Natsu Dragneel and the Goblet of Fire

The House Elf Liberation Front

Natsu, Gray, and Lucy went up to the Owlery that evening to find Pigwidgeon, so that Natsu could send Weiss a letter telling him that he had managed to get past his dragon unscathed.

On the way, Natsu filled Gray in on everything Weiss had told him about Karkaroff. Though shocked at first to hear that Karkaroff had been a Death Eater, by the time they entered the Owlery Gray was saying that they ought to have suspected it all along.

"Fits, doesn't it?" he said. "Remember what Minerva said on the train, about his dad being friends with Karkaroff? Now we know where they knew each other. They were probably running around in masks together at the World Cup... I'll tell you one thing, though, Natsu, if it was Karkaroff who put your name in the goblet, he's going to be feeling really stupid now, isn't he? Didn't work, did it? You only got a scratch! Come here - I'll do it -"

Pigwidgeon was so overexcited at the idea of a delivery he was flying around and around Natsu's head, hooting incessantly. Gray snatched Pigwidgeon out of the air and held him still while Natsu attached the letter to his leg.

"There's no way any of the other tasks are going to be that dangerous, how could they be?"

Gray went on as he carried Pigwidgeon to the window. "You know what? I reckon you could win this tournament, Natsu, I'm serious."

Natsu knew that Gray was only saying this to make up for his behavior of the last few weeks, but he appreciated it all the same. Lucy, however, leaned against the Owlery wall, folded her arms, and frowned at Gray.

"Natsu's got a long way to go before he finishes this tournament," she said seriously. "If that was the first task, I hate to think what's coming next."

"Right little ray of sunshine, aren't you?" said Gray. "You and Professor Conbolt should get together sometime."

He threw Pigwidgeon out of the window. Pigwidgeon plummeted twelve feet before managing to pull himself back up again; the letter attached to his leg was much longer and heavier than usual - Natsu hadn't been able to resist giving Weiss a blow-by-blow account of exactly how he had swerved, circled, and dodged the Horntail.

They watched Pigwidgeon disappear into the darkness, and then Gray said, "Well, we'd better get downstairs for your surprise party, Natsu - Gajeel and Juvia should have nicked enough food from the kitchens by now."

Sure enough, when they entered the Gryffindor common room it exploded with cheers and yells again. There were mountains of cakes and flagons of pumpkin juice and butterbeer on every surface; Erza had let off some Filibuster's Fireworks, so that the air was thick with stars and sparks; and Loke, who was very good at drawing, had put up some impressive new banners, most of which depicted Natsu zooming around the Horntail's head on his Firebolt, though a couple showed Simon with his head on fire.

Natsu helped himself to food; he had almost forgotten what it was like to feel properly hungry, and sat down with Gray and Lucy. He couldn't believe how happy he felt; he had Gray, Sting, and Rogue back on his side, he'd gotten through the first task, and he wouldn't have to face the second one for three months.

"Man, this is heavy," said Elfman, picking up the golden egg, which Natsu had left on a table, and weighing it in his hands. "Open it, Natsu, go on! Let's just see what's inside it!"

"He's supposed to work out the clue on his own," Lucy said swiftly. "It's in the tournament rules..."

"I was supposed to work out how to get past the dragon on my own too," Natsu muttered, so only Lucy could hear him, and she grinned rather guiltily.

"Yeah, go on, Natsu, open it!" several people echoed.

Elfman passed Natsu the egg, and Natsu dug his fingernails into the groove that ran all the way around it and prised it open. It was hollow and completely empty – but the moment Natsu opened it, the most horrible noise, a loud and screechy wailing, filled the room. The nearest thing to it Natsu had ever heard was the ghost orchestra at Nearly Headless Nick's deathday party, who had all been playing the musical saw.