Percy Jackson and the Triwizard Tournament [Book 4]

66) I Don't Like Surprises Anymore

The next morning was tense. Cedric and I walked together to the Great Hall, talking about everything but the task we were about to face. He told me he knew what the task was, that Harry had told him. He told me that I was the only one who didn't know what the task was.

"I like surprises," I said. "Unless they take the form of a monstrous monster. That was one surprise I've gotten so many times now."

"Why did you have to specify that it was monstrous?" Cedric raised an eyebrow.

"It made the sentence more interesting," I shrugged.

The day seemed to go by slowly. History of Magic seemed longer than ever, and then Lunch drew by. I was halfway finished with my sandwich when Cedric came over, saying we'd better head off to the tents. I'm not sure if it was nervousness or excitement that made him want to leave early, but I chose not to say anything.

"I'm not sure I can do this, Percy," Cedric said once we'd started on the grass. "This - this task, we've never done anything like this before."

"I'm not sure what the task is, Cedric, but you've got this," I said. "Out of all the Hogwarts students, you're the person it picked. It said, 'Hey, this guy that looks vaguely like a sparkly vampire will beat whatever these tasks are!' You know why it said that? Cause you're the sparkly vampire that's gonna kick this tournament's ass."

A genuine smile appeared on Cedric's face again, but then it washed away. He didn't say anything about how he didn't think he could do it, but I knew he was afraid.

"You've got this, man," I smiled. "You're the only mortal here who has actually killed a Greek baddie. Surely you can do whatever it is we've got to do. You're Cedric Diggory, and you're gonna live to see the end of this tournament. Hades, man, you're gonna hold the Triwizard Cup."

Cedric nodded, and we walked inside the champion's tent. Fleur and Krum were already there. Fleur looked very different from her usual confident self, sitting on a short stool. Krum looked surlier than ever, which I guess was his way of showing nerves. Cedric soon started pacing, looking a little green.

I stared at Fleur for a long moment, and she just stared back at me awkwardly.

"Can I braid your hair?" I asked. "Whatever the task is, its probably not a good idea to let it be all flowy."

Fleur blinked in surprise, but seemed to smile a little anyway, "Sure." She got off the stool and sat on the ground, where I soon sat behind her. I calmly braided her hair, making small talk. Slowly, the others joined in, looking more comfortable as we talked.

By the time Harry walked in, Fleur had started doing my hair, Cedric and Krum had started playing Rock-Paper-Scissors, and Bagman had showed up.

"Wassah, dude," I said, holding up a peace sign. Harry shot me an extraordinarily weak smile.

"Harry! Good-o!" Bagman said happily, and Fleur finished with my hair. "Come in, come in, make yourself at home!" I smirked as I realized he was wearing his old Wasp robes again. "Well, now we're all here — time to fill you in! When the audience has assembled, I'm going to offer each of you this bag" — he held up a small purple sack and shook it — "from which you will each select a 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!"

"Wonder what the thing we're boutta face is," I said, and everyone glanced at me. Fleur looked a little concerned — after braiding her hair I knew she considered me to be a smol bean. Krum looked surprised, like he expected me of all people to know what the task was. Harry and Cedric both looked pained, like even I wouldn't like what we were about to face.

In what seemed like no time at all, hundred upon hundreds of feet passed the tent. The people were laughing and talking, making bets and joking around.

It seemed like only a second had past when Bagman opened the neck of the purple back. I knew the bag would have been enchanted to give me a specific creature — a Greek monster brought here to equalize the playing field. To make me fight something that would give me just as much trouble as whatever the other champions were facing would cause them.

"Ladies first," Bagman said, offering the bag to Fleur. She put a shaking hand inside, and my eyes widened as she pulled out a perfect model dragon — I recognized it as a Welsh Green. It had a number three around it's neck. Fleur showed no sign of surprise at the dragon.

Krum also didn't seem surprised once he reached into the bag, pulling out a scarlet dragon I knew to be a Chinese Fireball. There was a four wrapped around it's neck, and Krum didn't blink as he sat down and stared at the ground.

Cedric stuck his hand into the bag, and out came a Swedish Short-Snout. It was grayish blue, and had a number two tied around it's neck.

Next was Harry. Out came a dragon with a five tied around it's neck, and even I grimaced at the sight of the dragon. A Hungarian Horntail, one of the fiercest dragons known to wizardkind.

"And you, Percy," Bagman said, holding out the bag to me. I stuck my hand into the purple sick, and felt my fingers wrapped around a small figurine. I pulled it out, and my breath caught in my throat.

For the first task, I would be fighting the Hydra.

I spent the night at my sister's house last night. It was kind of boring. Uh, one of my stepmom's friends is over right now. I don't really know what to think about him, I haven't talked to him much. He did forget my name, but I'm used to that. Uh, a family friend and his two kids are going to be coming over soon. I like them more, it's not as awkward with them. Uhhhhhhhhhh. It's gonna be my brother's birthday soon. Also, on the 30th, I get to find out if me, and my friend who also applied, get to go to that cave camp in June. So now that I'm certified in Microsoft Access, there's only one thing left I have to get certified in, then I'm done with CBA for the year, and it's called Outlook. It's email but fancy looking, and actually seems pretty easy.

Anyway, I hope you guys have had a okay Saturday, and I'll see you on Monday. Love ya!