The Switch (pjo/hp)

Chapter 11: The First Task

Percy felt sick.

Why was he here?

He didn't agree to this.

All these panicked thoughts suddenly popped up in his mind as he paced the Champions' tent. Fear and anxiety flooded Percy, as he nervously glanced at the other Champions. They all knew what the first task was, but that didn't stop their feeling of fear.

He was wearing a red uniform, to represent Gryffindor. Cedric wore a similar uniform, except his was yellow to represent Hufflepuff. Fluer was dressed in some baby blue silk uniform, which Percy thought to be hard to fight in. Krum wore a red uniform as well, with a different design from Percy.

As he passed the walls of the tent, he heard a 'psst!' and looked around. No one was there, but they were probably behind the wall. He pressed his ear against the wall. "Is anyone there?" He whispered shakily - he was still shaking from the fear of the task, not whoever was behind this tent.

"Percy, it's me, Hermione," Hermione whispered back urgently.

"What do you want?" Percy snarled. "Come to dispirit me? I'm already maxed out on that, thank you very much."

"Percy, no. I came to apologize for not believing you," she said, and Percy froze in shock for a second, not sure whether to believe it or not. "Ron still thinks you did it, but I saw what you're facing. There's no way you intentionally signed up for this. I'm sorry!"

"Hermione, it's okay," Percy said, deciding to forgive her for now.

"It's dragons, Percy," she frantically muttered.

"I know that."

"Are you prepared?"

"Yeah, don't worry," Percy assured her, "I have a plan."

"Oh, Percy, be careful," she said worriedly, as she entered the tent and hugged him. Percy was thankful that he got his friend back. Hermione didn't know it, but she just boosted his courage and gave him something to fight for.

KA-CHICK!

Percy and Hermione jumped, taken by surprise as Rita Skeeter (insert gag) entered the room with her cameraman.

"Ah, young love," she sighed. Her floating green quill was writing on a piece of parchment. Oh, how Percy hated her - and by the look Hermione was giving her, so did she.

Rita opened her mouth and was probably going to start one of her ridiculous interviews (why does she even interview people if she's going to lie and change everything?) When Krum interrupted her.

"What are you doing here?" He inquired with a heavy accent. "This tent is for Champions only."

"Mr.Krum is right, Rita," Dumbledor said as he entered the room, followed closely by Karkarof, Maxime, Bagman, and Crouch. "You have no business here."

Rita left in a hurry, dragging her cameraman along with her. The other Champions gathered by everyone who just entered, anxious.

"Alright, so you all know that you are only allowed your wands," Bagman started with a grin. "Now, to figure out what your first task will be, put your hand in here and pull out one of the items." He indicated to a bag.

"Ms.Granger, what are you doing here?" Dumbledor asked as he noticed Hermione.

"Sorry, sir. I'll leave now," she said quickly. She wished Percy good luck one last time, telling him that Draco wished him luck too.

"What you pull out will also have a number on it," Bagman continued. "Let's start, shall we?"

He went over to Krum. "We'll start from the oldest, going down." Krum reached in, searching around for a few moments, until he pulled out a small figure of a dragon with the number three on it.