AN: Sorry this one is as short as it is, but I got to a place I felt was a good chapter ending, and couldn't see it ending any other way.

Year 04 Chapter 09 – The First Task

The day of the first challenge was upon them, and Harry was busy planning. He had found out the night he went with Hagrid, that all they had to do was get past the dragons. That made thing a bit easier. After seeing Karkaroff skulking around the edge of the forest, he knew that everyone but Cedric knew about the dragons, so it was no question for Harry to alert the boy to keep things fair. Harry wasn't entirely sure that he believed him, but he did what was right, and felt better for it.

After that he talked to Moody who suggested he use his broom to get past the dragon. It sounded like a good idea, but Harry was brimming with good ideas and wanted to wait until he could see the specifics of what he had to do before he decided. All the same, on the eve of the event, he hid his broom on the grounds, so it would be easy to summon.

Harry was sitting with his friends, eating lunch, when Professor McGonagall came to him. "Potter, the champions have to come down onto the grounds now... You have to get ready for your first task.

You too, Mister Krum." She said to Viktor who had taken to eating his meals with Harry and his friends. They got multiple 'god luck's from the group. Together they walked out of the castle and down towards the forest. As they walked, Professor McGonagall put her hand on Harry's shoulder.

"Now don't panic," She said, "just keep a cool head... we've got wizards standing by to control the situation if it gets out of hand... The main thing is just do your best, and nobody will think any worse of you... Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. You don't need to worry about me, Professor. I'll be fine."

As they approached the area where the dragons were kept, they came upon a tent, with the entrance facing them, keeping the dragons hidden from view.

"You're to go in here with the other chmpions, and wait for your turn. Mr Bagman is in there... He'll be telling you the – the procedure... good luck.

"Thanks." Harry said as he and Viktor entered the tent.

Fleur was sitting on a stool, not looking nearly as composed as usual. Cedric was pacing, but was together enough to grin at Harry when they made eye contact. Viktor headed for the far side of the tent, already looking surly and nervous.

"Harry! Good-o." Bagman said, happily. Come in, come in, make yourself at home!"

Bagman looked almost like a cartoon figure, smiling amid the nervous champions. He was wearing a Quidditch uniform that looked like it fit him twenty pounds ago.

"Well, now we're all here – time to fill you in!" Bagman declared. "When the audience has assembled, I'm going to be offering each of you this bag" – HE held up a purple silk sack and shook it - "From which you will each select a small model of the thing you are to face! There are different er – varieties, you see. And I have to tell you something else too... ah yes... your task is to collect the golden egg."

"Sounds easy enough." Harry commented.

Soon they could hear hundreds of people walking into the arena, talking, laughing, joking. Harry wasn't feeling particularity nervous or excited. He just wanted this over with.

"Ladies first." Bagman said, holding up the silk bag. Fleur reached into the bag with a shaking had, and pulled out a model of a dragon – A Welsh Green with the number two around it's neck. The way she showed no surprise made it obvious that he was right, she knew what was coming.

The same held true for Viktor, as he didn't even blink when he pulled a Chinese Fireball with a three around it's neck.

Cedric put his hand into the bag, pulling out a Swedish Short-snout with the number one, leaving the most dangerous dragon for Harry. He reached in and pulled out the Hungarian Horntail.

"I wouldn't have it any other way." Harry stated. Looking at the miniature dragon was giving Harry new idea's about how to deal with the real dragon.

"Well there you are!" Bagman declaired. "You have each pulled out the dragon you will face, and 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, beause I'm commentating. Mr. Diggory, you're first, just go out in the enclsure when you hear a whistle, all right. Now... Harry, could I have a quick word? Outside?"

"Um... sure?" Harry said, blankly.

"Feeling alright, Harry? Anything I can get you?"

"What?" Harry asked honestly confused by the man's demeanour. "Um no, no... I'm good."

"Got a plan?" Bagman asked, lowering his voice, conspiratorially. "Because I don't mind sharing a few pointers, if you'd like them, you know. I mean, you are the underdog here, Harry... anything I can do to help..."

"Thanks, but I think I know what I'm going to do."

"Nobody would know Harry." Bagman winked at him.

"No, I'm fine." Harry sighed at the blatant cheating. "I'm good to go."

A whistle blew in the distance, startling Mr. Bagman. "Good lord, I've got to run!"

After Bagman was gone, Harry returned to the tent in time to see Cedric leaving. "Good luck, Ced."

He smiled nervously in return, then exited the tent. Harry sat down on the bench and waited, listening over fifteen minutes as Cedric got his egg. Finally the crowd applauded as he completed the task.

"One down, three to go!" Bagman yelled as the whistle blew again. "Miss Delacour, if you please."

She was shaking from head to toe as she stood, and proceeded to exit the tent. "Good luck, Fleur."

She didn't react like she heard him, but Harry put that off to nerves. He sat, and Krum took up Cedric's path, pacing while listening to the commentating on Fleur's attempt to get her egg. Ten minutes later they heard the crowd erupt into applause again. There was a pause while her score was being awarded followed by more appaluse, then the whistle blew again.

"Stay frosty, Krum." Harry said. Viktor froze and looked at him for a moment before nodding strongly then exiting the tent.

"And here comes Mr. Krum." Bagman cried. The moment that Krum was gone, Hedwig, who had been sitting on Harry's shoulder shifter to her human form, this one Rose, the same form she took for the Quidditch world cup. She hugged him tightly before speaking.

"You got this?"

"Yeah, this is going to be easy." They kissed long and passionately until they heard the crowd cheer. "Go, I'll see you after."

"See you soon, Lover." She shifted into her owl form, and flew from the tent, Harry assumed to find a perch above the arena. The whistle blew and Harry went forth to conquer.