Whispers at the breakfast table were wicked. They ranged from a mixture of amused giggles, angry hisses, mocking jeers, disgusted questions and threatening voices. Expressions of shock, happiness and rage were exchanged. Word of the fact that Draco Malfoy and Christi Venizelos were dating spread quickly, like fire.

Did you hear about… I can't believe that… Ohmigosh, did you hear the news… It's unexpected… I never would have guessed… I knew it would happen eventually… We were betting when they would… I've been waiting for this forever… They're such a cute… Oh, that slag better watch out… I had my eyes on him first… She's such a tart… I swear he was about to ask me… She never even liked… I bet she doesn't… He'll dump her within… Okay, who cares… It really doesn't affect… Well it doesn't really matter… I don't care…

All these things were said, and more. Christi hadn't heard all of them, but some of them. Draco had heard a good number too. Everything you could think of was being said by all tables. Beauxbatons and Durmstrang boys and girls were clueless, but all of Hogwarts buzzed with the news.

Caprice was frankly surprised it had taken this long to get out.

Meanwhile, Christi's friends were making jabs at her and such. They were saying how they knew it was going to happen and all that. Draco and Christi sat together, ignoring people and taking everything in stride.

"So did you complete that essay for McGonagall?" Christi asked, tuning out everyone else and making conversation with Draco.

"Almost. I've got half a roll of parchment left."

"I couldn't find any good books about the repercussions of changing one thing into something even more dangerous on accident. Yes, the Ministry will handle it, but it barely went into more detail than that."

"I know all about it from my father." Draco shrugged.

"I was getting so frustrated. And you know, I've absolutely got to keep my temper in check always."

"How come?"

"If I don't, then bad things could happen." she shrugged, "Because of what I am."

"Italian?" Draco joked. Christi laughed but didn't tell him she was part Veela. She was trying to drop subtle hints to him about it. She hated keeping him in the dark. It was like a huge secret he didn't know… Oh yeah, it was exactly that.

Christi was wondering how to drop another hint when Marcus Flint came up and sat across from the couple. He sneered at Draco and leered at Christi. "You know, Venizelos, you'd do so much greater with a man who was better looking that Malfoy."

"I'm fine with Draco's looks. They may be standard in your books, but to me he's a Greek god."

"If he's a Greek god, I must be Zeus." Marcus chuckled arrogantly.

"Sod off, Flint." Draco growled.

"Yes, please do go." Christi smiled sinisterly, "I'd prefer my breakfast without slimy boys today."

"Well then Draco should go."

"Flint, get out of here!" Draco finally snapped. Marcus left and Christi sighed.

"I hate that."

"What?"

"Guys coming onto me."

"Well you're very beautiful." he complimented. Christi blushed.

"Thanks… But I don't know why everyone is so attracted to me. I'm like a magnet." she didn't know how to put it any more subtly. So she finally ran out of ideas and dropped the idea of hinting. She would try again another time.

XXX

"So what have you come up with?" Christi asked, walking with Caprice to the library. Fred and George were on either side of Caprice and Christi had decided to catch up with them.

"I suggested she stupefies the dragon." George said.

"Then I told him that it would take an awful strong stupefying curse to knock out a dragon." Caprice rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, George." Christi taunted.

"Shut up, Caprice's sister." George teased.

"Why don't you bind the dragon with ropes?" Fred suggested.

"Because dragons are stronger than ropes."

"Ropes made of steel…"

"Yeah, a dragon is still stronger." Caprice laughed. They entered the library and saw Fleur and her gaggle of friends sat at a table. Fleur was reading a book while her friends were just giggling. Harry was at another table with Ron and Hermione.

"Maybe I'll find something in these dreadful books." Caprice groaned. The four walked over to the same table as Harry and his friends. "What do you have there, Harry?"

"Well I'm trying to figure out how to strengthen my Accio. I'm terrible at it, and I need it to summon my broom in the task."

"That's a good idea!" she practically exclaimed, "why hadn't I thought of that?"

"You'll think of something." Fred said encouragingly.

"I hope." she sighed, going over to get a few books. She came back with five books on dragons and their vulnerabilities.

"Why don't you just distract it?" George suggested, "Give it something to chase after."

"Besides myself?"

"Yes, besides you. Something bigger than you. Transfigure a rock into a unicorn."

"I couldn't let a dragon kill a unicorn!"

"It wouldn't be a unicorn. It would be a rock."

"Try disillusioning yourself." Christi said.

"That only works for Muggles, Christi." Caprice said, reading through a chapter, "Medusa was known for turning men into stone, and has turned a few dragons to stone as well."

"Why'd you read that?" Fred asked.

"It caught my eye… Duro." She was talking about the hardening spell that turns the target to stone.

"You're going to turn the dragon to stone."

"Turning something stone into a living being, then turning a living being into stone." Christi said, "I can't believe how well that works both ways."

"Wait, can you produce one strong enough?" Hermione asked.

"Duro is one of my best charms." Caprice said, "I turned our house to stone once."

"Mum was so furious at her." Christi giggled as Caprice flipped through a few more pages.

"But can you perform it well on a moving object?" Hermione asked.

"If anything, I'll cast it twice."

Fred interjected, "You might want a backup plan."

Caprice shrugged, "If it doesn't work out, then I'll die. Or lose. Or both, whichever comes first, really."

Hermione bit her lip, "You should practice it on moving objects."

Ron snorted, "Ask Hagrid if you can stone the Skrewts."

"I stoned a Selkie once. Don't you remember that, Christi?"

"Yes. Very sad, seeing the seal all petrified and dead-looking."

"It wasn't a seal. It was a Selkie. I watched it take its skin off and put it back on."

"Could have been a finfolk." Christi said.

"While there are finfolk in that lake of ours, that was not one of them. I know you've only seen a few of our aquatic creatures, but in our lake and all the lakes around us, you've got to get it right. You can't be mistaking a Nix and a Rhinemaiden and a Merrow, for the life of you."

"You guys have aquatic creatures around you?" Fred asked skeptically.

"You should see them. They can get annoying, but are generally friendly… Some of them. But when they all live in harmony down there, they're alright."

"Can't you swim in the lake?"

"Not with all them. It's dangerous, Mum says."

"So are you going to practice more on moving things?" Hermione said, "I don't want to see you go down."

Caprice shrugged, "Yeah. Thanks for your concern." she smiled.

XXX

"Thank you so much, Hagrid!" Caprice hugged the half-giant. Fred and George were with her, asking if she could borrow the Skrewts.

"Is not a problem." he said in his gruff voice, "I'm happy ter lend 'em ter ya! Yer can practice in the yard."

He went and got them, and let them loose. Then he went inside the house as Caprice was left to petrify them. Fred and George backed away from them, avoiding their blasts of fire.

"Duro!" Caprice hissed at one. It was frozen on the spot. After a few more, George and Fred talked encouragingly to her.

"You're doing great! Get them all, Caprice!" George said.

"Oh, that one was big!"

Caprice sighed after charming all of them and sat down, "They aren't big enough. Dragons are like… A thousand times this size, and a million times stronger."

"Your charm is strong enough. Trust me." Fred smiled and kissed her temple. Caprice bounded up onto her feet.

"I'm gonna go freeze the Giant Squid." she started to run off.

When Fred and George had it registered through their minds what she was gonna do, they got up and ran after her.

"No!"

"Don't!"

XXX

On the day of the First Task, tensions were up. Caprice was snapping at anything and everything. Whether it was burnt toast or bumping into a first year, she went off. Fred had told her several times to calm down, but it wasn't easy for her.

"God, I hate this! Can't I just drop out?" she groaned.

"You're bound by magical contract."

"I never signed anything!"

Soon it was time for her to go to the tent, so they could find out the task. It was pretty obvious when they entered it was dragons. They picked little dragons out of a bag, and Caprice ended up with the Swedish Short-Snout. As they prepared for the task ahead of them, they also waited for everyone to arrive and be ushered into the stands.

Caprice glared at her miniature dragon and didn't notice Fred sneaking in until he sat beside her.

"You can do this, Caprice." he said encouragingly.

"Are you sure?"

"Positive." he grinned and kissed her cheek.

"What if I die or something?"

"You won't die, love. I promise." he said. "Now, I've got to go because you're about to be up. I love you."

"I love you too…" she sighed, "Thanks, Freddie!"

She stood up and tried to shake her jitters off, but they were like leeches. They hung to her without any sign of coming off, sucking up what she needed (in this case, it was hope). She peaked outside of the tent and scanned the bleachers, looking for people she knew. She saw Fred and George, and on one side of them was Angelina, Alicia, Patricia, and Lee. On the other side was Christi, who was sitting next to somebody surprising.

Their mother and father were there to support Caprice. She mentally smiled but couldn't get her lips to mimic it. Ambria-Jane was also there, sitting next to her mother and conversing about something like sewing and cooking recipes, probably.

The Judges announced what the task was and who to Champions were, and who was going first, which was Caprice. It was her cue to go on, and the task started.

The dragon before her was menacing. It was a million times her size, and definitely bigger than the Giant Squid. She went for the spell anyway.

"Duro!" she shouted at it, freezing it for what seemed like three seconds. She needed more time. She could see the egg, but it would take longer than that for her to run over and get it, then run back. "Duro!" she shouted again, trying to make her spell stronger. This time it froze for maybe ten seconds. She tried again, trying with all her might. She decided it was then or never, and she bolted for it while the dragon was frozen.

She scooped up the egg, but a loud roar above her said the dragon was awake again. It blew fire at her, lighting everything on fire around her. She was trapped by a ring of fire all around her, twenty feet high and blazing.

"Duro!" she shouted at the monster whose head was hovering above. It froze and she hissed, "Aguamenti," as the flames to make them go out. She ran toward the tent, getting away as fast as she could. Her clothes were burnt slightly, she had a burn on her hand and she has ash all over her from the fire.

The dragon roared again and cam after her. It swiped at her with its claw like a cat would do to a piece of string. Caprice was knocked down and she drowned out all yelling from the crowd. She had hit her head on something sharp, but didn't think about the blood trickling down. "Duro!" she pointed her wand at the dragon, freezing it again as she made her escape.

Caprice staggered into the tent, wiping blood from her brow. She didn't have time to process what was going on as she was ushered with Madame Pomfrey to the Hospital Wing.

"Come, dear, let's get you checked out."

"I don't need to be checked out." Caprice argued, "I'm fine."

"No, you're not. You're bleeding. Now let's go so I can bandage you up."

Caprice groaned, "Can't I just go and see my family?"

"You don't want to see them while you're all bloody. I know for a fact your mother wouldn't appreciate it."

Caprice laughed at how well everyone knew her mother. Madame Pomfrey was right. Caprice and Christi's mother didn't like unseemliness. She would have fainted at one look at Caprice's current state.

Caprice's heart ached when she though of it, and she just couldn't wait to get back and greet her family. And as she clutched the golden egg, she grew more curious about what it was really for.