Chapter 10: The Golden Egg

After the first task, Harry found himself standing – yet again – in front of Lucius' temple with the same huge snakes hissing and keeping him from crossing the threshold. He has his head bowed praying to whomever gods/goddesses on his side that Lucius would see his first task fit of forgiveness. Seems like all the gods/goddesses in favour of him were in some kind of a holiday when Lucius' angry voice boomed once again

"That little thing, you wretched little cheat, wasn't of your doing. You, of course, were very lucky to have the love of my son who – that stupid imbecile – borrowed and sent Voldemort's most favoured pet Aragog to aid you. After what you had done to him. I really can't believe it!" Lucius was talking mostly to himself than to Harry actually.

"Forgive me, sir, I really wasn't expecting them to…" Harry tried to explain but was cut of Lucius' booming voice again.

"Silence! Your insolence knows no boundaries," Lucius shouted furiously. Then everything in the temple turned silent… and after a while Lucius' started speaking again in the coldest – ever – manner you could ever imagine, "very well, since I did not specify any rules regarding the first task, I suppose I could let it… slip."

Harry couldn't believe what he heard. He was – deep inside – starting to rejoice his 'fortune' when Lucius' voice boomed loudly again, "Don't even think that I am getting soft on you, you pitiful piece of trash. I am simply being rational about this. Now, if you are quite ready, I'd present you with your next task."

"B-b-but… but my lord, I-I thought I will be assigned only one task," Harry stuttered, knowing that this time is his time since Lucius already realised his lack of rules.

"Silence!" Lucius' voice boomed again and as a sign of anger, one of the snakes in front of Harry stroked but missed by only about a few inches – purposely of course.

Harry found himself trembling on the ground covering his little head pathetically as if it's all he needs to shield himself from the monstrous snakes in front of him who are ready and willing to strike him any time.

"You'd, sooner or later, realise that it would be best for you to keep your mouth shut whilst speaking with me," Lucius said angrily and then continued, "I mean, you should, that is if you value your pathetic little life. Anyway, as I was saying, before I was rudely interrupted, your next task is – well, you see I've always fancied a nice golden egg from my father's poultry farm. He wouldn't give me one though, saying that they're solely for Minerva, his favourite daughter, whom I'm sure he's having an incestuous affair with. Yeah, anyhow, I want you to get me one."

"B-but, my lord, steal from the god of all gods!" Harry exclaimed, terrified.

"Well, if you want to put it that way, yes." Lucius drawled and Harry thought, "Well if he would just stop shouting he, sort of, sounds sexy." Clearly the god of beauty's allure is starting to affect Harry.

"And please stop thinking of how abso-bloody-lutely sexy and ravishing I sound, I wouldn't ever dream of doing anything with you," Lucius snapped.

"I'm sorry, my lord," Harry blushed furiously.

"You are to give me one of my father's golden eggs in not more than 24 hours, or you die," Lucius commanded with a very stern voice and finality. Then all the snakes in front of Harry turned into cold stone statues (still blocking his way thus preventing him from entering Lucius' temple) sign that Lucius have already left.

--

"So, Draco, I passed by your father's temple a while ago and I caught him speaking with your gorgeous husband. Of course, being me, I wasn't able to keep myself from eavesdropping and this is what I found out," Sirius said excitedly – already finding his way to Draco's little kitchenette and already pouring himself a glass of pumpkin juice – as he entered Draco's chamber.

"What, Sirius, please, do tell," Draco sighed dejectedly. He knew he still couldn't go to his husband, as he still hasn't fully recovered, although, of course, he's very much eager to personally aid his husband whom he misses so – bloody – much.

"Well, from what I heard… not that I really intended to eavesdrop of course. I mean I already know what it is anyway. But it's actually more fun when you eavesdrop, the thrill of getting caught and whatnot…" Sirius started blabbering and it seemed to Draco as if he's trying to hide the second task by diverting Draco's attention to something else which, as we all know, is quite ineffective.

"I know what you're trying to do Sirius, spill it out," Draco snapped.

Sirius drank his first glass of pumpkin juice then poured another, then drank again, then poured another, then drank again. Clearly a sign that he isn't planning to tell Draco about it anytime soon… of course it didn't work as Draco stood from his bed –wincing – and snatched the glass from Sirius' hand and threw it against the wall.

Sirius looked at the shattered pieces of the glass on the ground and then said, "Err, that was great, so tell me who made that juice. I think Remus would want to learn how to make such delicious juice."

"Please, please Sirius, you have to tell me. I need to know so I may help Harry. Please Sirius," Draco pleaded miserably.

Sirius looked at his nephew and sighed, "Very well, your father wants him to steal a golden egg from dearest daddy's – your grandfather's – poultry farm."

"WHAT?" Draco exclaimed, "Is he crazy? He'll get Harry killed!"

"I think, my dear nephew, that's the plan."

"But we have to help him Sirius! We have to! He won't even be able to get half a kilometre near that poultry farm. The dragons will fry him! And then eat him!" Draco cried hysterically.

"Err… Well. Alright Draco, stop worrying, I'm going to do something to help him."

"You will?"

"Of course you dolt, I've been helping you since day one haven't I?"

"Yes… yes…"

"Very well, rest your pretty little head my dear darling nephew. I'll go now and meet Narcissa. I'm sure she'd be able to come up with something. Of course she despises Minerva and I'm quite sure that she'll be very much willing to help."

"But you let her kill her boyfriend."

"Ah, Draco, Draco, that… bloke… was her then most favoured toy. She didn't really love Bill, of course you were… occupied… during that time and you didn't have the time to hit her with one of your 'love arrows'." Sirius explained as if explaining to Draco that one plus one is equal to two.

"Of course…"

"Very well, I shall go now and take care of this. I'll see you when it's all done my dearest darling Draco. Ta!" Sirius bid Draco goodbye cheerfully and flew off leaving Draco sad… and really very worried.

--

"Narci-ssa! My dearest darling sis-ter, where are you?" Sirius singsonged as he entered his sister's temple.

Narcissa's huge statue came to life a few minutes after Sirius arrived and it snapped in a loud booming voice (a bit like Lucius' voice), "Sirius you mongrel! What do you want?"

"Well… you see I'm here to invite you on a mission," Sirius answered slyly knowing very well that his twin sister never backs off adventures.

"A mission, you say?" Narcissa's voice suddenly grew with interest and her bigger-than-life statue came nearer Sirius' ethereal form paying more attention.

"Yep, top secret mission, not even THE wise and almighty Minerva knows of it," Sirius replied knowing that he had hit a spot.

"WHAT?" Narcissa's voice boomed again, "Minerva isn't the only wise and almighty one! In fact, I don't even think she is wise and almighty at all!"

"She isn't?" Sirius feigned innocence, "You know, having sprang from dear ol' daddy's head and all. I think she'll even inherit the title 'goddess of all gods' when daddy retires."

"Oh Sirius you are such an imbecile! Just because she sprang from daddy's head doesn't mean she's the favourite!" Narcissa snapped angrily.

"Well, dearest sister, she actually is the favourite… and that in fact is because she came from daddy's head," Sirius countered sweetly and soon continued as his sister posed to answer, "But I'm not here to argue about her… and her impending… shall we say… coronation. You know, the crown and title of 'goddess of all gods'. I'm here to tell you about this one mission that even she doesn't know about."

"A mission… that she doesn't know of… I'm all ears Sirius," Narcissa said.

"Well you see, it is entitled Saving Harry Potter," Sirius answered with a huge grin on his face.

Narcissa burst into laughter and asked, "And who is Mr Harry Potter and how and why is this thing a top secret and important mission?"

"Well… Mr Harry Potter is your favourite nephew's (that be Draco) husband. I can't answer your how but I'll answer the why… which I think will answer your how question as well – Harry Potter is asked by Lucius to steal the golden egg from daddy's poultry farm… Oohh... and you know that that egg is exclusively for Minerva… daddy's favourite daughter," Sirius explained raising his eyebrows at his then turning red of anger sister.

"Oh that… egg. But I don't like it," Narcissa denied, obviously sour grapping.

Sirius rolled his eyes at his sister and said, "Yeah, but we aren't going to get those for us. We're going to get those for Harry."

"Yeah well, alright, what do we do now then?" Narcissa drawled in boredom.

"Alright, here's what we're gonna do…"

--

Draco was right; Harry couldn't get even half a kilometre near the poultry farm. He was looking at the dragons flying around the poultry farm protectively with huge eyes and jaws dropped with open. After quite some time, he turned around as he heard voices bickering behind him – one of a female and the other of a male.

"I told you Sirius, the best way to go there is to kill the dragons!" Harry heard the female voice snapped at her companion whom she called Sirius… wait a minute… Sirius! As in Sirius Black the god!

Harry panicked, "So they are after the golden egg as well," he thought. He thought about the golden egg and his life again worriedly, "Oh dear. I really wouldn't see Draco again," he silently muttered. According to the rumour he picked up on his way to the poultry farm, there is only one golden egg each year. Meaning, having to compete with Sirius and the other goddess, he doesn't have any chance to get that one golden egg… none at all! He was snapped out of his thoughts when he heard Sirius spoke.

"Cissy dear, look, he's already here!" Harry heard Sirius exclaim giddily while looking directly at Harry's hiding place.

Harry was shocked. He was quite certain that he had hidden himself very well and he's puzzled at Sirius and was wondering why Sirius could see him.

"Ah yes, I see him. He really is adorable isn't he? Now I know why Draco fell in love with him. Haha, finally, we found someone more beautiful than Lucius. I can't believe it!" The goddess, Sirius called Cissy, blabbered.

As Harry was wondering who Cissy is, he noticed the god and the goddess advancing towards him so he started backing off.

"Oh do hush Narcissa, look, you're scaring him away!" Sirius tried to shush his twin sister who obviously is thrilled by the sight of Harry. He then turned to Harry and gently coaxed him to come near them, "Come dear Harry, we aren't going to hurt you, in fact, we're here to help you."

Harry, who temporarily lost his voice due to fear, blinked a couple of times and open his mouth to answer but found out that no voice coming out. He tried to cough several times before he found his voice again and asked meekly, "Help me, my lords?"

"Of course precious! We'd do anything to help you obtain that hideous egg," Narcissa answered enthusiastically pointed at the golden egg being guarded ferociously by the dragons.

"But my lady, I'm not supposed to accept any help, Lord Lucius might get furious and he might send me harder tasks in the future," Harry replied sadly.

"Nonsense!" Sirius exclaimed and then continued, "We are going to get you that golden egg and you are going to take it to Lucius. After that you will be given your last and probably hardest task and then you can live happily ever after with my dearest favourite nephew Draco."

"But why, my lord, why are you helping me?" Harry asked baffled.

"Well dear Harry, you just don't know how the gods and goddesses love your husband very much. We all would practically do anything to make him happy," Narcissa answered with a gentle smile on her face and then her features turned sad and continued, "Honestly speaking, it pains us to see him sad and weak, we're used to a cheerful and loving albeit mischievous god of love."

"Alright, enough chat now… on the count of three Narcissa, you release your arrows killing the dragons and I'll go fly to the egg. Then you grab Harry and bring him in front of Lucius' temple. I'll drop the egg there a few moments later and then you," Sirius faced Harry, "…can – again – face the 'wrath' of Lucius," Sirius finished, effectively cutting the exchanged of words between Harry and Narcissa.

"Alright, alright, you, wanker, really are a spoilsport! I'm still enjoying my little chat with Harry!" Narcissa pouted but did what Sirius asked her to do anyway. She pulled an arrow from the quiver at her back and positioned it to her bow and then aimed waiting for the signal from Sirius.

"Now wait till the dragons are clearly at sight," Sirius warned and then started counting, "one… two…"

Harry couldn't believe his luck. One moment he was thinking that he will be fried alive by these dragons and the next he's standing between a god and a goddess waiting for the golden egg that will enable him to reunite with his husband. He was deep in thoughts when he heard Sirius shout three and about 5 arrows simultaneously flying from beside him to the dragons effectively killing the frightening creatures.

Narcissa looked at Harry and laughed at his astonished expression and said, "Perfect aim, yeah?"

Harry nodded mutely and watched as Sirius flew to the golden egg. He wasn't able to see when Sirius got the egg though as he felt his surrounding twirl around him. He closed his eyes as he felt dizziness come to him. When he opened his eyes, he saw Narcissa's kind smile and noticed that he's back in front of Lucius' temple.

"Well, Harry, my work here is done. I do wish you the best of luck and I expect to see you in Hogwarts on my feast day a few moons from now," After these kind words, she vanished.

A few moments later, as promised, Sirius appeared and dropped the golden egg at Harry's feet and, like Narcissa, left a few parting words as well, "We will see to it that we will help you all the way Harry. You are lucky you have quite a few gods and a goddess on your side. Hang in there mortal, you will soon be part of our family and you will soon join us in Hogwarts," And with that Sirius disappeared.

TBC…

7 October 2006