Marauders' Godson Book 4: The Goblet of Fire

Chapter Twenty-Two

Halfway through lunch on Wednesday, McGonagall hurried towards the group of friends. Edward spoke before she could, in a calm voice that made Harry relax.

"We've got to go down to the grounds with the rest of the champions," he guessed.

"Yes, Potter," said McGonagall. She sounded uncharacteristically nervous.

"Good luck," Ruby said, looking wistful, as if she'd wanted to work with the dragons. Her brothers, Draco, Hermione, and Ron echoed her.

Edward and Harry walked down to the grounds with McGonagall, who was looking anxious.

"Now, don't panic," she said worriedly, "just keep a cool head.... We've got wizards standing by to control the situation if it gets out of hand.... The main thing is just to do your best, and nobody will think any the worse of you.... Are you all right?"

"I am," said Edward with a sigh, hiding his annoyance, "but Harry seems to have lost the ability to speak."

Harry laughed, relaxing, and McGonagall looked relieved.

When they arrived at the enclosure where the dragons had been, a huge tent had been set up. The entrance was facing them and hiding the dragons from view.

"You're to go in here with the other champions," said McGonagall, her voice brisk again, "and wait for your turns, Potters. Mr. Bagman is in there. He will be telling you the procedure. Good luck."

"We'll need it, I think," Edward mused. "Thanks, Professor. But I don't think you can have favorites," he teased, making Harry grin and McGonagall flush.

"I was most certainly not showing favoritism, Potter," said McGonagall sharply. "I have, of course, told Cedric Diggory the same thing-"

"I know, Professor," Edward responded, chuckling. "See you later." He led the laughing Harry into the tent.

Fleur, Cedric, and Viktor stared at them as they entered. They all looked pale and anxious. Bagman, however, grinned.

"Glad to see you're not nervous!" he said warmly. "Make yourselves at home."

Edward smiled crookedly and nodded to Viktor and Cedric, then gave a little bow to Fleur. She blushed for some reason.

"Well, now we're all here -- time to fill you in!" he said happily. "When the audience has assembled, I'm going to be offering each of you this bag-" he held up the small purple sack which was in his hand "-from which you will each select a small model of the thing you are about to face! There are different -- er -- varieties, you see. And I have to tell you something else too... ah, yes... your task is to collect the golden egg!"

"Will it contain a clue for our next task?" Edward asked curiously, making Bagman gape at him and Harry smirk. Cedric and Viktor gave him faintly amused looks, but they looked nervous.

"Er... I'm not allowed to answer that," Bagman answered nervously.

Edward dipped his head in acknowledgement. But Ludo's reaction told him that he was right.

After a very short time, in which Edward could hear the students filing past the tent to the enclosure, Bagman held out the purple silk sack to Fleur. "Ladies first."

Fleur frowned and pulled a small green dragon from the sack. It had the number two around its neck. She grimaced and backed away.

Viktor, Cedric, and then Harry went after, drawing the Chinese Fireball with the number three, the Swedish Short-Snout with the number one, and the Hungarian Horntail with the number four respectively. Edward, feeling rather annoyed, pulled a small, sleek black dragon with acid-green eyes from the sack. A number five hung from its neck.