Sunday, December 11, 1994The Quidditch Stadium, Commentary Box
14:08 PM
Mason Timpson's and Alaric Spinster's POV
"Team 5 makes their way to the stadium. Leading the line for them is Naomi Ward-Prowse from Hogwarts. Miss Ward-Prowse is the heiress of Britain's only source of Ward Makers, excluding the goblins. This makes a lot of families jealous, and she has a long line of suitors ready for her after Hogwarts. Michael Cappelli from Ilvermorny is on her team for the first task. The Cappelli family is one of the largest donors at Ilvermorny and even has a campus named after his family. To make up this trio, there is Athaliah Stankov from Durmstrang. We know that Miss Stankov has an almost borderline obsession with light magic and illusion. Not 'light' as the antithesis of the dark arts, but 'light' as in the light from a candle," said Alaric.
"Sorry for the hurried intro. Alaric took over for me on short notice, as the queues for the lavatories were too long. What happened to the good old days when we were able to vanish our excrements away into oblivion?" Mason said as he fixed his robes and sat down. "That's four teams down, which means there are five remaining dragon species it could be. They are: Antipodean Opaleye, Common Green Welsh, Catalonian Fireball, Cardoso's Long Snout, and the Peruvian Vipertooth. Which two would you most want to see?"
"The Peruvian Vipertooth would be number one. Watching the champions come face-to-face with a dragon that could match or come close to the speed of the legendary Night Fury would be a spectacle. As for the second, it had to be the Antipodean Opaleye. How many times in one's lifetime do you get to see something that beautiful? Discounting the time you first lay your eyes on your future wife and the first time entering the Great Hall, maybe twice," Alaric said as he received a nudge from Mason.
"Got someone special in your life without telling me? I thought we were brothers from different mothers?" Mason said he was earning a hug from Alaric, before quickly pushing him off. "Ludo Bagman stands up and rings the bell. The 12 minutes have started, and the champions make their way into the arena. The dragon they are going to be facing is the Peruvian Vipertooth. Congratulations on getting it correct. Would you do the honours?"
"Only after I let the audience listening at home know what's happening. The three champions have placed spells over themselves and made themselves invisible. I would say the works for most dragon species, but the Peruvian Vipertooth has one of the best eyes among the animal kingdom. The Peruvian Vipertooth is a relatively small but extremely agile dragon native to the Andes Mountains of Peru. Averaging between 4 and 6 metres in length and standing 1.5 to 2 metres high at the shoulders, these dragons are known for their sleek, copper-coloured scales," Alaric said. "Their wingspan can reach up to 7 metres, making them swift and formidable in the air, with flight speeds up to 350 kilometres per hour. Despite their relatively modest size, they have a lightweight frame, typically weighing between 500 and 700 kilograms, allowing for exceptional agility and manoeuvrability."
"Alaric, look! The Vipertooth are alert. I am certain they have noticed the champions even under their pseudo invisibility. I believe it is due to the impression their feet make. Both dragons have honed into a location, and they both pounce. The champions roll out of the way, leaving a trail of sand and giving up their location. One champion uses a spell to get rid of all the sand on them, and they disappear once again. This time, I can't see any foot prints. The dragons return to the nest. They should be safe," Mason said.
"As I said, the Peruvian Vipertooth has one of the best eyes in the animal kingdom. They were lucky to get away with it. The Vipertooth species is also one of the most venous dragon species known to wizards. They are highly aggressive and fast, traits that make them formidable predators. They primarily feed on goats, cows, and occasionally humans, using their ability to breathe a thin, focused jet of flame with temperatures ranging from 1,200 to 1,800 degrees Celsius to hunt and defend themselves. Would you like to continue off of me? I believe there won't be much more action from this team," Alaric stated.
"I believe you are correct. Where should I continue? This section? Okay. These dragons prefer high altitudes and mountainous regions, often found in dense forests within their native Andean habitat. They are known to lay 3 to 4 small, mottled eggs during their mating season, which occurs every few years. The eggs are pale green with dark spots and a smooth texture. Peruvian Vipertooth have an average lifespan of 100 to 120 years. That was quite short," Mason said, looking at the timer. "4 and a half minutes have passed. I think Team 4 will retain their record. How long do you think this team will take?"
"I don't know, but we don't have a lot to talk about. With this team taking a stealthy approach, we can't witness any action. The only thing we can do is speculate and gossip. And you know I hate speculating without enough information," Alaric said.
"What should we do now? We've used up all our notes," Mason said.
"I guess we should twiddle our thumbs until we can announce the completion of the task," Alaric said, and they did exactly that.
"11 minutes and 56 seconds. They are quite close to the 12 minute mark, but they have completed their task. What do you make of it?" Alaric asked.
"I thought it was boring. No events are worthy of note. Watching Dittany dry would probably be more exciting than this. However, as you said, they did complete the task. They did what they had to do. Nothing more, nothing less," Mason said.
"I think we're moving straight onto the next dragon, as the tamer doesn't need that much effort to replace the dragon, and there is minimal damage to the arena. The champions reveal themselves from under their pseudo invisibility, and make their way out of the arena. The tamers follow closely behind with the two Vipertooth is cages. Another set of tamer walk into the arena with a much larger covered cage. They walk into the centre," Alaric said.
"If you're wondering, they are placing the dragon in a ward scheme linked to the bell. When the bell is rung, the ward comes down, revealing the dragon, and comes back up when the bell is rung again. Quite cool, isn't it?" Mason said it rhetorically. "The tamers come out from under the ward and line up around the perimeter of the arena. The champions of Team 6 leave their tent and make their way to the arena. Alaric, off you go. You're time to shine."
"Leading the lines for Team 6 is Yuna Kenshin for Mahoutokoro. Descended from the bloodline of the Dragon of Echigo, Miss Kenshin retains some of the traits of her forefathers. One, I believe, will be used today, and make this challenge as simple as the previous team. The second female on this team is Millie Macklemore from Ilvermorny. Miss Macklemore is, I would say, unsuited to this team. With her fiery temper and her blunt but direct approach, it hinders the approach and synergy of the other two champions. Finally, we have the fourth champion from Hogwarts: Cedric Diggory. I can not say much about him; apart from the kid, he is a very good lad with an even better future ahead of him," Alaric said.
"The champions approach the gate of the arena. Ludo Bagman rings the bell, and they are facing a Common Welsh Green. This is going to be another simple, but boring, round. Alaric will explain later, but first, let's introduce the dragon. The Common Welsh Green is a medium sized dragon species native to the mountainous regions of Wales. It typically measures between 6 and 7 metres in length and stands around 2 and 2.5 metres high at the shoulders. With a wingspan that can extend up to 8 metres, this dragon is known for its graceful and controlled flight, capable of speeds up to 200 kilometres per hour. The Common Welsh Green has a sleek and muscular build, with a weight range of 700 to 900 kilograms," Mason said before he continued. "Characterised by its vibrant green scales, which provide excellent camouflage among the lush Welsh landscapes, the Common Welsh Green is a visually striking dragon. This dragon's horns are relatively short and slightly curved, with a row of smaller spines running down its back to its tail. The Common Welsh Green's fire-breathing capability is impressive, producing a steady, controlled flame that can reach temperatures of 1,000 to 1,500 degrees Celsius."
"The diet of the Common Welsh Green primarily consists of sheep and deer. These dragons are known to be less aggressive than many other species, often preferring to avoid human contact. They typically lay 2 to 3 eggs at a time, which are pale grey and speckled with green. With an average lifespan of 120 to 150 years, the Common Welsh Green is one of the shorter-lived dragon species. Their relatively peaceful nature and affinity for remote, verdant environments make them less of a threat to humans compared to other dragons," Alaric said. "The reason we said this round was going to be another simple yet boring affair is due to Miss Kenshin. As I said earlier, Miss Kenshin retains some traits from her forefathers. One of this is the ability to commune with dragons. Miss Kenshin is using that exact ability to calm the dragon down, and take the fake egg from her nest. At the same time, Mister Diggory and Miss Macklemore are occupying the father dragon."
"Should we twiddle our thumbs and wait for them to finish?" Mason asked.
"There's nothing more exciting to do."
"9 minutes on the dot. This concludes the first task. Join us in a few moments when all the champions join us in the arena, and the scores are read out."