The First Task
During breakfast on the sixteenth of November, a regal black owl
arrived with a letter stamped with the Gringotts crest. Harry checked
it for curses before opening the letter.
Harrison James Potter
It has recently been made aware to the goblins of Gringotts that you
have been declared a legal adult. Your presence is requested to
reopen the Potter family vaults and to perform the inheritance ritual.
Please visit the Diagon Alley Gringotts as soon as possible.
Ironclaw, Potter family account manager.
"What's that one about Harry." Fred asked.
"Gringotts summons, guess my plans for today just changed. I better
let Remus know I am leaving to Gringotts for today." Harry said,
standing from the table.
"Hey Harry, what's up." Remus asked when Harry entered the suite
of rooms Remus was given.
"Read this." Harry handed him the letter.
"So I assume you need to get to Gringotts then." Remus asked.
"Yeah, I'll get changed and then maybe floo from here if that's okay
with you." Harry replied.
"Sure thing, just be back before dinner and keep an eye out for any
shady looking people. We still don't know how you ended up in this
tournament." Remus warned.
"Thanks Moony, see you in a second." Harry left the room and
walked down the corridor to the nearest Slytherin banner. A quick trip
to the chamber and Harry was changed into some navy blue, open
robes with matching trousers, a grey shirt and matching tie.
Harry landed gracefully in The Leaky Cauldron and walked briskly
towards the marble stairs of Gringotts. He was bowed through the
door by two goblins as per usual and made his way to an empty
teller.
"Good morning Master Teller, I am Harry Potter here to see
Ironclaw." Harry said evenly.
"Grimjaw will show you to Ironclaw momentarily." The goblin
responded.
"Thank you Master Teller, may gold flow to you faster than your
enemies blood." Harry said when Grimjaw arrived. The teller gave
him a strange look but didn't speak.
Harry followed Grimjaw, a slightly taller goblin than usual with slightly
greener skin than others through a maze of halls. It was similar to
riding in the carts with all the turns and stairs. After what felt like ten
minutes of walking the pair arrived at a plan wooden door, the first
door Harry had seen along the journey. The door had a plaque
labeled 'Ironclaw - Potter Family Accounts Manager.'
"Good morning Mr Potter, glad to see you know how to be prompt.
As you would have understood from my letter, your emancipation
has meant a few things for your accounts." Ironclaw greeted.
"Yes, I assume you are referring to claiming the head of house
Potter." Harry asked.
"You are correct, usually this would happen on your seventeenth
anniversary of birth. However your emancipation means you can
now claim your inheritance immediately." Ironclaw explained.
"Is it necessary to do it now." Harry asked.
"Not compulsory but highly advisable. Currently as there is no head
of house, nobody can access the vaults. That means a lot of
investments are missed. Along with this, you need to claim the head
of house ring to reopen any estates attached to your accounts. By
claiming your lordship it also means you are required to attend the
monthly Wizengamot meeting as a part of the noble houses in the
sacred twenty eight. You may if you choose to, do nothing in such
meetings but you must be present. That is the only potential negative
of claiming your inheritance but the Wizengamot only meet every
fourth Sunday for the full sessions so very little intrusion." Ironclaw
said.
"Okay, I see the benefits, what do I have to do." Harry asked.
"Well to begin with, you will slash your hand with a ritual knife over a
Potter ritual bowl. Then you must call forth the Potters Stagg by
saying 'Familius Magicus.' Next you give the oath, I, your name,
hereby claim the head of the Noble House of Potter as is my right by
blood and magic. I do hereby swear to serve the Noble House of
Potter with honour and duty, to uphold its values and work for the
betterment of my house. The stagg will judge you and either leave
you or grant you the ring. So let's begin."
Ironclaw removed a quart bowl from a draw in his desk that was
covered from top to bottom in runes. In the bottom was the Potter
family crest, A shield with a stag head facing outwards on each side.
The inside of the shield was solid navy blue except for a large silver
P in the centre. Above the shields sat a silver helmet with blue
feathers poking out the top. Beneath the shield in a banner was the
family motto 'Sapiens Fortunam Fingit Sibi' which translates to 'A
wise man carves his own future.
"Let's get this over with then shall we." Harry says. He takes the
sapphire encrusted silver dagger and slashes open his palm. The
bowl fills with a blue flame from which a silver stagg emerges when
Harry called the family magic. He gave his oath, the stagg roared its
approval before it disappeared to leave a silver ring with the potter
crest etched into the top and a sapphire on each side.
"Place the ring on your right hand ring finger, it will merge with the
hidden Black heir ring. The same principles with controlling its
visibility apply. If you show both at once both crests will appear on
one ring. Now that you have claimed the rings we need to open your
vaults. If you would follow me." Ironclaw pressed a series of runes
under his desk and a door appeared behind him. Ironclaw led Harry
through the door which opened onto the track sides. A cart came
barreling down the track and stopped for them to get in. Fifteen
minutes of ridiculous dips, rolls, spins and turns they stopped outside
a blank wall.
"Place your hand against the wall and it will grant you entrance Lord
Potter." Ironclaw instructed.
Harry placed his hand flat against the cold stone wall. Magic flooded
through his hand and around the silver ring. The sound of a roaring
stagg could be heard as the stone turned to dust and feel away to
reveal an archway into a hallway.
"The vaults of these sizes are split into rooms. There are rooms with
only gold, gems, jewellery, books, parchment and other items like
weapons, armours and wands paintings and tapestries. The
parchment room will hold the receipts from all purchases, investment
details, contracts and estate deeds and details. That is where you
need to go and find the estates book. It will give you the location,
condition and size of all your estates. I cannot enter as I am not a
Potter." Ironclaw said.
Harry followed the old goblins instructions and looked for the correct
room. The room was set out similar to a library but instead of just
books there were drawers, filing cabinets, cases and books. One
wall was entirely covered with glass doors. Each door was only
around fifty by thirty centimeters and all of them were labeled with a
name and dates. The first door Harry approached read 'Jefferson
Potter - Born 23/04/1372 - Lord Potter 06/10/1401 - Died
14/01/1429.' Every other door held the name if one of Harry's
ancestors. Inside the door Harry found hundreds of small, red, wax
disks with a date, number and narration on the back and a Potter
crest on the front.
Moving on from the doors Harry moved through the ancient room
looking for the book cases. When he found the book case he looked
along the spine of each book until he got to a very thick tome simply
labeled 'Estates.' Flicking through the first few pages to confirm it
was what he wanted Harry returned to Ironclaw at the vaults
entrance. Ironclaw made a copy of it and gave it to Harry.
"That is for you to pursue in your own time and visit your properties.
Now the last thing that needs to be organised is how you want to
invest your money. Now the vaults are open more investments can
be made to increase your vault. You need to decide how you want it
invested or assign someone in your place." Ironclaw explained.
"I know the perfect person, I assume that you, like any good goblin
are willing to do almost anything for a bit of gold." Harry said.
"Anything other than break Gringotts code, I am a goblin after all."
Ironclaw grinned.
"Well then, I give you access to a vault with two million galleons to
invest. All dividends received by those investments goes back into
the vault. By quarters end I will pay you five percent of the vaults
profit. For the new quarter, seventy percent of the profits will go to
my vault and the remainder is your new amount to invest." Harry
said.
"Of course Lord Potter, that is very generous and I promise to bring
gold to your vault." Ironclaw replied with a wicked grin across his
face. Harry returned the original estates book to the vault before the
two rode back to the surface. Each gave a departing statement to
the other related to gold and victory according to customs and Harry
was in his way. Harry left one very happy goblin at Gringotts to return
to Hogwarts.
"Keep your eyes peeled today ladies." Fred said during dinner that
night
"The kings of pranking are about to make their stand." George
added.
Suddenly snow began to trickle down from the enchanted ceiling.
Within five minutes there was a layer of snow, two inches deep over
the entire hall. Wind blew through the hall from out of nowhere and
swept all the snow into a tornado that tore through the centre aisle.
Strangely, it took only the snow and everything else was left
untouched.
The tornado of snow split in half then again to make four smaller
tornadoes at the foot of each house table. The spirals of snow
shifted into a snake, a badger, a lion and an eagle. Each animal
slithered, ran or flew along their house table, freezing goblets of juice
and turning all the food ice cold. When the reached the end of tge
tables they turned inwards and crashed togather in a shower of
snow. When the snow settled a message was left in ice against the
great hall doors.
The Marauders' Heir
We accept your challenge
Wizarding Wheezes
The hall burst into excited whispers as they filled in the foreign
students about the prank challenge offered by 'The Marauders' Heir'
and the first prank. Dumbledore sat at the head table with a large
grin on his face at the prank.
A wave of the aged man's wand and all the juice was melted and the
food reheated. The atmosphere for the rest of the evening was that
much cheerful and exciting with the acceptance of the challenge
posed by the unknown 'Marauders' Heir'.
"So which are you Fred, George. Is it Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes
or Fred and George Weasley, heir to the Marauders." Harry asked.
"Don't know what your talkin about Harrykins." Fred replied.
"So it just happens that your joke shop is called Weasleys Wizarding
Wheezes and this mysterious prankster goes by the same name."
"Uhh, you will tell no one, understand." George pointed a threatening
finger at Harry.
"Of course, what's that thing Duders always used to say. Ah yes,
snitches get stitches. Doesn't quite have the same effect in the
magical world does it. Nevertheless, your secret is safe with me."
Harry said.
"Good." Both twins said together as they rose from the table, neither
staying for dessert.
Harry woke on the eighteenth of November in the large bed in the
chamber of secrets. Less than a week from the first task and he had
no better idea of exactly what it would be. Harry's morning routine
was completed as usual and included a sweep of the forbidden
forest on his broom. However this time Harry found a familiar face at
the edge of the forest.
"I wonder what Charlie's doing here, why would he be at Hogwarts."
Harry mumbled to himself. And then it all clicked. Charlies hints
about being at school for work, dangerous magical creatures
stashed in the forest. Charlie Weasley was a dragon handler, the
only reason he would have work at Hogwarts was if the first task is.
"Holy shit, Dragons." Harry said as the bursts of orange flame filled
the ground beneath him. The notice me not ward dissolving once
Harry knew what was behind it. Harry flew back to the chamber and
retrieved his invisibility cloak before returning to the forest.
There were four cages each holding a dragon, one for each
champion. The first dragon stood about fifteen feet high at its
shoulders. Its hide was an electric blue colour and it had a large horn
on the front of its snubbed snout.
The second dragon was slightly taller, around eighteen feet at the
shoulder. Its scales were a deep green colour that shined under the
fire light. Atop its head were a set of sharp horns and the same at the
mid joint of both wings. It blasted a jet of flames at its handlers that
went easily twenty five feet.
The third dragon was a fiery red colour, it stood the same as the
second dragon and had a mane of yellow spikes covering behind its
hairy ears. Beneath its chin was a long tuft of yellow hair like
Dumbledore's beard. Unlike the other two dragons which blasted a
continuous jet of flames for a few seconds, this dragon shot a large
ball of fire that went over fifty feet.
The last dragon was the most terrifying of them all in Harry's opinion.
It was the largest of them all, thirty feet tall with vivid black scales.
Large spikes surrounded its head and ran all the way down its spine
and tail. At the end of the tail was a ball of hard bone, covered in
huge, sharp spikes. It also had a fiery breath of fifty feet and lasted
for about four seconds.
Harry's luck seemed to be on his side as Ludo Bagman was talking
rather loudly with one of the handlers.
"Brilliant creatures aren't they Bob, four nesting mothers for our
champions to steal an egg from. I pity whoever gets the horntail
though, that is one vicious dragon." Bagman laughed.
"Yes, the horntail is said to be the most intelligent dragons. That's
what makes it the most dangerous, I hope whoever faces this beast
doesn't try to trick it." The dragon handler, Bob, replied.
With his recon mission a success, Harry turns back and heads for
the chamber. He ate a hurried breakfast in the great hall and
returned to the depths of Hogwarts to form his plan.
The next six days Harry spends practicing and constructing his plan
to not only survive but win the first task. Many hours he spent
crafting his tool to ensure he doesn't get burnt by the flames.
"So what's the plan for the first task Harry." Fred asked during
breakfast on the twenty fourth of November.
"Well from my research, the tournament is judged mostly from
dramatics. You could use one kick arse spell and complete the task
but that wouldn't make a good show. The key is to be a show off with
big flashy spells and put on a good show for the crowd." Harry
explained.
"Ah I see, so you plan on being dramatic but what are you going to
do." George asked.
"Now that would ruin the surprise wouldn't it." Harry laughed before
making his way out of the hall to meet Remus.
"Morning Harry, ready for the task. What's with the cloak." Remus
asked. Harry was wearing white dueling robes and a very large and
thick, white fur coat.
"It's part of my plan for the task, gotta stay safe out there. Please,
lead the way to this task location." Harry replied. Remus lead Harry
along a path that had recently been marked out with a carpet and
barrier tape.
After about five minutes of walking, the trees gave way to reveal a
huge clearing. Harry could see a pop up stadium behind a tent
marked 'Champions.'
"Your in there Harry, I've gotta go to the judges table. See you in the
arena and make our school proud." Remus laughed, leaving Harry at
the tent entrance to find a place in the judges box in the stadium.
"Harry, our last champion to arrive. Just in the nick of time too, I was
about to explain the task." Bagman greeted him when he entered the
tent.
"Mighty fine morning for the first task isn't Mr Bagman. Before we
start I have a question about protective gear taken into the arena."
Harry asked.
"Oh yes, no protective equipment to be taken into the arena beyond
your clothing which can be of any material but not enchanted in
anyway. Clothing includes shoes, robes, cloaks, helmets and gloves.
Does that answer your question Harry." Bagman answered.
"It most certainly does thank you Mr Bagman." Harry replied
cheerfully.
"Well then, each of you is tasked to retrieve a golden egg from a
magical creature. Each of you will draw a figurine from the bag with a
number. The figurine represents the creature you will face and the
number the order you will go in. Ladies first I think." Bagman held a
cloth bag out for Fleur.
Fleur put her hand in the bag and winced as something bit her finger.
She pulled her hand out with the green dragon hanging from her
finger, a number two painted on its side.
"The Welsh Green, you will compete second Ms Delacour, Mr Krum
next I say." Bagman said, confirming Harry's research on the dragon
was correct. Viktor took the Chinese Fireball with the number three
and Cedric claimed the Swedish Short-Snout and first place in the
pecking order.
"Ha- Mr Potter, looks like you get the Hungarian Horntail, lucky you.
Well then, Mr Diggory you have ten minutes to determine a strategy
before the task begins. Please enter through that door when the
cannon sounds." Bagman gave a giggle from excitement and left the
tent.
"Man you're lucky Harry, last to face the task. You get like two hours
to think of something." Cedric said as he sat thinking to himself.
"My dragons twice the size of yours, nothing more than half an hour
would be truly useful to remember all the spells about dragons. I get
to sit here and listen to cheers and gasps to question my plan over
and over. I think second to go would be best, second easiest dragon
and enough time to think of a good strategy." Harry replied.
"I suppose so, let's hope this dragon doesn't fry me before I get the
egg." Cedric said as the cannon sounded.
"Cedric." Harry called out before he left the tent.
"Yeah Harry." Cedric asked.
"The short snout has a slow reaction time and small range, about
twenty five feet. Good luck." Harry said. Cedric smiled in thanks and
hurried out of the tent.
"Why give him help, you are the one that will need it most." Viktor
asked Harry curiously.
"Well the tournament wouldn't be any fun if it wasn't close now would
it. No harm in helping a friend." Harry smiled back.
"So 'oo do not plan on winning zee tournament. Eez eet your plan to
just let us win." Fleur asked.
"Of course not, I plan to take my dragon down a peg and put on the
show of a lifetime. But Cedric is the only one of us who did not figure
out exactly what the first task is. I bet both of you had your plan all
tidied up days ago. Cedric is at a disadvantage so two facts about
his dragon that only really help him not get roasted isn't giving him
the answer to completing the task." Harry said.
Cheers erupted loudly from the crowds outside as Bagman
announced Cedric completing his task. Two minutes later the cannon
sounded and Fleur left the tent with wishes of luck from Harry.
"You know what we should do sometime after the task." Harry said to
Viktor.
"What is that, assuming you survive the task that is." Viktor replied.
"We should hold an inter-school quidditch competition. I am sure
each champion could throw together a team. Wouldn't it be fun and I
can get to play some good seeker competition. Cedrics a good
seeker but he's about the only challenge I ever get and it's not a big
challenge." Harry suggested.
"That would be fun, I might need to steal a Hogwarts player or two
but I could form a team. First we need to survive these monstrous
dragons though." Viktor replied.
The crowd roared with cheers when Bagman announced Fleurs
success in retrieving the egg. The cannon sounded and Harry was
left to himself for seventeen minutes before Viktor finished the task.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, our fourth and final champion for today, the
underdog of the competition, all the way from the school of light on
the sun. HARRY. JAMES. POTTER!" Bagmans voice boomed
across the arena.
Harry walked into the arena and locked eyes with the dragon that
stood on the opposite side. Emerald green met wicked yellow as
Harry stared defiantly at the dragon.
:Hello dragon, I have come to strike a deal: Harry hissed towards the
dragon, one of few dragon species capable of speaking
parseltongue.
:I do not make deals with puny humans: The horntail hissed back.
The dragons namesake smashed into a large boulder in a show of
strength causing it to smash into tiny pieces.
"What a display by the horntail, at least our young hero is now aware
of its mighty tail." Bagman comentated.
Harry smiled in retaliation and pointed his wand at an even larger
boulder. "Reducto." He whispered and the boulder exploded into a
million tiny pebbles.
"What is Potter doing, a very well executed blasting curse but you
can't one up a dragon Harry." Bagman laughed along with the crowd.
:As I have said, I come to offer a deal. Allow me to retrieve the
golden egg from your best nad I will set you free along with your real
eggs: Harry hissed.
:I will never allow you to enter my nest: The horntail replied followed
by a jet of flames. Harry however, did not dive to the side nor try to
escape the flames. Instead he dropped to one knee and raised his
cloak to cover his body. The flames hit the cloak and for a moment
Harry was engulfed in flames.
:My word, dragon handlers get in there. Wait, our champion seems
to have survived somehow." Bagman's magically enhanced voice
called across the arena.
True to Ludo's word, Harry had survived the blast but his clothing
was different. The fur on his cloak had all burnt away to leave behind
a dark green, almost black, scaly cloak.
"How is this possible, he seems to have found a way to deflect
dragon fire. Remarkable!" Ludo said.
:You are stronger than most, a child with much potential indeed. How
unfortunate it is that you threatened my nest because now I will kill
you: The horntail hissed at Harry.
A second blast of flames was launched at Harry that soared straight
over top of him. Harry stood, wand pointed at the dragon as it's head
was forced into the air against its will. Harry forced it all the way until
it was standing on its haunches before slamming its head back down
to the ground. The dragon lay with its face squashed into the ground
under the weight of Harry's magic. Its head twisted so its fiery breath
could not harm him.
The dragons namesake swung with speed, power and accuracy as it
came down towards where Harry was standing. Harry stepped to the
side and cast a spell on the stone ground. "Liquificus." The spiked
tail soared past Harry and plunged deep into the now liquid ground.
"Solidificus." Harry changed the ground back to solid stone.
:Will you now accept my deal dragon: Harry asked, his foot pressed
against its cheek in a show of dominance.
:Set me free and you may take the fake egg, touch any of my young
and it will be the last thing you do: the horntail hissed. Harry laughed
in response and walked to the nest. He snatched the golden egg and
returned to stand in front of the dragon. He waved his wand and
released its tail first, next he removed his magic from its head so it
could stand upright. Finally Harry blasted the chains keeping it
locked up to set the dragon free.
With lightning speed the dragon raced to its nest and collected its
eggs in its mouth. It turned back to face Harry and to everyone's
surprise, the mighty dragon bowed to Harry. It was a bow to accept
Harry as an equal, its eyes on his and head low.
:Rise dragon and be free: Harry hissed as he bowed back to the
dragon. With a mighty roar, the dragon took flight and disappeared
into the clouds.
The crowd went mad, not only had Harry completed the task without
a single scratch and in eleven minutes. He had also earned the
respect of the deadliest dragon of them all in a show of dominance.
"The judges have there score for our youngest champion.
Unfortunately as he set the dragon free he has failed the task and
receives zero points." Bagman announced to many boos from the
crowd. "Yes I know, sadly it is how it is, I didn't make these rules you
know. Now with the last champion having completed the task the
scores are as follows. In fourth place on zero points, Harry Potter.
Third place with thirty four points, Fleur Delacour. Second place with
thirty eight points is Cedric Diggory and leading the bunch after the
first task, with forty points is VIKTOR KRUM!" Bagman gave the
scores.
The crowd all applauded politely as they made their way out if the
makeshift stands. The Durmstrang students however were blasting
red and black confetti from their wands chanting "Krum, Krum,
Krum."
Harry was rushed into the medical tent by Madam Pomfrey where
she fussed over him. Twice she went to give him a potion before
putting it back with mutters of "How can I heal him if he can't have
potions." It was the downside of the venom in his veins. Although he
was immune to poisons as the venom destroyed them, the same
applies to healing potions like blood replenisher or pepper up
potions.
"Harry, what a show that was. I knew you planned on being dramatic
but that was crazy." Katie Bell yelled from the hospital wing entrance
where he'd been moved to be monitored. She was followed in by the
other two chasers and the twins.
"Real shame they ruled it as failing because you set the dragon free.
I bet if you didn't you would have gotten full marks." Alecia said.
Harry was treated with many congratulations by all manner of people
while he sat in his hospital bed.
"Harry, you did amazing in the first task. To think you even did it
without my help, you have to tell me the spells you used." Hermione
demanded when she entered the hospital wing with Ron.
"Yeah, that was amazing mate. Listen, we're really sorry about what
we did after your name was drawn but you need to look at it from our
point of view, it was highly suspicious. Anyway, we both realised that
to perform like that you must have studied hard and neither of us
want to face a dragon. So can we put it behind us and you move
back into Gryffindor tower." Ron said.
"Right, so after you declare me a cheat, liar, traitor and the opposite
of all things Gryffindor. All because you were jealous of something I
didn't want and told you repeatedly. You both kick me out of
Gryffindor tower. Now though, you realise that actually you don't
want to be in the tournament so your jealousy was misplaced you
expect me to accept you back as my best friends, just like that."
Harry said, stunned by what they were saying.
"We know we shouldn't have done that but we are sorry. You can't
hold a grudge forever so it's easier just to drop it now." Ron said.
"No, you both abandoned me because you were thought I was an
attention seeking cheat who craves for glory. Three years and you
still thought that of me. If you were half decent friends you would
have known me better than to think that. I don't need people in my
life that will just ditch at the drop of a hat because something doesn't
go their way. Even worse is you aren't apologising because you
realised what you did was wrong, you're apologising because you
don't want to be me anymore. I don't want or need you as my friends
anymore. Go away." Harry responded.
"Harry, don't be stupid. You might of fluked the first task but you are
going to need us for the other three. Now let's go find a classroom so
you can show me those spells and we can open the egg." Hermione
said.
"Ah, so that's it, you're here because now you are jealous of me
knowing spells you don't. Piss off and don't talk to me again." Harry
snapped at them.
"I'm not leaving until you accept our apologies." Hermione glared at
him, folding her arms.
"Fine then, Depulso." Harry banished Hermione across the hospital
wing to land just outside the door. "Are you walking or do you need
help too Weasley." Harry asked sharply. Ron quickly ran out the door
which Harry closed and locked. The next morning Harry was
deemed healthy and allowed to leave.