Immortal Magic (Book 1)

Chapter Fifty

Allison's Point of View. 

Waking up the next morning, the first thing I felt was dread. For a few blissful seconds, I had forgotten what day it was. Then it all came crashing back. The first task. Harry was facing a dragon today.

I stared up at the canopy above my bed while anxiety twisted painfully in my stomach. Beside me, I could hear Hermione already moving around the dorm room quietly.

"You awake?" Hermione asks softly while getting out some clothes for the day. "Unfortunately," I mutter. That earns a tired smile from her, though the worry in her eyes matched my own. Neither of us had slept much.

I pushed myself upright and rubbed a hand over my face before climbing out of bed. The dorm room was unusually quiet this morning; most of the girls were still asleep. Even Parvati and Lavender seemed subdued lately whenever Harry's name came up.

Hermione and I got ready mostly in silence. Every now and then, one of us would start speaking about homework or classes before trailing off again. Neither of us could focus on anything except what was coming.

Once we were dressed, we quietly left the dormitory and headed down toward the Great Hall.

The castle itself seemed tense. Students filled the corridors, buzzing excitedly about the task. Everywhere we walked, people whispered theories about what the champions would have to do.

"Do you think we'll have time today to start researching the coven?" Hermione asks as we descend the marble staircase. I was grateful for the distraction.

"Maybe tonight," I tell her. "If Harry doesn't completely collapse afterwards." Hermione sighed quietly. "Assuming we don't collapse first." I huffed out a weak laugh.

When we entered the Great Hall, it was already crowded with students. The enchanted ceiling above reflected the dull grey morning sky outside, while the sound of nervous chatter echoed through the room.

Hermione and I made our way toward the Gryffindor table and sat beside Ginny. Ginny immediately looked up from her toast. "How was the testing with Carlisle, Esme and the rest of the Cullens?" She asked me as Hermione, and I sat down.

"It was good," I tell her while reaching for some fruit. "Carlisle first tested me on my speed, then strength and my other senses. We have all agreed that my Vampire abilities aren't nearly as strong as theirs. With me being only part Vampire and Witch." Ginny nodded thoughtfully. "That's probably a good thing, honestly."

"Definitely," Hermione mutters. "Imagine Allison with Emmett's strength." That makes me crack a small smile. "I heard that," Emmett's voice suddenly says from behind us.

I turned slightly to see him grinning from the Ravenclaw table beside Edward and Alice. "You wound me, Hermione." Hermione rolled her eyes while Ginny laughed softly.

The conversation drifted after that, mostly because all three of us kept glancing toward the Great Hall entrance, waiting for Harry to appear. Eventually, the doors opened, and Harry walked inside.

The moment I saw him, my stomach dropped. He looked awful. Pale. Exhausted. His hair was somehow messier than usual, and there were dark shadows beneath his eyes like he hadn't slept at all.

Honestly, I wouldn't have blamed him if he hadn't. The entire Hall seemed to notice him, too. Conversations lowered into whispers as he made his way toward us.

Harry sat heavily beside Hermione without saying much. "You look terrible," Ginny says bluntly from across the table. "Thanks," Harry mutters. I immediately started pushing food toward him. "Eat something."