Redemption For A Monster (Marauder fanfic) Book Three

17- The First Task

It took weeks for Sara and Sirius to fly Buckbeak back to Britian, but once they were back on home soil, they decided not to head to Hogwarts as it was too risky.
The Triwizard Tournement was all over the paper, and since it was taking place at Hogwarts, Sara and Sirius both agreed that the security around the school would be too high. Which is why they chose to stay in southern Britain, so they were close enough to act in an emergancy, but far enough away that the Ministry wouldn't be able to find them.
They thought that keeping in touch with Harry, via owl would be enough contact, but when his name was pulled out of the Goblet of Fire, Sirius decided that he needed to speak to Harry in person. Despite Sara's protests that it was a bad idea.

So in late November, at 1oclock in the morning, Sara and Sirius broke into a wizards house, that was near to where they had been staying, so that they could use the fireplace.
"I still think this is too dangerous" complained Sara, once they were inside.
"The person living here is on holiday, so it is perfectly safe" reminded Sirius, as he approached the fireplace.
"Yeah, but they might have booby trapped their house"
"Then you'd better be on alert, while my head is in the fireplace. I need you to have my back, because I can't exactly defend myself, while I'm down here"
"Don't worry, you can count on me"
"Good".

Sirius sprinkled some Floo Powder into the grate, before mumbling his location, and sticking his head into the flames.
Watching the conversation, from Sara's side, was very boring, since she couldn't actually hear anything that was being said, as Sirius' head was on the other side of the country, and all she could see, was Sirius' backside.
So all Sara could do to entertain herself, was walk around the living room, until Sirius suddenly lept back out of the fireplace.
"What happened?" Sara asked, her face full of concern.
"I'm fine. But Harry's not. The poor kid is completely freaking out. He's got to face a dragon in the 1st task, and someone started coming into the room, before I could tell him what to do" revealed Sirius.
Sara shuffled uncomfortably at the mention of dragons.
"He's got to kill a dragon?' She questioned.
"I don't think so. I doubt they would ask the kids to kill one of the creatures. Harry thinks they just have to get passed one, which is just as dangerous" replied Sirius.

"You don't have to remind me how dangerous dragons can be" Sara said coldly.
"I know. Sorry... We should continue this conversation, once we're out of this house. I don't like being in here, any longer than necessary" admitted Sirius.
Sara nodded and followed him outside to where Buckbeak was tied up.
After climbing onto his back, Buckbeak flew them both to the cave that they were currently hiding in.
Sirius dismounted first, before turning back around and helping Sara down, not that she needed his help.
Once safely in the cave, Sirius threw Buckbeak a ferret from his bag, before collapsing down onto the floor.

"How the hell is Harry supposed to get passed a dragon? It's suicide. Even I wouldn't know how to do it, and I can turn into one" admitted Sara.
"You wouldn't?" Quizzed Sirius, as Sara sat down beside him.
"No. I'm not exactly a wild dragon, am I. And even in my other form, I didn't come into contact with any other dragons, since I didn't want to get into a fight with such dangerous creatures. I mean, I know that the eyes are the weakest point on a dragon, but other than that, I've got no idea how one boy would be able to defeat one. So I've got no idea what Harry is going to do next week"
"I mean, it must be possible, or the competiton people wouldn't have set it as a task"
"Even if it is, Harry is only 14, and the other champions are 17, they're much older and wiser than him, so they might know what to do, but I doubt Harry does. He's just a boy".

"You should give him more credit Sara. In his first year, he beat Voldemort again, and in his second year he defeated a giant snake, and a younger incarnation of Voldemort. Not to mention fighting off Dementors to save both of our asses earlier this year" reminded Sirius.
"How do you know so much about what Harry's been up to?" Questioned Sara, curiously.
"Does it matter?" Asked Sirius, avoiding the question.
"I guess not... I suppose he is very brave and talented for someone his age. But dragons are a different level of threat, they are dangerous" replied Sara quietly.
Sirius nodded and put an arm around Sara's shoulders.
"I know. But we have to have faith in him".
"You're right... What else did Harry say to you in the fireplace?" Asked Sara.
"He's hurt that no one believes him, that he didn't put him own name in the Goblet of Fire" revealed Sirius.

"Well that's stupid. Harry wouldn't put his name in it, he's not an idiot. He doesn't want to die a horrible death" stated Sara.
"I know that, but apparently his classmates don't feel the same way. They've begun sneering at him in corridors, and starting anti-Harry Potter campaigns. Even going as far to create Potter Stinks badges. It's quite cruel really" admitted Sirius sadly.
"Poor Harry. At least he has good friends to help him through it"
"Actually, him and Ron have fallen out, because Ron doesn't believe that Harry didn't put his own name in the goblet"
"No. Our poor boy. He always has such bad luck in life"
"I know. I warned him about Karkaroff as well, since I thought he should know"
"Great. I thought I told you not to tell him. Now he's got to worry about an ex-Death Eater being after him, as well as this whole tournement thing"
"He deserved to know the truth. I also told him our theories about what is going on with Voldemort and the Death Eaters, and the dissappearences".

"Sirius, he's a kid. You shouldn't have told him about all that. He's got more than enough going on right now" scolded Sara.
"Wouldn't you want to know what is going on out there, if you were in his place?" Questioned Sirius.
"Prehaps. But that still doesn't put you in the right, you know"
"Alright, I'm sorry that I told him the truth, against your wishes"
"You should be... I'm worried about him Padfoot"
"You and me both"
"If dragons are in the first task, then what in Merlins name are the next ones going to include"
"I don't know. But worrying about it won't make it any better"
"I guess not... I suppose we'll just have to hope that Dumbledore can look after him for us".

"I don't like relying on anyone else to keep my godson safe" sighed Sirius.
"I don't either, but we don't have another choice" reminded Sara.
"I wish we we could go and watch him compete, like we did last year, with Quidditch" mumbled Sirius.
"You know that we can't. School Quidditch matches are one thing, but there will be dozens of Ministry officials at these tasks, so it would be far too risky to watch them. Also, it's probably best that we don't go, because I don't think we would be able to watch Harry in danger. It might make us want to get involved, which would be a very bad idea"
"I know! Sorry, I didn't mean to shout. I just wish that we could be there to support him"
"Me too. But we can't. So we'll just have to wait and steal a Daily Prophet the day after the task, to find out what happened. I expect Harry will write to us afterwards as well, so we'll have that to look forward to. But until then, we'll just have to wait patiently, and hope that Harry succeeds. Which I'm sure he will. Like you said, he's a talented boy, who's always full of surprises".