The Potions Master's Daughter (Book Three)

Chapter 20

The tent was much darker than it was outside. I had to blink a couple times to adjust to the light. There was a dragon right in front of me. It was staring at me before snapping its neck out to try to bite me.

Sticking to my original plan I went invisible before conjuring a fairly realistic hologram of myself. I put a spell around me so I wouldn't even smell like anything and put my smell onto my hologram. I sent the hologram running in the other direction and hoped that the dragon would fall for it. It did. It took off after my hologram as I sent it as far away from the egg as I could. I picked up the egg in my hand before walking out of the nest entirely just to be sure before making myself visible again and getting rid of the hologram.

The crowd looked stunned before erupting in applause. It had taken me less than two minutes to get my egg and most of that time I had spent adjusting to the light. I held the egg above my head and raised it high before walking over to the judges table where the Headmasters and other champions were sitting. Severus was sitting in the teacher's stands. I shot him a look and a small smile which he returned with an inclined head and a very faint smile.

A canon went off as I took my seat. Harry came out into the open and also looked dazed by the sun for a few moments. Then he took out his wand and muttered something. I knew he had summoned his Firebolt but it would take at least a minute to get here. Harry had to avoid the dragon for a minute on his own. The dragon reached out and was able to graze his arm before he rolled off to the side and hid behind a rock. He started running around as he shot spell after spell at the dragon. The dragon managed to get him pretty badly a couple times before his Firebolt finally arrived.

"Brilliant," Krum muttered next to me.

Harry immediately mounted the broom and took off high into the air away from the Hungarian Horntail. He darted around in the sky trying to draw the dragon away from the egg. He continued this way for another 15 minutes before he must've seen the perfect opportunity. He spiraled through the air towards the egg and grabbed it. As he was flying away the dragon's tail was able to slap him down but he managed to stay on his broom. He flew a safe distance away from his dragon before dismounting. In the end it took him 20 minutes to get his egg so he was about tied with Krum. The medical staff fixed all his burns and cuts up quickly.

As the last dragon was taken back into its cage Barty Crouch got up and announced to the crowd, "Very well done to all of our competitors. I think we need a few moments to get each of your scores."

Harry came and sat with all of us, "That was a very smart idea," Viktor told him, "I wish I had thought of it."

Harry smiled, "Yeah I bet you could've pulled it off even better than I had. What did you end up doing?"

He grimaced, "I tried to tie its mouth shut and just put up a shield and then I ran. I got pretty bruised up but the medical staff already fixed them. I figured facing it head on would be best but I think Jessica had the best plan. You were amazing, it only took you a few minutes."

I smiled, "It's just a battle strategy. Always send a decoy and then attack where they don't expect."

We made small talk for a couple more minutes before Barty Crouch got back up and said, "Ahem attention please. Here are the competitors' scores. Each of the 5 people on the judging committee, myself another official in my department and the three school's Headmasters  gave a score out of 10 which were added up to form your final score. Currently in fourth place with a score of 36 points is Miss Fleur Delacour."

Fleur looked like she was expecting this so she stood up and blew kisses at some people in the stands that were obviously her family. The little girl looked exactly like her and the woman had the same face as her daughter.

"Currently in third place with 39 points is Mr. Harry Potter," Mr. Crouch announced although he sounded upset.

Harry stood up as everyone cheered for him. Even the Hogwarts students that were previously annoyed at both of us were cheering for him.

"In second place just ahead of Mr. Potter with 40 points is Mr. Viktor Krum," Crouch announced.

"And first place for the first task goes to Miss Jessica Wallwirt with a score of 46 points total."

The crowd was half clapping and half booing. At first I thought they were booing me but I realized they were booing my score.

"She deserves 50!" screamed the Weasley twins.

I looked up at the judging panel and Dumbledore shrugged apologetically. I figured the other two Headmasters must've taken off points for no reason just because they could. Then couldn't take off too many without looking like it was obvious favoritism but two points wouldn't look too suspicious and they could get away with two. I didn't care as much as everyone thought I should. I wanted to win but I was more concerned about why I was competing in the first place to worry about winning.

After the first task we all had to take some more pictures together and were forced to answer a few more questions. Finally the Headmasters rather rudely took Fleur and Viktor away. Dumbledore allowed Harry and me to leave then too. Our friends had already left the stadium and were probably already back at the school.

Harry and I walked back to the castle together making friendly chitchat.

At the door I said, "I'm going to go talk to dad, I'll be right up to the common room in a little bit."

He nodded, "Okay well have fun and really good job Jessica."

I patted him on the back, "You too. No one died and you're practically tied for second. I count today as a win."