Dragons

The first trial was approaching. Hagrid secretly invited Harry and me to look at the dragons, and we also watched his awkward attempts to court Madame Maxime. I'll have to tell him later that girls don't like hints about their large size. And even if a girl is half-giant, you shouldn't call her a half-giant at all, and if you want to talk about her appearance, it's better to mention her beautiful eyes.

Harry and I went our separate ways to our common rooms. Harry was in shock, he wasn't up for anything right now. But I still needed to tell Cedric. I headed toward him:

"Hi, I need to have a secret conversation with you."

"Secret? Intriguing," the boy smiled cheerfully and conjured a small sphere of privacy around us.

"Cedric, I found out... well, Hagrid showed me, there will be dragons in the first trial!"

That got through to him. His eyes were twice their normal size. What did you think, that you'd stumbled into a fairy tale? I told you to read about the previous tournaments.

"Hermione, are you sure?"

"Yes, I saw them myself. Four dragons are being kept in the Forbidden Forest, and Hagrid took me on a tour. I hid when he went to talk to the dragonologists. Anyway, they're females. They have egg clutches with them, and one fake egg will be placed in each clutch. Getting that egg is the champion's task."

"Hermione, you may have saved my life! I'll start looking for ways to defeat a dragon tomorrow."

"You know, maybe we should get some other people involved in the search? I understand it's not allowed, but I'm sure the other champions will be getting help too. What if someone comes up with some brilliant idea?"

"Perhaps a few people could... But why do you think the other champions will be getting help?"

"Um... I don't want to give Hagrid away, but he also showed the dragons to Madame Maxime. I think she'll help her champion."

"That's just like Hagrid! He's supposed to be on our side!"

"Well, you know, Madame Maxime is the only attractive woman of suitable size. It's hard to blame Hagrid," such a gossip I am. But it definitely relieved the tension, Cedric smiled understandingly.

"Maybe you have ideas yourself on how to get the egg?" he asked with interest.

"The main thought is that the farther you are from the dragon, the better. There's probably protection against Accio on the egg itself. Though it's worth trying... McGonagall always says you're the best student in Transfiguration - that you're someone to look up to. For example, you could transfigure the stone under the egg into a basket and carefully pull that basket toward yourself. And dragons' eyes are their weak spot."

"Oh, I know that spell," Cedric nodded contentedly, "Conjunctivitis. Only it'll be hard to hit. The eye is small, and you can't get close to the dragon."

"And even a blind dragon can demolish everything in its path. That's why I'm for the basket option," I smiled, "Too bad Harry's terrible at Transfiguration. But he's excellent with suicidal impulses. I hope he doesn't climb right into the dragon's jaws."

"Harry and I could train together," Cedric generously offered. After Rita's article, he, like most Hogwarts students, believed that little defenseless Harry had been set up.

"Thank you, Cedric, Harry could use that."

"Come on, you really helped me out. Both with telling me about the dragons and your idea is great too."

Cedric really did start working with Harry. The older champion taught the younger one the Accio spell, and they trained together to hit targets accurately with Conjunctivitis. On the lawn in front of the castle, Cedric transfigured targets, and the boys fired at them from a great distance. The plan they developed as the main one for Potter and backup for Diggory wasn't very different from canon. But it sounded safer: first they planned to blind the dragon, and only then fly on a broom for the egg. This probably reflected that they were both Seekers. Cedric's main plan remained my idea with the transfigured basket.

When I had free time again, I decided to continue my sessions in the Room of Requirement. My conscience nagged a little that I was using such a magnificent place alone. But I ruthlessly suppressed the flutterings of that unreasonable entity. I can share other things and would be happy to help. But if I share the room - no more solitude on demand. And I get very tired when I can't be alone for long periods.

Returning after curfew, I saw in the corridor a girl who was either a vision or a ghost: pale, with white tangled hair, she walked down the corridor in mismatched socks looking for something, muttering to herself.

Luna, is that you?

I removed my disillusionment charm and asked:

"Hi, what are you looking for?"

"Hello. Nargles stole my shoes."

"Nargles, I see... You're Luna, aren't you?"

"Yes, but everyone calls me Loony Lovegood," the girl said dreamily.

"Accio Luna Lovegood's stolen shoes!"

The boots flew over, loudly hitting the nearest armor. Great, now Filch will come running. I listened. No one seemed to be coming. A couple of minutes later another unpaired boot flew over.

"What did you say these nargles are called?"

"You don't need to call nargles, they don't want to!" Luna said confidently.

"I seriously doubt that..."

It's especially bad that, if I remember correctly, this isn't an isolated incident, but the norm. Satisfied Luna puts on her shoes and presses the third boot to her chest. I look at her and get angry that in this school, as always, no one cares about the children. Well, except for Professor Sprout and Madam Pomfrey. Though Madam Pomfrey is questionable too. No medical checkups are provided at Hogwarts. The healer treats Harry's fractures but never thinks to check his vision or stomach. Harry never asked, but this is a school - when do children consciously care for their health? Flitwick - he's not bad either. But specifically as a teacher. If you're interested in his subject, he'll be glad to show, tell, and will be ready to spend a lot of time on you. But with the fact that some stupid classmates, or rather female classmates, steal a girl's shoes - that's clearly not his department.

"Your Wrackspurts are going to bite you now. Don't feed them so much," the girl interrupts my thoughts.

I vaguely recall that she's not just strange, this seems to be some kind of gift, just expressed in such an unconventional form.

"Want me to charm your things so that if someone takes them without permission, they'll get stung?" all from that same book "Secure Yourself and Your Home."

"Don't! The nargles will reform themselves," Luna looked at me pleadingly.

I'm not insisting. Though stinging would do the nargles good.

I decide to test something. Using Occlumency technique, I calm my emotions:

"Luna, do you see my Wrackspurts now?"

"There are fewer of them, and they're in a house!" she announced joyfully.

So she is a mentalist, not crazy. Probably. Though one doesn't prevent the other.

A couple of days later, walking around the castle, I noticed Luna walking in circles nearby and decided to go say hello. Strangely enough, a conversation developed. Communication with Lovegood flows peculiarly. She seems sweet, but you can twist your brain from her. It seems she's still a bit mentally unwell.

I flipped through "The Quibbler" magazine - Luna takes after her father. Some of Xenophilius's articles are like cheerful children's fairy tales, while others are a strange mix of Kafka, David Lynch, and Saint-Exupéry. That is, sometimes fascinating and you admire the author's talent, and sometimes again - you can twist your brain.

When we're far from others, and I try not to experience strong emotions, Luna becomes almost normal. She continues to believe in Crumple-Horned Snorkacks and Heliopaths, but overall her thinking becomes logical in normal people's understanding. But the more people around, the more Luna acts strange. Some people just feel uncomfortable in Luna's company. And mean girls steal her boots.

***

At breakfast on the day of the first trial, you could see that all the champions without exception were nervous. Cedric was making too many fidgety movements, Krum was frowning even more than usual, Fleur was sickly pale, and Harry looked like a man being led to the scaffold.

After breakfast, the champions went to their tent, and everyone else to the stands. The first and, if nothing changes, last spectacle of the entire tournament. The other two trials would have spectators bored, looking at the lake surface and maze greenery throughout the entire trial.

Cedric performed first. I think he worked perfectly and his result would be hard to beat. Without getting close to the dragon, he chose a convenient vantage point, transfigured a couple of stones under the golden egg into a large bowl and summoned the bowl to himself right under the indignant nose of the dragoness.

Fleur sang, danced, made gestures with her hands - a beautiful lullaby resulted. The dragon obediently fell asleep, and the girl calmly walked to the egg. If not for a spark from the huge nostril of the reptile that singed her skirt, there would be nothing to fault.

Viktor - ah, with his crude methods he broke half the eggs. More precisely, the mother herself smashed her clutch, blindly rushing around the arena, wounded by Krum. Unfortunately, judging by the mess, these weren't dummies. I thought dragons and their eggs were expensive. But here's such wastefulness.

Harry managed to blind his dragon. Managed to summon his broom. Managed to steal the egg from the blinded female, but even deprived of sight, the dragoness tried to protect herself and her nest, so she shot fire blindly. Harry still got caught under one of her breaths, just at the very edge, otherwise he would have been a shish kebab right on the spit, but his cloak and broom got well singed. How did he manage that? Perhaps Harry simply relaxed, knowing the dragon was blind, and lost vigilance. He flew to the champions' tent with a little fire. It seems Sirius will have to buy another broom.

Cedric scored the most points. Viktor had points deducted for damaging the clutch, Fleur and Harry had their scores lowered because the dragon still managed to singe them.

Total: Cedric in first place, Viktor in second, Fleur in third, Harry in last - he had more points deducted since he got more badly burned.

But that doesn't matter, what matters is that all champions now have their eggs.

After the trial, Ron solemnly acknowledged that Harry hadn't put his name in. And Harry solemnly made up with him.

***

While the tournament participants were going through trials with dragons, Hagrid meanwhile prepared his own trial for us. Blast-Ended Skrewts aren't as huge as dragons, but they also breathe fire and clearly wouldn't mind snacking on a careless student. He decided we needed to see if Blast-Ended Skrewts hibernate in winter. He handed out boxes and blankets for us to build cozy beds for them, and ordered us to put these monsters to sleep.

I'd already talked to Hagrid several times about how Blast-Ended Skrewts might be wonderful, interesting and useful (though it's unclear how so far), but dragons, for example, are also wonderful, interesting and useful, yet schoolchildren aren't trusted to mess with them. Only trained adults have the right to work with dragons. So Blast-Ended Skrewts - not for children! But like talking to a brick wall. And I used to blame this on hippogriffs.

Now I'm standing and realizing I won't voluntarily approach this creature. Since our last meeting, they've grown another one and a half times. Unless with telekinesis, and then quickly nail the box shut... cement it and sink it for safety. I also held Neville back by his cloak sleeve when he obediently moved forward. Girls from all houses were smarter - they didn't even twitch toward the pens. Harry and Ron, those two enthusiasts, were making circles around their charge, trying to fulfill Hagrid's request and not get killed. Crabbe proved the bravest of all, to his own detriment. He grabbed his mutant and quickly shoved it in the box, at the cost of a burned hand. But the Blast-Ended Skrewt didn't want to sit in the box and sleep, it wanted to destroy! And immediately smashed its cozy home with powerful movements. Crabbe recoiled, nearly falling on Ernie, Ernie grabbed someone's sleeve, the completely non-sleepy Blast-Ended Skrewt rushed toward the Ravenclaws, causing panic... anyway, I don't know how it happened, but all the animals escaped from their pens and scattered across the lawn. Hagrid runs around, calling for us to drive the Blast-Ended Skrewts back, while the Blast-Ended Skrewts spit fire and try to sting someone.

"Retreat to the castle!" I yell, "Life is more important than a grade! Ruuuuun!"

Everyone immediately understood this was an excellent idea. They can when they need to. Even Ron and Harry ran, I thought they'd be ready to sacrifice a couple of limbs for friendship with Hagrid.

Having climbed one of the towers, students watched from a safe distance as Blast-Ended Skrewts killed each other on the field, while poor Hagrid rushed between them trying to calm his sweeties. I hope, like the Highlander, only one Blast-Ended Skrewt will remain. We'll somehow finish off one. That's how inter-house friendship is born, Ron stands next to Malfoy, and they don't try to insult or maim each other. Both watch the monster battle spellbound.

After classes I went to McGonagall and reported that I wanted to drop Care of Magical Creatures. She wasn't very pleased, but allowed it because I still had Runes and Arithmancy. Those who initially chose only two subjects couldn't drop one of them. So few followed my example. Most children took subjects at minimum.

Hagrid was offended with me. I honestly tried to convey that despite my sympathy for Hagrid himself, Blast-Ended Skrewts are too dangerous for children and might kill someone. But of course he didn't understand. I knew it would be like this, but I was sure I was right. And still his offense caused me pain and gave me no peace. As if I'd raised a hand against a child.