Shortly after the whistle blew, Hermione stood up and walked out through the entrance of the tent. She passed through the gap in the fence and Alaric followed behind her.
Beyond the gap was the competition arena, surrounded by stands where hundreds of faces looked down from above.
As Hermione entered the arena, cheers erupted from the crowd.
Many in the audience knew Hermione well.
Ever since winning the Dueling Championship, she had garnered numerous fans throughout the wizarding world.
Some wizards had even come to Hogwarts specifically to witness the Triwizard Tournament, intrigued by her reputation.
Despite having experienced this before, Hermione felt a slight nervousness facing such a large audience. She took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart.
Alaric comfortingly patted her shoulder from behind, which eased her nerves.
On the stands, Ludovic Bagman had just finished introducing the other judges and judges. Spotting Alaric entering with Hermione, he enthusiastically began to introduce him:
"Many may wonder why we have two young entrants now.
Indeed, the handsome young man from Hogwarts, though a fourth-year student, is not a competitor but one of the judges and judges for today's match, also responsible for the contestants' safety.
Though he is quite young, I'm sure many have heard of his name. He is Alaric!"
Cheers erupted from the audience, but there were also some boos from those unfamiliar with Alaric or unsure of his role.
"Not everyone may be familiar with Mr. Alaric," Bagman frowned slightly in response to the boos.
"So, let me elaborate further. Alaric has won the International Wizard Chess Championship and has thrice been awarded the Order of Merlin for his contributions, including the invention of mobile Floo technology.
In his second year, he single-handedly defeated a Serpent-Grip, a magical creature comparable in strength to a Hungarian Horntail.
This demonstrates Alaric's capability in ensuring the safety of our champions."
The boos subsided and were replaced with enthusiastic cheers. In the eyes of the audience, Alaric had already become a figure above the "champions."
However, Bagman wasn't finished.
"In fact, Alaric is also the world's first known Animagus capable of transforming into a magical creature—a feat even Merlin himself did not achieve.
I can reveal a secret here: Alaric's Animagus form is said to be a dragon. Apart from his classmates, only his Transfiguration professor has witnessed this transformation.
If the contestants are in danger, we might just get a glimpse of his Animagus."
The cheers grew even louder.
Some even started to jeer at the contestants, eager for the four champions to face perilous situations and witness Alaric's dragon form.
Next, the Dragon Handlers brought out the first dragon—a Swedish Short-Snout, its scales shimmering silver-blue in the sunlight.
Restricted by its handlers, the Short-Snout appeared irritable, occasionally snorting out small bursts of dazzling blue flames from its nostrils.
"Alright, our first dragon and its challenger have entered the arena.
This Swedish Short-Snout will face off against our Hogwarts champion, Miss Hermione Granger.
Though she is so young, Miss Granger is already a formidable witch.
Many may recall her victory in the International Wizard Dueling Championship held in Paris last July, where she defeated many powerful adult wizards to claim the championship."
Hermione's fans stood up and cheered in support as she made her way into the arena.
On the other end of the arena stood the towering Swedish Short-Snout. Crouched low, it guarded its nest of eggs, its wings half-folded, its fierce yellow eyes locked onto Hermione.
It was a massive creature, covered in armored scales, resembling a lizard-like reptile. Its tail, bristling with spikes, left deep craters in the hard ground as it thrashed about.
"Now, how will our champion acquire the golden egg? Let's wait and see!" Bagman exclaimed from the commentator's booth.
"Miss Granger appears calm, showing no signs of fear despite the situation. However, it seems she is contemplating her strategy and needs a moment."
In truth, Hermione wasn't strategizing but rather focusing on accessing the latent power within her—a power she was using for the first time and thus felt somewhat unfamiliar with.
Before long, Hermione was ready. She began walking steadily towards the Swedish Short-Snout.
"What spell will our contestant use against this formidable beast?" Bagman wondered aloud, his voice filled with curiosity.
"Wait a moment, she isn't casting any spells at all. She hasn't even drawn her wand. What is she thinking? Has she lost her mind?"
Hermione wasn't mad or foolish. In fact, she didn't need spells to deal with the Swedish Short-Snout. She just needed to unleash her own power.
As Hermione drew nearer, the Swedish Short-Snout grew increasingly agitated and angry. In its eyes, this tiny creature was encroaching upon its territory, particularly when it had to protect its eggs. It was a provocation.
With a snarl, it crawled closer to Hermione, its mouth open and poised, seemingly ready to strike or unleash its fiery breath.
Yet Hermione continued as though she hadn't noticed, moving forward.
As the distance between them closed, Hermione found herself in increasing danger.
Her seemingly suicidal act stirred up a commotion among the audience, who discussed fervently.
Even the judges and judges were perplexed, unable to understand why Hermione would act this way.
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