III

DEATHNOTELY HALLOWMESTUCK
Friendship is Wizardry

Chapter 3: Arm Summoning

The reader is surely familiar with the establishment located at Number 12 Grimmauld Place. Historically, it has been the living residence of the Black family, and is the home of many family heirlooms. It is entirely undetectable by non-magical humans, and extremely hard to detect by most magical ones. Indeed, it is the perfect hiding place for wizards and artifacts alike.

It just so happens that there was one of both currently hiding in this establishment. The wizard who lived here was the last living member of the Black family, Sirius Black; and the artifact that was hidden was a locket originally worn (and presumably made) by Salazar Slytherin.

The locket has an intense history, but to make a long story short, it was stolen from its original hiding spot by one Regulus Black, who used his dying breaths to ask his house-elf, Kreacher, to bring it back to the Black House and destroy it. As he had been unable to, Kreacher ended up punishing himself greatly, but he sill kept the locket in a safe place, until he could find a way to do so.

It just so happens that, a couple seconds after Tom Riddle's name was written for a second time in a certain notebook, Sirius Black was walking by the glass case that held the locket, when suddenly the locket swung open, revealing a deep brown eye.

"Kreacher!" called Sirius, as the house-elf Apparated next to him. "What the hell is this thing?!"

Kreacher, who of course recognized the locket very well, grabbed Sirius's arm and began pulling him away, his eyes widening. "It's nothing," he said, "You'd better just leave it alone."

Sirius didn't struggle, but he looked back at the locket, sure Kreacher was lying to him. The eye was crying tears of blood.

"What the..."

And then, with no warning whatsoever, the locket and the glass case containing it shattered into a million pieces, sending glass shards and debris flying everywhere. Sirius ducked for cover as Kreacher Apparated out of the way.

Sirius winced as he felt several glass shard cut into his skin, one of them flying across it, leaving a long cut. Fortunately, there was nothing too deep, the wounds could easily be healed.

"Kreacher!" he shouted, the elf appearing next to him again. "What the hell was that?!"

"That," said Kreacher, "Means I have finally fulfilled my master's work."

"Kreacher, I'm your master."

"Yeah but you're a huge bi-"

Ludo Bagman had had a nasty cough ever since he had drunk from the Goblet of Fire. However, he was convinced it was merely a common cold, and entirely unrelated to the sugary drink that the Goblet had mysteriously filled up with.

Until, of course, one night in which, during a particularly violent coughing fit, he hacked up a small slip of paper. Eyeing it curiously, he wiped the mucus off onto a handkerchief, trying to make out the words.

John Egbert.

That was odd. Bagman was certain there was nobody at Hogwarts, Durmstrang, or Beauxbatons named John Egbert. What on earth could this mean? Was the goblet defective? That could explain why Harry's name came out of it.

Ah well, no backing out of it now. If this Egbert kid surfaced, he'd have his own place in the tournament just like all the others. With a shrug, Bagman stuffed the slip of paper in his pocket and went right back to sleep.

When he woke up, his cough had been miraculously relieved.

As the days went by, Harry had more and more things to worry about than just the arms. First there was Sirius, who of course had told him about the exploding locket. Then there was Ron and his jealousy. And of course, there was the reveal that the First Task would somehow involve dragons.

"Just look at this beauty," Charlie had said, motioning to a sleek white dragon, its burning red eyes glazed over from the tranquilizer. "A brand new species, discovered her myself. She's extra feisty, this one, even worse than the Hungarian Horntail. Feel sorry for the poor champion who has to face her."

"Wow," said Hagrid, gazing at it in wonder. "Such beautiful white scales. D'you think all of her kind are this color?"

"It's hard to say," said Charlie. "Judging by the red eyes, I think she might be albino. But trust me, she is anything but delicate."

The dragon snorted out a large puff of smoke, causing several of the dragon handlers to scream and scatter.

"What're you thinkin of callin her?" asked Hagrid. "Her species, I mean?"

"I'm not sure," answered Charlie. "I feel almost like whatever I come up with would be wrong, you know?"

"Yeah, I see what you mean," Hagrid nodded. "Gotta be something that's fittingly beautiful."

Charlie nodded. "So hey, how's Harry?"

"Fine," said Hagrid, suddenly noticing the large group of dragon eggs that the handlers had gathered.

Harry decided he'd better leave before they started talking about him for an extended period of time.

Throughout the next few days, Harry tried to figure out a way how to deal with the dragons. After getting some hints from Sirius and Moody, he'd managed to formulate a plan. As such, he and Hermione had spent every free hour they could manage in empty classrooms, trying to master the summoning charm.

"Harry, I really think you've got it!" Hermione said delightfully.

Just then, Harry noticed a pale white arm behind Hermione.

"Hm," he thought out loud. "I wonder..."

"Oh?" asked Hermione. "Wonder what, Harry?"

Harry raised his wand and shouted, "Accio arm!"

Hermione sighed as the arm behind her disappeared. "You're still going on about the arms? Harry, please, concentrate. We're trying to prepare for the first task, remember?"

"Shshshshsh," shushed Harry. "It'll be here any time now..."

There was a long silence.

"Harry, I really don't think-"

Just then, she was cut short by the arm suddenly appearing right in front of them.

"Harry!" she gasped. "Harry, it's the arm!"

"Yes," said Harry.

"It actually exists!" she said just as it disappeared. "It actually disappears like you said!"

"Yeah," said Harry, "I know."

"I'm so sorry for not believing you!"

"It's okay. I think if it went on for this long, I wouldn't believe me either."

"So what now?"

Harry shrugged. "I finally got you to believe me. I'd say that's good enough for now."

The next day, it was finally time to compete in the First Task. The champions left their classes in the middle of the day, and went into a tent to prepare for the First Task. There, Ludo Bagman explained to them what their task was, and took out a bag, which they would reach into to decide which dragon they would face.

"Ladies first," said Bagman, offering the bag of dragons to Fleur.

Fleur reached in and pulled out a tiny, silvery-blue dragon with long pointed horns - the Swedish Short-Snout. It had a number one around its neck.

Bagman then held out the bag to Krum, who pulled out a red dragon with a fringe of golden horns around its neck - the Chinese Fireball. It had the number two around its neck.

Cedric put his hand in the bag, and pulled out a large black dragon that was more lizard-like than the others - the Hungarian Horntail. It had the number three around its neck.

Harry gulped. He knew what was left. Out came the unnamed dragon - long and sleek and deathly white. Its eyes burned red-hot, like tiny, tiny suns. It had the number four around its neck.

An arm, as white as the dragon, appeared and petted the tiny model dragon. It made a sound like purring. Harry looked up. Nobody had noticed.

Harry was the last one in the tent. He tried not to listen as Cedric tried to get past the Hungarian Horntail. Whatever he was doing, it sounded very painful.

Just then, a pale white arm appeared beside him. It raised a hand, its palm facing him.

"What?" he asked.

The arm stood still, as if waiting for something.

Harry shook his head, unsure what it could possibly want. He remembered his previous theory that the arm could be Voldemort's. Was he planning something for this tournament?

Harry heard the roar of the crowd outside and the whistle signifying that Cedric had caught his egg. It was his turn.

Harry got up and took a deep breath. He stepped outside the tent. It was much more windy than it had been when he had stepped into it earlier.

Bagman's announcements were nigh-unintelligible in the incredible winds. Harry doubted he would've been able to hear them anyways, his heart was pounding so hard.

He walked into the enclosure, the roar of the crowd even louder than the intense winds. The dragon's roar was even louder. It curled around its eggs, breathing a puff of flame so hot, it burned out his eyebrows even from a distance. The dragon looked at him, and he could almost feel the eye burning into him, just as hot as its flames.

"Here's hoping the wind blows in my favor," Harry muttered, raising his wand. "Accio Firebolt!"

For what felt like the longest time, nothing happened. The dragon continued to stare at him. He was sweating heavily, even though the wind was incredibly cold. He could swear his skin was smoking.

And then, just when he was sure it wouldn't show up, his Firebolt came, zooming from the castle, coming to a swift stop in front of him. Smiling, Harry climbed onto it and kicked off into the air.

At last, Harry felt free, as he left all his worries behind on the ground. The dragon's gaze followed him, but he didn't care, at last he was in his element. He flew circles around the dragon's head, taunting it with his movements.

The dragon opened her mouth wide, spewing a stream of flame at him, but the stream was cut short by a very powerful wind blowing it out. Harry continued zipping up and about, the dragon spewing flame, but each time, its fire was blown out by ever more powerful winds.

The winds were starting to get really strong now, and as Harry looked up, a massive funnel cloud was beginning to form above them. Looking down, the professors were casting protective wards around the stands, but Harry and the dragon were still exposed to the elements.

What is with this wind? Harry wondered. Why is it so powerful all of a sudden?

Harry shook his head. He had to get back at the task at hand. He needed to get the dragon to open up its wings without getting sucked into that funnel cloud.

The dragon, officially tired of having its fire constantly blown out, began to swipe at Harry with its claw, slicing a huge gash across his shoulder. Harry wince in pain, but the cut hadn't seemed to be too deep. He flew out of the dragon's reach, taunting it into trying to scratch him again.

Harry flew ever higher, the funnel cloud descending ever lower. He was starting to feel himself get pulled in, struggling to fight the powerful winds. He veered away from the funnel, while continuing to goad the dragon to reach him.

Just when he thought he was a total goner, it worked. With a massive roar that he heard even over these winds, the dragon got up on its hind legs, opening its wings to their full span. As soon as it did, Harry zoomed down toward the eggs beneath it, intent on reaching the golden egg.

As well, as soon as the dragon opened its wings, the wind began to push against them, raising it ever so slowly upwards. The dragon made a sound like hissing, flapping its wings once, which raised it even more so upwards, where the winds were at their strongest.

Letting out a final earsplitting roar, the dragon was pulled into the funnel cloud, sent tumbling and careening into the sky. Harry grabbed hold of the egg, then slid to a stop, looking up at the funnel cloud.

Some distance away, something appeared in the air. But it wasn't an arm this time - it was a boy, wearing a bright blue outfit with a long hood. The boy had square glasses, and hair that was almost as messy as Harry's, flowing in the wind.

But that wasn't what really stood out about him. What stood out about him was his skin. It was stark white - white as bone. As white as the dragon that had tumbled into the funnel cloud. As white as the arms that he was always seeing at the edge of his vision.

The boy turned towards Harry and smiled, waving at him with that oh-so-familiar arm. And then, he turned back around and flew right into the funnel cloud.

After a few seconds, the funnel cloud began to disperse. Just as quickly as it had come, it was gone, leaving behind no trace of the boy or the dragon.

"Amazing! Simply amazing!" Bagman was saying, as Hagrid, Moody, and McGonagall came out to congratulate him. It seemed nobody had noticed the boy, and assumed he had conjured the funnel cloud himself.

Harry wondered. Could the funnel cloud have been conjured? It seemed unlikely. If it was, it would have to have been done by a very powerful magician. And yet... That boy's arm had appeared everywhere at the edge of Harry's vision. If he could do that, he must have been powerful, right?

But there were still so many questions. Who was that boy? Why was he so interested in Harry? Had he put his name in the Goblet of Fire? Had he given him the Death Note?

While he was pondering, someone had rushed him to the first-aid tent, where Madame Pomfrey was taking care of his wound. After she went next door to check on Cedric, Ron and Hermione entered the room.

"Harry," said Ron seriously. "whoever put your name in that goblet... I reckon they were trying to do you in!"

"Caught on, have you?" Harry said coldly. "I'd be really impressed if you started believing me about the arms."

"Actually, I-"

"No, Ron, it's true!" exclaimed Hermione. "I saw it myself, the arms really are there!"

"Yeah, I-"

"Let it rest, Hermione," said Harry. "He's probably thinking we're just bluffing him."

"No, I-"

"Yeah you're right," Hermione sighed.

"I saw the arms too! One of them even handed me some money!"

The two stared at him, mouths agape.

"You took money from the arm?" exclaimed Hermione. "That's dangerous, what if it was fake money?"

"No, it seemed pretty real," said Ron. "Besides, I already used it to order some shoes. They should arrive by Christmas."

"That's even worse, what if it was fake and they find out?" exclaimed Harry. "You could get arrested!"

"I dunno," said Ron. "The arm seemed pretty nice. It even offered me a hi-five!"

Hermione glared at him. Harry shook his head.

Suddenly, the tent's opening fluttered rapidly, as a mysterious figured zoomed in, then back out, leaving behind a pitch-black notebook, a pair of dragon-hide gloves, and a ballpoint pen.

"Harry," said Hermione. "Is that what I think it is?"

Harry's eyes narrowed. He nodded. "The Death Note."

Harry got up, reached down, put on the gloves, then picked the pen and the notebook off the ground, flipping it to the first page.

"Harry," said Hermione again. "Why is Tom Riddle's name in there twice?"

"I wrote it in a second time, after the selection of the champions," Harry explained. "Someone had slipped the notebook into my pocket, and I thought if I wrote his name in again, maybe it would do something."

"Well, did it?" asked Ron. Harry shrugged.

"Harry, I really don't like the look of that notebook," said Hermione anxiously. "You should destroy it."

"Yeah..." Harry muttered. "Yeah, probably. Let me just try one thing, though."

Harry uncapped the pen, put it to the paper, and scribbled out the name.

"Tom Marvolo Riddle."

There was another sharp, burning pain in his forehead, but only for a second. He winced, whimpering just slightly.

"And now the marks from the judges," they suddenly heard Ludo Bagman saying outside.

"Oh, Harry!" exclaimed Ron. "We'd better go see your score! Come on!"

He and Hermione got up and quickly went outside, and Harry followed, slipping the Death Note into his pocket.

Harry vaguely registered the judges giving him exceptionally good marks, except for one. Madame Maxime gave him an eight, Dumbledore and Crouch gave a nine, Bagman a ten, and Karkaroff a measly four.

As Ron expelled his anger at Karkaroff's obvious bias, Harry was distracted by the distinct feeling of something slipping out of his pocket. He reached his still-gloved hands inside, and sure enough, the Death Note was gone. Harry looked around. He didn't see anyone who might've taken it.

"You're tied in first place, Harry! You and Krum!" exclaimed Charlie Weasley, hurrying over to them as they began to make their way back to the castle. "By the way, do you know where that dragon could've gone? You didn't make it disappear, did you? Probably when the funnel cloud dispersed, it flew up into the clouds... But why would she just abandon her eggs?"

Harry looked back to where the dragon's eggs still lay. A boy dressed in bright blue was standing next to them. He placed his hand on one of the eggs, and in a flash of blue light, both the boy and the eggs were gone.

Nobody had noticed.