Chapter 19
The day of the task arrived and Harry was in hot water with nearly everyone.
He refused to tell them what his main plan was to get the egg. Fleur had been coached into a repeat performance of her sleeping charm (with added fire protection this time) and Viktor was encouraged to use transfiguration as a distraction (to avoid breaking eggs).
Harry had listened to all the ideas from trying to learn to become a dragon animagus to bribing it with gold. He didn't tell anyone his plan though.
And that pissed off everyone from Hermione to Filius.
Fleur was also annoyed, but Viktor found it amusing.
They were in the Champion's Tent, Fleur and Viktor were a little nervous and Harry was reading a book. Then the heads entered along with Amelia and Bagman.
"Excellent!" Bagman exclaimed in his annoyingly jovial way. "You're all here. Now in this bag are identical miniatures of what you will face in the arena. They will also determine the order you go in."
"Non." Fleur said defiantly. "'Arry goes last. Zat way Viktor and I can watch him."
"B-B-B-"
"That's perfectly fine." Amelia interjected whilst Bagman tried to remember how to talk. "The order you go in doesn't matter, it is only the choosing of the dragons that we want to be fair."
She took the bag from Bagman and offered it to Fleur and then Viktor. She then handed the bag to Harry.
"Miss Delacour, you will go first and face the Common Welsh Green. Mister Krum, you will go second and face the Chinese Fireball." She then turned to Harry. "Harry will have to go last anyway as he will be facing this."
Harry looked up from the empty bag he was peering into. Sitting in Amelia's hand was a pale blue wingless dragon.
"A Japanese Water Dragon." Amelia smirked.
"That bastard Albus arranged this, didn't he?" Harry scowled.
"Actually, it was a recent acquaintance of yours." She gestured to the mouth of the tent.
Harry turned to see a very smug Yoshiko standing there in a knee length skirt and t-shirt topped off with a light jacket.
"What the hell did I do to you?" Harry asked indignantly.
"I'm a trickster Harry-kun, you couldn't really expect me to turn down the opportunity to play a prank on the son of a prankster, could you?" She pouted.
"I am going to learn some nasty words in Japanese just so I can call you them." Harry warned her with a maniacal glare.
"I would be happy to teach you some." She smiled. "But I must go and find Severus-kun. It is cold and he needs to keep me warm." She said as she left the tent.
"I didn't need to know that!" Harry called after her.
Amelia had been tempted to alter the tasks after seeing Harry's memories of them. But she decided that it was hard enough for the teens to face down a nesting dragon on their own when even an experienced Dragon Handler wouldn't try.
Fleur's attempt went much the same as last time, only she dodged the snort of flame that the dragon let out in its sleep. It wouldn't have mattered as she had charmed her outfit to be flame proof.
Viktor's was a big improvement. No eggs were crushed. Instead he transfigured one rock into a tasty looking cow and another couple into wolves. The result was that he was able to slip past the dragon and take the egg whilst it fended off the wolves so it could take the cow.
Then there was a half hour wait whilst they set up the arena for the Water Dragon.
Harry had no idea what to do so he spent the time meditating and trying to reach the other plane.
Eventually he was roused from his peaceful contemplation. Amelia sent him out into the arena.
The arena was now a small lake.
"Do I still have to get the egg?" He sighed.
"Yes. I trust you've been studying the bubble head charm." She asked.
"You are enjoying this far too much." Harry grumbled.
"Consider it payback for all you put me through." She smirked and strolled off back into the tent.
Harry stomped his way down to the water's edge, muttering death threats all along.
Now, Harry hadn't done much in the way of researching spells and plans, but he had read a lot of books on dragons.
He closed his eyes and imagined a snake in his mind before saying loudly in Parseltongue: "Mighty dragon of the waters, I beg an audience if you have the time."
So it wasn't the most flowery of pleas, but it did the job.
The crowd began to mutter as they heard the Boy-Who-Lived speak a dark language.
Harry just turned to them and glared. "I AM LORD SLYTHERIN, YOU KNOW." He shouted at them.
Unfortunately that made them mutter more.
They were interrupted as a pale blue head, larger than Harry himself, emerged from the lake slowly.
"Are you aware you are speaking the language of snakes?" The dragon asked, one eyebrow raised in a very human manner. It definitely sounded female to Harry.
"I know two languages. Neither of them are Japanese, so I picked the one I figure you might be familiar with." Harry shrugged.
"Well, it is a magical language." The dragon mused. "And we are both magical beings."
"True. Anyway, I was wondering if you could give me that golden egg that is not one you laid."
The dragon looked at him, amusement in her eyes. "Aren't you supposed to use your magic and skill to best me and steal the egg?"
"Yeah, but I want to get Yoshiko back for trying to prank me. Besides, I did study dragons, and I met a few humans who have had dealings with Japanese dragons. I know that you aren't opposed to helping humans."
The dragon chuckled. "It would be amusing to see a kitsune have the tables turned on them. But won't you get in trouble for not participating properly?"
"I was entered without my knowledge or consent… screw them!"
The dragon laughed loudly, of course it looked to the contestants that it was roaring and preparing to toast Harry… with fire, not wine.
She dipped her large head beneath the water before re-emerging with the golden egg in her mouth that she dropped on the shore.
"It has been far too long since I birthed my only child." She sighed. "Still, it was fun to be amongst you humans again."
Harry picked up the egg and bowed very low. "You will always be welcome in my home, Toyotama-hime. I invite you to stay and dine with us this evening and perhaps you might stay a few days. I believe Yoshiko will be staying a while."
The dragon froze and stared at him.
"You are far too perceptive, Little One." It muttered.
"As I said, I researched dragons for this task." Harry said as he rose.
The dragon seemed to become incorporeal as its blue scales became less defined and faded. It's being swirled smaller and smaller until it was replaced by a short Japanese woman in her early twenties wearing a pale blue kimono.
"I accept your gracious offer, Little One." She gave a small bow.
Harry offered her his arm which she took and walked her back to the tent.
The crowd watched in shocked silence that wasn't broken until the pair disappeared into the tent.
Then they broke into loud arguments over what they had seen.
Some claimed that Harry had been given a false task and there never was a dragon.
Others said he had managed to transfigure the dragon into the woman.
There were a host of other theories being bandied about as well.
"What is the meaning of this farce, Dumbledore?!" Fudge demanded as he sat in the top box with the judges. "The boy was supposed to defeat the dragon, not seduce it for his bloody harem!"
"I would be very careful, Minister." Filius scowled at the portly man. "Harry has taken every care to ensure that the girls that he is responsible for are treated with the utmost respect. 'Harem' is a term he finds offensive when used by the English for his family."
"Irrelevant." Fudge waved dismissively. "The boy has multiple concubines. That is the very definition of a harem."
"And just how, pray tell, do you know that?" Perenelle asked with a smirk.
Cornelius blushed and began to stammer. No one had ever actually used the term 'harem' around or about Harry in public. The knowledge that he had several concubines was not a secret but it certainly wasn't spoken of or announced in public.
Fudge certainly didn't want to admit that he had been investigating how to get his own harem.
"That has nothing to do with this farce you call a tournament!" He deflected.
"Monsieur Potter may not 'ave acted physically, but 'e stood nose to nose with a deadly beast and walked away with 'is prize." Madame Maxime mused. "'Aving seen 'is performance today, I am now much more comfortable with Fleur being a part of 'is study group."
"Yes, but if Harry keeps performing like he did today then neither of our students will stand a chance." Penny scowled. "I have no choice but to give him full marks for what he did."
"I will probably agree, but first, I wish to speak with the champions to find out about their tactics." Albus smiled. "All three children were quite impressive. It is unheard of for all three champions to complete a task without even a bruise!"
The three heads along with Amelia, Fudge and Bagman entered the medical tent where Harry was sitting at a conjured table and dealing out playing cards. Also around the table were Fleur, Viktor and Poppy.
"You're going down this time Frenchie."
"Zat is what you said last time." Fleur said as she flipped her long blonde hair over her shoulder.
"I won the first round!"
"Because we did not know the rules." She retorted.
"Enough!" Poppy admonished. "Fleur, you won the last round so you go first."
The judges watched as card were slapped down one after the other, face up. They took turns until-
"SNAP! Ha! Take that Blondie!"
"A lucky win." Fleur sniffed.
"I still say this isn't real Snap." Poppy grumbled. "The cards don't even explode!"
"Stop complaining. It's not our fault you haven't won yet." Harry admonished her.
"Harry? Could we perhaps have a word with the three of you?" Albus asked politely.
"Great. Now I'm going to get told I didn't complete the task properly." Harry muttered as he tossed down his cards.
"Actually, Monsieur Potter, we merely wish to discover 'ow you all completed ze tasks so we can… assess you better." Maxime assured them.
Harry gave a nod that showed he understood. "Well, ladies first I guess. But… all we have is her, so go on."
Fleur glowered at the insolent Englishman before turning her ire on the snickering Bulgarian.
"You should not be so tense." Viktor was un-phased by the glare. "It is good to laugh. Do not take things badly from Potter. Give them back."
Fleur frowned, not understanding.
"Give as good as you get." He explained in French.
Harry actually felt a sliver of fear at the smirk she turned on him.
"You can roast him later." Perenelle laughed. "Fleur, how did you put the dragon to sleep?"
"I used ze most powerful sleeping charm we could find in 'Arry's library. It was not difficult." She had a confused look as she was unsure what they wanted to hear.
"Plus there were a few fire proofing spells." Harry added as he played with the cards, shuffling them in his hands. He then paused and looked at the cards with a frown. He put them down and pulled out a pencil.
"Preposterous!" Fudge blustered. "No mere girl could charm a dragon to sleep!"
"Zen it is a good thing that Mademoiselle Delacour is no 'mere leetle girl'!"
Harry glanced up from his cards at Madame Maxime's retort. That sounded familiar. But he had better things to do and went back to his cards.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Fudge demanded.
"None of your business, Corny." Harry said without looking up. "Move on."
"Yes, of course." Albus spoke up before Fudge could get himself eviscerated by an enraged Veela. "We would appreciate it if we could examine the charm."
"Family magic." Harry said simply. "Penny can take a look if she wants."
"If foreigners can see this special charm then so can I!" Fudge said importantly.
"Family. Magic." Harry enunciated as he looked up at Fudge mercilessly. "That means that it is protected by your own laws. The only people allowed to access it are those granted permission by the Head of the Family… me."
"Mister Krum, you managed quite the feat of transfiguration today." Amelia quickly directed their conversation. "Even Headmaster Dumbledore would have trouble finding the raw power to do what you did."
"Harry. He makes me new vand." Viktor said proudly. "It helps me."
"May we see your wand?" Albus asked politely.
"Ne!"
Albus actually took a step back. "I promise we won't-"
"Ne! Vork vas done by Lord Slytherin. Only ask that I keep it… "
"Private." Harry supplied.
"Da, private."
"Don't be stupid boy. Give us the wa- eep!" Fudge went from blustering little fat man to scared little fat girl in a split second as he found himself staring down several wands.
In fact, the only wand he wasn't staring down was his own.
"Cornelius, you are about to breach several international and British laws." Albus said gravely. "Unless you intend to charge Mister Krum with a crime then you have no right to demand his wand."
"The most you could do is declare him a suspect, which would allow you the right to perform the Prior Incantatem." Amelia added. "Of course, you would have to resign as the Minister for Magic and apply for my job as only the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement has that authority."
"Not to mention that as a foreigner he is afforded the right to have representatives from his own country."
They current occupants of the tent turned to see the Bulgarian Minister and his entourage at the entrance. "You are not trying to accuse the Hero of Bulgaria of cheating, are you?" He asked with a look that threatened personal and international action.
"You've got a title too? That's brilliant!" Harry laughed.
"I am still not 'Boy Hero of Bulgaria'." Viktor gave a little sneer.
Harry scowled. He was often the butt of jokes for that title from the Bulgarian students. They weren't mean, but they found it amusing.
Harry responded with his usual come back. "At least I have my own castle."
As usual, Viktor just grinned superiorly. Harry's tone and bearing when he said that always seemed rather… lame. He simply didn't sound like he believed it was an even trade either.
"Harry, how about you?" Penny asked as the conversation was once again redirected. "What happened between you and your dragon?"
Harry's eyes widened in worry. "For god's sake, don't call her 'my dragon'! All I did was talk to her."
"There is no record of Parselmouth's being able to communicate with dragons." Albus frowned. He would know after all, he did all that work with Nicholas on their blood.
"I only used that because I don't speak Japanese." Harry shrugged. "Yoshiko made an error when she suggested using a Japanese Water Dragon." He said with a smug grin. "She didn't think I would have read about them, so I knew that they were as intelligent as humans."
"Preposterous!" Fudge exclaimed. "Dragons are mere beasts! They have all the intellect of a House Elf."
Harry rolled his eyes. "Fudge, I can guarantee you that the House Elves in my family are more intelligent than you. I would be happy to prove it if you like."
"Da, my family's elves teach me when I was small." Viktor nodded.
"'Ow did you change it into a 'uman?" Maxime asked curiously.
"I didn't. I didn't even ask her to change. She decided to do that herself." Harry turned back to his cards but was interrupted again.
"Harry, are you saying that all you did was ask the Water Dragon for the egg?" Albus asked with an amused raised eyebrow.
"Well… I did also invite her to stay for a while. Incidentally, she is a princess. I expect her to be afforded the respect that position demands or there will be trouble. If you want more info I suggest you go and talk to Yoshiko, it was her suggestion after all."
The judges exchanged a look. "I believe we have heard all we need to. We will head outside and give our marks." Albus answered for them. "If the three of you would also join us?"
"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, after much deliberation and consideration we have awarded the following to the champions." Dumbledore announced to the audience via a magical amplification spell.
"Each champion was able to attain their egg in a different way. But each champion also managed to do so without incurring injury to themselves, the dragons or the eggs.
"They utilised their own talents and research and did so flawlessly. As such, we feel we have no other option than to award each champion the full marks of fifty points." Albus was smiling happily.
"BUT POTTER CHEATED!"
Albus' smile vanished.
"You know, after everything I've shown you, you should have expected this." Harry said smugly.
Albus knew he was referring to the memories Harry had allowed him to view.
"GET DOWN HERE BOY!" Perenelle shouted at the seventh year Slytherin.
Lucian Bole suddenly looked very nervous.
"NOW!"
Lucian was on his feet and stepping on everyone else's as he hastily made his way to the end of the row.
As he arrived at the judge's platform Perenelle cast some charms on the area so everyone could hear them.
"So, boy, you say Potter cheated." She sneered at him, which was quite amusing as Bole was over six feet and Perenelle Flamel was barely five-ten.
"W-We all saw. He didn't do anything. He just stood there and the dragon gave him the egg." He started off flustered but soon found his ground.
"So if I was to have the dragon brought back in, do you think you could get it to just 'give' it to you?"
"I- I-…" Lucian frowned, but then it came to him and he schooled his features into that of respectful conversation. "I'm sure that if Potter told us how he did it I would be able to do the same."
"So you don't already know how he did it?" Perenelle queried.
"Of course not." He rolled his eyes.
Perenelle moved in closer, her voice lowered to a growl, but still heard by the audience. "If you don't know how he did it, how can you say he cheated?"
"Because that's what Potter does." He sneered. "How else would he manage to have concubines and a castle? How else would he be able to defeat the Greatest Wizard of our time?"
"I am over six hundred years old. Headmaster Dumbledore has more than a century of experience. You have not even taken your NEWTs. And yet you presume to know more than us?"
"Everyone knows you're part of Potter's group." Lucian said smugly.
There was a sudden gasp from everyone except Perenelle who was smirking and Lucian who didn't know what was going on.
"My friend has heard your accusations and considers them a personal insult."
Lucian turned to see a young Japanese woman marching towards them. Although that didn't really register as much as the massive pale blue dragon behind her.
"She challenges you to succeed just as Harry did." As she spoke the dragon moved, almost like a snake into the water where it rested with just its eyes above the water line.
Lucian paled… he may have also peed himself… just a little.
But then he realised what she had said and turned back to Perenelle as the foreign bint wasn't worth his time. "So you want me to defeat the dragon like Potter did? And Potter will tell me the spell he used?"
This was important. Lucian Bole could have access to Slytherin's personal spells, or at least one of them.
Penny looked to Harry, who just shrugged. "As long as you make it worth my while for dragging me into this."
"I don't believe this is really necessary." Albus winced. "As you said, Headmistress Flamel, we have more than enough experience to dismiss Mister Bole's claims."
"Certainly." Penny nodded. "But that would only matter if he had come to us in private. Instead he opened his rancid mouth in front of all these people. Lord Slytherin's reputation is at stake here. This fool has made claims and thrown about aspersions. He can do this or face Lord Slytherin in an Honour Duel."
"I'm sure Lord Slytherin would be content with a public apology." Albus insisted, he looked to Harry for help.
"As long as it appears in The Prophet and he makes it in person on the WWN." Harry was pretty apathetic, he didn't really care. Lucian meant very little to him and so did the opinions of the public.
Lucian Bole was a proud Pure Blood. Sure, his name wasn't listed in the Sacred Twenty-Eight, but his family went back for generations with only Pure Bloods, not Half Bloods and Mudbloods like Potter.
Of course this was all very evident from the way his mouth would open and get him in trouble.
"Apologise? Before the hour is up, Potter will be shown to be the cheat he is!" He turned to Potter, still sneering. "Well, Potter, are you going to tell me how you defeated the dragon or will you let the world know you really are a cheat?"
Harry looked at him, unimpressed. "I asked her. In Parseltongue."
At this point Lucian began to get irritated. "A cheat and a liar! There is no way a dragon would do something like that! Besides, Parseltongue is for snakes, not dragons."
"Well, that's what I did." Harry responded with a calmness that was annoying Lucian but worrying Albus.
"Swear it." Lucian challenged.
Now Harry was getting annoyed. "Look, I honestly don't care what you say or think. As far as I am concerned you are leaving the castle once this is settled. I've had it with you.
"You heard Perenelle, we can settle this with an Honour Duel. Every second you stand there hurling accusations at me is another second that an Honour Duel feels more and more appealing."
"Of course, this is the same Lord Slytherin who defeated Marcus Flint Senior in a previous duel and managed to vanquish Lord Voldemort… twice." Amelia had a vicious looking grin.
Lucian swallowed, he'd forgotten about that. "Still, it won't clear the taint from his name. He will still be a liar and a cheat."
"Can't I just boot him from the castle?" Harry whined. "He's worthless. He barely passed enough OWLs to sit NEWTs."
"How dare you!"
"So you can insult Harry but he can't insult you?" Perenelle asked archly. "Now, we could easily prove Harry's claims. Can you prove yours?"
"Monsieur Bole, eet would appear you 'ave three options. You can face ze dragon, face Lord 'Arry or apologise." Olympe Maxime was irritated that this boy would behave so disgracefully. "Monsieur Fudge, you 'ave nozing to add?"
Cornelius Fudge was caught off guard. He had been too busy watching young Bole put Potter in his place. Well, that was his delusion and he was sticking to it. He certainly wasn't expecting to be dragged in himself.
But still… "Mister Bole makes a valid point." He tried for wisdom; he achieved gas. "Unless Potter can prove he did not cheat then at the very least he should be disqualified from the task."
Harry sighed before he stomped off to the water's edge. He paused after a few steps. "Are you coming?" He asked testily.
Perenelle was curious, Olympe was confused, Albus was worried, Lucian and Fudge were hopeful and pleased.
Either they proved Potter a fraud or they learnt ancient magic from the Founders.
When they were all assembled behind Harry they heard him begin to hiss. Then the dragon growled before hissing back.
Harry stepped to the side as the dragon raised its upper body out of the water and used its front claws to snatch up a screaming Fudge and Bole.
"Like I said, I asked the dragon and she agreed." Harry said loudly over the shouting and crying of the two men. He hissed at the dragon who dropped the screamers from over ten feet.
They landed in the water with a splash.
Then the dragon did something that had everyone gasping in fear and amazement.
It spoke.
No one could understand what it said but the words where fairly easy to hear.
There was a small puff sound and Yoshiko appeared next to Harry.
She began conversing with the dragon, rapidly. Harry knew it was Japanese but it was too fast for him to pick any actual words from his limited vocabulary.
Of course, even Harry was surprised when Perenelle and Albus joined in the conversation. Albus was clearly stilted and at the very least, out of practice. But Perenelle was as fluent as Yoshiko.
"Aurors! Aurors! Destroy that monster!" Fudge cried as he struggled to exit the lake.
"Stand down!" Amelia countered as the men fingered their wands nervously. She turned to Fudge angrily. "Did you really just try to order my people to engage in a suicidal attempt to kill an endangered and protected animal?"
The dragon morphed back into the beautiful Asian woman and stepped out of the lake, completely dry. She turned Yoshiko and spoke primly before she glided to Harry and took his arm, leading him away.
Yoshiko looked at Dumbledore with disdain. "You understand? I will leave it to you then." She then vanished.
"Dumbledore, who was that woman? Was she responsible for that creature?" Fudge demanded, still dripping.
"Miss Yoshiko is a friend of Harry's and Princess Toyotama. You are less than a hair's breadth from starting a war with Japan." Albus answered sternly.
"Preposterous! Tha-"
"Albus, I recommend you use your position to deal with this imbecile." Perenelle sneered at Cornelius. "If Japan takes offence because of him then I can guarantee that there will be many nations that will support them."
As Perenelle strode off, Albus took Fudge by the arm and marched him to castle. "Come along Cornelius, you've caused enough problems today."
This left Olympe, Amelia and Lucian standing there.
"I believe Lord Slytherin ordered you off his property." Amelia said archly. "I suggest you comply before I have you arrested for trespassing."
Lucian was about to sneer and insult the Head of the DMLE… but then he heard the sound of clanking footsteps… his blood ran cold… the rest of him ran for the castle gates.
Whilst Harry was enjoying dinner at the staff table with Yoshiko on one side and Toyotama on the other, Fudge was fuming in his office about the disrespect he was shown and the attack on his person.
"Things are completely out of control at that school!" He ranted to his most trusted department heads. "That Potter boy- a disgrace to the name of Hogwarts! Consorting with creatures and foreigners and flaunting his harem! And he is responsible for the death of at least one Pureblood.
"We are close to becoming the laughing stock of the Wizarding World!"
"The boy has proven his claims. There is little we can do." Ludo said as he fiddled with his fingers nervously.
"NOT GOOD ENOUGH!" Fudge screamed.
The heads exchanged worried looks.
"Minister, anything we do has to make it past the Wizengamut." An older lady tried to reason. "If it doesn't then the members will have you out of office before the end of day."
"The solution is quite simple." They turned to the oily and confident middle-aged man in the corner. "Potter has stated in front of witnesses that he owns the castle…not the school. Hogwarts is regulated by the Department of Magical Education. It shouldn't be too hard to declare the need for tighter control and the assignment of… 'Ministry Moderators'."
Cornelius sat down in his chair with a thoughtful look. "It sounds promising. What sort of role would these 'moderators' take?"
"To be honest, it barely matters. The boy has already threatened to close the castle to the school. This is merely a means to get the case in front of the Wizengamut. There we can argue that Hogwarts Castle is the school and has been for a thousand years. Some jumped up little pest has no standing to claim a national treasure."
"Hmm, write up a brief. Outline the roles that the moderators will fulfil. Even if this is just a legal ploy, we might as well have them do some good." Cornelius mused.
Theodore Nott Senior smirked as he exited the Minister's office. He was a low level employee… but his family was one of the Sacred Twenty-Eight, his son gave him regular updates regarding Potter and his desecrations of the majesty of Pureblood society. If he played this right he would be able to eliminate Potter and claim the Slytherin Lordship for himself. The House of Nott would rise to its rightful place.
