Confringo - spell that explodes flames onto target

A few days passed since the Yule Ball took place, and Irene and Taehyung's group of friends merged back together in that span of time.

Everyone ate together at the same table, as there was a ton of room from the lack of students at Hogwarts. Many of the students who couldn't attend the Yule Ball went back home for the holidays, which included Joy, Namjoon, and Yoongi. Some who attended the Yule Ball went back home the day after the ball. There were no more than fifty students who stayed at Hogwarts, so such a big castle seemed even more big and spacious now that a vast majority of the student population wasn't there.

Taehyung and the group were in the Great Hall for lunch, waiting for Irene to show up. "Where'd she go?" Jungkook asked. "She went back to her dorm really quick, she said she forgot something," Wendy replied as Jungkook nodded. "What did she forget?" Seulgi chirped, but Wendy shrugged. "Before I could ask, she just ran off." As Wendy finished talking, they heard scurried footsteps coming from the entrance, spotting Irene running to them with presents in her hands. 

"I know Christmas was at the beginning of this week, but I couldn't decide in such a short span of time what to get for all of you -- merry belated Christmas!" she chimed, handing out packages to everyone at the table. "Aish, Irene, you didn't have to," Hoseok chuckled, shaking his head while opening the package. "I just wanted to give everyone something small to show how much I appreciate you guys," Irene smiled sweetly, sitting down next to Taehyung. Everyone but Taehyung received a sugar quill candy, the color reflecting their house. Taehyung received a brand new quill, and was surprised that Irene didn't get him a sugar quill lollipop like the rest of the group since he was often called "childish" by her. "How come I got the real thing?" Taehyung asked, observing the quill. "I bought the exact same one because it was just so pretty, I couldn't not buy it -- and since we have matching supplies, I had to get you that one." Irene smiled at Taehyung, and he smiled back, thanking her for her small act of kindness.

After Irene ate her lunch, the second task was brought up into the conversation. "Have you opened the golden egg yet, Taehyung?" Jin asked, and received a shake of the head from Taehyung. "I haven't attempted at getting it open after the last time we tried to open it in the common room," Taehyung sighed, taking the egg out from his book bag. "What methods have you tried?" Seulgi asked, observing the egg closely. "I've tried prying it open, submerging it in water, and casting numerous spells on it, but none of them worked," Taehyung replied as Seulgi hummed and nodded her head. "Well," Seulgi spoke, "this seems like a dragon egg. Have you tried putting it in a warm place, like by the fireplace?" Taehyung nodded. "I thought up of that theory and I left the egg next to the fireplace overnight in the common room. It was unchanged the next morning, so I'm sure that didn't work." Seulgi tapped her chin, thinking of a solution. "Maybe you could use a fire casting spell? Have you tried that yet?" Wendy suggested as Taehyung shook his head. "Well what are we waiting for, let's take this outside and try it out!" Jungkook exclaimed as he gestured everyone to stand up.

As the group headed outside, Taehyung set the egg down on the soft snow. "Confringo!" Taehyung spoke confidently and firmly, aiming his wand toward the egg. Flames burst from his wand, hitting the egg. As Taehyung stopped the spell and looked back at the egg, it was still unchanged. "Dragon eggs need a lot of heat in order to hatch, maybe we should all try the spell?" Hoseok chirped, and everyone nodded in agreement. As everyone made a huge circle around the egg, they casted the spell and aimed their wands towards the egg. A few seconds after the flames consumed the egg, a bright light shined from where the egg was, and everyone lowered their wands. The egg was charred black, and a projection shot up from the egg, displaying a clip. In the clip, a man was flying away from a dragon on a broom and swooped down to the ground to save a woman. The light back into the egg, and the egg regained its golden color.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Jungkook questioned as Taehyung walked over to the egg and picked it up, stuffing it back into his book bag. "That's probably what the second task is," Jin replied, "it seems to me that Taehyung and the rest of the Champions will have to avoid dragons and save a damsel in distress." 

Later on in the night, everyone around the area gathered at Hogsmeade to celebrate the countdown to the new year. The group was in The Three Broomsticks, drinking away with hot chocolate. As everyone reminisced about the past year and talked about what they wanted to accomplish next year, they realized that it was an hour until the new year. "I wanted to buy some firework wands from the joke shop, anyone want to come with?" Jungkook chimed, and everyone except Irene and Taehyung nodded. "Buy me one, Wendy, it's too cold to go outside right now," Irene complained, "I'll only go outside to look at the fireworks and when we go back to Hogwarts." Wendy rolled her eyes, "You big baby." 

Irene and Taehynug sat in a brief silence before Taehyung spoke up. "What are you thinking about?" he asked, peering down at her face. "Nothing much," Irene exhaled, "just about how so much has changed in the past few months. I mean, we're all talking again and my one year relationship with Jimin is gone. I didn't think both of those were going to happen." Taehyung chuckled and nodded. "But, this year has honestly been one of the best," she added, "I didn't think we'd ever talk again, but here we are, talking. I guess life is just full of surprises." "I'm a good surprise though, right?" Taehyung grinned, and Irene stared at him. "You're making it hard for me to not take back what I just said, Tae."

Irene and Taehyung met up with the rest of their friends outside with five minutes left of the year of twenty-sixteen, and five minutes until the beginning of the year twenty-seventeen. Everyone in Hogsmeade filed outside and onto the street, with firework wands in hand. Jungkook handed a wand to Irene and Taehyung, just in time for the last minute of the year. "Thank you for always being there for me, Taehyung," Irene smiled up at Taehyung, "I hope you'll still be the same by the time the tournament is over." Taehyung smiled down at Irene in response, "Thanks for not totally giving up on our friendship." Irene and Taehyung smiled warmly as fireworks erupted from the Hogwarts castle, signalling the beginning of a new year. Everyone used their firework wand to shoot sparks into the air, yells and cheers resonating throughout the village. Wendy, Yeri, and Seulgi hugged Irene while Jin, Hoseok, and Jungkook hugged Taehyung. As they all pulled away and shot more sparks into the air, Taeyung looked over at Irene. "Happy new year, Irene," he smiled cheesily, and Irene chuckled, giving him a brief hug. "Happy new year, Taehyung."