Saviour of Magic

The First Task

"Absolutely not!"

It was three days before the First Task and the dragons had finally arrived. Just as Harry had suspected, they were not happy to have been brought here away from their home, nor were they happy to be caged.

"The dragons are already in danger due to this tournament, but there is no way are you risking the eggs by placing them in the arena. They could be destroyed by accident and I'm not going to let so many unborn dragons be killed just because witches and wizards have such a poor sense of what is fun," he said to the Head Dragon Keeper of the Romanian Dragon Reserve. They were standing in a clearing in the Forbidden Forest and the dragons were putting up one hell of a fight several feet away.

"But Lord Potter, the tournament officials –"

"As far as I'm aware, I'm the owner of the reserve, Mr Dorian," Harry said coldly. "The tournament officials have no business ordering you about and neither does the International Confederation of Wizards. There will be no eggs placed in that arena, is that clear?"

"But Lord Potter, the eggs are part of the task," the Head Dragon Keeper argued nervously. "It has been specifically requested by the Triwizard Committee which has been commissioned by the I.C.W. We have a contract, sir, and we have to go through with it."

Harry folded his arms over his chest and looked at the dragons which were all stunned by several of the dragon handlers. The committee wanted eggs, but he wasn't willing to risk them. So the only option was –

"I'll contact my godfather and ensure that the British Ministry of Magic provides you with charmed duplicates," Harry said quietly. "Switch them with the real eggs and place them in the arena. Make sure that the mother dragons know that their eggs are safe; I don't want them to go on a rampage. How many are there in each clutch?"

"Ahem," the Head Keeper stammered, looking at his notes. "There are fifteen each, sir; that makes it sixty eggs in total."

Harry snorted. "There is no way am I risking the lives of sixty unborn dragons for this tournament. If the Triwizard Committee discovers the switch, just tell them that you were following orders and direct them to Minister Black. He'll handle them," he said flatly.

"Yes sir," the wizard nodded, mentally breathing a sigh of relief. At least he didn't have to deal with those people in case the worst happened. He was more than happy to shift the responsibility to someone else.

"And make sure you have Healers who specialise in dragon care nearby," Harry ordered. "I don't want the mother dragons fatally injured as well. Once the task is over, ensure that they are treated for their injuries. If Healers aren't here right now, ensure that they are present at the arena on the day of the task. Understood?"

"Yes, Lord Potter."

Harry nodded to the man but before he left, he paused. "You'll find the substitute eggs by tomorrow evening. Also, ensure that none of the real eggs is misplaced. I will not have anyone misuse the situation to steal the real eggs. If I catch anyone doing that, trust me when I say they will be looking for a new job, along with a nice stay in prison. Ensure that your employees are clear on that matter as well. And remember, Minister Black and I will know if we're being deceived. Good day, Mr Dorian."

"Damn," whispered the Head Keeper, wiping his brow, watching Harry walk away. That was a wizard to watch out for.

HP*SAVIOUR OF MAGIC*HP

"Do you think the other champions know about the dragons?" asked Dylan quietly.

"Maxime and Karkaroff would have told their students," said Harry as he finished his breakfast. It was the twenty-first of November; the day of the First Task.