A/N - Jade can sing :) Hope you like the song and chapter!

"We missed you at dinner yesterday, champ," Jade heard Adonis's voice when she came down to the common room the next morning.

Jade shrugged. "If you had to get past a dragon to get a little golden egg, you would be exhausted too."

Adonis laughed. "Oh man, what did you even do yesterday? I've never seen anything like that before."

Jade furrowed her eyebrows, thinking back on what she had done. Honestly, she was probably just as curious as Adonis was. On the bright side, though, she got the golden egg and trying to figure out how things had happened would just give her a headache.

"Some wandless magic Transfiguration stuff, I guess." Jade replied. It was the best answer she was going to come up with. "What did the other champions do, by the way? I was too tired to find out after Bagman congratulated all of us."

Adonis leaned back in the chair he was sitting in. "The Delacour chick did some sort of charm to put the dragon to sleep. It mostly worked, but the dragon snored and a jet of flame shot out. Her skirt accidentally caught on fire, but she passed. Krum, oh you should have seen Krum." His eyes lit up in the way he always squealed at watching Quidditch matches. "He hit the dragon right in the eye with some sort of jinx. It trampled some of the real eggs since it was in pain, but he passed too." He then clicked his tongue. "Potter was pretty showy, though."

Jade let out a scoff. "When is he not?"

"Potter summoned his broomstick. His broomstick, and he went flying all around the arena and the dragon chased him all around. He then dove for the egg. It was a close one, I'm surprised Krum didn't think of flying." Adonis gave Jade a teasing look. "In terms of the audience, I think they were the most wowed by Potter."

Jade lounged into a seat next to Adonis. "And in terms of the scores?"

"You, Potter, and Krum are in a three way tie." Adonis remarked. "The scoring was pretty interesting too."

"Whoa, are you serious?" Jade let her mouth drop in slight surprise. "I don't even know what I did, honestly. The dragon kind of destroyed the arena too."

Adonis nodded. "But no real eggs were destroyed like on Krum's turn. You had a more unbiased score compared to Potter and Krum, when I think back on it." Knowing that Jade would ask him to explain more, he added. "Potter got extremely high marks from Bagman, but a very low score from Karkaroff. Krum lost some points for destroying some of the real eggs, but Karkaroff gave him a very high score to boost him up. So, right now it's all kind of balanced."

Jade scoffed. "Karkaroff gave me a six." She added with a laugh.

Adonis straightened in his chair. "I know!" He agreed. "You had the second highest score from him. It's like he didn't plan to give high marks to anyone unless you were Krum, but then after your amazing display he had to force himself to give you something higher than a five."

Jade thought back to Karkaroff's face, and it looked like someone had shoved a stick in him. She mimicked his face to Adonis, and they both cracked up.

After they both settled down, Jade then asked. "Are you free tonight? I realized I haven't had the chance to hang out with you and the others that much."

"Don't worry, Lin, we know you've been busy with the tournament and stuff." Adonis waved his hand in a dismissive gesture. He then looked up at the ceiling in thought. "Uh... I'm actually not free tonight."

Jade raised an eyebrow. She normally wouldn't question it, but Adonis had said it in a slightly awkward way.

"Oh, what are you up to?"

Adonis darted his gaze to the ground, his fingers massaging his thumbs as he gave a light smile. "Laverna... uh, she invited me to sit in the kitchens with her tonight after Madam Pomfrey kicked us out of the tent yesterday."

Jade blinked a few times and sat up in her seat. "Sit in the kitchens? You mean like... a date?" She gave Adonis a smirk.

"Why'd you have to say it like that, Lin? I'm already nervous enough as it is." Adonis took a pillow from his chair and threw it at Jade. He then sighed. "I'm probably going to say something embarrassing in front of her."

"I was getting tired of watching you both trying to sneak glances at each other over the years." Jade laughed as she threw the pillow back at him. "She really asked you, huh?"

Adonis nodded, but didn't respond. It was like he was still trying to process it himself.

"Man, whatever you guys did in the broomshed closet in first year must have really been something." Jade then stood up and made a run for it.

Adonis snapped out of his trance, grabbing the pillow that had fallen on the floor. "Lin, I swear to Merlin -"

"Later, lover boy!" Jade threw her head back in laughter as the pillow missed her.

--

People, mostly Slytherins she'd never even interacted with before, started to compliment her during the day. She was kind of relieved when she went into Potions to escape the spotlight. No one really wanted to make a lot of rowdy noises when they were in Snape's class.

"Hi, Jade." Cait called in greeting. "How's your shoulder?"

Jade smiled. "A lot better, thanks. Madam Pomfrey's paste works wonders."

Cait returned the smile, and then gave a wave to someone behind Jade. Jade turned around to see Preethi entering the classroom and making her way over to them.

"Hello." Preethi nodded in greeting. She gave a questioning look at Jade, tilting her head slightly towards Jade's shoulder. Jade knew what Preethi was silently asking and merely gave her a thumbs up. Preethi's lips curled into a small smile, and then she turned to Cait. "Ah, that reminds me, Cait." She cleared her throat. "Laverna and I are forming a small study group with Jade, and we wanted to ask if you would be interested in joining us."

Cait's eyes lit up. She stammered some syllables out as she blinked. "Me? A-Are you sure? I-"

Before she could finish her sentence, though. Jade heard Laverna's cheery voice.

"I heard my name. What's up?" Laverna asked, sneaking up to fit between Jade and Preethi. Jade glanced at Laverna for a little longer than usual, as she and Adonis had been talking about her this morning.

Preethi smiled at Laverna and explained. "I was just telling Cait about our study group."

Laverna's grin grew and she clapped her hands together. "Oh, right! Yeah, you filled me in earlier. You should totally join us, Cait!"

Jade noticed that Cait fiddled her thumbs, but she nodded excitedly. "I would love to join. Thank you so much for asking me."

Laverna squealed and threw her arms around Cait. Cait gave a sound of surprise but patted Laverna's back.

"Don't mention it!" Laverna replied casually. "It was actually Jade's idea to ask you."

"Really?" Jade found herself straightening when Cait turned to look at her. When they made eye contact, Cait darted her eyes to the ground. She then lifted her eyes and gave a warm smile. "Thanks, Jade."

Jade gave a firm nod, as though that would force her heart to stop beating so weirdly. "No problem."

When Laverna withdrew her hug. Cait's hazel eyes lit up once more. "It's like a united study group. We're all from different Houses."

Laverna's jaw dropped. "Oh, yeah! That's so cool!"

Jade found herself laughing a bit, and then turned to look at Preethi, who was giving her the same knowing look of their inside joke.

--

Jade stopped in front of the gargoyle statue. Before she had left Potions, Snape had snapped at her to stop by Dumbledore's office, and that she shouldn't keep him waiting. He had also told her that she may have to bring lemon drops.

She didn't like the way the gargoyle was looking at her, so she glared right back at it. "I don't have lemon drops for you."

To her bewilderment, the gargoyle hopped to the side. It narrowed its ugly stone eyes at Jade's statement, but said nothing as Jade passed.

She climbed the tower, finally reaching Dumbledore's office. She never had a reason to come to his office before, so whatever reason Dumbledore wanted to see her, it was probably related to the tournament.

Dumbledore's office was a large circular room. Silver instruments stood on spindle-legged tables, whirring funny little noises and emitting small puffs of smoke. Portraits of former headmasters and headmistresses filled the walls. Near the back was an enormous, claw-footed desk along with a tall shelf. And on one of the higher shelves was the Sorting Hat.

Jade saw Dumbledore at his seat, smiling at her with kind eyes behind half-moon spectacles. To her surprise, Professor McGonagall was there too, standing to the right of Dumbledore's desk.

"Good afternoon, Headmaster Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall. You wished to see me?" Jade stopped a fair distance away, clasping her hands behind her back.

"Ah, yes. Miss Lin. Good afternoon." Dumbledore replied. "Allow me to offer my congratulations for the first task. Splendid job."

"Thank you, Headmaster Dumbledore." Jade nodded.

Dumbledore then gestured to Professor McGonagall. "I was speaking with Minerva before you arrived. And now that you are here, we are curious as to what you did during the first task."

What I did? This is what they wanted to talk about? Jade thought. She looked at Professor McGonagall, who was regarding her with stern, but not unkind, green eyes. She wasn't really sure what to say. She had already given Adonis a sore answer, but she was truly at a loss. She wanted to sigh, but resisted the urge as she was in front of two extremely respectable people.

Professor McGonagall finally spoke. "You used a Conjuration spell, correct? Not an illusion spell?"

Jade replied. "Yes, Professor."

Professor McGonagall nodded in thought. "That is very interesting and unusual, Miss Lin. Conjuration spells are not easy; vanishing spells as well. To be able to perform such spells in a tournament setting with a lot of people watching is impressive."

"Thank you. I've had a good professor." Professor McGonagall's lips twitched in a slight smile from the statement.

"To clarify, Albus and I are curious as to how you were able to conjure such a large dragon. As I am sure you are aware, any Transfiguration spell involving any large creature is extremely difficult. Not impossible, but extremely difficult. It surpasses the Transfiguration abilities of a normal student at Hogwarts." Professor McGonagall continued.

Jade cleared her throat. "I am not completely sure myself how I did it, Professor. I intended to conjure a small dragon to distract the Swedish Short-Snout, but the dragon that came out of my wand was very... large." She wanted to slap herself for just repeating what was already known, but she really didn't have any answers to give them.

Professor McGonagall regarded Jade for a moment, before turning back to look at Dumbledore. He slowly rose from his seat.

"I suspected before you arrived that we may not get the answer we seek from you, Miss Lin. Luckily, I thought of a solution that can help all of us understand this better." Dumbledore passed by Jade, who turned around to face the entrance. Dumbledore raised his left hand and curled his fingers inward as a following gesture. Jade let Professor McGonagall go first before she trailed after them.

They made their way down the corridors. Dumbledore hummed as he walked, while Professor McGonagall looked very professional with firm steps. Honestly, if Professor McGonagall tripped she would still look professional while doing it. Jade straightened when they entered the infirmary. Madam Pomfrey just finished treating a younger looking student, probably a first or second year. The student got up from the infirmary bed after thanking Madam Pomfrey and began to make his way out, nearly freezing in his steps when Headmaster Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall approached Madam Pomfrey.

"Hello, Poppy," Dumbledore greeted.

"Albus, Minerva! What a pleasant surprise." Madam Pomfrey changed the sheets of the bed that the male student had been sitting in. "What can I do for you?"

Dumbledore gestured to Jade. "We came here to have Miss Lin's blood examined."

Jade unconsciously crossed her arms in reflex. My blood? She furrowed her eyebrows. Part of her wished Dumbledore had said something earlier. She had originally thought they would be finding some answers in a textbook or something, not from her blood.

"Of course, right away." Madam Pomfrey gestured to the infirmary bed. "If you would take a seat, Miss Lin."

No, I wouldn't like to take a seat. Jade wanted to say, but once again kept her mouth shut. Her mother, as a nurse at St. Mungo's, sometimes needed to examine blood from Adonis's mother to see if her health was deteriorating. Adonis had told her that his mother had some blood malediction that sometimes appeared in the family. Although it wasn't necessary hereditary, Adonis had said that there was a chance his maternal cousin, Astoria Greengrass, may suffer from it too in the future. She wasn't really in the mood to have her blood examined and then potentially find out that there was something wrong with her blood.

She then sighed. If doing this would make strangers she'd barely interacted with stop pestering her, then she supposed she should just go along with this blood test. Jade made her way to the infirmary bed and took a seat. When she was ready, Madam Pomfrey proceeded to draw some of her blood.

"Episkey," Madam Pomfrey said, and the next moment the small cut needed to draw blood was sealed shut.

"Thank you, Miss Lin." Dumbledore smiled. He and Professor McGonagall approached the bedside table as Madam Pomfrey set the vial down.

Dumbledore took out his wand and pointed at the vial. In a few moments, a small shimmering hologram of a golden dragon appeared.

"That's the dragon that came out of my wand. Well, a smaller version of it." Jade blurted out.

Professor McGonagall nodded. "Yes, I remember it quite well."

Dumbledore continued to examine the dragon in what looked like awe. "This confirms it." He turned to Jade and gestured at the hologram. "This is a Phoenix Dragon."

Professor McGonagall's lips parted slightly. "I wasn't completely sure, as Phoenix Dragons died off many years ago, but that is the only plausible explanation."

Jade found herself crossing her arms again. "Why is there a Phoenix Dragon in my blood?"

Dumbledore gave an amused laugh. "Your blood has a tiny essence of Phoenix Dragon blood, Miss Lin. From old textbooks I have read a long time ago, it is theorized that those who have Phoenix Dragon blood may have the potential to be very advanced in Transfiguration."

"The reasons as to why are unknown, but it may be a factor towards the unknown variable in the formula." Professor McGonagall added another theory.

"Besides this, Phoenix Dragon blood has certain healing properties. Perhaps one of your ancestors was saved with Phoenix Dragon blood a long time ago." Dumbledore continued.

Jade felt a little better from hearing 'healing properties'. So far, Phoenix Dragons didn't seem like a negative thing. She then asked. "Why would I have parts of Phoenix Dragon blood, though? My parents never said anything about it."

Dumbledore gestured to the hologram once more. "Although the Phoenix Dragon essence is hereditary, it is theorized that the Transfiguration properties may only activate once every eight generations. Even so, unusual displays such as your large dragon would only happen under dangerous circumstances. Your mother or father, whoever has the Phoenix Dragon essence, probably doesn't even know they have it. If it's dormant, it will not show in blood tests."

Jade took a moment to regard herself. For all her years at Hogwarts, all she had to worry about was getting good grades. It felt strange to now know that her blood had something different than probably everyone else here. At least she knew what had happened during the first task wasn't a fluke, but just a part she hadn't known about herself coming into the light.

Dumbledore turned to Professor McGonagall and said in a rather satisfied tone. "I suppose I know the answer now if the other judges ask me about my champions again."

Jade widened her eyes, as though someone had shocked her back to reality. 'Again'?

Professor McGonagall worriedly added. "They may think Miss Lin has an unfair advantage if they know of this. Miss Lin hasn't broken any tournament rules, so perhaps it would be best not to answer them with this information if they ask again."

Jade immediately intervened to agree. "I would like to keep this between us, Headmaster." If the judges found out, it wouldn't be long before Rita Skeeter found out too. Jade remembered the way she had kept nagging Harry for interviews. Rita Skeeter just spoke drama with her jewelled spectacles and crimson painted nails. She was also a writer for the Daily Prophet, which made it even worse. Jade didn't need someone like Rita Skeeter writing about her blood and sharing it with the whole Wizarding World. She didn't care if the other judges thought she had an unfair advantage. They couldn't force her to change the properties of her blood. It was like telling Fleur she had an unfair advantage because she was part Veela and to change her race.

Professor McGonagall didn't hesitate to nod. "Of course. This information is for you and you may do with it as you will."

Dumbledore nodded as well. "We thank you for your cooperation, Miss Lin. I am looking forward to seeing what you will do for the second task."

"Thank you." Jade replied. "Is there anything else?"

Dumbledore gave another smile. "I believe our business has concluded, Miss Lin. We thank you for your time."

Jade gave a firm nod before leaving the infirmary. Talking with Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall was a little more draining than she had thought. It wasn't every day that students had the opportunity to speak with Headmaster Dumbledore.

She smiled as she walked down the corridors. She finally knew what had happened during the first task. It was like an unnecessary weight being lifted off of her shoulders. If Adonis nagged her again for a real answer, she would have one now.