Friendship on Fire (A Harry Potter Next Generation/Heart Scar series book)

The First Task

The First Task

            I woke up in the Gryffindor common room with my head buried into a book and the rest of me lying on the couch. My right hand was holding someone else’s and I lifted my head to see whose it was. My arm was off the couch and the hand I was holding was on the floor; attached to Max. My heart fluttered and a smiled crossed my face before I got serious and snatched my hand away from him. Luckily, he didn’t wake up and I sighed. The two of us had spent the rest of the day Monday researching everything that was remotely close to werewolves and then came back to the common room once we got kicked out of the library to do more preparing. But still, I wasn’t sure if Max was gonna be ok. We read everything there ever was made about werewolves but it didn’t help my feelings. I hated feeling like he was gonna get hurt or die but that’s all I could think about. It was hard to think about anything else.

            I sat up and looked down at the boy sleeping by me. He looked so peaceful and I knew that would change the second he woke up. I looked at the clock and it said it was six a.m. He didn’t have to be up until at least eight thirty so I would try to let him sleep longer; if that’d be possible with the other Gryffindors that would be coming through here at any minute. I grabbed the book that was just my makeshift pillow and closed it then put it with the others that were on the end table.

            “Good morning.” A perky Melinda said and leaned over the couch.

            I looked at her quickly and said, “Sh. Max is still asleep.”

            “You two stayed up researching, huh?” She asked as she climbed over the couch and sat by me.

            I nodded. “I don’t think we could know any more about werewolves. But I’m still worried about him.”

            “He’s gonna do great, Paige. He’s ready for this.”

            I nodded again and tears filled my eyes. “But what if something happens to him and he never knows how I feel.”

            “How you feel about what?” Max asked and sat up.

            Melinda and I both looked at him with wide eyes and I panicked. I quickly wiped tears away then said, “How I feel about olives.”

            “You hate them.” He yawned.

            “Right. I forgot you already knew.”

            He looked at me curiously. “Ok then. What time is it?”

            “Six fifteen.” Melinda answered.

            “We fell asleep here?”

            I nodded. “Yeah.”

            “And the first task is just hours away. I should get more sleep before.” He stood up. “See you at the task.”

            He started to walk away and I stood up. “Max?”

            “Yeah, Paige?” He turned and looked at me.

            “In case I don’t see you before you do the task, good luck.” My heart ached as I spoke.

            He smiled at me. “Thanks.” He touched my arm then walked away.

            We had classes all morning after breakfast but after lunch, we were all sent to the Quidditch stadium to watch the first task. My heart raced nervously as I walked with Fred, Melinda, Victoire, and Teddy and we made our way to our seats. The stadium was transformed into a forest looking arena and I could hear the snarls and growls of the werewolves somewhere inside. There was a potion vile displayed in the middle of it and I assumed that’s what the Champions were after. My seat was with the rest of everyone else’s who was cheering for Max including my family who weren’t in Hogwarts like my parents, Max’s parents, Jason, all four grandparents, and the rest of them. Harry and Fleur weren’t sitting with us, though. Since they were previous Champions themselves, they were sitting with the Minister, McGonagall, and anyone else with special treatment. Everyone was already cheering even though none of the current Champions were out in the arena yet and the Hogwarts band was playing. Jason came and stood by me and I hugged him tightly.

            “He’s gonna be ok, Paige.” He assured me.

            “I hope so.” I said and released him. “I’m sorry about what happened in Hogsmeade.”

            “It’s ok. You’re just trying to do whatever you can to get Max to love you.”

            I nodded. “Yeah but I’m still sorry.”

            “Me too.”

            “Ladies, gentlemen, students, family, and friends, welcome to the first task of the Triwizard Tournament!” McGonagall yelled and cheers broke out again.  “This task will require logic and bravery as the four Champions will face five werewolves.” My heart dropped. “First up is the Durmstrang Champion Brad Carson!”

            Cheers broke out and McGonagall took her seat as a horn blew. Brad stepped out into the arena and the snarls and growls from inside got worse and the werewolves appeared through the trees. It was obvious the Tournament Officials had them take the transformation potion I Read about. I wondered what Brad was gonna do, though, to get passed them and to the potion vile. And then I honestly didn’t care. I just wanted them to get to Max already so my nerves could quit.

            Brad got passed them by summoning his broom and he got the potion. The Officials then replaced the potion with another and Valentina’s name got called. Her technique was using her wand to use stunning spells on them and used some surprisingly good gymnastic moves and got the potion vile. Darren was up after they replaced the potion vile with a new one and he ended up using a couple Wolfsbane potions to keep the werewolves at bay and got the potion. The Officials replaced the potion with the last and then Max’s name got called.

            I could hear my heart beating in my ears as I watched Max walk to the arena. He was dressed in a red and gold suit which looked good on him but there would be time to focus on that later. Right now, he had to get passed the werewolves. I wondered what way we planned he was gonna use. There was Wolfsbane, stunning, broom riding, distracting, and then a charm that could turned them back into their human form but no one was sure if it’d actually work. I watched him start to walk towards the potion vile then the werewolves started coming out of the woods. I held my breath and he pulled out his wand.

            “Homorphus!” He yelled at one of the werewolves and it stopped in its tracks. It started screaming and soon it was back into its human form; a man with no clothes on. He instantly covered himself and some people started laughing.

            “It works.” I mumbled as I watched and saw a werewolf running towards him from behind. “Max! Behind you!” I screamed with everything I had and leaned over the guard rail since I was in the first row.

            He turned around and yelled the spell again. The same thing happened to this werewolf and the others when he hit them with the spell too. A grin crossed my face as he ran to the potion vile and grabbed it. I screamed happily and started climbing over the guard rail and my mum and Jason tried to stop me. It was too late, though.  I jumped down and ran over to Max. I wrapped him into a hug and he hugged me back just as tightly.

            “I told you I’d be fine.” He whispered in my ear.

            “And I’m glad you were right.” I whispered back and released him.

            That night, there was a huge party in the Gryffindor common room just for Max. Music was blasting and everyone was talking loudly and eating and having a good time. Max got pleas to drink the potion but he wanted to do it in private so he could think after. He was also gonna only take one drink so he could save it over time. After a couple hours, he went out to take his first drink and I waited patiently. Others started going to bed but I had to stay up and find out what he’d see from the potion. I needed to know what we were gonna be researching for the next couple weeks.

            I was almost asleep when he came back and he sat down by me on the couch. I looked at him and said, “So?”

            “Water.” He answered and looked into my eyes. “It has something to do with water.”

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