Infinite Magic (Male Reader x Harry Potter)

Scoring

Pomfrey: Dragons!

The tent was divided into cubicles.  Harry was being treated by Madame Pomfrey, and I could make out Cedric's shadow through the canvas, but he didn't seem to be badly injured.  He was sitting up, at least.  Madam Pomfrey examined Harry's shoulder, talking furiously all the while.

YN: Should I help, Madam Pomfrey?

Pomfrey: That won't be necessary Mr Gojo.  While I appreciate you helping heal students' injuries, I'm worried they will no longer think it necessary to come to me.  Last year dementors, this year dragons, what are they going to bring into this school next?  You're very lucky, Mr Potter, this is quite shallow.  It'll need cleaning before I heal it up, though...

She cleaned the cut with a dab of some purple liquid, and his arm began smoking.  Then she poked his shoulder with her wand, and he looked more relaxed.

Pomfrey: Now, just sit quietly for a minute, sit!  And then you both can go and get your scores.

She bustled out of the tent and I heard her go next door.

Pomfrey: How does it feel now, Diggory?

Harry got to his feet, probably wanting to see what was going on outside, but before he'd reached the mouth of the tent, four people had come darting inside.  Hermione, Suguru, and Ava, followed closely by Ron.  Ava threw her arms around me and kissed me, as Suguru fake gagged.

Hermione: Harry, you were brilliant!

There were fingernail marks on her face where she had been clutching it in fear.

Hermione: You were both amazing!  You really were!

Suguru: You guys both did great.  And YN, you defeated a dragon on your own!

But Harry and I were looking at Ron, who was very white and staring at us as though we were ghosts.

Ron: YN, Harry... whoever put your names in that goblet, I-I-I reckon they're trying to do you in!

I couldn't help but laugh.

Harry: Caught on, have you?  Took you long enough.

Hermione stood nervously between them, looking from one to the other.  Ron opened his mouth uncertainly.

Harry: It's okay.  Forget it.

Ron: No, I shouldn't've-

YN: It's alright, dumbass.  We forgive you.

Ron grinned nervously at us, and we grinned back.  Hermione burst into tears.

Suguru: Why are you crying?

Hermione: You three are so stupid!

She gave each of us a hug and dashed away, now sobbing hysterically.

Ron: Barking mad... c'mon, they'll be putting up your scores!

Ava: We'll see you back at the common room. I think you three need some time alone.

Ava kissed me on the cheek and she and Suguru hurried out of the tent.  Picking up our golden eggs and Harry's Firebolt, feeling more elated than I would have believed possible an hour ago, we ducked out of the tent, Ron by our side, talking fast.

Ron: You two were the best, you know, no competition.  Cedric did this weird thing where he Transfigured a rock on the ground... turned it into a dog... he was trying to make the dragon go for the dog instead of him.  Well, it was a pretty cool bit of Transfiguration, and it sort of worked, because he did get the egg, but he got burned as well.  The dragon changed its mind halfway through and decided it would rather have him than the Labrador.  He only just got away.  And that Fleur girl tried this sort of charm, I think she was trying to put it into a trance.  Well, that kind of worked too, it went all sleepy, but then it snored, and this great jet of flame shot out, and her skirt caught fire... she put it out with a bit of water out of her wand.  And Krum... you won't believe this, but he didn't even think of flying!  He was probably the best after you two, though.  Hit it with some sort of spell right in the eye.  Only thing is, it went trampling around in agony and squashed half the real eggs... they took marks off for that, he wasn't supposed to do any damage to them.

Ron took a deep breath as we reached the edge of the enclosure.  Now that Norberta had been taken away, I could see where the five judges were sitting.  Right at the other end, in raised seats draped in gold.  My mother stood next to them, grinning at me.

Ron: It's marks out of ten from each one.

Harry's scores were up first.

Madame Maxime raised her wand in the air.  What looked like a long silver ribbon shot out of it, which twisted itself into a large figure eight.

Ron: Not bad!  I suppose she took marks off for your shoulder.

Mr Crouch came next.  He shot a number nine into the air.

Ron: Looking good!

Next, Dumbledore.  He too put up a nine.  The crowd was cheering harder than ever.  Ludo Bagman... ten.

Harry: Ten?  But... I got hurt... what's he playing at?

YN: Harry, don't complain!

And now Karkaroff raised his wand.  He paused for a moment, and then a number shot out of his wand too.

Ron: What?  Four?  You lousy, biased scumbag, you gave Krum ten!

But Harry didn't seem to care.  My scores were next.  Madame Maxime pointed her wand in the air.  A nine.  Mr Crouch came next.  Also a nine.  Then Dumbledore... ten.  Bagman, also ten.  And Karkaroff, with a begrudging look, gave a five.

Ron: Forty three points... blimey, YN!  You're in the lead!

I stared in shock up at the judges.  I'd never seen my mother look more excited.  Charlie Weasley came running over to us, a huge grin on his face.

Charlie: YN, you're in first place!  And Harry, you're tied with Krum for second!  Listen, I've got to run, I've got to go and send Mum an owl, I swore I'd tell her what happened... but that was unbelievable!  Oh yeah, and they told me to tell you you've got to hang around for a few more minutes, Bagman wants a word, back in the champions' tent.

YN: Oh, Charlie.  Is Norberta okay?

Charlie: Yeah.  Whatever you did just knocked her unconscious, no lasting harm done.

Ron said he would wait, so Harry and I reentered the tent, which somehow looked quite different now.  Friendly and welcoming.  There was no comparison, the wait to enter the enclosure had been far worse than the act of fighting in it.  Fleur, Cedric, and Krum all came in together.  One side of Cedric's face was covered in a thick orange paste, which was presumably mending his burn.  He grinned at us.

Cedric: That was spectacular, YN, beating a dragon!  And Harry, that was the best flying I've seen in ages!

We grinned back at him.

Bagman: Well done, all of you!

He bounced into the tent and looked as pleased as though he personally had just got past a dragon.

Bagman: Now, just a quick few words.  You've got a nice long break before the second task, which will take place at half past nine on the morning of February the twenty fourth.  But we're giving you something to think about in the meantime!  If you look down at those golden eggs you're all holding, you will see that they open.  See the hinges there?  You need to solve the clue inside the egg, because it will tell you what the second task is, and enable you to prepare for it!  All clear?  Sure?  Well, off you go, then!

We left the tent, rejoined Ron, and started to walk back around the edge of the forest.  We wanted to hear what the other champions had done in more detail.  Then, as we rounded the clump of trees behind which Harry and I had first heard the dragons roar, a witch leapt out from behind us.  It was Rita Skeeter.  She was wearing acid-green robes today.  The Quick-Quotes Quill in her hand blended perfectly against them.

Rita: Congratulations, Harry, YN!  I wonder if you could give me a quick word?  How you felt facing that dragon?  How you feel now, about the fairness of the scoring?

YN: I'll give you two.  Fuck off.

Harry and Ron both grinned as she stood there, stunned, and could only watch as we walked back up to the castle.