A Desperate Prophecy (When Magic Interferes)

The First Task (Hadrian Just Wants It to End)

The Hungarian Horntail. Said by many to be the most dangerous of dragon breeds. It was lizard-like in appearance with pitch black scales, bronze horns and spikes that stick out from its long tail. Hadrian found himself staring at its piercing yellow eyes, and anyone in his position would have frozen, but he was determined not to.

Instead, he jumped behind the closest boulder, took a large breath, and then decided to strike.

Closing his eyes, Hadrian concentrated before casting the one spell he knew would protect him from the large and angry creature in front of him.

"Protego Diabolica." Hadrian whispered as he pointed his wand to his attacker, and just as he'd predicted, a circle of purple flames surrounded the dragon.

The dragon immediately recognized the danger the flames formed, and roared loudly as it stayed in place and made itself as small as possible. Everyone in the crowd gasped as Hadrian simply went around the circle, got the egg and left, ending the spell as he walked away. Even though the dragon had tried to attack and blew its powerful fire in his direction, the spell just absorbed it like it was a gust of smoke.

He was finished with the whole task in less than ten minutes, and he couldn't be more relieved by it. As for the spell, well... he had a little help with that.

'On the Sunday before the first task, he was approached by his Godfather.

"Hey Hades!" Sirius called out to the boy. "I heard about the task."

"Yeah." Hadrian sighed out as he hugged the man, needing the comfort.

"I have something that could help with that."

"Really?!" Hadrian asked, tone hopeful.

"Yeah, Reggy wanted me to give you this." He was handed a black book with simple silver lettering that said 'Magic Moste Ancient by Phoebe Black. "It's a book full of spells from Anceint Greece and Rome, with some spells from the seventeenth and eighteenth century mixed in. You should find something in there to help with the lizard, since they were so much more wide-spread back in time than now."

"Thank you so much Pads."'

In the book (more specifically, the chapter on ancient Rome), he'd found the spell he'd used. Apparently, Protego Diabolica wasn't a spell created by Gellert Grindelwald like people had thought – and the man had claimed – but was created by Roman Magicals long before.

He'd looked through the laws pertaining to dark magic, and the spell had – conveniently enough – never been banned, so he'd decided to show off and use it. The spell needed an immense amount control and power to perfect, and Hadrian knew how to use it perfectly.

That was why the shock on the judges' face was so satisfying, especially Dumbledore's, especially when he knew they could never punish him or try and undermine him as it is completely fine to use – most people just don't have enough control to even try.

"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!"

Hadrian saw the dragon keepers rushing forward to subdue the Horntail (some even gave him shocked or scared looks), and, over at the entrance to the enclosure, Professor Snape, Sirius, and Alex hurried to meet him, all of them waving him toward them, their smiles evident even from this distance. The noise of the crowd pounded in his eardrums as he walked towards the three, his heart lighter than it had been in weeks.... He had got through the first task....

"That was ingenious, Hadrian." Severus said as Hadrian hugged his two guardians, feeling the adrenalin lessen slowly as he calmed down.

"That was wonderful Hadrian." Alex said as Sirius beamed at him in pride.