Chapter 8
In the beginning of October on Hogwarts outer grounds.
After years of traversing Hogwarts after curfew, and under the protection of the Invisibility Cloak, Harry had grown more than adept at stepping lightly amongst the night. Harry stalked the goats trail leading to where hopefully a clue to the first task would be. Having decided that it would be better to recon the tip before bringing in Hermione or Tonks he’d unilaterally set force. Harry felt a pang of disappointment and displeasure at thinking about the third person he surely would have told had it been any prior year, but Ron wasn’t exactly on speaking terms with Harry now, was he?
Harry at first had held dejection in Rons quick casting out of their friendship, and obvious bouts of jealousy. In Harrys mind had they not survived so much during their friendship for Ron to believe Harry when he said that he hadn’t entered his name into the Tournament? If the shoe were on the other foot, it wouldn’t even be a question if Ron explained his innocence. But Ron wasn’t Harry, and Harry wasn’t Ron. And Harry didn’t have the time nor the mental or emotional space to worry about Rons feelings anymore. Even though Hermione had tried to act as a mediator between the two Harry couldn’t put Hermione through playing telephone at the best of times. And, at the worst Harry, knowing that the more that he tried to push her to talk to Ron the more that it wedged his other best friend in an unfair and uncomfortable space.
Harry shook his head as he focused on the task at hand. Soon his eyes caught onto a clear temporary settlement right where the information said it would be. Harry stopped behind a tree and bush before the clearing as he cast a night vision spell. Harry could clearly make out familiar faces such as Hagrid and some Ministry officials. What first caught Harry’s attention were four cages, and the contents of these cages made Harrys stomach drop. Fire rang out from a rather nasty looking scaled beast whose fire singed one of the Ministry officials’ robes.
Dragons. Of course, the first task had to involve dragons.
Harry sat back with a frown as he narrowed his eyes. His mind began to run through scenarios, but he kept the options open as the dragons albeit a big component of the task might not be the whole story. It was clear though that the task would probably involve an open space with at least a bit of height involved given that if they’d wanted to stick close to the ground, they could have settled on a beast such as a Troll. Harry’s mind flashed back to his first year in flying after the keys while in the depths of Hogwarts, and also to the agility of the Basilisk despite its size. Though Harry had never fought a dragon; at least he could feel a bit of confidence in devising a plan based on his experience, and especially with Hermiones brains and Tonks experience he was definitely going to be able to devise a plan that at least kept him alive and kicking through the task.
Harry was about to slip away when the second curious sight of the night stopped him. A very adult Tonks stood clad in her black robes, black combat boots, torn dark green jeans, and a lavender jumper was standing next to a Wizard that caused Harry to think back as to just where he’d seen the Wizards face. Harry finally realized that he’d only seen the Wizards face in pictures at the Burrow, but since there were dragons, Harry settled on that the Wizard currently causing Tonks to laugh so hard that she snorted was Charlie Weasley. Charlie was nearly a head taller than Tonks with long red hair tied up in a bun. Sporting a small scar on his cheek he was speaking animatedly with Tonks.
Harry couldn’t tell you why his interest now switched from the obviously life-threatening visage of the caged dragons to that of the sight of Tonks standing so close to Charlie. Harry could surmise that they were mates given their proximity in age. And, from everything that Harry had heard from the Weasleys Charlie was the prodigal son, and a gifted and kind Wizard at that. But Harry felt a small pang in his chest that didn’t exactly feel good as he watched Tonks throw her arm around Charlie’s shoulder as he put his arm around her waist as they now spoke to Hagrid. And the cherry in the uncomfortable sundae of not-so-great emotions was the fact that Tonks hair had morphed to a Weasley red, and Harry could just make out the freckles now smattering her cheeks and nose.
Harry decided he’d seen enough tonight and backed away, retreating into the forest. Retracing his steps back to the castle Harrys mind was swirling with thoughts. Between the dragons and the inherent danger, and the strange floating feelings of seeing Tonks with Charlie Harry felt his scar burn suddenly. Halfway back to the castle Harrys head felt as though it were on fire with such a sudden and onset headache. Harry dropped to a tree to steady himself as he kneeled with a grimace. Harry’s cloak dropped from his head and shoulder as he squinted his eyes and grunted in pain. Sweat soon formed on his forehead as he shut his eyes in pain.
Harry had never felt something akin to this sharp and jagged pain. Images of a graveyard and the Death Eaters mark flashed before his mind, and Harry shook his head trying to regain to semblance of composure. Harrys ears barely heard the snapping of a twig as he was altered to someone approaching him. Harry lifted his blurry gaze as he readied his wand.
A Lumos cast the tip of an elegant brown wand as Harrys blurry gaze registered out of all of the people, he’d least expected to be none other than Beauxbatons Champion Fluer Delacour. Fleur’s blue eyes narrowed in the darkness as she spoke with a hushed tone, “‘Arry? Why are you out here so late?”
Harry released a labored breath, “Same as you I suspect?”
Fleur brought the bright tip of her wand closer to his face as her gaze studied his tight and pained expression, “You are not well. We must get you back to the infirmary.”
Harry raised an eyebrow in a bit of guarded confusion, “Don’t you want to know what the first task is going to entail?”
Fleur rolled her eyes with a slight shake of her head, “I have other methods than just stalking into the night, and besides your Gryffindor chivalry will force you to tell me what you saw.”
Harry could just make out the sarcasm in her tone as he finally cracked a pained grin, “Fair enough.”
Fleur stowed her wand as she helped Harry to stand and put her arm around Harry’s shoulder for him to lean on her as they made their way back to the castle. Harry took in Fleurs perfume which reminded him of lilacs that he’d been forced to plant in his Aunts garden, “Dragons.”
Fleur replied with a curious glance, “Quoi?”
Harry could guess by the tone Fleur was asking him to repeat, “I saw dragons. Four of them, and so probably one for each of us. I don’t know what type, but they appeared full grown.”
Harry felt Fleurs slender hand grip his shoulder harder, “Ces misérables irréfléchis.”
Harry looked forward watching their step as he replied with a tired voice, “I don’t know exactly what you said, but I agree.”
Fleur now looked towards Harry with a frown, “‘Arry thank you for sharing what you’ve seen with me. It is very kind, but you must know that dragons are even advanced for us seventh years.”
Harry nodded, “I know, but I can’t exactly back out of the tournament now, can I?”
Fleur replied with a frown, “No, I’m afraid none of us can. But I do want to apologize. No one in their right mind would enter into this Tournament if they would ‘ave known that this is what the tasks would have been like.”
Harry now gazes Fleur a small grin, “I’m glad all that it took was finding out we might be burned alive for you to believe me.”
Fleur shot Harry a haughty smirk, “Desperate times ‘Arry.”
After reaching the infirmary and a scolding by Madam Pomfrey at just what the two of them were doing after hours Pomfrey took charge of Harry. It was to Harrys surprise that Fleur refused to leave his bedside even after cajoling from Madam Pomfrey. Pomfrey gave Harry a full run through of her diagnostic spells, but nothing was amiss minus a raised heart rate. Harry thanked her as he slumped into the bed and looked over to Fleur.
Harry, “You can leave Fleur, I appreciate you getting me here. But you heard Madam Pomfrey; I’m fine.”
Fleur crossed her arms with her blond eyebrows furrowed in doubt, “‘Arry it doesn’t take a medical professional to have seen earlier you were not fine. Besides it’s only fair that I should stay with you until the morning.”
Harry now released a laugh, “You’ve got a younger sister, right?”
Fleur nodded as Harry appeared to relax, “I’m guessing she doesn’t get away with a lot around you then?”
Fleur now smiled, “No, she thinks she does, but she doesn’t.”
Harry closed his eyes nodding, “Makes sense, well thank you Fleur. I owe you one.”
Fleur watched Harry settle into a comfortable position and fall asleep as she summoned a blanket and curled up in the chair.
The next morning in the Infirmary.
Harry and Fleur were in deep conversation as they shared ideas on what the dragons and the task might possibly entail. Fleur shared her recommendations of what spells to try out including a fire resistance charm for his robes, and Fleur sat with wide eyes as Harry described the tenacity of fending off the Basilisk. It was the sudden opening of the Infirmary doors, and a loud voice clearly raspy from a lack of sleep that made both Witch and Wizard turn their heads to the entrance of the facility.
Harrys eyes relaxed as he now had a grin on his face. Now fourth year Tonks clad in a hastily thrown on Hogwarts tie and button-down white shirt, slacks, and combat boots stormed in. With her hair in a concerting bun with yellow streaks adorning the tips, her narrowed charcoal brown eyes found Harry sitting with Fleur. Madam Pomfrey charged after Tonks and was loudly admonishing the Witch for entering with checking into the front desk. Before Tonks could respond with a quick retort Harry sat up in worry. Tonks boot snagged a slightly uneven bit of cobble stone as she was sent flying onto her face. Fleur released a giggle as Harry watched Tonks lift her head and blow a strand of brown and yellow hair from her bangs that had fallen over the charcoal brown eyes. Harry couldn’t quite laugh but found the sight strangely endearing.
Tonks jumped up as she had a quick argument with Pomfrey who eventually relented and made her way back to her office. Tonks stopped her clearly agitated strides at the foot of Harrys bed. Tonks gaze shifted between Harry’s form laying comfortably in the bed propped up by his pillow, and the French Witch who Tonks immediately was suspicious of. Never mind their obvious age gap, but she was another Champion. And Tonks decided that the Witches proximity to Harry wasn’t something that exactly brought joy to Tonks as her stomach dropped just a bit.
Tonks crossed her arms as she settled on her right hip, “Harry would you mind explaining to me just what exactly you were thinking of going into the Forbidden Forest alone last night? And, why in Merlin’s name you ended up in the Infirmary?”
Harry simply shrugged, “Decided to take a stroll last night since I couldn’t sleep.”
Tonks could tell by his tone that Harry found her worry humorful. Tonks narrowed her eyes as the tips shifted from yellow to orange. Harry swallowed a little dryly as he noticed the change, and realized with Fleur here this didn’t exactly bode well for maintaining Tonks cover.
Fleur meanwhile tilted her head as she replied first, “Oh ‘Arry was just showing me how pretty the forest can be at night. Especially with the moon out, it was quite romantic. Was it not ‘Arry.”
Harrys ears picked up on both the humor and bite in Fleurs tone as she laid on her accent extra thick. Harry looked at Fleur with wide eyes and trying to non-verbally request that she cut it out. Instead, Fleurs eyes danced with a devious glint as she then turned to Tonks, “But, what is your expression… what ‘appens in the Forbidden Forest stays in the Forbidden Forest?”
Harry carefully studied Tonks face and body. Her shoulders grew tight as her right hand reached to where Harry knew she stowed her wand. Harry finally spoke with a strained tone, “Tonks there’s nothing to worry about. I wasn’t feeling too great coming back, and Fleur helped get me back to the Castle. You shouldn’t be made at her.”
Tonks shook her head with a higher pitched voice, “Oh I’m not mad Harry. No, I’m not mad at all.”
Harry was about to release a sigh of relief, but Tonks continued with an icy tone, “I’m bloody furious, and we need to talk now. Alone.”
Fleur didn’t back down from Tonks glare as she looked to Harry, “‘Arry I will find you later?”
Harry nodded as he gave Fleur a thankful grin, and before leaving Fleur leaned down and gave Harry a feather light kiss on his forehead as she then met Tonks gaze with a defiant smirk. Walking away with an elegance that Tonks could only dream of now Tonks and Harry were left. Tonks slowly turned her gaze back to Harrys as she rounded the bed to sit on the edge by his feet. Her eyes couldn’t help but noticed the tinge of pink of Harrys cheeks, and Tonks felt her stomach broiling with an intense contempt for the blond Witch.
Tonks spoke with her hair now in a fiery red cascade of locks, “Spill it now Harry.”
Harry released a sigh as somehow; he was now more exhausted than he’d been the previous night. Harry went piece by piece of how he’d first heard about the tip, going out to the forest and sighting the dragons, and finally how Fleur had found him after his sudden headache. He’d left out the bit with sighting Tonks and Charlie appearing chummy, but that wasn’t really important now, was it? Harrys story bit by bit brought Tonks down from her heights of agitation, and instead she was filled with guilt and worry.
Tonks hair now fell to a muted brown as she spoke with a low tone, “Harry you could have just asked me for help?”
Harry spoke with a frown, “I just wanted to make sure that I knew that the tip was correct versus making you spin around over a dead lead.”
Tonks inched closer as she placed her hand on Harry’s knee, “Harry that’s what I’m here for okay? Something could have happened out there, and no one knew that you were even gone until this morning.”
Harry now frowned, “How did you even find out?”
Tonks sat back, “Ron apparently noticed you hadn’t gone to bed last night and let me know early this morning.”
Harry replied with his eyebrows raised in surprise, “Ron told you?”
Tonks nodded, “He did, and Harry I’m glad you’re fine now. But you do know how dangerous that was, don’t you?”
Harry nodded, but Tonks was taken aback by his cooler tone, “I know that Tonks, but I’m the one facing this task. And, I have to take these risks if I’m going to have any sort of chance.”
Tonks couldn’t exactly fault Harry’s logic there, “Fine, I agree with you. But next time just let me into your plan?”
Harry, “I will Tonks, and I’m sorry for worrying you.”
Tonks closed her eyes as she opened them and gaze Harry a concerned expression, “I was going to tell you what I’d found out from Charlie.”
Harry now dropped his gaze, “I garnered that when I saw you two last night.”
Tonks raised an eyebrow, “You saw us?”
Harry nodded as Tonks spoke with wonderment, “You really are good, aren’t you? We had wards set up and everything.”
Harry shrugged, “I’ve had to get by the wards dozens of times.”
Tonks pushed his leg, “Cheeky way of saying you think our protections were quite shite.”
Harry now chuckled, “I wouldn’t go that far.”
Tonks now felt forward crossing her arms beside Harrys as she brought her legs up behind her crossing her feet. Tonks rested her head on her raised hand as she stared at Harry. Harry found himself staring into Tonks onyx eyes as she spoke with a quite tone, “So dragons, do you have a plan?”
Harry shrugged, “Sort of, but can you give me more information on what the first task actually entails?”
Tonks nodded, “Oh I definitely can, but we can go over that once you’re out of here. You’ve had an eventful night, and so you’ve got to let your mind wonder for a bit.”
Harry, “So what exactly am I supposed to do then? I can’t leave until after lunch.”
Harry now felt a small chill run down his spine as Tonks hair shifted to a bright yellow, “Well we can start off with just exactly why Fleur and you seem so chummy?”
Harry released a grown as Tonks kicked her feet behind her, and her tone was so sickeningly sweet he knew he was in for it somehow. But though Harry wouldn’t admit it out loud he garnered that maybe Tonks was feeling something akin to what Harry had had the previous night. And this thought was strangely comforting for the Wizard.