Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter
Chapter : The Horntail.
Hanging out with his friends was the only thing that kept Harry's mind off of the tournament. The shock of finding himself a school champion had worn of slightly, and the fear of what was facing him started to sink in. The first task was drawling steadily nearer. And Ginny begin to drag him to the library to look up spell after spell. Most he already knew. Rigel taught them all kinds of spells, hexes and curses. Some of which Harry was sure Sirius didn't know his nephew knew. Rigel was very advanced in magic. But Ginny still thought he needed to learn. And Harry was happy to find out Ginny had dumped Seamus. And now spent most her time with her friends. But what had Harry's nerves a wreck the most, was the fact he was going to have to do this task in front of hundreds of people.
The anger of him being champion was fading away from a few of the students, though some mostly; Hufflepuffs still wore support Cedric Diggory badges, and after Harry turning her down for hundredth time, Cho Chang now wore one. A few Slytherins, but no Gryffindores and besides Cho and her friends, none of the Ravenclaws wore one. And the remarks people had yelled at him the first few days stopped.
Harry had avoided Jesse as much as he could. After their fight Jesse's first day there, they hardly spoke to each other. But Harry did noticed even if he never spoke to him, Jesse seemed to pop up everywhere he was. Which was annoying Rigel even started complaining about it.
But one of the worse things to happen so far was when Harry was heading to the Great Hall.
"Harry," Someone called. Harry turned around to see Hermione standing there. Which shocked him. She may have been Cody's ex-girlfriend, but her and Harry hardly spoke to each other even when her and Cody had been together.
"Umm..yeah?" Harry asked. Hermione walked up to him, holding a copy of the Daily Prophet. Something Harry never bothered to read. He got in enough trouble of his own without reading about other people's.
"Rite Skeeter's piece on the tournament was in today's paper." Hermione said. "And I thought you might what to read it." She held out the paper to him. Harry took it.
"Look, Hermione," Harry said. "Thanks and all, but I don't really care what she says about the tournament." He held the paper back out for her to take back.
"Yeah, well, you see, it's mostly about you." Hermione said. "And it's nothing good. I'm through with it, so just keep it incase you change your mind." Hermione turned and walked away as Malfoy and his friends came walking up.
"Hey, Potter!" Malfoy called. "Have they got your bed ready in the permanent ward at St. Mungo's yet?" They snickered as they walked by.
"Hey, Malfoy!" Rigel yelled. "Have they got your daddy's cell in Azkaban ready yet." Malfoy glared, but was unable to do anything about Rigel's remark, because at that time Filtwcik came walking down the hall.
"Not fighting I hope, boys and girl." he added when he saw Ginny.
"No, sir." Harry said, as Malfoy went on in the Great Hall.
"What was he talking about?" Teddy demanded. "Why would you need a room at St. Mungo's?" Ginny pulled the paper from Harry's hand and looked it over as if looking for something than frowned.
"Because of this, listen." Ginny said. Then begin to read the paper. "I have been led to believe the only reason Joey Potter never allowed me to interview his bother Harry Potter, was because he is not stable, Harry Potter is a very unstable boy, he has fits and talks to himself. I have seen him doing it, when I was here to interview the champions. I also was told by another student, that Harry Potter is known to have seizures. I for one believe that maybe Barty Crouch should think again about letting him take place in this tournament. What if Harry was to have one of his fits during a task, he could hurt himself or more importantly someone else." Ginny got done reading with a scowl on her face.
"Bitch." She spat. "Where does she come off talking about you like that."
"And since when did your brother change his name?" Teddy asked.
"He didn't." Harry said. "Stupid witch got his name wrong."
"She never gets anybody's name right." Rigel said. "I think she does it on propose, one time she called Uncle Siri, Sadie Black."
"Isn't Sadie a girl's name?" Harry asked, smiling. "Come on let's go eat." Harry and his friends went into the Great Hall and everyone stared at him or pointed and whispered. Harry looked around in till he spotted Cody, sitting with Fred and George. He led his friends his way, and they sat down around them.
"Cody, have you seen this?" Harry asked. He passed the paper to Cody who frowned at it.
"Why have you been reading this trash?" He asked. "Since when do any of you get the paper anyway?"
"We don't." Harry said. "Hermione gave it to me, she thought I would want to see what Skeeter wrote about me."
"She wrote something about you?" Cody asked, glaring down at the paper like it had just called him a name.
"Made it sound like he was some crazy person about to be taken off to St. Mungo's" Teddy said.
"What did she say?" Cody asked.
"That I have fits and talk to myself, and not stable enough to be in the tournament." Harry said, making a face. "Now everyone is going to think I'm a nut case."
"Fred and I, have said for years, that you were braking mad." George said. Ginny glared at him.
"Don't talk about him like that." She demanded. Her brothers snickered at her and Cody smiled a little.
"Lighting-bolt, you need to stop worrying about what other people think." Cody said. "I know you're not nuts, your friends know you're not nuts, Jesse knows you're not nuts, our godfather knows you're not nuts. That's all that matters."
"Unless Healers from St. Mungo's shows up with a straight jacket." Teddy said. Harry glared at him.
"I don't think St. Mungo's uses straight Jackets." Fred said. George nodded.
"Yeah, isn't that what muggles use." He added. "St. Mungo's would use a magical means of hauling him off."
"Wonder what that would be?" Fred said, acting like he was thinking. "A stunner maybe, a magical cloak."
"Knock it off, guys." Cody said. "Anyways, Harry, don't let what Skeeters writes get to you. She tells nothing but lies."
Harry sighed and went to eating, Ginny who was sitting next to him squeezed his hand. He gave her a smile. After a few minutes, Cody and the twins stood up to leave, and as Cody was walking by Harry, he bent down and whispered in his ear.
"Meet me in the entrance hall at midnight, bring dad's cloak and come alone." He then straighten up, patted Harry's shoulder and walked off with his friends. Leaving Harry to wonder what on earth he could want, he never asked Harry to meet him at night.
At 11:45, Harry was under his dad's old invisibility cloak, and was making his way down the stairs to the entrance hall. He found Cody pacing back and forth. Harry frowned and walked up to him, he reached out grabbed and Cody's arm, forgetting he was under his dad's cloak. Cody jumped a mile in the air and spun around with his wand pointing right at Harry's head.
"It's just me." Harry said, pulling down the cloak and showing his brother who he was. Cody lowered his wand and glared at him.
"Don't do that." Cody ordered. "You scared me half to death."
"Sorry." Harry said, smiling, showing his brother he wasn't really sorry. "So, what did you want?"
"You remember how Jesse went to school with Bill Weasley?" Cody asked. Harry nodded.
"They were friends right?" Harry asked, just realizing that him and his brothers all had a best friend that was a Weasley.
"Yeah, best mates." Cody said. "Well, not so much anymore, since Jesse is an Auror and Bill is in another country. But anyways, his brother Charlie.. well lets just get under dad's cloak and I'll show you."
Harry held out the cloak and Cody got under it, having to duck down to keep both their feet covered, as he led Harry out of the school and so deep into the forest the castle and lake were out of sight.
"Cody, where are we going?" Harry demanded.
"Shh," Cody said. "You'll see, but hush, they'll hear us."
"Who?" Harry demanded. Then he heard something up ahead, a huge roar and men shouting. He saw Hagrid standing next to Madame Maxime, they were flirting with each other (which Harry found gross) and watching something.
"Dragons!" Harry yelled, and Cody covered his mouth with his hand. It was a good thing at the same time the dragons roared blocking out Harry yell.
"Shut up." Cody whispered hissed in his ear. "And yes dragon, that's the first task. Charlie Weasley sent an owl to Bill and told him, Bill then sent an owl to Jesse, and he told me and I decided you needed to know, so you will be ready for them. Jesse is going nuts, so sure you're going to get yourself killed." Cody looked around. "Lets see we have a Common Welsh, a Swedish Short Snout, a Chinese Fireball, and Hungarian Horntail." If there was anything Cody knew, it was dragons, he was crazy about, his room at home, had a lot of wizard dragon models, ones that tended to get in fights and rip each other apart.
"How do they expect us to fight dragons." Harry pulled Cody's hand from his mouth and whispered. "It's taken ten of that lot to even stun one."
"I think you just have to get past them." Cody said.
"Gee, that's so much better." Harry said. Cody patted his shoulder.
"Come on, let's get out of here before we're found." Cody turned Harry away and headed toward the castle, when they bumped into Karkaroff. Cody covered Harry's mouth once more, before he cried out in surprise. They waited into Karkaroff moved on, heading toward the dragons.
"Looks like Diggory, is going be the only champion, that doesn't know what you're facing Tuesday." Cody said, and Harry nodded, thinking that wasn't very fair.
Harry decided to do something about it and when Monday came around, Harry was heading out to Hagrid's class with Ginny, when he saw Cedric Diggory heading toward the charm class room.
"Gin, go ahead without me." Harry told her. "I'll catch up with you." Ginny frowned but went anyway, and Harry headed toward Cedric, as he pulled out his wand. Looked around the corridor and aimed it at Cedric's bag.
"Diffindo!" He cried. Cedric' bag spilt. Parchment and quills, and books spilled out on the floor, ink bottles broke covering everything in ink.
"No, don't bother." Cedric said. As his friends bent to help. "Just go let Flitwick know what happen." They walked off and Harry ran up to Cedric.
"Hi." Cedric said, picking his stuff up. "Bag just split, and it's brand-new." Harry had to stop himself from laughing as he said.
"Don't make them like they use do they?" He then took a deep breath. "Listen, Cedric, the first task, it's dragons, they got one for each champion. We got to get past them or something." Cedric stood, and gave Harry a questioning look.
"How do you know?" He demanded.
"I saw them." Harry said.
"Why are you telling me this?" Was Cedric's next question.
"It's just fair, isn't it." Harry said. "I know, and Karkaroff and Maxime were both there, so Krum and Fleur know. So it's only fair that you know."
"I guess." Cedric said, then his eyes flickered behind Harry, and Harry turned around to see Jesse standing there.
"Diggory, why don't you go on to class." Jesse said. "Let me talk to my brother." Cedric nodded, then turned and headed toward the charms room.
"Jesse, I don't have time to fight with you." Harry said. "I have to get to class."
"But you make time to chat with Diggroy." Jesse said, arching up one eyebrow. Harry rolled his eyes. Jesse took Harry's arm and pulled him into an empty class room.
"Cody told me he showed you the dragons." Jesse said.
"Don't go getting all mad at Cody." Harry demanded. "He was just looking out for me."
"Harry, I'm glad Cody showed you." Jesse said. Shocking him. "I want to know what you plan to do about them."
"I don't know." Harry said, sinking into a chair. "How the hell does someone get past a dragon."
"You got to play to your strength." Jesse said, kneeling down in front of his little brother. "What are you best at?"
"Flying is the best thing I can do." Harry said. Jesse nodded.
"Right, you're best at flying." Jesse said.
"But, Jess, we're only allowed our wands." Harry said. "They're not going to let me take a broom to fight the dragons."
"I know that." Jesse said. "But, you're allow to use your wand to get what you need." He then winked at Harry and he caught on pretty quick.
Tuesday came too quickly for Harry's liking. And before he knew it he was in the champions tent watching Cedric Diggory pace back and forth. Fleur was standing over in a corner, looking as if she was flirting with Krum. Standing on either side of him was Tonks and Sirius. They were suppose to watch over all the champions. Make sure nobody attack them, or anything, but they were just standing by Harry.
"Harry," Cody cried as him and Jesse came into the tent. He ran right to Harry and gave him a bone crushing hug. "I came to wish you luck, but I have it in mind to through you over my shoulder and run off with you." Harry gave him half a smile, but said nothing, if he did he might get sick.
"Alright, Cody, you've seen him." Jesse said. "Sorry, kid, but you got to go before the judges come in here." Cody nodded and gave Harry one last hug. Before heading out the door. Just as Bagman, Dumbeldore and the other judges came in.
"Alright gather round." Crouch said. Just as a dragon roared outside.
Harry stood next to Jesse who kept his hand on Harry's shoulder. Bagman held out a small bag. "Okay, in here is a model of each dragon outside, you have to stick your hand in and the dragon you pull out, is the dragon you have to face. Not all you have to do is get past your dragon and collect the golden egg." Bagman held out the bag and they each took turns in drawling out a dragon: Fleur got the Welsh Green, Krum got the Chinese Fireball, and Cedric got the Swedish Short-Snout. Which left Harry the Horntail, his face went pale looking at it.
"There you go, you have pulled out the dragons you will face." Bagman said. "Now the numbers around their necks, is the the order you'll be fighting. Now any questions?" They all shook their heads. "Alright, then, Harry may I see you outside please."
"There really is no need for that, Mr. Bagman." Jesse said. "Harry has to get ready and you have to go announce the champions." Bagman turned red then looked at watch.
"Yes, yes, you're right, Potter." And without another word he was gone.
"What was that about?" Harry asked.
"Nothing, I just don't trust that man." Jesse said.
Fleur was the first one to go out and face the dragon, Harry couldn't see what she did, it took her about a half-hour before she got past the dragon to get her egg, then Krum went, and he got his in like ten minutes, it took Cedric fifteen minutes.
Now it was Harry's turn and he was beginning to wish Cody had followed through with his threat, and had carried him off somewhere.
"Alright, ladies and gentlemen, it is now time for the last champion." He heard Bagman yell. "Mr. Harry Potter!"
Harry walked out of his tent with a few cheers, he could hear his friends calling him, he could hear Cody shouting his name. And there it was, on the other end of the enclosure, crouched low over her eggs, was the Horntail, her wings half-furled and her evil yellow eyes staring right at him. Harry cleared his mind, took a real deep breath and held out his wand and called.
"Accio firebolt" It took about five seconds then his firebolt came hurling at him. He grabbed hold of it and jumped on. He did twist and turns, as the dragon stood up and snapped at him when he came close, he flew way up into the sky, and then turned around a dived back down toward the Horntail, it's head followed him; like he knew it was going to do and pulled out of the dive just in time; as a jet of fire had been released; exactly where Harry had been before had he not swerved away.
"HARRY!" he heard Ginny scream out.
"Great Scott, he can fly," Bagman called. "Are you watching this, Mr. Krum?"
Harry soared higher in a circle; the Horntail was still following his progress; it's head revolving on its long neck-if he kept this up, it would be nicely dizzy-but better not push too long, or it would breathe fire again
Harry plummeted just as the Horntail opened it's mouth, but this time he was less lucky -he missed the flames, but the tail came whipping up to meet him instead, and he swerved to the left, one of the long spikes grazed his shoulder, ripping his robes. He could feel it stinging, he could hear screaming from the crowd, Ginny the loudest. But the cut didn't seem too deep...Now he zoomed around back of the Horntail, he began to fly, first this way then that. Harry then fly up higher and higher, then the dragon reared, spreading it's wings, and Harry dived. Before the dragon knew what he was doing or where he was at, he was speeding toward the ground as fast as he could go, toward the egg now unprotected by her clawed front legs-he had taken his hands off his firebolt-he seized the golden egg-and with a huge spurt of speed, he was off, soaring out of the stands, the golden egg held safely in his uninjured arm.
"That was excellent, Mr. Potter!" cried Flitwick, as he jumped off his Firebolt after landing it. "Excellent flying and excellent charm work." Flitwick pointed at his shoulder. You'll need to let Madam Pomfrey look at that, before the judges give you your score."
"Harry," Cody came running at him, and almost knocked him down in a hug. "Merlin, you scared me to death. I thought for sure that thing was going to eat my little brother." After Cody let go of him, Jesse then gave him a very short one arm hug. Then Harry was led off to let Pomfrey look at her shoulder.
Harry was laying down after Pomfrey took care of his wound when his friends came running in.
"Damn, Lighting-Bolt." Teddy said. "That was so cool." Ginny rushed over and threw her arms around Harry hugging him.
"Thought, Sassy, there was going to have a heartache." Rigel said. He then gave Harry one of his rare grins. "But that was cool, Lighting-Bolt." Ginny finally pulled back. Harry noticed she had tears stains on her face and her eyes was red.
"Come on, Harry." Ginny said, taking his hand. "They're about to give your points." She pulled Harry up, and dragged him out of the tent. Teddy had to grab the egg as Rigel grabbed his broom and followed.
"It's marks out of ten each." Ginny said, still holding on to his hand.
The first judge marched up the field, it was Madam Maxime. She raised her wand and shot up in the air what looked like a long silver ribbon, which twisted in to an eight.
"Eight, I guess it's not too bad." Teddy said. Crouch was next he shot up a number nine.
"And nine is better." Teddy said. Rigel said nothing, he just stood there and tapped the ground with the wooden top of Harry's broom. Dumbeldore too shot up a nine. Then Bagman gave Harry a ten.
"Ten." Harry said, in disbelief. "But I got hurt, what's he playing at."
"Lighting, don't complain." Ginny giggled. She squeezed his hand, and without even realizing he did it, he slipped his fingers through hers. She looked at him and grinned, tightening her hold on his hand. Harry grinned back at her and they stared at each other in till...
"Four!" Teddy cried. Harry hadn't even noticed Karkaroff had given out his point. "You lousy, biased scumbag, you gave Krum ten!"
"What do you except, Ted." Rigel said. "Harry took out Karkaroff's master of course he's going to a biased scumbag.
"That son of.." Teddy went to say.
"Don't you finish that, Ted Remus Lupin." A male voice said from behind them. They spun around to see Remus Lupin standing there. Along with Sirius, Harry's brothers and Teddy's mother and sister.
"Dad!" Teddy cried. "What are you doing here?" Remus gave his son a stern look.
I came to watch the first task." He said, his stern look soon faded into a small smiled as he turned to Harry. "That was some pretty good flying, congrats on your good points." Harry grinned.
"Thanks, Moony." Harry said.
"Guess what, Kiddo." Sirius said. "You tied in first place with Krum, then second is Diggory, and third is that Beauxbatons chick."
"Sirius, that Beauxbatons chick is only seventeen." Tonks said. Sirius rolled his eyes.
"I didn't say I was going to ask her out." Sirius said.
The two bickered with one another walking on in the school, Harry was feeling happy, as he listen to the bickering and joking. Ginny didn't let go of his hand as they walked into the Great Hall for dinner. Harry was starting to think that maybe he could won this tournament after all.
A.N. Well there was the first task, I hope I did good and I've been thinking about going ahead and let Ginny and Harry get together, or let them go to the Yule Ball together and get together there. Instead of dragging it out. Let me know what you all think, should I go ahead and put them together?