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And then Harry heard it, his name being called out, "Now, can our last champion please step forward," Bagman called out.
Harry stood up, noticing how empty the tent was, now that every champion had already gone up and faced their own respective dragon.
Harry then heard the whistle blow. He walked out through the entrance of the tent, the bright lights assaulting his vision and taking him a moment to get used to it. He was now walking past the trees, through a gap in the enclosure fence.
Finally, he saw the stadium that must have been set up at a moment's notice because he was sure that it wasn't there yesterday on the front lawn. Someone standing there waving him over to enter from the champion's entrance. Doing so, Harry entered the ground floor of the stadium which was kind of reminiscent of a gladiator arena.
"There he is folks," Bagman shouted, "our youngest champion!"
There was clapping and shouting all around as Harry took in the people in the stadium.
There were thousands and thousands of faces staring down at him from stands. Not only were they made up of Hogwart students and the other schools, but they also had a multitude of varying nationalities in the mix which far surpassed the students' body number.
He saw that they were from all over the globe, each countrymen coming here to support their school. Seated on the high box seats, he spotted Sirius along with what he imagined were the other champions' family members since he spotted Mr. Diggory who he knew and other folks that shared similar features with the champions.
It was like the World Cup all over again, as everyone and their mother and grandmother decided to show up.
Harry also noticed that his Mirror Tellys were present in the stadium as well, there were four giant screens each at one cardinal direction showing the live recording of him down on the ground floor. He was glad to see them, he gave them to the tournament with the promise that it would take the games to the next level.
This was his whole plan really, sell the Mirror Telly on the basis that you could watch the tournament live from your own living room couch.
Head spinning around, Harry watched as the gates opposite to him slowly began to open.
Entering were Dragon keepers each pulling a long piece of chain that seemed to take a considerable effort as what they were pulling resisted a lot.
"And here it comes," Bagman shouted with excitement in his voice.
And there was the Norwegian Ridgeback, at the other end of the chains, it crouched low as it shook its head like a wet dog from side to side to fight back against the Dragon keepers, her wings were half-furled, and her claws gouging deep trench on the ground. Even with her best efforts, the dragon keepers were still able to bring her in and chain her in place.
One Dragon Keeper came up and laid a nest before her and the other Dragon Keepers had to pull her back before she could snap down on the poor man just trying to do his job. Then he laid down the golden egg which he was to retrieve and Norberta let out a low whine as she wrapped her wings around the egg protectively and stared at the dragon keepers with her yellow eyes as if daring them to take it again.
Stepping back, the Dragon Keepers retreated beyond the gates where they came from. Within reach, but out of the stadium grounds.
That left him and only Norberta who turned her eyes upon him as her monstrous, scaly, black spiked tail thrashed behind her leaving yard-long gouge marks in the hard ground. The crowd was making a great deal of noise, from "whoo" to "ahh". Harry didn't care as his attention was focused on the dragon. It was time to do what he had to do.
"So what will young Harry Potter do to get the egg?" Bagman asked, making his usual commentary.
Harry quickly answered him in kind as he began to slowly walk up to Norberta.
"Okay, now that is a bit too close to comfort," Bagman laughed uncomfortably. "Young Potter is within range of a dragon breath so he better do what he has planned, now."
However Harry wasn't listening to him anymore as his eyes slowly transformed into dragon slits. He didn't go full dragon mode, no it was just partial dragon mode, something he had been practicing for a while now.
Norberta was quickly drawn to his eyes as she pulled out short, Harry continued walking up to her and began to hiss at her, not the tongue of serpents, but dragons. He had evolved past that, no longer was he just in the shadow of Voldermort, now he was seeking to create his own.
He wouldn't let whatever that psycho might have done to him as a child taint him and his future, he would be his own man not some mere reflection of that psycho.
The crowd on the other hand was making a lot of noises, Bagman was shouting something, but Harry wasn't even listening so he didn't catch what the man was saying, but you would clearly sense the panic in his tone.
But then a second later, something miraculous happened...
Harry walked all the way up to the dragon until he was just spitting distance from it and reached out a tentative hand which Norberta sniffed and let out a shrill cry as she nearly tackled him to the ground, however thankfully the chains stopped her from doing it.
"So you do remember me, you big old overgrown lizard," Harry laughed out loud. "It's so good to see you too, Norberta!"
The dragon began to spread its wings wide as it shrieked out loud in draconic hiss and snarls that no one but him could understand.
"Yes, yes," Harry said, "I know you don't want to be here."
"Great Scott, he can talk to the dragon!" Bagman commented as the crowd watched on in awe and surprise. "Are you watching this, Dumbledore?"
"Yes, I can see that Mr. Bagman," the old man smiled.
"Now," Harry said as his arms transformed into scaly claws and he began to tear up the chains binding Norberta.
"What is he doing?" Bagman asked in shock and surprise.
"Could I get that egg you have?" Harry asked the dragon as he nodded at the gold one, gleaming in the afternoon sunshine, residing safely in-between the dragon's front legs.
Letting out an angry hiss, the dragon stood up on its hind legs as it stared at him angrily.
"It isn't even your real egg," Harry said with an eye roll as he finished breaking the last few chains. "When did you pop a golden egg, you bird brain?"
Looking from the egg latched in its taloned claws then back at him, the dragon uttered a noise so familiar to a, "huh?" that Harry couldn't help chuckling as he leaned forward to break off the collar around its neck.
"Okay you give me that egg and I will give you yours. How does that sound?"
Tentivatily handing over the golden egg, Harry took it into his own hands while Bagman began to yell. "Would you look at that!" the man shouted. "Will you look at that! Our youngest champion is the quickest to get his egg! Well, this is going to shorten the odds on Mr. Potter!"
"Could you give back her egg?" Harry turned his gaze to the Dragon Keepers who were peering at him with open mouths.
Norberta turned her long serpentine neck around as she remembered them, and then let out a loud shriek of anger and fury as she got ready to pounce on them to seek righteous revenge.
"Okay, okay," Harry said as he rested a draconic arm on her snout that froze the dragon in place with none to little effort. "Take it easy. This wasn't their fault. They will be giving you your egg back soon. Right," he called out to the Dragon Keeper.
"Bring her egg," a voice called out which turned out to be Charlie.
Someone quickly brought it forth and Charlie took it in hand and stepped into the arena. "Sorry," he said as he bowed his head to the dragon. "We never meant to do this to you, but...."
"It's okay," Harry said, speaking for Norberta.
Taking her egg gently with her clawed talons, Norberta let out a loud bellow of steam at Charlie which messed up his hair.
Just then everyone's head spun around as they heard loud earth shaking roars from the enclave the dragons were, then they saw a large jet of flame that had gasps from the stands.
"Shit," Charlie swore as his eyes nearly looked like they would be popping over. Shit was right, because Harry saw two dragons take to the air, one the Romanian Longhorn and the other the Swedish Short-Snout.
That seemed to be the moment that everyone seemed to go crazy. There was screaming and fainting all around as people started to try to clear out of the stands. The dragons seemed to take notice as their eyes narrowed on the wizards and witches who were just moments ago enjoying watching them put on spectacles.
Those two dragons weren't the only two to escape as more dragons started taking to the air. To make matters worse they quickly followed behind the incoming dragons.
Just as they arrived and ready to rain terror on the mass hysteria crowd of wizards, a loud roar that seemed to eclipse anything that let those dragon's maw echoed around the stadium.
That roar seemed to freeze all the dragons in place as they turned to look down towards the arena ground where a half man/ half-dragon stood.
Harry roared out a command in the hissing growling tongue of the dragons and they ceased trying to attack the wizarding folk in the stands. All of them slowly started circling above in the sky at his command. Harry furrowed his eyebrows when he only saw 10 dragons in the air and not 11, but eased past it for later.
"I can't believe it," Bagman whispered, "he is somehow controlling all the dragons."
"Folks, I must say this is indeed the most amazing and spectacular display I have seen so far today. And that is even counting what her royal highness did today. And the other champions as well. Not only as he tamed his dragon, but he has saved everyone's bacon here today and took control of all the other dragons."
"Alright, why don't we tally up the points, huh. Mr. Potter has after all collected his egg, and finished the trial," Bagman commented.
Quickly the Headmasters started putting up their numbers. Each one put up a 10, Igor tried to put up a 7 but Norberta snapped at him and the man recoiled back as he changed it to a 10.
"A perfect score!" Bagman shouted. "110 points, the highest any champion got!"
Harry gave one final command to the dragons and slowly transformed back into his human form.
He saw the dragon keepers rushing forward to watch as the dragons took to the air, and soon flap their wings over at the entrance to the stadium and quickly disappear in the horizon.
"Don't worry," Harry said to Charlie, "they will be back at the reserve. Or at least I hope so."
Professor McGonagall, Professor Vector, and Hagrid were hurrying to meet him, all of them waving him toward them, their smiles evident even from this distance.
He headed back to the entrance which he came from while the noise of the crowd pounded against his eardrums. They all seem to have gone wild as loud, earth shaking clapping and cheering filled the air.
"That was excellent, Potter!" Professor McGonagall cried as he left the arena grounds — which from her was extravagant praise. He noticed her hand shook as she rested an arm on his shoulder and pat him on the back.
"You'll need to see Madam Pomfrey. Over there, she's had to heal up Diggory already. . . ."
"Yeh did it, Harry!" Hagrid said with a wide beaming grin on his shaggy bearded face.
"Yeh did it! An' you took me advice," he said with tears at the corner of his eyes.
"I guess I did," Harry smiled, "Thanks, Hagrid," Harry said loudly, so that Hagrid wouldn't blunder on and reveal that he had shown Harry the dragons beforehand. Professor Vector looked very pleased too; her eyes showing how glad she was to see him make it through the trial unscathed.
"Nice and easy does the trick, Mr. Potter," she smiled.
"Right then, Mr. Potter, the first aid tent, please," Professor McGonagall pointed to the healing tent. "Pomfrey was screaming she needs to see every champion even if they are okay."
Harry walked out of the stadium, and saw Madam Pomfrey standing at the mouth of a second tent, looking worried. "Dragons!" she said, in a disgusted tone, pulling Harry inside. The tent was divided into cubicles; he could make out Cedric's shadow through the canvas, but Cedric didn't seem to be badly injured; he was sitting up, at least.
Madam Pomfrey examined Harry's shoulder, talking furiously all the while. "Last year dementors, this year dragons, what are they going to bring into this school next? Thank Morgon that I see no injury on you, you're in a much better state than some. Still, let me give you a check up for safety measures," she said as she poked his shoulder with her wand.
"Now, just sit quietly for a minute — sit! You look in proper order," she said as she did a complete analysis on him. "Too good of an order," she muttered under her breath.
"Are we done, Madam Pomfrey?" Harry asked with an eye roll.
"Fine, go ahead," she said as she bustled out of the tent and he heard her go next door and say, "How does it feel now, Diggory?" Harry didn't want to sit still, he got to his feet, wanting to see what was going on outside, but before he'd reached the mouth of the tent, his friends came darting inside. He did not know how they got past everyone else, but he was glad to see them. "Harry, you were brilliant!" Hermione said squeakily. There were fingernail marks on her face where she had been clutching it in fear.
"You were amazing! You really were!" Colin shouted with joy, jumping up and down.
"You should have seen Draco's face," Neville said with a smile. "He was dancing with joy when you walked up to the dragon, then how it fell when you took control of it so well."
"You were the best, you know, no competition," Fred said.
"Yeah, you should have seen the other champions, so much for the best, ha," George said. "We would have done so much better if we entered."
Picking up his golden egg, Harry let the voices of his close friends wash over him and he just sat back in his seat listening to them, and smiling at the right time.
"Why don't you guys leave Harry alone for a while. It must have taken a lot out of him to go up against all the dragons," Daphne said.
"Yeah," Hermione nodded his head. "Give him time to rest."
"I'm fine," Harry said, but no one was listening to him as everyone cleared out with "yeah" and "okay".
"Alright fine," Harry said, accepting that his life would be controlled by the woman near him.
It was at that moment someone came into the tent, Hermione shouted without looking back, "We are taking no visitors!"
"I wonder if you could give me a quick word?" Turning to look who it was, Harry saw that it was Rita Skeeter. She was wearing acid-green robes today; the Quick-Quotes Quill in her hand blended perfectly against them. "Congratulations, Harry!" she said, beaming at him.
"Rita," Harry nodded his head. "You guys wouldn't mind, best to give a piece to the papers."
"Sure, fine," the two witches answered as Harry sat up and gave his usual piece to the public.
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After everything was said and done, Harry finally had time to himself, sitting back, he heard a nearly inaudible pop and turned to see Dobby appear. He was dressed in a similar butler uniform as Tobry, the senior house-elf had been training the little guy really rigorously as he said only the best for the master of the household. And Dobby had to be best, if he wanted to be his personal house-elf.
"Master Harry," the house-elf bowed as he entered.
"Dobby," Harry nodded his head, "good job today. You made sure not to be seen."
"Yes, Master Harry," the little guys answered.
"Then congratulations are in order," Harry said as he got up and got a drink. "Come drink with me."
"But Master Harry, Mr. Tobry says..."
"I insist, Dobby, you did excellent today. I knew I could count on you to release all the dragons."
Reluctantly coming over, Harry poured the house-elf a drink and raised it in cheer as he took a sip.
Really the name of the game is to see who can create the greatest spectacle! And Harry won that by all margin with what he had done.
So what if he had bent the rules, winning this tournament was his goal. He might have had no goal in entering in the first place, but now that he was in, he would win no matter what.
Not just for the vain glory and honor, but because it would spread his name far and wide, much wider than it was right now. And that would bring more people under his banner to fight against Voldemort.
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