The ground trembled as the incantation was repeated, "Deprimo! Deprimo! Deprimo!" With each chant, the earth around the Swedish Short-Snout Dragon loosened, setting the stage for what was to come.
Cedric, with a strategic move, placed his wand to his lips and blew hard. A thick mist erupted from the tip, swirling towards the formidable fire dragon. Dumbledore, observing from the sidelines, expressed his astonishment, "A novel spell, one I've never encountered before."
The silver-blue dragon, a majestic mother of dragons, growled in warning. Her pride would not allow her to retreat. In a display of defiance, she opened her mouth wide, unleashing a torrent of dragon's breath. The flames met the cool white light in the mist, creating a mesmerizing spectacle.
Amidst this chaos, the dragon egg stirred. The Short-Snout, distracted, noticed a figure darting away with the egg. Enraged, it pursued the thief. However, the loosened soil around it gave way, trapping its legs and eliciting furious roars as it struggled to free itself.
The audience watched with bated breath, their hearts in their throats as Ludo Bagman narrated, "It's too dangerous! Cedric Diggory is in peril—no, the dragon's breath has struck him!" But in a twist, it was revealed that the dragon had only hit an illusion. The real Cedric had cleverly used the distraction to secure the golden egg.
Standing atop a mound of earth, Cedric triumphantly raised the golden egg. "He's got the golden egg!" Bagman exclaimed, his voice cracking with excitement. "This young warrior, a sixth-year student from Hogwarts, has shown remarkable strength."
The judges prepared to score Cedric's performance. Madame Maxime was the first, her wand emitting a silver ribbon that formed a nine. Cedric's flawless execution left no room for deductions. Barty Crouch Sr. surprisingly awarded a perfect ten, followed by Dumbledore's nine. Ludo Bagman, with a conflicted expression, released an eight from his wand.
All eyes then turned to Karkaroff, who, with an impassive face, conjured a glaring four. "How pitiful," Kim Ledisley remarked, "I didn't expect him to be so blatantly unfair."
A sudden shout, "Shadow!" cut through the murmurs of the crowd, silencing them momentarily. The outcry against Karkaroff's unfair scoring was immediate and overwhelming, even reaching the ears of the competitors in the waiting tent.
Karkaroff, faced with the public's scorn and fearing the whispers of Death Eaters among them, hastily revised Cedric's score to a seven, the best compromise he could muster under the circumstances.
Cedric, undeterred by the controversy, waved to the crowd with grace, earning their applause for his sportsmanship.
As the excitement from Cedric's performance began to settle, the next competitor prepared to face the challenge, ready to make their mark in the tournament. Fleur Delacour demonstrated the formidable power of a well-taught hypnotic spell, likely a gift from Madame Maxime's instruction, which she used to put the fire dragon into a deep slumber. "Indeed, the legacy of a prestigious school should never be underestimated," she mused as she navigated her way to claim the dragon egg. The hypnosis took a considerable amount of time, completing the task in 10 minutes. The judges awarded her scores, which ultimately placed her slightly below Cedric Diggory.
When it was Viktor Krum's turn, his expression was somber, a stark contrast to the earlier, unashamed demeanor of Igor Karkaroff. The anticipation built as the low roar of the Chinese Fireball dragon reached the ears of the spectators. "Defeat him," the crowd seemed to whisper in unison. Unprepared for the ferocity of his opponent, Krum was caught off guard as the dragon unleashed a torrent of fireballs. In a breathtaking display, the dragon, meant to guard its egg, took to the sky, bombarding the area with high-temperature fireballs, leaving Krum scrambling for cover. One fireball veered dangerously close to the judges, igniting Karkaroff's robe in a burst of flames, causing him to desperately attempt to extinguish the fire.
Krum, determined to reach the dragon egg, found his path blocked by a relentless barrage of fireballs from the Chinese Fireball. The dragon, now unencumbered by the need to protect its egg, unleashed its full might upon Krum. Despite the daunting challenge, Krum's skills as a Triwizard Tournament champion shone through. He seized a momentary lapse in the dragon's assault, casting a spell that rendered the beast temporarily blind. Braving the flames, he managed to secure the golden egg.
His ordeal, lasting 28 minutes, was the longest of the competitors. The aftermath was chaotic, with the dragon's blind fury causing injuries among the spectators until it was finally subdued by the dragon handlers. Krum, his robes aflame, was forced to strip them off, revealing singed hair. The spectacle was far from graceful, and it seemed unlikely his score would be favorable. Yet, Karkaroff's unabashed bias awarded him a perfect score, prompting John to silently commend his audacity.
Harry Potter, the final contestant, was visibly tense after witnessing Krum's harrowing experience. His pale demeanor reflected the gravity of facing the fearsome Hungarian Horntail. The dragon trainers stood by, anxious over the potential dangers. Harry, buoyed by advice from Alastor Moody to play to his strengths, had mastered the Summoning Charm overnight. With focused intent, he called forth his Firebolt broomstick, which swiftly arrived at his side.
Mounting the broomstick, Harry's confidence surged. He was determined to retrieve the golden egg using speed as his ally. The crowd erupted into cheers as he took to the air, with Ludo Bagman exclaiming in disbelief at the sight of Harry flying. John couldn't help but think the observation was obvious—of course, a broomstick is meant to fly.
However, the challenge was far from over. A dragon's claw suddenly loomed large before Harry, sending him tumbling through the air like a rubber ball. The audience fell silent, shocked by the sudden turn of events. Amidst the tension, a dragon's roar filled the air, but John's thoughts were elsewhere, pondering the unpredictable nature of the Tournament. Harry remained silent, pondering the remarkable resilience of the dragon before him. Unlike the Chinese Fireball he had encountered previously, this dragon, named Amohan, seemed to exude a unique aura of strength and honor, a testament to its formidable nature and its esteemed status in the Valley of Never Breathing. As Harry narrowly avoided a powerful swipe from Amohan's wing, he realized the dragon possessed a level of self-restraint, aware that causing harm could lead to consequences.
Regaining his balance in mid-air, Harry felt the intense heat of Amohan's breath bearing down on him. With no time to waste, he swiftly turned and ascended higher into the sky. A flicker of disdain appeared in Amohan's eyes as it propelled itself forward with a mighty flap of its wings, eager to pursue Harry.
Caught off guard by Amohan's surprising speed, Harry pushed himself to accelerate. Despite his efforts, Amohan rapidly closed the distance, forcing Harry to dodge another lethal claw strike. Ducking down, Harry increased his speed once more.
From the sidelines, Charlie Weasley's voice pierced the tense atmosphere, urging, "Harry, go for the dragon egg!" Taking the advice to heart, Harry maneuvered skillfully, the turbulent air from Amohan's wings threatening to throw him off balance. His innate talent shone through as he quickly regained control of his Firebolt.
Realizing that direct confrontation was futile, Harry decided to exploit Amohan's weakness. The dragon's difficulty with low flight presented an opportunity. As Harry was previously knocked aside, he seized the moment to land near the dragon egg and swiftly claimed it, effectively ending the challenge.
Charlie and his team promptly moved in to subdue Amohan. Despite its initial desire to escape, the dragon remembered John's promise and submitted peacefully, a stark contrast to the fierce creature that had chased Harry moments before.
Despite sustaining injuries, Harry completed the task in a commendable seven minutes, only slightly behind Cedric's time. Had it not been for Amohan's interference, he likely would have finished even faster. Harry's exceptional talent was undeniable.
The judges awarded their scores: Ms. Maxim with 8 points, Barty Crouch Sr. with 9 points, Dumbledore also with 9 points, Bagman with a perfect 10, and Karkaroff with 6 points. Harry's performance placed him second overall, trailing behind Cedric, with Fleur in third and Krum in fourth. His resilience and skill in the face of such a formidable challenge solidified his reputation as a truly gifted wizard.
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If you are tired of reading I also have this converted to an audio novel on my youtube
https://www.youtube.com/@NovelAudioForge/featured
Direct Link to playlist
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_Hg-qsW4rM&list=PLKskshYG-OcPTR4-Nw7IWFEBZm07D8pBV&ab_channel=NovelAudioForge