Magic? || Years 1-5

Screaming Egg: Year 4

Finally things seemed to start getting back to normal. Well, as normal as life at Hogwarts could get, with or without the Triwizard Tournament going on. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Amisty were all headed up to the Owlery to go send a letter to Sirius through Pigwidgeon.

As they walked, Harry was talking to Ron all about Karkaroff and his Death Eater background.

"Fits, doesn't it? Remember what Malfoy said on the train, about his dad being friends with Karkaroff? Now we know where they knew each other. They were probably running around in masks together at the World Cup..." Ron muttered, not at all surprised at the news. "I'll tell you one thing, though, Harry, if it was Karkaroff who put your name in the goblet, he's going to be feeling really stupid now, isn't he? Didn't work, did it? You only got a scratch! Come here -- I'll do it -- "

Pigwidgeon was being rather difficult, hooting and flitting around their heads with excitement.

Ron snatched him out the air, rolling his eyes, and held him still so Harry could tie the letter to his leg.

Ron started toward the owlery window, "There's no way any of the other tasks are going to be that dangerous, how could they be? You know what? I reckon you could win this tournament, Harry, I'm serious."

Hermione didn't look convinced.

"Harry's got a long way to go before he finishes this tournament. If that was the first task, I hate to think what's coming next," She replied darkly.

"Right little ray of sunshine, aren't you? You and Professor Trelawney should get together sometime," Ron threw Pigwidgeon out the window, completely and utterly sarcastic. "Well, we'd better get downstairs for your surprise party, Harry -- Fred and George should have nicked enough food from the kitchens by now."

He was right. The second they entered the common room the cheers and roar came back, almost deafening them.

Cake, pumpkin juice, butterbeer, almost anything. Lee had let off some fireworks, filling the air with stars and colorful sparks, and Dean had made some new banners showing the events of the task.

A few had Cedric's head on fire.

After recovering from the murder that had just occurred on her eardrums, Amisty grabbed a plate and dug into the food, swatting at her ears occasionally.

Lee appeared out of nowhere, per usual, and lugged the golden egg off the table Harry had left it on, "Blimey this is heavy. Open it, Harry, go on! Let's just see what's inside it!"

"He's supposed to work on the clue on his own. It's in the tournament rules..." Hermione began to protest.

Harry leaned toward her, his voice quiet, "I was supposed to work out how to get past the dragon on my own too."

They looked away, grinning sheepishly.

"Yeah, go on, Harry, open it!" Came the cheers.

Lee dragged the egg over to Harry, and he dug his fingernails into the groove and clawed it open.

Amisty thought she was dying.

Her vision was white, blinding, and she was faintly aware of the cry leaving her, distracted by the wailing, high-pitched torture being emitted by that stupid egg. And then she was shaking, her hands clamped over her ears but doing nothing to help with the noise.

"Amisty!" Hermione was whispering sharply, her arms wrapped around the quivering girl in a tight embrace. "Amisty, are you alright?"

She nodded weakly, prying away her hands from her ears and wincing at every noise.