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"Come on," Lavender said as she helped him walk down the hallway with a blind fold on.
"We'd better get downstairs for your surprise party, Harry — Fred and George should have nicked enough food from the kitchens by now," Neville voiced. Then pausing, he muttered, "I don't think I should have said that."
"Come on it's obvious," Harry said with an eye roll which none of them could see.
"Well everyone is waiting for you, Mr. guest of the hour," Ginny uttered right beside him.
Hearing Parvati give the password to the Fat Lady, they all entered the Gryffindor tower.
"Okay, you can pull it off," Hermione said, which he did so.
Sure enough, when he removed his blindfold, the Gryffindor common room exploded with cheers and yells. Every Gryffindor seemed to have shown up today as they all had bright smiles and backs straight as they were filled with pride.
It wasn't only Gryffindor students in the common room as he saw plenty of Ravenclaw including Luna and even Cho Chang along with other familiar faces from his year like Sue Li, Padma Patil, Lisa Turpin, and Terry Boot.
Plus he saw some Hufllepuffs in the house as well along with Slytherin students thrown in. And what really surprised him was when he saw some of the students from the other schools as well.
There were mountains of cakes and flagons of pumpkin juice and butterbeer on every surface; Lee Jordan had let off some Filibuster's Fireworks, so that the air was thick with stars and sparks; and Colin, who was very good at drawing, had put up some impressive new banners, most of which depicted Harry being circled high above with dragons and one dragon which had to be Norberta standing right next to him, though a couple showed Cedric with his body on fire.
Harry helped himself to food; he really was hungry after only having the light breakfast, and sat down with Neville and Hermione.
"Blimey, this is heavy," George voiced, picking up the golden egg, which Harry had left on a table, and weighing it in his hands.
Glancing at the egg, Harry didn't know what to make of it. The schoolmasters gave all the champions a briefing on the nature of the next trial earlier today. The egg was the key to the second trial.
They all had a nice long break before the second task, which will take place at half past nine on the morning of February the twenty-fourth. So there was plenty of time to uncover the mystery of the egg.
"Open it, Harry, go on! Let's just see what's inside it!" Fred egged him on.
"He's supposed to work out the clue on his own," Hermione said swiftly. "It's in the tournament rules."
"I was supposed to work out how to get past the dragon on my own too," Harry muttered, so only Hermione could hear him, and she grinned rather guiltily.
"Yeah, go on, Harry, open it!" several people echoed. George passed Harry the egg, and Harry dug his fingernails into the groove that ran all the way around it and prised it open.
It was hollow and completely empty — but the moment Harry opened it, the most horrible noise, a loud and screechy wailing, filled the room. The nearest thing to it Harry had ever heard was the ghost orchestra at Nearly Headless Nick's deathday party, who had all been playing the musical saw.
"Shut it!" Lavender bellowed, her hands over her ears.
"What was that?" Susan asked, staring at the egg as Harry slammed it shut again. "Sounded like a banshee. . . . Maybe you've got to get past one of those next, Harry!"
"It was someone being tortured!" Neville said, who had gone very white and spilled sausage rolls all over the floor. "You're going to have to fight the Cruciatus Curse!"
"Don't be an idiot, Neville, that's illegal," Angelina said though she looked unsure of herself as she said it. "They wouldn't use the Cruciatus Curse on the champions. I thought it sounded a bit like Percy singing . . . maybe you've got to attack him while he's in the shower, Harry."
"Whatever it is I will be ready to face it," Harry uttered as he set the egg to the side.
"Hear, Hear," Fred and George shouted which the occupants of the room echoed.
"Want a jam tart, Harry?" Fred asked. Harry looked doubtfully at the plate he was being offered, then back at Fred who was grinning. "It's all right," he said with a wicked gleam in his eyes. "I haven't done anything to them. It's the custard creams you've got to watch for!"
"Thanks, but no thanks," Harry said, "I don't think I want to be one of your guinea pigs to test your latest prank."
Poor Neville on the other hand bitten into a custard cream, choked and spat it out. Fred and George began to laugh together as they saw the curdled expression on Neville's face.
"Just my little joke, Neville. . . ." Fred said, backing off slowly as Neville looked at the twins with murder in his eyes.
"Yeah," George echoed, grinning at the boy. Then he let out a high-pitched squeak as Neville began to chase them around the room.
Harry had a good laugh as he sat back on the couch, enjoying the evening with his friends.
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It was only on the next day that Harry started looking into how each champion did on their trail.
He did have the live recording, but why watch it when you can get a minute by minute commentary on what happened. The next morning, Colin was kind enough to go into exact detail for him on what happened since he wasn't there to see how each champion did.
"Oh, poor Cedric did this weird thing where he Transfigured a rock on the ground and turned it into a dog. Then he was trying to make the dragon go for the dog instead of him. Well, it was a pretty cool bit of Transfiguration, and it sort of worked, because he did get the egg, but he got burned as well — the dragon changed its mind halfway through and decided it would rather have him than the Labrador; he only just got away partially as he was burned," Colin told him excitedly.
"And that Fleur girl tried this sort of Enchantment, I think she was trying to put it into a trance as she messed with the dragon's head. Well, that kind of worked, it went all sleepy, but then it snored, and this great jet of flame shot out, and her skirt caught fire — she put it out with a bit of water out of her wand," he laughed.
"That Ali guy, he sent out demons at the dragon, they were big and scary, but not as big and scary as the dragon. He made them fight the dragon while he got the egg."
"They are called djinn, not demons," Hermione clarified as she took her seat at the Hogwarts table.
"Okay," the boy nodded his head as he excitedly got back to his story on hand, "that Hinako girl. I thought she would be eaten as she was my size, but she fought the dragon with her weird sword and was even able to injure it."
"And Krum — you won't believe this, but he didn't even think of flying! Hit it with some sort of spell right in the eye. Only thing is, it went trampling around in agony and nearly squashed him, he barely got out safely as the dragon went mad."
"James, I don't know what he did, but he pulled out this strange contraption that trapped the dragon in a stasis field which it could barely get out. And then he had another contraption, a small doll to go for the egg."
"That Sílvia, man, you won't believe it, but she actually transformed into one of those dinosaurs they keep!"
"Which one?" Harry asked as he perked up.
"A T-Rex," he answered as he was too giddy with joy.
"I don't really understand what Tang did, but he drew some letters in the air and they grew so big that they started wrapping around the dragon like chains keeping it in place."
Telling him more about how the other champions did, Colin got to the last person. "Man, that princess girl, she was the second best after you in points. She just walked up into the stadium and with none too little effort, she just froze the dragon to death as it shattered into a million pieces. The dragon keepers weren't too happy about that as one of Fred and George's older brother was shouting at the schoolmasters."
Nodding his head, Harry knew he had to watch out for her royal highness, she was the after all the one contender that might have him beat.
"Thanks, Colin," Harry said as he messed with the little kid's head. "You will be a fine commentator one day!"
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"If I may have your attention," Professor McGonagall called out. They were back in classes now, the excitement of the first trial had slowly died down as the guests left and everyone got sick of talking about the tournament numerous times.
It was the end of the lesson; they had finished their work; the guinea fowl they had been changing into guinea pigs had been shut away in a large cage on Professor McGonagall's desk (Neville's still had feathers); they had copied down their homework from the blackboard ("Describe, with examples, the ways in which Transforming Spells must be adapted when performing Cross-Species Switches").
The bell was due to ring at any moment, so everyone was excited to leave and have done with their day.
"Sit down, sit down," Professor McGonagall waved her hand for them to be seated as she gave a stern look at whoever didn't follow her instruction to the letter.
"I have something to say to you all," Professor McGonagall announced once she had their full undivided attention.
"The Yule Ball is approaching — a traditional part of the Triwizard Tournament and an opportunity for us to socialize with our foreign guests. Now, the ball will be open only to fourth years and above — although you may invite a younger student if you wish!"
Cutting her off was Lavender Brown who let out a shrill giggle. Parvati Patil nudged her hard in the ribs, her face working furiously as she too fought not to giggle. They both looked around at Harry who awkwardly coughed into his fist.
This was not good, not good at all!
Professor McGonagall ignored them as she continued on. "Dress robes will be worn, and the ball will start at eight o'clock on Christmas Day, finishing at midnight in the Great Hall. Now then —" Professor McGonagall stared deliberately around the class.
"The Yule Ball is of course a chance for us all to — er — let our hair down," she said, in a disapproving voice. Lavender giggled harder than ever, with her hand pressed hard against her mouth to stifle the sound while Parvati joined in. Harry could see what was funny this time: Professor McGonagall, with her hair in a tight bun, looked as though she had never let her hair down in any sense.
"But that does NOT mean," Professor McGonagall went on, "that we will be relaxing the standards of behavior we expect from Hogwarts students. I will be most seriously displeased if a Gryffindor student embarrasses the school in any way."
It was at that moment that the bell rang, and there was the usual scuffle of activity as everyone packed their bags and swung them onto their shoulders. Professor McGonagall called above the noise, "Mr. Potter — a word, if you would please."
Assuming nothing of it, Harry proceeded to the teacher's desk. Professor McGonagall waited until the rest of the class had gone, and then said, "Potter, the champions and their partners —"
"Partners, must we?" Harry asked.
Professor McGonagall looked suspiciously at him, as though she thought he was trying to be funny. "Your partners for the Yule Ball, Potter," she said coldly. "Your dance partners."
"Can't I go at it alone?" Harry mused. "I think I am more into the lone wolf sort of thing.:
"Oh no, you will find a partner young man," Professor McGonagall said irritably. "That's what I'm telling you. Traditionally, the champions and their partners open the ball."
"Come on please," Harry suddenly said as he all but got on his knees. "You don't understand, I can't go with a partner. I just can't!"
"Why?" the older witch asked with a raised eyebrow.
"I will have to choose, that's why! Do you have any idea who many girls will ask me, and I will have to choose one!"
"Oh, woe is you," Professor McGonagall rolled her eyes, "every girl wants to go to the ball with you. It must be so bad to be you!"
"It is," Harry said. He did not want to choose no matter what, who he would be taking to the ball or else he would be playing favorites, and that was a big no-no.
"Well you better choose quickly the ball is in a month's time!"
"Okay, then I'm not going," Harry said, crossing his arms together.
"It is traditional," Professor McGonagall said firmly. "You are a Hogwarts champion, and you will do what is expected of you as a representative of the school. So make sure you get yourself a partner, Potter."
"But — I don't —"
"You heard me, Potter," Professor McGonagall said in a very final sort of way. "You had better make your choice."
Walking out of the classroom, Harry saw Lavender Brown standing across the room along with Parvati Patil.
"Hey, Harry," Lavender Brown called out.
'Shit,' Harry swore to himself, 'it has already begun'
"Hey, Lavender, and you too Parvati," Harry nodded at them with bright smiles. Pointing in a general direction, he quickly said before they could get anything out, "I better be going, I am late for my.... needleworks!"
With that, Harry quickly ran away, not even daring to look back. His days will be soon getting a lot more difficult.
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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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