umbridge said before she turned to the Aurors behind her.
"Unless…" Harry spoke before she could give an order causing her to look at him. "…said foreign national finds themselves in a situation where not only their lives but the lives of citizens of Magical UK are placed in great danger.
Then they can act in a manner they see fit to either stall or displace the danger as long as local law enforcement is called within three hours of the end of situation. Magical Law page three-three-six subsection E paragraph one." Harry said to her making her blink.
"He's right." Madame Bones said handing a copy of said book to the walking toad. Umbridge snatched it and looked at the passage in question.
Umbridge growled at the passage before snapping the book shut. Harry smirked at her before Shacklebolt returned.
"The Eggs are with their mothers now, but there are clear sightings of scorch marks from them breathing fire all around minus a circle off in the distance. The only disturbance around them is the prints of two humans, and two Pokémon all of which lead to said mothers." He reported making Madame Bones nod.
"Read him his rights Shacklebolt." She ordered as Kingsley nodded and moved to lift the bound man to his feet.
"The bands will dissolve after three hours have passed." Harry said to the Auror who nodded in understanding before he started to march the man away.
"Now I can't help but wonder…what the hell are such dangerous creatures doing so close to a school?!" Harry demanded of Umbridge making Madame Bones glare at her.
"That is a remarkable question Lord Black." She said placing her cigar back in her mouth before the end glowed with a puff of smoke following.
"They are here under the authority of Minister Fudge for the Triwizard tournament." Umbridge said in her high tone of voice.
"What they are here for is none of your business!" She hissed at the teen making said teen raise an eyebrow towards her.
"We'll just see about that." Harry thought with a deadly smirk appearing on his face.
"Ministry of Magic Endangers the Lives of our Children!" A man called out as he held up the newest addition of the Daily Prophet with the image of four fire breathing dragons moving on the front page.
In the middle of Diagon Alley men and women crowded around buying copies of the newspaper as the man continued to make the headline known.
"Lord Black and Longbottom scion discover dangerous creatures in close proximity of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!"
He as he accepted a coin from a customer who picked up a paper.
"Undersecretary to the Minister claims the Minister authorized them himself!" He called as a woman opened the paper seeing the toad like woman in question.
Harry smirked at the paper before him as he drank his morning tea for the first time inside the Great Hall of the school listening to the reactions of everyone in the room.
"I swear you won't be happy until you bring the world down around you." Tonks said as she read the article written by an up and coming reporter named Lane that her mother had hired.
"Not my fault they thought it would be a good idea to place innocent lives in danger. Not to mention the children in the castle too." Harry said meaning the dragon eggs.
"Plus you've got to admit…it is rather nice seeing Umbridge getting put in her place." Neville said from his own copy of the paper.
"Can't believe that foul woman was going to try and arrest you for doing the right thing." Hermione hissed as she fed a spoonful of honey to Kallisto who was resting comfortably in her lap.
"Umbridge would do anything to improve her own standing in the Ministry…of course it helps that she has the same morals as a Dementor." Neville said remembering the constant times his grandmother complained about said woman.
Dumbledore internally growled at the article he read it seemed the brat had not only discovered the dragons, but had once more done something to shake the foundations of the Ministry.
Now was not the time for them to deal with this kind of fallout…especially if it led to the placement of a competent Minister that would actually do their job.
Fudge was useless as a man but at least he could be pushed to follow a certain path.
Luckily the article was worded in a way that all the fallout would be felt by the Ministry alone meaning he just had to put on a good show of moving the dragons to a safe location in order to avoid backlash.
The task for the tournament would also continue as planned since it was too close to change now, but he would have to be careful about the second task.
If only so the Potter brat didn't cause another backlash upon discovering it.
"Daddy!" Harry looked up at the call from Kallisto and chuckled at her happy waving from Hermione's lap.
"I'm sorry little one am I ignoring you?" He asked as he reached forward and picked the Little Bear Pokémon up.
"She certainly does like being the center of attention." Tonks commented as Hermione leaned forward to continue to feed the baby Pokémon.
"Ah that just means she'll have a great drive to grow when she's able to start training." Harry said as he played with the paw of his newest daughter while she continued to eat.
"How old would she have to be before she can begin training?" Tonks asked remembering Harry had already raised five other Pokémon from infancy.
"Nothing for at least another month and even then light exercises to start with." Harry said as he kissed the brow of his little one who raised her head and licked his cheek.
"Plenty of time for me to get you three into shape." Harry added making the trio blink and grow slightly worried at the grin that appeared on the Aura Guardians face.
"I'm…gonna…kill…him!" Tonks growled as the trio ran around the enclosure chased by Blaze who would send out heat towards their hind ends to get them moving if they fell behind.
"Get…in…line!" Neville shouted as they continued to run.
"Pick up the pace! You should've completed five laps by now!" Harry called out to them as they continued to run with Lora nearby.
"Is this wise Sir?" She asked him making him look towards her.
"Aura and it's ways are not for everyone. Why do you think these three are worthy?" She asked him.
"I don't know." He said to her after a few moments. "But there's something about them…as if they were meant to learn our ways." He added to her making her look at the trio of runners.
"I have noticed the way they earned our trust easily." She said making Harry nod.
"Most likely this means that while Magic brought us here…Arceus knew we would find something here." He said.
"Alright rest!" He called out as he moved away from his Lucario as the teens fell to the ground panting while Blaze simply sat down with his tongue hanging out barely gasping for air.
"Not bad for your first go, but we're going to have to work on it." Harry said to the trio. Tonks and Neville gave him a rude gesture while Hermione glared at him.
"Why…are…we doing…this?" She asked/demanded of him.
"Because…I'm going to turn you into Aura Guardians." He said making them all blink.
"You…can teach…us how…?"
"Not everything I can do. The extent of your powers and abilities will be up to you to discover.
However I can get you on the path and help you become strong enough to last longer than most in this world." He said before he motioned to Shellshock who blasted the trio with water from his cannons on his back causing them to cry out at the sudden cold.
Harry stood there smirking finally understanding his masters humor during his training period.
The morning of November the 24th dawned with Harry standing outside his new tent stretching and warming his body for today. Today was the first task of the Triwizard Tournament.
"They really should change the name…there are four of us after all." Harry thought before he smiled as he heard a small body approaching.
After a moment he turned suddenly and caught Kallisto from the air before spinning them around.
"Good morning Kali." Harry said before kissing her upon the brow.
"Good morning Daddy. I thought I had you this time." For the last few days Kallisto…or Kali to her father…has been trying to pounce upon her dad.
Having experienced such a thing multiple times Harry was more than ready for such attempts.
"You still need to learn to hide your presents from Aura first." Harry told her before he hugged her close before setting her down on her feet.
Kallisto rushed off to join the rest of the early risers mainly Lunar who as the youngest before her was her playmate the most often.
"At least she hasn't tried that with Hermione." Harry turned as his roommate…tent mate?...walked out and joined him.
Neville had come to live with Harry mainly to get away from the other male Gryffindor's.
After hearing his God-brother complain about endless questions, threats, and other trivial things Harry extended an invitation to stay with him.
After all the TARDIS tent had more than enough room for the pair of them. "The only reason she hasn't tried is very simple." He said to the teen who raised a silent eyebrow to him.
"She's scared to death of making Mummy angry." Harry said making Neville blink at the answer before thinking on it.
"Ah…" He simply said making Harry walk off with a loud laugh.
Hermione growled at the sound of her roommate Lavender Brown bugging her once more for something 'Juicy' to spread around.
"Has he ever mentioned a former girlfriend?" She asked her making Hermione's heart clench at such an idea for some unknown reason.
"He hasn't mentioned such a thing." Hermione said as she moved towards the doorway.
Before the day was over she knew she would need a couple cuddles with her adopted daughter just to get past this anger.
"Neville had the right idea…I should've left as well." She groused internally as she descended down the stairs towards the common room.
She marched passed everyone in the room and dodged the arm that had reached out to grab her.
With a roll of her eyes she knew whose hand that had been. For the last week and a half Ronald Weasley her greatest tormentor in Gryffindor has been bugging her and trying to force her to introduce the red head to Harry.
Ever since Neville had left she was the only one that could help him with this.
Honestly ever since she had grown breast Weasley had tried to change his tune and kiss up to her to gain her attention.
Not that she would ever give him the time of day. She was almost outside of the castle before she was grabbed from behind and forced against the wall glaring at the redhead in question.
"Stop dodging me Mudblood!" He hissed at her as she struggled against him.
"I wouldn't dodge you so much if you would just get the message Weasel." She said to him making him growl again.
"Potter shouldn't be hanging around wastes of space bookworms like you!"
"Better a bookworm than a lazy bastard who can't pass without forcing someone else to do his work." Hermione growled at him remembering the number of times he had tried to bully her into doing his work for him.
"Listen you…GAHHH!" He cried out before he suddenly moved away hopping on one leg as the other showed three bloody marks near the ankle.
"Kallisto!" Hermione called picking up the little bear who had come to her rescue.
"Why you little…!" Ron said pulling out his wand only to freeze at the feeling of something cold against his neck.
"Now, now…what do we have here?" Hermione looked to see Harry standing there with his sword against Ronald's neck. While Neville was off to the side with his wand out leaning on a nearby wall.
"Harry…Mate I was…"
"About to curse one of the only decent human beings in this country and my daughter.
By rights I could cut you down to size right now and no one would do anything about it." Harry interrupted making the redhead gulp.
Kallisto was growled at the human with fire hair she had been able to feel her mother in danger making her run to help. Now she just had to wait while Daddy finished the job.
"Mr. Potter!" A voice called making them look to see Dumbledore approaching.
"Remove that blade from my students throat now!" He ordered expecting the boy to back down at the feeling of his power…only the boy instead snorted.
"This red haired idiot just threatened a familiar and one under my protection." Harry said motioning to Hermione's robes making her reveal the second badge on the opposite side of the Gryffindor patch.
There in full view was the image of a shield with a sword and wand crossed behind it while the center had a lion standing upon a helmet. The crest of House Potter signally that Hermione was under his legal protection.
"This means by threatening her I am well within my legal rights…and he doesn't have a leg to stand on…if I were to call for his head." Harry said to the headmaster while the redhead in question rose to his tiptoes as the edge of the blade dug into his chin.
Hermione moved off to stand with Neville and Tonks who had come to join them along with a good sized crowd wanting to know what was happening.
"However…" Harry said as he removed the blade causing Ron to almost fall in relief. "…I need my energy for the task this morning so I'll spare myself the trouble." He said before suddenly slashing his blade twice causing Ronald to cry out as he clutched his cheek.
Harry raised his hand and made it glow before Ron cried out again as the mark burned until it was left plain as day on his cheek.
"This mark should serve as a warning to not only this fool but any that try such a feat again." Harry said as the image of a cross was burned on the boys cheek.
Harry sheathed his blade and walked over to Hermione and lifted her chin up.
Hermione shivered slightly as he looked over her body for any kind of mark or cut only relaxing when he saw her unharmed.
His slightly callused thumb rubbing against her jaw line as if to reassure himself she was truly before him. The feeling caused Hermione's heart to clench yet again.
"This is your last day in this castle outside of classes." Harry said to her making her nod in agreement before she allowed herself to be pulled into a gentle hug with Kallisto between them.
Kali smiled as she felt her parents bodies against her. Harry then growled and turned to Dumbledore who barely kept himself from flinching back.
"If something isn't done to stop the constant bullying of non-pureblood students soon…I will be taking the matter to the ones with the authority to removed you from the position of Headmaster."
Harry warned him before he moved his group out of the building with the seething man glaring at him before he glared at the marked boy.
Once outside Harry scratched Kali behind the ear getting a purr like sound from the Pokémon. "I'm proud of you little one." He said making her look at him.
"You did a good job protecting family." He added looking at Hermione who smiled at him before the pair continued on their way to the enclosure.
A couple hours later found Harry standing in a tent with the other champions all of them wearing uniforms representing their schools.
He himself was leaning back in a chair in a place that allowed him to see everything happening in the tent. He had changed his uniform from the usual outfit he wore in day to day activities.
Now he wore a pair of blue cargo pants with black pockets, a blue tank top, black gloves, and a black over shirt.
Topping off the outfit were the silver guards covering his forearms, shins, and the plate covering his chest with the image of a blue PR with part of the R extending to look like a dragon tail, and the P having a blue dragon design above it.
This was one of the symbols for the Pokémon Regions…mainly by the Kingdom of Rota back during the dark times.
The armor was a gift from Sharpblade apparently they had originally planned to make armor for his mother as a gift celebrating a special anniversary of being named Goblin Friend.
Since her passing they commissioned the pieces for her son instead.
As they were made of Goblin silver the armor was far more powerful than what one would find in the modern world, and much lighter never taking away speed from the wearer.
Hermione and Neville had been surprised to see the blue outfit while Tonks just laughed and called it his 'battle attire'.
He looked at the pacing French witch as she seemed to be muttering to herself as if trying to remember something extremely important.
The serious looking Bulgarian wizard was motionless but from the way his muscles were clenched Harry knew he was worked up.
The last champion the Hufflepuff Tonks called Diggory was looking nervous but Harry could tell he was used to performing for a crowd.
The fact that the basic idea of the task had been released to the public had been enough to not cause a panic among the champions.
Still he could almost taste their fear at the thought of being around the nesting mothers.
A moment later Ludo Bagman walked into the tent with the other judges including Sharpblade who would be the judge representing the Pokémon regions.
"Champions welcome to the first task!" He called with eager joy present in his very body language.
"Now the task is simple. Collect the golden egg." Harry jumped to his feet glaring at the man.
"You endangered hundreds of lives by bringing nesting mothers here…just for us to collect a golden egg from their nest?!" He demanded making the man shirk back at the authority in the teenagers voice.
"Do you have any idea how…unbelievably dimwitted that is?!" He demanded again as the man shrank back more while the teen approached.
"Lord Black…" Harry turned his glaring gaze to Crouch Sr.
"The tasks were designed to be challenging but they also follow a tradition. The first task always involves getting past a great danger…"
"That doesn't excuse the fact you lot place so many in danger!" Harry growled at the sharp looking man.
Harry glared at the two before backing off. "Those two are so lucky that their positions as Judges keep them from being charged with the same criminal negligence that the Dragon handler faces right now." Harry internally growled.
"The more I'm around you magical UK citizens the more I'm happy I was taken to the Pokémon Regions." Harry said aloud not caring about the offended looks Diggory and the other members of said country gave him.
"Well…to continue each of you will now approach and reach into this sack." Bagman said as he was handed said sack of silk like material.
"Inside are models of each Dragon that was brought here for you to face. Each with a number around their neck. You shall all enter the arena depending on the number you draw. The one with the fastest time will win today's task." Bagman said before holding the sack out to Fleur who reached into the bag with a shaken hand showing her nerves.
Soon in her hand was a black dragon with horns all across its back. "The Hungarian Horntail…" Bagman said.
Harry had a feeling the man had wanted to add something to the sentence but had held himself back. Harry also noticed the four around the dragon's neck meaning the only female champion was going last.
"Mr. Diggory." Harry watched as Diggory drew the Welsh Green dragon with the number one around its neck.
Krum drew out the Chinese Fireball with the number three. Leaving Harry with…
"The Swedish Short Snout. Which means the order of champions will be Mr. Diggory, Lord Black, Mr. Krum, and Miss. Delacour." Bagman said as Harry looked at the model of the tan and blue dragon that Neville had helped.
Harry returned to his seat as he watched Diggory walk towards the exit as the judges made their way out.
Out in the stands Hermione sat with Tonks and Neville with Kallisto in her arms as they watched a runner leave the champions tent.
"Something is very wrong about all of this." Hermione said to her human friends who looked at her.
"It's almost like they are trying to recreate the Roman gladiator battles." She said as she held Kallisto close.
"We who are about to die…salute you." She thought in fear as they watched a man levitate a clutch of eggs into the arena.
"Oh bloody hell." Neville said as he caught sight of the man having an idea of what was going to happen when he saw a glint of gold among the eggs.
Harry walked through the exit tunnel. Much wasn't said about Diggory's attempt only that he had succeeded.
Harry had a feeling Bagman wasn't allowed to say much during his commentary to keep the other champions from trying to copy each other's success.
However Harry had begun to notice that the odds seemed to be pushed towards the favor of Diggory over Krum and Delacour.
"With the way they reacted to the foreign reporters taking part in the tournament it wouldn't surprise me if these magical humans wound up being xenophiles as well." He thought before he stepped out into the sunlight.
The crowd cheered as he arrived and looked at the tan and blue Swedish Short Snout.
"Gods be good." Hermione whispered under her breath true she wasn't a devout follower of religions of any kind…but she felt like it couldn't hurt to pray.
The Short Snout turned towards the human who dared approach her nest only to hesitate when she caught sight of one of the two humans that had helped save her clutch.
The human looked at her before his eyes glowed while his hand was held out before she heard a voice in her mind. "Mother of the skies I mean you and you little ones no harm." He said to her making her look at him.
"I remember you Human. You and the other saved my young. Why do you dare approach now?" She asked of him with a growl.
"A fool has dared place a fake among your young ones. A golden egg that is apparently meant to be reclaimed by me." He said making her raise her head before turning her head towards the nest.
She counted the eggs again and realized he was right…there was an extra.
The Short Snout growled again before she leaned down and grabbed the egg with no live force coming from it.
She swung her neck to the human and released the egg allowing him to capture it from the air. "Take the fake…and I will not harm you in thanks for saving my clutch." She said as she moved to circle around her young while Harry bowed to her.
"Thank you great mother." Harry left the mind of the Short Snout after that and moved to leave the area to the great surprise and silence of those in the arena.
"Oh thank the gods." Hermione said leaning back in her seat in relief. Honestly she felt a little foolish for not thinking that Harry would have come kind of plan for the Dragons.
"And Our youngest champion finishes inside of ten minutes!" Bagman suddenly called out as Harry made his way up the stairs and joined his friends.
"Now the judges will reward his points." He said before raising his wand into the air making a red ribbon shoot out before it took the shape of a number ten. Maxime shot up the number nine.
Dumbledore shot up a eight. Karkaroff looked like he had swallowed something sour as he shot up an eight as well. Crouch gave him a nine. While Sharpblade also gave him a nine.
"And with a score of 53 out of sixty Lord Black takes the lead." Bagman called as Harry joined his friends in the stands.
"The next task better not wind up involving others." Harry internally growled as he started to play with his little girl while she remained in her mother's arms.
The group watched as Krum walked out and cast a spell at the Fireballs eyes making her howl with agony while falling back slightly crushing a couple eggs making Harry growl at the fool.
"She's going to be inconsolable after that." Harry said aloud as they brought the dragon out of the arena already crying out in heartbreak as half her clutch was carried behind her while the other half was taken to be laid to rest.
Harry rose to his feet with the others following behind him as he marched towards the Bulgarian surprising the trio of human friends he had made when he smashed his fist into the teenagers crooked nose.
"Do you know what you've just done bastard?!" He demanded of the teen who glared at him while clutching his broken and bleeding nose.
"That mother is going to die before her eggs hatch…and I doubt there are others willing to adopt those that remain. With that spell of yours…you've just killed off an entire family." Harry told him before walking away.
"Their eyes are their weakness." The accented voice stopped Harry as he turned to face the teen. "I'd be a fool not to take advantage of that weakness." He said making Harry shake his head.
"Whatever helps you sleep at night." Harry said to the teen. "I just hope your roaring public is a kind to you as those judges were." Harry said moving off while the Professional Quidditch star looked off in the distance.
Fame was a fickle thing and an act that caused the death of innocent animals would cause quite the number of activist to pull up arms against todays act. Instead of returning to the stands Harry moved to watch the final champion on the ground floor.
"Is it true?" Hermione asked making Harry look at her.
"Will that entire family die because of him?" She asked making Harry nod.
"Sadly yes. There is a Pokémon from Kanto known as Kangaskhan AKA the Parent Pokémon. They spend almost all their lives raising and carrying a young one.
If anything ever happened to their child they go into a wild rage…however if that child dies they lose all will to live. Something I can sense they share with the Dragons." He said to her before looking back out onto the field.
"Can't we do something?" She asked him making Harry sigh.
"How do you save someone who has truly and completely lost the will to live?" He asked making her blink at the question before looking away.
However when she felt the paw against her cheek she looked at the worry on Kallisto's face. "I'm okay little one." She said kissing the little bear upon the brow and just held her close taking in the comfort she gave off.
She also blinked when she felt Harry's arm come around her shoulder and pull her into his side.
She looked and noticed his eyes were still facing forward, but she noticed that they held a glint of sadness in them. She rested her head against his shoulder and watched.
"How did Diggory get past the Welsh Green?" He asked after a moment.
"He transfigured a stone into a Labrador Retriever…a dog…and had it act as a distraction while he made a break for the egg.
After he grabbed the egg the dragon turned her attention towards him and burned him."
"He alive?" He asked her making Hermione nod.
"Madame Pomfrey already has him under her care and no doubt by the end of the day will have him burn free. He won't even scar." Hermione said making Harry raise an eyebrow before he shrugged.
"Pays to have a competent healers nearby." He said making her nod.
After a moment Fleur Delacour walked out and started using her wand in great wavy patterns while she started singing. Harry raised an eyebrow at that as the Horntail started to sway with her singing.
"Now that is brilliant." Harry said after a moment making Hermione nod.
"Using charms to relax the Dragon and slightly put it to sleep." Hermione said as she noticed the effect it had on Kallisto as she laid her head against her mother's shoulder and fell asleep.
"Seems to work on all manner of animals." Harry said making her nod. Fleur walked up and collected the egg and started to head back still singing before Harry noticed something.
The dragon's nostrils were flaring and its jowls were hiking up slightly.
"It's not asleep!" Harry called before the Horntail opened its eyes glaring at the girl.
"Blast!" Harry thought before surrounding himself in light bending his knees slightly.
Fleur Delacour stopping singing when she noticed that for some reason it was no longer working and rushed to leave only to have her foot get caught by something on the field.
She turned on her back just in time to see the Horntail raising up before taking a deep breath. Knowing what was coming she turned and shielded herself as if expecting it to work.
She heard the rush of fire leaving the dragons mouth only for no pain to come down upon her.
"Are you alright?" A voice asked making her open her eyes to realize she had been moved without even realizing it.
She was now in the arms of the youngest champion of the tournament walking out of the stadium.
"How…?" She asked in shock as the fourteen year old moved to set her down. "Just doing my job." He said as he made to walk off without another word only for Fleur to snag his arm causing him to stop and look back at her.
"Thank you Lord Black." She said as she made to kiss his cheek only to hit air as she saw him near the bushy haired girl he spends all his time with.
"You're welcome Miss. Delacour." He said as he left with his friends and the little bear she watched him with constantly.
"He never reacted to my allure…how interesting." Fleur thought as she felt said allure activated due to the danger she had just faced. She looked back at the young man who had saved her life with a smirk.
"Maybe there is something worth finding here after all." She thought before she went to receive her score.
"I'm surprised you let the bitch keep her eyes." Tonks said to Hermione as the pair talked about what happened at the end of the First Task.
Hermione had just told Tonks about the kiss that almost happened. "She was very emotional over the fact he had just saved her life." Hermione reasoned making Tonks shake her head.
"And besides I have no reason to stop her from kissing whom she likes." Hermione said making Tonks look at her with an expressed that was the epitome of the question.
"Are you serious right now?"
Not far off Harry was looking at the caged dragons a serious expression on his face. "Something doesn't feel right about this." He thought as he made to approach.
"What's wrong boss?" Bolt asked him as he moved to join his friend and trainer.
"Miss. Delacour had that dragon under a sleeping charm…how on earth did it awaken?" He asked Bolt who blinked.
"Maybe its mind was stronger than her spell?" He guessed as the pair continued to approach.
"If that was the case the spell would never have taken hold in the first place." Harry replied making Bolt nod.
"You're right. Somethings is off here." He said as they were joined by Lora.
The group approached the Hungarian Horntail with Lora eyes glowing for a moment.
"There are trace elements of Magic around the dragons ears." She told her trainer who looked at the dragon who had opened its eyes to see who was intruding on her peace.
"I remember you human." She said looking at Harry.
"Great mother I have come with questions I feel only you can answer." He said with a bow of respect to her.
"In payment of the debt I owe you for the lives of my young I will answer." She said making Harry nod.
"Today you were placed under sleep…" He started only for the dragon to snort.
"By the one smelling of pheromones yes." She said Harry being able to detect the irritation of such an event.
"I've come to ask if you know how you were awoken from said sleep?" He asked making her look to him. After a moment she flicked her ears.
"My hearing was robbed from me temporarily." She answered.
"One of the wand wavers in the stands was able to steal my hearing allowing me to wake from the charms of sleep from the female." She told him before looking off.
"My hearing was given back before I left the great walled circle." She said motioning her head towards the arena.
"That is all I know." Harry nodded towards her before bowing and taking his leave.
"What does this mean boss?" Bolt asked as they moved away.
"It means someone tried to sabotage Miss. Delacour's attempt at capturing the egg. For what reason? I don't know…yet." He thought as he moved towards the arena.
"What's he up to?" Tonks asked Hermione who turned and saw Harry marching to the arena with Lora and Bolt.
"Let's find out." Hermione said seeing the serious expression on the boy's face.
Harry knelt down looking at the floor of the arena with his eyes glowing blue Lora nearby doing the same.
"Miss. Delacour fell here." He said looking at the crushed grassy area where the shape of the French teens body could still be seen.
"The nesting mother here." Lora added at the large spike in the ground before her.
"Hundreds of people all around each with the ability to cast spells." Bolt added looking around the area.
"None below adulthood would dare interfere in such a way." Lora said as both she and Harry looked around the arena seeing the auras of hundreds around them.
"Without them the number of possibilities dwindles." Harry said as one by one auras vanished until less than twenty remained.
After a moment both saw the residual energy from a spell in the air. "It's too low to have come from the stands." Lora said as more auras vanished leaving those near the entrances, the judges table, and the dragon handlers in place.
"It's the wrong direction for the handlers." Harry said looking off to the south-west where the collection of auras was before they faded from view.
"The only entrances that line up are the ones close to the judges stand." Lora said as they looked to the North-East where said stand was in place and two entrances on either side.
The pair moved off with Bolt following as he sniffed at the ground wishing Blaze was here…he's the tracker of the group after all.
Hermione and Tonks watched as Harry and Lora moved around the arena with grace and precision.
"Whoever it was had the judges trust…which is why they were here in the first place." Harry said looking at the judges stand and the two entrances.
"Boss!" The pair looked up to Bolt who was near the edge of the entrance to the left of the judges.
As the pair approached Bolt pointed at the stain on the ground. "Whatever that is…it's fouler than Violet's Gloom stage." He said to the pair as Harry knelt down and saw the liquid stain.
"It's small. I'd say it was a spill from a hasty drink…or action." Harry said to the pair aloud before he turned placing his hand on his sword when Hermione and Tonks approached.
Harry sighed as he looked back. "You two should announce yourselves when approaching a scene." He said to the pair.
"Sorry." They said together before kneeling down to join Harry.
"What's going on Harry?" Tonks asked him.
"The dragon lost her hearing during the task." Harry said making the pair blink at his words.
"Lora found trace elements of magic surrounding her ears and according to her it was the effect of a wand waver." Harry said making the pair look at one another.
"Sabotage." Tonks said making Harry nod.
"The question becomes who…and why?" He asked before reaching into his vest and drawing out a small glass vial.
"This liquid was found here in the same place that the spell came from." Harry added as he used the vial to scoop up some of the dirt and held it up in the air.
Harry sniffed it before coughing slightly. "Smells like a dung heap that's been left to sit in the sun for days on end." He said capping the vial off.
Lora walked around the humans her eyes glowing as she moved. "Whoever it was…was smart enough to hide their tracks in aura. I can't follow a trail and the signature hides itself after it leaves the arena." Harry hummed at that.
"Mia…" He said making Hermione blink towards him. "…is there any way to test if this has magical properties?" He asked the brainy lioness who smirked.
The group moved off never noticing a being far in the distance watching them through a telescopic lens.
A couple hours later Harry watched as Hermione moved around a cauldron with greenish steam rising up.
"What exactly is this potion going to do Hermione?" Neville asked his brainy friend.
The group had returned to the enclosure and after bringing Neville up to speed waited as Hermione went about her work.
"This potion was developed by the DMLE decades ago to test for foreign substances in blood or dirt found at a crime scene. After Harry told us about his job in the Pokémon regions I admit…I became a little curious about investigative methods here.
With this potion we can identify the materials in the dirt giving us an idea of just what was spilled there." She said before using an eyedropper to squeeze in three drops of an orange liquid which caused the steam to jump up turning a reddish hue.
"It's ready." She said making Harry nod as he handed her the vial of collected soil.
Hermione accepted the vial before gently pouring it out into the cauldron making the liquid turn orange for a moment before it flashed blue.
"And now we just take a few drops…" She said turning off the burner from the liquid before using her eye dropper again to obtain orange liquid.
Once done she picked up a piece of paper and squeezed the drops out. Harry watched in surprise as writing began to appear.
He picked up the paper. "Common dirt for the most part…" He said reading some of the elements detected until he caught something that didn't fit.
"Lacewing flies, leeches, fluxweed, knotgrass, powdered horn of a Bicorn, Boomslang skin, and human hair." After reading the list Harry and Hermione looked towards Tonks who had gasped at the list.
"Those are ingredients to Polyjuice Potion." She said to them.
"The what?" Harry asked before Hermione spoke up.
"It's a potion that will allow the drinker to turn into another human being for the total of an hour. In order for it to work the drinker must also have a part of the human they intend to turn into…such as strands of human hair." Harry looked around.
"Then whomever is responsible for almost killing Miss. Delacour did it in such a way that they wouldn't be identified. How easy is it to obtain Polyjuice Potion?" He asked after a moment.
"To brew it would take over a month since it requires the full cycle of the moon during the night to reach its full potential.
To buy…maybe if one had the right connections in the black market it would be easy otherwise its very costly."
"Which means we're dealing with either a criminal or something wealthy with a grudge." Harry said moving off to start pacing.
"But why target Miss. Delacour? Krum is a professional athlete and is bound to have picked up a crazed fan or two over the years." Harry said as he continued to pace.
"Diggory has connections to the Ministry of Magic via his father. And I have stepped on quite the number of toes recently." Harry added pausing.
"So why target the only champion with no connections in the UK or international fame?"
"Maybe because she's a Veela?" Neville said making the group face him.
"Most half-humans aren't well liked by Purebloods. Maybe it was someone who hold a grudge against her mother's people?" He questioned with a shrug.
"That's possible…but we don't have anything solid on the manner. Plus…why go through all the effort on a plan that might not work?" Harry asked as he started to pace again.
"What if it wasn't the champion they were targeting?" Tonks said making Harry pause in his pacing as he turned towards the Metamorph.
"Hungarian Horntails are some of the most violent and blood dragon species out there. What if the caster was trying to make it go on a rampage? Which it almost did when it saw that egg if Delacour's hands." She said making Harry nod slightly.
"But for what purpose?" He asked making her shrug after a moment.
"To cause a panic." Neville said making everyone look to the slightly chubby boy.
"When the news of a dragon from the task attacking those in the arena as well as the murder of a champion reached the ears of the public students would be pulled out of the school, and greater trouble would occur in the Ministry."
"Causing Anarchy in its halls…leaving the UK vulnerable."
"Vulnerable to what though?" Neville asked Harry.
"I'm sorry my lord the plan failed. Potter was able to save the Veela stopping our plan before it could begin." A man said from his place inside a cluster of green fire his head being the only thing that appeared.
"It seems I underestimated the boy." A sickly voice hissed as a tiny hand drummed fingers against the arm of the chair its body laid in.
"Wormtail!" It hissed making the mousy man in the corner flinch as he approached.
"It seems I have need of you once more. Return to Hogwarts under your guise…and do what you can to gather information on Potter."
"My Lord the boy who sheltered me will be most likely be suspicious if I were to suddenly return." Wormtail said before he cried out in pain as he felt a spell slam into his body.
After a moment he rested as a wand lowered from the being in the chair. "Do not question my orders Wormtail!" It hissed making the man whimper at the pain.
"Potter is stronger than I anticipated. I must know if he has any weaknesses to use against him if we are to succeed."
"And what of your health my Lord?" The man in the fire asked.
"You need Wormtail there to milk your familiar to keep you sustained." The man said making his lord hiss this time in irritation at the logic from its follower.
"Worm…go into the village and capture a being that no one would miss. Make sure they have no family to question their disappearance!" He hissed making the mouse of a man nod as he rushed off to fulfill his lords order.
"And what should I do my lord?" The man in the fire asked.
"Keep up your roll as defense teacher…and if the moment comes when you can safely capture Potter…bring him to me.
We may have to accelerate our plans…and I would hate to have to use just anyone's blood. After all only the best will do for Lord Voldemort."
The former dark lord laughed as an evil smile appeared on his face while the man bowed and pulled his head back causing it to vanish along with the green in the fire.
That's all for now folks I hope you all enjoyed it.
R&R Ja Ne