This is the last of the 'old' chapters that I had fully written 3 years ago. The one after that is half and half, and then we are off into the wild blue yonder. So expect the chapters after this one to have a slightly different writing style.
START story
Harry stepped out of the tent, facing the quidditch pitch.
"And our final contestant is Harry Potter, The Boy Who Lived!" boomed the announcer.
Cheering
"Harry was an unexpected addition to this years Triwizard tournament. He is also the youngest contestant. But as the defeater of You-Know-Who, he doubtless has extraordinary magic."
"extraordinary my ass," muttered Harry. Now that he was actually 'doing', instead of waiting, the fear had melted away (or maybe he was high from overdosing on the Boundless Energy potion).
Harry examined the pitch. In the middle, atop stone platform was the golden egg.
On top of that, was the dragon.
The dragon hissed as it caught sight of Harry.
Harry smiled, "I'm insane."
He pulled out the stolen sheet of o-Fuda and started running towards the dragon.
"And Harry takes a running start. He's heading straight for the dragon. What strategy will he use. One hopes that such a young champion isn't going to try something foolish. Harry was raised in a muggle family, so he may not realize the danger of dragons."
The cheering was dying down, as the spectators watched anxiously.
Harry watched the dragon as he ran in. When he saw it's head go back, the way Hermione said indicated that it was going to breath fire, he threw up his o-Fuda and pronounced the spell, at the same time diving forwards out of the way.
"Harry is got something - I don't recognize the spell, but it has created a small blizzard of what looks like paper. Is he trying to confuse the dragon I don't..."
"IT'S BREATHING"
The dragon's flame barely missed Harry as he dived forwards 'shit, it didn't work'.
Harry glanced up at the o-Fuda spell - the papers hadn't formed the wall, instead they had been incinerated, and now a storm of ashes were swirling through the air.
The dragon charged the prone Champion.
"The dragon sees Harry is down, and is coming in to finish off the Champion. Mediwizards are standing by, in case... No, he's up!"
Loud cheering.
Harry jerked up "Venti!" and cast a breeze at the dragon, right through the cloud of flying ash. The whole cloud of ash flew right into the dragons path.
At the same time, Harry pushed off the ground and started running again. As the dragon breathed in to flame the small morsel, it sucked in a lung full of ash.
The dragon let out a loud hack, like a cat with a hair-ball.
"Harry has disabled the dragon - with some sort of conjured powder. While a dragon's hide is almost impervious, their insides are not."
"Whoah!"
The dragon, still incapacitated, but seeing Harry about to run past it towards its precious egg, swung its tail at Harry.
Harry didn't even slow down as he flung himself into a forward roll right over the tail. He landed on his feet and after a momentary stagger, ran the final few feet to grab the golden egg.
"Harry has the egg, but the dragon is in hot pursuit. He still has to reach edge of the pitch."
He kept running.
"Wing-"
step
"-ardium"
"The dragon is gaining, and it looks like it will try to lash him with its tail again."
step
"Levi-"
step
"-osa"
As he cast the spell on himself, he pushed off with both feet, going into an impressive leap towards the far side of the pitch.
But at the same time, the dragon's tail caught him in the back, spinning him through the air towards the stands.
Harry concentrated on not letting go of the egg, no matter what, he pulled his legs in around it.
THUMP
There was a moment of quiet.
"Harry has hit the stands. He is officially off the pitch. The Mediwizards are running to his side. We will have word from them in a few moments. But until then, I must admit that Mr. Potter's go was one of the most dramatic exhibitions that I have ever seen. I am speechless. That a fourteen year old boy could move so quickly, and perform so well under pressure is extremely impressive. And we have word from the judges - Harry has managed to match Krum's time. Now let us see if he survived to.. yes!"
"I have word from the Mediwizards that he is alive. He apparently suffered some broken bones and a few internal injuries, but nothing serious."
*Zero*Zero*
Harry swam back to consciousness. He hurt, but not as bad as when Vernon got really angry.
He turned his head. He was in Hogwarts - he could see the lake out the window. It looked like a miserably cold day. His memory of the First Task came back to him
Ow.
He figured he must be under a pain potion, because he should hurt a lot more than this.
"I am sorry, Ms Skeeter, but I can not allow you to interview Harry at this time. Once he has recovered, I will contact your office"
Harry looked up to see Dumbledore close the door on the annoying woman who had interviewed him a few weeks ago.
"How are you feeling, Harry?"
"I've been better, sir."
Madam Pomfrey chose that moment to come in as well."It is good to see you awake, Mr. Potter," she smiled at him,"The good news is that you should make a complete recovery in a few days. I have mended your broken bones, and your internal injuries are healing nicely. Did you by any chance imbibe any potions before the task?"
"Yeah, I drank a Boundless Energy potion."
"Hmm, well, you seem to have taken too much - it burnt a hole in your stomach lining. That will take a little longer to heal, so your going to be on bread and water for a few weeks."
Harry wasn't certain if that was from the overdose, or if his potion had just not been medicinal quality. But all things considered, he felt he had gotten off pretty light. He had faced off against a dragon (a DRAGON!) and lived!
"In the mean time, a few of your friends want to visit with you. I will tell them that you are ready for visitors," Dumbledore turned to go. "Incidentally, Harry, very impressive spell work. Casting on the run is not an easy thing."
Harry felt like he was nine feet tall.
As soon as he exited, Hermione came in. Madam Pomfrey smiled knowingly "I will give you two some privacy to talk. But only a few minutes, Ms Granger. Our Mr. Potter needs to rest."
*Zero*Zero*
"So did you plan any of that out, with the Onmyodo?" Were the first words out of her mouth.
"Uhm, no" Harry admitted sheepishly.
"Then why did you try that spell, again?" she asked.
"I was hoping that it work, this time."
Hermione boggled, "You're insane, you know that? You could have gotten killed! Next time, There is no way I am going to let you come up with a plan on your own!"
If Harry hadn't been able to hear the honest concern in her voice, her tone would have annoyed him. "Ok, it's a deal. So what did the other champions do?"
"Well, Krum flew like a demon" Ron Weasley replied as he almost bounded into the room. "It was amazing - he's the seeker for the Bulgarian National teem you know, but it was nothing compared to what you did - you matched his time! On foot! And he was on broom!" Ron took a breath, "So when are you going to be ready for sparring?"
"Mr Weasley, Harry is injured, and is not going to be ready for any strenuous exercise for some time," Hermione interjected.
"Oh, are you one of the Beauxbatons girls?" Ron asked, noticing that there was somebody else in the room for the first time.
"Yes, I am" Hermione replied acidly.
"What about Fleur and Cedric?" Harry interrupted, before the angry looks could progress to anything further.
"Oh, poor Cedric got pretty badly burnt - he cast conjunctivitis at the dragons eyes, and then transformed into a dog. I guess he was hoping that the dragon wouldn't be able to see something that small and fast. It almost worked, but the dragon started spraying flame all over once he grabbed the egg, and his back and legs got badly scorched. He's down the hall in a private room. Madame Pomfrey is debating transporting him to St. Mungo's" Hermione explained.
"Good thing he doesn't really have a tail, or that would have been burnt off" Ron added, "Fleur went in the other direction - she shot off sparklers and multi colored lights that whizzed around the dragons head, confusing it. Her dragon did graze her with a flame, but she had treated her robes with something so that they repelled the fire."
"Of course she did" Draco sauntered in, along with his usual escort, followed by a scowling Neville, "I told you the other Champions knew about the dragons ahead of time. That was why Fleur knew to coat her robes with dragon blood."
"And how do you know that is what she did?" interrupted Neville.
Draco snorted derisively, "What else would she have used? That, combined with a flame freezing charm to enhance the effect. That's what any wizard with half a brain would have done."
Ron grimaced and added, "I'm sorry, Nev, but I think he's right. Charlie works with dragons, and that's how he makes his 'work wear'" Ron glowered at the prissy Slytherin for daring to be correct.
"Well, according to the _Proceeding of the Herbalogical Society of Australia_, cloth woven from Dragonbane can withstand almost any attack from a dragon without damage, and without the draw backs of using Dragon blood. Such as the fact that Dragon blood stains the treated clothing. Which hers weren't." Neville jutted out his jaw and stubbornly at Draco.
"Uhm... What?" Ron had obviously lost track of the explanation.
"Ignore him. He just doesn't like being wrong" Draco replied dismissively.
Before Neville or Ron could do anything, a rumbling voice interrupted the argument. "This not the place for arguments. This is a place of healing" professor Loew had quietly entered the room, "Please continue this discussion outside. preferably withOUT violence" he came up to the teens, towering menacingly over them.
The boys filed out of the room meekly. "You, too Ms. Granger, I would like a private word with Harry."
Hermione had faded into the background as the discussion had become more spirited. She nodded and followed the other out the door.
When the door shut, Adam turned back to Harry, and Harry's stomach knotted up again. He felt very small.
"Mr. Potter, I am very disappointed in you."
"Why, what did I do?" he squeaked.
"I think you know" Adam waited for an answer.
"I, ah, took the O-Fuda without asking?" He asked tentatively.
"You stole my property, Mr. Potter."
Harry again realized just how BIG Professor Loew was.
"I'm sorry. I was just... I needed something to help me stay alive."
"If you had ASKED, I would have been happy to loan you whatever you needed."
"I thought that, you, since you work for an opposing school, that you wouldn't be able to."
"Harry, my job is to protect and to teach." his tone softened, "It doesn't matter who. I would have found a way around any rule that endangers a student, whether he is from Beauxbatons or Hogwarts or Durmstrang."
"Ok, professor, I'll remember that" Harry was amazed that he had gotten off so lightly. If Vernon had ever caught him stealing...
"Very good. And to help your memory, you will be serving detention with me next thursday evening."
Adam turned to leave, but then paused, "Before I forget, I brought up your egg" He placed the golden egg that had been the MacGuffin in the first task onto the night stand by Harry's head.
"It's the clue to the next Task."
*Zero*Zero*
Harry sat staring intently at his plate as he methodically chewed his breakfast the following morning. He was free from the infirmary, and back at the Ravenclaw table. It was early, and the table was sparsely populated.
"Hello, Harry. Are you eating an omelet?" Luna sat down next to him, on his left.
"Um... " Harry stared down at his toast, "I don't think so?" he asked. Luna had a remarkable ability to scramble his brains.
"Then why do you have a giant egg next to your plate?" she pointed to the golden egg sitting to the right of his plate.
"Oh, this - It's the clue for the next task. I was planning to try to solve it after breakfast`"
"That is an admirable goal. Have you tried to open it yet? There appears to be a latch."
"Uhm, no, I thought it would be a good idea to make sure its safe first."
"So you were planning to open it an unused classroom, somewhere far away, where if you were injured, nobody would find you until you bled to death?" Luna asked, appearing honestly puzzled, "Wouldn't it make more sense to open it somewhere where aid is readily available?" she nodded towards the professors table, where Snape was blearily stabbing his bacon strip like it was a dragon.
"I guess..."
So without another word Luna reached past Harry with her left hand to flip open the egg. This placed her face in remarkably close proximity to Harry's, who started backwards.
And he completely fell out of his chair when the egg began to shriek.
Harry quickly jumped up and slammed it shut. Everybody in the great hall was now fully awake and looking at him. Even Snape looked like he had been goosed with a cattle prod.
Before Harry could grab the egg and slink off, Luna flipped the lid open again.
Harry closed it and hugged the egg to his chest "Stop doing that!" he glanced around at the growing number of annoyed glares he was receiving.
"We need to collect information so we can figure out the clue. It sounds like some sort of language" Luna reached for the latch.
Harry jerked it away, "I think it's safe to open it an unused classroom, somewhere far away, don't you think?"
Luna's fingers reached out again, but she stopped, "I guess you are correct."
"Harry, what on earth is that racket?" Hermione had stormed over to the Ravenclaw table and was standing with her hands on her hips
"It's the clue for the next task." Harry replied meekly. He cringed like he expected to be hit at any moment. Several other annoyed students were clustered around as well. Snape had made his way down from the professors table and looked about ready to take house points away, but paused to let the drama in front of him play out.
"And who's brilliant idea was it to open it here, in a public area," Asked Hermione.
Harry pointed quickly at Luna.
"Given our lack of information, it seemed safest to open the egg in public. After all, Diz-bats never attack when people are watching" Luna shrugged in a distracted fashion.
"Of all the inconsiderate..." This was from Ernie Macmillan.
"Are you stupid, listening to Looney?" another voice added.
"Enough" Snape snapped with an amused sneer. "I think Mr. Potter has learned to be more considerate. Five point from Ravenclaw for lack of forethought. The rest of you, go finish your food."
Once the other students dispersed, Hermione said somewhat imperiously, "let's go outside and see what we can figure out."
"Uhm," Harry looked somewhat uncertain.
"I think you will be better able to get Harry to do your bidding if you grab his ear and pull." Luna advised.
"I'm coming, I'm coming" Harry grabbed his toast and turned to head for the door.
*Zero*Zero*
"My ears hurt"
"It wasn't so bad once we used the sound muffling charm" Hermione reassured Harry. "And I think Luna is correct - it's a language. We just have to go to the library and find which species speak in such high pitched fashion. There can't be too many."
"Yeah, because they will have been hunted to extinction by humans with bleeding ear drums."
Hermione glanced at Harry. The pair were walking back to the castle for class (Luna had declared with a scowl that she needed to investigate the mating rituals of the Frizzy Nudnik, and had wandered off early in their investigations).
"Harry, I am sorry for barging in like that. I just wanted to help." she looked down at her feet, "I really liked what you said about how I was a lot of help earlier." She looked back at harry, "I am sorry if I got a little carried away."
Harry smiled tentatively, "No, It's ok. I have no clue on this one, and I can always use your help."
Hermione reached out and gave his hand a quick squeeze.
*Zero*Zero*
Harry walked into Flitwick's classroom in something of a daze,
"Class, before we start, I would like to announce that we will be holding a Yule ball this year as a way to get the students from all three schools to to get to know each other better. All students fourth year and up are welcome. The Champions will open the dancing."
The small professor smiled as the students broke out into excited whispers, "I hope you brought your dress-robes."
Harry scowled in annoyance. He had done his best to avoid school dances.
Simon leaned over with a malicious smile, "So who are you going to ask?"
"Huh?"
"You're a Champion. Flitwick said that you have to open the dancing"
"So?"
"So? It's a *ball*. That means the dancing is going to be slow dancing - you need a date, doofus" Simon sat back, smirking, as Harry's face froze in panic.
*Zero*Zero*
After class, Harry was in a daze. Ask out a girl? How on earth did one go about doing that? Other students seemed to have no trouble with it, but Harry was certain that it was beyond his abilities.
Harry was supposed to meet up with Draco and his cronies to study, but he couldn't, not in the face of almost certain ridicule. Instead, he went down to what he now thought of as 'the dojo' - the room where he practiced martial arts under Professor Loew's tutelage.
Though, he still wasn't certain *which* Martial Art it was that he was learning. That made it hard to brag about knowing it. Not that he would have bragged. At least not until he was a lot better.
Harry started out with simple exercises, but he couldn't focus on the katas, so he went to working with the punching bags. He started with single strikes, but the bag didn't even budge when he hit it.
So he decided to try out the combinations that he had seen Professor Loew do.
"Hey, that's pretty cool"
Harry turned, startled. He hadn't noticed Ron come in.
"Uh, just working out a little."
"Yeah, but you're *fast*. Show me some of those combinations"
"Oh, ok, I'll try - Prof. Loew didn't really finish teaching them to me. But he had me start with these Kumites"
Harry spent the next half hour showing Ron the drills that he had learned.
"So, you know who you want to take to the ball?" Ron asked as he got a drink of water.
"Yeah, maybe. I think."
Ron snorted. "Yeah, me too. But I'm not so good with girls. Any advice on how to ask a girl out?"
Harry goggled, "Uh, I have no clue."
"Oh, well, maybe I'll skip it" Ron sighed, he glanced at Harry "but you're screwed."
"Don't I know it."
*Zero*Zero*
Lunchtime was a zoo - everybody was talking about the Yule ball. Harry ate like a man awaiting the executioner's ax.
"So, Harry, are you going with anybody?" a feminine voice asked from behind him.
Harry spun around: it was Parvati
"Um, no, I mean.." He trailed of, deciding to swallow his mouthful before choking to death, or worse yet, making a fool of himself.
"Would you like to be my date?* She asked.
"YES" Harry jumped up, "that would be great!"
"Good, I'll see you, then" Parvati sauntered back to the Gryffindor table.
*Zero*Zero*
Detention with Professor Loew was not as bad as Harry had feared. It was a of of clerical work, using copying charms to make extra worksheets for class. That and scourgify-ing some of the desks (Filch kept trying to get bubble-gum added to the list of forbidden items, but Dumbledore kept refusing)
"Thank you Harry. That was a big help" Adam rumbled at the close of the hour.
"It's not that big a deal - scourgify is a pretty easy spell" replied Harry, thinking that blasting the desks with it was actually kind of fun. At least if you fantasized it was something more powerful.
"It is, but only if you can cast it."
Harry's eyes got big "You're a squib?" he asked, before realizing that it was a tactless question.
"No, Harry, but I come from a different Magical tradition"
"Oh, ok " Harry let the topic drop in embarrassment, escaping into his chores as he concentrated on cleaning the next desk to perfection.
*Zero*Zero*
Harry made his way to the library - he found he was spending a lot of time there, what with his classes and trying to find a squeaky voiced species.
But this time, he was pleasantly surprised to find Cedric sitting at one of the tables, a big pile of books next to him.
"Hey, you ok? I heard you had a rough time with your dragon." Harry sat down next to Cedric.
"Yeah, I got pretty badly scorched, but I had taken a regenerative potion before I started, so I wasn't as bad off as I could have been. Though it sucks being bald" The older teen had a bandana wrapped around his head, and his skin looked patchy, with some very pink spots that were obviously tender. "I hear you did an amazing job."
"Thanks", Harry smiled, "So, any progress with the Egg?"
Cedric looked mildly scandalized, "We're not supposed to work together on the tournament."
"Who says? We're both representing Hogwarts, so why shouldn't we." Harry neglected to mention that he was pretty certain that the other two champions were cheating, so it only made sense for them to do so too. But he didn't think that that line of reasoning would convince Cedric.
"I don't know about that." Cedric pause, "but, no, no progress."
"Yeah, all that happens is when I open it screeches at me."
*Zero*Zero*
It wasn't until the weekend that Harry had time to hang out with Draco and the others. Or so he told himself.
"Hey, dude. Where you been? We haven't seen you in forever" Goyle had turned a chair around and was sprawled over the back.
"Oh, 'ickle Harry has been hiding from all the girls that want to go to the Yule Ball with the Hogwarts Champion." Draco replied - he was lounging on a sofa that he must have conjured.
"But then wouldn't they be after Cedric?" crowed Crabbe.
"Cedric's got a girlfriend, so beggars can't be choosers" chortled Draco.
"Very funny, guys. Ha. Ha" Harry dropped into an empty chair. "as a matter of fact, I already have a date."
"Wow, I'm impressed. Is she a first year?" Draco asked.
Goyle threw a piece of chalk at his erstwhile leader.
"Hey, what's that for?" Draco asked, incensed.
"Who are you going with?" asked Goyle.
"Pansy Parkinson" Draco replied airily.
"Whoa, nice catch" Goyle replied.
"Yeah, you certain you know what to do with a girl like that?" Crabbe asked.
Now it was Draco's turn to chuck the chalk, "yeah, I do. I bet I get to at least second base before the night's out."
Harry turned to Crabbe, "Who are you going with?"
"I'm probably going to go stag. "
Goyle pulled out his carving and started to work on it assiduously not looking up.
"So, you going with anybody?" Draco asked him.
"I don't know" Goyle kept working, not looking up.
"Oh, man, Goyle's got a crush!" Draco chortled, "So, who is it?"
"Nobody."
"I bet It's Bulstrode!"
"Did you know that Professor Loew can't use a wand?" Harry interrupted, coming to Goyle's rescue.
"I figured he was a squib." Draco nodded sagely, "What with that grotesque body. He makes Crabbe look like prince charming."
"He's not a squib - he says he just uses a different sort of magic."
Draco snorted, "I bet. He's just an an insecure freak."
"Hey, Harry's taking that wrestling class with him. Maybe Loew is his date to the Yule Ball." Crabbe snickered.
"Ha, Ha." Harry replied, "As a matter of fact, I'm going with Parvati"
Draco gave a low whistle. "Man, that Triwizard Champion thing is really working for you."
"She's isn't even in the same House as you" Goyle added.
"So? Who says you have to date in your own house?" Harry responded.
"I ain't saying that," replied Goyle, "It's just, you know, really hard even get to talk to a girl from a different house."
"Well, there is SPEW..." Harry started.
Draco almost exploded, "Yeah, Goyle, that's the sort of girl for you - she likes spew!"
"Yeah, spew, I bet that's how she stays so thin." added Crabbe.
Harry stood up, "Geeze, I can't have a normal conversation with you guys anymore" and walked out.
*Zero*Zero*
"Hey, Parvati.." Parvati held up a hand by way of acknowledgment.
Harry was eating breakfast with the Gryffindorks. Well, specifically, he was eating with Parvati, but she was surrounded by her clique, so it was hard to really talk to her.
Harry took a bite of his toast and tried again. "Parvati…"
"Harry, I'm no expert on this," Neville said from Harry's other side, "But I don't think you and Parvati are really clicking."
"And how would you know?" demanded Harry mulishly.
"Because.." began Neville slowly, feeling around for the correct words.
"Harry, will you come to SPEW today?" Parvati swung back towards Harry taking his arm and looking at him earnestly, "I have an important announcement to make, and I could use your support."
"Uh, yeah!" Harry's face lit up.
Neville face-palmed.
*Zero*Zero*
"This meeting of the Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare will come to order" Parvati pronounced officially (or was it officiously?)
"So what's the plan?" asked Collin.
"I have learned shocking news!" Parvati pronounced, "There are indeed House elves at Hogwarts!"
There were gasps of horror. "So Luna wasn't just making stuff up?" Sally Ann demanded, leaning in aggressively.
"We have to do something!" Hanna agreed.
Harry surreptitiously glanced at the other club members 'are they serious?' Harry was a pretty good judge of these things and yes, they did appear honestly upset. Harry shrugged mentally, 'well, it's not like I have a lot of experience with normal people. Just because the Dursleys wouldn't react this way doesn't mean anything.'
"The elves are being held captives in the kitchens, and forced to make our food!" Parvati pronounced with much emotion, "and even the door to the kitchens is hidden, so that nobody even know that they are there!"
"I'm not going to eat anything from the kitchens anymore!" Sally Ann leaped to her feet.
Harry raised an eyebrow 'and where is she going to get her food instead?' But he resisted the urge to say anything: given how dangerously skinny Sally-Ann was in the first place, maybe she was used to going without food. Harry frowned 'She wasn't that skinny last year, was she?' Harry usually didn't actually _look_ at people - it was too confrontational, but this had raised his curiosity, and so he surreptitiously took a closer look at all of the other club members. 'At this rate she's just gong to disappear completely.'
"We are going to raid the kitchen, and photograph the poor elves in their place of enslavement" Lavender piped up.
"That's right, I have managed to obtain directions to the kitchens from a reliable source."
"How?"
"We bribed the Weasley twins" Lavender smirked.
"They didn't make you do anything awful, did they?" Asked Hannah. Harry noticed that she was playing with an oddly shaped wooden carving. It looked a little like a turtle. Whatever it was, it looked familiar.
"No, they just wanted us to help sell some of their toys. They were gibbering something about marketing and sales-models and their usual nonsense."
While the others started to talk about the mechanics of raiding the kitchen, Harry quietly asked Hannah, "What is that?" pointing to the carving.
"Oh, this? Somebody left it for me in front of the 'Puffs common room. It was all wrapped up, in a gift box, and had a very sweet letter" Hannah was starting to blush.
"So, who's it from" Harry asked, keeping a straight face, 'Goyle is so toast!'
"I don't know - the note wasn't signed" She sighed, "Which is too bad - I need a date for the Yule ball."
"Hmm. " Harry brain churned as he tried to find some way to turn this to his advantage. He spaced out and completely ignored the rest of the SPEW meeting. Not that they ever really discussed anything worthwhile. He was their to show support for Parvati. Since they were going to the Yule ball together, did that make them boyfriend & girlfriend. Harry scratched his head and shrugged.
*Zero*Zero*
"Harry!"
Harry stopped and turned – he had been on his way back to his common room when Hermione had called out. "Yes?" he asked tentatively. The sever girl looked more severe than usual. In the past few weeks, she had been warming up, and acting like a regular girl (almost). But she was now back to being a statue.
"I was just speaking to Professor Loew about the First Task, and he let it slip that you HADN'T actually borrowed the O-Fuda from him. When I pressed him on the topic, he refused to elaborate. Harry – did you STEAL the O-Fuda?
"Yes. But I already apologized to Professor Loew" Harry conveniently forgot to mention that he apologized after being accused.
Hermione just looked at him for several minutes. Harry felt a deer trapped in the headlights. He didn't know which way to go or what yo say.
Finally, Hermione broke the silence. "I'm really disappointed in you, Harry." as she stalked off, Harry felt like a complete heel.
*Zero*Zero*
Harry was just walking into the Ravenclaws common room when Terry called out "Potter! Time for a skull session!"
"What?"
Terry waved Harry over to a study alcove. Anthony, Simon and Padma were already sitting around a worktable, with a pile of books and an incongruous skull in the center of the table. "I figure you're our Hogwarts champion. If the 'Puffs are all going to be behind Cedric, we're going to do our best to help you. So lets see that egg."
"Um, Ok." Harry pulled the egg out of his bag. He had taken to carrying it with him so that he could fiddle with it while his brain repeatedly hit a blank wall (or whatever the idiom was). "What's with the skull?"
"That's Bob. You need a skull for a skull session," Anthony replied in an off hand fashion. Simon snickered.
As Harry plopped down on the chair, Padma pulled out a sheet of parchment, "Ok, to start off, let's list everything we know about the object"
"It's egg shaped
"It opens along a hinge"
"It's gold"
"Is it really gold, or just gold colored?" asked Terry.
Anthony pulled out his wand and cast a charm. "Yup, it's real gold."
"Who in his right mind would give a gold egg worth hundred of galleons to a bunch of teenagers? demanded Simon.
"We're getting off track" Terry interrupted, "It screeches when opened."
"Hermione and Luna are pretty certain that it's a language" added Harry, "We've been trying to research any squeaky speaking species"
"Hmm" Anthony rubbed his jaw. "Is there any way to frequency shift the audio to a range better audible to the human ear?"
"I don't know any spell like that." Padma shook her head.
"Nope."
"I'm blank too."
"Ok, so that's going to be task one: finding a frequency shifting charm." Terry made a quick note. "What else have we got?"
"Well, since we know all the tasks are going to be at Hogwarts" Harry started. The discussion had gotten him thinking, "we could try to keep our eyes open for any unusual construction or stuff. Like I had stumbled across the dragon pens before the first task."
"That's cheating!" Simon interrupted.
"No, it's not!" Harry retorted.
"The rules don't explicitly say anything about that, so it's technically not cheating," Padma added, "But I'm not certain if it's in keeping with the spirit of the competition."
"Well, both Fleur and Krum knew about the dragons ahead of time, so it must be ok."
"So just because they are breaking the rules, that justifies your doing the same?" snorted Simon, "I would like to see you try that argument with an Auror"
"Enough!" sighed Terry, "I think Harry has raised a good point. We will make that task 2. Padma and I will work on task 1, Simon and Harry will do task 2"
"I'm also trying to find out about the squeaky people" added Harry.
"Fine, we can add that as task three" Terry poked his head up and swished his wand, projecting his voice so that it would come out of the mouth of a statue on the other side of the common room, "Hey, Luna, can you come give us a hand?"
Padma frowned, then sighed in resignation.
When the slightly vacant looking blond looked up from her work, Terry waved to show where he was.
Luna frowned, gathered up her parchments and put a shoe on top of them. She started hobbling towards them, then paused with a frown. She turned around and cast a quick charm on the shoe. Then with a satisfied nod, she continued hobbling towards Terry. "So, what do you want?"
"Hey, Lovegood. We're having a skull session to come up with ways to help Harry win. Since you're already helping him out, I figured we should pool ideas. "
Luna's frown melted away, "Oh, that's a great idea! We will be Team Harry! And Simon can be the cheerleader. Every team needs a cheerleader, and Simon would look great is a skirt. Though he might want to avoid the really short ones, what with his stick like legs."
Terry rubbed his forehead, and Padma gave a look as if to say 'told you so.'
Harry put out a hand, trying to stem the tide of words before they swept away his support group.
"We currently are on task 3 - finding out who the squeaky speakers are."
"Oh, great. That will be our very own task." Luna squealed and bounced, "I like sharing things with you," she beamed at Harry.
"Uhm. ok " Harry replied, thinking Luna was in the process of sharing her status as 'class pariah' with him. As he was shaking his head, something caught his eye "Uhm, Luna, why do you only have one shoe?"
"The other one is on my school notes. THIS year, nobody is going to steal my notes, or erase parts of them, or write obscene limericks or.."
"I don't think a sticking charm is going to guarantee all that."
"Sticking charm?" Luna looked puzzled, "Why would I use that? I cast a detonation hex."
Harry boggled, "Won't that destroy your notes as well?"
Terry swore and jumped up, racing for the the other side of the room, his wand out. At the same time, Padma yelled "Guys! get back from the shoe!"
!BOOMF!
Luna shrugged, "Some limited collateral damage is acceptable."
A cloud of noxious foot odor rolled throughout the common room.
END chapter
As always please review, It helps motivate me to finish this fic up.
And FYI, Adam Loew is not an an original character - he's a crossover from elsewhere.