Emma Potter

100: Moody's Advice

Harry told me and Hermione what Sirius had said. 

"Let's just try and keep you alive until Tuesday evening," Hermione saiddesperately, "and then we can worry about Karkaroff." 

We walked three times around the lake, trying all the way tothink of a simple spell that would subdue a dragon. Nothing whatsoever occurred to them, so they retired to the library instead.Here, Harry pulled down every book he could find on dragons,and both of them set to work searching through the large pile.

 " 'Talon-clipping by charms . . . treating scale-rot . . .' This is nogood, this is for nutters like Hagrid who want to keep themhealthy. . . ."

 " 'Dragons are extremely difficult to slay, owing to the ancient magicthat imbues their thick hides, which none but the most powerful spellscan penetrate . . .' But Sirius said a simple one would do it. . . ."

 "Let's try some simple spellbooks, then," said Harry, throwingaside Men Who Love Dragons Too Much.He returned to the table with a pile of spellbooks, set themdown, and began to flick through each in turn, Hermione whispering nonstop at his elbow. 

"Well, there are Switching Spells . . . but what's the point ofSwitching it? Unless you swapped its fangs for wine-gums or something that would make it less dangerous. . . . The trouble is, likethat book said, not much is going to get through a dragon'shide. . . . I'd say Transfigure it, but something that big, you reallyhaven't got a hope, I doubt even Professor McGonagall . . . unlessyou're supposed to put the spell on yourself ? Maybe to give yourselfextra powers? But they're not simple spells, I mean, we haven't doneany of those in class, I only know about them because I've been doing O.W.L. practice papers. . . ."

 "Hermione," Harry said, through gritted teeth, "will you shutup for a bit, please? I'm trying to concentrate."

 But all that happened, when Hermione fell silent, was that my brain filled with a sort of blank buzzing, which didn't seemto allow room for concentration. He stared hopelessly down the index of Basic Hexes for the Busy and Vexed. Instant scalping . . . butdragons had no hair . . . pepper breath . . . that would probably increase a dragon's firepower . . . horn tongue . . . just what Harry needed, to give it an extra weapon . . . I had never been this uninterested in a book in my life.

"Oh no, he's back again, why can't he read on his stupid ship?"said Hermione irritably as Viktor Krum slouched in, cast a surlylook over at the three of us, and settled himself in a distant corner with a pile of books.

 "Come on, Harry, we'll go back to thecommon room . . . his fan club'll be here in a moment, twitteringaway. . . .Emma you can--" 

And sure enough, as they left the library, a gang of girls tiptoedpast us, one of them wearing a Bulgaria scarf tied around herwaist. 

"Oh good God." I groaned

The next day me and Harry were late for Care of Magical Creatures when we saw Cedric Diggory with his friends. Harry stopped me. He followed Cedric at a distanceand saw that he was heading toward the Charms corridor. This seemed give Harry an idea. Pausing at a distance from them, he pulled outhis wand, and took careful aim. 

"Diffindo!" 

"Harry--"

Cedric's bag split. Parchment, quills, and books spilled out of itonto the floor. Several bottles of ink smashed. 

"Don't bother," said Cedric in an exasperated voice as his friendsbent down to help him. "Tell Flitwick I'm coming, go on. . . ." 

This was exactly what Harry seemed to be hoping for. He slipped hiswand back into his robes, waited until Cedric's friends had disappeared into their classroom, and hurried up the corridor, whichwas now empty of everyone but ourselves and Cedric.