the goblet - f.weasley

- c h a p t e r - s i x t e e n -

   Hermione did not react as well as Gemma and Harry had hoped.

   Her face went quite pale, and her only response was, "Let's just try and keep you alive until Tuesday evening, and then we can worry about Karkaroff."

   They then continued to walk around the lake like three times, brainstorming ideas to subdue a dragon.

   Nothing.

   None of them could think of anything.

   So, they turned to the library and all of the knowledge that it held in its books.

   "Talon-clipping by charms...treating scale-rot. . .' This is no good, this is for nutters like Hagrid who want to keep them healthy..." Harry muttered as he slammed a book shut, earning harsh looks from people around them.

   "Dragons are extremely difficult to slay, owing to the ancient magic that imbues their thick hides, which none but the most powerful spells can penetrate. . .' But Sirius said a simple one would do it..." Gemma sighed, reading through another passage.

   "Let's try some simple spellbooks, then..." Hermione suggested.

   They did what she suggested, only for her to think to herself in hushed tones, "Well, there are Switching Spells. . . but what's the point of Switching it? Unless you swapped its fangs for wine-gums or something that would make it less dangerous...The trouble is, like that book said, not much is going to get through a dragon's hide. . . . I'd say Transfigure it, but something that big, you really haven't got a hope, I doubt even Professor McGonagall. . . unless you're supposed to put the spell on yourself? Maybe to give yourself extra powers? But they're not simple spells, I mean, we haven't done any of those in class, I only know about them because Gem and I've been doing O.W.L. practice papers. . . ."

   "Hermione," Harry snapped at her through his gritted teeth. "Will you shut up for a bit, please? I'm trying to concentrate."

   Gemma pinched his arm, giving him a hard look, "Be nice or you can figure this out by yourself, got it, Potter?"

   He rolled his eyes but turned back to his book without another mean word.

   Hermione gave Gemma a weak smile of thanks before also turning silently to the books in front of her.

   The pink-haired girl was about to drop her eyes to the spellbooks splayed out in front of her when Viktor Krum's figure stalked by their table, "What's Mr. Grumpy-Pants doing here?"

   Hermione's head snapped up, and she frowned, "Oh no, he's back again, why can't he read on his stupid ship? Come on, Harry, Gem, we'll go back to the common room. . . his fan club'll be here in a moment, twittering away..."

   They abandoned the library, all three of them rolling their eyes at the sight of a group of giggling girls rushing into the room, probably looking for the champion.

   Harry did not attend dinner, too tired and anxious to eat anything, leaving Gemma and Hermione to get some food by themselves.

   "I'm worried about Harry..." Hermione murmured to her. "He and Ron also need to get over themselves and be friends again."

   "Tell me about it..." Gemma sighed. "Harry has been almost incorrigible."

   "Ron doesn't seem to hate you as much right now, though...At least that's what Ginny said."

   Gemma shrugged, "Oh well. If I have to be a villain in someone's stories to make sure people survive, then so may be."

   Hermione snickered a little when they entered the Great Hall, and her gasp made Gemma jump, "Gem, look at all the colours!"