A Potter Secret

Dragons

Mad-Eye takes off his prosthetic leg and takes a seat. "That's a foal glass. Lets me keep an eye on my enemies. If I can see the whites of their eyes they're standing right behind me," Mad-eye shouts, turning around quickly. His moves are slow and jerky. A noise emerges from a trunk on the floor and it shakes. "Wouldn't even bother telling you what's in there. You wouldn't believe it if I did. Now- what are you going to do about your dragon?" Mad- eye asks.

Harry shrugs. "Oh- um- You know I just thought I'd-"

"Sit. Listen to me Potter. Your pal Diggory, by your age he could take a whistle into a watch and have it sing you the time," Mad-eye starts. "Miss Delacour, she's as much a fairy princess as I am. As for Krum, his head may be filled with sawdust but Karkaroff's is NOT. They'll have a strategy, and you can bet that it'll play to Krum's strengths. Hmm? Come on Potter. What are your strengths?"

"Um- I dunno. I can fly. I mean I'm a fair flyer," Harry replies.

"Better than fair the way I heard it," Mad-eye replies.

"But I'm not allowed a broom."

"You're allowed a wand," Mad-eye says, vaguely.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The crowds are cheering, people are taking bets, courtesy of the Weasley twins. Isabella stands by the arena, ready to find her brother when the opportunity arises.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Harry is pacing nervously. Hermione is standing by the tent door whispering in. "Pssst! Harry? Is that you?" Hermione asks.

"Yeah," Harry whispers.

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

"Battle a dragon," Harry interrupts.

Hermione enters the tent and they hug. A bright camera flashes, Rita Skeeter the journalist approaches. "Young love! Ohh how. stirring. If everything goes unfortunately today you might make the front page," Rita smiles.

"You have no business here," Viktor interrupts. "This tent is for champions and friends."

"No matter. We've got what we wanted," Rita assures. Rita leaves and Dumbledore enters.

"Good day champions. Gather round please," Dumbledore says. "Now you've waited, you've wondered and at last the moment has arrived. The moment only four of you can fully appreciate." The champions gather around him in a circle. "What are you doing here Miss Granger?"

"Oh um. Sorry I'll just go," Hermione assures.

"Barty. The bag," Dumbledore calls.

"Champions, in a circle around me. Miss Delacour over here," Barty says, putting them in a specific order. "Mr. Krum, and Potter over here. Right. Miss Delacour, if you will." Barty holds up a bag. Fleur takes out a little green dragon. "The welsh green. Mr. Krum," Barty replies. Viktor takes another out. "The Chinese fireball. Oooooh." Cedric picks one. "The Swedish short-snout. Which leaves."

"The horntail," Harry whispers.

"What's that boy?" Barty asks.

"Nothing," Harry assures. Harry puts his hand in the bag and pulls out the dragon.

"The Hungarian horntail. These represent very real dragons, each of which has been given a golden egg to protect. Your objective is simple, collect the egg. This you must do, for each egg contains a clue without which you cannot hope to proceed to the next task. Any questions?" Barty asks.