𝐐𝐔𝐄𝐄𝐍 𝐁𝐄𝐄

♠Chapter 13 - First Task Part 2♠

No-one's P.O.V:

"Well, now we're all here - time to fill you in!" said Bagman brightly. "When the audience has assembled, I'm going to be offering each of you this bag" - he held up a small sack of purple silk and shook it at them - "from which you will each select a small model of the thing you are about to face! 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!"
　　Harry glanced around. Cedric had nodded once, Justin behind him, to show that he understood Bagman's words, and then started pacing around the tent again; he looked slightly green. Fleur Delacour and Krum hadn't reacted at all. Perhaps they thought they might be sick if they opened their mouths; that was certainly how Harry felt. But they, at least, had volunteered for this...

　　And in no time at all, hundreds upon hundreds of pairs of feet could be heard passing the tent, their owners talking excitedly, laughing, joking . . . . Harry felt as separate from the crowd as though they were a different species. And then - it seemed like about a second later to Harry - Bagman was opening the neck of the purple silk sack.

　　"Ladies first," he said, offering it to Fleur Delacour.
　　She put a shaking hand inside the bag and drew out a tiny, perfect model of a dragon - a Welsh Green.

 It had the number two around its neck And Harry knew, by the fact that Fleur showed no sign of surprise, but rather a determined resignation, that he had been right: Madame Maxime had told her what was coming.

　　The same held true for Krum. He pulled out the scarlet Chinese Fireball. It had a number three around its neck. He didn't even blink, just sat back down and stared at the ground.
　　Cedric put his hand into the bag, and out came the blueish-grey Swedish Short-Snout, the number one tied around its neck. Knowing what was left, Harry put his hand into the silk bag and pulled out the Hungarian Horntail, and the number four. It stretched its wings as he looked down at it, and bared its minuscule fangs.

　　"Well, there you are!" said Bagman. "You have each pulled out the dragon you will face, and the numbers refer to the order in which you are to take on the dragons, do you see?
　　Now, I'm going to have to leave you in a moment, because I'm commentating. Mr Diggory, you're first, just go out into the enclosure when you hear a whistle, all right? Now...
　　. Harry. . . could I have a quick word? Outside?"
　　"Er. . . yes," said Harry blankly, and he got up and went out of the tent with Bagman, who walked him a short distance away, into the trees, and then turned to him with a fatherly expression on his face.

　　"Feeling all right, Harry? Anything I can get you?"
　　"What?" said Harry. "I - no, nothing."
　　"Got a plan?" said Bagman, lowering his voice conspiratorially. "Because I don't mind
　　sharing a few pointers, if you'd like them, you know. I mean," Bagman continued, lowering his voice still further, "you're the underdog here, Harry. . . . Anything I can do to help. . ."

"No," said Harry so quickly he knew he had sounded rude, "no - I - I know what I'm going to do, thanks."
　　"Nobody would know, Harry," said Bagman, winking at him.
　　"No, I'm fine," said Harry, wondering why he kept telling people this, and wondering whether he had ever been less fine. "I've got a plan worked out, I -"

　　A whistle had blown somewhere.
　　"Good lord, I've got to run!" said Bagman in alarm, and he hurried off.
　　Harry walked back to the tent and saw Cedric emerging from it, greener than ever. Harry tried to wish him luck as he walked past, but all that came out of his mouth was a sort of hoarse grunt.
　　Harry went back inside to Fleur, Eva, Alexander and Krum. Seconds later, they heard the roar of the crowd, which meant Cedric had entered the enclosure and was now face-to-face with the living counterpart of his model.
　　It was worse than Harry could ever have imagined, sitting there and listening. The crowd screamed. . . yelled... gasped like a single many-headed entity, as Cedric did whatever he was doing to get past the Swedish Short-Snout. Krum was still staring at the ground.
　　Fleur had now taken to retracing Cedric's steps, around and around the tent, whilst Eva rambled pointers.