Through The Veil「 The Veil Trilogy Part Ⅱ 」✔

[10] Well Done Dragon

All of us were excited for the upcoming First Task. None of the champions nor the students had any idea what it was going to be so the feasts in the Great Hall, which was our main communal gathering, was always abuzz with students placing bets on what the task could be.

Though it was definitely some sort of magical creature because Hagrid had been getting really excited too and it seemed as if it was getting really hard for him to keep all secretive about it.

The twins once almost got it out of him but he had managed to stop himself right in the nick of time.

But when a day before the First Task when we saw Charlie and a group of his Romanian friends having dinner in the Great Hall as well we realized exactly what the task was going to be.

Dragons.

No wonder the tasks for the tournament were not to be taken easily.

The First Task was supposed to be held in the Quidditch Ground so all of us were assembled in our seats at the stadium. The Champions had been taken to a tent beforehand while the Dragon cages were being brought out by Hagrid as well as the Romanian team including Charlie.

Fred and George took advantage of the event and grabbed the opportunity of collecting galleons from students who were placing bets upon which Champion would succeed and who will be eliminated. Unfortunately, most of the bets were against Harry because no one expected a fourteen year old, regardless that he was the Chosen One, to battle off a dragon thrice his size and collect the golden egg.

I sincerely hope he makes out alive.

The canon was sounded and the first Champion to battle the Swedish Short Snout was summoned by the commentator Ludo Bagman. And the Champion tasked to face the blue gray dragon was Cedric Diggory.

Cheers and applause shook the whole arena as Cedric stepped forward though we could all clearly see that he was trying his best to appear calm but facing a dragon obviously resulted in some nervousness to peek through.

Cedric was a good student and a nice friend, the true definition of a loyal Hufflepuff so of course I wanted him to succeed in the task.

"Ten galleons say pretty boy will be set alight in this task," Fred mumbled and that got him a hard smack on the head.

"Ten galleons say he'll pass," I replied.

"Ten galleons say you will visit him in the Hospital wing when this is all over," George snickered.

My reply was immediate, "ten galleons say you'll be Silencioed in the next five minutes."

"Ten galleons say me and Katie would be glad to do it on your behalf," Angelina offered.

"No Johnson, keep your ideas to yourself."

"We are not getting Silencioed by either of you."

"Well if you do not shut up, you will," Katie piped up, "focus on the task, idiots."

Cedric had transformed a boulder into a Labrador dog that jumped around the dragon distracting it from the golden egg. Nice strategy though. But just as Cedric reached out for the Golden Egg stealthily, the dragon turned back and fire erupted from its nostrils.

"Pay up," Fred had his hand out in front of me.

But I chose to ignore him, focusing on the arena, "shut up. All payments will be done after the task."

"Better keep that in mind then."

However, Cedric passed and retreated to the tent with the Golden Egg. He had received a few burns but I am sure Madam Pomfrey will see to it that he recovers soon.