Cassius would never admit it, but there was a very good reason he had chosen to ride the Hebridean Black dragon out of the arena, in such a showy manner.
That reason being while he had indeed managed to create and perform an advanced version of the animagus transformation, he hadn't yet learned how to properly fly in that form.
So to save himelf the embarrassment he hitched a ride instead.
Its form circled Hogwarts one final time before gradually descending toward the wide stretch of grass between the castle and the edge of the Forbidden Forest.
The enormous beast landed with a tremendous thoom, folding its wings neatly against its body as Cassius slid from its shoulders.
The dragon lowered its head.
Golden eyes regarded the young wizard with a mixture of respect and instinctive caution.
Cassius reached up, gently resting a hand against its scaled muzzle.
"You fought well."
The Hebridean answered with a deep rumbling growl that vibrated through the ground itself.
Only the approaching dragon keepers understood enough of its body language to realize what had happened.
Charlie Weasley slowly approached alongside several Romanian handlers.
Who had chased after Cassius when he left the arena with their dragon.
None of them seemed entirely certain how to proceed.
One elderly handler removed his cap before speaking.
"...May we...take her back?"
Cassius looked toward the Hebridean.
Gave it a quick nod of his head.
The dragon gave a low snort before turning and calmly padding toward its bewildered caretakers.
Upon meeting with them, the great beast began to lumber away headed peacefully back to its home temporary home in the forbidden forest.
Charlie blinked in amazement, he'd never seen the Hebredian act this docile before.
But Cassius wasn't willing to speak on dragon theory with them, his part in this was over so he headed for the castle leaving the dragon tending to the dragon handlers.
Having returned to the castle Cassius headed not for the common room, but instead for the great hall.
Taking up his position at the head of his houses table.
Fleur Delecour was already there waiting for him as well.
Both of them, setting their eggs onto the table.
Though Fleurs face looked ashen pale at the moment.
Cassius couldn't help chuckling having some idea as to why that was.
"You opened it didn't you?"
Nod.
"You poor thing, the mental anguish will pass with time, but for the next time I think you should wait until you take a bath to open it again."
At first Fleur misunderstood and quickly did a sniff check on herself assuming she had gotten some filth on her at some point and was sullied but then after confirming she still smelled normal turned a mischevious grin to Cassius.
"Zo? We bath together ya! I zo long to wash your back dear Cazzius!"
Flick.
A single soul crushing finger flick landed on her forhead and her already weary mind absolutely exploded in pain.
This was a common experience with the young French temptress.
But Cassius had no interest, he and she were both still under aged and as entertaining as the thought might be in the moment, he was a strict follower of the 'Yes Lolita, No Touchie' philosophy.
He then reiterated that if it sounded as bad as it did in the open air, it probably was meant to be heard underwater, or through something that would muffle the shrieking cries.
For the next hour they calmly chatted, Fleur giving a first hand retelling of her own attempt at the task, followed by Cassius giving a curt rendition of his own.
But then the entrance hall became unusually noisy.
Students began flooding in from outside.
Harry was practically dragged by the Griffindors upstairs no doubt headed for their common room, even though Harry himself was a Slytherin.
Krum and the Slytherins meanwhile headed for the dungeons.
Only a handful of students broke away and headed into the great hall to join the two who were sitting there almost like they were invisible.
Conversation flooded through the air.
Talk about the amazing event today,
The four successful champions.
Transforming into a dragon...
Defeating another dragon...
Then flying away on it...
Fleurs breathtaking performance.
Krums hardcore brute force spell casting.
Even Harry's own tactical thinking racing around on a broom to flee from the rampaging Horntail.
The weeks following the First Task passed surprisingly peacefully.
Classes resumed.
Homework returned.
Life at Hogwarts settled back into familiar routines.
Well...
As familiar as possible after Britain's newspapers dedicated nearly every front page to a dragon-riding fourteen-year-old, who himself could turn into a dragon at a moments notice.
The Daily Prophet alone published over a dozen different theories regarding Cassius' transformation.
Ancient bloodline related to the resurgent House Draconis, and Lady Draconis herself.
Some lost dark magic ritual.
Experimental highly dangerous transfiguration.
One particularly imaginative columnist insisted he must secretly be the heir of Merlin himself.
While most concluded it was some advanced form of the Animagus Ritual allowing a wizard or which to become a magical creature rather than a normal animal.
Cassius found the guesses amusing, while Grindelwald himself couldn't help but laugh at their plight.
In fact they had gotten one of the guesses right, but even if he revealed that, it wouldn't change anything.
Even if the ministry tried to come after him for his hidden 'animagus' form Cassius already had perfect cover.
He was afterall, already registered as an animagus, only his Animagus form which came as a surprise to even himself, Cassius assumed he'd be a serpent of some sort but when the moment came and the initial transformation happened, he turned into a Black Owl, looking almost identical to Nyx his very own owl save for his piercing green eyes.
Which besides the initial transformation he'd only performed twice, choosing to focus almost all his time on training his magicalmagus transformation
As for the ministry even when they tried to charge him with a hidden form, Lupin was there to step forward and cite the fact that Mr. Snape hasn't broken as rules, his animagus form is documented, and this new transformation is not a simple Animagus and therefor under the current rules of the ministry does not need to be documented.
Even then, the ruling on Animagus forms had been lessening in recent years, again thanks to the Arcanum.
Hundreds of witches and wizards both adult and student now had access to the required materials along with a complete guideline of how to perform the change.
Where before the transformation was viewed as deadly and secretive, it had almost become common.
To the point others would even ask the question of why aren't you an animagus.
The golden egg itself proved far less entertaining.
Late one evening Cassius quietly opened it within the privacy of the Chamber of Secrets, having Serephina cast a firebreath to heat up the water into his own personal hot tub.
The moment the latch clicked free underwater...
The familiar hypnotizing voice sang out, and echoed throughout the chamber.
He listened carefully.
Every word.
Every note.
Comparing it against the memories left behind from his previous life.
Nothing had changed.
The clue remained exactly as it had been.
The Second Task would still take place beneath the Black Lake.
The merpeople still held the key to that which he loved most.
Cassius quietly closed the egg.
"No surprises here."
Exactly as he'd hoped.
Only it did raise one potential problem.
Once Fleur found out the clue, and spread it to the other girls, whoever was taken would become a target, not to mention he himself would be bombarded with why's when it was found out just who among them he cared most about.
December arrived with surprising speed.
Snow blanketed the castle grounds.
Icicles hung from ancient stone arches.
The Great Hall transformed beneath countless enchanted decorations celebrating the approaching holidays.
Students eagerly discussed the coming of Christmas.
Presents.
Trips home.
Holiday feasts.
Then...
One Thursday morning...
Professor McGonnagal called all the year 4 students together.
After they had all been assembled and the professor stood before them, while Mr. Filch was busy meddling with a giant Phonograph behind her.
"The Yule Ball."
His eyes twinkled.
"...Has been a tradition of the Triwizard Tournament, since its inception. On Christmas Eve night, we and our guests, gather in the great hall for a night of well mannered frivolity."
Her eyes scanning the hundred or so students currently gathered.
As representatives of the host school, I expect each and everyone of you to put your best foot forward, and I mean this literally because, the Yule Ball… is first and foremost… a Dance.
Instant excitement exploded throughout the Hall.
Girls whispered excitedly.
Boys exchanged uncertain looks, some even shrinking back wanting to be absorbed by the chairs they were sitting on.
The professor didn't wait for the noise to settle down before continueing on with her speech.
"Silence! The houses of the great founders have commanded the respect of the wizarding world for nearly ten centuries, and I will not have you in the course of a single evening, besmirching that name by behaving like a babbling bumbling band of baboons."
This statement alone shut up many of the boys who still looked unsettled.
"To dance is to let the body breeze, Inside every girl, a secret swan slumbers longing to burst forth and take flight."
From the side Ron ever the slow one couldn't help himself from mocking one of the girls being hit the hardest with puberty, quickly being caught by the professor.
"Inside every boy, a lordly lion prepared to prance. Mr. Weasley."
"…yes?"
"Would you join me please."
Instant karma thought Cassius, and what came after was well deserved retribution.
A public shaming as Ron was made to dance with the professor in full view of all his classmates as they looked on, cheered and jeered.
After calling everyone together for practice, Neville, and Cassius quickly became popular as some of the only willing boys volunteering to dance and quickly finding out that they both actually knew how to dance properly as well.
Once the lesson was over, a final bombshell was dropped, and it came as a surprise to Harry who was hunkered off to the side avoiding contact with the girls, more than anyone else.
And it was the revelation that the three champions in this case four would be the first to dance, meaning he absolutely needed to get a date.
Cassius on the otherhand who'd been enjoying himself in this free class, suddenly felt a wave of dread, as if having forgotten the dread that was about to descend itself upon his house.
Grindelwald, seated several chairs away an official Triwizard coach allowed to follow his student around, looked positively delighted.
"Oh ho ho this should be entertaining."
The announcement reached House Draconis long before Cassius himself did.
By the time he entered the common room that evening after class...
Chaos had already taken over, as the three factions of girls had all but erupted into a civil war with each other and amonst themselves.
Thankfully not yet physically.
But he walked into what looked like a tactical meeting.
As a chalkboard was setup showcasing a tournament format and point system.
An advancement on their earlier 1-1 battle to determine seating arrangements or to and from rides upon the train.
But to be his formal date to the Yule Ball.
This was probably the biggest reward of them all.
And every single one of the girls wanted that prize.
Fluer off to the side with the Senior girls faction seemed most aggrieved.
She was indeed a senior but her own abilities at the moment paled in comparison to those years younger than her, and yet as a Triwizard champion herself she would also be required to have a date to this event.
If she couldn't secure the win and go with Cassius…
Who on earth would she take with her?
To go with another man other than her master… unthinkable… absolutely unthinkable, that would be a betrayal of him, a betrayal of the love she held for him.
Cassius chose not to intervene, this was honestly far better than he hoped for, and it could give a reasonable excuse for who gets picked when the second even comes to pass.
So settling into an armchair and diving into the little homework he had, Cassius simply watched on like a supplemental judge as the best of five, regional round robin tournament was underway.
The setup was to be spread over numerous days so that one had chances to adapt, and improve before their fate was sealed.