Little Phoenix (Harry Potter Fanfiction)

36. Preparing for the First Task

The next several days were torture for Nicole. She was constantly subjected to people interrogating her about whether or not she believed Harry's story that he didn't put his name in and whether she supported Cedric or Harry. By the end of the week, she was so tired of people interrogating her that when a boy came to fetch her during DADA, she snapped, "I'm not answering any more of your bloody questions!"

"I-I'm just here to fetch you for Professor Dumbledore," the boy defended, looking scared. Soon she realized why. In the reflection of the window, she saw that her eyes were literally on fire. Her phoenix side was coming out. Blinking, she extinguished them.

"Thank you," she replied quickly before grabbing all her things and running off with the boy.

"You're to go in here," the boy explained. Stepping inside, she saw Harry, Cedric, Victor, Fleur, Monet, and Sullivan. Harry, it seemed, had chosen Hermione. There was a woman there named Rita Skeeter. She instantly pounced on Harry.

"I don't like her," Nic remarked quietly to Cedric. "She gives off a bad vibe."

"She really does," Cedric agreed. Nic sat in silence as Mr. Ollivander looked at all their wands.

When he had finished with the champions, he said, "Mr. Sullivan."

"Why do companions need their wands looked at?" Cedric whispered.

"Not sure," Nic admitted. "I can't help but think that there's something more to this they aren't telling us."

"Ms. Monet," Ollivander called. After her wand had been checked, Mr. Ollivander said, "Ms. Potter." Taking her wand, he remarked, "Ah, yes, another one of mine. Ebony wood, phoenix core thirteen and a half inches. In fine condition."

"Thank you, sir," Nic replied, taking her wand back. Next they were submitted to a ridiculously long time of photos before they were let go. As they left, Nic muttered, "I hate the publicity side of this."

"Me too," Cedric admitted. When they had told Tyriq about it all, he grimaced.

"Boy am I glad I'm not apart of that," he admitted. "I don't know how you do it, Nic, being famous and all."

"Says Tyriq Hufflepuff," Cedric laughed.

"Okay, but that's just my name," Ty countered. "It's not like there were hundreds of news headlines about me personally."

"At least I'm not Harry-famous," Nic replied.

"Yeah, why aren't you as famous as him?" Ty asked. "I mean, everyone knows you, but not like with Harry."

"I'm not the one who seemed to be the downfall of Voldemort," Nic countered. Cedric flinched at the name, but Tyriq was unfazed. "I just had to deal with Bellatrix."

"Bellatrix?" Cedric repeated. "Lestrange? You never said you had to deal with her."

"Oh," Nic replied, beginning to look uncomfortable. Sensing this, Tyriq changed the subject. Later, Nic and Cedric were cooped up in the library. Slamming shut the book she had been looking through, Nic exclaimed, "How're we supposed to prepare for something we know nothing about?" This was her plight as the day of the first task neared.

Not a few days before the task, she was walking down the hall with Cedric muttering about some of the stuff she'd read when Cedric's bag split. "Nic, you don't have to," Ced protested as she been down to help him. She merely rolled her eyes, ignoring him as she picked up some of his stuff.

Straightening up, she pointed her wand at his bag. "Reparo."

"Hi," Cedric greeted, looking to Harry who had approached them. "My bag just split, brand new and all." Nic narrowed her eyes at Harry.

"Cedric," he began. "The first task is dragons." Nic's heart dropped.

"W-What?" she stuttered.

"Dragons," Harry repeated. "They've got four, one for each of us, and we've got to get past them."

"Are you sure?" Cedric asked. Nic could see fear flash in his eyes.

"Dead sure," Harry replied. "I've seen them."

"But how did you find out. We're not supposed to know..."

"Never mind," Harry interrupted. "But I'm not the only one that knows. Fleur and Krum know by now - Maxime and Karakaroff both saw the dragons too."

"Why are you telling me?" Cedric asked suspiciously.

"It's just fair, isn't it?" Harry replied. "We all know now...we're on even footing, aren't we?"

"Come with me, Potter," Moody growled. "Diggory, Nicole, on your way."

"I'll see you later," Nic muttered, pushing past Cedric. That night, Nic was up late in the library, scribbling on a piece of parchment and flipping through a book.

"Come up with anything?" Cedric asked, setting down his book and rubbing his eyes.

"Yeah," Nic admitted. "It might not work, but..."

"Any idea is better than none which is where I'm at right now," Cedric countered.

"Okay, well, we're operating under the assumption you need to get past the dragon, so maybe if we can find a way to divert the dragon's attention."

"Okay, how?"

"You still good at transfiguration?" Nic asked.

"Decently, why?" Cedric asked.

"Well, I found this spell that allows you to transfigured an object into a dog," Nic explained. "If you can just do that, maybe the dragon will follow it instead of you."

"You are brilliant," Cedric exclaimed, his eyes lighting up. Without thinking, he quickly kissed her cheek and began looking over the spell. "This looks simple enough."

"I believe in you, Ced," Nicki said. Letting out a shaky breath, she added, "Let's just hope it's enough to distract the dragon."

"Hey, I can't think of anything better," Cedric chuckled. "It's a good idea."