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Harry and Fleur approached the Forbidden Forest's edge. Seven Aurors stood at regular intervals along the perimeter. Harry spotted Tonks immediately; her bubblegum pink hair was rather hard to miss, even from a distance.
"Wotcher, Harry!" Tonks called out as they approached, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "And the lovely Fleur. What brings you two lovebirds to my incredibly boring guard post?"
Harry felt heat creep up his neck as Tonks's gaze traveled between them with obvious amusement. "We're not—I mean, we weren't—"
"Oh please," Tonks interrupted, her grin widening. "You've got that 'we just spent quality time together' look about you. Though I'm a bit jealous I wasn't invited."
Fleur stepped closer to Harry as she smiled serenely. "Per'aps next time, non? Though I must say, 'Arry 'as been quite... excellent lately."
Harry groaned, covering his face with one hand. "Can we not do this right now? There are six other Aurors within earshot."
"They're far enough away," Tonks said, lowering her voice conspiratorially. She leaned against a nearby tree, studying them both with interest. "So, Fleur, how does it feel being girlfriend number three? Or are you number two? I can never remember if Hermione or I came first."
"Technically, you all happened around the same time," Harry muttered, still mortified. "And can we please talk about literally anything else?"
Fleur laughed, a musical sound that made one of the distant Aurors turn his head before quickly looking away. "It feels wonderful, actually. 'Arry is very... attentive."
"Oh, I know all about his attention to detail," Tonks said with a wicked smile. Her hair shifted from pink to a deep purple. "Speaking of which, I wouldn't mind sharing that attention sometime soon. Maybe all three of us could... explore possibilities? I could change into anyone you'd like, or add some interesting features. Benefits of being a Metamorphmagus."
"Merlin's beard," Harry said, his voice strangled. "You realize you're supposed to be on duty, right? Professional Auror and all that?"
Tonks shrugged, unrepentant. "What Moody doesn't know won't give him another reason to yell 'CONSTANT VIGILANCE' at me." She paused, noticing Harry's expression had shifted from embarrassed to serious. "But you didn't come here just to let me tease you, did you?"
Harry glanced around, ensuring the other Aurors were still out of earshot. "We need your help with the first task."
"The tournament? Harry, you know I can't—"
"Not like that," Fleur interrupted quietly. "We need... private lessons. In somezing you are skilled at."
Tonks raised an eyebrow, and Harry could practically see the inappropriate joke forming in her mind. He cut her off before she could voice it.
"Occlumency," he said quickly. "We need you to teach us Occlumency."
For a moment, Tonks just stared at them. Then she glanced at her watch and back at the forest. "Right. This isn't a conversation for here. My shift ends in an hour—can you wait that long?"
Harry nodded. "Where should we meet you?"
"Remember that empty classroom on the fourth floor? The one near the painting of the drunk monks?" Tonks asked. At their nods, she continued, "Wait for me there. And Harry?" Her expression softened slightly. "Whatever you two have gotten yourselves into, we'll figure it out."
"Thanks, Tonks," Harry said, genuine gratitude in his voice.
"Don't thank me yet," she replied, her grin returning. "I might take you up on that threesome offer as payment for lessons."
"Why do I even try?" Harry asked the sky as Fleur laughed beside him.
"Because you love us," Tonks called after them as they began walking back toward the castle. "All three of us, you lucky bastard!"
Harry could feel his ears burning as they walked away, but he couldn't quite suppress the smile. Even facing nightmare creatures in a death tournament, somehow his biggest challenge remained managing his impossibly complicated love life.
"She is right, you know," Fleur said conversationally as they headed back. "You are quite lucky."
"Or completely mad," Harry countered. "Jury's still out on that one."
The empty classroom smelled of dust and forgotten lessons. Harry watched motes drift through the pale moonlight streaming through grimy windows as he and Fleur waited. Old desks were stacked haphazardly against one wall, and someone had drawn a rather unflattering caricature of Professor Binns on the blackboard, probably decades ago.
The door creaked open, and Tonks slipped inside, her hair now a professional brown. "Well, this is cozy," she said, surveying the room with amusement. "When you said empty classroom, I expected something less... abandoned. Planning to seduce me in this romantic setting?"
"It's private," Harry said, pulling out his wand to cast a quick cleaning charm on three chairs. "And unlikely to have anyone wandering by."
"Mm-hmm." Tonks settled into one of the chairs, and Harry noticed her eyes lingered on Fleur for a moment before she shook her head slightly. "Right then. Business before pleasure, I suppose. Though mixing the two is always more fun."
Fleur leaned forward, her silver hair falling over one shoulder. "What do you know about ze first task?"
"Honestly? Bugger all. They've been keeping it under tighter wraps than Fudge's toupée collection." She paused at Harry's snort of laughter. "I've tried asking around. Even cornered Hagrid yesterday, figured he'd let something slip. All he'd say was that it was 'the stuff of nightmares' and then he went all pale and mumbled something about needing to feed his lazy dog."
Harry exchanged a glance with Fleur. "We know what it is."
"Come again?" Tonks straightened in her chair. "How could you possibly—"
"We snuck into the Forbidden Forest last night," Harry admitted. "Under my invisibility cloak."
The temperature in the room seemed to drop several degrees as Tonks's eyes narrowed. "You did WHAT? Harry James Potter, are you completely mental? There are Aurors guarding that forest for a reason!"
"Yes, well, apparently not very well since we got past them," Harry said, then immediately regretted it as Tonks's hair flashed red.
"Do you have any idea how dangerous—" She stopped, taking a deep breath. "What did you find?"
"Noxlings," Fleur said quietly.
Tonks blinked. "Nox-what-now?"
"Noxlings," Harry repeated. "They're... nightmare creatures. If you get too close to them, they trap you in your worst fears. We got caught in their influence for hours. It felt completely real—the nightmares, I mean. Like being tortured by your own mind."
Tonks stared at them for a long moment. "You're telling me they're putting nightmare-inducing creatures in the tournament? The same tournament that's already killed multiple champions over the centuries?"
"Welcome to the magical world," Harry said dryly. "Where 'certain death' is apparently considered light entertainment."
"This is insane, even by wizarding standards." Tonks rubbed her temples. "And you want me to teach you Occlumency to protect against them?"
"Can you?" Fleur asked, a note of desperation creeping into her voice that Harry rarely heard.
Tonks sighed. "Look, I know the basics. Had to learn it for Auror training. But my technique is... unconventional. Being a Metamorphmagus means my mind works differently. My shields are more about constantly shifting mental landscapes than solid walls."
"Could Dumbledore teach us?" Harry asked, though he already suspected the answer.
"He knows it, probably better than anyone," Tonks admitted. "But he won't help you with tournament tasks. It's against the rules, and you know how he is about fair play."
"Even when someone clearly entered me against my will?" Harry couldn't keep the bitterness from his voice.
"Especially then. He'd see it as evening the playing field or some such noble nonsense." Tonks drummed her fingers on the dusty desk. "Snape knows it too. He's actually quite good at both Occlumency and Legilimency."
Harry barked out a laugh. "Oh brilliant. 'Professor Snape, would you please teach me Occlumency?' He'd throw a party just to celebrate the opportunity to refuse me. Probably cite seventeen different tournament rules while sneering about my father."
"My grand-mère knows both," Fleur offered hesitantly. "But she is seventy-one and lives in Marseille."
"So that leaves me," Tonks said. "The Auror who learned Occlumency by essentially making her mind too weird to properly invade."
"You're our best option," Harry said firmly. "Will you help us?"
Tonks looked between them, and Harry could see her internal struggle. Finally, she nodded. "Alright. But there are conditions. I can't help during my official duty hours—Moody would skin me alive. Evening sessions only, after my shifts."
"That works," Harry said, relief flooding through him. "When can we start?"
"How about right now?" Tonks stood, pulling out her wand. "Fair warning though-this might get uncomfortable. Legilimency means I'll see inside your heads. Your memories, your thoughts, potentially your feelings."
"Including our feelings about each other?" Fleur asked with a slight smile.
"Especially those," Tonks said, and Harry noticed her eyes drift to Fleur again before snapping back. "Try not to think about anything too distracting. I need to concentrate, and you're both far too pretty for my own good."
"Just teach us to keep the nightmares out," Harry said. "We'll worry about keeping you out of the fun memories later."
"Spoilsport," Tonks muttered, but she was already moving the desks to create an open space.
"Right then," Tonks said, pacing in front of them like a professor. "Occlumency isn't about emptying your mind completely—that's a common misconception. It's about organizing your thoughts, compartmentalizing memories, and building barriers between what you want to protect and what you're willing to show."
"Like filing cabinets?" Harry asked.
"More like... a house with many rooms," Tonks explained. "You can leave some doors open, lock others, and hide the really important stuff in a secret panic room. The key is learning to guide an invader where you want them to go, not where they want to go."
Fleur nodded thoughtfully. "And 'ow do we build zese rooms?"
"Practice, unfortunately. I'm going to use Legilimency on you...gently at first...and you'll try to redirect my attention or push me out entirely." Tonks pulled out her wand. "Fair warning: this can feel invasive. Some people describe it like having someone rifle through your underwear drawer."
"Wouldn't be the first time," Harry muttered, earning a snort from Tonks.
"Cheeky. Fleur, you're up first. Look into my eyes and try to think about something mundane. Your breakfast, maybe."
Fleur met Tonks's gaze steadily. "Legilimens."
The spell was gentle, barely more than a whisper, but Fleur's eyes widened slightly. After a moment, Tonks pulled back, blinking rapidly.
"Bloody hell," she breathed. "Was that your first allure manifestation?"
Fleur's cheeks pinked. "I was twelve. I did not know what was 'appening."
"Every boy in your vicinity just... stopped functioning?"
"Zey walked into walls," Fleur admitted. "One fell down ze stairs."
Harry tried not to laugh and failed. "That's actually impressive."
"Your turn, Romeo," Tonks said, turning to him. "Same thing, think about something boring."
Harry met her eyes, trying to focus on his Transfiguration homework. "Legilimens."
The sensation was odd, like having someone gently pressing against his thoughts. He saw flashes of memories: struggling with his Transfiguration essay, Ron snoring in the dormitory, Hermione lecturing him about proper wand movements.
Tonks pulled back after a few seconds. "Good. You're both relatively unguarded, but that's normal. Let's try again, but this time, when you feel me entering your mind, try to push back."
They practiced for several minutes, with Tonks making helpful observations. "Fleur, you're trying to slam the door, try redirecting instead. Harry, stop thinking so literally about walls. Your mind isn't made of brick."
"Could've fooled me," Harry said. "Ron says I'm thick-headed enough."
"Let's go a bit deeper," Tonks said, raising her wand again. "Harry first. Legilimens."
This probe was stronger, and Harry felt memories bubbling up unbidden. His cupboard under the stairs. Dudley's gang chasing him. Uncle Vernon's purple face screaming about freakishness. The hunger pangs from being locked up without food.
"What the..." Tonks's voice was sharp with anger as she pulled out of his mind. "Harry, what the hell was that?"
"Tuesday," Harry said flatly, trying for humor but missing by a mile.
"That's not funny. Those muggle bastards..." Her hair flashed through several violent shades of red.
"It's fine. I don't live there anymore."
"It's not fine!" Tonks's voice rose before she caught herself. "Sorry. Professional composure and all that. Let's try Fleur while I calm down before I accidentally apparate to Surrey and hex some muggles."
Fleur straightened in her chair. "I am ready."
"Legilimens."
This time Tonks pushed deeper, and Harry watched Fleur's face tighten with concentration. After about thirty seconds, Tonks gasped and stumbled backward.
"Merlin's pants! Was that boy having a...did he actually—"
"My first kiss," Fleur said with dignity, though her cheeks were crimson. "'E was sixteen, I was fourteen. Ze kiss lasted perhaps ten seconds before 'e made ze most ridiculous sound and... finished."
Harry couldn't help it...he burst out laughing. "Ten seconds?"
"It was revolting," Fleur said primly. "'E moaned like a wounded 'ippogriff and zen 'is pants—I could see ze stain spreading."
"The poor bastard," Tonks said, caught between horror and amusement. "Though I suppose kissing you would be rather overwhelming."
"I threw away ze dress I was wearing. It felt contaminated."
"Let's try a few more surface memories," Tonks said, raising her wand again. "I need to get a feel for how your mind organizes things before we try the harder stuff. Harry, eyes on me."
"This is starting to feel like a very invasive therapy session," Harry muttered.
"Oh, it's about to get worse. Legilimens!"
This time, Tonks navigated more smoothly through Harry's thoughts, and suddenly she hit something that made her eyebrows shoot up. The memory bloomed between them, three weeks ago, the Room of Requirement, transforming into an intimate French-inspired chamber with soft blue light.
"Oh my," Tonks breathed, still connected to his mind.
In the memory, Harry and Fleur had just entered the room after Beauxbatons' arrival. Fleur pressed him against silk cushions, her silver hair falling like a curtain around them. Her lips were urgent against his, and memory-Harry's hands tangled in her hair as she made soft, pleased sounds.
"Your 'ands," memory-Fleur gasped between kisses. "I 'ave been thinking about your 'ands for weeks."
Memory-Harry pulled her closer, and the kiss deepened considerably. Fleur's accent became thicker as she grew more passionate, whispering French endearments that made Harry's teenage brain stop working.
Tonks pulled out of his mind, her face flushed and her hair cycling through several shades of pink. "Well. That was... educational."
Harry covered his face with both hands. "I'm going to die of embarrassment."
"Don't be dramatic," Tonks said, though her voice was slightly higher than normal. "Though I have to say, Fleur, you've got some impressive snogging technique."
Fleur preened slightly. "I am French. We are raised to appreciate ze art of romance."
"Is that what we're calling it?" Tonks asked with a grin. "The 'art' of shoving your tongue down Harry's throat?"
"I was not shoving!" Fleur protested. "I was... exploring with enthusiasm."
"That's one way to put it," Harry said, still mortified. "Can we please move on?"
"Oh no," Tonks said wickedly. "Fair's fair. If I got to see Harry's perspective, I should see Fleur's too. For educational purposes."
"Zat seems unnecessary—"
"Legilimens!"
Tonks dove into Fleur's mind before she could properly prepare. She navigated through surface thoughts—choosing dress robes, writing a letter home, practicing spell work—before hitting something that made her pause.
The memory was from Fleur's room in the Beauxbatons carriage, late at night about a month ago. Fleur lay in her silk sheets, silver hair spread across her pillow, one hand pressed to her mouth to muffle any sounds while the other was busy beneath the covers.
In her mind, she was constructing an elaborate fantasy about Harry, his green eyes, the way he had looked at her when he had seen her kill those two worthless beings, powerful. Memory-Fleur's breathing quickened as she imagined what those hands might feel like on her skin.
"Mon Dieu," memory-Fleur whispered into her pillow. "'Arry Potter, what 'ave you done to me?"
Tonks yanked herself out of the memory so fast she nearly fell over. Her hair had turned a violent shade of magenta, and she was staring at Fleur with a mixture of awe and secondhand embarrassment.
"That was...you were...a month ago? You barely knew him!"
Fleur's face had turned an impressive shade of scarlet, but she lifted her chin defiantly. "I am a Veela. When we feel attraction, it is... intense."
"Intense?" Tonks laughed, slightly hysterically. "You were fantasizing about him like he was some kind of.."
"I saw 'im fight alongside me," Fleur interrupted with dignity. "It was very attractive. Ze 'eroism, not ze... other things I was imagining."
Harry looked between them, confused. "What did you see?"
"Nothing!" both women said simultaneously.
"Oh come on," Harry protested. "You saw me practically devouring Fleur's face, and I don't get to know what embarrassing memory of hers you found?"
"Trust me," Tonks said, "you don't want to know. Or actually, you probably do, but I'm not going to be the one to tell you. That's a conversation for you two to have... privately."
"Now who's being dramatic?" Harry asked.
"Right, moving on before this gets even more awkward," Tonks said briskly. "Let's try some defensive techniques. Harry, when you pushed me out earlier, what did you focus on?"
"Just... not wanting you to see," Harry said, grateful for the subject change. "It was instinctive."
"Alright," Tonks said, composing herself. "Let's try something more challenging. Harry, I'm going to push harder this time. Try to keep me away from anything you really don't want me to see."
"Define 'really don't want,'" Harry said nervously.
"Anything that would get you arrested or expelled," Tonks said cheerfully. "Ready? Legilimens!"
The attack was sudden and forceful. Harry felt Tonks rifling through his memories like a hurricane through a library. He saw himself walking up the path to his parents' cottage in Godric's Hollow. The destroyed house. The hidden basement beginning to reveal itself—
"NO!" Harry's mental voice roared, and he shoved with everything he had. Golden light flickered behind his eyelids as he forced Tonks out of his mind entirely.
Tonks staggered backward, eyes wide. "Bloody hell, Harry! That was...you actually did it! Proper Occlumency!"
"Lucky push," Harry panted, his heart racing. He'd nearly shown her the Holy Magic books. That would have been a disaster to explain.
"That wasn't luck," Tonks said, impressed. "That was instinct. Good instinct. Fleur, you ready for a proper go?"
Fleur nodded, her jaw set with determination.
"Legilimens!"
This attack was even stronger than Harry's. Tonks pushed deep, and Harry could see the moment she got close to something significant. Fleur's entire body tensed, her breathing quickened, and shadows of dark trees began reflecting in her eyes.
"Non!" Fleur's voice changed, becoming higher, fiercer, which made the hair on Harry's arms stand up. "GET OUT!"
Her hair began to shimmer and transform. Her fingernails lengthened slightly into talons, and when she stood, she seemed taller, more angular, more dangerous.
Tonks flew backward, hitting the wall with a thud. "Bloody fucking hell!"
The Veela features faded as quickly as they'd appeared, leaving Fleur looking drained but satisfied. "I apologize. My Veela side is... protective."
"Protective?" Tonks picked herself up, rubbing her head. "That was like being hit by a Hungarian Horntail having a temper tantrum. Remind me never to properly piss you off."
"So we made progress?" Harry asked hopefully.
"Progress?" Tonks laughed, though she still looked wary of Fleur. "Harry, you've got natural shields that just need refining. And Fleur has a bloody supernatural security system. With practice, those Noxlings won't stand a chance." She paused. "Though maybe warn me next time before you go all harpy on me?"
"Veela," Fleur corrected with dignity. "'Arpies are completely different."
"Right. Note to self: don't confuse the magical bird-women species. They get tetchy about it."
The Next Day
The next morning, Harry spotted Cedric Diggory leaving the Great Hall with his army of Hufflepuffs after breakfast. Perfect timing, the corridors were mostly empty as students headed to their first classes.
"Cedric," Harry called out, jogging to catch up.
The older Hufflepuff turned, his usual easy smile in place, the other Hufflepuffs around him sneared at the sight of Harry like he was a bed bug, but Harry ignored them and so did Cedric who told them to go along without him, a few hesitated, maybe thinking Harry was going to attack Cedric, but they eventually walked away after Cedric gave them a look, after they left, the older boy turned to face Harry.
"Harry. How're you holding up? This whole tournament business is mad."
"That's actually what I wanted to talk to you about." Harry glanced around, ensuring they were alone. "The first task."
"What about it?"
"Look, I can't tell you how I know, but it's Noxlings."
"Nox-what?" Cedric's brow furrowed in confusion.
"Nightmare creatures. They're from Scotland originally, but the really nasty ones—the ones they're using—they're different. If you get too close to them, they trap you in your worst fears. Not illusions or boggart-style fears. They make you live through actual nightmares that feel completely real."
Harry watched the color drain from Cedric's face. The older boy leaned against the stone wall, processing this information.
"Bloody hell," Cedric breathed. "And they're putting these things in the tournament?"
"Apparently someone thinks psychological torture builds character," Harry said dryly. "Or they're trying to kill us all."
"How do we fight them?" Cedric asked, and Harry noticed his hands were trembling slightly.
"Occlumency is your best bet. Mental shields to keep them from getting into your head in the first place. If you can't do that..." Harry shrugged. "Run fast and hope for the best?"
"Brilliant. Just brilliant." Cedric ran a hand through his hair, messing up its usually perfect arrangement. "I don't suppose you know anyone who could teach Occlumency on short notice?"
"Already working on that myself," Harry admitted. "But the basics are about organizing your thoughts, compartmentalizing memories. Think of your mind like a house...you want to be able to lock certain doors."
Cedric nodded slowly, still looking pale but determined. "Harry... why are you telling me this? We're competitors."
"Because the tournament's dangerous enough without going in blind. Besides, I was entered against my will. If someone wants me dead, I'd rather not have you, Fleur, or Krum as collateral damage."
"That's... surprisingly noble of you."
"Don't spread it around," Harry said with a slight grin. "I have a reputation as a glory-seeking attention hound to maintain, according to the Daily Prophet."
Cedric actually laughed at that, some color returning to his face. "Your secret's safe with me." He paused, then offered his hand. "Thanks, Harry. Really. I owe you one."
Harry shook his hand firmly. "Just try not to die. It would really put a damper on the school year."
"I'll do my best," Cedric said, managing a genuine smile. "Though with nightmare creatures, that might be easier said than done."
As Cedric walked away, presumably to hit the library for everything about Occlumency he could find, Harry felt oddly satisfied. At least now all the champions would have a fighting chance against whatever horrors awaited them.
One Week Later
One week of intensive Occlumency training had left Harry feeling marginally more prepared and completely exhausted. Now, standing with the other champions outside the transformed Quidditch grounds, he wondered if any amount of preparation would have been enough.
"Bloody hell," he breathed, staring at what used to be the Quidditch pitch.
Where the familiar stands and goalposts should have been, an enormous glass dome rose into the grey November sky. The structure had to be at least a hundred meters tall at its peak, its crystalline surface catching what little sunlight filtered through the clouds. Harry could see the audience already filling the modified stands that now surrounded the dome's perimeter, their faces a blur of excitement and anticipation behind the glass.
"Impressive, isn't it?" Bagman's voice boomed beside them, making Cedric jump slightly. "Took the Ministry's best ward creators three months to design! Completely impenetrable from the inside, with one-way transparency charms so the audience can see in but you won't be distracted by them!"
Harry's eyes tracked the shimmering layers of magic woven into the glass. He could identify at least a dozen different protective enchantments without even trying—shield charms, containment wards, something that looked suspiciously like a modified Unbreakable Vow threading through the structure's foundation. Whatever they were expecting to happen inside, they were taking no chances with the audience's safety.
Fifteen Aurors stood at regular intervals around the dome's base, wands drawn and ready. Harry spotted Tonks among them, her currently purple hair making her stand out. When she caught his eye, she gave him the tiniest nod of encouragement before returning to her professional stance.
"Champions!" Bagman called out cheerfully, as if they were about to participate in a fun party game rather than face nightmare creatures. "Gather round, gather round! Time to explain the rules!"
Harry moved closer, noting how Fleur positioned herself beside him. Her jaw was set with determination, though he could see the slight tension in her hands. Cedric stood on Harry's other side, pale but resolute, while Krum maintained his usual stoic expression that could have meant anything from confidence to constipation.
Near the dome's entrance, Harry spotted the tournament officials. Dumbledore stood calmly, though his blue eyes held none of their usual twinkle. Madame Maxime towered beside him, her face stern as she watched Fleur. Karkaroff kept shooting suspicious glances at everyone, as if expecting someone to cheat before the task even began. Fudge looked uncomfortable, fidgeting with his lime green bowler hat, while Barty Crouch stood rigidly, his face expressionless.
"Now then," Bagman continued, practically bouncing with excitement, "the rules are quite simple! You'll all enter the dome simultaneously through that entrance there." He pointed to a section of the dome that Harry could now see had a faint door-shaped outline. "Once inside, you'll find the interior has been magically expanded, it's roughly the size of four Quidditch pitches in there!"
"What exactly will we be facing?" Cedric asked, his voice steady despite his pallor.
"Ah, that would be telling!" Bagman winked, and Harry resisted the urge to hex him. "Part of the challenge is figuring that out for yourselves! What I can tell you is this: somewhere inside, we've placed four magical constructs that look exactly like you. Dead versions of you, to be precise."
"Dead versions," Krum repeated flatly. "Vhy?"
"Because your task is to find your own corpse and extract a specific memory from it!" Bagman announced with a big smile on his fat face, a face that reminded Harry of Vernon. "Each construct contains a memory crystal embedded in its skull. You'll need to extract it, any method you choose is acceptable, and secure it in one of these."
He held up four small crystal vials, each glowing faintly with a different color. Harry's was predictably green, Fleur's silver-blue, Cedric's yellow, and Krum's deep red.
"Once you have the memory secured, you make your way back to the entrance. First one out wins, of course, but points will also be awarded for style, efficiency, and how well you handle the... obstacles inside."
"Obstacles?" Fleur asked.
"The dome is populated with certain creatures," Bagman said vaguely. "Part of your task is identifying what they are and how to deal with them. They're called Noxlings, though I suspect none of you know what those are!"
Harry kept his face carefully neutral, noting that Cedric and Fleur did the same.
"Are these creatures dangerous?" Krum demanded.
"Oh, they won't kill you," Bagman said cheerfully. "Probably. The medical team is on standby just in case!"
"How reassuring," Harry muttered under his breath, earning a tiny snort from Fleur.
"Any questions?" Bagman asked. "No? Excellent! Take your vials and line up at the entrance. You'll enter on my whistle!"
Harry accepted his green vial, the crystal warm against his palm. As they walked toward the dome's entrance, he could feel the weight of hundreds of eyes on them from the stands. Somewhere up there, he knew Hermione would be watching, probably sick with worry. Sirius, too.
"Ready for this?" he asked Fleur quietly.
"As ready as one can be for facing living nightmares," she replied with dark humor. "At least we 'ave some idea what to expect."
They reached the entrance, spacing themselves out in a line. Krum stood on the far left, then Cedric, then Harry, with Fleur on his right. The door section of the dome shimmered more intensely up close, and Harry could feel the magic thrumming through it like a heartbeat.
"Champions at the ready!" Bagman's magically amplified voice echoed across the grounds. "On three! One!"
Harry gripped his wand tighter, forcing his breathing to remain steady.
"Two!"
He could feel his heart pounding against his ribs. Beside him, Fleur murmured something in French that sounded like either a prayer or a curse.
"THREE!"
The whistle shrieked, the dome's entrance dissolved into mist, and Harry plunged forward into green darkness.
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