After lunch on the 24th of November, the children of Hogwarts made their way to the First Task of the Triwizard tournament. They chatted excitedly about the on-coming excitement.
…At least, most of them did.
"It doesn't make sense!"
"How many times are you going to repeat that, Cyril?"
"Until someone can explain the logic to me!"
"Ugh," Sierra rolled her eyes. "Honestly, Cyril, only you would be against missing classes."
"How can I not be?!" he cried. "It's our education and future at stake! They could have had this tournament on a weekend, or even Friday afternoon when it's just Transfiguration and small electives; but no, they went for bloody Thursday, right when nearly all of us have class!
Melissa gave a shallow smile at the rant. Calling over from her own circle, she shouted, "YOU SAY THAT LIKE WIZARDS CARE ABOUT LOGIC IN THE FIRST PLACE."
Several wizards looked at her flatly. Cyril was included, though he already looked annoyed as-is. "ARE YOU IMPLYING THAT THEY DON'T?!"
An answer came too easily. "WE'RE LITERALLY WALKING INTO A FORBIDDEN FOREST TO WATCH FOUR TEENAGERS RISK DYING, ALL FOR ENTERTAINMENT AND TO STROKE SOME POLITICIANS' EGOS. I'D SAY THAT COUNTS AS ILLOGICAL."
Several people blinked dumbly at that response. Some turned back to the direction they're walking towards, realizing the insanity of their destination. Others, well, had a mixed bag of reactions. Cyril, at least, had the decency to swear under his breath. With a groan, he exclaimed, "We're doomed as a species!" which was honestly hilarious to Melissa, because what wizard talks like that? Ha!
"Personally, I think they did it on purpose," Corin said loudly, strolling between both groups to join in on the conversation. "Ced doesn't have potions with us. So he's had all morning to prepare for the task, right?"
"Heh! You're giving the Ministry too much credit," said Melissa. "They already had the day picked out, didn't they?"
Sierra gave a laugh, "Maybe they picked a day based on the Champion not being a swot!"
The non-swots in hearing range laughed at that one.
"Or they chose a date based on the Seventh Year's schedules?" Vance mused. "They were the ones expected to be chosen, after all."
"Ooo!" Corin clicked his fingers and threw her a pair of finger guns, "That's a good one, Bea!"
"We'd have to ask them about their schedules to be sure," Cyril said. "Though if that's the case, it'll be a relief to know there's some level of logic in having the task today."
"Heh, don't hold your breath," Melissa muttered under her own, letting the conversation slide away as they walked into the dark forest.
"Alright, ghouls and gals, last chance to place your bets!" The Weasley Twins cried as people walked past the Champions tent to enter the stands. "Who's winning this task?! What daring moves will our Champions make?! Take a chance, and make a fortune!"
Melissa slowed to a stop as the Twins took turns with their pronouncements. Others of her group noticed the change, and Adrian scoffed at her. "Come on, Mel, there's no way they'll let you make a bet."
"Possible," her voice moved to a mutter, "Something about them though…" She walked over to the Twins, some strange thought tugged at her mind. It was half-formed, nearly out of reach, something about the Weasleys and Bets and the Tournament. It felt familiar…
"Ah, our soothsaying mistress approaches!" Fred called dramatically.
"Oh mistress of the future, what say you of the spectacle for today's event?" George queried.
No words came in answer. She just stared at them, trying to figure out what she was missing.
The boys shifted uncomfortably. George then spoke, "Uh, Melissa? Are you alright?"
"I can't remember…" What the hell is it about these two? "Did you…" Fuck! Something about Harry giving them the prize money, right? Why did he do that, again? "Are you guys low on money for something?"
They looked at her strangely. A beat passed, and then they started laughing. "Not at all!"
"If anything, we're getting rich!" Fred added. "Been getting requests from ministries around the world for our inventions. Going to make a mint out of them once we're able to get contracts out."
"Oh." Selling to ministries around the world?! Boy, did she feel like an idiot now. "Well, I guess that's all good, then." Then, just to not feel like she's been standing around here for nothing, she fished out two sickles from her pocket. She dropped them into Fred's hand one at a time with each statement, "Harry goes last. The youngest champion against the deadliest foe."
"Hmm… cryptic words, Madam Soothsayer," Fred murmured. He paused before continuing, "He'll be alright, though, right?"
She didn't have a true answer for that one. "The future's always in flux, Sir Artificer, but I'm hoping for the best." He gave her an understanding nod, and she departed to rejoin the others.
Adrian was incredulous, "They actually let you make a bet?!"
"It's just a couple sickles. No need to make a fuss over it."
Adrian frowned, yet considered her words. Two sickles is a pretty low bet, so she actually isn't sure of the results, he figured. He, and the others around them, made no more comments to it as they went to find some seats.
"DRAGONS?!"
"BLOODY HELL!"
"WICKED!"
"WOO!"
"Ugh! Why did you have to be right?!" Sierra moaned, looking up at Melissa from one row below.
Melissa's answer came in a deadpan. "Because wizards don't care about the lives of children."
Awkward fidgets came from that answer, and several looked away from her as a result. There was one notable exception, however, as Cyril said something to Corin in a questioning tone. Corin answered in kind; and then, with Corin's encouragement, both boys shouted loudly, "PANEM ET CIRCENSES! PANEM ET CIRCENSES!"
Everyone else was understandably confused. "What are they shouting about?" Adrian asked.
"Something about bread and…" Melissa paused, her brain trying to decipher the Latin of the second word. It was utterly lost on her. It wasn't until she considered the first word, Panem, that a clue hit her. …Weirdly, by remembering that it's the fictitious setting of The Hunger Games.
"Bread and circuses!" She slapped herself in the forehead, and laughed loudly. "You two are geniuses!" Both boys took in her praise, and were glad as she joined in with calls of, "PANEM ET CIRCENSES!"
The blow of a whistle overpowered the crowd. They all quieted to the sound, catching the sight of Ludo Bagman rushing towards the judges' panel in the process. Moments later, Cedric emerged on the grounds, and the crowd went wild!
As did the dragon.
In barely a moment, a blast of fire rained down on Cedric. He had only that moment to dodge away, heading for cover behind a boulder.
The crowds were screaming! The judges were less reactionary, with only Bagman's voice to give way as he winced with a, "Oooh, narrow miss there, very narrow." …As if Cedric didn't just nearly die by dragon fire!
"Come on, Ced," Melissa muttered under her breath. "Just like canon. You got this…"
Cedric wasn't moving, though, and her yearmates started to panic.
"He doesn't have a broom," she heard Willamina say in a panic. "They didn't give him a broom! CEDRIC! GO FOR PLAN C! PLAN C!"
There was no way Cedric could have heard her. That said, Williamina cried, "YES!" after Cedric raised his wand and called out, "Accio broom!"
It took a long moment before anything happened; but, sure enough, Cedric's broom zipped through the trees and straight into the enclosure.
"YES! YES, YES, YES!"
Bewildered, Adrian asked, "You seriously planned for this?!"
"Ha!" Willimina grinned, "Between Melissa's vision and the judges saying 'wands only', absolutely!"
From several seats down, Garrick shot them a questioning look. Melissa could only smile back with a light-hearted shrug. It was no secret why he was looking at them like that. After all, their team pulled this exact same trick back in April!
That considered, Cedric wasn't done with his plans. From the safety of the boulder, he transfigured several rocks into the shape of dragon eggs. Then, when ready, he created a smokescreen and sped off to the clutch of eggs near the dragon's front legs. The dragon shuffled nervously at the unknown smoke, and in that movement Cedric missed his chance, zipping directly in front of the dragon and getting scratched in the process. In all of that commotion, however, a pair of eggs rolled out from the smokescreen and away from the mother. The dragon mother moved in a panic, leaning forward to pull the eggs back towards her.
That's when Cedric made his move! He sped around from behind and underneath the dragon, not appearing again until he popped out through a puff of smokescreen with the golden egg in hand, leaving behind the clutch of true eggs still in the same number as they always were.
"Oh thank fuck!" Melissa collapsed with relief. No one told her off for swearing, as they all felt much the same with relief for their friend.
"Spectacular flying!" Bagman cheered as Cedric flew out of the enclosure. "And now the marks from the judges!"
The seven judges lifted their wands one by one, with a ribbon of light displaying their scores out of ten.
Murphy - 8
Maxime - 7
Wilkins - 8
Dumbledore - 9
Bagman - 10
Karkaroff - 4
Thoreau - 9
Total: 55
The crowd booed at the sight of Karkaroff's 4, though Melissa found herself only mildly annoyed by it. After all, with seven judges in total, his biassed scoring barely held any sway.
"One down, three to go!" Bagman shouted as the whistle blew again. "Miss Delacour, if you please!"
For the next thirty minutes they had to watch their new, foreign classmates avoid the jaws of death. Fleur's take on it seemed almost easy. She found a way to entrance her green dragon, and snatch the egg as it slept with nary a scratch. Krum, on the other hand, went about his task with a violent approach. He hit his dragon with a conjunctivitis curse, causing untold destruction on the innocent eggs while he got away with the golden prize. He scored poorly for that result, giving him a total of 52, while Fleur in-contrast beat out the rest with 56 points.
"Just Potter left now," said Adrian. "You know what he's planning?"
"I imagine it won't be much different from Ced's, to be honest," Melissa answered. They watched as the next dragon was brought out. A massive black beast with unfurling rage and a wicked-spiked tail. A part of her feared deeply for Harry in that moment; but she prayed for the canon gods to be on their side and let him make it through this alive.
The whistle blew, and she watched with bated breath as Harry walked into the dragon enclosure. He didn't look nervous at the sight of the massive dragon. On the contrary, he seemed rather confident.
But… I don't sense the hallows on him. Weird. What's he playing at?
He raised his wand high. "Accio gyroscope!"
Oh, it's in a bundle. That explains it.
Out from the stands, of all places, an opaque ball about the size of a beach ball flew out to Harry's waiting hands. He popped the ball open, muttering something to himself in the process. He pulled a multi-pouched belt out from the ball and fastened it around his waist. She could sense each hallow somewhere within the pouches, but many other mysteries were hidden among them.
Now prepared for the task (thank small mercies this dragon was more cautious than the grey one), Harry readied his wand again, casting intricate movements before tapping his own back with a call of, "Draconic wings!"
What?
The sound of tearing cloth ripped from the enclosure, as a pair of small, dragon-like wings emerged from Harry's back! The crowd gasped in awe and fright. They watched as the wings unfurled, gleaming with forest green scales, then flattened wide as Harry bowed low towards the dragon.
"Greetings, lady dragon, wisest and most powerful of great beasts. I have come to protect you from a danger against your nest."
Okay-
First of all: WHAT
Secondly: THE FUCK?!
The dragon gave a snort and a rumbling growl; and it took every speck of Harry's willpower to stay in his bowed position. "What did she say?" He whispered to Azerwal. Please don't tell me that that was laughter I just heard.
The invisible snake hissed at his shoulder. "She thinks you are funny and stupid to think a dragon needs protection."
Fuck! "I mean no disrespect, lady dragon. I mean that there is a cuckoo in your nest."
With a snort the dragon breathed fire all around her clutch of eggs. With it came a series of growls that… he could almost swear he heard the words "no birds".
"She says there are no birds or bird eggs in her nest."
Yeah, I can tell that!
"Is he- is he talking to a dragon?!" Sierra asked. She practically pounced on Melissa with this realization. "Can you talk to a dragon?! What's it saying?!"
"I- I have no fucking clue?!" Honestly, Melissa was just downright amazed that this is happening right now. "Someone grab the Twins. Ask them if either of them can understand what that dragon is saying!"
"Human expressions- fuck." Harry took a deep breath. "I mean that… while you were asleep, the humans placed a false egg among your clutch. The humans are using your powerful flames to make this egg hatch. Check over your clutch if you don't believe me. You can see that one is not like the others."
The black dragon drew its neck back, keeping one eye on Harry while sniffing through the clutch. She eventually came upon the golden egg, giving it a slow inspection. Aghilas must not be there yet. Good thing I told him to wait for my signal.
The dragon acknowledged his claim, though more was said beyond that. "She admits that it's different, but she says she can be its mother. A dragon is a dragon. If the hatchling is weak, it will die; if not, she will raise it to be strong."
Damn it! "What can I offer you in exchange for the false egg?"
"They say they think they can hear a couple words," Sierra reported, "but it's mostly just gibberish. We can ask Justin-"
"Yeah, yeah, we can talk about this later!" Melissa waved her off frantically. "Harry's trying to fuckin' haggle with the dragon!"
"What can a human offer a dragon?" Azerwal repeated.
What, indeed. Harry considered the information he read on dragons, and of Salazar Slytherin's interactions with them. There were some tricks he used to impress them. Maybe they could work as gifts? …Too bad he doesn't have gold or gems to entice her.
"If I may…" Harry stood from his bow, wings adjusting as he walked closer to the dragon. The mother made no move against him, for which he was eternally grateful. Once he felt close enough, he transfigured some soil into a large disk of stone and further cast, "Sun stone."
The stone shimmered to blackness, showing that the spell took hold. "This stone will take more of your heat than other stones. It will be useful in keeping your eggs and hatchlings warm. You can test it and see for yourself."
With a scurry, Harry moved away from the disk as the dragon did just that. The audience gasped as the dragon breathed fire near where Harry had just been. The disk grew red from the heat. When the flames ended, a molten redness remained. With her long neck, the dragon reached forward and touched her face against the stone.
"She's pleased," Azerwal commented. A purring rumble came from the dragon, and he added, "She wants to know what else you can give her."
She wants more?! Ugh, fine-! His wings fluttered in a patterned formation, sending out a signal to Aghilas. Time for Plan B: Keep her distracted!
The audience watched on in impressed murmurs.
"Pretty sure that's one of the twin's inventions," Sierra noted as a sudden tornado emerged from the object Harry launched across the enclosure.
"Yeah, looks like it," said Corin.
Moments later, the enclosure was met with an explosion of darkness. "Ohh, the shade grenade!" Melissa cried. "That's a good one!"
"Wait," Willamina called out, "what's happening with the egg?!"
Others swivelled at her question to the dragon herself. Between her legs, the golden egg was… hovering? Moving? By itself? It was going slowly behind her front leg and away from her view.
"He's moving it with wandless magic!"
"Nonverbal casting too!"
"While distracting the dragon!"
Everyone was chattering with excitement as the egg slunk away, moving through crevices in the enclosure until it was behind the boulder near the entrance, completely out of the dragon's sight.
"These gifts are yours to keep." Harry promised. "Think about my offer tonight, and tomorrow I will return and ask again."
"And bring more gifts."
Geez, dragons are greedy- "Yes, I will bring more gifts." He bowed again to the dragon, then made his way towards the gyroscope he had left near the boulder. He bent low to pick it up, waiting as Aghilas flew over with the egg in tow. He snatched it quickly, stuffing it into the gyroscope along with the invisible snakes. Then, easy as a summer evening, he strolled out of the enclosure with the ball and prize in hand.
"Holy shit, he got away with it!"
"She wasn't suspicious?!"
Melissa, who had been too busy laughing, caught enough breath to explain what just happened. "He stopped asking for the egg! He stopped asking, so she stopped checking on it! Told her he'd come back tomorrow to ask again, and she believed him! HA! That was genius!"
"Merlin!" Adrian shook his head. "That kid is something else!"
Back at the judges table, Bagman continued to look on in shock. "That was… unbelievable. Remarkable! Simply Spectacular!"
The dragon was shuffled out of the enclosure with her eggs, giving Harry the safety to return and receive his scores.
Murphy - 9
Maxime - 9
Wilkins - 10
Dumbledore - 10
Bagman - 10
Karkaroff - 6
Thoreau - 8
Total: 62
"That's more than the others!" Sierra exclaimed.
"Holy fuck, he's in the lead!" Melissa said with a grin.
"Ten whole points over Krum," Amy noted. After a beat she added, "Karkaroff looks pissed."
He did, indeed. The man was downright seething from the looks of it. "Yeah. I'm half-surprised he gave Harry a 6, though. You'd think with all his bullshit with Cedric and Delacour, he'd rank Harry low, too."
"True, but with all of those rumours about Karkaroff being a, you know," Amy grimaced mutely, "he probably doesn't hold much against Potter for using parseltongue."
Corin then spoke up, "Not that it would matter anyways. He could have given Potter a zero and he'd still be in first place, just tied with Fleur."
They paused for a minute to consider the arithmetic. "Hot damn," Melissa murmured, "he's right." A fourteen year old just outpaced three seventeen year old Champions by a full judge vote. That is… pretty goddamn insane.
"The Boy-Who-Lived…" Adrian said with awe, "Master of De-" Adrian paused, jostled slightly by Rusalka, "Defying the Odds. Imagine what he'll pull off for the other tasks?"
"Whatever he does," Melissa said with a nod, "one thing's for sure, it'll be a spectacular show!"
Author's Commentary: That's the first task done, woo!
You know, in hindsight, Charlie and the other dragonologists would probably clamour to learn some of those parseltongue spells. Think I should add that in somewhere?