Had most of this waiting around so I pumped out the last thousand words or so for you all right before Christmas, though it is a tad shorter than the usual chapters. But I hope to get more writing done since I'm out of school until the end of January and am only going to be doing thesis work to graduate with my Master's! I hope you all have a merry Christmas and happy holidays!

Harry finally felt a hint of true freedom under his invisibility cloak as he walked into Hogsmeade with Hermione. It was nice to not have people staring at him or muttering behind his back. While Sven had dealt with the more upfront people, Harry was still unsettled by the attention that came with being an unwilling champion. He idly wondered how Sven was dealing with it, given the boy had been in more fights lately and didn't look good the few times he saw him. He looked paler than usual and on edge. He was used to him being tired-looking and a bit amped up and suspicious. This just seemed a bit worse than usual. Especially if what Luna said is true. If he's getting attacked in the halls by a professor…

He looked at Hermione. "You think Sven is here? This is his first year of Hogsmeade, isn't it?"

"I don't know. He doesn't seem the type to be interested. I figured he'd be napping or studying."

Harry couldn't argue with that. It was always pretty hard to figure out what Sven was thinking. His social awkwardness was something almost amusing, given how some of the simplest things seemed to confuse him or make him react far differently than someone would expect. Harry couldn't help but remember the sunhat the boy had gotten that one Christmas. Yet, Sven would also do things that made him feel older and more mature than expected, like his standing up to Rita and Bagman to keep Harry safe. He was bigger than other kids his age too. Not so much bulkier like Crabbe and Goyle, but just… larger. Harry wondered if being a vampire might have anything to do with that.

"You haven't seen him lately, have you?" Harry asked her as they headed for the sweets shop.

"Hm. I saw him between classes once, I think. Studying in the library with—" She cut herself short and Harry wasn't sure why until he followed her gaze to what she was looking at. "—Krum."

Sven was standing in Honeydukes with Krum holding up a sweet of some sort and talking with him about it. Krum was also holding a package and looking at the back of it with a furrow in his brows.

"Since when were they friends?" Harry questioned.

"I don't know. Durmstrang is sitting at the Slytherin table at dinner. Hold on. Is that—"

A group in light blue swept into the shop then, Fleur Delacour in the lead and she too stepped up to Sven and asked him something before he awkwardly tipped his head and said something back in French before pointing at another portion of the shop. She nodded her head in thanks and swept off to where he pointed; the other girls in her group giggling and giving him a wave that he waved back to while looking mildly confused.

"Them too?" Hermione gaped. "Has he ever been this popular?"

Harry was a bit dumbfounded as well. While he and a few select others were good friends with Sven, the vampire had always been a bit of the odd one out. He didn't hang out with them often because of the age gap and different houses. That left him with Luna (a bit strange herself) and Ginny (who had other friends and who wasn't his friend until he was close with Luna). His first year was full of conflict both in his house and out, yet apparently, he had some appeal that the Durmstrang and Beauxbatons noticed and appreciated.

"Hey, Sven," Hermione greeted when they headed closer. "You, um… You're rather popular lately."

Sven, as he always did when he was confused, tipped his head. "Popular? How so?"

Hermione glanced at Krum briefly as he stared back before he looked back at his sweet bag. "I mean, you're with Krum and the Beauxbatons just talked to you."

"They were asking for directions to the Three Broomsticks and the register. They said I speak very good French. Is that why?" He questioned, looking at Krum who shrugged in response and put the sweet bag back to pick up another. "Is Harry with you?" Sven asked then, startling Harry under the cloak.

He didn't know Sven could sense him, yet the vampire was looking directly at him.

"Um… Yeah," Hermione said, not adding the fact that he was under the cloak, given the company Sven had and the people around. "Oh, did you want to meet tomorrow? I know Harry is having trouble with the summoning spell and the library has been a bit noisy."

She didn't mention it was because of Krum. Sven lit up though, nodding eagerly.

"Yes! I can bring Viktor, Ginny, and Luna as well. I have more books than the library." Sven paused then, thinking. "Hm, maybe the House Elves can bring food? They were very happy when I asked for a midnight snack yesterday."

Hermione opened her mouth to say something, given her most recent rant on House Elves but Harry elbowed her in the side and she begrudgingly said nothing.

"Then, we'll find you tomorrow. Do you want to meet in the Great Hall?"

Sven nodded. "I'll send my cat! Sorina is good at finding people. She will lead you to me if I'm not there at lunch."

They agreed and Hermione and Harry slipped away to buy their sweets as Hermione huffed.

"I expected Sven to know more about the House Elves and their slavery."

"Sven doesn't even understand wizard things. Why would he know anything about them?"

"He must have met them, the way he was talking," Hermione countered.

"Yeah, but you saw him. He said they were happy to get him a snack. Unless they showed they were bothered, he wouldn't understand. You know how he is."

Hermione pouted but huffed. "And why does he have to bring Krum? He shouldn't be showing castle secrets to people from other schools."

"They seem like good friends," Harry shrugged. "I would have never expected to see Krum here, and he lets Sven call him by his first name. Besides, there isn't much known about Durmstrang either. Maybe they're both telling each other things. I'd rather get along with the other champions too, than fight them."

"What if one of the challenges is a duel?"

Harry hadn't considered that, but while the tournament was a competition, it sounded more like there would be puzzles more than fights between students. Especially now that there were two underage students involved. Still, he really respected Krum and his Quidditch skills, so if they could be friends it would be really cool.

"We can still be friends and duel… right?"

Hermione sighed, giving in as they headed into the Three Broomsticks, not knowing who they'd bump into while there.

Harry wasn't sure what to think. Hagrid had just snuck him out in the middle of the night to show him the first task was dragons of all things, and his talk with Sirius that evening in the fireplace only had him worried about Karkaroff who was an ex-Death Eater. He and Hermione were struggling to think of ways Harry could fight dragons and given that Hagrid took Madame Maxime to see the dragons and Harry himself had bumped into Karkaroff, the only one who didn't know was Sven. Unless Krum told him, Harry idly thought, but hoped they'd find him, tell him, and he'd have some idea of what to do.

They stood over by the Great Hall and when Sven didn't show up, they debated as to whether they should go looking when the familiar amber-colored cat strolled up and stretched in front of them. Hermione smiled slightly and ran her hand over Sorina before the cat started off towards the doors to the castle, waiting and looking back at them. Understanding that she wanted them to follow, they headed outside after her and were soon witness to something… well, unusual.

Sven and Krum were just inside a clearing in the Forbidden Forest with quite a few girls scattered through the trees swooning and fanning themselves. It was easy to see why. Both boys had removed their outer robes and shirts and were sizing each other up.

"What are they doing?" Harry asked quietly, trying not to draw attention to himself given the variety of students hiding from the duo.

"I think… I think they're fighting?" Hermione questioned. "Like a duel?"

"Fighting?" Harry looked over at them as they moved in and swung punches or kicks, grabbing at each other and trying to wrestle one another to the ground. "Sven looks a bit too happy for it to be a fight, and why don't they just use their wands?"

Hermione shrugged before sighing. "I don't think they realize they've got an audience either…"

Harry nodded as he glanced at one of the groupings of girls. "I think that Ravenclaw girl just got a nose bleed."

Hermione groaned, storming into the clearing. "All right, that's enough!"

Sven and Krum stopped—Sven having Krum in a headlock as the Durmstrang boy was in the middle of trying to grab him by the arm and flip him if the vampire hadn't hooked his leg around his ankle before Hermione strolled up.

"Hello, Hermione," Sven greeted, as though Krum wasn't hooked under his arm. "Oh! We're supposed to meet today, aren't we?"

Hermione ran a hand down her face as Harry stepped over.

"Hello, Harry."

"Hi, Sven. There's, uh… There's a bunch of girls watching you two behind those trees."

Sven looked over, causing a few of the more obvious students to try and hide before he turned back to Harry and tilted his head in confusion. "Why?"

Harry was a bit hesitant to answer that, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly before Hermione groaned and lightly pat Sven's arm to get him to let go of the waiting Krum.

"Probably because you're both shirtless and wrestling in the forest," she complained. "Now, come on. Grab your things and let's go. You're not going to figure out the first task like this."

Sven let Krum go and the two went and grabbed their things, pulling back on their clothes and following Sorina out of the forest as the girls behind whispered and giggled about what they'd seen. Harry caught up with Sven, giving Krum a brief look.

"Did Krum tell you about the first task?"

Sven glanced at the bulky Bulgarian who shrugged.

"We were dueling, but I would've said after."

Sven looked back at Harry then, shrugging himself. "I did not know everyone knew."

"I found out yesterday. Hagrid told me. He took Madame Maxime to see too and I saw Karkaroff nearby," Harry admitted, keeping it secret that he'd been hidden under his cloak. "It's dragons, Sven. We're fighting dragons somehow."

Sven glanced at the ceiling as they walked through the castle, pondering that information. "Dragons. I've never seen one. They are difficult to handle, I assume?"

Harry resisted the urge to smack his forehead as Hermione sighed.

"We'll show you pictures if your room has any books on them."

Sven nodded. "We just need to think about books we need and they'll show up."

The group eyed him oddly at that, just as they reached the seventh floor, only to turn back down the hall and back again.

"Uh, Sven? We're going back and forth."

He nodded. "Three times, thinking about what you want, then the room will show up."

Sure enough, the third pass through a door appeared, stunning them as he opened it and waved at the two girls already waiting inside.

"Hello, Luna, Ginny."

"You already showed them?"

Sven nodded as the others entered. "Yesterday. They wanted somewhere to go after the Hogsmeade trip. The library does not allow food."

"Sven you really shouldn't use the House Elves in the kitchen like that!" Hermione complained. "They're not servants, you know. They deserve to have more rights, don't you think?"

Sven blinked, considering what she said before his brows furrowed. "But they wanted to bring food."

"Because they have to."

"No, I asked if they would and they said yes."

"But they're always being used by their so-called Masters, Sven. Don't you think they should get paid at least?"

Sven seemed to be getting more confused by the second. "Do they want money? I tried offering before and they refused. I don't understand. They were excited about cooking." He pointed to a small table. "They made fish and chips."

Hermione sighed, seeing that Sven was basically a lost cause as Krum spoke up.

"There's chips?"

Sven nodded, lighting up again and showing him where the food was before bringing a plate over to Luna, who took it with a smile.

"Thank you, Sven."

Sven nodded before humming. "Do you know about dragons?"

Luna blinked, thinking about it. "I know a little."

"Harry!" Sven called out, drawing Harry out of his dazed look around the room. "Luna knows a little about dragons."

"Yeah, but Sven, we're going to be fighting dragons for the first task. We need to know more than just a little."

"You're fighting dragons?" Ginny shouted, nearly spilling her drink as she wiped at what had fallen onto her chin. "You're joking, right?"

Harry shook his head, grabbing something to drink himself. "Hagrid showed me. They've got them tucked away in the forest at the back of the grounds."

"I don't think they'll actually be fighting them," Hermione countered, eyeing the food but not getting any. "There's got to be more to it than that."

"Sure, but we should still study up, right?"

Sven nodded, moving towards the set of bookshelves nearby and checking some of the books. "'Dragon Breeding for Pleasure and Profit,' 'Dragon Species of Great Britain and Ireland,' 'From Egg to Inferno: a Dragon-Keeper's Guide,' and 'Men Who Love Dragons Too Much.'" He looked over at the others, who were a bit stunned other than Luna. "I also have 'Bestiarium Magicum,' 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,' and 'The Monster Book of Monsters.'"

"Not that one!" Harry and Hermione shouted, stopping Sven from touching the book in startled confusion.

"Sorry?"

The two exchanged looks before Harry tried to explain.

"The book is charmed, I think. It… It acts like a creature itself. Chases you and bites and stuff."

Sven eyed the fur-covered spine before slowly retracting his hand. "You've read it?"

"Tried last year. Hagrid assigned it. There's nothing in there about dragons really. Just what they looked like and that they're dangerous."

"Try Scamander's books," Luna chimed, getting a nod from Sven as he pulled them off the shelf along with the other books as "The Monster Book of Monsters" seemingly vanished. "He is very detailed about the creatures he studies."

The group begrudgingly settled down on the cushions on the ground to search through books for more information as to what they could do. Krum was the first to come upon the Conjunctivitis Curse, so they agreed he would have dibs on that and Harry was surprised that he kept searching with them even though he had his way to win. He suspected it was because of him and Sven getting along but found he rather enjoyed talking with him too.

"Hm, one would need to be faster than the dragon or have a good distraction, I think," Sven said when they couldn't find anything else to really use.

"But I'm not exactly great at spell work," Harry sighed.

"Then, use something you're good at," Krum replied, surprising him.

"I'm only good at Quidditch."

Sven perked up then. "Can you use the summon spell yet?"

Harry frowned, knowing that he couldn't. "I haven't been able to figure it out. We're learning it right now."

"I can help. Lupin taught me how," Sven said. "If you learn it, you can summon your broom and fly past the dragon. No one said we had to fight it yet."

"That's… That's brilliant," Harry breathed but stopped. "What about you?"

"I have an idea but will need some things from Fred and George. I will do best with a distraction, I think. So, we can work on your summoning spell."

Harry sighed but had to admit that it was nice to have people backing him up.

I was led to a tent just before my afternoon class on the day of the first task and settled in with Fleur and Krum. Both looked rather anxious given what we were facing, but I was rather the opposite. A dragon was something I hadn't seen or experienced and despite what I'd read about them, it felt almost no different from dealing with trouble at Hogwarts. I had a plan that should work and if it didn't or something changed, then I had to adapt. Returning to the coven felt like more of a threat than a dragon I would deal with for no more than an hour.

Still, I didn't like other people being anxious, especially people I considered my friends. So, I started up a conversation of favorite meals from both of them and, given my lack of knowledge of Bulgaria and France, I began to learn more about their cooking styles as we all relaxed. It was helpful for my hunger as well, which I knew I would need to keep a tight hold on when I stepped out. For now, though, my thoughts were focused on a different type of hunger.

"Est-ce vraiment si simple de faire un Clafoutis?" (Is it really that easy to make a clafoutis?) I questioned, feeling as though the recipe was rather simple while the food looked delicious.

"Oui. C'est très facile," (Yes. It's very easy.) Fleur nodded with a pleased smile, flicking her hair over her shoulder. "Je suis moi-même fan du Clafoutis au babeurre aux cerises." (I, myself, am a fan of the cherry buttermilk Clafoutis.)

"In Bulgaria, there is a good chocolate cake," Krum added, looking hungry himself at the thought. "A torta garash. It has five layers of, how you say... sponge with walnuts and a dark chocolate layer in-between."

The idea of multiple layers of chocolate had me drooling and wondering if I could get the House Elves to make one for me. Then, Harry stepped in and I turned to him in my eagerness.

"Harry, what's your favorite dessert?"

Harry blinked, quite shell-shocked at how relaxed we were given what was coming and confused by the random question. "Um… I-I kind of like Treacle Tarts?"

I tipped my head, thinking of the desserts that were offered daily on the tables here at Hogwarts. "Which one is that?"

"It's the pie-shaped one. Kind of circular with golden syrup."

My eyes lit up and I nodded eagerly. "Yes! I like that one though it's very sweet. Krum says he likes a sort of chocolate cake from his country and Fleur likes a Clafoutis which is also kind of like a pie with berries instead of a filling."

"Have you… Sorry, are we talking about pastries when we're two minutes away from fighting actual dragons?"

I blinked because it was honestly a stupid question with an obvious answer. "Yes."

He sighed heavily, just as Bagman stepped in with a grin.

"Well, now we're all here, time to fill you in!" Bagman beamed. "When the audience has assembled, I'm going to be offering each of you this bag from which you will each select a small model of the thing you are about to face!" He held up a small sack and shook it. "There are different… varieties, you see. And I have to tell you something else too. Ah, yes. Your task is to collect the golden egg!"

I leaned towards Krum as we heard the audience outside beginning to gather. "Do dragons lay golden eggs?"

"No. It's a fake, probably."

I nodded before another question came to mind. "Do dragons make good mothers?"

He opened his mouth but closed it, brows furrowed and not seeming to know himself. After a moment longer, Bagman was opening the sack he held and holding it out to us.

"Ladies first."

Fleur reached in hesitantly before lifting out a small model of a Welsh Green dragon with a number two around its neck. My eyes went wide at the creature. Not because of what it represented but because of whatever magic was used to animate the miniature. Krum pulled out a red Chinese Fireball dragon with a number three and the bag was then offered to me.

I reached in eagerly, grasping the model closest and pulling out a dragon with a clubbed tail that hissed with the number one wrapped around its neck. A Hungarian Horntail. This left Harry being the final champion with a blue Swedish Short-Snout. It didn't make a difference to me, really. A dragon was a dragon. Its temperament didn't change the fact that it was dangerous and we were going to have to face it and steal a golden egg from it. What did annoy me was Bagman demanding the model dragon back and refusing to tell me what spell was used to animate it. I'll just ask Lupin.

Bagman left with Harry then, something that made me frown since Harry didn't seem thrilled, but Harry had waved me off so I was left to wait for the whistle that would summon me into the first challenge. It blew a moment later and a heavy hand hit my shoulder from Krum, an encouraging smack from him that I nodded at as Fleur bowed her head as well.

"Bonne chance, Sven." (Good luck, Sven.)

I nodded to her too and gave Harry a wave as he entered and I made to step out. I regretted it instantly. While the tent was rather quiet and blocked out noise from the crowd easily, stepping into the arena made my body ache and jaw throb as my throat dried instantly. There were too many people here and all of them were excited for what was to come. I shuddered and brought the back of my hand to my mouth. I took a moment to close my eyes and focus on shutting them out, though their cheers made it difficult. It was the loud roar that helped me finally draw my focus elsewhere.

The dragon in front of me was the exact replica of the model I'd held a moment ago. It hissed and growled at me with its spiked, club of a tail curling around what appeared to be a single golden egg. I tipped my head, glancing at the egg and back at the dragon that placed a clawed hand over it protectively. Dragons make good mothers, I idly noted before I rubbed the back of my neck when I saw McGonagall waving at me to do something.

I sighed and dug through my robes, searching for what I'd asked Fred and George for. Murmurs started up from the crowd as they tried to figure out what I was doing. I finally found one of the two packages I was looking for, holding it and searching for the fuse.

"What's that he's got there?" Bagman commented, having reached his booth to narrate the fights. "Looks like a ball of some sort."

I then judged the distance between the dragon and me and hummed. Should cover the whole area. They said it was thick too so I'm all set. I lit the fuse easily with my wand and threw the orb towards the dragon. Said beast bristled as it hit the ground and rolled closer, hesitant before it banged and let out a plume of smoke. The dragon roared as the smoke spread and I was quick to step into the cloud and shift into my Animagus form. Couldn't let people know I could do this. Smokescreen was the only way and it got me close quickly.

I swooped through the smoke and perched on the golden egg, but frowned. The dragon still had a clawed hand wrapped around it. I sighed softly, changing back and drawing out the other package the twins offered. I lit that as well just as the dragon began to pump its wings to blow the smoke away. I threw it up towards its face just as it spotted me and the bomb exploded with a bright light. The twins had improved on the flash grenade.

The dragon roared in retaliation but lifted its hand for me to grab the golden egg. It was just a matter of getting away from it and just as I turned to run for the exit my eyes went wide. The air escaped my lungs in a rush as the thick width of the dragon's tail slammed into the egg and my chest. I was thrown across the arena and hit the wall hard, taking a moment to gasp and catch my breath. Bagman was saying something and the crowd was cheering as someone grabbed my arm and hauled me to my feet. I was still wheezing, chest aching, and dazed.

As Madam Pomfrey would later tell me, if I were human, far more damage would've been done than two broken ribs and bruising. I'd gotten lucky. When I was a bit more coherent I could hear the echoes of the crowd cheering for Fleur and then for Krum. I hadn't even heard what my score had been, not that it really mattered to me since my goal wasn't winning but surviving the trials. Given neither Fleur nor Krum had entered the medic tent, I took it that their trials went well and it wasn't until Harry slipped in that I really paid much attention to what was going on.

"You okay, Sven?" Harry asked, Madam Pomfrey complaining about dragons as she patched up a cut on his arm.

I nodded, pointing at my ribs. "Hit by its tail. There were too many people so I got distracted." I turned to Madam Pomfrey. "You wouldn't happen to have—"

"Yes, yes. I have some for you," she huffed, digging through her things before floating a blood bag to me.

I sighed in relief as I tore off a corner and eased my hunger. Harry looked at the bag in concern but Madam Pomfrey waved at him as she headed over to me to check on my ribs.

"No worries, Mr. Potter. It's deer blood."

Harry winced as though he'd been scolded, though I wasn't sure why. I understood that blood made people feel uneasy, more so when I was drinking it and they knew. Before we could try and get permission to leave the tent, a group of people burst in.

"Harry, you were brilliant! You were amazing! You really were!" Hermione called out, spotting me. "I-I think you did well too, Sven, though I couldn't see much."

Ron huffed in agreement. "Yeah, what was up with that? They couldn't comment on anything with the smoke bombs."

"But he got what he needed," Luna noted, heading over and eyeing me for injuries as Ginny hummed.

"Yeah, but it still would've been cool to see what he did. Fred and George didn't know either, just that you asked for smoke bombs and a flashbang."

"I used my Animagus," I replied easily, most of them knowing I could do that, but Ginny's mouth dropped open.

"What! I didn't know you could do that! Isn't it like… a super-advanced spell?"

I nodded. "Professor McGonagall scolded me for a long while when she found out. I'm not supposed to show people though. Sirius thinks the Ministry would be upset. Being a bat is handy for getting close to the dragon quickly though. I assumed Harry could do it with his broom and wondered if it would work for me as well." I rubbed my abdomen lightly. "I had forgotten about its tail and am glad I wasn't hit by the spiked club at the end of it."

The group winced at the thought before Ron sheepishly looked over at Harry.

"I, um… I-I think whoever put your name in that goblet… I think they're trying to kill you."

Harry frowned, and I remembered that they had been fighting and this was Ron finally understanding that Harry hadn't done it on purpose. They made up pretty quick and soon departed to see Harry's score. Luna stayed behind though, taking a seat next to me as I tipped my head.

"You don't want to see the scores?"

She shook her head, glancing up at the top of the tent. "No. I think everyone did their best and you're not really competing anyway, correct?"

I thought about it before humming. "I am friends with the other competitors. Or, I think we are friends. Viktor and I study together and Fluer often asks for advice on things. Harry and I are friends for certain. He said he was and he agreed to work with me without competing unless we have to."

She smiled, reaching over and taking my hand and squeezing it. "Then, I am glad."

A throat was cleared and I turned to see Bagman standing at the entrance with a grin on his face. I frowned slightly as Luna released my hand and gave me a small nod goodbye before he told me I needed to join the others in the champion's tent. Begrudgingly—and with Madam Pomfrey's stern instructions to take it easy—I joined Harry, Viktor, and Fleur in the tent for the next challenge to be explained.

"Well done, all of you! Now, just a quick few words. You've got a nice long break before the second task, which will take place at half-past nine on the morning of February the twenty-fourth, but we're giving you something to think about in the meantime! If you look down at those golden eggs you're all holding, you will see that they open. See the hinges there? You need to solve the clue inside the egg because it will tell you what the second task is, and enable you to prepare for it! All clear? Sure? Well, off you go, then!"

I left with Harry and we met up with Ron before making our way back to the castle. Or, we would have if a familiar reporter didn't stop us.

"Congratulations, Harry! I wonder if you could give me a quick word? How you felt facing that dragon? How you feel now, about the fairness of the scoring?"

I bristled, taking a slight step forward and making her smile quickly turn into an annoyed frown, but Harry spoke up before I could shoo her off.

"Yeah, you can have a word. Goodbye," he huffed, walking away as I gave Rita Skeeter one more look and followed after him and Ron.

I was going to split off from them and head to the Room of Requirement with the egg I was carrying, but Harry stopped me.

"We'll probably be having a party in the tower," he said. "And I know that other people from other houses shouldn't be… you know, but I've seen people do it before and I'm sure they won't mind. Do you want to join us, Sven?"

Ron nodded as well. "Yeah, I mean, even if they don't agree on it, Fred and George will shut them up pretty quick. It'll be fun."

I considered it, but there was a tell-tale bite of hunger in the back of my mind even after drinking the blood Madam Pomfrey offered. The thought of being in the Gryffindor tower with the entire house there celebrating made me shake my head in the end.

"Perhaps not this time. I am… tired from what occurred and would probably do best on my own for a bit."

"Oh, well, okay," Harry said, offering a smile. "Maybe next time then. Let us know if there's something we can do to help."

I gave him a curious look. "Help?"

"I… I mean, we can't cure you or anything. I'm sure Dumbledore is trying to help a lot, but if you need company or if anyone's saying things…" He shared a look with Ron who smirked and clapped a hand across my shoulder.

"Yeah! That's what friends do, right?"

I brightened and nodded with a toothy grin myself. "Yes. Friends help friends. I will speak with you if I need help, though I don't know what right now, but if I do."

Harry snorted and they waved as they went off to join their fellow Gryffindors while I retreated back to the Room of Requirement and settled into the empty space waiting for me. It was quiet and I almost missed the two Gryffindors. Having Luna around would've been nice but I was comfortable and able to edge away from the hunger in my mind with yet another goblet of blood that was waiting for me on my nightstand. Curious though, I eyed the golden egg and hesitantly tested the latches holding it closed. The second it opened a loud, screeching wail echoed from within, making me cringe and close it. I frowned, mad at the egg for holding something so loud and annoying, before shoving it aside and instead, moving to the desk. I best write to let Sirius and Lupin know what happened… Did I ever tell them the first task was dragons?