"That's wh-y-y-y I smile!" Nat sang, skipping down the stairs towards Care of Magical Creatures. "It's been awhile, since everyday and everything and everyday have felt this ri-I-ight!" The laughed, stopping in front of the door. "And now, I'm turning all around, and suddenly your all I need the reason why-y-y -y, I smi-i-i-il-ile."
"Nat! We get it! Fred's the reason you smile! Avril Lavigne is your favorite muggle singer! Lesson learned!"
"Your not very funny today?" She grumped, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Your never fully dressed with out a smile!" Ginny sang, poking my face. I scowled, swatting at her hands. I tried to sleep last night, I had full intentions to, but I ended up trying to figure out that bloody egg! And I failed at it!
"What is wrong with you two? So much singing!" I groaned, laying my back on a rock outside of Hagrid's. He had some weird looking things, like huge scorpions! I stayed close to Harry, trying not to get near those things. To bad they're apart of class! So far this year we've had to take care of giant maggot things and we also used one thing, it was really cool! It finds gold! It's like gold detector! They were kind of cute, kind of.
Each thing we've taken care of Hagrid has really focused in Harry an I. Making sure we know exactly how to calm it, take care of it, or even get rid of it. Oh my merlin! I'm such a twit! He's trying to tell us it's going to be par of the tournament! Stupid veelas, except Fleur, they changed my hair and now I'm thinking like a blonde! Wait, Mione's sort of blonde. A dirty blondish brown, and she's really smart. Okay, so maybe it's my fault. But still! I'm such a ditz! How could I miss this!
"Harry!" I grabbed his arm, pulling him away from everyone and into the tree line.
"What's wrong?" He asked, looking over me frantically.
"Hagrid! Every creature he used to teach us, he's stressed it to US! Making sure WE knew everything about it! I think he's trying to tell us they're going to be used in the tournament with our actually telling us! Like he showed you the dragons!" I whisper yelled, grabbing his shoulders. His eyes widened as he took it in. "We need to get back to class! Those are dangerous and I guarantee they'll be in this tournament somewhere down the line!"
He only nodded, pulling me back to class. Hagrid saw us and looked relieved. When he told us what we were doing and went around to check on everyone, I waved him over. "Is this supposed to be a clue?" I whispered, giving him a smile.
He sighed, looking immensely relieved. "Thank goodness!" He winked at me then walked away. Harry an I exchanged a glance, then finished up with the little guy. Most people were running away while they were burning stuff, but not Harry and I. We did everything Hagrid said, and eventually, we had them somewhat tamed.
"Thank goodness!" I sighed, flopping into my DADA seat. Harry nodded in agreement, his arm slightly burnt. Moody came in and dropped a paper on the desk in front of me.
'FUTURE AUROR STRIKES. AGAIN!'
I had the immense pleasure of meeting young Gracie before the tournament. Can you believe two fourth years are in the lead? I can! I watched Gracelyn Black move with skill and grace. Her moves were sharp and quick. She got past the dragon in two minutes! She was not touched until after she got her egg, winning the first task. Picture of her wounds page four. She was burnt by the fire, which she had cleverly stopped every time it came her way before hand. She was also hit with the tail, which she had also cleverly avoided.
Before the task, she was found with her boyfriend, Harry Potter. Gracie and Harry have been together since their second year at Hogwarts! She had her newborn twin brother and sister, which she delivered, with her. Her parents gave her the honor of naming them. World, say hello to Lilly Grace Black and James Nathaniel Black! Her parents chose the middle names, after Gracie herself, and her cousin Natalyn, who is a huge part of her life. The first names, Gracie chose to honor the memory of her boyfriend's parents, Harry himself, and her Dad's best friends. So sweet!
We had the pleasure of talking to her teachers and it's known fact that she wants to become an auror. Mad-Eye Moody says, 'if she doesn't become an auror there's something wrong with the world! The girl has lived through more than any full grown wizard! Fought a full grown troll and Voldemort her first year, freed her father from Azkaban after he was wrongly accused and caught the fraud who got him put there, then let Voldemort take her into the chamber of secrets so that her little sister Ginny Weasley, of the family she was adopted into, wasn't taken in second year. Oh, and lets not forget the snake a Slytherin conjured, which is another story for another time, attacked her and bit her several times. Then last year, and in my class this year, Gracie has been tortured with the cruciatus curse, she pushes herself that kid! She can stand up and fight back while under the curse! She's fought dementors and won. It's only fair to brag on the girl!'
There you have it! An auror, perfect girlfriend, amazing daughter, a brilliant sister, and an athlete! We're all rooting for you Gracie!
I blushed furiously, reading the article. "Thank you Professor!" I smiled, putting in my bag to keep.
"Yes well, it's all true. Now! Today, I want each of you to try to fight the imperious curse!" Student after student tried, but nine succeeded, finally it was Harry's turn. He just stood there.
"I don't want to!" He mumbled, smiling. Moody's face screwed up in concentration. "I don't want to!"
"Well. Potter's got it! See there everyone?" The Gryffindor's clapped furiously while the Slytherins glared. "Black! You're the last one! Get up here!" I walked forward. He cast the spell. I bent into a back bend, which hurt immensely I whimpered a bit, but didn't cry out. "Come on! You want to be an auror you have to fight harder than that! Come on!"
'Do a back handspring!' A voice echoed into my mind. I almost did it, but I stopped myself.
'No!' I said simply. Mocking Harry's actions. I stood back up, rubbing my back a bit. 'That hurt!'
'Do it!' The voice yelled.
'No!' I yelled back. 'You do it!' The next thing I knew, Moody's doing a back handspring. Everyone stared in shock. Even the Professor. Grandma McGonagall who just walked in, stopped, frozen in the doorway. Out of no where, Moody started clapping. Many people did as well. Even Professor McGonagall.
"No only did she fight the curse, she reinforced it! Turning it back onto her attacker!" Moody smirked, nodding at me. "Take a seat. Yes Professor?"
"Um, Potter! Black! May I speak to you?" We both nodded, walking out of the room. She shut the door, leading us towards we office. "What just happened?"
"He had us fight the imperious curse!" Harry shrugged, beaming proudly at me. "They should put that in the paper Gracie. 'Teacher does backflips for student!'" He laughed, bringing a small smile to my lips.
"And what exactly happened?" She said, looking quite stern.
"Well, no one but Harry and I could." I muttered, I felt like I've bragged enough, and I wasn't even the one bragging!
"Well, I fought it, but Gracie made him do it!" Harry laughed, taking my hand. I blushed again as Grandma McGonagall stared at me in shock. "I want to know how?" Harry said, looking serious all of a sudden.
"How indeed?" She pointed her gaze at me, making me shift uncomfortably.
"I don't know! One minute I was standing there, then I'm in a back bend, and it really hurt. Cus well you know why, but yeah. Then he told me to do a back handspring, but that hurt, so I said no. And he got mad. He yelled 'do it!' in my head. So I yelled back. I said, 'no! You do it!' And then he did!" I shrugged, kind of nervous. That curse is illegal!
"Brilliant!" Harry smiled. Professor McGonagall smiled, beaming at me.
"Child you truly are an auror! I haven't seen a witch like you in a long time!" She smiled. "Now, I wanted to talk to you about the tournament. The champions are all going home for a week to spend time with their families. Right now!" She smiled, motioning towards the fire place. "Your belongings are already there. When you get back, you'll be interviewed by Miss Skeeter for the tournament. Good bye!" Harry and I ran to the fire, stepping inside.
"Grimmauld Place!" I squealed, stepping out at home. "We're here!"
Dad, Maxie, Uncle Lupin, cousin Tonks, and the Weasley's came out of the kitchen. "Surprise!" The brought out a huge cake that read, 'our champions' on it. I smiled, hugging each of them. I was a little disappointed, I didn't get a real Weasley hug, they were all being so careful. "So, what's this Moody tells us about you?" Dad smirked, bumping my shoulder. He's the only one who isn't acting like I'm all fragile. I picked up Lilly, who was in a play pen, laying there. She and James were side by side, and Harry picked up James at the same time.
"Oh it was brilliant! I'd tell you, but it's her story. Get ready to laugh!" Harry laughed himself, sitting with James on the couch. They all turned to me with expectant faces. I blushed, pulling Lilly closer.
"Well, I sort of, maybe, kind of, made Professor Moody do a back handspring?" I winced, watching their jaws dropped.
"Mad-Eye Moody?" Bill asked. "Hard ore Moody?" I nodded.
"Auror Moody?" Charlie asked, his eyes wide. I nodded again. Their jaws dropped further.
"Wait a minute! My boss? The one that says never show any sign of weakness? The one that yells at me for saying ouch after being hurt, was forced by my fourteen year old cousin to do a back flip thing?" Tonks said, looking at me in awe. I winced again, knowing I'd made him seem weak, like a liar. I nodded all the same though.
"How in the bloody hell did you get him to do that?" Uncle Lupin shouted, beginning to laugh, along with everyone else. I smiled to myself, glad to see him. I haven't talked to him since before he leftist year.
"Well, we were studying the imperious curse and how to fight. Harry was the first person to not do it, and we were the last two. Then it was my turn. He made me do a back bend. And it hurt. So then he tried to make me do a back flip, and I said no, that hurt! And I didn't do it now yelled, do it at me and I got angry so I yelled back. 'No! You do it!' Then he did it!" I groaned, leaning back in the couch. They all laughed furiously, even Harry.
"Harry I hate you!" Bill laughed.
"Me too!" Charlie said, panting and holding his sides.
"Why me?" Harry chuckled, giving James to Uncle Moony.
"Because you got to see it!" Tonks laughed, patting my shoulder. She didn't treat me like I'm fragile either. Good! At least she and Dad know me well enough not to baby me. "Oh and guys! Quit acting like she's some china doll or something! Gracie hates that!"
"Can you read minds?" I asked, turning to her in shock. She shook her head no, asking why. "Cus I was literately just thinking about that!" She laughed again, shaking her head.
"Oh! You're sure your all right?" Mrs. Weasley asked, looking me over. Maxie looked me over as well, both looked a bit worried. Even Bill and Charlie looked worried.
"I'm fine! I promise! I'm tough!" I laughed, showing them, 'the guns'. Everyone laughed, Uncle Moony ruffled my hair. "I'm going to get plates and forks! Be back in a minute! Harry, arms out!" He smiled happily, making a cradle for Lilly. Big chicken is still scared to pick her up. So I just hand her to him. She wailed a bit, but stopped when she saw Harry.
"I'll help!" Uncle Moony followed me into the kitchen. "So kiddo, how ya doing?"
"I'm fine. I missed you!" I smiled, hugging his waist.
"I missed you too! I'm sorry Gracie. I shouldn't have ran. I knew you were okay. It just scared me that I could do that to you! But, it's in the past, and as long as your not mad at me, I'm fine!" He sighed, hugging me back.
"I never was mad!"
"Good!" He chuckled, handing me James. "You take him. Even if your okay, don't want you making it worse. Don't give me that look! I know you like I know the back of my hand! You've always put on a brave face! You were on your death bed telling us all that you were okay!" He laughed, grabbing a stack of plates. I blushed, knowing he was telling the truth. "So, how are you and Harry? How's school? I came to the wedding. And the tournament, I just sort of avoided you. I didn't wan you to think I didn't care, you were brilliant! I was so surprised! I saved that article that was in paper this morning! Anything else I should no?"
I laughed. "Thanks for coming! Harry and I are fine, schools fine. Thanks for the compliment, I saved it too! It's in my bag, which I haven't taken off yet. It's hot in here! I bet it's these robes. Anyway, not really. Harry and I are going to the ball together, but that's not really a surprise. Neville asked Ginny to the ball!" I chattered, walking out of the kitchen. Mrs. Weasley gasped.
"Ginny is going to the ball?" I nodded, Uncle Lupin putting the plates down. "With who?"
"Neville. Don't worry! I wouldn't let her go with anyone I didn't approve of! Neville's a good person, he'll respect her, that's for sure! And he's really sweet! He really wanted to ask her in a special way! He really wanted her to say yes! So I helped him, a little bit. It was mostly him!" I shrugged, sitting beside Harry with James.
"Don't worry Mrs. Weasley. If she's with Neville she'll be fine! And Gracie and I will be there! We'll look out for her!" Harry smiled, playing with Lilly. We cut the cake, passing it out and ate.
"So. Any new information on the tournament?" Mum asked, sitting down in the floor in front of me. I dropped my fork, almost forgetting.
"Yes! Hagrid has been trying to warn us this whole time an I just figured it out this morning. Everything he's teaching about in Care of Magical Creatures is going to be in the tournament at some point!" I squealed.
"This morning was awful! Those things were a pain in the arse!" Harry grumbled, rubbing a burn. I shuttered, my hand flying to the one on hip. "I would rather fight the dragon again!"
"Me too!" I hissed, lifting my robe a bit to get a better look at it. Brownie flew through the window. "Hey! I haven't seen you in a long time girl! Where you been?" She held out her leg, a note attached.
Take your egg and take a bath
-Cedric
"Well Harry, I found out how to get our clue from the egg! Come on!" I grabbed his hand, running upstairs. I stopped and grabbed my egg, Harry got his and we ran back to the bathroom. Bill and Charlie came running, note in hand while I ran the water. Perverts. "Give me your egg!" I held them both under water. "We have to stick our head under!" He got beside me on his knees. "One."
"Two."
"Three!" We ducked our heads under, opening the egg. I listened to the clue ten times before it hit. I pulled my head out from under, gasping for breath. "Mermaid!"
"What?" Harry gasped. Some one handed us towels, so I wrapped my hair in it, scrunching it to get the water out. I let it fall down, flipping it over and weaving the towel through it to dry it.
"Mermaids Harry! That was mertalk! It has to do with the black lake! They're hiding something important from us in the black lake! We have to find two ways to breathe underwater for at least an hour!"
"How did you figure that out?"
"Billie, all you had to do was listen to the song!" I rolled my eyes, smiling at him. My hair was almost dry, but still damp, so I ran a brush through it.
"When to you graduate, come see us at the auror office!" Tonks winked, putting her arm over my shoulder. I beamed at her, picking up the twins in both arms.
"Well, I just witnessed a fourteen year old girl figure out a riddle meant for an adult wizard in three minutes! I'm impressed!" Uncle Moony laughed. "We should get dinner!"
"So Harry. What do you think of your girlfriend now?" Charlie asked, elbowing Harry. He smiled.
"I couldn't be more proud!" He wrapped an arm around my waist, kissing my forehead.
"Awe!" Mum cooed, ruffling Harry's hair. "You guys are so cute! Most guys get jealous!"
"Huh? Why? I told her about the dragons, she told me about the black lake. She was better in the tournament, I'm proud of her! Maybe this time I'll beat her!" He winked, nudging me a bit. I laughed, hugging him.
"That's why I want to hear!" Dad laughed, wrapping an arm around our shoulders.
"Oi! Gracie! Can we try the curse on you?" Bill asked, wiggling his eyebrows.
"No!" Several people chorused. I raised my eyebrows, looking at each of them. Dad, Mum, Uncle Moony, Molly and Arthur, and Harry. Tonks was biting her lip like she wasn't sure.
"What would you make me do?"
"I'm your big brother! Nothing to hurt you! Just something funny!" He winked. I laughed, nodding. "Yes!" He fist pumped, pulling out his wand. "Imperio!"
'Do the chicken dance!' I laughed.
"Don't think so Billie!" I said aloud.
'Do it! Do it! You know you want tooo!' He taunted.
"Nah. Not really. You can though!" He froze. "Oh! Yay! Do it! Do it! You know you want to!" I mocked, laughing at him. He started doing the chicken dance and multiple people laughed. "Hey this is fun!" I cheered, resisting the urge to jump up and down with the twins in my arms.
"No it's not!" He grumbled, sitting down and rubbing his head. Molly made dinner and we all are as a family at the table. Harry and I fed Lilly and James. Sadly, the Weasley's had to leave, but Uncle Moony and Tonks are staying all week! Yay!
I pulled Harry into my room, not wanting to sleep alone again. I guess I got use to hanging out with him at all times, not that we're not still always together, by there for a while we didn't even sleep in our dorms. It was like we lived in the common room. I curled up against the wall on my bed, and Harry got in a minute later. "Wait!" I hopped up, climbing over Harry and running to the bathroom, clothes in hand. He laughed, an I heard the bed creak. I pulled on my sophie shorts and Harry's t-shirt, then knocked on the door.
"Come in!" Harry laughed, smiling at me once I opened the door. I walked over, climbing into my bed. "You know, my clothes look better on you than they do on me!" He chuckled, folding my into his arms. I giggled, resting my head on his chest. I wonder what they'll take?