Chapter 73 - The First Task (1/2)
The night before November 24th, While Harry followed Hagrid and Maxime under the invisibility cloak and saw the Dragons Charlie Weasley brought them, from far away and Karkaroff too found out somehow.
Harry returned to Hogwarts thinking, ”everyone knows about Dragons except Neal. A bit of unfair for him isn't it? Too bad I also can't tell him. Who knows he might even complain to Dumbledore or Prof. McGonagall about it. I had enough of losing House points last year because of the Time-Turner. Yeah, better to keep it to myself”.
The next day, the four champions were summoned at the small stadium built around the edge of the Forbidden forest. While all of them were waiting in the tent, Ludo Bagman entered the tent and said, ”good, all of you are here. When the audience has ȧssembled, I'm going to be offering each of you this bag”. He held up a small sack of purple silk and shook it at them.
Then, He continued, ”from which you will each select a small model of the thing you are about to face! There are different varieties, you see. And your task is to collect the golden egg!”. A frown appeared on Neal's face when he didn't understand Bagman's words and saw everyone else was tensed while nodding as if they understood.
Later, as the audience began to fill the stadium, Bagman said brightly, ”okay, the time has come. Everyone, come here and stand before me”. As the four champions stood before him, Bagman opens the silk bag, ”ladies, first”.
She put a shaking hand inside the bag and drew out a tiny, perfect model of a Welsh Green dragon. It had the number two around its neck. Neal was taken aback in surprise, ”what! We are going to fight the dragons?”. When everyone turned towards him and looked at him in silence, he frowned while seeing their calm expressions, he asked, ”it seems all of you knew it. Did I miss something?”.
Bagman who already expected something like this would happen cleared his throat and said, ”ok, so, your task isn't to fight the dragon but to steal the golden egg it is protecting. Since all of them are nesting mothers, they are very protective of their eggs, please remember that before you act.
How you do it is none of our concern. The result only matters. Based on the injury suffered in the process, you might also get a reduction in the points. Ok, Krum, you are next”.
Listening to his explanation, all of them sighed with relief as just like Neal, they too thought about fighting a dragon all this time. As Krum pulled out the scarlet Chinese Fireball, he saw it had a number three around its neck. He didn't even blink, just sat back down and stared at the ground calmly. Then, Bagman looked at Neal, ”Slytherin, you are next”.
As Neal put his hand and pulled a model figure out, he saw a bluish-gray Swedish Short-Snout, the number one tied around its neck. After Harry pulled out the Hungarian Horntail with a number four around its neck, Neal asked, ”so, I'm the first one?”. Bagman replied, ”yes, the numbers refer to the order in which you are to take on the dragons, do you see? Now, I'm going to have to leave you in a moment, because I'm commentating. Mr. Slytherin, you're first, just go out into the enclosure when you hear a whistle, all right?”.
A while later, as he heard the whistle, the crowd started to cheer Neal's name. While he's about to exit the tent, only Fleur wished him good luck, after thanking her, Neal exited the tent and started to walk towards the entrance of the stadium and entered the enclosure while looking at a 20ft Slivery blue dragon, which was at the other end of the enclosure, crouched low over her clutch of eggs.
As the audience sitting in the stands were cheering, ”Slytherin. Slytherin...” Neal, on the other hand, was looking curiously at the Giant dragon without any fear. He mumbled, ”fascinating creature indeed”. The judges were surprised to see Neal walking towards the Dragon with an excited expression on his face as if he's in Hogsmeade trip or something.