November Snow

t w e n t y - f o u r

Few days later, things got worse for Potter boy. Nearly all the students in Hogwarts wore the badge with Diggory's name on the yellow background before turning to the green background with "Potter stinks" on their robes, laughing whenever they saw him in the hallways or during classes. I didn't wear it, of course, so did Hermione, Ron, Juliette and a few more close friends. But that didn't show anything, the majority of students still hated him.

I was summoned to Professor Dumbledore's office after my classes in the morning, so I quickly made my way there. As I walked past the small garden, I saw Malfoy jumping off the tree branch and landed in front of Harry, sneering and taunting the poor boy. I knew I should get to the Headmaster's office as soon as possible, but without Hermione and Ron, Harry could seriously get into trouble.

"... My father and I have a bet, you see." Malfoy said "I don't think you're gonna last ten minutes in this tournament. He disagrees. He thinks you won't last five."

Crabbe and Goyle laughed, some other students joined in as well. Though he was becoming friendlier to me, Malfoy would never be the same to Harry Potter.

"I don't give a damn what you or your father thinks, Malfoy." Harry said "He's vile, and cruel, and you're pathetic."

"Stop it, you two." I approached them.

Malfoy pulled out his wand and was about to cast a spell as soon as Harry turned his back and left, but before he could even point his wand the direction he wanted, Professor Moody appeared and casted a spell his way, turning him into a ferret. He lifted him up, then dropped him, then up again.

"I'll teach you to cast when someone's back is turned." He said, licking his lips.

I had been keeping a close eye on him, noting every action he did, every word he said. The more I observed, the more I thought he wasn't the Alastor Moody I knew. He was strange, stricter than he usually was, and even cruel sometimes. To be honest, he scared me. But I want to know the truth, and I wouldn't give up early because I was scared. I knew I was better than that.

"Professor Moody, what are you doing?" Professor McGonagall arrived at the scene.

"Teaching." He licked his lips again.

"Is that a student?" She asked.

"Technically it's a ferret." He said.

He lifted the ferret Malfoy around and sent him up the left trouser of his friend. The boy squirmed and yelped uncomfortably with the ferret moving around inside his pants, and all the students roared with laughter around them. Harry smiled at the humiliating sight. Then eventually, it came out and Professor McGonagall turned it back into Malfoy with dishevelled hair and a red, angry face, ending the joke.

"My father will hear about this!" Malfoy shouted before running away, Crabbe and Goyle after him.

Professor McGonagall shared few angry words with Professor Moody about the rules of teaching and punishing. I walked over to Harry.

"Harry, what happened between you and Ron?" I asked him "He doesn't usually walk with Finnigan unless he's angry at you."

"We had a fit." He admitted "He thought I put my name in the Goblet of Fire."

"Don't blame him. And don't pay attention to Malfoy." I said, watching Professor Moody walking towards us and leaned towards him, whispered into his ears "And be careful when you're around him."

"Come with me." Professor Moody said, placing his hand on Harry's shoulder, but his eyes were on me.

I continued my way to the office, saying the password and met the Headmaster with Snape in the room. I closed the door behind me and approached the table.

"Professor, you need to see me?" I asked.

"The first task, do you know what it is?" He asked out of nowhere.

"I don't suppose we get to know before hand." I said.

"Mister Potter will be facing dragons." Snape said "Four dragons were shipped here by Mister Weasley's brother yesterday night. A Swedish Short-snout, Welsh Green, Chinese Fireball and Hungarian Horntail."

"Why Hungarian Horntail? They're very aggressive." I said "And with his constant bad luck I'm sure Harry would face that one."

"That's why we need you to help him." Professor Dumbledore said "He already knew the task, but he doesn't know how to face a dragon, let alone a Hungarian Horntail."

"So you're telling me to spill him how to win?"

"No, we're telling you to help him survive."

•••••

Three champions had already competed with their dragons, Diggory was first with the Swedish Short-snout dragon, then Krum with the Chinese Fireball and Delacour with the Welsh Green. It was Harry's turn now, with the Hungarian Horntail, just like how I predicted.

After the meeting with the Headmaster, I went to lunch to find Harry sitting with Longbottom and Hermione. I told him about the dragons and using his way to get away from it, then he told me he already knew everything, including using his wand to summon his broomstick, which he admitted that Professor Moody told him how. That gave me one more note in my observing progress involving the auror.

"Three of our champions have now faced their dragons and so each of them will proceed to the next task." Professor Dumbledore announced "And now our fourth and final contestant."

Harry entered the arena, looking extremely nervous despite all the people cheering for him. Or maybe that was why he was nervous. The Golden egg was sitting on the same rock as when the other three competed, Harry spotted it and made a run for it. But the dragon appeared and breathed flame towards his way, forced him to take refuge behind the rocks. The scorching flame stopped, he stood up and stumbled. I held my breath at his clumsy performance, for he might be killed because of it. The dragon approached him. At that moment, he was dumbstruck and seemed to forget he was a wizard.

"Your wand, Harry!" Hermione shouted "Your wand!"

Harry summoned his broomstick and climbed on it, flying up high. The dragon pursued him, the chain was supposed to keep it back but being the most vicious kind, it broke free and chased after the boy on the broomstick. They flew out of the arena and disappeared behind the thick fog while we sat there, stunned. We couldn't see them, but we heard the dragon's mighty roar echoing throughout the valley. We were scared.

"Don't get killed, Harry. Don't get killed." I mumbled to myself, praying for him "You can't die now. At least not now and not because of this stupid beast."

"What the hell are you doing?" Juliette said "He won't die."

"You don't know that."

"That's a dragon and Harry Potter, for Merlin's sake."

"I'm worried because he's Harry Potter and not Cedric Diggory." I said.

"I'll take that as a compliment." Diggory said from behind us.

"Don't be so glad yet, he was the one spilled you about the dragons." I rolled my eyes.

"Don't be so harsh, Avery, it's hard to date George that way." He said.

"Why is everyone assuming I'm dating someone?" I hissed "I'm not dating George."

"Nor Alexander, or Malfoy." Juliette said.

"Especially not those two." I said "And I thought we're worrying about Harry, not my not-yet-begin love life."

I heard a loud roar, the loudest roar ever, then everything fell into complete silence. I looked at the fog above and around, hoping to see Harry emerging from the thick whiteness. And much to our gladness, he did, everyone exploded into cheers of joy. We jumped on our feet, clapping our hands, laughing and cheering loudly as he swooped down and grabbed the Golden egg, holding it up in the air. Thank Merlin he was safe.