I really don't think "go horribly wrong" will end in the death of someone, because like the others have said, it seems to me simply too early for that, because they all still have their own roles to play.

 

Aimee's a good bet, especially considering Harry already has scored with her, over in TML.

I highly doubt Athena will die before we see... something, anything, resolve out of the plot with her.

Of course, someone may not die at all. I'm still in favor of a good mauling, and those aren't always lethal. =3

 

Paralysis, magical core burning out, blinded, limbs removed, brutalised by creatures...so many oppurtunities for devastation!

What about having one go insane? Horribly wrong doesn't just have to be physical.

 

Oh oh oh! I like insane! >=D Gibbering insane! Digging trenches into your flesh crazy! Ripping out your fingernails mad!

But no destroying the eyes, that's just fucked up. How will you be able to properly appreciate your work otherwise?

Though I suppose you could do interesting things with dragon claws and a hideous lingering death that would work off the olfactory end of things. Wonder if dying would be preferable to healing after you've had you colon ripped open...

 

I didnt seriously think he would kill Krum. I meant for that to show that I highly dislike Krum in the story and his death would make life so much easier for Harry if he was dead. I know that the odds are highly against Krum dieing.

 

who says it has to be a champion? Did jim say it was a champion?

My moneys on Neville... I dont think the author likes him too much based on his other stories.

Or maybe Hat looses its new body. I think we might see it weep if that came to pass

 

Meddle not in the affairs of dragons, for thou art crunchy and taste good with ketchup.

 

More partial to bbq sauce myself, though A1 is tasty too.

Ketchup just tastes odd these days.

 

No.
It shows he would risk being killed to see her. Shows he cares.
He would get pissed and end up hunting whoever got her killed.

 

Which would be the people who put on the tournament, right?

The one that she willingly entered and had no obligation to compete in?

 

Wait, back up.

How the hell can Cedric die from Voldemort? For Cedric to die doesn't that mean that he has to grab the Triwizard Cup and win the tournament?

I just don't see that happening.

 

Nor do I. HJP is far too much of a competitive head kicker to selflessly "Tie" the tournament.

 

What I was thinking, though I don't know if it will be Neville or perhaps just a dragon getting loose and mauling fans or something.

 

Hat loosing body wouldn't really be that tragic, HJ can still remake that.

I don't know about Neville, he already died a pretty hilarious death in To Fight the Coming Darkness, I seriously doubt he is going to repeat something like that.

Plus its pretty strange to see him die from a mauling dragon, but yeah I agree with the mauling dragon part though, but I can see the dragon killing off some of Harry's Slytherin enemies or something.

 

Looking at it, or should I say just randomly guessing, odds are it'll either be some of the fans or a person of great importance... sort of.

Ok, so the majority of them have been pointed out, but perhaps the families have been invited to watch a task or two before the final task? Makes a perfect oppertunity for Fleur to lose a relative, or some serious damage to be done/even more tension carved between the champions.

It's hard to say though, a Dragon breaking free... Charlie perhaps? *shrugs* I never was very good at guessing these things; I suppose we'll have to wait and see.

 

Oooooh, Charlie. That could be a possibility, especially because James remembers him being a kid. (Not to mention TML Harry is in pretty tight with Bill)

Ugh, someone said something else that I wanted to add my two cents to but right now I think I'm just overcome with the urge for

M04R

xP

-_- Its starting to feel like we're whipping an exhausted horse here.

 

LOL. Charlie death would be so random.

 

What if something HJ does, possible arrogant/fooling around and something happens to her? She goes in to a coma or something?

That gives a few chapters of interaction with the 'grieving, angry father' while HJ works with Poppy to develop miracle potion, Fleur has special ingredient/knowledge/experience.

I really don't want to see Cedric die, neither Neville! He's HJ's little bro remember? Perhaps simply injured by Malfoy... OH! OR the Twins. Which leads Harry to go crazy on them.

It combines both the need for an incident and a reason for asskicking.

 

"I really don't want to see Cedric die, neither Neville! He's HJ's little bro remember? Perhaps simply injured by Malfoy... OH! OR the Twins. Which leads Harry to go crazy on them."

Cedrick dying would not be so bad. I am all for it.

 

I'm waiting on the final draft of TML, but have been making great progress on Lie 17.

Here's a barely betaed tease from the middle of the chapter as HJ gets ready for the Dragon Challenge.

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The Hat's heavy footsteps shake the earth with long powerful strides as we head towards the Quidditch stadium. Poor Neville still jumps at nearly every step the construct takes. I've got dragons on the brain and ignore it. Depending on what they want us to do, there are several tactics I can try. I pass Fred and George taking bets on who finishes where in this challenge.

"How's the action, boys?"

"Bugger off, Potter."

So much for being nice, I look over at Hat and ask, "Do you want this one?"

It smiles, "It's almost beneath me, HJ - almost. You two gingers really need to develop a sense of humor. I doubt that slit one or both of you is wanking to will cover this set of debts!"

I sit back and watch the master at work. It starts below the belt and keeps right on going. They hate being poor every bit as much as Ron and their best efforts to get out of poverty have left them deep in debt to Alicia. Rumor is that Alicia dipped into her vault to pay off all the people Fred and George owed money to after the first few events.

"To think, you two worn out dildos think you're this generation's version of the Marauders! Potter's father ran this school and both of you put together wouldn't be fit to wash his semen-crusted underwear. It's just sad how things have gone downhill."

I study the board and ignore the Hat's jab at me. Krum is three to one to finish in first. Fleur and I are longer shots at five to one. The odds get progressively longer for the other contestants. "Your money isn't welcome here, Potter. Take your toy and move along. You're scaring away business."

"Please! Anyone who wanted serious action has already owled the Goblins. Are you finished, HJ? These minor leaguers are boring me. Maybe they'll sell lemonade at the next event - five knuts for a glass!"

We walk off leaving those two looking as stupid as ever. After a minute of laughing our way toward the stadium, Neville asks in a quite voice, "What's a dildo?"

The Hat looks down at me and says, "You handle this one, HJ."

------

Everyone makes a half-hearted attempt to feign surprise at the dragons. The amount of burn salve Poppy had me make over the last week would have been a clear tip off if I didn't already know. Fleur obviously told Aimee and I seriously doubt Karkaroff's ability to keep secrets. Hell, he rolled over on his Death Eater buddies, so odds are Krum and Manos know as well. The ladies all draw first. Fleur draws a Welsh Green, Athena faces the Hungarian Horntail, and Aimee gets to square off against the Ukrainian Ironbelly.

I draw first amongst the males, and pull out a replica of a Chinese Fireball. Krum gets to outwit a Norwegian Ridgeback, and Cedric draws a Swedish Short Snout. The dragon handlers went all out. Nearly every species of dragon is represented.

Bagman announces that all six are nesting mothers and there is a fake egg in amongst several other eggs. The object of this challenge is one of guile - to remove the false egg. The bonus is that the dragons are chained, so at least we don't have to worry about fleeing from a large, cranky dragon in a confined space.

I've brushed up on my dragons; the Fireball has the greatest range with its breath and is quick with its tail. Of the breeds, it is the most serpentine whereas the others are more lizard-like. It's a slow flier, but fast on land.

We're not going to be fighting in the air and I have no intention of getting close enough to its flames.

"You will each have ten minutes to remove the golden egg, which contains a clue to the next challenge. Should you not recover your egg in the allotted time, you will only have three days to discern the riddle of the egg, whereas your opponents will have almost a month. Good luck to you all. For this challenge we are starting in descending order. Naturally, that means Mr. Potter will be going first. We will send for you when the Fireball is position in the arena."

Going first is a surprise. I'd expected to go last. A glance at Dumbledore confirms his hand in it. Of course, so was everyone else. If someone planned to make mischief or have a go at me during this challenge, they'd be hard pressed to alter their plans on such short notice. He's a crafty one, that Albus Dumbledore - well played, sir.

Quickly, I run through all the contingencies I've prepared and a slowly allow a devious smile to grow across my face as I compose my solution. I know just how I'm going to handle this.

After all, a dragon's eyes aren't the only vulnerable point on its head.

Fleur paces nervously knowing she's up next. The other's are trying and failing miserably to get comfortable as they settle in for the wait. "Nervous?" I ask

"Of course," she snaps back. "Anyone with half a brain would be."

"I'm not."

Fleur glares at me and a slight smile crosses her face, "As I said - anyone with half a brain would be."

Wonders never cease! She's giving me a little cheek. This demands immediate retaliation! "You know something; we haven't had a side wager since the dueling tournament. How about it?"

"What are the terms?" Her competitive streak comes to the forefront.

"Highest score in this challenge wins. Loser, which will be you, buys lunch in Hogsmeade."

There's a predatory laugh preceding her reply, "Oh really, I have expensive tastes. Are you certain you can afford me?"

"Money is no object, especially when it is your money."

"What makes you certain that one of you will win? Dragons are nothing to me." Krum interrupts our witty and charming banter with his Neanderthal posturing.

Fleur looks over at him, "Very well, I can eat lunch off of Potter's coin and dinner from yours. It matters very little to me as long as I am not paying."

"You're right; having Krum buy me dinner would be a fitting way to end the day."

Krum gives an evil leer, "I do not like the food in Hogsmeade." He points at me, "When I win, you will serve me dinner onboard the ship." His finger rotates to the French witch, "and you will bring my breakfast to my private cabin."

"Always with the humiliation, eh Krum? I'm beginning to wonder about the skeletons in your closet. Still, I don't know if Igor would be all that keen at hosting me on your rowboat, again."

"As my guest, no harm will come to you, unless this frightens you."

"Fair enough, Viktor. Why don't you peel Igor's lips from your arse and tell him it's a deal?"

My quip earns a derisive snort of laughter from Athena, who immediately joins in the wager. Cedric holds his hands up and shakes his head while saying, "No thanks, I'll pass. I'm concentrating on getting by the dragon not trying to out do the lot of you."

Fleur tries to draw her best friend into it, "How about you, Aimee? So far, I have lunch, dinner, and tomorrow's breakfast taken care of at this rate I'll be too full to take part in classes on Monday morning."

"I'm with Diggory. I don't want to take my eyes off the prize. The rest of you can play your silly games, but victory will be mine!"

I honestly was just trying to make nice with Delacour, somehow this all evolved in the span of two minutes. "Okay the four of us are in and we've got two nervous nellies."

"What about external influences?" Athena asks a subtle reminder that these challenges haven't exactly been on the up and up thus far.

I reply, "If something happens and the champion wasn't involved, they're out of the wager. It's not like we're swearing oaths or offering up first born children here."

We hash out the rest of the details in an orderly fashion. I suspect that they drag things out a little thinking that they're disrupting my last minute preparations.

Finally, Percy Weasley sticks his head into the tent. "Harry, they're ready for you."

It's show time!

------