Just a Rambling that wouldn't get out of my head

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A/N: Most of this rambling has been taken down. You can find the completed story on main page as A Two-Finger Salute.

Standard disclaimer: Recognizable characters and world building are not my own. They belong to Rawling and anyone she has sold them too.

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Premise: My take on the 'Harry gets pissed he's in the Tri-wizard trope'. He has a reason to be upset and a dink. I plan on the first two tasks to be the same, but will play with many other things. I was just getting tired of reading other ones that I didn't like the execution on and just wanted to get something on paper I like.

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Chapter 1

November 26, 1994

Hogwarts, Scotland

After transfiguring his robes and two loose rocks in the passageway, Harry stepped towards the arena. There was cheering all around as a dragon roared it's displeasure at the noise. As he expected, the dragon was in the center and chained.

As he stepped out, he banged the Roman gladius on his transfigured shield. His wand was in a grove on the handle of the short sword. He was in a full Roman uniform and armor. If they wanted a spectacle, Harry was going to give them one. The cheering softened as he banged the sword. The dragon stooped down, a disturbing rumbling coming from it's throat and eyeing him, apparently very agitated. Seeing a rock nearby that would raise him pretty high up, he climbed up, keeping an eye on the Hungarian Horntail as he faced the judges stand.

Dumbledore's lips were already pursed, obviously expecting something that was going to embarrass Hogwarts again. Harry smirked to think what he accomplished last night. He took the sword and pointed the wand to his throat was was hand in the same hand. "Sonorous," he whispered.

"Hail, Emperor! Those about to die salute you!" he yelled out.

The dragon roared at the shout and moved a little towards him, its wings protecting its nest.

There was some cheering, some laughter and some concerned looks. Harry then gave the judges a two finger salute. Not caring that some boos were starting to come, he spun his sword around. "ACCIO CENTRIES!"

He stood there, defiant of the dragon and the judges, waiting for the first of the animated dummies. It had taken him and Luna a week to make the eighty he wanted. Little had mcGonaganall known she had given them the clue on the animation spell he needed.

Many seemed very confused until the first one flew over the heads of the people in the top of the stands. The five foot tall wooden statues zoomed in. The dragon roared defiantly and spat flames. Three of them caught fire. Harry watched in fascination as a few blocked the flames with their sheilds. The three on fire landed with the others, and within second the fire resistant runes had extinguished the fire. One of them was pretty charred and the shield arm fell off. It's spear was still good.

There were reactions of surprise, chears and screams.

Harry gave the judges a michevious smirk as he gave them one more two finger salute. Seventy-nine animated training dummies started to bang their pilums, a long spear with a wooden bottom, on their shields. The sound was almost deafening. Harry smirked as the dragon backed up, moving over it's eggs. Harry didn't want to hurt the beast that had been unwillingly put here, like him. He did want that golden egg though.

"Deinceps," he ordered his troops forward. They started to make their way across the uneven ground.

The dragon, sensing the danger, roared and charged forward. "Arcam formare. Pilum usque." Harry was glad Luna had drilled these basic commands into his head. He had six he could use. Jumping down, he just had time to jump into the box, shields out and spears up as the horntail sent a jet of fire at them. The fire slip off the shields like water. "Luna, you are brilliant," he said. She hadn't done all this, but she had thought up much of it. Harry was her general and she his mad scientist and animal handler. He had just enough time to think how insane the last twenty-five days had been... then the fire stopped. Harry looked between a gap and saw the dragon, its neck moving as it made a gravely purr.

"Deincep!"

They started to move again. The horntail took a step back and to the side. "Ius," he barked, and they turned right, moving the horntail back, still in the defensive box. When they were within a hundred feet of the dragon, it sent another long spout of fire. It was getting a littel warm inside his box, and when it stopped, two of his sparing dummies had fallen. Ones from the back row had filled in the gaps.

"Left group, spread out. Use pilum," he ordered. "Front philum, deinceps. Use pilus."

The twelve to his left rushed out and started to flank the dragon while the ones directly before him marched forward. Yellow bolts of energy started to flash from the pilum. The dragon roared in challenge before roaring in pain. The yellow flashed were a high power stinging hex Harry had found. A single, or even ten wizards probably wouldn't have harmed the dragon. Twenty-seven pilum firing in rapid succession was another thing.

Once the dragon backed up, Harry took his chance. "Right and rear, wall before me." As the other forty-one lined up, he dashed for the egg. The dragon must have seen him. The roar of rage it gave was heard over the cheering crowd. He made the nest by the time the dragon flew up a dozen feet and came down on four of the dummies. They raised their shields, but splintered under the weight of the dragon. The others turned and it was a melee of claws, tails, yellow flashed, sheilds and wood splinters.

"Use pilums!" Harry yelled out as he ran behind the wall of his rear guard. By now, only four of the front line were still standing. The roar of crowd was almost louder than the terrifying mother dragon. His rear guard were hitting the dragon and it stumbled, almost like it was drunk. Harry had a feeling the numbing effect as the stings wore off were starting to affect the dragon.

He was well beyond the length of the dragon chains and fire when he stopped just outside the exit door. He stood, panting a little, and observed the troops fighting the dragon. It was a good five minutes before the horntail fell, her chest heaving with exertion and whimpering as the remaining fifteen troops continued to sting her. "Areste!"

The dummies stopped. "Formation."

They all straightened and marched over to him. The dragon gave a pitiful roar. The rest of the eggs were safe.

When his guard came up, Harry looked up at the judges defiantly. Putting the egg down, he took his sword and stabbed it through the top. A god awful screeching resounded around the stadium. Even Harry had to cover his ears at first. When it didn't stop, he pointed his wand. "Bombarda!"

The blasted hex hit the egg and exploded. Shrapnel flew everywhere. When it stopped clattering around, only the labored breathes of the dragon could be heard. Harry turned back to the judges stand and gave a two finger salute. "Hail Emperor! We who are about to die salute you!"

He turned before the stadium erupted in noise. Harry had his guard follow him out.