Disclaimer: Harry Potter and it's fantastic characters are owned by J.K. Rowling. This is a free and fun based Fan Fiction.

AN: So here is another week to the month of December! I hope all my readers are looking forward to this months holidays! (I am!) In any note this is the training arc chapter and guess what! First Task is in the next chapter! Isn't that exciting?! But be warn, the first task isn't dragons so look forward to it! Sorry for the chapter is very short and could be put in with the First Task chapter but I wanted that chapter to be a stand alone chapter. Sadly the author of this series happened to have real life things come into play which got in the way. The next chapter will be posted most certainly sometime next week! For those who want to read more are more then welcome to head over to my other fanfiction called 'Most Everlasting'. It's another fanfiction I just posted a new chapter on and I believe you folks would enjoy it!Like always I love your reviews and please keep reviewing! Enjoy reading.

*Edited because the next chapter is next week!

Chapter 7

"New Friendships and Understandings"

Nervousness was an understatement to Fleur. Her very heart was pounding in her chest with each step she took towards her cause of anxiety. Before she could think this was a horrible idea, she already arrived at her destination. Looking around she noticed no one was around either the garden or the tent of the person she wished to speak to.

" 'E-It?"

Softly speaking out towards to tent to make sure no one was in there, she tried a bit louder this time.

"'It!"

Getting no response did the flutter in her chest calm down and a sigh released from her lips. Feeling depressed that all her efforts were now gone to waste, she turned around to return to her dorm but stopped in her tracks.

"Hey... Fleur... Can I call you that? Or do you prefer Ms. Delacour?"

A shy Harry Potter rubbing the back of his head with one hand and looking away shyly entered her view. The very action of the boy showing up out of nowhere caused her to fall to the ground on her behind. Surprised at a sudden thumping sound did Harry pulled his gaze towards Fleur. A worried expression on his face as he offered a hand to the fallen girl.

"Are... You okay?"

Watching his features turn from shy to concern caused Fleur to only think of one word and one word only.

'Cute...'

"...?"

Snapping out of her dream-like trance did she realize that was she was staring intently at the boy. His features now more visible to her with his face hovering just above her. Shocked and embarrassed did she finally take his hand and got up from the cold ground. Backing away a few feet did Fleur dust off the dirt from her clothes and cough softly into her hand to hide her embarrassment.

"Zes.. Zes um... What did you ask me again?"

Slightly taken back did Harry resume rubbing the back of his head again.

"I asked if it was okay to call you Fleur... If that is okay with you?"

"A' yea'! Zes! You can call me Fleur."

Silence soon followed and both of the teenagers looked away from each other. Soon a small laugh escaped into the atmosphere causing Fleur to pull her head back to Harry. A grin escaped from his face as the laugh started to get more loud till finally he doubled over and held his stomach with his arms. Feeling her heart drop did Fleur expression crumple. Feeling his fit finally settled down did he wipe a small tear from his eye. Looking up from his position changed his expression back to concern.

"Oh Fleur! Sorry! I wasn't laughing at you. I just... Haha I am usually never like this. Nervousness isn't like me."

"Oh ..."

Running a hand through his hair did he slap his cheeks and shook his head. Fleur flinched at his actions but was more surprised at his next. A single hand was held out to her. This hand was connected to the boy she was crushed about.

"Sorry let's do this again. My name is Harry, Harry Potter. I am your assistant and I look forward to working with you."

Grabbing his hand softly did Fleur shook it softly. Giving a small smile to Fleur caused her to smile in return.

"My name zis Fleur Delacour. I am zis champion you will be working wit'! Letz win this tournament zes?"

Liking her change of attitude did Harry brighten up. It was time he got out of his shell and moved on. And this was the start.

/Squib\

A few days had passed since Harry and Fleur started to work together as a team finally. Since both of the teenagers knowledge of the first task was limited, they opted to going over the many spells that Fleur had under her belt while Harry explained that he might be able to help out with anything magical creature related. This went on for a few days till the wand weighing commenced. Harry himself didn't need to attend the wand weighing so he focused more on his duties while Fleur attended the ceremony. The very next day Harry wondered why Fleur seemed peeved at the very mention of the wand weighing. The next few days after that Harry tried his best to be on Fleur's good side. Fleur herself changed over course of time. She stopped acting shy over time and interacted with Harry more. The two of them spent more time each day going over their plans for the potential first task. It wasn't until a couple weeks before the first task did Fleur discover what the first task would be.

"It was just riddle?"

Harry gave a question of disbelieve that Fleur's headmistress would only be told a riddle instead of what the task itself contained. Fleur herself shared the same look Harry was giving her.

"It was just a riddle 'arry. Zhe zaid it was the only thing zhe was told. Apparently they are keeping everything under lock."

Harry pondered for few moments after hearing her explanation. It made sense since the tournament contestants were supposed to figure out everything themselves without any help from an outside source. The fact that her headmistress told her the riddle was considered cheating as it was.

"Okay... I get it. Go over the riddle one more time?"

"

Sand and time are the same in rhyme

Time flies while sand dries

Slithering creatures never leave the same place twice

Something precious that someone hides

Out it goes before it dies or something will haunt the night

"

After finishing the riddle did Harry interpret the first line.

"Sand and time are the same in rhyme... Does that mean they have to deal with each other?"

"Zeems possible 'arry. Also time flies while zand dries makes it zound like there's a time limit no?"

"So there is a limit to how much time we have to complete the task. Slithering creatures could be many things... Snakes is the only thing that comes to my mind."

"Zomething precious that zomeone 'ides zounds like treasure."

"But if it dies something will haunt the night... So the treasure is a living thing but if it dies... something will come out?"

"It zis what it zeems."

Harry put the pieces together in his mind and drew up a conclusion. He thought it wasn't possible but going over the riddle in his mind it was worth a chance to jump it.

"I think we have to find a treasure buried underground and bring it back to the surface with a time limit. The treasure lives and can be killed while underground but if it dies then something comes out. Guessing the something is a thing we don't want coming after us so let's try our best to keep the treasure alive."

"Zounds like the zmartest plan 'arry.'

"That's if the riddle is exactly my answer. If it is then this is troublesome. Moving live things depends on the situation and if it's a magical creature that is prone to die then it would be even harder to take it to the surface."

"Then that zis what we do no? If it zis underground then zpells for light might be required. Protection charms for the living treasure will be in order."

"You might be right Fleur but don't put away your offensive hexes just yet. We might need the severing charm and cutting curse just in case we need to fight anything."

"Oui! Most certainly zo 'arry. zhall we get started?"

"Indeed."

The next few weeks continued on with the two working polishing Fleur's hexes and charms. Even though Harry had no practical practice of magic he still had the fundamentals of theory behind the magic. This helped Fleur immensely with his guidance but she herself questioned why he knew so much of the theory of magic. Harry explained growing up in a magical school tends to make one learn the inner workings of magic with professors raising them from a young age. He spent countless years studying different types of theories and magical creatures even though he himself couldn't use the magic. He was just glad that the knowledge he obtained was of use. Before they knew it the day of the first task came upon them.

/Squib\

The sun brushed against her already worried face as the mornings rays didn't calm down her anxiety. Fleur had stayed up the entire night before the day of the first task and was worried about it. Today was the day that not only her but her best friend and the boy she didn't want participating compete in a dangerous tournament meant to challenge those who enter. Said tournament is what killed people in the past due to the participants arrogance. The lack of sleep wasn't a good thing for the up and coming events but she couldn't help it. The sudden knock of her door caused her to jolt from her position and her wand ready to attack what was making the sound. Her friend Clara opened the door like it was an usual occurrence and stopped short before the wand that threatened to cut her in half.

"Whoa Fluer! Wand away! It's me Clara! You know your best friend?"

Realizing that it was Clara did Fleur drop her wand and her expression softened but then turned to annoyance at her sudden intrusion.

"What is it Clara?"

"Just dropping into get you to breakfast. We first eat before we head off to the first task."

She now noticed the time on her alarm clock and cursed softly. It was getting closer to the first task and she wasn't even ready for it yet. Sighing deeply she got up from her bed and removed her night gown. Clara whistled at her friends actions which caused Fleur to glare at her. Putting her hands up in defeat did Clara turn around and head towards the door.

"I'll be waiting out side then."

"Just go on ahead Clara, I will meet you at the great hall."

"Oh going to go see your boyfriend first are you? So naughty Fleur!"

Fleur cursed at her friend in a string of french while pillows flew over Clara's head as she escaped giggling. Once the door was shut did Fleur herself felt lighter then she did moments ago.

/Squib\

Even if he could sleep Harry would have done it now. Instead he attended to all the animals in his sanctuary the night before. He was happy to see all the old creatures he world with from the Fwooper one of the professors tried to keep as a pet to the smallest Flobberworms he experimented at the age of nine. The Flobberworms themselves were only tested if their mucus differed on the size or mass of the Flobberworm in different conditions. But to his results no matter the size of the weight of a Flobberworm either increased or lost didn't change the amount of mucus it produced. He soon scrapped the project and kept them as small pets before Hagrid drunkenly sold them to a random bloke in a tavern. The very next day however Hagrid convinced the professors to give the Fwooper to Harry for his missing pets but even that was taken away due to students going crazy on the way to their class.

He was finished with his task when his alarm clock rang. It was time for him to go to the great hall and eat breakfast with the rest of the staff. He sighed deeply as his slid down to the ground with his back be supported by the gate door. He wasn't ready for the first task at all but he had confidence in his plan. He failed to mention the creatures or his sanctuary to Fleur but if he needed it for the first task then he will use them. But at the moment he doubted he ever needed to use it for the first task. Getting up from the ground he freshened up in the bathroom and left his sanctuary. Little did Harry knew that his creatures and sanctuary would be the very core reason for the pair to past the first task.