-Alex's Perspective-
This Dragon task came around far to quick for my liking.
A large stadium was, in some way assembled on one of the surrounding Hogwarts mountains. It was octagonal in shape. The stands could hold the entirety of Hogwarts, which at this current time was absolutely massive.
But I didn't have the time to appreciate the arena, no.
I was stuck in the champions tent, thinking more and more about my growing concern of the fact that in a few hours I would be facing a dragon, ending inevitably in my own death.
McGonagall had seeked myself and the others out after breakfast. It was stressful enough without my name being summoned to the front of the hall.
Currently I was sat on a medic bench which gave me a small glance that hope was there. But then again you can't revive ash...even with magic.
The others showed similar approaches in the way of nerves:
Krum was sat on a box muttering things to himself in Bulgarian.
Cedric sat on a chair crouched over staring into the air.
Fleur and Harry were both pacing which was becoming more and more irritable.
I looked over to Cedric. He'd been there for me when the others weren't apart from Harry.
Hermione had been trying for me but unlike Harry I didn't want to be with people. I just wanted to have time alone, to think. Like now, I'm sat here fiddling with these specially made clothes. We were all in them.
Krum wore the Bulgarian colours. A red cloak, grey t-shirt and black jogging bottom styled trousers.
Cedric was wearing Hufflepuff colours of black and yellow. His robe had a black base with bright yellow stripes down the seems, along with similar shirt and trousers to Krum.
Then Fleur in dark blue track suit, accompanied with a metallic silver gilet.
Harry was in Gryffindor colours: a red and black hoodie with yellow stripes and black trousers.
Then there was me in a vibrant gold based hoodie, matched with 'Fletcher' in red on the back with black stripes going from my shoulder to the sleeve cuff. I also had on black trousers which weren't the most fitting. They had two thin gold stripes down the outer leg.
I, like Harry also opted for fingerless gloves.
Cedric stood from his seat and swapped from his current chair to the space next to me on the medical bench.
"It'll be alright." Cedric reassured me. Classic Hufflepuff looking out for everyone around them.
"People die Cedric." I was clearly best to stay out of Hufflepuff. Currently I wasn't really a Gryffindor either, I was more morbid and depressing, not galant and joyful.
"I know, but we'll get through it together. Alright?" He asked nudging me with a smile.
"Alright." I replied half heartedly.
"Come here." He pulled me into a hug.
I knew Cedric had always smelt nice but today he was different than previous. He smelt like a bonfire. And was warm and cozy to snuggle into. But the moment was disrespectfully disrupted by a sudden flash of white light and then followed by a small emission of smoke.
"Young Love!" Squeals none other than Rita bloody Skeeter. She ran up to Harry and Hermione who surprisingly were also hugging by the tent entrance. "How beautiful that there is a romance between champions!" She squeaked with joy, sounding much like a squealing pig. Cedric and I stand up straight at the same time, in a confrontational move. Neither of us saying anything only clenching our jaws. "If anything goes wrong, you might even make the front page!" Rita patronised us like we were small children.
"Excuse me! This tent is for champions and friends." Came a Bulgarian voice form behind me. I turned. Krum was stood equally as confrontational as Ced and I.
"We've got what we need." Rita says dusting her hands as if she's actually done work in her life.
She sorters off, but the photographer quickly grabs a snap of Krum before he exits too. Cedric thanks Krum and they start a conversation about how stupid Rita is, but they are soon interrupted by a happy voice.
"Good day champions! Gather round!" Dumbledore bursts in and smiles at us all garishly and ushers us all into a small circle. "The moment has arrived! I'm sure the four of you will be happy to hear."
In some sense I was happy that the waiting was over, however the fact that this meant a definite start to the tournament was terrifying
"An- oh what are you doing here Miss Granger?" Dumbledore turns to a blushing Hermione.
"Oh I'll just-" She says starting to back out but not before she pulls on my arm slightly. "Good luck Alex." She whispers and as much as we currently didn't get on that was reassuring anyway.
"Right Champions! In this bag is a link to the next task. The place in which you are to complete the task is attached to these items, they are numbered one to five." Crouch looks round at us all. He's holding a small purple velvet bag in left hand and begins to direct us round with his right. "Potter here-Mr Kru-Alex-" He's pointing to us all in term to our name of a place in the tent.
Once Crouch was happy we were all in the right place he opens the small bag which sizzles as he does and offers it to Fleur.
Fleur's hand sinks in first and she flinches a small bit which made me more nervous to put my hand in than to complete the task itself. She pulled out and her right palm beard a small green dragon with a two clamped to its foot. I believe it's a Welsh green although could be confused with the Moroccan Mint Hunter.
"The Welsh Green." Crotch announces, I was half right.
Victor was next. He pulled out the unmistakable Chinese Fireball, a small three engraved on its leg.
Cedric was the luckiest so far, he had the Swedish Short Snout however this meant he had to go first. I'm guessing the dragons where labelled in difficulty.
Harry was next and I knew that he was going to either get four or five. And in a way of selfishness I prayed he'd get six. But the Gods were against me, the Hungarian Horntail had a clear five rapped around its back foot.
"That leaves you Miss Fletcher." Crouch said looking me dead in the eye.
I reached in feeling around in the velvet lining of the bag until something latched onto my glove. I pulled it out and that's when I saw it.
The Celtic Camellia.
I had read about this one. It had only been photographed a few times but had many artistic impressions of its true form. As it blends into the surroundings, thus the name Camellia.
The miniature one in my hand was already blending itself to my glove. I felt Dumbledore grip my back. I turned to him. His eyes were wide and he looked at me with a face of sternness.
"Each dragon has been given an egg to protect, you must retrieve this egg to get a clue and to go into the next round, if you don't you are eliminated from the tournament." Mr Croutch spoke to us all. As I continued to examine the dragon in my hand.
-cut time-
"Four of our champions have now faced their dragons, each in success but there is one left." Dumbledore's voice boomed around the space I was in.
I walked down the path all the others had gone through. It was decorated with cloth of yellow, red and blue.
The corridor I walked down emerged into a bright light. I can smell something very similar to burning, along with wet leaves.
"Fletcher!"
Is being chanted through the stadium as I walked into it.
I walked with caution. I haven't read a lot on this dragon, even though it's been known to exist for many years now, no one has quite worked it out yet. It's known as an anomaly in society. The other dragons all had around two to three pages on average this one barley covered one.
I continued to walk expecting to be attacked any moment now. But nothing happened.
I tried to blend in with the rock I was currently on, my wand tight in my grasp. But nothing happened the audience is now silent and waiting much like me for something to happen, anything.
I stood on the boulder and looked around the stadium. Stones scattering the ground.
Nothing. Nothing at all. I began to relax, my shoulders sinking out of tension. I saw the egg in the centre of the ring. I made a run to it, but the ground underneath me moved and catapulted me up into the air. I didn't go to far I sailed above the ground and skidded against the floor.
The ground was not a soft landing. My back and left shoulder scratched against the stones slicing my skin to let blood out, as I let out a small scream, the audience gasped in shock and fear.
I scurried to near by cover my wand on the floor somewhere on the other side of the rock but I had no intention of going back to that side. I peeked round my right hand putting pressure on my shoulder which is now bleeding through my hoodie.
I saw it for the first time properly. It had turned its head its original skin an ash grey it wasn't scaled as I expected, in fact almost like leather.
It had a sort of neck thrill that was also grey with large spines on the end. The face of it was long and had a few whiskers on the tip of its nose.
With that the dragon huffed out its nose realising a cloud of smoke I gasped and smacked my back against the stones. I was behind just in time as large wisps of fire coated the stone I was by. I felt the heat rise on my back and the sweat on my face ran down and the grip on my shoulder tightened.
The fire stopped like a switch. I turned to see the dragon had disappeared into the surroundings.
My breathing increased more and more.
I made a run from the rocks cover and gripped my shoulder I found my wand. It was blackened by soot but other than that seemed surprising fine. I turned around the rock on my back. My right arm gripping my left and my left gripping my wand.
My breathing thickened. But then there was two plumes of smoke in front of my face. Black orbs seemed to be peeled at as the mask of the dragon came undone the neck thrill suddenly sprung from its normal spot and rattled. This was a massive sign it was going to attack.
I did what my instincts told me and launched myself at the face of the dragon, it soon became apparent to me that this in no way was a good idea. The beast reared its head back causing me to hang onto one of its spines.
It roared causing a wave of vibration around the crowds and stands as I was deafened.
I hung on for dear life as the dragon thrashed his head around in annoyance that I was on his nose. It's mouth opening and closing. Snapping at my feet as I continued to hold onto its neck.
I heard screams and gasping from below in the audience.
My left shoulder felt like it was ripping apart as I dangled. My whole body weight on both arms. My throat felt raw from the screams.
I pulled myself onto its head and hoisted myself around onto the top of its eye line its nostrils flared and a growl came from its throat as it began to throw its head around, as my body swung with each movement. My arm ripping each time. I held on as tight as I possibly could.
Then it raised its head vertically in the air and let out a blast of a noise.
Although my grip was tight, it wasn't tight enough. I slipped to the dragons neck. The screams of the crowd matched the ones in my head as I wheezed and spluttered trying my hardest as tears slipped from my eyes. It was both the gash on my arm and the mass confusion in my head.
"USE YOUR WAND!! YOUR WAND YOU IDIOT!" I heard a voice shout from the stands. I could tell it was Fred.
My left arm had gripped my wand the entire time, leaving the markings in beaded in my palm and fingers.
"Orchideous!" I screamed out pointing my wand out.
This wasn't what I intended but my mind was so flustered I accidentally conjured flowers from my wand shooting out black roses. This didn't make anything any better, obviously.
In fact, it made it worse.
The dragon lifted itself off the ground flapping its wings and rising into the air. My arm burned and stung as blood continued to dribble from my shoulder. I gripped onto the neck of it and screamed out as the dragon flew around the arena speeding up each time. It's mouth snapping at my feet as I tried to regain my balance on its neck.
"LANGLOCK!" I screamed at the dragon. The spell glued the bottom of its mouth to the roof. Which made the experience a little better until I heard a chain snap.
One of the links had broken as the Celtic had flown around and I was now swerving and weaving in the air at a rapid pace.
My brain was being overwhelmed and my body had began to give up but I put all my effort into the last spell.
"SINDICOUS!!!" I screamed. I had no idea if this would work I had read it in an advanced spell book. The dragon dropped almost instantly into sleep which was my intention. It landed in a heap as I fell with it dramatically.
The dragon acted as a landing pad for me. It was a hard beast so could with stand the fall, hopefully I would too...that's if I landed it correctly.
We plummet to the ground and I land originally on top but slip down its stomach onto the ground.
I got a few more small scratches and I was covered by the camouflaged leg of the Celtic. I pushed it off with my right arm.
As I emerged I heard the cheers of the audience as I limped slightly towards the egg. My leg gave way causing me to then crawl. It hurt my arm but getting this egg meant it would all be over.
I got to it and held it tight against my body. It was cool against me. I don't think I've ever been so attached to an object before. I lay in the featus position as tears left my eyes I closed them exhausted and broken.