Lion,Tiger and... dragon - 10

He swore violently. He'd never claimed to be an expert on conjuring spells, but damn it, his timing couldn't have been worse.

Before he had time to conjure another, he heard the piercing screech of the dragon, and it sounded as if it was approaching fast. He tucked the cup inside the waistband of his jeans and sprinted outside. He dove for the stands just as a fireball streaked overhead.

The dragon bellowed in fury as it clawed at the low wall separating the arena from Harry's hiding place. He crouched low and tried to move away, but the wall collapsed, leaving him exposed. The dragon's arm struck the wooden gate that had been sealing the entrance to the lair, shattering it effortlessly. Harry cried out as hundreds of sharp splinters rained down upon his back.

The dragon's huge arm crashed down again, this time closer to him, and the scythe-tipped claw lanced his side beneath his ribs. The impact of the blow threw Harry in the air, knocking the wind from him. He crashed onto the dirt, panting and clawing at the ground as he tried to get away from the angry dragon.

Before he could move, before he could utter a sound, the dragon's tail encircled his ankles, hog-tying him, and began to pull him closer. He was certain he could see victory reflected in the sickly yellow eyes. Harry forced himself to stay calm, although he was shaking all over.

The dragon's tail jerked upward, leaving Harry hanging upside down near the dragon's mouth. He could see tendrils of smoke spiraling away from the nostrils.

If that thing breathes a fire ball now…

Bruised and bloodied, Harry waited until he was as close the dragon's face as he dared. He pulled out his wand, aimed it right at those malevolent yellow eyes, and blasted off the most intense Conjunctivitis curse he could manage.

The dragon reared its head and roared, sending out a wave of blistering heat. Harry was released from its hold and he dropped to the ground with a thud. His body ached, but he couldn't find the strength to move away from the rampaging dragon. The beast was howling in pain, its huge arms clawing at its eyes, which were running and covered with a white slime.

If Harry couldn't pull himself up, he'd be crushed under the tail or a massive foot. Panting heavily, he tried again to stand, but it was useless. What would happen to Ginny if Harry were killed here? He at least had to get the cup to her so she could escape. Groaning as he rolled to his side, he pulled the gleaming cup from the waistband of his jeans.

He was surprised to see how the gold shone, despite being unpolished for so long. Helga Hufflepuff's golden crest glinted in the sun. As the dragon sent more flames towards him, Harry instinctively raised the cup like a shield and tossed it into the approaching fire. He rolled to the side to avoid being fried, crying out in pain as he did so.

When the cup made contact with the fire, a blast of bright white light filled the arena. Harry covered his face, feeling as if he'd got a terrible sunburn. An unearthly scream rent the air, shaking the very foundation of the arena. The dragon howled in misery before crumpling to the ground and dissolving as if it had never been there.

A blaze of fiery red hair suddenly streaked across his face as Ginny landed next to him on a broom.

"What happened? Where did it go?" she shrieked. "Are you all right?"