Thick Of It

The day of the first task of the Triwizard Tournament had arrived, and the air around the Hogwarts grounds buzzed with excitement. The crowd was gathering, the champions were preparing, and Harry Potter was making his way to the champions' tent, flanked by none other than Jason Bourne.

The two walked in stride.

Jason: "So, I hear you've got to face a dragon today. Casual stuff, you know."

Harry: [turning to Jason, startled] "How do you know? And why didn't you tell me?"

Jason: [smirking] "Harry, you forget my little hobby of wandering about at night. Hagrid was practically crooning to those dragons like they were oversized puppies. Besides, And knowing Hagrid I figured you already knew."

Harry: [sighing] "Yeah, I knew."

Without warning, Jason reached over and gave Harry a solid slap on the back of his head.

Harry: [rubbing his head] "Hey! What was that for?"

Jason: "That's for trying to guilt-trip me. Very sloppy technique, Potter."

Harry: [groaning] "Sorry. Wasn't my intention. It's just... people seem to be avoiding me, and I'm on edge."

Jason: [his tone softening] "Don't be sorry. I get it. People can be idiots sometimes."

Harry managed a small smile, grateful for the support.

Harry: "Hey, Jason, I heard about you not wearing one of those badges and giving that speech in Ravenclaw. Thanks for that."

Jason: [grinning] "Hey, that's what friends are for. Besides, the 'Potter Stinks' campaign wasn't exactly a smear campagne."

Harry: [sighing again] "I just wish others could understand."

Jason: [shrugging] "Hey ,Ron's just blinded by his own insecurities. He'll come around. You know how he is—thick as a troll sometimes, but his heart's in the right place."

Harry: "I hope so."

Jason stopped walking, turning to Harry with a serious expression.

Jason: "Look, right now, you need to focus. Ignore what the teachers and everyone else are saying about you competing. You always have the option to step back, but if you do decide to go for it, don't hold back. Half-assing things leaves you stuck in the middle with no clue what to do next. Take control—it's your life."

Harry looked thoughtful as they approached the tent. Hermione was already there, pacing nervously.

Hermione: "Harry! Oh, God, remember—the key is to concentrate and—"

Harry: [interrupting with a grin] "Battle a dragon."

Hermione, visibly worried, pulled Harry into a hug.

Before the moment could get any more heartfelt, the sound of a camera clicking cut through the air. The three turned to see none other than Rita Skeeter, her quill poised and a sly grin plastered across her face.

Rita: "Young love... how stirring."

Jason, not one to waste time, whipped out his wand and cast a quick spell.

Jason: "Accio misfortune!"

Rita's camera sparked and fizzled, completely ruined.

Jason: [deadpan] "How… unfortunate."

Rita's face twisted in outrage.

Rita: "You little—"

Cameraman : " It's you again ."

Before she could finish, Sirius Black appeared, striding over with Dumbledore, the other headmasters, and Barty Crouch Sr.

Sirius: "Now, now, Miss Skeeter. Choose your words carefully."

Rita turned to Dumbledore, clearly expecting backup.

Rita: "That boy damaged my property!"

Sirius stepped in again, his expression one of mock innocence.

Sirius: "Oh, he's just a child. Must've slipped. Young, dumb, and full of bad aim, you know? Don't worry, I'll compensate you."

The headmasters exchanged amused glances, clearly enjoying Rita's discomfort.

Dumbledore: [calmly] "Mr. Bourne, Miss Granger, please head to the stands. Mr. Potter, come with us. The tournament is about to begin."

Jason and Hermione wished Harry good luck before leaving the area. As they walked off, Rita sidled up to Sirius, attempting to press her luck.

Rita: "About that compensation, Mr. Black—"

Sirius: [cutting her off with a smirk] "Take it out of the profits from all those articles you've printed about me and Harry. I'm sure they've sold wonderfully. Should cover your camera and then some."

Rita was left spluttering as Sirius turned and followed the group into the tent.

From the stands, Jason and Hermione found their seats, Hermione still fretting.

Hermione: "Do you think Harry will be okay?"

Jason: [leaning back, smirking] "If he's not, I'm sure we'll hear the dragon's commentary soon enough."

Hermione groaned, and the two settled in as the first task of the Triwizard Tournament began.

Sitting in the stands with his friends, Jason couldn't help but be amused at the variety of reactions around him. Ron sat to his right, nervously chewing on a piece of licorice wand, while Hermione, on his left, looked ready to leap into the arena. 

Fred and George, were at their usual antics.

Fred: [grinning] "Place your bets, folks! Who will survive? Who'll come out missing a limb? Jason, how about you?"

George: "Yeah, Jason, seeing as you ruined our sticker business, the least you could do is contribute to the economy."

Jason leaned back, his face a picture of nonchalance.

Jason: "Alright, 50 Galleons on Potter. Alive, intact, and kicking."

George: [chuckling] "Bold. We'll happily take your money. Alive? Sure. Intact? Highly unlikely."

Hermione's jaw dropped.

Hermione: "Jason, are you mad? That's too much money!"

Jason: [shrugging] "Relax, Hermione. I'm confident in Harry. Plus, it's not like I'll actually lose."

The task began, and Cedric Diggory was up first. He approached his dragon, the Swedish Short-Snout, with steady determination. Using his agility and clever transfigurations, Cedric managed to retrieve the golden egg with minimal fuss.

The crowd erupted into cheers, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff students nearly deafening with their shouts of support.

Jason: [nudging Jason] "How do you think you would do against that thing?"

Ron: "Not good, mate. I can already see myself tripping over my own robes."

Next up was Viktor Krum. The Bulgarian Seeker mounted his broom and showed exactly why he was a professional. Flying circles around the dragon, he distracted it with precision maneuvers and grabbed the egg mid-dive.

Ron: [practically swooning] "That was brilliant. Absolutely brilliant! Did you see that?"

Jason: [mocking] "Alright, Ron, calm down. Hope you're not catching feelings for Krum. Swinging that way's fine, just let me know."

Ron: [turning red] "No, Jason! I just think he's—he's a good flier, that's all!"

Hermione: [rolling her eyes] "Boys."

Next came Fleur Delacour, who gracefully approached her Welsh Green. With a flick of her wand, she charmed the dragon into a deep sleep and walked away with the egg.

Hermione: [impressed] "Her charm work was impeccable. Very efficient."

Talia: [sighing wistfully] "I wish it were me down there. Competing against dragons, showing off my skill..."

Jason: [grinning] "Knowing you, Talia, you'd probably charm the dragon and fly away on its back."

Finally, it was Harry's turn. Jason leaned forward slightly as Harry entered the arena, looking pale but determined. He hesitated briefly, contemplating giving up, but something in his face shifted as he mounted his broom.

The Hungarian Horntail roared, and Harry took off like a shot, leading the dragon into the skies. It was a chaotic dance of fire and near-misses, but Harry's strategy paid off. He lured the dragon into a mountain valley, using the terrain to outwit it, and snatched the golden egg.

The crowd roared, their cheers echoing through the stands.

Jason: [grinning at Ron] "Well, how do you feel now, Ron?"

Ron: [shaking his head in disbelief] "He's mental. Absolutely mental. If he entered this willingly, he's got a death wish."

Jason: [standing up] "Well, I need to go collect my winnings. Hermione, coming?"

Hermione: [smiling] "Absolutely. I want to see Fred and George's faces."

As Jason made his way to Fred and George, Ron stayed behind The stands buzzed with energy, students chattering excitedly about the day's events. Jason couldn't help but chuckle as he approached the twins, his steps confident.

Fred: [groaning, handing over the money] "Alright, Jason. You win this round."

George: [grinning despite himself] "Next time, we're rigging the odds."

Jason: [pocketing the Galleons] "You'd better. I could use the challenge."

Hermione laughed as they walked away, leaving Fred and George behind .