Chapter 7 – Task after task oh how tasking!
It is the first task and I am biting my nails up to my elbows, "Don't worry Harry a Veela has a hypnotic dance that will affect, err, dragons."
"I still don't like it; this is nothing but insanity sending kids against a full-grown nesting dragon."
Well it rather worked, the dragon only got in one good flame and that only singed her robe on the side. Half the stands were in a trance and missed many of the other contestant's attempts. What was surprising was everyone got through it alive.
The second task was going to be a doozy. Fleur's egg translated that she was going to have to retrieve that what was important to her, "Well Harry it looks like it will be you in the lake." Fleur was not happy.
"I figured that the Ball decided who the hostages were to be, but I think this is still insane. " I complained.
"The Veela and Merpeople were at war since before time started. Veela can't throw flames underwater and the Merpeople can not leave the water for long." Fleur added.
Sounded like an intense war was raging there to me but I was to be Fleur's hostage so I got to work. I was taking the founders library apart to find a solution for breathing under water.
Fleur came up with taking Gilly Weed my problem was finding a spell to put us in suspended animation and then find the spell that would stop it from affecting me.
"I've got it dear now all we have to do is buy years worth of Gilly Weed and get me acting lessons."
"They can't keep the hostages in the lake that long can they?" asked Fleur.
"I would think not, but then again were dealing with Dumdum and company."
They were that stupid; they grabbed us late evening, put the spell on us and gave us to the Merpeople to stake us out for rescue the next day. I figured at least twelve hours at least.
It was not hard to imitated being asleep even as they searched me to remove my wand, knives and stave. One of these days, I have to find where they keep hiding my stuff as they very seldom give any of them back. The hard part was to keep some of the weed in my mouth without swallowing, more was in my shirt pocket and a lot was in my shoe. They did not care they found what they were looking for.
The Merpeople were about, well they made Dumdum and company look like geniuses. I had no problems getting to the Gilly Weed, and they only put one guard on us once we were tied to the poles in their village. The Merpeople went to bed and the Guard went to sleep. I zapped him with a wand-less sleeping spell and headed back to the surface to meet Fleur.
"Oh, good you made it, I was beginning to worry" Fleur was nervous.
"No problems let me have my dagger and sword. Now I have enough Gilly Weed and be sure to bring some extra weed in case our plans go south." I was worried.
The Merpeople guard was happy to sleep on shift so I replaced myself as they had left me and pretended sleep. I just worried until Fleur showed up then I really started worrying, she was with a dozen Mermen in hot pursuit while they tried to attack Fleur I attacked. For water people they were slow, and I hacked up a lot of them and escorted Fleur to the surface. Krum had transformed into a shark and the blood in the water made him go berserk, not a good day for Merpeople or Dumdum.
Dumdum was fuming, the Ministry was yelling, the Merpeople were screeching but over all it was a good day, Diggory was the first in with his hostage.
The Dailey Profit was among those who could not recognize a fact if they hit them in the face. Krum had rescued Hermione from the lake and while they are drying off Krum asks, "Hermione do you love Harry Potter, you are always around him."
That is translated as Hermione is my girl friend even thought it is known at school that I am with Fleur . Now while the rumor mill makes this into something that it is not, I finally had a break through and change into my animal, oh it is a cat all right.
/Scene Break/
"Shadow leopard, you don't exist" was the thoughts voiced by Professor McGonagall and Fleur but I was 'fading' as the cat from shadow to shadow. I was a large leopard jet black with claws sharp as razors. The thing I liked is if I thought of Fleur and found a shadow, I was standing in the closest shadow to Fleur. I had tried it on several people and I found them without even trying. The hard part was judging how close when I arrived, nothing like having a three hundred pound leopard fall on your head because you are standing in a shadow.
Therefore, when the third task started I was standing in the darkest shadow I could find so if I needed to help Fleur I was able to 'fade' there. It was bad enough that no one could see nada but greenish hedge. That was another thing that I was curious about if that was a real hedge or something that was grown with magic and was not real.
As usual, the whole thing was a circus on drugs. Each of the champions entered the maze and everyone waited. I did not have to wait long fleur is out of task in twenty minutes by being topsy-turvy in some mist and sends up sparks. Well the sparks she sent up were not up and set the hedge on fire. She was level-headed and sent sparks up, down and sideward, as she needed help. This set the hedge on fire in a number of places, a black smoking fire. The professors rush in and she is in my arms in a flash. We head to the castle, enough is enough?
At dinner, the reports started coming in and in the morning, there were pictures in the Dailey Profit showing the fiasco.
We heard at dinner;"I swear Krum came tearing out of the flaming maze being chased by the Sphinx for a wrong answer he provided" said Susan.
"Yes and I was laughing when Diggory come out seconds later riding on a 'blast ended skrewt' of Hagrid's for dear life" Daphne laughed.
"You would be to if you were being chased by an Acromantula" Tracy growled.
"I heard after he was rescued he said he used the Skrewt as the spider was chasing him untill the spider knocked over the cup, and then the cup and spider disappeared." Liza added.
/Scene Break/
They decided to call the tournament a draw and Dumdum wanted to do it over again. The students gave him the finger and each school left, I was with Fleur, riding in the carriage towards France.
Ragnok did a new name for me just in case, I think I am Harry Smith now.
I did the summer in France getting a tan while Fleur stayed close using a large parapluie, she had the fair skin. We enjoyed nights on the beach with a fire and roasting meats vegetables and cheeses. Jean dragged us along to social affairs and we meet many influential people.
Jean had a super idea and got paper work done that made Fleur and I diplomats of the French government with diplomatic immunity. That way Fleur could go with me back to Hogwarts and hopefully stop all the problems that were possible for a Veela.
I asked McGonagall for private quarters or the heir's quarters and she of course gave us Gryffindor's rooms. The room had 'floe' access so the Goblins came in and remover all the listening devices, strange spells and warded the place for Fleur and me.
/Scene Break/
We no sooner step on the train when the problems start, we got Hermione and Ron. "You will notice who made perfect?" Ron puffed up his chest so his badge stuck out more.
"You need to wear robes this year or I will have to deduct points", was Hermione's imput.
"No I hadn't notices, some dummy's I would assume as they made Draco a Perfect and no I don't own robes."
"You will now have to toe the line...", As I listened, I was debating whether to stick them to the outside of the train, tie them up with knickers in their mouths or just kill them. I finally had an ear full and banished their clothes, which got their attention as they raced to get some from their trunks. I notice that Hermione had a nice bum hidden under those robes.
"You know Fleur, there are rumors of Voldemort return and those two are worried about what clothes we are wearing."
"Well dear, children must play but now that you brought up the idiot, do you think the rumors are true?"
"Fleur whether the rumors are true or not the ministry is saying Volde is not back and they and the Profit are going to keep clouding the issue until he show up and starts killing in Diagon alley."
"Well why don't we just forget him and enjoy our trip to Hogwarts, you known how I love your foot rubs."
That is how Daphne Greengrass, Hanna Abbott, Tracy Davis and Susan Bones found us a few minutes later. "Do you mind if we join you Harry, we are having a little problem with Draco." Daphne stated.
"Not at all, what is the moron up to today?"
"He has decided that he is going to start a Harem and we are not invited but ordered to join, and if not his father will ruin ours." Hanna stated.
"Yea the little prick is trying to get a leg over using his father." Tracy always was blunt.
"Oh look its Draco and his butt brothers," I said as Draco appeared in the doorway with Crab and Goyle.
"You had better watch out Potter the Dark Lord wants you dead in the worst way."
"Oh we must warn that Potter guy that Moldeshorts and his poof-ettes are going to do some nasty to him." I laughed.
Draco just fumed and departed.
"Well that gives us an idea that the rumors of Voldemort's return are probably true, the Deathmunchers are out and about." Fleur giggled.
The rest of the ride was just full of chatter that I tried to stay away from. Bra size and the current thong colors were not in my interest range. On Fleur yes but as a general discussion, forget it.
/Scene Break/
The Great Hall speeches were done and the food appeared. I was able to have our meals in our quarters if I wanted but it was nice to get out and about and this was the welcoming feast. Some welcome!
Why his mouth was not full of food was a shock to everyone at the table but Ron was on a rant, "What are you doing here with that floozy? We don't like Veela at our table and…" He now had food in his mouth as I took the pudding with wand-less magic and hurled it into his face. The turkey legs were doing a number on his head while the pitcher of pumpkin juice was poring down his neck into his robes. As I was orchestrating my food waltz, I did not see or smell Snape coming up behind me.
He surprised me by grabbing me by the back of the neck. He was squeezing like hell. He then got my answer, he should have learned by now. I was sitting and still wearing my travel cloak, it hid all my armament. I cross drew my daggers and drove them backwards on my assailant. I drove one dagger into each of his shoulders, which released his grip on me. I spun and gave him a soccer kick to his family jewels. As I was standing over him deciding whether to kill, kick or call Madam Pomfrey I saw Dumdum draw his wand. He fired a spell or curse at me and that was enough I lost all reason. I have not been sitting in the Founders library sleeping my life away. I was studying curses and spells from people who had originated spells and curses. Many have been lost or forgotten by a school that teaches children not to kill themselves and nothing more. I let loose a firestorm of curses from both hands. He was lucky that he had a very strong shield. The shield held long enough that he did not die. Madam Pomfrey says he will be out of the hospital in about a week. Snape can keep him company, I thought, as I gave him a farewell kick.
/Scene Break/
You would think that scene in the Great Hall would slow down the wannabee's but not a week later Draco shows up with about ten cadets. "The Dark Lord wants you to know that he is going to…"
"Yea Yada Yada" I just banished their clothes and sent them to the Great Hall, Draco I kept and put my super-duper sticking charm on him and him to the wall. It was a high traffic area and the girls snickered and made lewd comments that they had seen a bigger Willy on their little brother. Draco was not impressive in that department.
"Morgana, can these idiots come up with more stupidity we have only been back for ten days." I groused.
"Oh I think they can, how about a bet, they do you or somebody you have to help in the next three days. If they do, you buy me a supper dinner in Diagon Alley and if it's longer than three days I will buy you that dinner." Smiled Fleur.
Two days later, they take Hermione thinking that she is my girl friend, I.E. the Dailey Profit article. The wizard world was slow if they were ever right to start with. Who took her was a mystery, who had her was a surprise.
A Shadow Leopard fades into the shadow and I enter an area that looks like a dungeon. There are four Deatheaters protecting Voldemort who is terrifying Hermione from a throne like chair. While Volde is using the 'Crucio' curse, the others are not doing a great job in the protection department. Well they all stop laughing when a black leopard leaps onto Voldemort slashing with his claws. Well there is a bit of flesh and blood flying before a terrified Voldemort port-keyed away. He did not leave them with a port-key and with all the anti apparition wards, my they did die very quickly. I motioned for Hermione to climb on my back but she started asking questions. I walk into the dark area of the room and revert to Harry and said in a disguised voice, "Get the flippen hell on the back of the leopard." I changed into the leopard and she is asking who I am and how…" I went to the shadows and returned to my human form and stunned Hermione, "Let's do this the hard way."
Returning to the Leopard I grabbed her arm, dragged her to the shadows, and faded as close to the hospital wing as I could. Well Madam Pomfrey would fix her up but a Leopard can only do so much, her arm was well shredded from my teeth. After listening to Hermione, I should have left her there.