PRANKSTER [1] ↝ C. DIGGORY

thirty-five

"So you're absolutely sure there's no clue in there?" Clary asked in disbelief, studying the golden egg where it laid on the grass between her and Cedric where they sat near the Black Lake, Cedric claiming the further they sat from other students to figure out the clue, the better, though Clary couldn't quite figure out why.

"Nothing we can hear, anyways." Cedric said, shaking his head as he picked it up and passed it to her, and Clary took the cool metal object in her hands, studying it intently. "I don't recommend opening it to listen to what it has to say, but be my guest if you'd like to."

Since the First Task the day before, Cedric's burns had managed to heal thanks to the paste from Madame Pomfrey, though the seventeen-year-old had avoided celebrations that night in order to heal and attempt to figure out the clue hidden in the golden egg he'd retrieved from the Swedish Short-Snout, even if he claimed it had been to no avail.

"Come on, if it had something to say then I'm sure there has to be something there." she said, twisting the top of the egg until it opened, revealing a glowing golden light inside.

As well as screams loud enough to wake the dead.

Clary dropped the egg to reflexively cover her ears from the head-splitting screeches that emitted from it, and Cedric reached forward to catch it, having been prepared to brace himself for if it was opened again. He swiftly grabbed the egg, pushing it back closed and twisting the top to lock it in, the screeching noice ceasing as it was contained inside.

"Well you could've told me that was what would happen if I opened it." she said.

"I told you I didn't recommend opening it." Cedric said with a shrug, and Clary sighed, leaning back until she was laying back in the grass, staring up at the sky as she began to ponder the clue that was supposedly held within the egg.

"Maybe it means there's a clue on the outside of it." she suggested, looking over at where Cedric still sat with the egg in his hands, and he turned it over slowly, inspecting its golden surface before shaking his head.

"It can't be," he said, still studying it. "If the clue's on the outside, then it wouldn't need to open. There has to be something to that screeching, something it's trying to say that it can't say for some reason."

"You've got time," Clary assured him, and Cedric sighed, setting the egg down and sprawling out in the grass next to her. "We'll figure it out. The Second Task isn't for months yet."

Clary felt Cedric take her hand in his own, and she smiled softly, her eyes glancing down to see their fingers intertwined. While they hadn't really spoken about the kiss after the First Task, it hadn't stopped him from putting his arm around her shoulders while they watched the rest of the champions, or holding hands when she walked back to the castle with him afterwards before they had to go their separate ways for the night.

The two laid in silence for a bit in the chilly November air, staring up at the sky until the sounds of footsteps grew closer and closer, and Clary leaned her head back to see the upside-down figures of Newt and Vasantha as they walked over, a newspaper clutched in the Scamander girl's hands.

"Okay," Newt announced as the twins walked up, crossing his arms over his chest as he stared down at Clary and Cedric. "Spill. What's going on between you two?"

"Was it that obvious?" Cedric asked with a smirk, feigning curiosity as he glanced down at their hands and then back up at their friends. "What gave us away? Clary, do you know?" he asked, turning his head to look at the redhead.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she said nonchalantly as Newt and Vasantha sat down next to them, and Clary pulled herself into a sitting position, Cedric releasing her hand from his.