Lion,Tiger and... dragon - 8

Harry's mouth hung open as he spun around in circles. They were inside what looked to Harry like the Parthenon in Ancient Athens, except that it was intact rather than in ruins.

Ginny took a step backwards. "I don't have a good feeling about this, Harry," she whispered.

A sliding sound caused them both to spin around. They were staring at a solid stone wall.

"What happened to the door?" Ginny asked, panicked.

The door had vanished completely, leaving only a small indentation in the shape of a cup.

"Obviously there's no going back without the Horcrux as a key," Harry said grimly. "But where is it?"

"And what's guarding it?" Ginny asked, swallowing

A huge wooden gate at the other end of the Parthenon groaned as it slowly began to rise.

"You had to ask," Harry said tonelessly, taking a step in front of Ginny.

The waited with bated breath as the gate fully opened. For a moment, nothing moved, and Harry and Ginny barely breathed. Suddenly, a great, thunderous roar echoed throughout the arena, shaking the stone and causing both teens to cover their ears.

Their eyes widened as a huge, monstrous beast lumbered from the cavern. It was greenish in color with a yellow head and enormous bluish wings. The claws on its feet were as sharp as knives, and its wings and tail were similarly tipped. The dragon raised its head, the irises in its glowing yellow eyes narrowing dangerously when it saw them. It roared again, emitting a blast of fire so intense it caused a fireball to fly across the Parthenon at them.

Harry and Ginny jumped over a wall and ducked in the stands as the flames soared over their heads and scorched the seats above them.

Harry cursed, breathing heavily. "I swore I'd never battle another dragon again as long as I lived.

"It's a Serbian Scythe-tip," Ginny said, clutching Harry's arm and sounding awed.

"How do you know?" he asked incredulously.

"You couldn't grow up in the same house with Charlie and not know something about dragons. The Serbian Scythe-tip and the Hungarian Horntail are the fiercest dragons, therefore the coolest as far as Charlie's concerned," Ginny said, tentatively peering over the ledge.

"Great," Harry said, grumbling. "He sounds like Hagrid."

"Yeah. Harry, I can see the Horcrux!" Ginny said, her voice rising.

"What? Where?" Harry asked, rising on his knees to peer over the stone next to her.

"There!" she cried, pointing.

Squinting, he could just make out a nest tucked inside the gate where the dragon had fully emerged. The Scythe-tip stalked to and fro in front of the opening as if daring them to try and pass.

"You can do this, Harry," Ginny said. "It's just like the First Task only now the Horcrux is your golden egg."

"But, Ginny, I don't have my Firebolt. It's back in London, and somehow, I don't think a Summoning charm is going to work through that stone wall," he said, pointing to the now-hidden doorway that led back to the wardrobe.

"Harry, you're a wizard with more experience than you had then. Conjure one! You don't need it to last for long, just long enough," Ginny cried, exasperated.

"Right," Harry said, swallowing nervously. His palms were sweating, but he knew he could do this. Picturing his Firebolt in his mind, he conjured a nearly exact duplicate.

"You did it!" Ginny cried.

"Don't get too excited. I still have to get the cup," Harry said.

Ginny smiled tremulously and pulled the ribbon from her hair. She then knotted it around Harry's upper arm.