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As the days turned into weeks, the first trial quickly approached.
There was a general excitement that held the students and even some of the teachers as they were pumped for the amazing spectacle to come.
For the champions, on the other hand, there was no time for any wish wash anymore, the champions who were before basking the glory of becoming their school champion now turned very solemn and serious. No more was there any strolling outdoor by any of the champions or getting quickly swarmed by admirers, or waking to the corridors and looking proud of themselves.
Now there was only training and studying, studying and training.
Harry took to using the Room of Requirement as it offered the state of the art training room which could only be found way back home.
He spent countless hours in there each day honing his skills and magical abilities preparing himself mentally, physically, and magically.
Harry saw the other school champions each preparing in their own way, some took to the library hitting the stacks looking for powerful spells to use and ancient lore about dragons to exploit to their advantage.
Others took to the training mat as they honed their battle skills for the upcoming trial.
Some took to the lab making potions, alchemical reagents, magical items, and other tools to use against the dragons.
While a few took to meditating out in the front lane as they honed their minds and prepared themselves.
Every champion had their own way of preparing each symbolizing their personality and strong suit.
For the task itself, every person who knew about it had their own way of tackling it.
Hagrid for example had a really wonderful way of dealing with them which was so him.
"Harry," Hagrid called out to him after their Care of Magical Creatures class.
"Yes, Hagrid, what can I help you with?" Harry asked as he stayed behind as everyone headed out.
"So wha' is yer plan dealing with the dragons?" the big man asked him, with a concerned expression on his face.
"I do have some ideas," Harry answered.
"I always say the bes' way ter handle a magical creature is by love, yer treat 'em well an' they will treat yer well in return."
"I guess that is one way of putting it," Harry said, not really wanting to express himself of what he thought of that wonderful idea. Magical creatures come in a varying mix some gentle like a Kappa and Fairy others harmless like a Flobberworm. Some little annoying buggers like imps and doxy others ghastly like a ghoul and Lethifold.
Each and every single one of them have their own temperament and behaviors.
Dragons on the other hand were known as terrifying and vicious, not at all the gentle creatures that Hagrid was making them out to be.
Still Harry put on a thankful expression and expressed his thanks, "Thank you, Hagrid for the lovely little advice. I will make sure to take them into consideration when I come face to face with a fully grown fire breathing dragon."
Nodding happily the half-giant uttered, "I knew yer would see it," and left him be after that.
Sirius on the other hand had a more direct approach.
"Right — these dragons," Sirius said, speaking in a very low tone when they were together. "There's a way, Harry. Don't be tempted to try a Stunning Spell, dragons are strong and too powerfully magical to be knocked out by a single Stunner, you need about half a dozen wizards at a time to overcome a dragon that way."
"Yeah, I know," Harry said, and then mused to no one in particular, "but you could try a very potent Stunning Spell, however that would take too long to gather up all that magic in only a few moments before you become dragon chow."
"Yes, that is why I would suggest a Conjunctivitis Curse, as a dragon's eyes are its weakest point. You could easily blind them and go for the killing blow."
"I won't be doing that," Harry simply said with a shake of his head.
"Why?" Sirius asked, looking at him as if he just grew a second head.
"Would you blind a one of your family Cerberus?" Harry posed with a raised eyebrow.
"NO!!!" Sirius shouted, getting all defensive and agitated. The bond between both wizarding family and family creature goes both way, it is averse to either one of them to harm each other.
"Well, that is the same for me. They are my kin, although lesser in kind, they are still kindred. I cannot harm them."
Hermione on the other hand took a more logical approach.
Studying inside the library one day, Hermione came over and dropped a stack of books before him.
"I have been doing some reading on dragons," she announced as she took a seat opposite to him.
Turning to look at her, Harry asked, "And?"
"Well from the histories it says here that ancient dwarves use to pay tribute to the dragons in gold, jewels, treasures, and other valuable items to keep them away from invading," Hermione noted as she flipped through an ancient tome.
"Anything about an angry mother dragon?" Harry inquired with a smile.
"Okay," Hermione said as she pulled out a scroll that looked like it would fall apart into dust with the slightest breeze. "here it says in their anger and shame wizards of old would sacrifice their magically inert children i.e Squibs to dra-... okay forget that," she said as she tossed that scroll away.
"Sacrificing children, now I did not expect that from you Hermione Granger," Harry chuckled.
"I said forget it," Hermione scowled, "Here it says to appease dragons hunger, wizards would commit mass sacrificial ceremonies on muggle villages and-.... Forget that as well."
"Man, you are getting colder and colder, Hermione," Harry joked.
Snapping her book shut, Hermione turned her baleful eyes on him, and nearly screamed in a shrill tone, "Why are you taking this easy. Dragons are rank 5 danger beasts. They are Wizard killers!"
"Alright calm down," Harry said as he leaned over and put a hand on her shoulder. "Everything is going to be alright, I have a plan of action, so it is going to be okay."
Harry didn't realize the effect that this had on Hermione, she must have been working herself tirelessly looking for answers all day ever since he told her it was dragons that he was going to face.
"Really?" Hermione asked as she looked up with tears in her eyes, close to breaking.
"Yea," Harry grinned at her, "when have I ever let you down."
"Good," Hermione said with a sigh of relief as if a heavy weight had been lifted off of her. "because I had no solutions. If there was anything I learned in my reading, dragons are god darn hard to deal with.
"Yea, tell me about it," Harry chuckled out loud as he brought her in close. "We are tough motherfukers to deal with."
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It was a Friday today, the last day of classes before everyone was out for the weekend, however that wasn't the reason why there was an air of excitement that gripped the students. On Tuesday the first trial would begin.
Already wizards and witches from all over where Hogsmeade, renting out all the inn and other establishment set up in the village below. And more would of course be arriving over the course of the next few days, a lot more.
Rooms were set up in the castle for dignitaries and people of note as the castle which used to look empty was now nearly filled to the brim. The Headmasters and mistress of the Great schools were busy hosting those guests and multiple parties were already thrown in the Great Hall.
The Triwizard tournament was truly on its way.
As Professor McGonagall tried to explain a complex bit of Transfiguration, she saw that there wasn't any learning today. Both Gryffindors and Ravenclaw were all preoccupied with the tournament near at hand as many people were whispering excitedly in low tones.
"Alright, that would be all for today," Professor McGonagall called out which had heads turning in surprise. There was clearly half an hour left of learning, but Professor McGonagall was letting them go, from a lot of people's faces you could see that they couldn't even process it.
"Hurry up and get out, before I change my mind," Professor McGonagall cried out pointing to the door. She clearly gave up on going against the tide, there would be no learning today and there was no point in even trying.
Everyone got up excitedly and almost ran out of the room before the stern witch could really change her mind.
"Mr. Potter," Professor McGonagall called out, stoping Hermione who had a dozen questions.
"Yes," Harry said as he turned to look at the older witch.
"This evening there will be one last gathering before the tournament starts. You have been requested along with the other School Champion," she said holding her nose up a bit, showing what she thought of him becoming a champion. She was one of the few who resisted the most him participating in the tournament and now that she couldn't get her way she made her opinion clear.
"To come to the gathering and be shown like a prize horse," she sniffed. "Show up with your best attire this evening and you could bring a plus one if you like."
"And for you Mrs. Granger," Professor McGonagall spoke to the busy brown hair. "Today, enjoy your rest of the day, relax, live a little."
With that, she left them alone there. Turning to look at Hermione, Harry asked, "What do you say to being my plus one?"
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The gathering wasn't in the Great Hall, but outside on the front lawn, coming there he was surprised to see all the Wizarding towers set up. The main hub of activity was the largest tower standing at 50 feet tall.
Wizard lights of all colors were bathing the lawn in a cascade of colors.
Heading there along with Hermione who was in his arm, he was quickly allowed when he told who he was.
He was ushered into the Wizarding tower which was named Raven's Reach, and the sight that met Harry's eyes drew an unwilling gasp from his mouth.
From the outside, Raven's Reach was an opaque beautiful silver tower. From the inside, at least on the levels he could see, it was nearly transparent. Spacial wrapping properties were at work of course as just the first floor along was as large house.
The banquet tables or should he saw the appetizer tables were laid out with silver-trimmed linen cloths, fifty feet from end to end. Wizard Chefs — the masters of magical cuisine ready to prepare any dish that the guests could fancy.
Set in the center of the table were the food. Each one of the silver platters held a hybridization of two magical creatures formed by joining the halves of them during preparation and cooking.It was the latest fashion or whatever of the Wizarding houses, but since he really didn't keep up to date he wasn't sure if it might be a revival of sorts.
Harry saw a roast Moon Rabbit with the head of a Rainbow Koi fish, resting on a pile of black caviar. There was a Hippogriff infused with a Salamander that he avoided like the plague as his stomach roiled. Nearby there was a bicorn's head, complete with a apple in its mouth, with a roast Fire Crab for a body. The whole affair was covered in brown caramel sauce and figs, and Harry gave in to the growling sensation at the bottom of his stomach. He let one of the magic chefs slice him a fair portion of the bicorn/crab, which he ate from a silver dish with a little silver fork; it came apart in his mouth with the texture of butter, and the flavors set his head whirling. He hadn't tasted anything so magnificent in weeks, although the castle house-elf cooking where great, he knew their skills could not match up against these wizards and witches that pursed these culinary to awe the taste buds of the rich and famous.
At the far end of the banquet table were desserts from creamy cakes laid artfully on shells of gold leaf that were growing off of a large gold tree. Cute biscuits animated live and putting on a wonderful little show as wizards and witches clapped and laughed. Tarts of all kinds painstakingly assembled with honey-paste glue into the shape of wizarding towers and witch huts, a whole bunch of them nearly forming a village of sorts. There was fudge flowing freely of a wild variety of flavors each. High above were floating trifles and brulee making strange celestial constellation.
Talk about being overdone, Harry thought, and a very wasteful way of spending money.
But it was clear whoever was the host had a lot of money on hand and it was theirs to spend.
"Harry Potter right?" a voice called out from behind, interpreting Harry's musing.
Turning around Harry saw the Australian wizard, James Turner, he had on a neat pair of coat and pants, but he still had on his strange tinker goggles on his forehead.
"Yes, that would be me," Harry answered with a smile.
Skipping through all the pleasantries, the boy asked, "Are you really the inventor of the Mirror Phone?" he asked, nearly coming right up to his nose.
"No," Harry answered, taking a small step back, "that would be my family's Wizarding tower..."
"But you were the one who came up with the idea, right. I heard all about it, Mirror phones, Mirror tablets, and more Mirror inventions on the way."
"Yes," Harry slowly answered.
Seeing the excitement on his face, he snuck back up to Harry, "what else do you have in store?
"This Tuesday we will be showcasing our Mirror Telly," Harry admitted, as he took another step back. Then cutting to the chase he asked, "Why are you curious."
"Why am I curious?" the Australian wizard asked, "I thought the rest of the wizarding world was backwater, but O how wrong I was. Now I see that there is still great invention in the old motherland.
This great invention of the Mirror phone will change the whole magical communication field. This device will revolutionize the industry."
"Yea, I know that," Harry said, taking a second glance at the wizard. Not many people could see that really, most just thought his new toy was a new form of entertainment, but quickly they were seeing that was not the case as he expands operations outside of Magical Britain and into other Magical European and Western nations.
"Oh, this is just so exciting," James voiced, "this has so made the trip worth it and leaving my labs back in the sea. Headmaster is right, leaving your lab does open your eyes to new things."
Looking at the Champion, an idea struck him, his new line of magic firearms have been slowed since there wasn't any progress in miniaturizing magic canons. He could really use a bright mind like this wizard, if he could have him working in his family wizarding tower so much of his plans and dreams could be actualize a lot sooner and quicker.
"Do you know what, James," Harry said as he put on a generous smile. "Would you like to visit the Golden Potter family tower, I can give you a personal tour of your latest and newest inventions. I am sure you would be like a fish in a swimming pool."
"Really?" the wizard asked as he seem to barely contain his excitement.
"Yes it would be my please, but I would require a magical oath that you would not use my invention you withness for profit and gain."
"Deal," the wizard said as he held out his hand to which Harry gladly shook.
"I will have my house-elf schedule a time and date for the tour with you, he will be in contact with you soon."
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School Champions: Viktor Krum, Ali Abbassid, Tang Zhou, James Turner, Cedric Diggory, Catherine III, Hinako Miya, Fleur Delacour, Jasmine Senna, Sinopa Zuni, Sílvia Santos, Harry Potter!
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