(Gilderoy Lockhart)
Next came the scoring.
As the giant canary that had once been a Chinese Fireball continued sprinting around the arena in a panic, flapping its wings and making indignant squawking noises, the judges rose from their seats one by one.
The audience was still laughing.
Several students even had tears in their eyes.
One unfortunate dragon handler was sitting on the ground wheezing so hard his coworkers were forced to pat him on the back.
Even I had to admit it was one of the more creative solutions I had seen in recent years.
Harry stood just outside the arena clutching the golden egg, looking equal parts relieved and confused that his plan had actually worked.
Madame Maxime rose first.
With a graceful flick of her wand, a glowing number eight appeared above her head.
"Très ingénieux," she said. "Very clever. However, Monsieur Potter relied primarily on a basic Summoning Charm and several prepared objects. Effective, yes, but not especially difficult magic."
A fair assessment.
Harsh perhaps, but fair.
Next came Igor Karkaroff.
The Durmstrang headmaster stood slowly, looking thoroughly displeased.
I suspected he had expected Harry to become dragon food.
Instead, the boy had humiliated one of the most dangerous creatures in the world by turning it into an oversized chicken.
Not exactly the glorious spectacle he had been hoping for.
With a sharp movement of his wand, a glowing five appeared.
Boos immediately erupted from the Hogwarts side of the stands, but Karkaroff ignored them completely.
"The solution was simplistic," he declared. "Furthermore, summoning outside items borders dangerously close to cheating."
The boos grew louder.
The Weasley twins made chicken noises at him and Karkaroff's eye twitched.
"Ridiculous," Sirius muttered from behind me.
"Predictable," I corrected.
Then came Dumbledore.
The Headmaster's eyes twinkled behind his spectacles as he rose.
Without hesitation, he raised his wand.
A glowing ten appeared, causing the Hogwarts students to explode into applause.
Dumbledore waited for the noise to die down before speaking.
"Mr Potter demonstrated creativity, adaptability, composure under pressure, and above all, excellent judgement."
His smile widened slightly.
"After all, the objective was to retrieve the egg, not wrestle the dragon."
The applause doubled, and even some of the Beauxbatons students nodded reluctantly.
Amos Diggory followed.
The Ministry official examined Harry thoughtfully for a few moments.
Then he raised his wand.
Ten.
More cheers erupted.
"I agree with Professor Dumbledore," Amos said. "The task was completed safely, efficiently, and with minimal risk to the champion."
He glanced toward the still-running giant canary.
"Though I imagine the dragon may disagree."
That earned a wave of laughter from the audience.
Finally, Bagman stood.
The former Quidditch star looked delighted.
Positively radiant.
His wand shot upward and out came another ten.
The cheers became deafening.
"Now that," Bagman declared enthusiastically, "was entertaining!"
He pointed toward the giant bird.
"Dragons are impressive. But giant chickens are unforgettable."
The audience roared.
The transformed dragon chose that exact moment to run face-first into a boulder.
A tremendous thud echoed across the arena and the cheering somehow became even louder.
I rubbed my forehead.
Professionalism truly was dead.
Bagman quickly added up the scores with the help of several officials.
Then he stepped forward and cast a Sonorus Charm.
"Ladies and gentlemen!"
The crowd gradually quieted.
"The scores for the First Task are now official!"
Three glowing names appeared above the arena.
Fleur Delacour - 44 points
Harry Potter - 43 points
Ivan Karkaroff - 41 points
A mixture of applause and groans spread through the stands.
Bagman glanced at the parchment in his hands and visibly deflated.
"You seem disappointed," I commented.
Bagman looked up.
"Hm?"
"You just witnessed three successful performances, no fatalities, and a record attendance."
I tilted my head.
"Yet you look like someone has informed you all your favourite broomsticks were recalled."
Bagman stared at me for a moment.
Then his expression became carefully neutral.
"Oh, nothing like that."
A blatant lie.
"Lost a bet?" I asked.
He coughed awkwardly.
Aha.
Aurora snickered beside me.
Rosmerta laughed openly.
Bagman sighed. "Perhaps."
"I knew it," I said triumphantly.
Apparently I was not the only one who had noticed.
Several nearby students immediately began speculating.
"Who did he bet on?"
"Probably Fleur."
"No, definitely Ivan."
"Maybe he bet Harry would get eaten."
"Honestly, that sounds like something Bagman would do."
"I can still hear you," Bagman shouted indignantly.
But the students ignored him and kept speculating.
Meanwhile, below us, Harry was being mobbed by his fellow Gryffindors.
Sirius had already vaulted over several rows of seats and was heading toward his godson at alarming speed.
I watched him go and smiled.
Whatever scheme Voldemort was planning this year...
Whatever game was being played behind the scenes...
At least for today, Harry had not only survived, but also provided a wonderful spectacle.
And judging by the look on Sirius's face as he practically tackled his godson in celebration, he definitely didn't intend to let anyone forget it.
…
The celebration feast that followed was nothing short of legendary.
By the time evening arrived, the Great Hall was overflowing with excitement.
Students from all three schools packed the long tables, talking over one another as they relived the events of the First Task.
The enchanted ceiling displayed a clear autumn night filled with brilliant stars, but very few people were paying attention to it.
They were far too busy discussing dragons.
Or, more specifically...
The dragon-sized canary.
"And then it ran straight into the fence!"
"It wasn't a fence, it was a wall!"
"It sounded like a cannon going off!"
"I still can't believe Potter turned a dragon into a bird."
"I still can't believe it worked."
The story somehow became more ridiculous every time it was retold.
At the staff table, I listened with amusement while helping myself to a generous portion of roast chicken.
Perhaps not the most tactful meal after the afternoon's events.
Sirius noticed and immediately started laughing.
"You did that on purpose."
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
"You're eating chicken."
"It is an excellent source of protein."
Across the hall, Harry looked as though he wanted the floor to swallow him whole.
Every time someone congratulated him, another ten people appeared.
Even students from Durmstrang and Beauxbatons were approaching him.
Not all of them were friendly, naturally.
Several Durmstrang students looked downright annoyed that the youngest champion had managed to outperform their favourite.
Others seemed genuinely impressed.
Fleur herself was receiving nearly as much attention.
Though I noticed she occasionally glanced toward the staff table.
Specifically...
Toward me.
I immediately concentrated on my potatoes.
Far safer.
The true victors of the evening, however, were neither Harry nor Fleur.
No.
The true winners were Fred and George Weasley.
The twins had recognised an opportunity when they saw one.
And, being Weasleys, they had immediately exploited it.
By the time dessert appeared, they had somehow placed a table near the entrance of the Great Hall.
A large sign floated above their heads.
THE SWEET THAT DEFEATED A DRAGON!
OFFICIAL CANARY CREAMS!
AS USED BY TRIWIZARD CHAMPION HARRY POTTER!
I nearly choked on my pumpkin juice when I saw it.
"That was fast."
"Fast?" Sirius said.
"They had the sign ready before the task ended."
He was probably right…
Students crowded around the twins' improvised stall and coins exchanged hands at frightening speed.
"One Sickle each!"
Fred shouted.
"Guaranteed transformation!"
George added.
"Become a giant bird!"
"Terrify your friends!"
"Confuse your enemies!"
"Embarrass your professors!"
McGonagall's eye twitched from halfway across the hall.
Sales doubled immediately.
Within minutes, dozens of human sized canaries were running around.
A pair of Hufflepuffs ate two Canary Creams at once to see what would happen.
The answer, apparently, was absolutely nothing different.
When the transformation ended they seemed disappointed.
The Beauxbatons students loved them.
The Durmstrang students pretended they were above such childish products.
Then proceeded to buy them in secret.
One particularly serious-looking Durmstrang boy purchased ten.
I watched the twins' money pouch grow heavier and heavier.
"At this rate," Aurora observed, "they'll be rich before they graduate."
Rosmerta laughed.
Across the hall, Harry finally discovered what had happened.
The moment he saw the advertisement above the twins' stall, his face turned red.
"Oi!"
He pointed accusingly.
"You used me for advertising!"
Fred looked offended.
"We would never."
George nodded solemnly.
"You're a valued business partner."
"I didn't agree to this!"
"You used our product."
"In an international event."
"It's practically an endorsement."
Harry groaned and buried his face in his hands.
The twins immediately sold another dozen Canary Creams.
Even Dumbledore appeared amused.
The old wizard sat watching the chaos unfold with a twinkle in his eye.
At one point, he actually purchased a box.
That worried me greatly.
Not for him.
But for everyone else.
As the evening continued, laughter echoed through the Great Hall.
Students from different schools mingled freely.
Stories were exchanged.
Friendships formed.
Rivalries strengthened.
For one night at least, the purpose of the Triwizard Tournament seemed fulfilled.
Three schools.
One celebration.
And somewhere in the middle of it all, two entrepreneurial redheads were becoming wealthy by selling sweets responsible for the humiliation of a dragon.
Honestly.
I suspected that particular achievement would end up on their future business advertisements.
And knowing Fred and George...
They would probably make it the headline.
…