THE gift From Death Year 4

Chapter 30: Fourth year Part 18

Right what happened is I was telling Cedric about the dragons when Moody showed up and took me to his office. In the office he told me to play to my strengths against my dragon." Harry started.

"He helped you and knew that you knew about the dragons?" Ginny asked.

"Yes he did. He let me figure out that my main strength is flying." Harry grinned.

"So I helped Harry work on the Summoning Charm so he could summon his Firebolt for the task." Hermione explained. "We spent a whole night on it and after a few hours he got it."

"Which was a good idea." George grinned.

"Very good." Harry agreed, "Anyway this is the day of the task before it starts." he said as the memory started.

Harry had been focusing so hard on learning the Summoning Charm that evening that some of his blind panic had left him. It returned in full measure, however, on the following morning. The atmosphere in the school was one of great tension and excitement. Lessons were to stop at midday, giving all the students time to get down to the dragons' enclosure - though of course, they didn't yet know what they would find there.

Harry felt oddly separate from everyone around him, whether they were wishing him good luck or hissing "We'll have a box of tissues ready, Potter" as he passed.

"Which didn't help." Harry glared at Draco.

"Hey! It wasn't just me." he protested.

"You still didn't help."

"Fair enough."

It was a state of nervousness so advanced that he wondered whether he mightn't just lose his head when they tried to lead him out to his dragon, and start trying to curse everyone in sight. Time was behaving in a more peculiar fashion than ever, rushing past in great dollops, so that one moment he seemed to be sitting down in his first lesson, History of Magic, and the next, walking into lunch... and then (where had the morning gone? the last of the dragon-free hours?), Professor McGonagall was hurrying over to him in the Great Hall. Lots of people were watching.

"Potter, the champions have to come down onto the grounds now... You have to get ready for your first task."

"Okay," said Harry, standing up, his fork falling onto his plate with a clatter.

"Good luck, Harry," Hermione whispered. "You'll be fine!"

Lily glared at Ron, "You should have wished him luck too."

"I wasnt there." Ron frowned, "I was talking to Charlie."

Charlie nodded, "He was." he confirmed.

"Yeah," said Harry in a voice that was most unlike his own.

He left the Great Hall with Professor McGonagall. She didn't seem herself either; in fact, she looked nearly as anxious as Hermione. As she walked him down the stone steps and out into the cold November afternoon, she put her hand on his shoulder.

"Now, don't panic," she said, "just keep a cool head... We've got wizards standing by to control the situation if it gets out of hand... The main thing is just to do your best, and nobody will think any the worse of you..."