The Potter Siblings : Love Changes

TRWIWIZARD TOURNAMENT 4

Lizzy, Harry, Ron, and Hermione went up to the Owlery that evening to find Hilary, so that Lizzy could send Sirius and Remus a letter telling that she had managed to get past her dragon unscathed. On the way, Harry filled Ron in on everything Sirius had told them about Karkaroff. Though shocked at first to hear that Karkaroff had been a Death Eater, by the time they entered the Owlery Ron was saying that they ought to have suspected it all along.

　　　"There's no way any of the other tasks are going to be that dangerous, how could they be?" Ron went on as he carried Hilary to the window. "You know what? I reckon you could win this tournament, Lizzy, I'm serious."

　　"Lizzy's got a long way to go before she finishes this tournament," Hermione said seriously.

　　"If that was the first task, I hate to think what's coming next."

　　"Right little ray of sunshine, aren't you?" said Ron. "You and Professor Trelawney should get together sometime."

Lizzy attached the letters to Hilary's foot. Hilary left with that.

　　Ron said, "Well, we'd better get downstairs for your surprise party, Harry - Fred and George should have nicked enough food from the kitchens by now."

　　Sure enough, when they entered the Gryffindor common room it exploded with cheers and yells again. There were mountains of cakes and flagons of pumpkin juice and butterbeer on every surface; Lee Jordan had let off some Filibuster's Fireworks, so that the air was thick with stars and sparks; and Dean Thomas, who was very good at drawing, had put up some impressive new banners, most of which depicted Lizzy zooming around the Horntail's head on her Firebolt, though a couple showed Cedric with his head on fire.

　　Lizzy helped herself to food; she had almost forgotten what it was like to feel properly hungry, and sat down with Ron, Harry and Hermione.

　　"Blimey, this is heavy," said Lee Jordan, picking up the golden egg, which Lizzy had left on a table, and weighing it in his hands. "Open it, Liz, go on! Let's just see what's inside it!"

　　"She's supposed to work out the clue on her own," Hermione said swiftly. "It's in the tournament rules. . .."

　　"I was supposed to work out how to get past the dragon on my own too," Lizzy muttered, so only Hermione could hear her, and she grinned rather guiltily.

　　"Yeah, go on, Lizzy, open it!" several people echoed.

　　Lee passed Lizzy the egg, and she dug his fingernails into the groove that ran all the way around it and prised it open.

　　It was hollow and completely empty - but the moment Lizzy opened it, the most horrible noise, a loud and screechy wailing, filled the room. The nearest thing to it Lizzy had ever heard was the ghost orchestra at Nearly Headless Nick's death day party, who had all been playing the musical saw.

　　"Shut it!" Fred bellowed, his hands over his ears.

　　"What was that?" said Seamus Finnigan, staring at the egg as Lizzy slammed it shut again. "Sounded like a banshee ... Maybe you've got to get past one of those next, Lizzy!"

　　"It was someone being tortured!" said Neville, who had gone very white and spilled sausage rolls all over the floor. "You're going to have to fight the Cruciatus Curse!"

　　"Don't be a prat, Neville, that's illegal," said George. "They wouldn't use the Cruciatus Curse on the champions. I thought it sounded a bit like Percy singing... ...maybe you've got to attack him while he's in the shower Lizzy."