The Slytherin Champion (The Four Maidens of Hogwarts #1)

Chapter Nine

A/N - Apologies in advance if this chapter is not that great.  I knew writing the actual tournament scenes was going to be the hardest part of this story since I usually suck at action scenes lol.  Things also might not make sense but hopefully they will be explained in future chapters.  Hope you all like and thanks for reading <3

Jade was the first to arrive at the champions' tent on Tuesday. It had been hard to focus on the morning lectures, as her heart seemed to beat a little faster for every minute that passed by. She felt a little relieved that she had arrived at the tent first, because it gave her time to calm her nerves before the other champions would arrive. Bagman was already in the tent, but merely gave her a nod in greeting with a bright smile.

Fleur arrived a few minutes later, appearing rather pale and clammy. Viktor followed shortly behind her, looking even more surly than when Jade had seen him in the library. Jade wasn't in the mood to greet them, and it seemed Fleur and Viktor's minds were also concentrated on the First Task to say anything to her. Fleur crossed the tent to sit on a wooden stool in the corner, while Viktor strutted to stand on the other side with his hands clasped behind him.

Harry was the last to arrive, like how it had been with the Wand Weighing Ceremony. His eyes seemed to dance across his surroundings, as though he wasn't focused on where he should look.

"Harry! Good-o!" Bagman exclaimed. "Come in, come in, make yourself at home!" He then turned to face everyone. "Well, now we're all here -- time to fill you in!" He gestured for everyone to come closer, and Jade obliged. He then held up a small purple sack. "When the audience has assembled, I'm going to be offering each of you this bag, from which you will each select a small model of the thing you are about to face!" Bagman gave the sack a small shake. "There are different -- er -- varieties, you see. And I have to tell you something else too... ah, yes... your task is to collect the golden egg!"

Jade crossed her arms and furrowed her eyebrows. She knew Bagman was trying to encourage all of them, but it was obvious from everyone else's expressions that they just wanted to get through the first task already.

Many footsteps sounded outside the tent, a layer of laughter filling the air past the tent flap. Bagman then extended the bag to Fleur.

"Ladies first," he said.

Fleur hesitated for a moment before putting a shaking hand inside the bag and pulling out a tiny model of a green creature. When Jade saw it, she knew where this was going.

"The first task is dragons." Harry's stiff voice sounded in her mind.

Jade glanced at the other champions. Fleur suspiciously showed no sign of surprise, just determined resignation. Though it was barely noticeable, Viktor gave a small nod to himself, as though to confirm his thoughts on the first task. Harry also didn't look that surprised, but seemed to gauging Fleur's reaction too. She took another look at the dragon in Fleur's hand. Like Viktor, Jade dedicated some time to read up on the textbooks about dragons. Fleur was holding a Welsh green with a number two tied around its neck.

Harry had been telling the truth, and she had scolded him. She still didn't know how he had found out beforehand, but right now that wasn't relevant.

She snapped out of her daze when Bagman held the bag out to her. Jade pursed her lips, reaching in and pulling out the first dragon she felt. It was a Swedish Short-Snout. The dragon flapped its tail against Jade's hand. She forced herself to exhale a deep breath when her eyes landed on the dragon's neck.

The number one was tied around her dragon. She would be going first. Jade didn't know how to feel. It was one thing to know that she would be facing an enormous dragon. It was another to know that she would be facing one before all the other champions would. At the same time, though, it meant she could get through this faster.