Harry Potter and all characters, etc. belong to J.K. Rowling, not me.
More Important Than Any Broomstick - Chapter 31 - The First Task
The next morning came all too quickly for Harry. Even though he had a strategy for defeating the dragon, he was nervous. After their morning classes, he started walking to lunch with Hermione, Neville, and Ginny. Before they got to the Great Hall, Hermione told the other couple, "You go on ahead; we'll see you at the table."
Ginny winked and said, "If you get there in time for breakfast."
Neville said, "Make sure Harry can still think when you're done with him. He does have to battle a dragon today."
After they left, Harry said, "What's wrong? I know they just think you want to snog, but I can tell something's bothering you."
She looked uneasy, "I was just thinking that that Skeeter woman will probably be here today."
Harry looked concerned at his girlfriend. "I guess I should've realized that this would bother you. All of my life people have been saying bad things about me, whether it was the Dursleys calling me a freak or half the school calling me the heir of Slytherin. I guess I've gotten used to it. As long as you think well of me, I don't care what anybody else says. I'm sorry that she dragged you into this, and I'm sorry for being so insensitive to you. You felt you'd been publicly humiliated and all I had to say is not to touch the letters."
"I'm not mad at you, Harry. I'm mad at Rita Skeeter for all the lies she prints about people."
"Maybe we can sue her or the Daily Prophet for libel," said Harry.
"No you can't," said Hermione, "Some wizarding laws are barbaric! All you can do is challenge her to a duel, and I don't want you to do that."
Harry smiled, "A duel. That might be fun. It'd be good practice to fight a new opponent."
"Promise me you won't do that!" Hermione said.
"Mine, I love you, and I'm not going to promise that I won't defend your honor."
"But Hero…"
"Listen Hermione, if I'm willing to battle a dragon for Hogwarts' honor, what do you think I would be willing to battle for your honor?"
She turned pink and did her best not to smile at that statement. "Fine, let's not talk about dueling for a few minutes. I'd rather wish you good luck!"
With that said, she dragged Harry into the nearest broom closet and made him forget all about the dragon and Rita for a few minutes.
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Harry and Hermione walked hand in hand into the Great Hall and to the Gryffindor table, where Neville and Ginny had saved them seats. He had barely started eating when Professor McGonagall walked up to him and said, "You're late to lunch Potter. Where have you been?" When both Harry and Hermione started blushing at that question, McGonagall continued, "Never mind. You have five minutes to eat, and then I have to take you to the first task."
Harry shoveled food in his mouth as fast as he could without choking, while Hermione put more food on his plate to save time. Before he knew it, McGonagall was back, so he swallowed what was in his mouth and took one last drink of pumpkin juice, and left with his head of house. He noticed that McGonagall seemed beside herself with worry, saying things like, "Don't panic."
"Professor," Harry said, "Don't worry. I'll be fine."
"Yes, of course you will, Potter," she said, sounding a bit more relaxed.
Harry nervously went into the tent to be alone with the two people that wanted to break up his relationship with Hermione. Krum immediately started glaring at him. When he saw Fleur, she was facing the wall of the tent, hiding her face. Harry bit his lip to stop himself from laughing at her. When he finally did see her face, it was so covered in makeup that he hardly recognized her. He fought back the urge to suggest she wear a mask instead, because the makeup wasn't working. After a very uncomfortable silence, they were joined by Ludo Bagman, who told them they need to retrieve a golden egg. He had them pick a dragon model out of an egg. Fleur went first and got a Swedish Short-Snout with a `2' on it. Krum got a Chinese Fireball with a `1' on it. That left Harry to get the Hungarian Horntail with a `3' on it.
Viktor went first, leaving Harry alone with Fleur. This time however, she seemed far too nervous to flirt. She was pacing back and forth, until finally she was called, leaving Harry all alone. Harry put on his basilisk gloves once he was alone, and pulled out the hood of his basilisk shirt. He didn't want to take any chances. Now his only unprotected place was his face. He waited until he was called, and pulled out his wand.
He walked out into the enclosure, and ignored the crowd, instead looking at the horntail guarding its eggs along with the golden one. He decided to try summoning the golden egg, but to no avail. Obviously they'd charmed it not to respond to that, but Harry thought it was worth a shot. He decided to go through with his strategy.
He walked out loudly, getting the dragon's attention. The thing took one step away from the eggs toward Harry, who pointed his wand at the dragon's eyes and said the incantation for giving it the flu. The dragon then threw up, causing laughter and sounds of disgust from the crowd. He then gave the dragon a horrid stomach ache on top of the flu. It fell over, looking horrible, crying, and puking again. He then made it faint. He then walked around the dragon, making sure to avoid the mess, and grabbed the egg, earning tremendous applause from the crowd. He heard Bagman's voice saying, "Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived, has done it in two minutes flat! The other champions took at least ten minutes each!"
At that moment, five dragon tamers came to get the dragon cleared out of there, and Harry noticed Rita Skeeter in the crowd with a new quick quotes quill taking notes. He then decided what he needed to do. He pointed his wand at his through and said, "Sonorus," which he'd heard others do at the World Cup. "If you don't mind," he said loud enough for everyone to hear, "I'd like to take this opportunity to say something." The crowd got quiet, and Rita Skeeter looked excited. "Recently, Rita Skeeter put an article about me in the Daily Prophet that is entirely false." Rita frowned at this moment. He noticed Hermione looking at him with a worried expression on her face. "The only truth in the article is that I am dating Hermione Granger. It's not because of love potions or enchantments; it's for the same reason everyone should date someone, because we're in love." Hermione blushed at Harry's public declaration and many women in the crowd `awwed until Harry put his hand up and continued. "Neither of us has been unfaithful in our relationship. The pictures in the article of us with other champions only showed us sitting with them, not snogging them. In the muggle world, what she has done to ruin the reputations of both myself and Miss Granger is a crime called libel. In that world, the solution would be for the Daily Prophet to print a retraction and award the victims, both myself and Miss Granger, a substantial amount of money for our trouble. I would be happy with that arrangement. Unfortunately, in the wizarding world, when one's honor has been as blatantly attacked as ours has been, the only option is a wizard's duel. Therefore, in accordance with wizarding laws, I hereby challenge Rita Skeeter, who has insulted both my honor and the honor of someone I care about, to a duel in front of all of you as my witnesses."
At that moment, everyone who knew Rita Skeeter from her own picture in the Prophet was looking at her. She was completely pale at the thought that someone who had just bested a dragon in world record time had challenged her to a duel. If it weren't for all the people staring at her, she'd have probably attempted escape. Quickly thinking, she magically enhanced her throat and shakily said, "Er, I'm, er, sorry if my sources, er exaggerated things. What did you say the muggles do when this kind of, er, mistake occurs. I might be able to get the Daily Prophet to print a retraction."
Harry smiled and said (his voice still enhanced), "You really sound confident. I certainly trust your lies. I don't know why anybody reads the rubbish you write. I've never seen any article that I had other knowledge of where you told the whole truth. Yet the public, probably some of you people here today, have sent howlers, curses, and poisons to both myself and my beloved girlfriend because of what this liar writes. Hermione Granger, would you be my second?" Harry saw her nod and start making her way down from the stands. "We're waiting for you, Rita."
At this point Minister Fudge (who'd been watching the event even though he had no official duty here - he simply wanted to watch) stood up from the crowd. "Mr. Potter, you're too young to duel…"
Harry looked at the minister of magic in disbelief. "You just let me duel a dragon, sir, and now you're claiming I'm too young to duel a reporter." At this point, most of the crowd laughed, causing Fudge to frown as his ears turned red. "I'm curious why the minister of magic would want to get involved in this simple dispute. If you were really against duels, you'd have worked on making laws like the muggles have for this sort of situation." At that moment Hermione walked up to Harry and took his hand.
At that point Rita and Fudge exchanged a look that made Harry suspicious of what their relationship was. However, Harry wasn't about to challenge Fudge's honor at this time. Fudge, with a red face and neck, finally spoke, "The reason is that as Minister, it is my hope to see peaceful resolutions to disputes instead of violence. What will it take to get you to drop this challenge? Those muggle laws? What if I were to guarantee a retraction to appear in the daily prophet?"
"On the front page?" asked Harry.
"Er, I guess, yes, on the front page."
"And how much will myself and Miss Granger be awarded for our trouble?"
"Er, a hundred Galleons?"
"Five hundred Galleons, each!" demanded Harry.
"All right, all right!" said Fudge.
"Before Rita leaves, she'll show us her retraction, and keep working on it until we're satisfied with it. It will appear in bold letters on the front page of tomorrow's Daily Prophet. We'll expect those Galleons within seven days. If these terms are not met, then Minister, it will be you who has broken your word."
"Is that a threat?" asked Fudge.
"No Minister, just a statement of fact. If you don't keep your word, then that would mean you lied in front of everybody here. You may assume that I'll respond to that the same way I responded to Rita's lies."
"Fine!" said a now purple-faced Fudge.
The crowd then applauded even more loudly than they had when Harry handled the dragon.
-
A few hours later, after Hermione and Harry had pretty much written Rita Skeeter's retraction, they came into the common room to find a party already started, celebrating Harry's earning first place, with a ten from Dumbledore, Bagman, Crouch, and Madam Maxime. He got a two from Karkaroff, who complained that Harry had made the `poor dragon' ill.
The next day, Harry and Hermione were happy to see that the Prophet did print the retraction on the front page exactly as they had worded it. They were alone in the Room of Requirement relaxing when Hermione said happily, "Now we'll wait for Fudge to send the money. What are you going to do with yours?"
Harry smiled, "Give it to you."
"No, you can't!" she said, "I'm getting my share. Both of us were insulted in the article!"
"Hermione," said Harry, "What do I need the money for?"
"That doesn't mean it should go to me!"
"Maybe I can pay Krum to leave you alone," Harry joked.
"I can handle that thug on my own, thank you very much," chuckled Hermione. "There is something else I wanted to talk to you about."
"Really?" said Harry, moving closer to her, expecting a snog, "and what is that?"
"Your eyes," she said.
Harry chuckled. "You like my eyes?" he said, winking. "Ginny said they're as green as a fresh-pickled toad."
"Yes, Harry, I do like your eyes. But that's not what I mean. How far have you gotten in that first book from Professor Dumbledore?"
"The one that told how to make people sick," asked Harry. "About three-fourths through it. Why?"
"Because," said Hermione grinning, "One of the last spells in it talks about eyes. I think I can heal your vision so you won't need glasses."
"What?" asked Harry. "Let me see it!"
Hermione pulled the page up in her laptop, and Harry read it. "This looks complicated. Are you sure you can do it right?"
"Well, yes, I think so," she said, "I've been practicing it for about a week. I didn't tell you about it because you had enough to worry about with your dragon. I've been able to repeat the incantation perfectly several times now. According to the book, if no mistake is made, the patient will be blind for one hour, and then will have perfect vision. If the caster makes a mistake, the patient will be blind for one week, and then their sight will be worse than it was. After that, the spell can be attempted once more. If that attempt doesn't go perfectly, the patient will be blind. It's completely up to you, Harry."
Harry thought for a minute. "We'll try it once. If something goes wrong, I'll get new glasses after spending a week skipping class. But I have confidence in you, Mine. If you've been studying the spell, then I know you'll get it right."
Hermione blushed a bit. "I hope you're right. We'd better make sure no one can disturb us." She magically sealed the room even more than its own enchantments did. Then she said, "Let me have your glasses." He took them off hesitantly and handed them to her. She pointed her wand at his right eye and recited a long Latin incantation, and then pointed her wand at his left eye and did the same. When she was finished, she said, "How do you feel, Hero?"
"Aside from the fact that I can't see, I feel fine. But it is scary being blind. Is there any way to know whether it's going to work?"
"No, I'm sorry," she said. "But I believe I can take away your anxiety for an hour," she said, and leaned into him and started snogging him passionately."
They continued snogging for a full hour until finally Harry pulled away and said, "Hermione, I can see you! You look even more beautiful than ever before! I think I needed new glasses before we did this!"
Hermione beamed. "With both eyes?" she asked.
Harry winked one of his emerald eyes, and then the other at her, grinning broadly. "Yes, I can see perfectly with both eyes!" and he grabbed her and began a new snogging session.
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Please review. Wouldn't it have been mean to end the chapter while Harry was still blind?
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