Chapter 8

It was time was time for the first task. Everyone was cheering and ready for the task to star. Victor was first. They had to get a golden feather attached to the bird/dragon thing.

Victor could feel the energy surging through his body as he heard the sound of the cannon and stepped out of the tent. Al most at once, the bird flew out from the shadows and began to chase after him. He quickly dodge the first attempt and slid under a rock to assess the situation. He gazed at the giant bird and calculated his next moves as the creature stalked around the field. Casting a quick protection spell over his eyes and exposed flesh, he jumped out and ripped his wand from his sleeve.
"Here birdy, come get some!" He pounded his wand into the dirt and suddenly it became a great sword that he swung with ease. Clapping his hands together, his clothing suddenly became a suit of armor that could protect him from the stare and the foul breath of the beast. From the looks of it, the Cockatrice had been mixed with more than what he originally thought since it was nearly as big as a dragon and had sharp teeth like the Basilisk. Victor knew he only had a few moments of time to dive under the monster and search for the illusive golden feather. The monster was quicker than he had expected and it snapped at him. He nearly was caught in the jaws of the beast, but he avoided the thick teeth with gusto. He whirled around and saw the feather nestled between the tufts of dark brown and silver.
"Gotcha!" He reached up and grasped it tightly. Suddenly, the bird sprang up and flapped it's wings, taking off from the ground. The only problem was that Victor was still holding on tightly to the feather and it wouldn't come out. Suddenly he found himself above the crowds and clinging for dear life to the Cockatrice. He grinned and pulled himself up, saddling the bird like a broom.
"All right, mr. Cockatrice, ve vill see who the boss is." He knew that if he touched the feathers with is bare flesh, he would freeze and fall to his death. Quickly he grabbed a hold of the feather around the bird's neck and yanked them back. The bird squawked and turned it's head to try and snap at Victor, but it didn't realize it was flying in a downward spiral towards the ground. He saw this and quickly waved his sword as they both fell down to the ground. He closed his eyes and let go of the bird, falling down faster than before. He could feel the rush of air and hear the quick whip of wings as he fell closer and closer to the ground. Inches from the ground, he reached out his hand and grasped his broom, soaring up into the air three inched from the ground. The bird landed and roared as Victor gripped his sword and flew into the jaws of the beast. He rolled under the beast and gripped the feather once more.
He pulled hard and with a soft ripping sound, it came loose. He twirled off his broom and summer-salted off the back of the Cockatrice, his armor melting off and his sword turning back into his wand. He stuck the landing and lifted his arms up to the crowd. Huge applause broke through the stands, students leapt from the stands and were wildly cheering him on. He glanced over at the judges table where they all were gazing at him with utter amazement. They all looked at each other and slowly raised their wands to give him his score, the numbers flashing into the air like a thousand dancing lights. He got all 10s in his score.

Albua was next. He knew he couldn't do what Victor did. No where close. He walked out. "Acio net," Albus said. He then throw the net over the bird. The mirror would have worked too, but he wasn't sure where one was so he went with a net. Careful not to look the thing in the eye or touch the skin of the bird when he grabbed the feather. Everyone cheered, but it was a little lack luster compared to what Vicor go. Albus got mostly two tens and three nines.

Lastly was Annette was up. She walked out there and took out a compact mirror and showed it to the bird. The bird died. Annette went over to the bird and grabbed he feather. She got four eights and one ten.

It was soon over. "Hey Alek, why don't you come celebrate with us from Durnstang? I'm sure it'll be more fun than whatever you'll get from those Hogwarts people."

"I'm going to stay with Albus. Whatever he wants to do I'll do," Alek said.

"We can go with to Durmstang. I'm sure they'll be more fun than the Slytherin people, and I don't want to deal with Gryffindors," Albus said.

"Alright as long as you're sure," Alek said. He wrapped his arms around Albus. "You should have some fun. You just made it past the first task, and the feather is supposed to help us figure out the next task. We'll work on that later. Right now we should have some fun."

XXXX

After a few hours of partying, Albus was ready to go to sleep. "Alek, I love you,'' Albus, having been drinking his words slurred together.

"I love you too. Let's get you to bed," Alek said with a smile. It was fun to see Albus drunk. He helped Albus back to their house. They were s topped by James.

"There you are. I've been looking everywhere for you," James said. "You did great!"

"Thank you."

"Have you been drinking?"James asked.

"Maybe," Albus said, his voice still slurred together.

"Damn it Alek. Why would you let him drunk?" James asked. "He's going to have a horrible hang over and he won't be able to train."

"Why dose he need to start training so soon after the task? Give him some time to relax and just be happy for a while?"

"Because we don't know how dangerous the next task is. He might need to train that much," James said.

"Look Albus is pushing himself as much as he can. He's tired and training when you're exhausted won't help anything,"Alek said.

"I'm right here," Albus protested. "I want a break. Let's figure out what the feather tells us about the next task then we can worry about training for what's going to be happening. No need to keep training for something that won't happen."

"Fine. Figure out that feather we'll train for more it," James said.

"Alek, I think I need to lay down," Albus said.

"Okay. Let's get you to bed."

XXXXXXX

"I got it!" Alek said quickly, pulling Albus downstairs,. "Give me the feather. It's a Phoenix feather! If we through it the fire then it should give us some clue." Alek took the feaher and through it into the fire.

"Come seek us in our sacaret ground,
Where spiders, snakes, and we abound,
And while you wander, think of this,
We've taken what you'll greatly miss,
One cycle of your shinning stars,
Will you have to take what's ours,
But past that hour, the prospect's black-
Too late,
It's gone,
It won't come back."

The song game from the fire and then the fire went out, and the feather was still laying in the ashes. Albus picked up feather. "What do you think?" Albus asked.

"I think it has to be the Forbidden Forest. I don' know what they're going to take form you. That part is worrying. I have no idea what they would take. Something important to you?"

"I don't have anything worth dying for," Albus saisd. "What would they take from me?"

"I don't know, but we have to go over the forbidden Forest stuff. You can know your way around the place that would help a lot, and we need more training with the stuff there's in the forest. It's a more dangerous than I thought it would be."

Albus sighed. "I don't like training so hard. I feel so weak but I can't keep up with what James is doing to me."

"That snot nose brat doesn't even need to be there. I can train you just fine," Alek said. "But he's a stubborn fool who won't back down."

"He just cares about me," Albus said,"Even if he's doesn't know when to stop."

"I just don't like him, but he's your brother so I do what I can to be polite. I don't know what it's like to have siblings. I was never close to my parents. All I have is you. I guess I'm just afraid something bad will happen to you," Alek admitted.

"Nothing bad is going to happen to me," Albus said. "I'll try really hard in my training so I'll get the next task without getting hurt."

Alek hugged Albus. "I love you so much. I don't want to ever leave you." He kissed Albus. He wanted to go further, but wouldn't right now. He pulled away. "Want to grab something to eat and then go get some training? We c an just go over maps first so can rest for the physical stuff."

Albus nodded. "Sounds like a good idea."

XXXXXXXX

Lily and Scorpius sat outside, looking at the stars. "It's so nice out here," Lily said. She leaned into Scorpius, his arm around her.

"Yeah, and no one to bother us," Scorpius said.

"I like being with just you away from everyone who thinks we're not supposed to be together because of our houses."

"And because you're a Mafoy and I'm a Potter," Lily chimed in.

"I think it's so stupid. I know your brother is stupid, but I really want him to like me."

"He'll come around, sooner or later. Just give him some time."

"Lily, you're the best thing that's ever happened to me," Scorpius said. He leaend over and kissed her. "I love you."

Lily's face went bright red. "R-really?"

"Yes. I love you Lily Luna Potter."

"I-I love you too. "Lily said. "I- I'm so happy."

"I''m glad you feel the same way too." Scorpius said. " Ever since I started school people always expected so much out of me because of my name. My stupid name. But you didn't you were nice to me even before you knew my name and then you didn't let our names get in the way of things. Slytherins don't like me because I'm dating a Gryffindor and Gryffindors don't like me because I'm dating you. I can't win with any house, but I win because I'm with you," Scorpius said.

Lily smiled. "Besides my brother, I don't have that problem, thankfully. I'm here for you though. I'll always be there for you, Who cares what others says? If we're happy together then we should be together,."

"I love you more every day," Scorpius said.

"All my friends are so jealous of us. They all want an amazing boyfriend like you."

"I don't think I'm that special." Scorpius said.

"You're always so nice to me and take care of everything for us. You're willing to go thoguh so much for us to be together. Most people wouldn't go through all of this for a girl."

"Well you're not any kind of girl," Scorpius said, kissing her again. "You're perfect in my eyes."

"See that's what I mean. Mosy guys aren't like you, like that. I'm so lucky to have you as my boyfriend." She tackled him so he was under her. "I want to stay together foever."

"What are you two dong?" James yelled, coming over to them. "Lily get away from him."

"No. He's my boyfriend and I love him."

"You can't love him! He's a Malfoy!" James yelled.

"I love him and he loves me," Lily said, getting up. She brushed her skirt off. "It shouldn't matter who he is. I love him and you're not going to break us up."

"Damn it,"James turned to Scorpius. "If you ever hurt her you're a dead man."

"I understand," Scorpius said. "I love Lily. I would never hurt her."

"Alright, but I'll be watching."

"That's creepy. Don't do that," Lily said.

"Fine. Whatever If I hear anything happening to her by you you're a dead man." James then left in a huff.

"Ignore him. He's just a prat," Lily said. "I know you'd never hurt me."

"Yeah, because I love you. I love saying that."