I wasted no time looking for an efficient way to get past the dragon. The next morning Hermione and I passed on breakfast so that we could put our heads together trying to find a spell that matched what Sirius had said.
"Dragons are extremely difficult to slay, owing to the ancient magic that imbues their thick hides, which none but the most powerful spells can penetrate...' But Sirius said a simple one would do it..." She commented looking up from the text book she was reading.
"Let's try some simple spellbooks, then," I suggested. "And we'll have to be quitter, Krum keeps staring at us."
"I don't think that has anything to do with what we're doing today." She said shaking her head. "He comes to the library often….sometimes he stares at me."
"Really? Do you think he likes you?"
"Well, no of course not." She said shyly shoving her face into a book.
"Well either way you like him." I said reaching across the table and pulling a spell book off the top of a sizable pile.
"I'm interested in him, yes. I mean isn't that the point? We're supposed to be getting to know each other. Harry and Ron don't see it that way though." She told me shaking her head. "They won't even talk to anyone from the other two schools. The say it's like supporting the other team. Everything is quidditch with them." She added rolling her eyes. A silence rose over us as Hermione become absorbed in the book she was reading. I tried desperately to read the book in front of me, but I just kept picturing those razor sharp fangs, and flame throwing nostrils. After several hours with no results we decided to break for the day. With a growling stomach I made my way to the Great Hall for lunch.
"Did you and Hermione have any luck?" Emily eagerly asked as I plopped down beside her.
"We couldn't find anything." I said disappointed as a reached for the nearest serving dish of food, not even caring what it was. "We're stopping for the day; thank Merlin because my head feels like it's going to explode." Emily left me to my thoughts as we ate our lunch. I absent mindedly scanned the Great Hall taking a tally of which Hogwarts students were wearing "POTTER STINKS" or "CEDRIC DIGGORY THE REAL HOGWARTS CHAMPION!" badges. While playing this sink game with myself, I saw Cedric leaving the Hufflepuff table. I had spent a lot of time the night before trying to decide if I should tell Cedric about the dragons. Assuming Madame Maxime and KarKaroff had already told their Champions, Cedric would be the only one in the dark. If Fleur and Krum didn't know about the Dragons, it would make it seem like Hogwarts was given another unfair advantage.
"Em, I'll be right back." I told her as I decided to follow Cedric out of the hall. Cedric was standing about 100 feet away talking with a small group of sixth years. I wasn't about to blurt out the first task infront of them, so I needed to create a distraction.I notice Cedric was carrying a bag full of books. He was most likely going to the library with his friends to do some homework. Looking around to make sure no one was watching, I pulled out my wand and muttered "Diffindo!" Cedric's bag split. Parchment, quills, and books spilled out of it onto the floor. Cedric waved his friends on, telling them he'd meet them in the library. I tucked my wand back into my pocked and waited for Cedric to be alone before speaking.
"Hi," Cedric said, picking up a copy of A Guide to Advanced Transfiguration that was now splattered with ink. "My bag just split...brand-new and all..."
"Cedric," I said bending down to pick up a book. "The first task is dragons." I told him as I handed him a small stack of books.
"What?" said Cedric, taking the books from me.
"Dragons," I repeated. "They've got four, one for each of us, and we've got to get past them." Cedric's gray eyes almost looked panicked as he studied my face.
"Are you sure?" Cedric he asked in a hushed voice. He must have thought I was lying.
"Dead sure," I answered certainly. "I've seen them."
"But how did you find out? We're not supposed to know..."
"I can't tell you how I found out, but I can tell you that I'm not the only one who knows. Maxime and Karkaroff both saw the dragons too. I'm sure they've told Fleur and Krum." Cedric continued to stare, now with a look of suspicion.
"Why are you telling me?" he Questioned.
"I don't know." I told him honestly. "It just seems fair. If everyone else knows, you should know too. I wouldn't want to be the only one who didn't know next week when the time comes." Cedric was still eyeing me suspiciously when a districting clunking noise approached us.
"Miss Potter, come with me." Moody growled. My eye widened at Cedric, the best I could do was hope that Moody hadn't overheard us, as I followed him into his office. The office which used to be Remus'. If Moody asked how I found out about the dragons I wouldn't be able to lie. An Ex-Auror like him would definitely keep a bottle of veritaserum on them It I was forced to drink that there's no tell what secrets I would spill. No to Keep Severus, Draco and everyone else's secrets safe I'd have to cooperate with Moody. Hopefully he wouldn't feel the need to use veritaserum if I cooperated. Moody closed the door behind us and turned to look at me, both his magical and normal eye fixed on me.
"That was a very decent thing you just did, Potter," he told me quietly. That certainly was not the reaction I had been expecting. I didn't know what to say, so I decided it was in my best interest not to say anything.
"Sit down," I sat down looking around thinking about how different it was since the room belonged to Remus. On the desk stood a Sneakoscope. What appeared to be a mirror hung across from me on the wall, but it was not reflecting the room. Shadowy figures were moving around inside it, none of them clearly in focus. I watched the shadows trying to figure out what exactly the mirror did.
"Like my Dark Detectors, do you?" Moody asked studying me.
"What's that?" I asked, pointing at a strange golden rod. It reminded me of the Muggle object called a metal detector I had learned about in muggle studies.
"Secrecy Sensor. Vibrates when it detects concealment and lies...no use here, of course, too much interference - students in every direction lying about why they haven't done their homework. Been humming ever since I got here. I had to disable my Sneakoscope because it wouldn't stop whistling. It's extra-sensitive, picks up stuff about a mile around. Of course, it could be picking up more than kid stuff," he added in a growl.
"And what's the mirror for?"
"Oh that's my Foe-Glass. See them out there, skulking around? I'm not really in trouble until I see the whites of their eyes. That's when I open my trunk." He let out a short, harsh laugh, and pointed to the large trunk under the window that I hadn't noticed. It had seven keyholes in a row. I was about to ask what was in there, When Moody started asking questions of his own.
"So...found out about the dragons, have you?" I tried to think of a way to tell Moody how I found out about the dragons without getting Hagrid and Ron in trouble.
"It's all right," Moody said hobbling over to Remus' old chair. "Cheating's a traditional part of the Triwizard Tournament and always has been."
"I didn't cheat!" I countered. "It was - a sort of accident that I found out." Moody just grinned in response.
"I wasn't accusing you, lass. I've been telling Dumbledore from the start, he can be as high-minded as he likes, but you can bet old Karkaroff and Maxime won't be. They'll have told their champions everything they can. They want to win. They want to beat Dumbledore. They'd like to prove he's only human." Moody gave another harsh laugh, and his magical eye swiveled around so fast it could have flown circles around my Firebolt.
"So...got any ideas how you're going to get past your dragon yet?"
"No," I answered disappointed.
"Well, I'm not going to tell you," Moody said gruffly. "I don't show favoritism, me. I'm just going to give you some good, general advice. And the first bit is - play to your strengths Think now. What are you best at?"
"Potions…and I'm fairly good at Quidditch, but I don't see how..."
"You're a damn good flier from what I've heard."
"Harry's the better flyer really. Besides I'm not allowed a broom, I've only got my wand..."
"My second piece of general advice," Moody loudly interrupted me, "is to use a nice, simple spell that will enable you to get what you need." Of course it all made sense. The best way to get passed the dragon was to get into the air. For that I'd need my Firebolt. I wasn't allowed my Firebolt, but I was allowed my want. A Summoning Charm could take care of that.
"Thank you Professor." I said excusing myself from the room. We had been studying the summoning charm for weeks with Professor Flitwick, It wasn't too difficult you just have to be very specific when summoning. If I practiced the spell a for I few hours I was sure I could learn it.