x. aqua eructo

ϟ

Matilda woke up with the sun on Sunday morning. She was the first one awake in the now brightened dorm room, she went about carefully and quietly, so not to wake up her snoring roommates. Most of the snoring came from Padma, she failed every night to take the potion that Matilda had made up for her to help with the very issue.

Before leaving the room to go ahead for the restroom where she would start getting ready for the day, Matilda took her bag of toiletries off the highest shelf on the wall, so high up that to reach it she had to stand on the headboard of her bed. Behind her, Matilda slowly pulled the door closed and went ahead for the toilets. There she washed her hair, washed her face, and brushed her hair. When finished she wrapped her robe tightly around her body and went back to her room where she went about finding clothes to wear that day.

Choosing an outfit was one task that Matilda had to take time in doing to perfect it. She was known for the outfits she wore. Never to showy, but enough to make people look twice, which is what she liked. She always brought more outfits than she needed, but when packing she never knew what she would want to wear on a certain day.

After digging through the trunk for what seemed like hours, Matilda pulled on a pair of black tights, that she slid a tight-fitting, plaid, miniskirt over before tucking in a large, oversized, nude-colored sweater into it. Matilda then used her wand to add some curl to her hair, and then, before leaving the room for the day, she pulled on a chunkier pair of her Mary Jane shoes.

When she left her room, Matilda hurried off to find Harry, locating him at the Gryffindor table, sitting with Hermione and Ginny, who ate their breakfast while Harry played around with his utensils. She went and sat down beside of him, putting a spoonful of oatmeal on her tray, waiting to see if Harry would tell Hermione about what all happened the night before.

Harry ended up waiting until Hermione had eaten her last bite of porridge, then dragged her and Matilda out into the grounds for another walk. There, was when he told her all about the dragons, and about everything Sirus had said, while they took another long walk around the lake.

Alarmed as she was by Sirius' warnings about Karkaroff, Hermione still thought that the dragons were the more pressing problem.

"Let's just try and keep you alive until Tuesday evening," she said desperately, "and then we can worry about Karkaroff."

They walked three times around the lake, Harry and Hermione trying all the way to think of a simple spell that would subdue a dragon, while Matilda reminded them of the Aqua Eructo charm. A Matilda had learned years ago that could be used to create a jet of water from the tip of the wand. She suggested it, knowing it could be used to put out any fire breathed by the dragons.

Though neither of them had learned that charm yet, so they retired to the library instead. Here, Matilda and Hermione grazed through every book she could find on dragons, while Harry went searching the shelves.

"Talon-clipping by charms... treating scale rot... this is no good, this is for nutters like Hagrid who want to keep them healthy..."

"Dragons are extremely difficult to slay, owing to the ancient magic that imbues their thick hides, which none but the most powerful spells can penetrate... but Sirius said a simple one would do it..."

"Let's try some simple spell books, then," said Harry, throwing aside Men Who Love Dragons Too Much.

"Aqua Eructo is a simple spell," said Matilda. "I can teach you the wand movements qucikly."

He returned to the table with a pile of spellbooks, set them down and began to flick through each in turn, Hermione whispering non-stop at his elbow. 'Well, there are Switching Spells ... but what's the point of Switching it? Unless you swapped its fangs for wine gums or something, that would make it less dangerous ... the trouble is, like that book said, not much is going to get through a dragon's hide ... I'd say Transfigure it, but something that big, you really haven't got a hope, I doubt even Professor McGonagall ... unless you're supposed to put the spell on yourself? Maybe to give yourself extra powers? But they'renot simple spells, I mean, we haven't done any of those in class, I only know about them because I've been doing O.W.L. practice papers ...'

Harry did agree to take Matilda up on learning the Aqua Eructo charm, but still insisted on further reading, he returned to the table with a pile of spell books, set them down, and began to flick through each in turn with Matilda, Hermione whispering non-stop across the table, unable to read silently. "Well, there are Switching Spells, but what's the point of Switching it? Unless you swapped its fangs for wine gums or something, that would make it less dangerous, the trouble is, like that book said, not much is going to get through a dragon's hide. I'd say Transfigure it, but something that big, you really haven't got a hope, I doubt even Professor McGonagall – unless you're supposed to put the spell on yourself? Maybe to give yourself extra powers? But they're not simple spells, I mean, we haven't done any of those in class, I only know about them because I've been doing O.W.L. practice papers..."

"Do you know what silent reading is?" asked Matilda, her patience worn thin.

"Please," Harry said, through gritted teeth. "I'm trying to concentrate."

But all that happened, when Hermione fell silent, was Matilda's brain filled with thought of the worst possible scenarios as she read about brave wizards battling dragons, and failing, terribly. And these were all trained, educated wizards, if they couldn't go up against a dragon, Harry had no chance.

And Matilda began to worry deeply about her friend.

"Oh, no, he's back again, why can't he read on his stupid ship?" said Hermione irritably, as Viktor Krum slouched in, cast a surly look over at the pair of them, and settled himself in a distant corner with a pile of books. "Come on, guys, we'll go back to the common room... his fan club will be here in a moment, twittering away."

"Hermione, I'm starting to think you want to join that fan club," Matilda said, her eyebrows raised suggestively.

"Never in a million years, Matilda, let's go," ordered Hermione, collecting mounds of books into her arms.

And sure enough, as they left the library, a gang of girls tiptoed past them in the library, one of them wearing a Bulgaria scarf tied around her waist.

ϟ

It was the Monday morning before the tournament and Matilda had been last to wake up in her room that morning. The sound of Padma fighting over a chair at the desk had woken her up. She had stayed up most of the night helping Harry learn new spells. Though with the way things had went she wouldn't be surprised if Harry woke up and decided to run away from Hogwarts all together.

"How is Harry doing with preparing for the first task?" Cho asked while combing her long, raven-colored hair.

Matilda had just gotten herself out of bed and began dressing her uniform. No longer did she try and hide herself while she changed. The first year she was here and her and Padma had been put in a room with Cho Chang, a student a year above them, Matilda would dress herself in the bathroom every morning or wait until her roommates had gone, by the end of the year she had grown out of it, and began changing in her room.

"Y'know, I wouldn't hold your breath in hoping he asks you out Cho," said Matilda.

"Yikes," Padma scrunched up her face. "That bad?"

"Yes," Matilda sighed, having Luna assist in zipping the back of her skirt. "That bad."

Once she had finished Matilda once again hurried for the Great Hall to meet up with Harry. She had to force him to eat a bowl of porridge and a few strips of bacon as she hadn't seen him eat nothing yesterday, and she didn't want him passing out from low blood sugar while fighting a dragon.

Matilda had finished her bowl of fruit quite quickly and waited on Harry who took longer than normal to eat his bacon, but when he finished and as she rose with him and Hermione, Matilda noticed Harry's gaze fixate upon Cedric Diggory, who was leaving the Hufflepuff table with her older sister, Harper.

"Hey, I'll see the two of you later," Harry said suddenly to Matilda and Hermione. "I've just got something to do real quick."

Harry hurried toward the exit of the Great Hall, tailing Cedric Diggory closely.

"We should follow him, right?" Matilda asked, turning to Hermione. "Make sure he doesn't do nothing stupid."

Hermione shrugged, looking slightly panicked. "I dunno. I have class."

"Go on then," Matilda told her. "I'll follow Harry."

And so, fearing that she might be late to Herbology, Hermione hurried off toward the Greenhouse, and Matilda, knowing she would be late for her meeting with Professor Trelawney, but Matilda believed that if Trelawney was as good as a seer as she claims to be than she would see Matilda being late. So, Matilda rushed after Harry, and out of the large, Great Hall doors.

By the time Matilda had caught up with Harry he was at the bottom of the marble staircases, Cedric was at the top. He was with a load of sixth-year friends and his cousin, Daisy Morgenstern, who wasn't trailing behind her best friend, Draco Malfoy, trying to keep him out of trouble.

"You followed me?" Harry asked, surprised to see Matilda walk up beside him. "You have class."

"Barely. It's Divinations. Nothing serious." Matilda shrugged before changing the subject. "Now, tell me why on earth you're chasing after Cedric Diggory."

Harry sighed, beginning to climb the stairs, Matilda following beside him.

"He's the only champion who doesn't know about the dragons," said Harry, shaking his head. "It's unfair to him."

"Yeah, that's how you play the game, Harry," said Matilda, rolling her eyes. "You one up your competition. Don't you want to win?"

"If I win, I want to do it fairly."

"Fair?" Matilda laughed. "Harry, any chance at a fair competition was thrown out the window when someone put your name in the Goblet of Fire."

"I'm still telling him," Harry shrugged.

"Fine," said Matilda, "But I'm coming with you."

Harry nodded, continuing to follow Cedric, but as a distance, suddenly as they were rounding the Charms corridor, Harry paused, pulling out his wand, and took careful aim.

"Diffindo!"

Cedric's bag split. Parchment, quills and books spilled out of it onto the floor. Several bottles of ink smashed.

"Don't bother," said Cedric in an exasperated voice as Harper quickly bent over to help him pick up his belongings. "Just tell Flitwick I'm coming."

This seemed to be exactly what Harry intended to do. Quickly, he took Matilda's hand and pulled her in the direction of Cedric and his friends. A part of that group was Matilda older, and longtime admirer of Cedric Diggory, Harper, and Daisy Morgenstern.

"Don't you have class?" Harper asked Matilda as the pair closed in on the group.

Tilly rolled her eyes, "Unlike most, I'm ahead in my classes. So, off to Charms you go."

"Go on," Cedric pressed his friend.

They complied and reluctantly went towards their classroom. However, Daisy, a younger relative of Cedric's, stayed with him, bending down to help Cedric with his spilt materials. Harry looked at Matilda, unsure of Daisy being present, but she only gave him a look that reminded him that was his idea to chase after Cedric.

"Hi," said Cedric, picking up a copy of A Guide to Advanced Transfiguration that was now splattered with ink. "My bag just split... brand new and all..."

"Cedric," said Harry, "the first task is dragons."

"What?" said Cedric, looking up.

"Dragons," said Harry, speaking quickly, in case Professor Flitwick came out to see where Cedric had got to. "They've got four, one for each of us, and we've got to get past them."

Cedric stared up at Harry, but Daisy was looking at him with widened green eyes. Tilly and Harry noticed the cousins shared a similar look of panic, the same feeling Harry had been suffering with for the past few days.

"Are you sure?" Cedric asked lowly.

"Dead sure," said Harry as Matilda jumped in.

"Harry, you've said enough," she said, glancing at the confused cousins. "Now you're late for Herbology and—"

Harry sighed, ignoring Tilly. "I've seen them, Cedric."

"But how did you find out? We're not supposed to know..."

Matilda scoffed in response, "Well we know and now unfortunately you do too."

"Never mind that," Harry dismissed Cedric's question. "But I'm not the only one who knows. Fleur and Krum will know by now – Maxime and Karkaroff both saw the dragons too."

Cedric stood up, his younger cousin, Daisy helping him handle his arm full of ink-stained papers, quills, and books. Daisy looked hesitant of the idea, but Cedric seemed skeptical of the two stood in front of him.

"Why are you telling me?" he asked

"Well, I advised against it, but—"

"It's just... fair, isn't it?" Harry said, cutting Tilly off. "We all know now... we're on an even footing, aren't we?"

Cedric was still hesitant, looking at Harry still unsure of the matter. Daisy went to speak but a clunking sound stopped her from doing so. All four of the students' attention was averted to Mad-Eye Moody hobbling out of a nearby classroom.

"Come with me, Potter," Moody growled in his raspy voice. "Diggory, Morgenstern, Winters, off you go."

"I can assure you, Harry is not going anywhere without me," Matilda said as she crossed her arms over chest, firmly standing her ground.

Moody grumbled motioning for the two of them to follow him.

They followed Moody into his office. Moody closed the door behind them and turned to look at Harry, his magical eye fixed upon him as well as the normal one.

"That was a very decent thing you just did, Potter," Moody said quietly.

"Quite stupid if you ask me," Matilda rolled her eyes, as she chimed in with her own opinion.

"Sit down," said Moody, and Harry and Matilda sat, looking around.

Matilda had visited this office under three of its previous occupants. During her first year she came to argue about a term that Quirrell had used incorrectly. Then the office was a mess, papers scattered everywhere, Quirrell was quite disorganized that year, and since befriending Harry Potter she learned why. In Professor Lockhart's day, the walls had been plastered with beaming, winking pictures of Professor Lockhart himself. When Lupin had lived here, you were more likely to come across a specimen of some fascinating new Dark creature he had procured for them to study in class. Now, however, the office was full of a number of exceptionally odd objects that Matilda supposed Moody had used in the days when he had been an Auror.

On his desk stood what looked like a large, cracked, glass spinning top; Matilda recognized it at once as a Sneakoscope, because Harry owned one, though it was much smaller than Moody's. In the corner on a small table stood an object that looked something like an extra-squiggly, golden television aerial. It was humming slightly. What appeared to be a mirror hung opposite Matilda on the wall, but it was not reflecting the room. Shadowy figures were moving around inside it, none of them clearly in focus.

"Like my Dark detectors, do you?" said Moody, who was watching Harry and Matilda closely.

"What's that?" Harry asked, pointing at the squiggly golden aerial.

"Secrecy Sensor. Vibrates when it detects concealment and lies... no use here, of course, too much interference – students in every direction lying about why they haven't done their homework. Been humming ever since I got here. I had to disable my Sneakoscope because it wouldn't stop whistling. It's extra sensitive, picks up stuff about a mile around. Of course, it could be picking up more than kids' stuff,' he added in a growl.

Matilda listened with a bit of skepticism as Moody spoke about the Secrecy Sensory. Being a wonderful liar herself, she was always weary of others who claimed to be anything but a liar.

"And what's the mirror for?"

"Oh, that's my Foe-Glass. See them out there, skulking around? I'm not really in trouble until I see the whites of their eyes. That's when I open my trunk."

He let out a short, harsh laugh, and pointed to the large trunk under the window. It had seven keyholes in a row. Matilda wondered what was in there, until Moody's next question brought her sharply back to earth.

"So... found out about the dragons, have you?"

Harry hesitated. Matilda knew he was afraid of this – but he didn't tell Cedric and she knew Harry would never tell Moddy, that Hagrid had broken the rules.

"It's all right," said Moody, sitting down and stretching out his wooden leg with a groan. "Cheating's a traditional part of the Triwizard Tournament and always has been."

"See?" Matilda nudged Harry shoulder. "I told you."

"I didn't cheat," said Harry sharply. "It was – a sort of accident that I found out."

Moody grinned. "I wasn't accusing you, laddie. I've been telling Dumbledore from the start, he can be as high minded as he likes, but you can bet old Karkaroff and Maxime won't be. They'll have told their champions everything they can. They want to win. They want to beat Dumbledore. They'd like to prove he's only human."

Matilda, who knowingly held Dumbledore in high regard couldn't help but to scoff at the comment of Dumbledore being only human.

Moody gave a harsh laugh, and his magical eye swiveled around so fast it made Matilda feel queasy to watch it.

"So... got any ideas how you're going to get past your dragon yet?" said Moody.

"No," said Harry.

"Well, I'm not going to tell you," said Moody gruffly. "I don't show favoritism, me. I'm just going to give you some good, general advice. And the first bit is – play to your strengths."

"I haven't got any," said Harry, unable to stop himself.

"Excuse me," growled Moody, "you've got strengths if I say you've got them. Think now. What are you best at?"

Harry was silent but his face seemed concentrated, thinking of something he must be the best it, which Matild could only imagine was difficult with her sitting right beside of him, and she was the best at most things.

"He's very good at Quidditch," said Matilda, speaking for Harry.

"That's right," said Moody, agreeing with Matilda while looking to Harry, his magical eye barely moving at all. "You're a damn good flier, from what I've heard."

"Yeah, but..." Harry stared at him. "I'm not allowed a broom; I've only got my wand –"

"My second piece of general advice," said Moody loudly, interrupting him, "is to use a nice, simple spell which will enable you to get what you need."

Harry looked at Moody blankly.

"Come on, boy..." whispered Moody. "Put them together... it's not that difficult..."

But Harry still seemed as clueless as ever.

"Oh, for the love of all things good – summoning charm," said Matilda loudly. "Harry, you'll need a spell to summon your broom."

Harry and Matilda had finally been dismissed from Moody's office thirty minutes later, and seeing as it was useless to try and make it their classes, since so much time had already passed, the strolled down the corridors taking their time.

"Matilda, I'm going to need your help," said Harry with a long, drawn out sigh.

"Yeah," Matilda scoffed. "I'm well aware."

"So, you can help me learn a Summoning Charm properly, by tomorrow?"

ϟ 

And so, the two of them practiced, skipping lunch, heading into an empty and free classroom, where Harry tried with all his might to make various objects fly across the room towards him. He was still having problems. The books and the quills kept losing heart halfway across the room and dropping like stones to the floor.

"You can do this Harry, you know the spells, you just have to concentrate – clear your head."

"It isn't as easy as you might think, Matilda!" Harry lashed out angrily. "I get that you're able to not care about things, so easily, but me, well, a filthy great dragon keeps popping up in my head, for some reason... ok, try again..."

"No, we can't try again, we have class," said Matilda, grabbing her bag up off the floor. "Besides, you know the stuff, you just need to believe in what you're doing Harry."

Harry sighed as Matilda made her way out of the empty classroom before any other student could walk in, her peers already believed that she and Harry was crushing on one another, she didn't care to find out what would be spread around if they was caught in an empty classroom together.

She felt bad for leaving him, but she knew that she couldn't carry him through the task, she wouldn't be in the ring with dragon, fighting it for him, and so, he needed to learn this on his own, which she was confident he would. He had to live. He is Harry Potter. He's her best friend.

Hermione joined Harry and Matilda for dinner after their classes were over. It was just the three of them, as Ron and Harry still weren't talking, which meant that Ron and Matilda wasn't talking much these days either. It was weird, going about everything with him, but as much as she missed the dynamic that he provided by being there with them, she wasn't going to leave Harry alone in this mess.

After the three of them finished dinner, Matilda, Hermione, and Harry went out onto the lawn, Matilda hoping that fresh air might help Harry relax enough to be able to perform a simple Summoning Charm.

"It's all about concentration," Hermione said encouragingly, as Harry continued to express his concerns about his lack of ability to follow through on his charms.

"Sure, what an easy way to thank about it," said Harry, his tone dripping with sarcasm as he drew tired of the encouraging words that never would help him with the charms. "Except I've also got to concentrate on not being a late lunch for a dragon."

Matilda stifled a laugh, she offered Harry a piece of advice she's been offering from the beginning, "If all else fails, and you find yourself desperate, in a ring with a fire-breathing dragon, resort to Aqua Eructo. Very simple charm, but very effective."

The three of them had rounded the lake, a peaceful silence having fallen over them, until a sneer, over-confident tone came from above, interrupting the small amount of peace they had felt all week.

"Why so tense, Potter?"

Hermione was the first of the three to look up at Malfoy, who sat comfortably on a large branch, high up in a tree. "This doesn't concern you, Malfoy! Get lost!"

"Glad to see your teeth are back to normal, Granger," He teased, still seated amongst the branches. "My father and I have a bet you see, Potter..."

Matilda rounded the base of the tree with Harry and Hermione, her blue eyes narrowed in contemplation as she stared up where Malfoy was perched. She stood off to the side, near Daisy, with hands placed firmly on her hips and her eyebrows creased together.

Tilly looked over at Daisy, who seemed just as annoyed as her, "Is he in a tree?"

The blonde girl could only muster a defeated shrug, at a loss of words for seemingly odd situation.

Matilda bit the inside of her bottom lip, glancing between the two blondes, "May I ask why?"

"It seems that his obsession with Harry has finally gotten the best of him," Daisy responded, pinching the bridge of her nose as Draco continued to speak.

"I don't think you're going to last ten minutes in this tournament," Draco sneered, carefully sliding from the tree and landing on his feet. "He disagrees. He thinks you won't last five."

Crabbe and Goyle laughed from behind Draco, boosting the blonde boy's ego even further. Though his statement only fueled Harry's already present frustration. Hermione went to reach out to stop Harry from walking any closer to Malfoy, but Harry avoided her grasp.

"I don't give a damn what you or your father thinks, Malfoy!" Harry snapped, marching closer to Malfoy and spatting each word as he continued. "He's vile and cruel, and you're pathetic."

Matilda smiled as she nodded, agreeing with Harry's every word, Daisy, still beside of her, raised her eyebrows in surprise at the harshness of Harry's words, but kept silently still. Draco, however, momentarily looked taken aback as he flinched. His face soon contorted into a look of anger, Harry having already turned his back on him to walk away.

"Draco!"

Daisy suddenly warned loudly, causing Matilda to jump from shock at the shrillness in her tone. But she had seen what Daisy was yelling at soon after the shock wore off.

Malfoy ignored Daisy as he fumbled around in attempt to pull his wand from his robes, Crabbe and Goyle encouraging him to continue on with his actions. Draco held out his wand, winding it backwards before motioning to point it at Harry's back. Matilda intervened, quickly deflecting the spell before casting her own incantation.

"Caput Calvitium!"

Just as quickly as the beam of white light left Tilly's wand, which directly hit Draco, his blonde locks disappeared into thin air. Daisy quickly clasped her hands over her mouth, trying to cover the oncoming laughter as Draco grasped onto his now bald head. Crabbe and Goyle stood speechless, while everyone else around him began laughing at the sight.

"You – You!" Draco seethed at Matilda, his pale skin reddening. "You!"

"Oh, keep your hair on, Malfoy," Matilda teased happily. "Oh, wait..."

Quickly, Draco pulled the hood of his cloak upwards over his head and slouched lowly as he ran away from the scene. Daisy had already began laughing aloud, clutching her stomach as he disappeared into one of the tunnels. Crabbe and Goyle jogged off after him, leaving Daisy laughing alongside Matilda and her friends.

"That was brilliant, Tilly," Harry complimented in-between laughs. "Thanks for that."

"Really, Matilda," said Hermione, sounding surprisingly impressed rather than scoldsome. "Where'd you learn the spell?"

Matilda shrugged, having not learned it anywhere, it was just one of many she had written down in pink diary she's had since she had started at Hogwarts. For a few years now, as she practiced wandless magic, she has found herself interested in the art of creating spells. Nothing had ever come of any she'd tried before. Maybe a glimmer of light from her wand, but that was it. Until today, when she took Malfoy's hair.

"You come up with that on your own?" Daisy asked, eyebrows raising high onto her forehead.

Matilda nodded, quite proud of herself.

"Brilliant," the small blonde whispered.

Daisy had finally dismissed herself after she calmed down, thanking them for a good laugh and bidding them all a goodnight as she walked away toward the entrance hall, still giggling as she went. When she had disappeared over the hill, Matilda turned back to Harry, her eyebrows raised,

"So, back to Summoning Charms then?"

ϟ

It wasn't until after two o'clock in the morning that Matilda had finally gotten back to the Ravenclaw Tower. Only after Harry, in a rage, managed to bring a large, and quite heavy dictionary from across the room and into his hands. And Hermione and Matilda found that anger and frustration is Harry's motivator.

The lack of sleep showed on Matilda the next morning. She was not wanting to wake up at all. Luna had to shake her friend awake and remind her of the first task being today. Suddenly Matilda shot up. It was real. Harry would really be going up against a dragon, and in front of the entire school, plus some. They had been working so hard on the Summoning Charms yesterday that the intensity of the task approaching seemed to have left them all, but now, Matilda was in a full panic, but she managed to mask it well, not wishing to talk to her roommates about how she felt.

She got ready that morning, knowing the air was going to be cold and brisk. Matilda chose a brown-colored, velvet, shirt and skirt combo. Normally, the tanked shirt would have shown part of the small girl's stomach, seeing as it was marketed as a summer outfit, but Matilda liked the idea of making it a fall look because of the colors. So, under the cropped tank-top, Matilda had a long-sleeved, black, wool turtleneck, and under the skirt she slipped on a pair of black tights to cover her legs, and to stay warm in the bleak and cool weather, Matilda pulled a new, yet to worn, black, denim jacket from her chest that ended just above her waist. And as usual, before leaving the room, Matilda slipped on a pair of her favorite, velvet Mary Jane heels. Since today was the day of the first task the students weren't made to wear their uniforms, as long as they kept their robes on.

Having woken up later than normal Matilda was not first to leave the bedroom, in fact she was last with Padma, together, with the added company of Lisa Turpin, they walked to Charms. Lisa and Padma spoke excitedly about the drama surrounding the first task. Matilda stayed silent during their short journey, which was unlike her, but knowing how close the girl had grown to Harry, neither Lisa nor Padma questioned her lack of conversation.

Unhappy about having to skip breakfast and not being able to see Harry, Matilda was quiet most class, doing her work quickly and not bothering to correct anyone or boast about her form and technique compared to theirs. The day seemed to drag and zoom by all at the same time. Matilda couldn't tell if that was from nerves or her lack of sleep, or perhaps both. Either way, she hated this feeling.

Care of Magical Creatures was the first time Matilda had seen Harry all day, he didn't talk much, it was evident that the nerves were really getting to him. Lunch was no different. Harry sat beside of her, his plate piled high with delicious foods, but he just scraped his fork over them as he became even more lost in his thoughts. Matilda hated seeing Harry like this, but she didn't know what else she could do to help him.

"Potter, the champions have to come down into the grounds now... you have to get ready for your first task."

Professor McGonagall was hurrying over to him in the Great Hall. Lots of people were watching.

"Ok," said Harry, standing up, his fork falling onto his plate with a clatter.

"Harry," Matilda stood without thinking. Suddenly she didn't know what to say. She knew wishing him luck wouldn't do any good, and there was no more last-minute advice she could give him, and so, she hurried over to him and threw her arms around his neck and pulled him in close, hugging him.

Harry stood, rigid, surprised for a second, but then returned the hug, squeezing her tightly. His heart racing so fast that Matilda could feel it. She took a deep breath and pulled away.

"You go this," she smiled. "I know you do."

Harry nodded, and spoke in a tone that was unlike his own, "Yeah."

Matilda headed back to the Gryffindor table where Hermione sat, watching Harry walk out of the Great Hall with Professor McGonagall.

"He'll be alright," Hermione said surely, but her eyes didn't match the confidence in her tone. "He has to be."

ϟ

When the time came for the students to file onto the bleachers to prepare for the showing of the first task, Matilda managed to get off by herself. Hermione had opted to sit with Ron, who Matilda wasn't really speaking to at the moment, and she didn't want to waste time looking through the mob of students to find a seat with Padma and Luna, even though she was sure they had one saved for her. Instead, she walked toward the Slytherin bleachers, seeing as a space was open that gave her a better viewing of the arena.

Daisy Morgenstern was in the middle of a conversation with Tracey Davis, a Slytherin in Matilda's year, when Matilda decided to call out her name. Daisy's green eyes flickered upward, and her glossed lips pursed in confusion as Matilda approached her.

Matilda stopped before Daisy, looking down at the blonde girl with a slight smile playing at her lips, "Mind if I sit with you?"

Daisy looked slightly confused, but shook her head, "I, uh, no–"

"Yes," said Draco sternly as he butted in, leaning over Daisy slightly.

"I'm positive I asked Daisy, not you, Malfoy," said Matilda, her blue eyes narrowed. "So, if you don't wish to lose your hair permanently this time, I'm more than positive that she can speak for herself."

Malfoy glowered angrily, "Why you–"

"Stop it," Daisy said in a stern voice as she snapped her head to look at him. "She can sit here if she wants."

In response, Matilda sarcastically grinned at Draco, who sat on the bleacher behind Daisy. Happily, she sat down in the space Tracey had made room for in-between her and Daisy.

"No offense," Matilda sighed, turning to look at Daisy. "But I did only want to sit here because it's the best vantage point to see Harry."

Daisy grinned knowingly in response and nodded. Draco on the other hand audibly scoffed, gaining the attention of both girls, but under Daisy's pleading gaze, he surprisingly shut up and turned to answer a question Crabbe had asked him. Satisfied, Matilda turned back toward the rocky terrain placed in the middle of the stadium.

Matilda watched beside an anxious Daisy as Cedric was the first one to enter the stadium. Her nerves began to get the best of her as Cedric stepped into his assigned dragon's view. The dragon, a grey-blue scaled Swedish Short-Snout, looked ready to pounce.

During the whole beginning of the match, Matilda would feel a nervous jerk each time Cedric came close to falling or getting hit by the dragon's tail or fiery breath. The crowd around them 'ooed' and 'ahhed' each time something happened. The Hogwarts students were especially vocal, the loudest being the Hufflepuff section.

Draco, from behind them, must have noticed Daisy's nerves as he leaned down to whisper in her ear, "He's a smart boy, Dais. He'll be alright."

Daisy only nodded, but with the rest of the student-body erupted into cheers as Cedric successfully transfigured a nearby rock into a Labrador dog. The dragon became distracted long enough by the hyper dog running everywhere, that it lost interest in Cedric for just enough time for him to make a break for the golden egg.

Everyone in the stands was on their feet now and cheering excitedly as Cedric grabbed the egg, but the cheers were cut short as the dragon turned to see Cedric holding up the golden egg proudly. Daisy screamed from beside Matilda as they watched Cedric try to find the time to make a run for it. His name being yelled out and chanted soon became drowned out by the cries of the crowd. Cedric narrowly escaped being encased by the dragon's blue-colored flames, only to be grazed by the ends of the scaling fire. He managed to keep out a tight grip on his egg, tucked under his arm, as he used the opposite to cradle his burnt face.

"My god!" Daisy's voice was full of panic, wide-eyed, as Cedric was quickly escorted out of the arena, she turned back to face Draco. "Is he okay?"

Draco reached out and pulled her gently by the hand down into her seat next to him, "I'm sure he's fine, I heard Madam Pomfrey's standing by."

"I am sure he's not fine," Matilda rebutted Malfoy's statement, the thought of causing Daisy more anxiety not even occurring to her. "He was just burnt by a dragon, Malfoy! A Swedish Short-Snout's breath is hot enough to reduce timber and bone to ashes in seconds."

"Bloody hell, Winters!" Draco glared at the Ravenclaw angrily as Daisy became even more alarmed. "Could you shut your large trap for once?"

"I'm being practical, Malfoy!" Matilda shrugged, seeing no issue in her statement.

She then turned her body back to the stadium and looked down where Fleur was getting ready to enter through.

Both Krum and Fleur faced their dragons successfully, Fleur struggling only a little more than the much-loved Victor Krum. Both gathered their egg and was declared fit to move on to the next task.

"Three of our champions have now faced their dragons and so each of them will proceed to the next task. And now, our fourth and final contestant..." Dumbledore's voice boomed over the stadium.

Parts of the bleachers erupted into applause, some beginning to chant Harry's name loudly. Matilda suddenly felt her nerves rise, she began biting to inside of her lip, but stopped once she noticed Daisy looking at her. Not wanting to show any sign of nerves or weakness Matilda sucked in a deep breath and forced a confident grin in the girl's direction. Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle booed loudly, which earned a harsh glare from Matilda. Crabbe and Goyle recoiled instantly, while Draco challened her with a look of his own.

Harry finally entered the rocky arena, a focused look on his face. He slowly walked forwards, noticing his assigned golden egg sitting alone. Matilda let out an audible gasp as there was a loud crash and a rumble shook the stadium. The tail of the Hungarian Horntail had slammed into the cave entrance from above Harry as soon as he tried to make a run for it. Matilda began yelling even though she knew that he wouldn't be able to hear her orders over all the yelling in the stands.

"Your wand, Harry!" Matilda shouted flailing around. "Summoning Charm! Aqua Eructo! Anything!"

Harry could not hear her shouts above the dragon's roars or the yelling crowd. Matilda jumped as the dragon's tail loudly hit the rocks not to far away from where Harry had sought shelter. He tried flinging himself onto an opposing rock, barely making the jump.

Draco laughed and clapped loudly during situation, earning a swift jab in the ribs from Daisy. Matilda felt to be on the verge of a full-blown panic attack as she continued to try shouting orders to Harry, becoming frustrated.

"Do you think she'll lose her voice soon?" Draco asked Crabbe, who was seated on the other side of him.

Crabbe only shook his head, glancing nervously in Matilda's direction. Draco only scoffed at the larger boy's scared expression. He shook his head disapprovingly and turned back to the arena, watching Harry weave through the rocky terrain below.

The crowd, and Matilda, flinched as there was another shaking of the stands. There was an echoing of gasps as Harry slipped from the rock he was hanging onto, falling down several feet. Matilda shrieked and Draco rolled his eyes.

"Oh he's going to die," Matilda put a hand up to shield her eyes. "This is it."

"Finally," Draco muttered.

Daisy turned, giving her friend a stern look, "Draco..."

The dragon breathed another batch of flames in Harry's direction. Harry narrowly missed, diving behind a boulder.

"See, what did I say? He won't last long!" Draco gloated. "I could survive this."

Matilda couldn't help but to let a sarcastic laugh escape from her lips, "I doubt that. You cried like a baby when Buckbeak merely left a scratch on you. I could only imagine how you'd be face-to-face with a dragon."

"Ooo," Daisy muttered under her breath, chuckling as Draco quickly fell back into silence.

"Aqua Eructo!" Matilda shouted again towards Harry as he beagn to run in the direction of the egg. "Put the flames out, Harry!"

"Aqua Eructo!" Draco mocked in a high-pitched voice, laughing towards Crabbe and Goyle. "Aqua Eructo!"

"Wanna play it that way then, Malfoy?" Matilda's cheeks burned red as she pulled her wand from the waistband of her skirt, pointing it directly at Draco. "Aqua Eructo!"

Daisy had quickly moved out of the way, managing to avoid the spell and stand up in time. Jets of water jutted from the end of Tilly's wand, drenching Malfoy and others around him. Crabbe and Goyle kept their profanities to themselves, quickly beginning to ring out their cloaks and jackets. Draco scowled, having yet again been embarrassed by Matilda. His cheeks were bright pink, and his hands were balled up into fists on his lap.

Matilda only gave him her best snarky grin and walked toward the banister of the stand, just in time to see Harry summon his broom. She clapped and cheered loudly as Daisy returned to her previous spot on the bench, avoiding the puddles gathered around Draco.

"It's pretty chilly out here," Daisy sucked in her cheeks to hide her smirk. "You might want to get changed before you end up ill."

Harry's broom came soaring through the sky and Harry leapt out from his hiding place, landing skillfully onto his broom. He flew off just in time for another jet of fire to barely miss him. The crowd began to cheer, but then let out terrified screams as the Hungarian Horntail broke loose of its chained leach. Harry rode his broom through the staff section, the dragon following with its tail taking a section of nearby stands with it.

"Oh, the statistics are right," Matilda went into a panic as both Harry and the dragon flew out of sight. "I had many sleepless nights reading those statistics."

"Statistics of what?" Tracey Davis asked curiously, glancing up at Matilda.

She covered her face with both her hands out of frustration, "The statistics of how many people die while battling a dragon."

There were sounds of the dragon's roar and Harry's yelling in the distance, but after several minutes of intense listening everything fell silent. The crowd was looking in every direction for any sign of Harry or the Hungarian Horntail, but there was nothing. Matilda became frightened, but only for a moment.

"Yes!" Matilda cheered, throwing her hands up in the air.

This brough everyone's attention back to the grey sky, in the direction of the castle. Harry, clinging onto a smoking broom, came flying back into view with no dragon in sight. The stands erupted one more into loud cheers with Daisy, Tracey, and even Matilda dancing around and clapping in excitement.

"I knew it!" Matilda yelled and turned as she was beaming widely at Daisy who stood next to her. "I knew he'd make it out."

Daisy, liking Matilda, let her have the moment and laughed whole she shook her head, "Of course you did, Tilly."

After a short-lived celebration Matilda rushed down the stands, shoving past those who got in her way in her attempt to find Harry. She had finally come upon the medical tent where cubicles had been set up and Madam Pomfrey was examined Harry's injured shoulder.

"You had me terrified, Harry," Matilda scolded loudly, but Harry turned to her with a relieved smile, and she could no longer even pretend to mad and so, she smiled back at him. "I could hug you right now – but, I mean, your shoulder."

"Yeah," said Harry breathlessly. "We'll schedule it for later."

Madam Pomfrey cleaned the cut with a dab of some purple liquid which smoked, and Harry flinched as it must have stung, but then poked his shoulder with her wand, and he relaxed once more.

"Now, just sit quietly for a minute – sit! And then you can go and get your score."

She bustled out of the tent and Matilda heard her go next door and say, "How does it feel now, Diggory?"

Matilda couldn't get Harry to sit still; he was still too full of adrenaline and excitement. He got to his feet, despite her protests, wanting to see what was going on outside, but before they could reach the mouth of the tent, two people had come darting inside – Hermione, followed closely by Ron.

"Harry, you 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 Harry was looking at Ron, who was very white, and staring at Harry as though he was a ghost.

"Harry," he said, very seriously, "whoever put your name in that Goblet – I – I reckon they're trying to do you in!"

Matilda and Hermione stood to the side, watching nervously as Harry froze up, looking over at Ron, his expression confused, hurt, but also relieved.

"Caught on, have you?" said Harry coldly. "Took you long enough."

"It's OK," he 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.

Matilda let out a breath that she had been holding in since Ron spoke to Harry and 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.

"Honestly, she's got the largest range of emotion I have ever seen," said Matilda, nodding to where Hermione had run out of the tent.

"Harry, c'mon," said Ron. "They'll be putting up your scores..."

ϟ

Matilda didn't stick around to hear the scores. Instead she went up to her own Common Room, a place she feels as though she hasn't seen much of since Harry's name was pulled from the Goblet. Everyday she's been with him. It was the two of them against everything. But now that Ron was back in the picture, she would have time to herself now. And though she was excited about the thought of having time to sit in silence and read or practice her magic, she couldn't help but to feel as though she'd miss the time her and Harry had spent together over the past couple of months.

She'd never been one to make friends easily, in fact, she never really wanted to make friends. But since Harry came along and pulled her into his life of dramatics, she couldn't imagine a time without him as a friend. She appreciated Harry and hoped that the bond that they formed over the past few months wouldn't change after today.

In the common room Matilda sat mostly alone, a few first years sat in the back of the room, playing Wizard's Chess. She sat, her legs tucked comfortably beneath her, reading by the fire when a soft knock came from the large, wooden doors. Matilda furrowed her eyebrows and put her book aside to go and open the door, suspecting that a younger student wasn't able to answer the newest riddle set in place.

But, when she pulled the heavy door open it was not a younger Ravenclaw student, in fact, it wasn't a Ravenclaw at all. Harry stood before her.

"Harry?" Matilda questioned stepped outside to stand with him. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be celebrating, or something?"

"I was, I mean, I am, I just wanted to stop by," he rambled. "I wanted to thank you for all the help you've been these past couple of months. You haven't left my side at all and without you there is no way I would have survived let alone score a ten on this task."

Matilda's eyes widened as a smile spread across her pink lips, "A ten? Harry that's a perfect score!"

"I know," said Harry happily. "It wouldn't of happened without you."

"Harry—"

Suddenly, without warning he kissed her. Soft and slow and he tasted like November, like hot chocolate on stormy evenings and crisp autumn air.

"Harry," said Matilda quickly pulling away, bringing her hand up to her lips, where his had just rested, her heart began to beat out of her chest. "Was that your first kiss?"

"Yes," he gulped nervously. "Was it yours?"

"Yes." 

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Matilda's described outfits

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AN:// a long chapter with a twist.

hope you like it. let me know.

also, Caput Calvitium, means bald head in latin.

xoxo