CHAPTER SIX
TO BATTLE A DRAGON
[06]

song: All Star by Smash Mouth

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Ron and Harry have been mad at each other for a few days now. Over what, I don't understand. Why Ron's mad at him for having his name drawn? But Harry didn't do that, but Ron believes otherwise.

As I'm walking with Ron, Hermione, and Ginny to the black lake, Ron tells us what he wants us to say to Harry.

"We've already been through enough people why don't you just go and do it yourself?" Hermione whispers to Ron. "Ughh. What do you want us to say again?"

Ron whispers what he wants us to say. It's clear Harry and Ron aren't on speaking terms.

Hermione and I walk up to Harry. "Ron would like me to tell you that Seamus told him that Dean was told by Parvati that Hagrid was looking for you." Hermione explains.

"Is that right? Well.... what?" Harry asks confused.

"Uhh...." Hermione turns back to Ron.

"What Ronald wants to tell you is: Hagrid is looking for you." I dumb-down.

"Yeah, that." Hermione says.

"Well you can tell Ron—"

"We're not owls!"

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Today is now the day of the first task. Harry told us what Hagrid showed him. Dragons.

As we walk to the arena, I have an idea. "Why'd don't we go visit Harry and wish him luck, Hermione?"

"Yes! Let's go, Lin."

We walk to the champions' tent and Hermione leans against the canvas opening of the tent. "Psst. Harry." she whispers.

"Hermione?"

"And Lin." I say.

"How are you feeling? OK? The key is to concentrate. After that you just have to...." Hermione trails off.

"....Battle a dragon." I finish.

Hermione and I then enter the tent. Hermione and Harry hug and I pat Harry on the shoulder.

A bright camera flashes light. Hermione and Harry pull apart while Rita Skeeter approaches.

"Young love! Ohh how.. stirring. If everything goes unfortunately today you might make the front page." the awful woman says.

"You have no business here." Viktor tells the journalists. "This tent is for champions and friends." he turns to glance at us.

"No matter. We've got what we wanted." Rita Skeeter looks to Harry and Hermione.

"Hermione, we should go." I tell her. I turn back to all the champions and give them a slight smile. "Good luck guys."

We leave the tent just as Dumbledore walk in.

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"Three of our champions have now faced their dragons and so each one of them will proceed to the next task. And now our fourth and final contestant."

Harry enters the rocky arena. The crowds are cheering his name.

Harry! Harry! Harry! Harry! Let him focus, you dimbos.

A golden egg is in the middle of the arena. Each champion has to retrieve the egg in order to move to the text task.

Harry makes a run for the egg, but the dragon appears. It's a Hungarian Horntail.

The dragon attacks Harry and tosses him. Harry hides behind a rock and the dragon breathes hellfire on the rock.

"Your wand Harry! Your wand!" Hermione yells at him. Harry then takes out his wand and summons a broom.

His broom comes out of the sky and he hops on it.
Harry flies to the egg and reaches to grab it but the dragon blows fire so he can't touch it without being burned.

The dragon goes to follow Harry into the air, but the chain around its neck restricts the action.

The dragon pulls and pulls and finally breaks free from the chain. (cue 'I Want to Break Free' by Queen)

Harry flies out of the arena and the dragon follows suit, tearing the canvas roof of the faculty's box. While the teachers are stunned, the crowd cheers even more loudly.

"Yes!" Fred yells.
"Well done dragon!" George yells.

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I don't hear anything, no roars or screams. The dead silence is unbearable.

When Harry flies back to the arena, the dragon is no longer trailing him. Everyone cheers for him.

"Yes!" Hermione screams.

Harry reaches down and grabs the golden egg.

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Fred and George lift Harry up on their shoulders in the Gryffindor common room while Harry raises the egg high. The Gryffindors cheer for him louder.

"Knew you wouldn't die, Harry." George tells him.
"Lose a leg—" Fred says.
"—Or an arm." said George.
"Pack it in altogether." says Fred.
"NEVER!" The twins yell at the same time.

"Who wants me to open it?" Harry asks the crowd. Everyone cheers and says, "Yeah!"

Harry opens the switch part on top of the golden egg and a loud screeching sound comes out.

I cup my ears with my hands and so does everyone else. Fred and George drop Harry and Harry closes the egg. The awful screeching stops.

"What the bloody hell what that?" Ron asks when he enters the common room.

Harry and Ron look at each other.

"Alright everyone, go back to your knitting. This is gonna be uncomfortable enough without all you nosey sods listening in." Fred tells the crowd.

"Good call, Freddie." I tell him and he smiles back.

"I reckon you'd have to be barking mad to put your own name in the goblet of fire." Ron says to Harry.

"Yeah, no shit." I comment. Harry and Ron ignore it.

"Caught on have you? Took you long enough." is Harry's reply.

"Wasn't just me who thought you'd done it. Everyone was saying it behind your back." Ron tries to defend himself.

"Brilliant. That makes me feel loads better." Harry says sarcastically.

"At least I warned you about the dragons."

"Hagrid warned me about the dragons."

"Oh no no, I did. Don't you remember? I told Hermione to tell you that Seamus told me that Parvati told Dean that Hagrid was looking for you. Seamus never actually told me anything, so it was
really me all along. I thought you'd be alright, you know, after you figured that out." Ron explains.

"Who could possibly figure that out? That's completely mental."

I looked around the common room and saw Fred Weasley snogging some chick.

As if on cue, Hermione aspiratedly says, "Boys."

"Tell me about it." I groan. Hermione looks and me and follows my line of sight to also see Fred snogging someone.

"Come on, Lin. Let's go to bed."