B.Q. Book One: Princess of the Blacks

Chapter 19: Giant Lizards

Jen stepped into the Great Hall on Monday, only to sigh as a wave of impatient animosity swept over her from the Hufflepuff table. Normally she wouldn't have cared what was wrong with them, but that was her current destination; anything that was able to rile up the normally laid-back Badgers could make Diggory's overprotective entourage unwilling to let him be in her presence alone. Another sigh escaped her as she recognized the instigator. Granger, what the hell are you up to now?

"I thought Hufflepuffs supported fairness and justice! How can you ignore this?!" the prude shrieked. "These poor beings are horribly mistreated, but you just sit here and say, 'Oh, that's the way it's always been'!"

Surprisingly, it was Susan who shot to her feet and faced off with the Gryffindor. "We can ignore you because you're just making broad accusations. Unlike your house, we don't blindly leap into situations. Yes, some house elves are abused, but most families treat them with respect, even love."

"They're slaves!"

"I think Nippy, my family's elf, would disagree with you," Susan said, eliciting a surprised gasp from Granger. "I've always considered her a member of the family, just like Auntie Amelia. Now, if you're done insulting us, go away." The rest of the fourth-year Puffs stood as well. Left with no out, the lonely Lion huffed indignantly and stormed away as best she could with her tail between her legs.

"My my, I've always heard that fighting an angry badger is a terrifying prospect. Now I understand what they meant." Jen slid next to the reseated girl and jerked a thumb back towards Granger. "Mind telling me what that was all about?"

Susan growled lightly. "She's on some crusade to save the house elves from their 'vile, despicable owners'. Apparently, their deepest, most secret desire is to be given clothes so they can be free to do what they want, and if they don't want that or don't hate their family, they've been totally brainwashed and need her to make that decision for them."

"Seriously? I'll have to make sure she never meets Kreacher; if he heard that, he'd chase her out of the house with a hot frying pan. Brainwashed, please." Her pronouncement was met by snickers from everyone in earshot.

"That'd be funny to see. Why are you here, though? I don't think you've ever visited us before."

"No, I haven't, though I really should have. I actually came over for a quick word with Diggory before breakfast, but it seems I was a tad early." She twisted on the bench to face the approaching sixth-year. "You have time for a chat? Privately?"

Diggory nodded to her as he set his bag on the floor. "Short one, sure. Lead on."

They entered a small room off the Hall, where she sealed and silenced the door before refocusing her attention on him. "I have good news, bad news, and worse news. Which do you want first?"

"That's not what I expected to hear this morning," he muttered. "Give me the good news."

"I know what the First Task is."

"Really? You're sure? Excellent." He grinned broadly, but it dropped as a thought crossed his mind. "Wait, how did you even find out?"

"Someone who will deny any and all involvement should you ask about it," she replied, a smile playing on her own lips. Primarily because Potter doesn't remember revealing it to me. "Bad news, we have to get past dragons."

"Dragons?" he asked weakly.

"Which brings us to the worse news. These are just any dragons; they're nesting mothers, eggs included."

"That's worse, all right. Merlin's soggy socks, a mother dragon." The older boy shivered. "This isn't going to be easy, not with only a few days to prepare. When did you hear about it?"