Go Lightly ━ Harry Potter (1)

ix. Blow 'Em Away!

       Holly knows she shouldn't, but if she needs Susannah, then she needs Susannah. She's up against three people three years older than her, and someone that's had countless run-ins with evil villains, both wizards and creatures. She's merely using her resources, just like they're using theirs — three years' worth of lessons, ones that she hasn't been taught yet, experiences of mishaps against trolls and basilisks.

      Back in the centre of the room, Holly sees Bagman hold onto the bag again. He tells them to go back to him so they can all pick their creature. They all know it's going to be a dragon. It seems silly that Fleur and Viktor don't know that the rest of them do. Earlier this morning Holly passed Cedric on her way to her lesson, and he spoke to her quickly, making a little comment about dragons. (She's made a friend!)

       "Ladies first," says Bagman. Holly nods at Fleur, gesturing for her to go first. She's being polite... She also doesn't want to go first, but no one needs to know that.

       Fleur picks out a little model of a Welsh Green dragon. As the model sits in her hand, Holly sees Susannah appear, a huge smile on her face. Obviously, Susannah's excited. She's a muggle, she's never seen a dragon before — and, knowing Susannah, she's probably excited for the possibility of death.

      Bagman then offers the purple bag to Holly. She draws out a model of a dragon with copper scales, the candles around the room reflecting off of them. "A Peruvian vipertooth!" says Bagman, in the same way he excitedly exclaimed Fleur's dragon. The number five sits around the dragon's neck.

       Susannah gives Holly a look, but Holly shakes her head. She knows about this one.

       The boys all choose a dragon from the bag, holding it carefully in their hand. At one point, Holly starts to pet the little dragon, as if it's the same as a little chick at those farms she'd go to on school trips in primary school. But she can't help it. It's a tiny dragon! This is wonderful!

       "Well, there you are!" says Bagman. "You have each pulled out the dragon you will face, and the numbers refer to the order in which you are to take on the dragons, do you see? Now, I'm going to have to leave you in a moment, because I'm commentating." Susannah reappears. Holly continues to stroke her new friend, the little dragon. She hopes they don't want the dragons back, because she's keeping hers. "Mr Diggory, you're first, just go out into the enclosure when you hear a whistle, all right? Now... Harry, Holly... could I have a quick word? Outside?"

       Holly nods, still holding onto her new little friend as she walks out of the tent, along with Bagman and Harry. At one point she exchanges a look with Harry, who still, doesn't feel entirely like a friend, more like a person she keeps on being around, and most of those events include them both thinking, what's going on?

       "Feeling all right?" says Bagman, once they've reached some trees near the tent. "Anything I can get you?"

       "What?" says Harry. "I — no, nothing."

       Bagman looks at Holly, who shakes her head.

       "Got a plan?" says Bagman. He speaks a lot more quietly for this. If anything, this is an insult to Holly. Of course she's got a plan! "Because I don't mind sharing a few pointers, if you'd like them, you know. I mean, you're the underdogs here, anything I can do to help..."

       "No," says Harry. He sounds standoffish. Which makes complete sense. If Holly's annoyed that he thinks they need help, of course he's going to. "No — I — I know what I'm going to do, thanks."

       Bagman smiles at them. "Nobody would know—"

       "You seem to be forgetting that we were still picked to be in this tournament, by the same object that chose the older champions," says Holly, cutting him off. She glances at Harry, who looks surprised, and she turns back to Bagman, who's eyes have widened slightly. "If anything, I'd say it's an insult to both me and Harry that you think we need any help — because we both do not, thank you very much. Come on, Potter." I've got a task to win.