Natsu Dragneel and the Goblet of Fire

ErzaJane's Wizard Wheezes

Natsu spun faster and faster, elbows tucked tightly to his sides, blurred fireplaces flashing past him, until he started to feel sick and closed his eyes. Then, when at last he felt himself slowing down, he threw out his hands and came to a halt in time to prevent himself from falling face forward out of the Milkovichs' kitchen fire.

"Did he eat it?" said Mira excitedly, holding out a hand to pull Natsu to his feet.

"Yeah," said Natsu, straightening up. "What was it?"

"Ton-Tongue Toffee," said Mira brightly. "Erza and I invented them, and we've been looking for someone to test them on all summer..."

The tiny kitchen exploded with laughter; Natsu looked around and saw that Gray and Erza were sitting at the scrubbed wooden table with Sting, Rogue, Elfman, Lisanna, and Lyon.

"How're you doing, Natsu?" said Elfman, grinning at him and holding out a large hand, which Natsu shook, feeling calluses and blisters under his fingers.

Before any of them could say anything else, there was a faint popping noise, and Mrs. Milkovich appeared out of thin air at Erza's shoulder. She was looking angrier than Natsu had ever seen her.

"That wasn't funny Mirajane!" she shouted. "What on earth did you give that Muggle boy?"

"I didn't give him anything," said Mira, with another evil grin. "I just dropped it... It was his fault he went and ate it, I never told him to."

"You dropped it on purpose!" roared Mrs. Milkovich. "You knew he'd eat it, you knew he was on a diet -"

"How big did his tongue get?" Erza asked eagerly.

"It was four feet long before his parents would let me shrink it!"

Natsu and the others roared with laughter again.

"It isn't funny!" Mrs. Milkovich shouted. "That sort of behavior seriously undermines wizard-Muggle relations! I spend half my life campaigning against the mistreatment of Muggles, and the friends of my own children."

"We didn't give it to him because he's a Muggle!" said Mira indignantly.

"No, we gave it to him because he's a great bullying git," said Erza. "Isn't he, Natsu?"

"Yeah, he is, Mrs. Milkovich," said Natsu earnestly.

"That's not the point!" raged Mrs. Milkovich. "You wait until I tell your old professor -"

"Tell me what?" said a voice behind them.

Cheney had just entered the kitchen. She was a short, small werewolf with a very kind face and graying hair, though her eyes were presently narrowed with suspicion.

"Oh hello, Natsu," she said, spotting him and smiling. Then her eyes snapped back to her best friend. "Tell me what, Ur?"

Mrs. Milkovich hesitated. Natsu could tell that, however angry she was with Erza and Mira, she hadn't really intended to tell Cheney what had happened.

There was a silence, while Mrs. Milkovich eyed her best friend nervously. Then two girls appeared in the kitchen doorway behind Cheney. One, with very long blonde hair and rather large front teeth, was Natsu's and Gray's friend, Lucy Heartfilia.

The other, who was small and pink-haired, was Gray's younger sister, Meredy. Both of them smiled at Natsu, who grinned back, which made Meredy go scarlet - she had been very taken with Natsu ever since his first visit to the Burrow.

"Tell me what, Ur?" Cheney repeated, in a dangerous sort of voice.

"It's nothing, Skia," mumbled Mrs. Milkovich, "Erza and Mira just - but I've had words with them -"