Growing Legacy

Chapter 11

"Harry's first!" Dylan hissed to Josh, gesturing towards the dragon in the middle of what was normally the Quidditch pitch. It was the same dragon, as the miniature he had picked up at the other task. Right now it was home to a nesting furious dragon. His heart was pounding erratically, "Merlin! I hope he has a really good plan." Fear and excitement consuming him in equal measures. Fear that something could go dangerously wrong, and excitement and belief in his best friend to see what he was going to come up with for todays trial.

"This is going to be Epic," Josh declared, giving Dylan a wicked grin, "Like seriously awesome!" jumping on the spot, "Cheer up girls! Come on! You know Harry's going to come out the victor!" there was a reason he always came up with the game plans.

"Shush you," Alexis shoved Josh, "Let us worry!" she admonished him as the tannoy spell blared to life, and begun talking, it was to no surprise from any one of Harry's friends that he was called first. She clutched the front of the safety barrier, the wood biting into her hands, as she watched.

"Luna, don't worry so much, Harry's really smart," Sophie reassured the extremely pale girl. "He will have already thought of what he needed within half an hour of the last task. He's always been exceptional at planning…"

"Chess too!" Josh exclaimed loudly, as the roar of the crowd swept through them, it was time for Harry's task.

All thought of talking was then paused, as they all cheered their friend on. Only Talin and Severus could see that it was a little subdued, as excited as they were, they were also worried despite their best efforts.

"Septimus…I do require use of my leg once this is over," Talin explained to Severus, who gave him a perplexed look. Glancing down, Severus followed his gaze, before his cheeks went pale red before he yanked his hand back.

"My apologies," he managed to utter through sheer embarrassment. He had been gripping Talin's leg so tightly, that no doubt he probably had left bruises, and it had been an entirely unconscious thing too.

Talin thumped Severus on the back, silently reassuring him that he didn't mind at all. He understood the desire to do so, for he was in hardly any better shape. The fact Harry didn't feel the need to share his plan…suggested that he was very confident in it. He immediately turned back to the spectacle, eyes ringing with the tooting horns, wands blasting, and cheering, which seemed to work the dragon up even further much to his silent consternation.

Then Harry stepped out, his stance poised and confident, none of the fear he surely must be feeling showing through.

"You can do this son," Severus murmured quietly, gaze intently on the scene in front of him. His right hand, gripping his wand, should the worst happen…he knew one person wouldn't be able to take the dragon down…but it made him feel significantly better to have something at hand.

Harry's heart was pounding wildly, as he stared at the defensive dragon in front of him. His left hand slid into his pocket, gripping the small figure he'd received of the dragon at the last task. He could do this, he could make his school proud and leave a legacy that would only grow each passing task.

Gripping the miniature dragon, he brought it out, placing it at his feet, well aware of the hundreds of eyes watching his every move. The sound of the silence made his heartbeat feel significantly louder, as every quietened down, watching what was happening.

"Engorgio!" Harry muttered under his breath, as he hastily stepped into the growing figurines back. Non-verbally taking command of the figure as it grew to an epic portion. The figure dragon was now the same size of the female dragon, and they roared loudly, the echo of it barely heard through the ringing of Harry's ears.

"Accio golden egg," Harry enchanted, but wasn't at all surprised when nothing happened. He had assumed it wouldn't be that easy, but sometimes the most obvious was overlooked.

Gripping the back of the dragon's horns, he situated himself, and begun to guide the Dragon he had control off, closer towards the egg. Which caused the female dragon to roar once more, Harry grunted as fire spewed out her mouth, flattening himself more firmly against the dragon to prevent himself being fried to a crisp, he wasn't sure how good his spell would protect him against a furious female dragon.

"AWESOME! GO HARRY!" Josh hollered, standing up watching him with excitement.

"You've got this!" Dylan added, both voices heard despite the general hubbub that Harry's reactions had caused. "Would you look at that! The judges are stunned!"

"Merlin…I'm going to kill him if he survives this," Severus choked out, watching his son sat astride a dragon.

"I may help you," Talin said inhaling sharply, as the dragons collided, fighting viciously and with ferociousness only a predator can accomplish. "How is he staying astride? He wouldn't be…he wouldn't put a sticking charm on himself would he?" he could say many things but Harry wasn't stupid, and he couldn't bring himself to suggest as such.

"I have absolutely no idea," Severus rasped out, "Most of his spells are non-verbal," or actually Wandless, he was very capable at both, he was a formidable opponent naturally, against humans…but dragons?

"Wait…he's looking rather pale," Dylan lurched to his feet, "What's going on…?" his eyes roaming over Harry, glancing up at the mirrors which gave a better look, and he could see Harry was indeed looking rather wan.

"Oh no," Talin murmured, joining Harry's two best friends, turning back to Severus, "He's controlling the dragon, he's going to push himself too far! He has to stop soon otherwise he will fall unconscious." The bigger the object you try to control…the more energy it sapped up.

"Are you trying to tell me he's using the Imperius curse?" Karkaroff cut in, able to hear them.

Severus threw him a look of derision, "You know as well as I, that those spells cannot be accomplished non-verbally or Merlin forbid, Wandlessly." He told him with bite, "And you call yourself a Headmaster." Unable to help the sneer crossing his features, furious that he would dare to accuse his son of such a vile act. Those spells were not to be played around with, and he had learned that in school years ago. He turned back around, not giving the pathetic waste of flesh a moment longer of his time.

"Drop the damn spell," Talin muttered under his breath, "Drop the spell," watching Harry very closely.

"He knows his own limitations," Severus said, more to reassure himself than Talin. "He will stop when he feels it." at least he had better, otherwise he was going to confine the damn boy to the cabin for the rest of his time here at Hogwarts. Then he'd never let him out of his sight for the rest of his damn life. He wasn't sure how much more of this he could take.

"Merlin's balls!" Sophie choked, watching Harry lose his grip, but somehow manage to keep himself on the dragons back, the fire from the dragons mouth licking around him, but he was untouched. "Thank goodness!" he had to have a spell around him…stopping the fire from touching him…the heat had to be unbearable though.

Harry panted, wiping the sweat from his hands, so that his grip could be secured once more. The flames might not be touching him…but the heat most definitely was. He was sweating buckets, he didn't know how much longer he'd be able to ride atop the dragon…and he couldn't get near the damn basket. He didn't want to get too close and risk destroying the eggs.

As terrifying as this was…it was just a mother protecting her young. He wanted to protect them too, not an easy feat. He refused to be the reason she lost her eggs, they were a protected species too, he knew that much. How they were getting away with this, using her and her eggs…he didn't know.

Harry cursed, scrambling to find purchase, his hands too sweaty, causing his grip to slacken as he tried to keep himself aboard. Ignoring the roaring, his heart lurching as he failed again and again…until his grip just…fell away, and the dragon chose that moment to arch back.

"NO!" came the simultaneous calls of Harry's friends, father and Headmaster, as they watched in horror as Harry's grip slipped and he begun to fall, Severus shook his head, refusing to let his son hit the damn ground without helping him. Wand out, uncaring that he would be disqualified he refused to let his son be bloody killed.

"Wait, wait, wait," Talin said, pressing Severus' wand arm down, "He's slowing his own descend." 'come on, come on, come on' he murmured, edging further over, watching, praying that he was able to stop his descend quick enough to prevent an injury.

Everyone was holding their breaths as they watched, mesmerised by what they were seeing. It edged into horrified fascination as Harry begun to fall from the back of the dragon.

One lone girl from the Gryffindor section in particular, who was secluded from her fellow Gryffindors, huffed, shaking her head, it had been stupid to do it in the first place. She'd known something like that would happen from the second he climbed aboard. He was stupid. To think he'd seemed so smart, educated and someone she thought she could see being friends with. She was grateful she hadn't approached him yet.

Harry hit the ground with an muted thud, the breath utterly knocked out of him. Pain blooming down his back and his left arm, his mouth open as a winded sound of 'Ahhhh' left him, unable to control it the slightest. He couldn't think, couldn't do anything other than feel.

"HARRY!" Dylan roared, fear consuming him as the dragon looked ready to spew more fire from it's mouth as it inhaled, smoke threateningly billowing out of his nose before it did as Dylan feared, while his best friend lay prostrate on the floor. "SHIELD! USE A SHIELD!" Josh hollered, but he wasn't the only one, everyone was panicking and shouting. His best friends could only hope that their voices were heard above the crowd.

Harry staggered to his feet, using his right arm to ease himself up off the ground. His left arm searing with agony each move it unwittingly made. Broken then, definitely, which made it entirely useless to him in this coming fight. He'd thought to grab the egg while the dragons were distracted…but it had not worked out that way at all. He shrank the miniature dragon back to its normal size carelessly.

The enraged dragon spewed profanities at him, with an underlay of hissing, of which no doubt, was all the crowd could hear. Hissing. She was furious that her eggs were endangered, so very confused as to why she'd been moved…and why the people she'd begun to trust, the humans she'd began to trust treated her this way.

As one dozens of dragon handlers stepped closer, wands drawn ready to end this. Before they could, Harry was on the move.

Harry raised his hand in the nick of time, ignoring the cried of fear coming from the crowd as fire bellowed out of the dragon, but his shield did an adequate job of protecting him, the sphere prevented any of the fire touching him. The fire did roar around the entirety of the shield, almost as if it was looking for weakness'…cheers and applauding as the fire died down…until something happened that nobody expected.

Harry Regis was hissing, he was speaking Parseltongue. He was a Parselmouth.

"He's definitely won now!" Sophie shrieked, jumping up and down, Alexis fist pumping the air. "Come on Harry!"

Josh and Dylan slumped against the rail, watching the scene in front of them. "I forgot they'd understand…" no doubt Harry did too…unless he'd planned for this or made it a backup.

"Dear Merlin," Severus murmured, slumping a little, grimacing in distaste at the shocked and horrified silence that followed Harry's showcasing that particular talent.

"I…always thought you exaggerated, Septimus," Talin said, staring at the stricken crowd of Hogwarts students. Reminding to use Severus' name, especially with Dumbledore so close. You would have thought that someone so grotesquely evil had just appeared before them. Those of Durmstrang and Beauxbaton were still cheering for the teen.

"You should know that I never do," Severus replied, "Now my son is about to be ostracized by the school for a simple gift." Unable to help himself, he glanced subtly towards the teaches section, and found Dumbledore pale as a sheet and staring at Harry with a look Severus DID NOT like at all.

Dumbledore would never find out that his son was in fact Harry Potter. Couldn't find out, he had done his job well, the golem had worked to perfection. Everyone thought Harry Potter was dead and buried. He couldn't come to the correct conclusion, not just from this.

"They're acting as though the gift itself is evil," Talin said, shocked beyond belief at what he was seeing. He knew children were easily influenced, and often time could be cruel…but this? This was awful.

"Easy, easy, easy, I don't wish to harm your eggs," Harry hissed at the dragon repeating what he'd said a few times already, not daring to release his shield just in case she got defensive again. Hand still out, shaking violently. He was exhausted beyond endurance and just wanted to lay down and sleep. "The gold one in the middle isn't your egg, they put it there amongst them…"

The dragon roared again. Filthy humans touching her eggs and nest, she wanted her mate…the mate she'd been dragged away from. Caged up and separated, she'd kill them all for what they'd done.

"I know, they shouldn't have done it, but you're going back home soon. You'll see your mate…and your eggs will be safe. I just need to get the gold one out of your nest, let me show you?" Harry hissed, noticing the mostly silence, but uncaring about it. "I'm going to come forward, you can smell it, it's not one of your eggs."

With that Harry slowly but carefully edged forward, "Wingardium Leviosa!" and up went the egg, so it was merely prevented from being summon-able. Interesting, he wished he'd known that…thankfully the others were still in their tent, and hopefully not watching this…otherwise he will have given them the perfect way to do their task without due alarm or fuss.

Harry continued to Wandlessly levitate the egg until it was within the dragons eyesight. It sniffed the egg, or what she was quickly realizing wasn't her egg and roared once more, setting it aflame, but it did nothing, merely scorched it.

"Wizards put it inside your nest, it's not yours, let me take it from your sight," Harry soothed the agitated beast. "I will tell them how angry you are for what they did. Hopefully your caretakers will not do it again." they wouldn't of course, since it was all just a part of the task.

Harry staggered back as the dragon leaned down, until they were face to face. Harry blanched a little but held his ground, hand still raised, but this time, he pressed his hand against her face in awe. He'd seen dragons, quite a few times, from a distance in the reserves, his father had taken him. He'd never gotten quite so close to them. Their scales were just as hard as he imagined, just like a snake actually.

"You're beautiful," Harry hissed reverentially, stroking down her face, and rubbing her nose. He could feel the dragon's handers envy from where he stood, its probably something they'd long since desired to do. "You'll be home soon, do not fear for your eggs, they wont let anything happen to them." and he was going to make sure of it.

Harry had always had a special affinity for animals, especially wolf's but his familiar was one so that was very self-explanatory.

Giving the dragon one last pat, he stepped back, and begun to levitate the golden egg back towards himself. The dragon snorted but didn't try to set the egg aflame again. He did grab a hold, grimacing at the weight of it, he curled it around his side, his legs were beginning to shake at the strain of keeping himself upright.

Turning around, his sharp gaze meeting the eyes of the dragon handlers he could see. Swiftly making his way towards the tents and the closest dragon handler, who had red hair, "She's pissed off you put this," gesturing towards the egg in his arms, "In her nest, do not let anything happen to them…or I will be displeased. They're an endangered species, you should never have used her." He reprimanded the red headed wizard.

Bill was taken aback by the words, "It wasn't easy getting five mother dragons here," in fact, they thought they wouldn't until she'd given birth. They all knew the dragons were an endangered species. The wizards had been adamant though, five mothers and their eggs, nobody cared about anything else. plus, the money they were getting for this…would ensure the reserve was replenished for ten years to come…and let them to modifications and expand. Something they'd desperately needed for some time now.

"Doesn't make it right, you're supposed to protect them," Harry declared sagely, "Above all else." which was why they became dragon handlers, the most danger they faced was actually other wizards trying to come into the reserves to take the eggs or kill the dragons for their parts, they were after all…worth a great deal of money. Worth the damage they left in their wake apparently.

Charlie watched the kid alarmed, "Come on, kid, let's get you into the tent," moving to help him, he looked ready to keel over any given second.

Harry wasn't stubborn enough to say no, as his dizziness began to overwhelm him. His legs were beginning to shake more fervently, and his arm was hurting something awful. He was grateful for the helping hand, as he shuffled into the tent.

"Honestly! Dragons! Of all the ludicrous things!" Poppy spluttered as she took the egg from him, and helped Bill situate Harry on the bed.

"It is indeed," Severus stated, staring at Poppy, with a grim look, "Septimus Regis, I am his father, please don't let me delay you." Gesturing for her to return to her patient so that he may know what was wrong with his son. Stepping forward, but keeping out of the way of any scans she may do.

"Thank you Mr. Weasley," Severus stated firmly, glancing the boy's way.

"How did you…" Charlie's eyes were wide in surprise.

"I may not have been directly involved in the tournament's handling of the tasks, but the Headmaster is a good friend, he described everyone well," Severus easily explained it away, "I do believe you're the only red headed wizard dragon handler here." that was true, but he did have to think on his feet very quickly to answer the suspicious wizard. Fortunately for all concerned, he was very much able to think quickly. Some things didn't fade with time, and his duty as a spy had made for him to always be a quick thinker.

"Oh," Charlie murmured, nodding in understanding, "Excuse me," giving them privacy they no doubt sought. No doubt Septimus was worried for his son…he was quite composed compared to how his parents would be he'd say that for him.

"How are you feeling?" Severus asked his son, staring down at him, wondering just how difficult the next few months would be…how much bulling he'd endure from the Hogwarts student body for a gift that was wonderous and lovely, just like all magical gifts are.

"Tired…sore," Harry murmured, watching his dad through half-lidded eyes. "It was beautiful though…" he got to pet a dragon up close and personal.

Severus chuckled, as if it hadn't just put ten years on him, "Yes, you may believe so, however, I may just end up grey by the time you're done."

Poppy made a noise as she tried to smother her own amusement. "Well, Mr. Regis, it looks as if you've been exceedingly lucky." Poppy said, as she read the results of her scan. Noticing that Septimus Regis immediately squeezed his sons hand in comfort. "The fall will no doubt cause a lot of bruising but has broken your arm. I'll give your father some bruise salve to apply to your back later tonight. For now…drink this up, it will begin repairing the damage done to your arm." Handing over the bone mending potion, she was literally about to open her mouth to explain when Harry muttered what it was, with a nod from his father before drinking it without so much as a grimace of distaste.

He recognized his own potions, Poppy had begun ordering them in bulk, twice a year with Minerva's approval. Poppy had no idea it was him of course, only Filius and Minerva knew his true identity at Hogwarts – with Talin and Harry of course since they were here – she just knew he was one of the best.

Poppy flicked her wand, and bound Harry's arm to his chest, keeping it immobile. "Rest up, while you can and try not to move that arm about too much."

"I don't think I can move it," Harry said, giving the Medi-witch a weak but cheeky grin despite the pain he was currently experiencing. The binding was quite tight, but not too tight to constrict.

Poppy smiled back, she liked patients that didn't complain every few seconds. "Good, let it heal up, come back and see me tomorrow to ensure it has healed appropriately." She informed him, giving Septimus a look that spoke of approval.

Of course, Severus knew her well, and realized what she was implying. He forced himself to blink and stare at her but she was already on the move. Vacating the tent, already muttering once more about dragons and silly tournaments and how many people were going to be hurt.

"You rest up," Severus murmured, conjuring a seat, sitting down next to his son. "I'll be right here." he knew his son didn't need him the same way as he had done as a child, but he wasn't going anywhere. He did not know how people would react…or what they might do. He had visions of them attacking Harry while he was incapacitated just because of his abilities. No, he was going nowhere at least until his friends were at his side.

"Love you dad," Harry murmured, his eyes sliding closed as he succumbed to exhaustion and feel asleep. He barely heard the reply and the soft caress on his head.

The next time Harry opened his eyes, it was to see Josh and Dylan sitting beside his bed. "weirdo's watching me sleep," he murmured, causing his best friends to laugh, looking mighty relieved. They trusted Mr. Regis to know of course, but they were really glad to see him awake again.

"Oh, man! You were amazing!"

"Awesome!" Dylan declared, "Although…there has been a lot of talk," his brow furrowing as he thought on the shit he'd heard said. "People here are idiots." He declared solemnly.

"I…know, dad warned me," Harry admitted, easing himself into sitting position… "How long have I…"

"Not long actually, they've just finished, we've been watching it on the mirrors," Josh explained, pointing towards the mirror at the corner of the room, that was silenced just as the tent was, so no sound could annoy the wounded.

"Guess I was the only one that got hurt?" Harry said, disappointed by that, which meant he'd be way behind.

"Actually no, Cedric Diggory got burnt, all the way from his face down his chest and a bit of his thigh," Dylan explained with a grimace. It had looked absolutely agonizing. "He was taken back to Hogwarts," he wasn't going to be able to stand up for the judges votes anyway.

"The other two?" Harry asked curiously, finally managing to sit up properly, sighing in relief. "Where did Dad go anyway?"

"Talking to the judges, Talin asked that I fetch your dad," Josh explained, "Your dad asked that we stay with you. He seems really worried that someone might hurt you." Baffled by that notion.

Harry nodded, "My…ability is seen as evil here," he explained to his best friends, "He's just worried that they might try something while I'm hurt."

"Evil?" Josh asked incredulously, "Why the hell would they think a gift is evil? That's like saying magic itself is evil! Why are people so stupid?"

"Do you need another potion?" Dylan asked, seeing the pain his friend was in just trying to sit up. They were all unaware as of yet, just how big a bruise he had covering his back.

"I never had a pain relief draught, you know they don't work well with bone mending draughts."

"It's broken? I thought maybe it was just sprained, I remember when I sprained my arm it was bound in that manner." Dylan said, face dropping, broken bones hurt like blazes, no wonder Mr. Regis had told them to let Harry sleep. Sleeping through it was the only reprieve one had.

"Look they're panning in on the judges, it's time!" Josh blurted out, standing up, "Are you going to be alright? That fall wasn't half…bad." He finished lamely.

"I've fallen from worse heights." Harry said wryly, he was a quidditch player.

"Yeah, but there was a look out that slowed and stopped your descend," Josh snorted, they always had look outs, they were forbidden from playing without one. Even at the age they were, security and safety was Talin's number one priority.

"You didn't tell me how they did…and how they did it," Harry grunted as he was eased off the bed with the aid of his best friends, both of them taking great pains to ensure a smooth dismount as possible.

"Oh, yeah, Cedric Diggory did the whole distraction thing too, but he conjured up a dog using a rock. It lost interest in the dog though and burnt him." Dylan explained. "He got the egg though."

"Fleur used her Vela magic to put it to sleep…but it woke up and snorted fire onto her, caught her skirt," Josh mused, "She got the egg too."

They fell silent, as Harry slowly made his way out of the tent, Dylan holding the flap open.

"Okay…and Viktor Krum?" Harry asked, throwing them a look, having a funny feeling he wouldn't like what he'd hear next.

Inhaling sharply, Josh spoke, "He decided to use the Conjunctivitis spell, aiming at her eyes. He got the egg…but not before half the eggs were destroyed…" wincing at the look of horror on Harry's face.

"Merlin!" Harry uttered aghast. "Half?" his voice raising an octave.

"The dragon handers were crying," Dylan said sombrely, and some of the students at Hogwarts had just laughed it off.

Harry was still reeling over what had happened when the judges begun judging their performances. He received an eight from them all, losing two points due to his injury. Even Karkaroff gave him an eight which had surprised him even in his muted state. Cedric and Fleur received the same, but Viktor received only '6' from the other judges and a '9' from Karkaroff, for the damage he'd caused.

Harry's thoughts were still with the unfortunate dragon mother, who had lost half her eggs that day…and all for entertainment. She wouldn't understand, and his heart hurt for her.

He was disgusted.

His stomach rolled when he saw the stain still marring the Quidditch pitch.

"I'm heading to the cabin," his distaste obvious to those around him. "I find myself…reluctant to partake in the festivities."

"Come on then," Josh said, he wasn't going to let Harry head off alone, there would be no reason to celebrate without Harry after all.

"I'll go tell the others," Dylan called, "I'll catch up!" already running in the direction of their friends and Luna of course. All of them would be ready to rally around their friend, supporting them.

"Remember to bring Harry's egg!" Josh hollered loudly.

"I will," Dylan shouted back, having heard his friend making a beeline straight for the others.

When Dylan approached Sophie and Alexis they were comforting a tearful Luna, evidently she felt just as strongly as Harry about what had occurred. Deacon however…was inconsolable.

Viktor Krum had walked back to his ship the second his own scores were read out, looking quite angry at himself. Brushing off the bushy haired Gryffindor that attempted to console him. Perhaps a fan he just didn't want to be bothered with at the moment?

So who wants to see the next task be something very different? Instead of the underwater task? I have a whole slew of suggestions on FB :) It would be so fun to write something different! :) most of you probably guessed what this task was going to be like but I hope I managed to surprise you a little ;) and the next chapter we will find out if Luna gets in or not :D R&R please!