"So the first task is a dragon?" Luna asked me as I sat next to her near the edge of the forest.
"Yeah I've got to get some kind of egg from one." I said sitting on a rock and Luna leaned against it, her head resting gently on my leg.
"And all you can bring is you wand?" She asked me.
"Yep just my wand." I said. "Although I don't know much else that would help me anyway."
I say we just kill it and take the egg.
"And I feel you'll get penalized for harming the dragon." Luna commented.
"Probably yeah."
So basically they're trying to take all the fun out of it.
"Maybe you could set them free." Luna suggested.
That's a stupid idea, set the dragon free? What would that do?
"It would allow it a way to escape." I replied, not only to Luna but also to Tom. "But how would I get the egg I need? I doubt it would leave its eggs unprotected."
"You could levitate them away, that would entice the dragon to fly after them."
"Leaving the one I need alone on the ground." I finished for her.
"See now we've got a plan!" Luna said excitedly.
"Yeah. Now I just need to actually face the dragon." I said darkly.
"I'm sure you'll do great!" Luna said to me.
...
"Where's Harry?" I asked Hermione as I joined her in Herbology.
"He went to talk with Cedric I think." Hermione told me.
"What's he doing with that prat?" I asked her.
"I think he's going to tell him about the first task." She explained to me.
"What's he going to do that for?"
"Probably so it's fair, now all the champions know about it."
"Seems a bit dumb to me, he should take any advantage he can get." I said sounding annoyed. Harry was always playing the hero.
"Hermione, (Y/n)," Harry whispered, as he sped into greenhouse three minutes later, uttering a hurried apology to Sprout as he passed her. "I need you to help me."
"What d'you think I've been trying to do, Harry?" she whispered back, her eyes round with anxiety over the top of the quivering Flutterby Bush she was pruning.
"Hermione, I need to learn how to do a Summoning Charm properly by tomorrow afternoon."
"Good luck with that mate." I told him, I mean he was my friend, but really I had to deal with this dragon too and I wasn't going to waste my time helping him when I could be preparing myself.
And so while Harry and Hermione practiced summoning charms, I worked with Tom.
Come on (Y/n) you've got to work harder than this.
"I'm trying Tom but it's not as easy as it looks." I told him as I practiced sending objects flying across the room. "It'd be easier if someone was here sending them towards me."
Only problem with that is you're the only one with a body. How about letting me take on the dragon? I have much more magical ability than you.
"Yeah not gonna happen, so is there anything else that could be useful?" I asked Tom.
I could teach you to fly.
"Tom I'm on the quidditch team I know how to fly."
Without a broom thick head.
I snorted at this. "Yeah sure you can Tom."
Don't believe me? Give me control for a bit.
"Yeah right so you can go on a rampage and kill all the mudbloods in the school."
Trust me (Y/n), when have I led you astray.
I contemplated that for a second, and I couldn't deny he hadn't led me astray yet.
"Alright fine." I said relinquishing control of my own body. It was such a strange feeling, being in my own body and yet having no control over it at all.
"Oh how I miss having a body."
I felt my own mouth move outside of my control.
Alright let's see it then Tom.
"With pleasure." It felt as though the shadows in the room were closing in on my as they swirled around my body, engulfing it like a warm dark cloak.
I felt my body lift off the ground, as I fly across the room, completely unsupported before I touched back down on the ground across the room.
That was incredible!
"I know." Tom said. "I told you you could trust me."
So can you teach me that?
"Not before the trial tomorrow." He told me. "But eventually I can."
Thank you.
It a matter of seconds I once more hand control of my body.
"How'd you learn to do that?" I asked him.
I figured it out. It's not as hard as it seems.
"Well that's a project for another day." I said thinking of how I was going to deal with the dragon. "We've still got a lot of work to do today."
I continued to practice with Tom throughout the entire day, skipping divinations and only taking a short break to wolf down food that Luna had brought for me.
"Thanks Lunes" I said to her as I sat down one the floor next to her.
She smiled widely at me. "I didn't want you to miss out on food, you'll need your energy for tomorrow."
That's nice of her. A waste of her time, but hey if she wants to help us.
"Are you ready for tomorrow?" She asked me curiously.
I shrugged at this. I sure didn't feel ready, but then again there wasn't much more I could do.
"As much as I can be I guess." I replied to her, smiling weakly.
"I wish I could have done more to help you." Luna told her, slightly bitterly.
"Luna you've done loads to help me already!" I told her, pulling her into a side hug.
We remained like this for a while longer, much to Tom's protest, as he thought we were wasting time.
Tom and I stayed in the room late into the night, only getting interrupted once by Edgar, who we hid from behind a desk.
I still didn't trust him, and neither did Tom, even if wasn't Voldemort's son he was still hiding something.
Eventually, around two in the morning we were interrupted once more, this time by Moody.
"What are you doing here boy? It's late." He barked at me as he entered the room.
"We were just practice for tomorrow." I told him.
"Who?"
"What do you mean who?" I asked him looking around.
"You said 'we' were practicing, there's no one else here."
I hit my lip, had I really said we? I didn't even notice it.
"Err slip of the tongue."
"Well all the more reason to get to sleep boy, come on I'll walk you back."
I followed moody out of the classroom and through the deserted halls.
"Given anymore thought to how you're going to get the egg?"
"We thought we could release the dragon and send its eggs into the air, you know incentives it to leave the one we need unguarded."
"Not a bad plan, it's got a lot of moving pieces though, it'll be difficult to pull off, but it's better than nothing." Moody barked at me as we arrived outside the Slytherin common room. "And try to get some sleep boy."
"We'll try." I told him, not sounding very confident.
...
The next 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.
I mostly kept to myself, avoiding as many people as I could, while still attending lessons. Thankfully Luna stayed by my side through as much of it as she could, and even Tom was giving me words of encouragement.
I presumed it was mostly due to his life being tied to mine.
The morning sped by quicker than it had any right to, and before I knew it I was sitting in the Great Hall next to Luna, as Moody was hurrying over to me, his wooden leg clunking with every other step.
"Weasley, the champions have to come down onto the grounds. You have to get ready for your first task."
I just nodded, feeling as though I would throw up if I opened my mouth.
"You're going to do great (Y/n)." Luna said to me with a smile, I smiled weakly at her, pulling her into a quick, yet firm hug.
I followed Moody out of the Great Hall, stopping only briefly as Hermione ran up to wish me good look.
As we walked down the stone steps and out into the cold November afternoon, Moody put his gnarled hand onto my shoulder.
"Now, don't panic," he said to me, in what I could only assume was meant to be a soft tone, although it was anything but that, "just keep a cool head, don't do anything stupid, Constant Vigilance! Don't let yourself get killed because you weren't paying attention."
I nodded at this. "Thanks Moody."
"And don't try anything rash, the killing curse wouldn't even work on a dragon, their hides are too thick, I doubt even the Dark Lord himself could take down a full grown dragon with a single killing curse."
I easily could. Well it might take two at the most.
I followed Moody across the grounds towards the edge of the forest where a tent had been erected, its entrance facing us, screening the dragons from view.
"In you go boy." Moody said giving me a rough push into the entrance of the tent. "And remember, Constant Vigilance!"
"Thanks Moody." I said to him absentmindedly, as I fully entered the tent.
Inside I found that Fleur Delacour was sitting in a corner on a low wooden stool. She didn't look nearly as composed as usual, but rather pale and clammy. Viktor Krum looked even surlier than usual, which I suppose is how he expressed emotions. Cedric was pacing up and down, and Harry was alone in the corner, looking not unlike a deer in headlights, his face much paler than ever.
Cedric gave me a small smile, which I returned with a curt nod, Krum simply glared at me, Fleur didn't seem to notice I had entered, and Harry was watching me intently, clearly seeing if I felt as nervous as he did.
"Ah (Y/n) there you are!" said Bagman happily, looking around at me. "Come in, come in, make yourself at home!"
Bagman looked somehow like a slightly overblown cartoon figure, standing amid all the pale-faced champions. He was wearing his old Wasp robes again.
He really needs to get some bigger clothes.
"Well, now we're all here — time to fill you in!" said Bagman brightly. "When the audience has assembled, I'm going to be offering each of you this bag" he held up a small sack of purple silk and shook it at them.
"Question." I said sticking my hand into the air, and answering before Bagman had a chance to react. "Is the bag full of smaller bags?"
What a stupid thing to say. We're really gonna die here aren't we.
Bagman, though, grinned at this. "Always good to have a sense of humour. Now as I was saying, from this bag each of you will each select a small model of the thing you are about to face! There are different — er — varieties, you see. And I have to tell you something else too . . . ah, yes . . . your task is to collect the golden egg!"
I looked around. Cedric had nodded once, to show that he understood Bagman's words, and then started pacing around the tent again; he looked slightly green. Fleur Delacour and Krum hadn't reacted at all, while Harry, like me, was surveying the other champions.
In no time at all, hundreds upon hundreds of pairs of feet could be heard passing the tent, their owners talking excitedly, laughing, joking.
And then Bagman was opening the neck of the purple silk sack.
"Ladies first," he said, offering it to Fleur Delacour.
She put a shaking hand inside the bag and drew out a tiny, perfect model of a dragon — a Welsh Green. It had the number two around its neck. And I knew, by the fact that Fleur showed no sign of surprise, but rather a determined resignation, that she had already known.
The same held true for Krum. He pulled out the scarlet Chinese Fireball. It had a number three around its neck. He didn't even blink, just sat back down and stared at the ground.
Cedric put his hand into the bag, and out came with a blueish-gray Swedish Short-Snout, the number one tied around its neck.
I reached my hand in, feeling only two dragons left, my hand closed around one of them, feeling a spiked horn covered tail.
Not that one!
I let go of the model in surprise, closing my hand on the other dragon and pulling it out. Opening my hand I saw a jet black Norwegian ridgeback in the palm of my hand, a small number four around its neck.
Finally Harry put his hand into the silk bag and pulled out the Hungarian Horntail, and the number five. It stretched its wings as he looked down at it, and bared its minuscule fangs.
I saw that the Hungarian Horntail looked almost identical to the Norwegian ridgeback, save for its colour and the horn like spikes on the horntails tail.
The Horntail is the more deadly dragon. You're welcome.
"Well, there you are!" said 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.
"Mr. Diggory, you're first, just go out into the enclosure when you hear a whistle, all right? Now . . . Harry . . . could I have a quick word? Outside?"
"Er . . . yes," said Harry blankly, and he got up and went out of the tent with Bagman.
"Bet he's getting special treatment. Like usual." I said bitterly.
No doubt. Don't worry about it now, you've got to focus on what's to come.
I stood in the corner of the tent, with my eyes closed.
"You've got to help me out Tom." I muttered to him. "If we're in danger you've got to save us. Just no killing."
Alright (Y/n). You've just got to give me control, and I'll do what I can to help us.
"And no killing, I'm trusting you Tom." I urged him.
Alright if you want to do it the boring way fine then.
I opened my eyes just in time to see Harry walk back to the tent as Cedric was exiting from it, greener than ever.
Seconds later, we heard the roar of the crowd, which meant Cedric had entered the enclosure and was now face-to-face with the living counterpart of his model. . . .
It was worse than I could have imagined, sitting there and listening. The crowd screamed . . . yelled . . . gasped like a single many-headed entity, as Cedric did whatever he was doing to get past the Swedish Short-Snout.
Krum was still staring at the ground. Fleur had now taken to retracing Cedric's steps, around and around the tent. Harry had moved from pale to green now, looking as though he was going to be sick. And Bagman's commentary made everything much, much worse. . . .
"Oooh, narrow miss there, very narrow" . . . "He's taking risks, this one!" . . .
"Clever move — pity it didn't work!"
And then, after about fifteen minutes, I heard the deafening roar that could mean only one thing: Cedric had gotten past his dragon and captured the golden egg.
"Very good indeed!" Bagman was shouting. "And now the marks from the judges!"
But he didn't shout out the marks; I supposed the judges were holding them up and showing them to the crowd, although it would've been nice to now how he had done.
"One down, four to go!" Bagman yelled as the whistle blew again. "Miss Delacour, if you please!"
Fleur was trembling from head to foot; I glared at her slightly. Sure I was nervous too, but I wasn't about to shake like that.
The same process started again. . . . "Oh I'm not sure that was wise!" We could hear Bagman shouting gleefully. "Oh . . . nearly! Careful now . . . good lord, I thought she'd had it then!"
Ten minutes later, I heard the crowd erupt into applause once more. . . . Fleur must have been successful too. A pause, while Fleur's marks were being shown . . . more clapping . . . then, for the third time, the whistle.
"And here comes Mr. Krum!" cried Bagman, and Krum slouched out, leaving Harry and me quite alone.
I stared at Harry trying to understand what he was thinking, although he simply avoided my gaze.
And so instead I returned to the side of the tent, closing my eyes once more.
It's almost time (Y/n). We can do this. Together.
"Very daring!" Bagman was yelling, and I heard the Chinese Fireball emit a horrible, roaring shriek, while the crowd drew its collective breath. "That's some nerve he's showing — and — yes, he's got the egg!"
Applause shattered the wintery air like breaking glass; Krum had finished — it would be my turn any moment.
I made my way towards the exit of the tent, my smooth bike wand clutched in my hand.
"And here comes Weasley now! One of the youngest champions in the Triwizard tournament! It'll be exciting to see how he'll fair!"
I walked into the enclosure, to a smattering of applause, not as much as any of the previous champions, but still more than I expected to get.
I was focused on the Ridgeback on the other side of the enclosure, and it was then I recognized it. It was Norbert, Hagrid's old dragon.
"Norbert?" I muttered quietly.
You know this beast?
"Yeah he.. er well she was Hagrid's pet dragon."
That oaf had a dragon! How is this school still standing?"
"And I'm not quite sure but it appears that Weasley is just standing at the edge of the enclosure, not sure if this some sort of strategy but he'd better get a move on and soon."
I glared over at Bagman, before cautiously making my way towards the dragon. It watched me as I slowly edged towards it, hunched low over her eggs. My wand was gripped in my hand as she suddenly snapped towards me, lunging at me with her jaw.
I was easily able to jump out of the way, feeling a new energy burning inside of me as I jumped back to my feet, keeping my eyes on the dragon.
Norbert lunged at us again, and once more I dived out of the way.
"And it looks like Weasley is going for a more defensive course of action. Playing it safe may help him stay alive but it certainly won't want him many points."
Ignore him (Y/n), stay focused. I saw that the chains are on its hind legs. Get it to lunge at us again, and then roll towards it, slightly towards the right.
I nodded, taking a deep breath, before running towards the dragon, drowning out Bagman's commentary, waiting for the dragon to lunge.
Now!
I saw the dragon move it's head ever so slightly towards me, and trusting Tom I dived towards it, heading a loud gasp from the crowd as I rolled to the right of the dragons jaw feeling it's hot breath on my body.
There (Y/n) look!
I felt my head turn towards the dragon's hind legs, catching a glimpse of metal that was the chain holding the dragon captive.
Duck!
And obediently I fell to the ground, hearing a gush of wind as the dragon's wing came within inches of my head.
I got back up to my feet, and the dragon moved to cut off my access to its eggs. The dragon reared its head back and then a stream of flames shot towards me.
"Protego!" I shouted, holding my wand out in front of me. The flames hit my invisible shield, the force of which almost caused to me lose my footing.
I could feel the flames lashing around my shield, as the force from it threatened to shatter my shield charm.
Suddenly I felt a fresh wave of energy and power wash over me. I was no longer struggling to hold up the shield. I saw that the edges of the my shield seemed to darken, almost imperceptibly, as though it was turning to a shadow.
"Such a powerful spell from someone so young.. and is that? No it must just be a trick of the light, but I swear his eyes have changed colour."
Ignore him (Y/n) focus on the spell, channel your hate and anger into it, it will make it stronger.
I listened to him, and the force pushing on me seemed to lessen as I slowly made my way towards the eggs.
And then all at once the flames stopped, and almost fell onto my face, I hadn't realized how much I was pushing against the force of the fire.
Watch out!
WHAM!
It was too late, I felt the long hard tail of the dragon slam knot my chest, sending me flying away from the eggs.
I slammed into ground rolling slightly, unable to breath.
Come on (Y/n) get up!
Gasping for air I struggled to my feet. I felt horrible, I could feel blood dripping down my stomach, and a horrid pain across my entire body.
Staggering slightly I scooped my wand up from the ground, only to be met with the dragons jaw, one of its teeth digging into my arm and leaving quite a deep gash.
I let out a scream of pain as I fell back behind a large rock, just in time as a stream of fire collided with rock behind me.
Gritting my teeth, I pointing my wand at the deep gash, trying to fix it as best I could. I was able to slow the bleeding but that was about all I could do.
Breath (Y/n) breath, don't stress out. We need to get the chains off it and then we can get it up into the air. Can you create a distraction?
"Yeah... yeah I think so." I muttered getting shakily to my feet, waiting for the fire to stop, before I ducked out. "Exssspecto patronum!" I hissed in parseltongue.
A huge silvery chimera burst from the top of my wand, charging around the enclosure. As it sprung from the tip of my wand however, a sharp searing pain radiated from my wand up through my arm and towards my heart.
It felt like my heart was on fire, but only a few second later the pain was gone. I had no idea where that pain had come from, I'd never felt a pain like that.
Brushing it off I dashed out from behind the rock, doing my best not to trip as the dragon was distracted by my chimera.
"Diffindo!" I said pointing my wand at the chain, and as it shattered I dived under the dragon's tail heading towards the other side.
"Depulso!" I cried pointing my wand at the dragon's tail as it whipped towards me. It stopped momentarily in the air, seeming to struggle against my spell, giving me enough time to slide under the tail.
Reaching the other side of the the dragon I pointed my wand at the other chain, this time hissing in parseltongue, "Difffindo!"
I noticed that this time my spell seemed to be much stronger when I cast in parseltongue.
The second chain shattered, finally setting the dragon free. And now it was no longer distracted by my patronus, instead spinning around towards me, forcing me to rush backwards to the safety of a rock, narrowly avoiding both its tail and its jaw.
"Now we just need to get it off the ground." I muttered catching my breath momentarily, before heading back towards the dragon, its tail whipping towards me.
"Depulssso!" I hiss in parseltongue, causing the tail to whip back the way it came, a few scales snapping off and a small burst of blood emitting from its tail.
"Depulssso!" I hissed, sending one of the eggs flying, the dragon, clearly not wanting to leave the bulk of its eggs unprotected, did its best to catch the egg in its wing, only for the egg to smash.
"Risky move from Weasley, that will definitely lose him some points."
Angrily, I rolled out of the way of the newly angered dragon, before once more turning to the eggs, hissing "Ebublio!"
All of the real eggs were engulfed in bubbles, leaving only a golden egg in the nest.
Grinning I then hissed "Deplussso!" Sending the bubbles flying. The dragon let out a roar of anger, kicking off the ground, into the air, which forced me to rush back to the safety of the rocks in order to avoid getting hit by either the dragon's tail or wings.
Go!
I rushed as quickly as I could towards the nest, but it was quickly evident that I was not quick enough to beat it.
It took only a short time for the dragon to catch all its eggs on its wings, and turn back towards me diving with its jaw wide open.
"Tom I need you!" I cried, letting down my defenses, allowing Tom to take full control.
And as I lost control of my body the dragon loosed a stream of fire.
I felt my mouth widen into a grin, as shadows engulfed my body once more. I felt my legs leave the ground as I fly under the dragon, missing both its jaw and fire.
I flew towards the nest, my arms outstretched, reaching for the egg before I landed on the ground, rolling in impact with egg still clutched in my hands, feeling I had control of my body once more.
"I still can't see Weasley! I hope he is okay! Dragon handlers and the medical team are already rushing towards the enclosure now to subdue the dragon and search for him.
"I can see how he would've made it out of there unscathed. And I think I'm seeing something now, Ah yes it looks like Weasley is okay! Somehow he made it out unharmed!"
I felt a pair of hands reach down to me, and gently help me to my feet.
"Are you alright? Are you eyes okay?" The medical wizard asked me concerned.
"M'alright." I said getting to my feet, knowing they were asking about my scarlet eyes.
"And it looks like the judges are tabulating their scores. Ah it looks like they've made a decision."
As I finally got a good look at the stadium around me I saw there was a box sectioned off from the rest of the stands.
Madame Maxime went first—she raised her wand into the air and conjured what appeared to be a long silver ribbon into the air, in the shape of a seven.
Seven? That's it?
"I suppose she took points off for breaking an egg and getting hurt."
There was applause from the stands. Once it had died down Crouch raised his wand into the air, sending up a four.
Four! No that's unfair!
"How could he give me a four!" Cried angrily. Similar a few cries of outrage rose from the crowds around, but Crouch seemed unfazed.
Next went Dumbledore who sent up a seven.
At least that old man is being fair.
Next came Bagman, who sent up an eight.
I'm sure he enjoyed the show. He acts like he's still young.
"I'm not complaining." I said. An eight was good.
Finally came Karkaroff who put up a six.
That seems unfair I bet that half giant lady, and that greasy Bulgarian gave their champions ten.
"Yeah well they're probably trying to get the biggest advantage they can. And anyway 33 out of 40 isn't terrible."
And with that I was lead out of the enclosure, and not into the tent I had exited from but into a different one, where I was greeted by Madam Pomfrey.
"Honestly what are they thinking about, dragons! In a school!" She ranted as she helped me into a bed.
"Nothing broken at least, that's quite a nasty cut, nothing I can't handle, and if I act quick enough only one dose of antitoxin should be enough to counteract the poison."
As she was talking she waved her wand across my wounds, as they began to stitch themselves back together.
During this time there came cheers and applause from the enclosure, for Harry I assumed, and before I knew it he was being pulled into the tent by madam Pomfrey as well.
"Dragons!" she said, in a disgusted tone, leading him to a bed next to me I gave him a quick thumbs up as Madam Pomfrey examined his shoulder, talking furiously all the while.
"Last year dementors, this year dragons, what are they going to bring into this school next? You're very lucky . . . this is quite shallow . . . it'll need cleaning before I heal it up, though. . . ."
She cleaned the cut with a dab of some purple liquid that smoked, but then poked his shoulder with her wand, and the cut closed itself up.
"Now, just sit quietly for a minute — sit! And then you can go and get your score."
She bustled out of the tent and he heard her go next door and say, "How does it feel now, Diggory?"
"How'd it go mate?" I asked Harry pushing myself out of bed, as he did the same.
"Not as bad as I thought it would." He replied sounding relived. I opened my mouth to reply, but two people rushed into the tent. Hermione, followed closely by Ron.
"Harry (Y/n), you two were brilliant!" Hermione said squeakily. There were fingernail marks on her face where she had been clutching it in fear. "You were amazing! You really were!"
But both Harry and I were focused one Ron, who was very white and staring at us as though we were ghosts.
"Harry, (Y/n)," he said, very seriously, "whoever put your names in that goblet — I — I reckon they're trying to do the two of you in!"
"Caught on, have you?" said Harry coldly. "Took you long enough."
"Although most things usually take you longer." I added with a sneer.
Hermione stood nervously between us, looking from one to the other. Ron opened his mouth uncertainly. I knew he was about to apologize.
"It's okay," Harry said, before Ron could get the words out. "Forget it."
"No," said Ron, "I shouldn't've —"
"Forget it," Harry said.
"No he really shouldn't have." I continued, but Harry shot me an angry look.
"Drop it." He told me. I just glared back at Harry.
Ron grinned nervously at us, and Harry grinned back, while Hermione burst into tears.
"There's nothing to cry about!" Harry told her, bewildered.
"You three are so stupid!" she shouted, stamping her foot on the ground, tears splashing down her front. Then, before either of us could stop her, she had given the three of us a hug and dashed away, now positively howling.
"Barking mad," said Ron, shaking his head. "Harry, c'mon, they'll be putting up your scores. . . ."
I scooped up my golden egg, as Harry picked up his own and his Firebolt.
"You two were the best, you know, no competition. Cedric did this weird thing where he Transfigured a rock on the ground . . . turned it into a dog . . . he was trying to make the dragon go for the dog instead of him. Well, it was a pretty cool bit of Transfiguration, and it sort of worked, because he did get the egg, but he got burned as well — the dragon changed its mind halfway through and decided it would rather have him than the Labrador; he only just got away.
"And that Fleur girl tried this sort of charm, I think she was trying to put it into a trance — well, that kind of worked too, it went all sleepy, but then it snored, and this great jet of flame shot out, and her skirt caught fire — she put it out with a bit of water out of her wand. And Krum — you won't believe this, but he didn't even think of flying!
"He was probably the best after you two, though. Hit it with some sort of spell right in the eye. Only thing is, it went trampling around in agony and squashed half the real eggs — they took marks off for that, he wasn't supposed to do any damage to them."
Ron drew breath as we reached the edge of the enclosure.
"It's marks out of ten from each one," Ron explained. I watched as Madame Maxime raised her wand in the air, and shot a silvery eight into the air.
"Not bad!" said Ron as the crowd applauded. "I suppose she took marks off for your shoulder. . . ."
"Better than I got." I told him.
Mr. Crouch came next. He shot a number nine into the air. "Looking good!" Ron yelled, thumping Harry on the back.
"Nine!" I cried outraged. "He only gave me a bloody four!"
Next, Dumbledore. He too put up a nine. The crowd was cheering harder than ever.
Ludo Bagman — ten.
"Ten?" said Harry in disbelief. "But . . . I got hurt. . . . What's he playing at?"
"Harry, don't complain!" Ron yelled excitedly.
And now Karkaroff raised his wand. He paused for a moment, and then a number shot out of his wand too — four.
"What?" Ron bellowed furiously. "Four? You lousy, biased scumbag, you gave Krum ten!"
"You're tied in first place, Harry! You and Krum!" said Charlie Weasley, hurrying to meet them as they set off back toward the school. "And (Y/n) that was some amazing magic! Scores seemed a bit unfair to me. Listen, I've got to run, I've got to go and send Mum an owl, I swore I'd tell her what happened — but that was unbelievable!
"Oh yeah — and they told me to tell you you've got to hang around for a few more minutes. . . . Bagman wants a word, back in the champions' tent."
Ron said he would wait, so Harry and I reentered the tent, which somehow looked quite different now: friendly and welcoming.
Fleur, Cedric, and Krum all came in together. One side of Cedric's face was covered in a thick orange paste, which was presumably mending his burn. He grinned at Harry and me when he saw us.
"Good one, you two."
"And you," said Harry, grinning back.
"Yeah not bad Cedric, not bad." I told him.
"Well done, all of you!" said Ludo Bagman, bouncing into the tent and looking as pleased as though he personally had just got past a dragon. "Now, just a quick few words. You've got a nice long break before the second task, which will take place at half past nine on the morning of February the twenty-fourth — but we're giving you something to think about in the meantime!
"If you look down at those golden eggs you're all holding, you will see that they open . . . see the hinges there? You need to solve the clue inside the egg — because it will tell you what the second task is, and enable you to prepare for it! All clear? Sure? Well, off you go, then!"
Harry and I left the tent, rejoined Ron, and we started to walk back around the edge of the forest, talking hard; Harry and I wanted to hear what the other champions had done in more detail.
Then, as we rounded a clump of trees a witch leapt out from behind us. It was Rita Skeeter. She was wearing acid-green robes today; the Quick-Quotes Quill in her hand blended perfectly against them.
"Congratulations, Harry!" she said, beaming at him. "I wonder if you could give me a quick word? How you felt facing that dragon? How you feel now, about the fairness of the scoring?"
"Yeah, you can have a word," said Harry savagely. "Good-bye." And we set off back to the castle, laughing and smiling.