"Incredible! I can hardly believe what we are seeing!" the commentator cried. "That was perfect execution and not luck ladies and gentlemen. An extraordinary display of control from Miss Granger!"
And then his voice rose even higher.
"And look at this! Mr Potter is preparing to strike as well. The champion steps forward now. The question is, can he top that astonishing display?"
The cameras swung sharply, catching Harry as he shot forward, racing straight toward the dragon's frozen head. Wind seemed to scream past him as his free hand moved in a tight, controlled circle, his wand arm snapping forward with precision.
"Incarcerous!"
The cameras stayed locked on him, every syllable caught as his voice rolled through the arena like an echo.
The tip of his wand flared like a small sun, and the spell answered at once. Thick, glowing bindings tore free from the ground below, whipping upward like living chains. They locked around the wyvern's legs first, then surged higher, coiling around its wings and cinching tight with merciless force.
The massive creature roared in fury as the bindings snapped tight, its movements grinding and violent as it fought against both frost and restraint.
Snap!
Snap!
The glowing restraints shattered one by one, like whips breaking under immense strain. The wyvern tore itself partially free, muscles bunching, wings twitching.
But Harry was not finished.
Neither was Hermione.
"Aguamenti!"
Under the stunned gazes of spectators and judges alike, mouths hanging open in disbelief, another surge of water erupted from the enchanted bag at her waist, spilling outward in a roaring torrent.
"Merlin's beard," someone exclaimed. "Did she drain the entire Great Lake into that enchanted pouch?"
The water rushed together, growing into another massive sphere until her control faltered and gravity pulled it crashing toward the dragon's head.
"Glacius!"
This time, it was not Hermione who initiated the freezing magic, but Harry, and the execution was just as flawless. His timing was perfect as well, releasing the spell at the exact moment the mass slammed onto the dragon's head.
Roar!
The dragon screamed. It was in pain. It was cold. It was confused. And above all, it was royally pissed. Forget burning them. It wanted to tear the puny creatures apart and devour them whole.
Unfortunately, it did not get the chance. A thunderous impact struck its head, a loud boom filling its senses, and then… well, there was no then.
Three blasting hexes struck in quick succession, two from its left and one from its right, slamming into its half frozen head and knocking it out cold. The dragon had been careless, the combinations used against it was super effective, and the timing was perfect.
Thud!
The ground convulsed as the wyvern's massive head finally crashed into the arena floor, dust and debris bursting outward in a violent wave. For one breathless moment, the stadium fell into absolute silence before erupting into deafening uproar.
The commentator's voice rang out across the arena, buzzing with genuine excitement.
"What an extraordinary display we have just witnessed! Harry Potter and his teammates showed not only courage, but outstanding coordination and quick thinking against one of the most dangerous creatures imaginable. This was clearly no last second gamble. They came into this arena with a plan, perhaps more than one, prepared and refined long before they ever set foot on the field."
"From the very first move to that breathtaking finish, every action had purpose. Each spell was timed perfectly, each role clearly understood. Even as the situation changed, their strategy adapted without falling apart, which speaks volumes about their preparation and their trust in one another."
"And I think everyone here can agree, what we have just seen goes far beyond ordinary student magic. To show this level of composure, coordination, and tactical awareness at such a young age is nothing short of remarkable. Especially when we remember that, like all of us watching, the champions had no idea what challenge awaited them inside the arena."
"The coordination, the timing, the layered use of magic. This was a plan designed to adapt, and adapt it did. Harry Potter's performance today, alongside his team, deserves nothing less than the loudest applause this arena can offer!"
As if on cue, a hurricane of cheers and applause erupted from the stands, the sound flooding every inch of the vast stone arena and lingering long after before finally fading into a dull roar.
When the judges began to raise their marks, it surprised no one that they were awarded the highest overall score of the day. Dumbledore, Olympe Maxime, and Amos Diggory each awarded Harry's trio a solid twenty four out of twenty five points.
Even Igor Karkaroff, despite his earlier scrutiny throughout the match, chose to give them twenty two points, bringing their total to a staggering ninety four points.
While the celebration still rang through the arena and the golden egg gleamed above the trio's heads, dragon tamers and Ministry officials moved in quickly, spells already on their lips. The fire scattered across the field shrank and died under their magic, smoke curling into the air.
When they finally exited the arena, Madam Pomfrey and her team of healers were already waiting nearby. Upon seeing them, they hurried forward and, without a word, ushered the three straight toward the medical tent beside the exit.
Not long after, Cedric, along with the champion teams from the other schools, also entered the medical tent. They looked at Harry and his team with expressions of genuine admiration. They too had faced the dragon head on and understood the danger involved, so they knew Harry's team's victory was no fluke, but the result of both wisdom and strength.
"You were incredible, Monsieur Harry Potter," Fleur stepped to his side and began praising him without reservation, completely out of nowhere, making several people in the tent raise curious eyebrows.
"Say… when did they hook up?"
"Shut up," Hermione huffed, jabbing Ron in the ribs and making him wince. For some reason, an inexplicable knot twisted in her gut, as if this pretty blond witch had just stolen her favorite book.
"Ahem…" she cleared her throat and shot Fleur a look.
"It was a team effort, Fleur," Harry cut in, intentionally or perhaps not, glancing at his two best friends before grinning. "Without them, I could not have done it."
"Congratulations, Harry Potter," Viktor Krum chimed in as well, fixing him with a competitive look. "Enjoy it while it lasts. In the second task, I will not lose." There was no mockery in his tone, only sincere respect.
The six champions exchanged a few more words before Madam Pomfrey, still frowning with concern, pulled Hermione and Ron over and began examining them as well. All three bore minor burn marks, even though none of the dragon's attacks had directly hit them. The residual heat alone had been dangerous enough.
"It is far too much, letting young wizards face dragons," she muttered, speaking to no one in particular. "I truly do not know what the Ministry is thinking."
And just as the tent began to grow lively, the sound of approaching footsteps came from outside, followed by a sudden crowd squeezing their way in.
It was the four judges. Dumbledore, Maxime, Karkaroff, and Amos Diggory.
However, perhaps faced with Madam Pomfrey's sharp glare, they did not linger any longer than necessary. Getting straight to the point, they first congratulated the champions on their performances and announced that all of them had qualified for the next round.
"...to make a long story short," Amos Diggory said, "the second task will be held on the third weekend of February next year. That gives you plenty of time to prepare."
"As for the clues," he added with a knowing smile, glancing around the group, "they are hidden within the golden eggs you received. Each of them. That is all I can say."
"Headmaster, the rest is up to you," he said to Dumbledore, then nodded to the champions once more before giving his own son a proud, fatherly hug.
"My apologies, I must take my leave now. The Ministry has many matters to attend to," he added at the end. Following him, the other three judges also departed, leaving the champions alone with Madam Pomfrey.
"So…" Ron, unable to help himself ever since he had heard about the clue hidden in the egg, said as he looked around the tent. "What d'you reckon is inside this thing?" Saying that, and without warning, he twisted the egg, turning its top and bottom halves in opposite directions.
In the very next instant, before anyone could react, an ear piercing, terrifying scream burst from the opened egg. The sound startled everyone, including Madam Pomfrey, who dropped several glass bottles, the potions shattering across the floor.
"Ronald Weasley, close that immediately," she snapped, "or I will personally see to it that you spend the entire winter break in the hospital wing!"
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Author's Note:
🔥 Drop those Power Stones! 🔥
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