Harry Potter: Dragon Eyes

The cold, crisp February air filled the Hogwarts grounds as the sun began to rise over the Black Lake, casting shimmering reflections across its dark, still waters…

A thin mist hovered over the surface, curling and twisting as though trying to shield the mysteries lurking below, and who knew, maybe that's exactly what it did.

For most of the castle's inhabitants and its guests, it was just another chilly morning, albeit an exciting one.

But not for the Triwizard champions.

And of course, fate's spittoon was one of the aforementioned competitors…

For them, it marked the day of the second task in the Triwizard Tournament—a day they had been dreading—each for their own reasons.

'There's still an hour before we have to go,' Harry mused and reinforced his grip on Fleur.

"Don't worry, mon amour," Fleur whispered, her breath visible in the frigid air.

The young couple was currently standing on one of the lake's edges, looking at the recently constructed wooden platforms jutting out over the water.

The previous day, during dinner, Dumbledore had made an announcement, explaining that the tall structures in the lake would serve as the starting point for the champions and as viewing platforms for the audience.

Spectators would be able to watch the champions dive into the murky depths and cheer them on from there.

"Isn't the whole idea stupid?" Harry grumbled, feeling a sinking sensation in his stomach.

"We'll be underwater for an hour, encountering god knows what. Do they expect people just to stand there and stare at the mist or something?"

However, despite his words, Harry didn't care.

He couldn't care less about what the audience did and if they enjoyed themselves or not.

His single concern was the girl he was currently hugging from behind.

Harry shook his head, the absurdity of the situation only heightened his nervousness about the impending task.

"We have prepared well, non? And we will face the challenge together," Fleur reassured him, turning in his arms to face him.

Thankfully, there were no rules about champions working together.

'Because if there were…'

Harry's imagination created a scene of a weakened Fleur swimming through the murky depths with countless creatures on her tail.

That thought prompted him to tighten his embrace again…

Fleur was right though, they had indeed spent countless hours preparing, researching underwater beings, breathing techniques and practising defensive spells.

Harry even had a pair of gillyweeds tucked away in his enlarged pockets, a testament to their meticulous planning…

As the cold wind whipped around them, Harry's thoughts turned to his best friend, Hermione.

"Do you think that they'll still get people to participate as hostages?" Harry asked suddenly.

Fleur's brow scrunched.

"I hope not, not after your little speech yesterday… But with the English Ministry involved, who knows? Considering Fudge's stupidity…" she said with obvious disdain in her voice.

"Let's just say that it wouldn't surprise me if they went ahead with their original plan, disregarding all the valid concerns you raised."

Harry nodded in agreement, his mind drifting to the previous day's events.

Right after Dumbledore had announced the last details of the task, Harry had stood up and gave an impassioned talk, arguing against the use of human hostages in the task.

He had gone over the speech with both Fawkes and Ash and even asked Fleur's input, ensuring that his message was impactful.

Dumbledore's face after that was a sight to behold.

Harry briefly wondered what would happen if he tried to power a patronus with that image in mind.

'I bet it would be powerful enough to banish every single dementor in Britain,' he thought with a wry smile.

The memory of Dumbledore's stunned expression brought a brief moment of amusement.

The headmaster's usually twinkling eyes had widened in shock, his mouth slightly agape as he struggled to maintain his composure.

It was clear that Harry's unexpected challenge had caught him completely off guard, leaving him momentarily speechless in front of the entire Great Hall.

In the end, the old man simply said something along the lines of—I'm Dumbledore, I'm never wrong—and brought the dinner to a close.

"Fucking bastard," Harry muttered, wondering if Mr too-many-names was simply spouting nonsense or, heaven forbid, actually believed his own rubbish…

"Oui, he is," she agreed easily, easily guessing who her boyfriend was thinking about.

Harry glanced once more at the looming wooden platforms, then back to the beautiful face of the girl in his arms.

"We should probably get going," Harry said reluctantly and released Fleur from his embrace.

They shared a brief, meaningful look, and turned towards the lake.

They walked together, hand in hand, following the edge of the water as the morning sun cast long shadows across the grounds.

As they moved closer, they encountered more and more groups of students.

Some simply watched them with a mix of awe and curiosity, while others whispered excitedly and pointed at them.

There were even those who waved and called out to Harry, wishing him luck.

He managed a few forced smiles and nods, but his focus remained on the girl beside him.

In no time at all, they made their way to the middle platform and Harry spotted the last two champions—Cedric and Krum.

Cedric was talking with Cho Chang, Harry's previous unfortunate crush, while Krum was listening to an older woman.

As they approached the other competitors, Harry felt Fleur's hand tighten around his.

"Виктор, знаеш какво трябва да направиш. Първо, бъди внимателен и след това ни донеси слава," the older woman said with a stern voice.

'Who do you think she is? I'd say she his mother,' Harry asked Fleur through the twin bond.

His eyes were still on the stern-looking woman, comparing her features with that of the Bulgarian champion when Fleur responded; if she was surprised at the sudden voice in her mind, she didn't show it.

'Definitely a relative,' Fleur mentally replied.

'The resemblance is uncanny, and her demeanour screams "protective parent". So I'd say you are correct.'

Harry nodded, agreeing with Fleur's assessment.

Cedric caught sight of Harry and Fleur and offered a friendly if slightly nervous, wave.

Cho continued standing by his side, her expression unreadable.

Harry gave them a nod, but his attention soon drifted back to Krum and the assumed mother.

Krum stood rigidly as the woman finished speaking to him.

'Whatever she said in the end, it didn't sound like a gentle pep talk,' Harry thought to himself and wondered if all mothers were like that.

'Then again, Petunia couldn't even say no to Dudley. So, I suppose mothers can be quite different.'

As the minutes ticked by, the reality of the task began to resettle.

Madame Maxime had moved closer and eyed Fleur with a disapproving look that promised a stern lecture later.

'God, your headmistress is angry,' Harry told Fleur.

'I bet, she is. After all, I don't have my priorities straight and don't listen to her every whim. Imagine how disappointed she must be with me.'

If looks could kill, Harry was sure that Maxime would fall dead on the spot from the intensity of Fleur's glare.

The French champion's eyes blazed with defiance, a silent challenge to her headmistress's disapproval…

The other heads of the schools were also present, mingling near the platforms as they spoke in low voices.

From the corner of his eye, Harry could see Ludo Bagman, already looking overly enthusiastic, chatting animatedly with several Ministry officials.

"Harry! Fleur!" a familiar voice called out.

It was Hermione, pushing her way through the crowd of spectators with a determined expression on her face.

No mere crowd could stop Hermione Granger when she put her mind into something...

"You two okay?" she asked breathlessly when she reached them, her eyes scanning their faces for something.

"Yes, of course. We were just getting excited about our meeting with the horrors dwelling down there," Harry replied and pointed behind him, managing a small smile.

"Good," Hermione replied, taking the sarcasm as a good sign.

As they exchanged a few words of comfort, and some last minute advice, a loud whistle echoed across the lake, signalling that the task would soon begin, and the champions were instructed to gather at the edge of the platform.

As they took their places on the platform, Dumbledore stepped forward, his voice magically amplified to address the audience.

"Ladies and gentlemen, esteemed guests, and champions," he began, his tone warm.

"The time has come for the second task of the Triwizard Tournament. Our champions have proven their courage and skill, but today, they must prove their resilience, as they venture into the depths of the Black Lake. Each champion has prepared, but only the true test of the lake will reveal their resourcefulness and fortitude."

The spectators went quiet as Dumbledore continued and Harry's annoyance grew.

"This task will test not only their magical abilities but also their adaptability and endurance," Dumbledore went on.

Harry clenched his fists, fighting the urge to interrupt the headmaster's speech.

'The sooner he finishes, the sooner we'll go into the water and the sooner we can put this task well behind us.'

"As you know, our champions will have an hour to finish the task, and they will have to retrieve something precious from the lake."

Harry's inner cursing was immediately stopped and he listened intently.

"Each champion has an individual that has been placed under a sleep charm," Dumbledore announced merrily.

"Despite what you might have heard yesterday, I assure you that we have taken every precaution to ensure their safety."

Harry's jaw tightened as the headmaster turned his attention towards the champions.

"Champions, you must find and retrieve the person most important to you. Good luck."

Harry's blood boiled as he realised the old man had completely disregarded his stand the previous day.

Dumbledore's twinkling eyes now seemed to mock him, daring him to say anything.

And Harry was about to do just that, but Fawkes, who was long since flying overhead, suddenly let out a melodious trill.

The phoenix's song calmed the rising tension in the air and momentarily distracted Harry from his fury.

With a sigh, Harry's hand slowly found Fleur's and tightened around it.

'She's trembling,' he realised with a start.

That was almost enough for him to disregard everything and start shouting at Dumbledore.

Another timely trill from his familiar diffused the situation though.

Luckily, the whistle blew again, loud and piercing, echoing across the lake.

The task had began…

With a final glance at each other, Fleur mouthed, "I love you."

Harry mouthed the magical words back and with a wave of his wand, which had somehow found a way into his hand, he transfigured their clothes into swimsuits.

He gave more attention to Fleur's clothing, making his best to hide those curves as much as he could.

Needless to say, he didn't have much of a success there.

'I know what you did,' Fleur said through their bond, her mental voice tinged with amusement.

Harry flashed an innocent smile at her and tapped the bracelet on her hand.

A soft blue glow emanated from the jewellery and Fleur felt a tingling sensation spread across her skin.

Exchanging a nod, Harry waved into existence a bubble-head charm around his head and dipped into the freezing lake.

The world around him blurred into shades of green and black as he descended, leaving behind an awed crowd and the safety of the sunlit world.

.

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