The Saturday of that week coincided with a Hogsmeade weekend, and Harry felt he had earned a moment to unwind after everything that had transpired in the past few days. What better way to do that than to visit the charming village with Draconica, his not-quite-girlfriend? While their outing resembled more of a casual excursion than a romantic date, Harry relished the time spent with her.
Like most Hogwarts students heading to Hogsmeade, they visited local shops, occasionally accompanied by their Slytherin female friends. As lunch approached, they made their way to the Three Broomsticks, which, in their opinion, was the only decent pub in town. The establishment was bustling, filled with Hogwarts youth, yet they managed to snag a table for just the two of them—a welcome respite that allowed for easy conversation.
Their discussions, while not particularly private, were enjoyable and lighthearted. However, as they wrapped up their meal, the tone shifted to a more serious note, as Draconica brought up something that had been on her mind since their earlier misunderstanding about the contract:
"Harry, how did you convince my father to accept your proposal? Potters aren't exactly in his good books. And… how did you discuss it without revealing your family name?" She mused, playfully wrapping her leg around his beneath the table. Harry responded with a noncommittal "hmm," prompting her to glare at him playfully while tightening her grip.
"Um, well, the second question is easier to tackle," Harry admitted, giving in to her curiosity. "I used a spell—a sort of enhancement known as 'recall-me-not.' You can probably guess its purpose." After receiving a nod from Draconica, he continued, "That's pretty much it. Fortunately, there's been no precedent for using such magic on contracts in Magical Britain; if this spell had originated from Eastern Asia, it would have invalidated the agreement right away." He concluded with a sheepish grin.
"Alright," she said after a brief pause. "Now, what about you being the lord of a 'house of good standing'? As I've mentioned before, my father has little regard for the Potters."
"And who says we're discussing House Potter?" Harry replied with a smirk, leaving Draconica momentarily confused. To clarify, he placed his hand on the table and willed his Slytherin ring to become visible. It took Draconica a few moments to recognize its significance.
"It's real..." she whispered, her slender fingers tracing the intertwined bands of white and green gold in awe. The revelation that she was to become a lady of an Ancient and Noble House stunned her, wiping away any lingering annoyance she might have felt toward Harry for keeping this from her. "How?" she breathed.
"Well..." Harry began hesitantly. He hadn't planned to delve into this subject during their outing but realized he owed her an explanation. "As you might remember, Tom Marvolo Riddle—known later as Voldemort—was behind the Chamber of Secrets attacks, even if it was through his sentient diary." Draconica nodded, already anticipating the next part—after all, Voldemort had been recognized as the last heir of the Slytherin line for quite some time.
"The right of conquest?" she surmised, receiving a nod from Harry.
"Exactly. My victory over that diary allowed me to claim this lordship." Noticing the perplexity on her face, he elaborated, "Slytherin lordship can only be passed to a male with two magical parents... And despite what people may say, it was my mother who ultimately vanquished the Dark Lord that night." He trailed off, aware of how difficult that memory was for him. Sensing this, Draconica nodded empathetically and quickly shifted the topic.
"I see... What about the tournament? Has anyone divulged what the first task will be?" she asked. Although not the ideal distraction, it felt better than lingering on their previous conversation.
"Surprisingly, they've managed to keep everything under wraps. With all the chaos this week, I haven't had time to look into the history of the tournament—something tells me they'll continue the trend, which could give me a clue about what to expect." Draconica nodded in understanding as she finished her butterbeer.
"If you want, I can help you with that," she offered. Harry was grateful, returning her nod.
"Thank you! I would really appreciate your help." He polished off the rest of his drink and then turned to her, "Is there anything else you need from the village, or should we head back to the castle?" After pondering for a moment, she responded with a hopeful glimmer in her eyes.
"How about we take a nice walk just outside the village?" she suggested adorably, tilting her head. Harry quietly sighed, recognizing his inability to deny her anything in that moment, before extending his hand as they left the warmth of the Three Broomsticks.
~/ *** \~
While Saturday had been a day of relaxation for Harry, his Sunday morning was devoted to Quidditch. Katie, adapting well to her role as captain, was determined not to squander the momentum from the excitement surrounding the Triwizard champions' selection.
As in the past three years, practice began with a discussion of strategies. Katie kept it brief, aware that any detailed plans were unlikely to survive actual gameplay. Instead, she simply outlined the general tactics for the team's matches against the other three houses.
Once those were covered, everyone flew to the pitch to practice drills. While demanding, they were thankfully just as tough as Harry remembered from Oliver's time as captain. Katie also granted him the opportunity to coach the new seeker, Arnold, rather than imposing her own training methods on him.
After careful consideration, Harry opted to teach Arnold more aggressive flying techniques. He encouraged the younger boy to keep pace with him, leading them on a wild variation of maneuvers at breakneck speeds.
Despite having a slower broom and less experience, Arnold adeptly navigated the challenging routines, even managing to mirror some of Harry's semi-professional moves. Harry felt reassured by this—it affirmed he had made the right choice in selecting Arnold as the new seeker.
After lunch, Harry and the three other champions were summoned by the tournament officials for the wand weighing ceremony, which merely involved Mr. Ollivander checking that their wands were functioning properly. Once completed, they found themselves besieged by Rita Skeeter, eager for interviews.
Fortunately, it appeared the witch had been told that the Daily Prophet wasn't keen on another visit from the L Bridgets; she reined in her enthusiasm toward Harry, allowing him to slip away after he mentioned he wouldn't give any interviews without his attorney present.
Unsure of how to proceed with the rest of his day—especially since all his homework was already done—Harry wandered into the library, hoping to discover some intriguing spells. He wasn't in the mood to dig through tournament history, so he settled instead on a book focusing on enchantments, authored by Constantinople mages around a decade before the fall of their empire.
"Mr. Potter? May I have a word with you?" A voice from behind interrupted his concentration. Harry looked up to find Viktor Krum standing there, the usual frown etched on his face. Had the interviews concluded already? A glance at his pocket watch revealed it had been nearly an hour and a half since he'd evaded that persistent reporter.
"Yes?" Harry replied, somewhat surprised that the famous Bulgarian Quidditch player wished to talk to him. He bookmarked his page, setting the book aside, and gestured toward the chair opposite him. Krum refused the invitation, opting to remain standing.
"First of all, I want to thank you for resolving the tournament situation as you did. Like Headmistress Maxime said, it was very considerate of you. I also want to thank you for bringing to light that… fact about the contract with the Goblet. I've asked my barrister to reach out to yours; hopefully they can work together to get some answers from the organizers regarding this." After a brief pause, he added, "I haven't yet spoken to Mademoiselle Delacour or Mister Diggory, but I expect they will wish to join this pursuit for justice as well." Harry nodded; he had intended to suggest a cooperative effort as well but had yet to formalize it.
"And I'm grateful for your willingness to assist in resolving the situation with the officials withholding critical information from us." Given his understanding of Magical Britain's legal system, Harry doubted he could achieve any positive outcomes alone. Now, with the conflict taking on an international dimension, the Ministry would likely relent to save face.
"Additionally, I saw your team practicing today," Krum continued. "You have some excellent fliers, and I must say, you were the best among them, Mr. Potter." The compliment momentarily left Harry at a loss for words.
"Thank you, but I don't actively play anymore. I'm coaching the new seeker. To be honest, Quidditch never truly struck me as a future career," he replied. Krum seemed even more sullen at this revelation.
"That's a pity. A strong opposing seeker would have been useful in my games." A long, tense silence followed, during which Harry struggled to find a suitable response. "That's all I wanted to say; I won't take up any more of your time. Have a good evening, Mr. Potter."
"Thank you, and the same to you," Harry replied, watching Krum nod in acknowledgment before walking away. He sat in contemplative silence for a minute, then shook his head and returned to his reading, deciding that with a few hours before dinner, delving into enchantments was the most productive way to spend his time.
~/ *** \~
Later that day, after dinner, Cedric approached Harry. The Hufflepuff seventh year sought to join efforts to secure compensation from the Ministry for withholding information regarding the tournament from the champions. While his family, being of middle-class standing, did not have their own barrister, Cedric assured Harry that the Diggory family was willing to cover half the cost of L. Bridget's services if necessary. Harry accepted the offer gratefully.
The next morning, he received an owl from Violet, confirming that she had indeed been contacted by Viktor Krum's barrister. She inquired about the level of cooperation she should maintain with him concerning the Ministry's oversight with the Triwizard Tournament. Harry quickly penned a reply, informing Ms. L. Bridget that another barrister may join their collective efforts and promised to update her if that situation developed.
The rest of Monday passed without anything notable occurring, although Harry managed to read up on the early tournaments in preparation for the Triwizard event. Tuesday began quietly but took a turn as lunch approached when Headmistress Maxime intercepted him near the Great Hall doors:
"Monsieur Potter, may I speak with you?" she asked politely. Understanding he had no option to refuse, Harry nodded and stepped aside to avoid blocking the entrance. "Thank you. Monsieur Krum approached Madame Delacour and myself to discuss whether we wished to join your collective efforts to seek compensation for the champions being misled about the contract with the Goblet of Fire." Nodding, Harry recalled Krum mentioning he would speak with her.
"Yes, he has more or less organized the initiative," Harry confirmed. "I had planned something similar, but he was quicker to act." The Beauxbatons headmistress acknowledged this, having observed Harry's determination to restore some measure of fairness to the tournament.
"Very well, Monsieur Potter." Madame Maxime continued. "Your barrister is still Ms. L. Bridget, correct?" Upon Harry's nod, she added, "I will instruct my school's lawyer to contact her and join this quest for justice."
"Thank you, Madame. Your assistance is greatly appreciated," Harry said with a respectful bow before she dismissed him with a wave of her hand. He thanked her once more before entering the Great Hall to finally enjoy his lunch.
In the late afternoon, after finishing his classes, Harry made his way to the library as Draconica had suggested during their Arithmancy lesson. Upon arrival, he found her already there, accompanied by Daphne and Tracey, who were sharing a table with their Slytherin friend. Although surprised to see the latter two, Harry didn't let it show. He greeted the trio with a subtle nod before taking a seat across from Draconica.
"Harry, we..." Draconica gestured toward her friends. "...Have been researching past tournaments, and it seems the first task almost invariably involves dangerous magical creatures. The tasks may vary—be it bypassing, capturing, or even eliminating them—but..." Harry nodded; this aligned with his previous findings. It wasn't shocking given they were all utilizing the same reference material for their research.
"Seems likely that's why Hagrid has been in a particularly cheerful mood lately. After all, he's getting new creatures to showcase to his students," Harry commented, growing more serious as he continued. "To be honest, the organizers make this tournament seem watered down compared to previous ones, so I doubt the creatures will be lethal. Still, I'm sure they'll bring in some flashy beasts to pique the audience's interest. My bet is that we'll have to navigate past something classified with five 'X's by the Ministry."
"That certainly fits with what we can expect from the organizers," Daphne agreed. There was a brief pause before she added, "So, Harry, do you need us to help you prepare for the upcoming challenge?" Both Draconica and Tracey nodded, indicating their eagerness to assist.
"I appreciate the offer, but until I have a clearer idea of the beasts I'll be facing, I think learning general-purpose spells for preparation is the best route for now." Regrettably, he acknowledged that most creatures with more than four 'X's in their classification required specialized tactics. The three girls nodded in understanding, their expressions indicating they shared his concerns.
Thus, for the next forty minutes, the four friends brainstormed potential ways to uncover exactly what Harry would face on November twenty-seventh. They all concurred that asking Hagrid was likely their best bet, considering the half-giant's penchant for imparting information, even on matters best kept secret.
~/ *** \~
For Harry, the week passed in a whirlwind, with his studies piling up once more and the pressing need to prepare for whatever creatures awaited him in the first task. He wasn't tackling this alone; help from Draconica, Hermione, Neville, and occasionally even Katie was invaluable. However, their progress had stagnated, especially since Hagrid had become more reticent in recent days. Thus far, none of them had managed to ascertain precisely what sort of creature Harry would combat in the tournament's first task.
The memories he had gleaned from Voldemort's Horcrux did him little good either; the Dark Lord had never shown much interest in creatures apart from snakes and Dementors, meaning Voldemort's knowledge on handling formidable beasts was no greater than Harry's.
Nevertheless, even as he devoted most of his energy to surviving the first task and maintaining his magic, Harry couldn't shake the feeling that Katie was acting strangely around him. It felt as if she was attempting to draw closer yet frequently stopped herself short. Although he was concerned for his friend, he didn't take any action—her behavior didn't appear harmful, and he found himself preoccupied with other matters. Perhaps he was neglecting his role as a good friend, but he decided to let it be for now.
~/ *** \~
On Saturday, just a week before the first task, the Gryffindor Quidditch team (plus Harry) held an afternoon practice. From what he observed, Katie's nervousness had reached new heights and was affecting her focus during training. Despite this, she endeavored to maintain normalcy, and Harry admired her resolve.
It became clear, however, that whatever was troubling her was too significant for the captain to handle alone. Shortly after four in the afternoon—less than three hours into practice—she called time on the session. The team, recognizing their captain's struggle, agreed that it may be better to end training early rather than press on.
While showering, Harry couldn't shake the feeling that something serious was bothering Katie. Yet instead of reaching out to her for assistance, he found himself lost in speculation about the upcoming tournament task… He really was a terrible friend.
He shook his head, realizing he was the only one remaining in the showers. The other boys had already left, and he vaguely recalled the Weasley twins chatting animatedly about a planned prank as they exited. Not long after, Arnold had breezed out, claiming he needed to finish a Transfiguration essay.
Sighing, Harry committed to finding out what was troubling Katie. He wasn't pursuing any solid leads or strategies for the first task, so it would be better to focus on helping his friend. After shutting off the water, he heard a soft knock at the door.
"Are you there, Harry?" Katie's voice quivered slightly. "Can we talk?"
'Here we go… Let's hope I don't mess this up and make everything worse,' Harry thought. Wrapping a towel around his waist, he replied, "Yeah, give me a second, I'll get decent." Hearing her mumble a response, he reached for a towel and quickly covered himself. "So, what did you want to—"
When he opened the door, he was greeted by a sight that almost knocked the wind out of him: just a few feet away stood a shy, flushed Katie, wearing nothing but a towel.
As Harry walked toward the Great Hall, the conversation between Hagrid and Professor Sprout caught his attention. They were discussing fertilizers—not the most riveting subject until Professor Sprout mentioned fresh manure, which piqued Harry's interest.
"Yes, it's excellent," Hagrid replied. "I really hope they allow me to showcase those marvelous creatures to my students in class." The topic shifted to the creatures involved with the tournament, prompting Harry to lean closer, eager for any clues about what he might face in the first task.
"Those beasts are magnificent, but are you really sure it's wise to expose your students to them, Hagrid?" Professor Sprout questioned. "I think the hippogriffs were quite enough; no need for a live dragon." Harry's heart sank at the confirmation that at least one of the creatures he would confront was a dragon. Although depressing news, it was better to know than remain in the dark.
Yet Harry had a nagging feeling that the dragons wouldn't be the only danger; the organizers would undoubtedly create something spectacular for the champions to tackle.
"Maybe you're right, Pomona," Hagrid conceded. "Dumbledore mentioned that some parents were upset about me bringing their kids near what they deemed dangerous creatures. Honestly, hippogriffs are gentle if treated well, and I think children should appreciate animals like them. Still, I don't want to conflict with Dumbledore." Professor Sprout nodded, clearly reluctant to disagree with Hagrid.
After a few more exchanges, Professor Sprout excused herself, and Hagrid wandered off toward his hut. Harry sighed; he now knew his opponents would include dragons, although he suspected there might be additional threats yet to be confirmed.
Considering his options, he felt tempted to use his Invisibility Cloak to sneak around and gather more intel, but he quickly dismissed that idea. If caught, the ramifications would be severe, especially since most of the other champions had likely already gathered intelligence on the first task.
It was Saturday evening, and Harry determined that he could stay up late tonight, watching the Forbidden Forest from his dormitory window. Perhaps he might catch a glimpse of another creature associated with the task.
As he had been neglecting his studies, Harry chose to dedicate his evening to reading about magical medicine—but not before completing his homework. Later that night, with most of the Gryffindor Tower already asleep, he made his way to the fourth-year boys' dormitory and settled into a seat by the window, scanning the forbidding landscape of the Forbidden Forest for any signs of life.
It was half an hour before any illumination punctured the darkness of the forest, revealing the shadowy outlines of the trees. Brief flashes of fire danced across the foliage once or twice before plunging back into shadow, enough for Harry to cement the knowledge that dragons would indeed be involved in the first task.
Satisfied that he had accomplished what he set out to do, Harry pulled himself away from the window, crawled into bed, and fell asleep. Had he lingered just a minute longer, he might have noticed the trees shaking with the force of powerful winds and the electrical energy of rising lightning bolts.
~/ *** \~
On Sunday afternoon, Harry met with his friends once more in their library corner. This time, it was just him, Draconica, and Hermione; Neville was busy assisting Professor Sprout in the greenhouses, while Daphne and Tracey were back in the Slytherin dungeons working on their Potions assignments.
"So, you're telling me that there will be dragons?!" Draconica exclaimed, her voice almost drowning out the surrounding silence. Her concern radiated off her as she glanced at Hermione, who mirrored her trepidation about Harry's upcoming confrontation with such a formidable creature. Confirmed speculation felt all the more daunting.
Reclaiming her composure, Draconica pressed on, "What are you planning on doing about it, Harry?" He took a moment to think before responding.
"Yeah, they'll be dragons, but I suspect they won't be the only creatures I'll face." With time to digest the reality of dragon involvement, Harry felt more composed than his friends. "My primary goal will be to stay alive and intact, so… I need to find a way to complete this task without attracting attention from those beasts." Draconica nodded in approval, clearly impressed with his line of thinking.
"You'll need to master the Disillusionment Charm in a week, right?" Hermione chimed in. "And I assume you already know how to muffle your footsteps—God knows boys love sneaking around at night." Harry merely shrugged, smiling sheepishly.
"Any other spells you plan on learning for the task?" Hermione queried. Harry pondered for a moment before replying.
"Well, since we aren't entirely sure how these magical beasts perceive the world, camouflage spells might not be effective. I'll need something else to keep myself safe—possibly a good shielding charm or a way to transfigure a solid barrier in front of me. Additionally, a flame-freezing charm would be useful, along with methods to counteract venom."
This plan sounded reasonable. Sure, he had the knowledge of these spells through Voldemort, but casting them was a different matter altogether, as he had never attempted them before. The girls expressed their agreement and determination to assist.
"Alright then," Draconica said after a beat. "I'll inform Daphne and Tracey; they might know some useful spells. For now, let's see how well you can manage the Disillusionment Charm today, Harry," she proposed, a playful glint in her eyes.