Disclaimer: not mine, no money, no sue me.
A Rehearsed Battle
As Harry stepped out of the tent, his eyes were immediately drawn to the imposing sight before him. A narrow hallway stretched ahead, flanked by the tall grades. At its end, an artificial valley opened up, encircled by jagged boulders that seemed plucked from the heart of a mountain.
"Harry Potter!" Ludo Bagman's voice boomed through the air, announcing Harry's entrance to the crowd. But there was no time for pomp and circumstance, for in the centre of the circle, bound by a thick chain around its neck, lay the Hungarian Horntail - a menacing creature with scales like armour and eyes that held a thousand years' worth of fury. The dragon curled protectively around a nest containing five eggs and, nestled among them, the golden prize Harry sought.
"Right then," Harry muttered to himself, "Let's dance."
As if sensing Harry's resolve, the Hungarian Horntail unleashed a torrent of flames in his direction. With lightning-fast reflexes, Harry leapt behind one of the larger rocks scattered around the arena, feeling the scorching heat licking at his heels. The noise was deafening, a cacophony of roaring fire and the dragon's enraged bellows. It felt like hours, though only seconds had passed. Sweat beaded on Harry's brow as he tried to catch his breath, the air around him heavy with the stench of burnt earth.
"Alright, mate," Harry whispered to himself, his heart pounding against his ribs. "You've faced worse than this. Remember the Basilisk? Piece of cake." He took a deep breath, grasping his wand tightly and mentally preparing for the task at hand.
Squinting through the haze of heat and smoke, Harry's eyes flicked around the arena, searching for the perfect target. Spying a particularly large rock nearby, he willed it to transform into a fierce Gryphon statue with a flourish of his wand. The stone shifted and groaned, reforming itself into the desired shape in a matter of seconds.
"Let's see how you like this one!" Harry taunted under his breath, grinning at the prospect of turning the tables on his formidable opponent.
The Hungarian Horntail, however, was not amused. With another furious roar, it unleashed a fresh jet of flame towards Harry's makeshift shelter. He ducked further behind the rock, but the edges began to melt, glowing red-hot under the relentless assault.
Flicking his wand once more, the Gryphon statue began to shimmer and change, its solid stone form giving way to liquid metal. The metallic beast gleamed in the firelight, casting dancing shapes across the scorched earth.
"Let's hope this works," Harry thought, steeling himself for what he was about to attempt.
Just as he had hoped, the dragon's attention was momentarily caught by the unusual sight. Seizing the opportunity, Harry moved his wand in an intricate dance, infusing the now-fluid Gryphon with a semblance of life. At first, the statue hesitated, its movements jerky and uncertain. Then, with increasing fluidity, it launched itself into the air, heading straight for the dragon's neck.
"Go get 'em, shiny!" Harry cheered silently, watching the airborne Gryphon spring to action. It was a risky move, but if it worked, it just might buy him the precious few seconds he needed to snatch the golden egg from beneath the dragon's snout.
The metallic Gryphon and the Hungarian Horntail became entangled in a fierce aerial battle, their bodies twisting and turning in midair. The dragon's scales scraped against the liquid metal, sending sparks flying like tiny shooting stars. Harry saw his chance and sprinted towards the golden egg, gripping his wand tightly.
"Almost there," he muttered under his breath, feeling the adrenaline surge through him as the ground beneath his feet seemed to melt away.
As Harry stretched out his hand to grasp the egg, the dragon suddenly snapped its neck free from the Gryphon's iron grip. The metallic beast hurtled towards the thick chain restraining the dragon, shattering upon impact into a shower of molten metal droplets that crystallised into stone dust as they fell. The chain gave up, freeing the dragon.
"Bugger!" Harry exclaimed, diving to the ground just in time to avoid the dragon's tail sweeping through the air where he had stood just moments ago. His heart hammered in his chest as he scrambled back to his feet, wand moving in frantic circles above his head.
With a final flourish of his wand, the remaining piece of the chain still attached to the dragon's neck soared across the arena, anchoring itself to a nearby rock and yanking the dragon along with it. The force of the sudden movement caused the dragon to lose its footing, sending it stumbling and snarling towards the edge of the circle.
"Take that, you scaly git!" Harry smirked, breathing heavily from the exertion. As the dragon roared in frustration, Harry took one last look at the scene unfolding before him. He knew he couldn't afford to linger, but part of him wanted to savour this moment of triumph, however fleeting it might be.
Harry's heart raced as he dashed towards the golden egg, his breath coming in short, sharp gasps. He could already hear the chain straining under the weight of the furious dragon and knew that he had mere seconds to act.
"Got you," he muttered through gritted teeth as he snatched up the egg.
The sound of the chain finally snapping echoed across the arena, followed by a roar that seemed to shake the very ground beneath Harry's feet. Glancing back just in time to see the now-unrestrained Hungarian Horntail preparing to unleash another torrent of flames, Harry's mind raced with a single thought: survive.
"Time for a bit of improvisation, I suppose," he mused, flicking his wand with a flourish that sent a large rock hurtling towards the dragon at breakneck speed.
The rock sailed through the air, a silent, deadly missile that found its mark with unerring precision, lodging itself firmly inside the dragon's open maw. It was a desperate move born of instinct, one that bought Harry just enough time to make his escape.
Behind him, the muffled explosion of the rock shattering within the dragon's mouth provided a fitting crescendo to his daring performance. The furious roar that followed was quickly drowned out by the sounds of dragon handlers rushing into the arena.
"Never a dull moment, is there?" Harry thought with a mixture of amusement and relief as he stumbled out of the arena, his body still shaking from adrenaline.
"Potter did it!" Ludo Bagman's voice boomed across the grounds, his enthusiasm barely contained. "That was absolutely brilliant!"
"Brilliant and utterly mad," Harry thought, his heart still pounding in his chest. But he couldn't help the grin that spread across his face as he raised the golden egg triumphantly above his head.
"Good heavens, Potter!" Madam Pomfrey exclaimed as she practically dragged Harry over to one of the makeshift beds set up beside the arena. "Not a moment's peace with you lot."
Harry winced as the nurse's surprisingly strong grip tightened on his arm, but he couldn't really argue with her assessment. The adrenaline was still pumping through his veins, and the lingering heat from the dragon's fire felt like it was seared into his very bones.
"Sorry about that," he murmured, allowing himself to be pushed down onto the bed. The cool fabric of the sheets provided a welcome relief from the heat, but there was no time to relax as Madam Pomfrey immediately began casting a series of diagnostic spells over him.
"Headmasters and their blasted tournaments," she muttered, her lips pursed in disapproval. "What's next? Are they going to have you all juggling live Nundus?"
Harry chuckled at the mental image, despite the lingering anxiety that gnawed at the edges of his mind. "At least it'd be entertaining," he quipped, wincing as one of the spells sent a brief flare of pain through his arm.
"Entertaining, indeed." She shook her head, clearly unimpressed by his attempt at humour.
As the spells continued to dance around him, Harry noticed Cedric waiting nearby, sitting on another bed. The Hufflepuff looked mostly unscathed, though there was a cut on his right arm.
"Hey, Cedric," Harry called out, trying to draw attention away from Madam Pomfrey's fussing. "How'd it go with your dragon?"
"Better than I expected, honestly," Cedric replied, glancing at his injured arm. "But where in hell did you learn to fight like that?"
Harry laughed, feeling a strange mix of pride and humility at the question. "After you fight a Basilisk with a sword, a dragon with your wand is less daunting."
Cedric's eyes widened as he let out an awkward laugh, clearly unsure if Harry was being serious or not. "Well, whatever you did, it worked. You've got to show me how to do that transfiguration on our next practice."
"Deal," Harry agreed, grinning at the thought of sharing his hard-won knowledge with someone else. It felt good to have allies in this crazy adventure, and he knew that despite their rivalry, they were all in this together.
"Potter, I don't want to see you back here anytime soon," Madam Pomfrey warned, giving Harry a stern look. "You got off lightly this time, but if you get a headache in the next couple of hours, let me know."
"Will do, thanks," Harry agreed with a smile, his spirits still soaring from the adrenaline of the dragon fight. He didn't have much time to dwell on it though, as Ron and Hermione barreled into the makeshift infirmary.
"Harry!" Hermione cried, her eyes wide with concern. "That was..."
"Brilliant!" Ron interjected, grinning like a madman.
"Reckless" Hermione corrected, giving Harry a pointed look. "Impressive, yes, but you could've gotten yourself injured or worse!"
"Expelled?" Harry quipped, laughing at the thought. Ron joined in the laughter immediately, while Hermione huffed before eventually allowing herself a small chuckle.
"Alright, alright," she conceded, shaking her head at their antics. "But seriously, Harry, that was incredible. And dangerous."
"Thanks, Hermione," he said, rolling his eyes playfully at her scolding. "I appreciate your concern, really."
"Anyway," Hermione continued, ignoring the teasing. "The judges are about to show your scores. We should go see how you did."
Together, they left the infirmary and made their way to the edges of the arena where the judges were seated. The tension was palpable, as whispers and murmurs of anticipation filled the air.
The judges moved their wands in front of them, lingering lights coming from the tips of the wands forming bright numbers that floated in front of them. Most judges marked Harry with a ten, except for Madam Maxime who gave Harry a nine and Karkaroff, who gave Harry a six, looking not too happy about it.
"That puts you in first place, Harry," Hemione said excitedly.
Harry smiled at his friend's excitement, but a voice behind the trio cut their celebration.
"Mr. Potter, could you join us in the tent again, please?" called Barty Crouch, from inside the infirmary tent.
"Looks like they need me for something," Harry said to Ron and Hermione with a grin. "I'll catch up with you two later, alright?"
Ron nodded and Hermione gave him a small smile filled with concern that only Harry could decipher. "Well done, Harry."
"Thanks." With that, Harry made his way back into the infirmary tent, the air inside heavy with anticipation. Bagman stood beside Crouch, who looked as stern as ever, while Cedric leaned against one of the makeshift beds. Fleur and Viktor entered shortly after, accompanied by their respective headmasters and Dumbledore.
"Well done, Mr. Potter," Dumbledore said, his eyes twinkling behind his half-moon spectacles as they met Harry's gaze. That familiar look conveyed a clear message: "We need to speak later". Harry nodded in understanding before turning his attention to Bagman.
"Right, now that we're all here," began Ludo, his enthusiasm barely contained. "The second task will take place on the 24th of February. The golden egg you've just won holds the clue you'll need to prepare for it. Best of luck to all of you!"
Harry weighed the egg in his hand, feeling its smooth surface against his skin. He remembered the cold of the lake, already dreading the winter swim in his future.
"Headmasters, if I may have a word with you outside the tent, please," Crouch interjected, his voice crisp and authoritative. Bagman, the headmasters, and Crouch filed out of the tent, leaving the champions alone with their thoughts.
Harry sighed, looking at the other champions and shaking his head ruefully. "I wish I could've seen your performances," he said. "But you all look relatively unscathed, so that's a good sign."
"Your performance was incredible, Harry," Fleur declared, her eyes shining with admiration.
"Da, truly remarkable," Viktor agreed, giving him an appreciative nod.
"Thanks," Harry responded, his cheeks slightly flushed from their praise. "Cedric, I didn't forget - I'll show you that transfiguration next time we train together."
"Count me in too," Fleur said enthusiastically.
"Me as well," added Viktor.
"Alright, it's settled then." He paused for a moment, wondering how he'd managed to agree to teach such advanced magic to this group of talented wizards. But there was no backing out now. "Next training session it is."
As they chatted amongst themselves, Harry caught sight of Remus standing outside the tent, accompanied by a large black dog. Excusing himself from the other champions, he approached them cautiously, his heart pounding with recognition.
"Remus," he said, "What a big ugly dog you got there."
"Harry, you were amazing" Remus replied, his eyes alight with pride. "And Padfoot here" – he gestured towards the dog –" agrees."
The big black dog barked his approval and nodded vigorously, causing Harry to grin.
"Thanks," Harry said, scratching the dog behind its ears. "Who's your new friend? He looks rather... rugged."
The dog barked indignantly, but Remus just laughed, "He's a bit of a bag of fleas, but we've been through a lot together so I'm afraid I'm stuck with him."
The dog flopped its tongue out, panting happily as he nudged Harry's knee with his massive head. Chuckling, Harry dropped to one knee and began to pet the dog energetically, a mischievous grin playing at the corners of his mouth. "Who's a good, cute dog, then? Huh?"
"Careful, Harry," Remus warned playfully, a twinkle in his eye. "You might catch fleas."
In response, the dog let out a low growl, fixing Remus with a mock glare that only served to make both wizards burst into laughter. The moment was a welcome reprieve from the intensity of the day, and Harry relished the feeling of camaraderie between them.
"Alright, we'd better get going," Remus said, glancing around nervously. "We don't want everyone to notice our furry friend here."
The dog whined and then barked a goodbye to Harry, who waved as he turned to leave the stadium. As he made his way towards the castle, a sense of satisfaction washed over him. It had been a long day, but somehow, he felt energized.
"Harry dear!" a shrill voice called out, causing him to come to a sudden halt. Rita Skeeter approached, her quill poised and ready for whatever quote she could squeeze from him.
"Harry, darling, how do you feel after such a fantastic performance?" she asked, her eyes gleaming with anticipation.
Harry regarded her seriously, his green eyes meeting her gaze unflinchingly. "Rita, I think you should focus on the other champions. What happened today wasn't about me, it was about all of us."
"Come now, Harry," Rita pouted, her disappointment palpable. "Your performance was simply too fantastic not to mention!"
"Rita," Harry said, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "If I find tomorrow's newspaper to my liking, I might just have something juicy for you. A little tidbit about a Death Eater being allowed to roam the school."
Rita's eyes widened with greed, her quill practically quivering with excitement. "Oh, Harry, darling, that sounds positively scandalous! I'm sure we can find a middle ground for my article."
"See that you do," Harry said, nodding curtly as he began to walk away. His legs were still shaky from the adrenaline rush of his encounter with the Hungarian Horntail, and he could feel the onset of exhaustion creeping up on him.
As he made his way towards the castle, Harry's thoughts drifted to the upcoming celebration. He could almost hear the raucous laughter of his friends and the clinking of glasses as they toasted his success. It was a rare moment of happiness amidst the dark times that seemed to loom ever closer, and he was determined to enjoy it while it lasted.
"There's no party like a Gryffindor party," Harry said to himself, wondering if the twins would be able to sneak a bottle of Fire Whiskey as they had done on the other timeline.