Splintered Heart ♱ Remus Lupin

𝖝𝖎𝖝. the first task

He plummeted just as the Horntail opened its mouth, but this time he was less lucky — he missed the flames, but the tail came whipping up to meet him instead, and as he swerved to the left, one of the long spikes grazed his shoulder, ripping his robes — 

The crowd screamed and groaned as he zoomed around the back of the Horntail. She writhed and twisted, furling and unfurling her wings, too protective of her eggs.

Harry began to fly, first this way, then the other, not near enough to make her breathe fire to stave him off, but still posing a sufficient threat to ensure she kept her eyes on him. Her head swayed this way and that, watching him out of those vertical pupils, her fangs bared . . . 

He flew higher, causing the dragon's head to rise with him her neck now stretched to its fullest extent, still swaying, like a snake before its charmer. He rose a few more feet and she let out a roar of exasperation. He was like a fly to her, a fly she was longing to swat; her tail thrashed again, but he was too high to reach now . . . she shot fire into the air, which he dodged . . . her jaws opened wide . . .

And then she reared, spreading her great, black, leathery wing sat last, as wide as those of a small airplane — and Harry dived.Before the dragon knew what he had done, or where he had disappeared to, he was speeding toward the ground as fast as he could go, toward the eggs now unprotected by her clawed front legs —he had taken his hands off his Firebolt — he had seized the golden egg —

And with a huge spurt of speed, he was off, he was soaring out over the stands, the heavy egg safely under his uninjured arm.

The crowd was screaming and applauding as loudly as the Irish supporters at the Quidditch World Cup.

''Look at that!'' Bagman cried. ''Will you look at that! Our youngest champion is quickest to get his egg! Well, this is going toshorten the odds on Mr Potter!'' 

The dragon keepers rushed forward to subdue the dragon, whilst over at the entrance, Professor McGonagall, Professor Moody, Hagrid, and Evangeline hurried to meet him.

''That was excellent, Potter!'' Professor McGonagall congratulated, before shakily pointing at his shoulder. ''You'll need to see Madam Pomfrey before the judges give out your score . . . over there, she's had to mop up Diggory already . . . ''

''Yeh did it, Harry!'' Hagrid said hoarsely. ''Yeh did it! An' agains' the Horntail an' all, an' yeh know Charlie said that was the wors'—''

''Thanks, Hagrid.''

''Congratulations, Harry!'' Evangeline squealed, giving him a one-armed hug. If he had to pick, she was definitely one of his favourite professors at Hogwarts; she was kind to all who deserved it, and even took fifty points from her own house when Malfoy was being a toad. ''You flied beautifully, it was admirable, really.''

Harry smiled, returning her gesture. ''Thank you, Professor Rosier.''

''Nice and easy does the trick, Potter,'' Professor Moody growled, although his magical eye was dancing in its socket.

Evangeline escorted him to the first aid tent, holding his hand whilst Madam Pomfrey cleaned his cuts and repaired his shoulder.

Two people came darting inside soon after — Hermione, followed closely by Ron.

''Harry, you were brilliant!'' Hermione said squeakily. There were fingernail marks on her face where she had been clutching it in fear. ''You were amazing! You really were!''

He ignored her praise, deciding to look at Ron,  who was very white and staring at Harry as though he were a ghost.

''Harry,'' he began seriously, ''Whoever put your name in that goblet — I — I reckon they're trying to do you in!''