"So what is involved in the Potions championship anyways?" Ron asks the following day at breakfast.
"Well, you are transported to an enchanted garden area, and you must make your way through obstacles, creatures, and many other dangers while racing the other champions to get to the goal. You can also rely on your potion skills, not just blasting your way through with spells and curses. It also has many different climates, from cold tundra to hot savanna areas. It also contains some of the rarest and most potent plants known to the wizarding kind, which many believe are just myths," Zarif explains.
"It is almost strange that they choose myth-based plants. But if testing your potion-making skills, it would make sense to keep you on your toes," Hermione concludes.
"One of the world's biggest serpents also lives there," Zarif says, pulling out a book and showing them an animated picture of the serpent resting on a mountain.
The snake, sensing the page has been opened, rises and hisses at the readers as Elixir gives a playful hiss back. "That can't be as bad as the basilisk," Harry notes, very hopeful though after his experience with that large creature.
"That is a mountain, and its venom is just as lethal as the basilisk. It also has no weakness like with the Basilisk and the roosters," Zarif corrects.
"At least it doesn't paralyze you with its looks," Hermione interjects.
"Yeah, it will just swallow you whole," Planner says.
"What did it say?" Ron asks, seeing the nonchalant way it is acting at that remark.
"Said it would just swallow you whole like an anaconda," Zarif summarized.
"What's…an anaconda?" Ron asks, afraid of the answer.
"Snake the size of a giant spider, like the one you guys told me of," Zarif answers, shrugging, ignoring the scared expression across the boy's face. "It doesn't have poison, so it wraps around its victim and crushes it to death by squeezing it before swallowing it whole," Zarif adds.
"It's not a magical creature," Harry adds.
"Hardly. Just big and lethal," Zarif says simply as he shuts the book, making the snake inside give a content hiss.
"I assume you have a plan already or what potions even to prepare?" Harry asks, wondering if Zarif can pull this off if at all.
"There are many different challenges, and they also change. I also can not take pre-made potions. I must make my potions there," Zarif informs.
Ron scoffs. "I guess drinking some cold or heat or any potions before it begins is out of the question too."
"That is correct. I can bring ingredients and equipment like a cauldron, but every potion must be brewed on the grounds. The championship also has no time limit. It only ends if all dropout or when one makes it to the end. But the end is the hardest part. The goal is a golden cauldron. The prize for winning, I know you can easily buy one, but let me finish," Zarif says, seeing as the three are about to interject. "Around that cauldron is a cage with many locks, and you have to find a key. You then get one chance to unlock the cage. You have no idea which is the one that unlocks the cage, and if you guess wrong, you are disqualified," Zarif informs.
"Is this a question you are asking us?" Hermione asks, already going through the list of potions in her head to figure this out.
"No, it's just the next to last challenge. The final challenge is to use the golden cauldron right then and there to create a brand new potion in front of representatives from all over the world. No pressure, huh?" Zarif asks.
"A new potion?" Ron jokes. "I guess the best chance is to toss random junk in and hope for the best…unless you already got one," he adds, eyeing him at the end.
"In front of experts? You need to create something incredible. That has never before been seen for it to count. That is why even though this contest started in 1408 and is done every seven years. The list of winners is not that big," Zarif explains.
"How many tried though up to now and won?" Harry asks, wondering if any ever came close.
Zarif hums as he packs away the book into his small bag. "Eleven have won so far out of the eighty-four times that this competition has been held. The last time it was won was back in 1890," Zarif explains.
Hermione then looks curious. "Have they told you who else is competing?"
"No, but that is mostly unimportant. I think my preparations are the important thing. That and what I can find," Zarif assures.
"Then you better win. Everyone would be rooting for you," Ron reminds.
"Yeah. First win in a century," Zarif comments.
"And a big win for Hogwarts in case we don't win in the Triwizard Tournament," Hermione adds.
"If I win that is, most watching this go in knowing the odds are there will be no winner, but who manages to get the furthest. By now I suspect some wagers are already starting to go around the Department of Magical Games and Sports at the ministry," Zarif adds.
"I thought that was illegal?" Hermione questions, turning to look at him.
"It's regulated and it's more like this example. Hey Ron, I bet you a quill that you can't hit the river with the muffin you have from the entryway," Zarif says, suddenly turning to Ron.
Ron blinks and shakes his head in pure disbelief at what he just betted. "Okay, even in the realm of betting examples, that was pretty stupid," he points out.
"It's basically like that. Like no big odds and such just talk. Also looks like Fred and George are about to attempt to add their names to the possible champions," Zarif points out.
Harry now becomes curious as he rolls over a piece of fish-flavored meat to Elixir. "What's the odds at now anyway?"
"I don't know, but I say that Fred and George's odds are a hundred percent fail for their plan with what looks like an aging potion," Zarif comments.
Hermione looks offended by the sound of their method. "No one can get past any defense Dumbledore places around that goblet. So unless they suddenly grow up a few years in just a day, it's not going to work," she points out smartly.
"Yep, especially since two attempts were made the same way earlier," Zarif informs, getting their attention.
"Yep, this will be attempt three and four," Merula says as she and Morgana walk up to them.
"Hey girl," Zarif greets, catching the large mutt as Morgana stands and places her legs on his shoulders. "Did you do a good job protecting your master?" he chuckles, scratching behind her ears, getting a happy tail wag out of the dog. "And there are so many attempts and ways, our headmaster would have made a single age line to block idiots."
"They also do not understand what the Triwizard tournament is. Basically, anyone who enters has more than a fifty percent chance of dying or being maimed or critically injured at least," Merula says, taking a seat as the twins are blasted away by the goblet's flames, ending up sporting two very long grey beards in front of the chuckling headmaster.
"I think that was obvious just from the warning of Dumbledore," Hermione points out while Elixir hisses and laughs at the two bumbling idiots fighting each other over the fact they failed.
"I don't think there will be the fifth attempt, but if there is, I don't think it can top that one," Merula adds smirking.
"Dinner and a show," Zarif jokes while giving Morgana some chewy pieces of jerky he had. Morgana barks happily and licks his face and makes him laugh, trying to push her away.
"Seems the other schools are also judging our Halloween decorations," Merula says, changing the subject as they look around. The decorations in the Great Hall had changed as it was Halloween, a cloud of live bats was fluttering around the enchanted ceiling, while hundreds of carved pumpkins leered from every corner, almost following everyone's movements.
"It also looks like some are trying to judge whether or not to approach us as well," Zarif says in parseltongue to Harry.
Harry nods as he looks around at those putting their names in the cup, but also just entering the hall and looking around. When their eyes land on Harry though, it puts him in an uneased sense as it feels like they are studying him for weakness. "Makes sense. But you are the champion for potions too," he reminds as both of them can feel those staring at Zarif are other potion champions chosen for the tournament.
"I know, but for now we have their attention as none of the competition is coloring their looks at us yet," Zarif informs as he gets up and starts to head out for his next class. On his way there, Dracona joins his side and walks with him. Neither is sure if they should break the silence between them.
Dracona eyes the boy a few seconds longer and turns towards him, about to speak, but she shuts her mouth again and turns away. Her hair even falls past her face, hiding it from his view.
Zarif looks a bit worried at Dracona before sighing. "Hey…you okay?" he asks carefully. He figures that with what happened at the World Cup and the background issues at the Ministry, and her father involved in the various official jobs, it must be bothering her instead of just school.
"I…yeah. I am fine…" Dracona says to herself while thinking, 'Dang it girl. What is wrong with you? I thought I had more confidence than this!'
Zarif nods slowly at her. "If you are sure about it. I am here to talk after all," he assures, still feeling as if this must be something big she is holding back. But he figures it must be better to let her say it than pry it out of her.
"Yeah," Dracona says, taking a seat, and starts lighting up the fire for the cauldron as it is cold in the dungeon.
Zarif grabs his equipment from his bag and places it on the table. "Just to warn you, I might be busy preparing for the championship. So I would have less time around," he notes as he grabs his books out as well.
"I see…do you need anything to help?" Dracona asks, hesitating a bit.
Zarif hums as he thinks and looks over his equipment. "Unless you have a map of the area and castle with all potion ingredients possible to collect, but that would probably be confiscated. But then again it should help me prepare and practice brewing potions in a pinch when the time comes and what and how to look for them," he rattles off. But he knows this is something that is left to a mapmaker whose job it is to make these kinds of parchments for a living. Too much for a student, in fact.
But Dracona's mind is racing. She had gotten in touch with her parents who were very interested in Zarif winning for the sake of European, if not national pride. Besides, with quidditch, the entire wizarding world hardly competed with each other like this. Already, the word had made its way around all the ministry and those who invest money into it. There were a lot of wagers being had and it was a good distraction as many of those who got off with the excuse they were under the Imperius curse were once again being investigated. Zarif had accurately predicted this and it was a good lesson that made Dracona second guess doing anything bad. This had actually saved her. She had nearly cast a curse at Potter when he turned his back to her after an exchange of insults. She, within moments after stopping herself from this rash action, saw Moody watching them. But now the idea of helping Zarif was a good idea. Now more and more were taking notice of him as ministry wizards wanted to know about him as he would be representing them soon. His record was already impressive meritorious service to the school, becoming an animagus, and Order of Merlin second class all before he was in his fourth year, the others in the twenty-eight would also be impressed that he was a pure-blood like them.
"I better check and see if I can use my Felix alchemist examiner in the championship," Zarif mentions to himself as he checks to see he has everything out for their lesson.
"Hum. A map of the enchanted garden where the Wizarding Schools Potions Championship takes place?" Lucious Malfoy says thinking it over while reading the letter from his daughter. Nothing in the rules says anything about studying the location in detail before the competition, but the enchanted garden is filled with so many rare and expensive potion ingredients and had tight security that even an accurate map was something that would be very hard to come by.
"What is it?" Narcissa asks, walking around her husband's desk to see the letter. "What is our daughter asking?" she questions, stirring herself some tea with magic.
"She is asking if I can get a map of the enchanted garden where the Wizarding Schools Potions Championship takes place. Apparently wants to give it to that Trazax that everyone is going on about," Lucius says, bringing to mind the boy Dracona had been beside the entire match of the quidditch world cup finals.
Narcissa smiles and places a steaming cup for Lucius on his desk. "I think it might make our little girl happy. Maybe we can find a map somewhere in the archives if we have to."
"The issue is mostly if it would be a detailed map or very accurate. The enchanted garden houses so many rare and expensive ingredients that security around it is very high. I have taken a look at previous competitions as well out of curiosity since we will have a representative this year. The maps used to show progress are very ambiguous and mostly lacking details," Lucius explains.
Narcissa hums and nods. "Well, I am sure that boy may appreciate any help," she suggests before smiling. "And Our Dracona will be all the happier for us and him."
"Tell me, what do you think of the boy? Meritorious Service to the school, becoming an animagus, and Order of Merlin second class in just his first three years of school. The order of Merlin, I can't even find what the reason was for. None of my contacts in the ministry know why and Fudge is being very tight-lipped about it. Meaning possibly to keep someone quiet," Lucius says.
"He sounds highly impressive…maybe," Narcissa starts before trailing off in thought.
"Maybe what? Speak up Narcissa," Lucius says.
"Maybe…the next dark lord or Dumbledore?" Narcissa says.
Lucius stares at his wife as she paces around the room in thought. He then looks back at the letter again as he hums. After the disappointment with Potter, this would be good news with what Zarif's qualities are. But the problem is having to bring him into their good graces before the other families do. The map though…would be a major challenge to find.
"What do you think? A possible match for our daughter?" Narcissa asks.
Lucius raises an eyebrow at her for a few seconds now. He hums quietly and returns to the letter.