DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter, Doctor Who or the Chronicles of Narnia. I own this plot only, and any OCs. My depictions of real life characters are based on stereotypes or suppositions and no insult is intended. I have no desire to own the series this story is based on, although if anyone could give me either a wand, TARDIS or wardrobe portal into Narnia I certainly wouldn't say no.

IMPORTANT: This is a rewrite of my story, You Are Not Alone and, as such, any resemblence to that story is intentional.

Chapter Thirty Four: Triwizard Task One - Diplomacy with Dragons

'Come on, Harry. They're seriously misunderstood creatures. Although, I have to admit, that Horntail is a right nasty piece of work.' Hagrid, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Warner Bros.)

Location: The Great Hall, Hogwarts School, near Aviemore, Scotland, Earth
Time: November 1994 CE

Harry sat in the Great Hall for breakfast on the morning of the first task, and yet while he had buttered his toast, he had yet to take a bite, simply staring down at it, the thought of the task really putting him off. He had found out from Hagrid just over a week ago that the first task involved dragons. Harry did smile slightly as he remembered the conversation he had with the portrait of Aslan in his office, reminding Harry to play to his strengths. And so here was Harry, in the Great Hall, ready to try and talk a dragon out of the egg, playing the political game, with a dragon.

'Morning Harry.' Lucy greeted out loud as she opposite him, before adding more mentally, 'Stay safe, I couldn't bear not to have you here anymore.' No one else could have seen anything off about the pair as Lucy went through her usual, and some students thought obsessive, morning ritual, pouring her tea and taking a sip before starting on her toast. Seeing Harry wasn't eating, she stopped, placing her toast on her plate before reaching across the table to put her hand on his. 'Come on Harry, you need to eat. You need your strength.' The look on Lucy's face was enough to make Harry pick up his slice of toast and start to eat.

Minutes passed in silence before Dumbledore rose and spoke. 'Would all champions please make their way down to the champions tent please.'

Lucy squeezed Harry's hand one last time as he stood and made his way out of the hall, surprised to see Audaces, his and Lucy's shadow phoenix fly down to land on his shoulder. 'Audaces! I haven't seen you in months!'

'I have been around, Harry-child, and I bring a message from Aslan. He says "Good luck, dear one, and trust in yourself.' The shadow phoenix replied mentally before trilling softly, a tune which soothed Harry's nerves somewhat.

Feeling somewhat more confident from Aslan's message, Harry watched as the phoenix disappeared in a bolt of lightning, assuming he was off to comfort Lucy, he then breathed in and made his way down to the champions tent.

Location: The Champion's Tent, Hogwarts School, near Aviemore, Scotland, Earth
Time: November 1994 CE

The four champions waited in the tent as the hour of the task approached. Viktor, the hulking Bulgarian, stood silent sentinel near the door, and if Harry hadn't seen him walk in earlier, he would have believed him to be stone.

Fleur seemed to be stressed beyond belief, the ethereally beautiful girl was sitting with her head in her hands, muttering something to herself, and her breathing seemed quicker than is healthy.

Cedric was acting like the stoic hard-working Hufflepuff that he was, pacing backwards and forwards going over the plan in his head again, muttering to himself about it all the time.

Harry on the other hand, just stood against the thin cloth wall of the back of the tent, just near to a parting, and it was then that he heard a rustling, and on the other side of the parting, he could see the shadow of a girl, a girl that could only be Lucy, dare he even think it...his Lucy.

'Harry?' He could hear her, voice questioning, anxiousness dripping from that single word.

'Yes Lu.' Harry answered, hoping that she would be able to somehow calm his nerves.

'Just remember, if this is anything like Narnia, all beasts honour those who are respectful to them. And then all you've got to do is...' Lucy whispered to Harry from the other side of the cloth barely restraining the urge to jump into the tent and hug him.

'...have a pleasant conversation with a dragon.' Harry finished with a humorous comment, but his deadpanned voice conveyed no humour, and that was all Lucy could take as she pulled the cloth wall aside and very nearly barrelled Harry over as she jumped into his arms.

'Be safe, Harry, please be safe. PLEASE!' Lucy whispered, putting all the emphasis into that one last please.

'I will Lu. And promise me you'll be cheering me on. I'll get through this for you.' Harry said with confidence as he felt Lucy nod into his chest.

The sound and distinctive flash of a magical camera filled the tent as a rather horrid looking thin woman with horn-rimmed glasses was followed forward by a man hidden behind a camera and a floating parchment and acid green quill. 'Ah young love!' The woman simpered.

Harry simply turned slightly, maintaining the hug between himself and Lucy, looking straight into the reporter's eyes. 'Rita Skeeter, I presume? If you want to write an article about us, please contact Remus Lupin, our Private Secretary. Otherwise, I'll ask you to leave.'

The reporter, Rita, mumbled a half hearted 'Yes, Your Highness.' Before dragging her photographer out of the tent behind her shortly before the Headmasters, Barty Crouch and Ludo Bagman entered the tent.

'Your Highness, what are you doing here?' Bagman asked Lucy who was still being embraced by Harry.

Lucy looked down and blushed, mumbling, 'I was just... going...' before reaching up to kiss Harry on the cheek, sending him one final soft look and a mental 'Good luck!' before she left the tent and made her way to the grandstand.

After Lucy had left, Bagman explained the task to the champions. "All" they have to do is collect the golden egg which will give them a clue which applies to the next task. Each champion was assigned a dragon: Fleur would go first, against a Common Welsh Green; Cedric second, against the Antipodean Opaleye; Viktor third, against a Frost Dragon from the Arctic; and Harry last of all against the Hungarian Horntail, the biggest meanest and most aggressive of the great dragons.

Harry spent the next hour listening to various roars, screams, yells, thuds, crashes and many other miscellaneous sounds, but most obviously three large cheers and rounds of applause. And then it was his turn. He heard the cannon and he stood, inhaling deeply and slowly exhaling, then walking out to talk to the meanest dragon in creation...politely.

Location: The Dragon Enclosure, Hogwarts School, near Aviemore, Scotland, Earth
Time: November 1994 CE

Harry stepped into the dragon enclosure, and there it was; the black scales, a spiked tail, bronze horns adorning its head, it couldn't be anything but a Hungarian Horntail. Hoping beyond hope that the crowd was about to see a complete anti-climax, he stepped forward, and mustering all his knowledge of language and ancient customs, he spoke to the dragon, bowing as he did so. §To the Honourable Dragon from this humble human, Greetings§

Harry gave a wry smile as the dragon bowed its head in return and returned his greeting, before it added, §What is it you require human-child?§

Harry knew he had to proceed cautiously, even without Lucy's mental voice reminding him, and he gestured slightly to the judge's panel and then to the nest. §Those humans over there, they have placed a golden egg amongst your nest. I wish to take this, and then I shall leave you, unharmed.§

The dragon looked thoughtful, if a dragon could look at all thoughtful that is, before it reared up, inspecting its nest, and gingerly, it picked up the golden egg, placing it in front of Harry gently. §There you are young human-child. I thank you for your honesty, and your bravery. I saw what those other humans did to my sisters, only you were polite enough to ask.§

§It was an honour Dragon. If you would like, I will come past tonight and free you?§ Harry asked the Horntail.

§That would be much appreciated if you could.§ The Horntail sounded almost hopeful.

§I will gladly do so.§ Harry said, bowing slightly to the dragon, which once again inclined its head in return, before allowing Harry to walk out of the enclosure completely unscathed.

There had been silence since Harry started to talking to the dragon, and this continued afterwards until he recognised Lucy's voice yelling out, 'GO HAR-RY!' And this was all it took for the crowd to erupt in loud cheers that Harry could hear even as he walked away to the medical tent to check in.

Harry stood still as Madam Pomfrey checked him over for injuries, of which there were none, grimacing as he saw Cedric, looking sickly with a thick orange burn salve down one side of his face, Viktor with a torn shirt in the shape of claw marks and Fleur, whose clothing showed all the hallmarks of being burnt.

Harry smiled as the matron gestured him to leave the tent, thanking her as he left. Just as he stepped outside, he was run into by an auburn haired missile which he recognised straight away as Lucy, even before the mental conversation started. 'I was so scared! But I am so proud of you!' she thought.

'I couldn't have done it without you, Lu!' Harry replied.

Lucy looked up at him radiantly, and slowly, almost hesitantly, she reached up and pressed her lips to his in a soft, chaste kiss, before blushing prettily and looking back down at the ground.

Harry just stood there smiling, he could still faintly feel Lucy's lips on his, but was shaken out of his reverie when Zara led the rest of Harry's friends over, all chatting excitedly about how easily Harry had finished the task. Harry though half zoned out again, thinking about Lucy's lips...

Location: Hogwarts Lake, Hogwarts School, near Aviemore, Scotland, Earth
Time: November 1994 CE

Hours after the task, Harry and Lucy were alone again, this time down by the shore of the lake, not as usual under their favourite willow, but further around, out of sight of the castle itself. Lucy was leaning back against Harry, who himself was resting against a rock. As they often did in their alone time, they were having a private mental conversation when the shadow of a larger man appeared near them and Lucy bolted upright in reflex before she recognised the caster of the shadow.

'Father Christmas! You're early this year!' Lucy giggled as the jolly man stepped forward and was surprised to find himself enveloped in a hug.

'Your Majesty, and Your Royal Highness.' Father Christmas said with a bow. 'Aslan has sent me as I am one of the few who can pass from world to world freely,' the jolly man continued, noticing the slight wistful look from Lucy, 'to bring you a message, and gifts. First the gifts. I always do that better.' Father Christmas said, looking like Professor Dumbledore as he spoke. 'For you, Harry, Prince Consort of Narnia, I bring you a Narnian gift. You may well find use for it in the years yet to come.'

He handed a sword and scabbard to Harry, who gripped the hilt and withdrew the sword. The blade shone in the sun, and Harry was able to look at it fully. The sword was a hand-and-a-half longsword, Harry recognised it as dwarf made. The blade had a faint golden twinge to it, and up near the hilt, in distinctive Narnian text, was the words Harry, Duke of Gryffindor.

'The blade was made by Trumpkin and the red dwarves, and was given the name Frœkn, which means "Valiant and brave" in the ancient language of the dwarves.' Father Christmas explained to Harry as he sheathed the blade and the jolly man showed him how to wear the scabbard across his back so the sword was within easy reach while still being out of the way of his wand's waist holster. Then Father Christmas reached back into his bag, and spoke to Lucy as he withdrew a shorter sword and scabbard. 'And Lucy the Valiant, High Queen of Narnia, my first gifts to you remain in Narnia as national treasures until the end of time. This gift however will have its need soon enough. This sword was also made by the red dwarves, and carries the name Astaldo, which also means valiant, but in the original language of the Telmarines.'

Lucy unsheathed her new sword, and found it was similar to a shortsword she had used many times on the Dawn Treader. This blade also had a faint golden twinge, with a lion head pommel, and near the hilt, in the same form as Harry's were the words Lucy, Lioness of Narnia. She smiled as she looked at the scabbard which was intricately decorated with two different scenes: the first was that of Lucy and Tumnus under the lamppost, the first time Lucy entered Narnia, and the second was of the four thrones of Cair Paravel and the four Pevensie children in full coronation regalia. She thanked Father Christmas who nodded to the pair before hefting his sack and literally fading away into nothingness.