Alexandra Weasley: Book 4

31

The day of the first task arrived very quickly.
"Okay, now remember. Fire repellant spell and a shield charm. Use them both and you'll be fine."

"What if it doesn't work?" He asked.

"Are you questioning my plan?" He shook his head frantically. "You'll be fine." She repeated. "We've practiced this. Just don't antagonise your dragon. The worst you can get is the Hungarian Horntail."

"I remember. Very fast, great eyesight. But it's big, so if I get it, I should stay low to the ground and avoid the feet."

"I could probably still get Saphira to tell them to go easy on you?" She said.

"No cheating." He said.

"Everyone's cheating."

"So am I just by asking for your help. But no one else can get dragons to avoid them because their amazing girlfriend can talk to one. I want to do this right." He said and Alex rolled her eyes.

"Because they don't have one. If they did, they would certainly take advantage."

"Alex, please?"

"Fine." She huffed. She glanced over at the dragons, noting which four had been brought out. "Okay, the Swedish short snout. If that's the one you get, you'll have to be really careful. Its fire breath is hotter than anything. Even with a shield and a fire repellent spell, it will sting. So give it something else to focus on. You're good at transfiguration. Give it a moving target."

"I got it."

"And if you get the Chinese fireball- remember it is smart and fast. Once it realised you can't be harmed by the fire, it will try to hurt you in other ways. Try to avoid the spikes. Weave in and out and distract. Again transfiguration is your best bet, a pig or something?"

"What about a dog? That's close enough, right?" She laughed but nodded. "Okay good, because that's the only one I practiced."

"If you get a Welsh green, music. They have a melodious roar, and will harmonise with anything you give them, so use your wand to enchant it a song. While it's distracted it won't care about you. They have no quarrel with humans, so don't enrage it." He nodded. "Okay you have to go to the tents now. For luck." She gave him a kiss before pushing him out.

Alex and Hermione watched from the stands. Cedric was the first. Hermione pretended not to notice when Alex grabbed her hand worriedly. She watched as Cedric got the Swedish short snout, taking big gulping breaths and breathing heavily out of her nose. Cedric was far from useless. And he wasn't a stranger to dragons. And he'd be fine. They'd gone through the plan a hundred times. She watched as he cast the repellent and shield charms on himself before jumping into the fray.

The dragon attempted vaporise him and she saw him stand his ground, wincing at the heat of the flames. Still, he pushed past and headed straight to a small nest where the dragon had been resting before the task. He grabbed a golden shaped egg and Alex's eyes widened.
"They have to steal a dragon's egg. Oh, he's toast. He's going to die. I have to-"

"Don't you dare." Hermione stopped her. "He will be fine. You have to trust him, you can't call to Saphira to intervene."

"I don't like it."

"Trust him. He certainly trusts you, doesn't he?"

"Because he's an idiot." Alex said but watched as Cedric ran away. He used his wand to transfigured a rock into a dog that seemed to distract the Swedish short snout for two seconds before it vaporised the transfigured animal and turned its attention onto Cedric. It blew out a heavy breath and, somewhat unprepared, Cedric fell. The dragon roared and jumped after Cedric who's shield had fallen. Deciding he didn't have the time for a new spell, Cedric made a break for it and ran back to the tent and to safety. Reaching the limit of its boundaries, the dragon stalked back to its nest and eggs. The non-golden ones. Alex let out a breath of relief.

"Go." Hermione said. "I'll watch out for Harry."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. Besides, you know Cedric will be swarmed with people soon. Best get to it now."

"Thanks." Alex said, and slipped away from her friend. It was surprisingly easy to get past the teachers and get to the med-tent where Cedric was being tended to.

"Hi!" His eyes lit up. "How brilliant was that?"

"It was bloody terrifying." She said, taking a closer look at the burns on him. "Glad the spells worked."

"Yeah. Madam Pomfrey says a little burn paste tonight and I should be healed by morning, and that I was lucky with the quick thinking or else I could be a pile of ash."

"I'm glad you're not, I prefer you whole. I can't kiss a pile of ash."

"That's a good point." He grinned, as Fleur limped in. Madam Pomfrey helped her to a bed next to Cedric.

"Miss Weasley. You're not supposed to be in here." Alex grimaced. "Oh, don't worry. I'm not kicking you out. Though I expect to see you tomorrow."

"Um..." She said. Luckily, Fleur took away her attention.

"You shouldn't be avoiding her." Cedric scolded and she shrugged.

"Let me see your prize!" She reached for the egg behind him. "Lighter than it looks." She tapped it slightly.

"Let's open it." He said and she gave it back to him. He undid the clasp at the top and let it fall apart. He closed it back up the moment they heard wails and screeches come out of the egg. "Let's never open it again."

"Not the attitude."

"You either have terrible taste in music or somehow know what the clue is." She rolled her eyes.

"Which do you think it is?"

"I know you like the weird sisters so it has to be that you know what the clue is."

"Not exactly. Not yet. But I have an idea."

"Of course you do." Krum came in next, no injury to speak of, though madam Pomfrey still insisted he take the bed beside Fleur for a checkup anyway.