The following day, Rubi was preoccupied with helping Harry find a simple spell like her dad had said, that could help him beat the dragon he would have to face in the first task. The trio spent all of Sunday researching, and checking any book they thought to be of good use, hoping to find some way around the dragon. Alas, they came up empty-handed.
Rubi was worried, not just about the task but also about how much of a toll this was taking on Harry. He was beginning to look dreadful.
Monday arrived and with that, classes had commenced once again. As Hermione and Rubi were in Herbology, Harry had run off to somewhere. However, he came running into the greenhouse some while after, throwing a quick apology to the Hufflepuff head, and halted in front of the two girls.
"Rubi! Hermione! I need you to help me."
"What d'you think we've been trying to do, Harry?" Rubi and Hermione whispered back together.
"I need to learn how to do a Summoning Charm properly by tomorrow afternoon." Harry said
And so they practiced.
They didn't have lunch, but headed for a free classroom, where Harry tried with all his might to make various objects fly across the room toward him. He was still having problems. The books and quills kept losing heart halfway across the room and dropping like stones to the floor.
"Concentrate, Harry, concentrate..." Hermione encouraged.
"What d'you think I'm trying to do?" said Harry angrily. "A great big dragon keeps popping up in my head for some reason-"
"Harry, listen, I know it's hard but you need to clear your mind of all other thoughts. Think of the patronus lessons we did with Remus last year." Rubi suggested.
Harry nodded. "Okay, try again..."
Harry and Rubi wanted to skip Divination to keep practicing, but Hermione refused point-blank to skive off Arithmancy, and there was no point in staying without her.
Enduring over an hour of Professor Trelawney, who spent half the lesson telling everyone that the position of Mars with relation to Saturn at that moment meant that people born in July were in great danger of sudden, violent deaths.
"Well, that's good," said Harry loudly, his temper getting the better of him, "just as long as it's not drawn-out. I don't want to suffer."
Ron looked for a moment as though he was going to laugh; he certainly caught Harry's eye for the first time in days, but Harry was still feeling too resentful toward Ron to care.
Rubi sighed.
Well there's some progress between the two, I guess.
They forced down some dinner after Divination, then returned to the empty classroom with Hermione, using the Invisibility Cloak to avoid the teachers. They kept practicing until past midnight. They would have stayed longer, but Peeves turned up and, pretending to think that Harry wanted things thrown at him, started chucking chairs across the room. Harry, Hermione and Rubi left in a hurry before the noise attracted Filch, and went back to the Gryffindor common room, which was now mercifully empty.
At two o'clock in the morning, Harry stood near the fireplace, surrounded by heaps of objects: books, quills, several upturned chairs, an old set of Gobstones, and Neville's toad, Trevor. Only in the last hour had Harry really got the hang of the Summoning Charm.
"That's better, Harry, that's loads better," Hermione said, looking exhausted but very pleased.
"You're getting the hang of it, Harold!" Rubi cheered.
"Well, now we know what to do next time I can't manage a spell," Harry said, throwing a rune dictionary back to Hermione, so he could try again, "threaten me with a dragon. Right..." He raised his wand once more. "Accio Dictionary!" The heavy book soared out of Hermione's hand, flew across the room, and Harry caught it.
"Harry, I really think you've got it!" said Hermione delightedly.
"Just as long as it works tomorrow," Harry said.
"It will, Harry." Rubi said encouragingly, "I mean, you're Harry Potter! There's no way you're going to die at the hands of a dragon!"
"Rubi!" Hermione hissed.
"Hey, I'm just trying to lighten the mood." Rubi retorted, placing her hands on her hips.
"Thanks for the support, Black." Harry muttered. "But the Firebolt's going to be much farther away than the stuff in here, it's going to be in the castle, and I'm going to be out there on the grounds..."
"That doesn't matter," said Hermione firmly, "Just as long as you're concentrating really, really hard on it, it'll come. Harry, we'd better get some sleep... you're going to need it."
The atmosphere in the school was one of great tension and excitement the following day. 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.
Classes seemed to go by quickly and it wasn't long before Professor McGonagall was hurrying over to Harry in the Great Hall. Lots of people were watching.
"Potter, the champions have to come down onto the grounds now... You have to get ready for your first task."
"Okay," said Harry, standing up, his fork falling onto his plate with a clatter.
"Good luck, Harry," Hermione whispered. "You'll be fine!"
"Yeah, think positive and you'll do great!" Rubi added, shooting him two thumbs up.
"Yeah," said Harry in a voice that was most unlike his own. He left the Great Hall with Professor McGonagall.
As he disappeared, the smile fell off Rubi's face, "Hopefully, it'll go well." She sighed.
"I hope so too." Hermione replied.
"Why are you fretting, love? Harry has survived much worse."
And Fred slipped into the space beside Rubi, while George and Lee took a seat on both sides of Hermione.
"I'm excited to see what they'll have to do! It is supposed to be dangerous." Rubi reached over and smacked George on the head, hard.
"As much as I love trouble, this is the type that has me worried so please shut that big, fat mouth of yours before I decide to hex you."
George grinned widely but did not speak.
Soon, the whole school found themselves headed down to the Forbidden Forest, where near the edge, stands were set up for the audience to view from. Rubi was further up with the twins and Lee, while Hermione had taken a seat a bit down and front. Rubi was nervous. Her leg was bouncing up and down uncontrollably.
A hand touched her knee, making Rubi jump. She looked around and found herself looking into Fred's eyes.
"Relax, Rubi. He'll be fine."
Rubi only bit down into her bottom lip, her eyes beginning to fly around the landscape anxiously.
She heard Fred let out a humorous chuckle, "Well, you're aging, Black."
Rubi gave him a bewildered look before realizing what the redhead meant and glared at him. Fred's hand went into Rubi's locks and he pulled a few strands to the front to show her. Her usual black hair was mingled with some bright white.
Rubi frowned and swatted Fred's hand back, pushing back the loose strands while Fred only chuckled. Rubi then smacked him on the arm before she cracked a smile too.
"Thanks, Freddie."
He only winked at her and silently slipped his hand into hers, gripping onto her reassuringly.
A whistle had blown suddenly, signalling the start. Seconds later, Cedric Digfory stepped out and the crowd roared to life.
"Woohoo! Come on, Ced, you got this!" Rubi called out.
Fred grimaced, "I hope the dragon eats him." He muttered under his breath but George, who was right beside him, had heard.
"Aw, you jealous of pretty-boy Diggory?"
Fred elbowed him in the ribs hard. George winced
"Shut up." He growled as his twin rubbed his side. Lee laughed at the two, as he realized what was happening. Rubi, on the other hand, had all her attention on the Hufflepuff.
It was intense to say the least.
Cedric had decided to transfigure a nearby rock into a dog, which made the dragon go after the furry animal instead. Cedric had made a dash for it and managed to grab the Golden egg.
"YES CEDRIC!" Rubi shouted out, before her face paled slightly.
The dragon had decided to switch targets suddenly. The Swedish-Short Snout sprayed flames from its mouth. Cedric had gotten hit with some of it but before he could get severely hurt, he had gotten away.
Rubi gulped as she released a breath, "Please tell me, Harold will do better than that."
Up next was Fleur Delacour.
Fleur tried a charm where the Welsh Green Dragon slowly began to feel sleepy and it worked. However, the dragon snored and a jet of fire streaked out, lighting Fleur's skirt on fire, which she distinguished with water from her wand. She also managed to get her egg.
Third was Viktor Krum.
He shot a spell right at the Chinese Fireball, hitting it straight in the eye. The dragon howled with agony and accidentally ended up squashing half her eggs.
"He caused those poor babies to die." Rubi muttered out in anger and sadness.
Fred merely watched her, something running in his mind.
Last but not least was, Harry Potter.
The whistle blew once again and soon Harry had entered the arena.
The crowd was emitting loads of noise but Rubi didn't pay attention to them, her eyes were focused solely upon her cousin, who seemed to be observing everything before him. The Hungarian Horntail was watching him with calculating eyes from the other side.
Finally, Harry raised his wand.
"Accio Firebolt!" he shouted. Harry waited. Rubi waited anxiously as well, her leg beginning to bounce up and down again. And then they heard it.
The Firebolt hurtled toward Harry around the edge of the woods, soaring into the enclosure, and stopping dead in midair beside him, waiting for him to mount. The crowd was making even more noise... Bagman was shouting something... but Rubi's ears were not working properly anymore... listening wasn't important... She watched Harry swing a leg over his broom and kick off from the ground.
Rubi stood up, her face breaking into a huge smile.
"YOU GOT THIS, HARRY! SHOW THEM WHO IS BOSS!" She called out, cupping her hands around her mouth, as Harry flew higher and higher.
He paused and then he dived. The Horntail's head followed him; and Harry pulled out of the dive just in time; a jet of fire had been released exactly where he would have been had he not swerved away.
"Great Scott, he can fly!" yelled Bagman as the crowd shrieked and gasped. "Are you watching this, Mr. Krum?"
Harry soared higher in a circle; the Horntail was still following his progress; its head revolving on its long neck. Harry plummeted just as the Horntail opened its mouth, but this time he was less lucky- he missed the flames, but the tail came whipping up to meet him instead, and as he swerved to the left, one of the long spikes grazed his shoulder, ripping his robes.
Rubi gasped, "Be careful!" She yelled in concern.
Harry zoomed around the back of the Horntail. He began to fly. He flew higher. The Horntail's head rose with him, her neck now stretched to its fullest extent, still swaying, like a snake before its charmer... Harry rose a few more feet, and the dragon let out a roar of exasperation.
The Horntail shot fire into the air, which he dodged... Her jaws opened wide... And then she reared, spreading her great, black, leathery wings at last, as wide as those of a small airplane — and Harry dived. Before the dragon knew what he had done, or where he had disappeared to, he was speeding toward the ground as fast as he could go, toward the eggs now unprotected by her clawed front legs — he had taken his hands off his Firebolt — he had seized the golden egg — And with a huge spurt of speed, he was off, he was soaring out over the stands, the heavy egg safely under his uninjured arm, and it was as though somebody had just turned the volume back up as the crowd was screaming and applauding as loudly as the Irish supporters at the World Cup.
"Look at that!" Bagman was yelling. "Will you look at that! Our youngest champion is quickest to get his egg! Well, this is going to shorten the odds on Mr. Potter!"
"YES, THAT'S HOW THE POTTERS DO IT!" Rubi shouted out as she applauded loudly, along with everyone else. She turned to Fred who was also cheering and jumped up to wrap her arms around his neck, catching the ginger by surprise.
"He did it, Fred! Harry did it!"
"That means a party!" Fred answered back and he wrapped his arms around her waist, lifting Rubi off the ground as he spun her.
"Oh, I feel so happy right now I think I'm going to cry!" She said, as the two stopped. Rubi however felt the breath leave her when she found Fred gazing at her intensely.
She gulped. They were mere inches apart once again. The two felt the world fade away and her heart was pounding hard in her chest. A voice in her head urging her to push her lips against his, to risk it all.
Rubi leaned forth, pausing when their lips almost brushed against one another.
Suddenly, they both stumbled, Fred having to catch his balance quickly in order for the two of them to not go toppling. George and Lee had gotten into a playful fight and accidentally bumped into Fred.
Fred, once maintaining his balance, set Rubi gently on the ground.
"You alright?" He asked softly.
"Yeah." She gulped. "I'm going to go check on Harry." And she dashed away, her face burning red, along with bright, bubblegum pink hair.
Rubi walked into the first aid tent to find Hermione, and surprisingly Ron, there already. Hermione was frantically speaking before Ron began to talk.
"Harry," he said, very seriously, "whoever put your name in that goblet- I- I reckon they're trying to do you in!"
"Caught on, have you?" said Harry coldly. "Took you long enough."
Hermione stood nervously between them, looking from one to the other. Ron opened his mouth with uncertainty.
"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.
Ron grinned nervously at him, and Harry grinned back. Hermione burst into tears.
"There's nothing to cry about!" Harry told her, bewildered.
"You two are so stupid!" she shouted, stamping her foot on the ground, tears splashing down her front.
Then, before either of them could stop her, she had given both of them a hug and dashed away, now positively howling. However, she stopped when she almost knocked down Rubi on her way out.
"Aw, there's no need to cry Mione." She embraced the girl, who only began to cry harder on her shoulder, "Alas, idiots will be idiots." Rubi said in a misty, Trelawney-like voice.
"Rubi!" Hermione exclaimed, as she pulled away.
Rubi shrugged, "What? It's true!"
Hermione shook her head and took off, still crying. Rubi watched her go with sad eyes before she turned back. A huge smile broke onto her face and she ran, tackling Harry to the ground. The young Potter groaned as he sat up, rubbing his now sore head.
"Hi, Rubi."
Rubi grabbed Harry's face and peppered him with kisses. "Oh my gosh, you did it! You did it, Harold!"
"OK, OK, I get it! Thank you! Let me go, please." Harry pleaded and Rubi grinned at him before standing up, and offering Harry a hand.
"Barking mad," said Ron, shaking his head. Rubi frowned and smacked Ron on the head, who groaned, rubbing his head.
After the trio headed out to see Harry's score.
At the far end was the judges' table.
The first judge, Madame Maxime — raised her wand in the air. What looked like a long silver ribbon shot out of it, which twisted itself into a large figure eight.
"Not bad!" said Ron as the crowd applauded. "I suppose she took marks off for your shoulder..."
Mr. Crouch came next. He shot a number nine into the air.
"Looking good!" Ron yelled, thumping Harry on the back.
Next, Dumbledore. He too put up a nine. The crowd was cheering harder than ever.
Rubi was clapping cheerfully. "Harry, your marks are wonderful!"
Ludo Bagman- ten.
"Ten?" said Harry in disbelief. "But... I got hurt... What's he playing at?"
"Harry, don't complain!" Ron yelled excitedly.
"Exactly! Be grateful for what you have!" Rubi reprimanded.
And Karkaroff raised his wand. He paused for a moment, and then a number shot out of his wand too — four.
"What?" Ron and Rubi bellowed furiously.
"Four? You lousy, biased scumbag, you gave Krum ten!"
"Oi! That's called being biased!" Rubi shouted out.
"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.
"Charles!" Rubi exclaimed happily and threw her arms around the older Weasley, who squeezed her in return.
"Nice to see you, Rubi. 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."
"Oh I also need to send an owl. I'll come with you, Charles."
Charlie smiled and nodded, the pair making their way to the castle.
"So, you lot been staying out of trouble?" Charlie asked Rubi as they neared the Owlery. Rubi grinned up at him mischievously.
"You should already know the answer to that, Charlie."
Charlie laughed, throwing his head back. Once in the Owlery, the two sent off their letters.
"So, I've got to be back with the dragons and you should head to the Gryffindor common room."
"Sir, yes sir!" Rubi saluted before winking at him, and the two parted ways.
The Gryffindor common room exploded with cheers and yells again when Harry entered with Ron and Hermione.
There were mountains of cakes and flagons of pumpkin juice and butterbeer on every Lee had let off some Filibuster's Fireworks, so that the air was thick with stars and sparks; and Dean, who was very good at drawing, had put up some impressive new banners, most of which depicted Harry zooming around the Horntail's head on his Firebolt, though a couple showed Cedric with his head on fire.
Rubi was not pleased with that.
"Blimey, this is heavy," said Lee, picking up the golden egg, which Harry had left on a table, and weighing it in his hands.
"Let me see!" Rubi said, taking the egg and almost dropping it due to the sudden heavy weight. "Take it! Take it before it crushes me!" She dramatically exclaimed, pushing it back into Lee's arms. Rubi placed a hand on her chest, breathing heavily.
"That was horrible!"
"You are so dramatic, Black."
Fred appeared beside Rubi.
"I am not! That thing almost just killed me!" Rubi heaved a hand to her forehead, peeking through her eyes at the ginger.
"Open it, Harry, go on! Let's just see what's inside it!" Lee urged excitedly.
"He's supposed to work out the clue on his own," Hermione said swiftly. "It's in the tournament rules..."
"I was supposed to work out how to get past the dragon on my own too," Harry muttered, so only Hermione could hear him, and she grinned rather guiltily. Rubi giggled as she had heard as well.
"Yeah, go on, Harry, open it!" several people echoed. Lee passed Harry the egg, and Harry 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 Harry opened it, the most horrible noise, a loud and screechy wailing, filled the room.
Rubi covered her ears with her hands, burying herself into Fred, who had his own ears covered.
"Shut it!" Fred bellowed.
"What was that?" said Seamus, staring at the egg as Harry slammed it shut again.
"Sounded like a banshee... Maybe you've got to get past one of those next, Harry!"
"It was someone being tortured!" said Neville, who had gone very white and spilled sausage rolls all over the floor. "You're going to have to fight the Cruciatus Curse!"
"Don't be a prat, Neville, that's illegal," said George. "They wouldn't use the Cruciatus Curse on the champions. I thought it sounded a bit like Percy singing... maybe you've got to attack him while he's in the shower, Harry."
"Nah, I think they have to sing in the next task and that's what Harry's singing voice sounds like."
Harry frowned at his cousin.
"Want a jam tart, Hermione?" said Fred. Hermione looked doubtful at the plate he was offering her.
Fred grinned. "It's all right," he said. "I haven't done anything to them. It's the custard creams you've got to watch-"
Neville, who had just bitten into a custard cream, choked and spat it out.
Fred laughed. "Just my little joke, Neville..."
Just then, Neville turned into a large canary.
"Oh- sorry, Neville!" Fred shouted over all the laughter. "I forgot- it was the custard creams we hexed-"
Within a minute, however, Neville had molted, and once his feathers had fallen off, he reappeared looking entirely normal. He even joined in laughing.
"Canary Creams!" Fred shouted to the excitable crowd. "George and I invented them- seven Sickles each, a bargain!"
"Yes, get them from the dashing Weasleys while you can!" Rubi shouted out, fighting back a smile.
"Dashing, huh?" Fred asked, wiggling his eyebrows.
"I meant George you moron." And Rubi bopped Fred's nose before she ran off, giggling madly.
Fred stared after her in shock before he snapped out of it and made a run after the girl, both bearing large smiles on their faces.
Hello!
Hope you all are doing well! So not much apart from some Fred x Rubi moments again, but I promise you a few of the upcoming chapters will be amazing, so do not miss those! <33
Have a great day! <33
-Serina