Time seemed to have been placed under an Acceleration Charm, and before long, Tuesday arrived.
The morning air was cold and crisp, carrying a heavy sense of tension that seemed to brush against everyone's cheeks.
At the edge of the Quidditch Pitch, the enormous suspended arena, shaped like an inverted wizard's hat, cast an ominous shadow beneath the gloomy dawn sky.
The stands were packed, with banners from the eight wizarding schools fluttering above the surging crowd. The endless chatter and excited discussion sounded like thousands of buzzing bees, filling the biting air.
Sagres sat among the professors, not in the very front row, but still in a position where he could take in the entire arena.
His calm gaze swept over the scene below. Sixteen champions stood inside small, magically constructed dark rooms at the edge of the arena. Some were pale, some gripped their wands so tightly that their knuckles had turned white, whispering prayers under their breath, while others tried to conceal their inner turmoil behind indifferent expressions.
On the other side of the field, behind a shimmering barrier woven from containment spells, several colossal creatures shifted restlessly.
Dragon scales gleamed with a cold, metallic lustre beneath the sparse sunlight. The smell of sulphur accompanied their heavy breaths, while the occasional burst of sparks or suppressed growl sent ripples of unease through the stands.
There were nine dragons of various kinds. Their thick tails swept across the ground, carving deep furrows into the earth. Today, they were both the examiners in this trial of courage and the nightmare occupying every champion's thoughts.
Just then, Ludo Bagman's plump figure rose in the judges' box.
He drew his wand and pointed it at his throat. His voice was instantly amplified many times over, echoing loudly and theatrically across the entire arena.
"Silence! Please be quiet, ladies, gentlemen, and distinguished guests!"
Bagman spread his arms, his face beaming with a polished smile.
"Welcome! Welcome to the first event of the... er, well, this year's Triwizard... no, the Eight-School Tournament!"
His small slip drew a burst of laughter, slightly easing the tense atmosphere.
"I'm sure everyone has been waiting impatiently!" Bagman continued in a booming voice. "So, before our champions demonstrate their courage, allow me, Ludo Bagman, on behalf of the organising committee and the panel of judges, to announce the rules and precautions for this task!"
The stands immediately fell silent as everyone listened closely.
"As you can all see," Bagman said, pointing his wand towards the area where the dragons were being held, his voice carrying just the right amount of theatrical flair, "our champions must face these beautiful yet dangerous creatures today: dragons!"
Although there had already been plenty of speculation and rumours, the official confirmation still drew a collective gasp and several excited screams.
"The rules are as follows!"
Bagman raised his voice.
"Each champion's objective is to retrieve a golden egg from beside the dragon assigned to them!"
As he spoke, a glittering golden object about the size of an ostrich egg appeared in his hand, displayed for the entire crowd to see.
"Please take note! This golden egg contains clues to the second task and is extremely important! The dragons will be guarding nests filled with eggs, and among them will be one golden egg!"
"The champions must rely on their magic and, most importantly, their courage! They may use whatever means they can to retrieve the golden egg!"
"As everyone knows, the Hogwarts duelling arena can prevent contestants from suffering fatal injuries, but it cannot guarantee that every champion will emerge completely unscathed."
"After careful consideration, the organising committee has decided to adjust the arena's protective magic. Champions and dragons will not be removed from the arena until they are in danger of sustaining fatal injuries. In other words, we cannot guarantee absolute safety. Injuries are inevitable!"
His words caused many spectators in the stands to clench their hands nervously.
"The order in which the champions compete will be determined by drawing lots! They will enter the arena one at a time and face randomly assigned dragons! The judges will score them based on the time taken to complete the task, their use of magic, and the courage they display!"
Bagman swept his gaze across the arena before finally turning towards the young champions below.
"Remember, young ladies and gentlemen! This is not merely a competition, but a trial! The honour of Hogwarts, Durmstrang, Beauxbatons, Ilvermorny, Uagadou, Castelobruxo, Kunlun, and the Eighth School Tournament rests upon your shoulders! Good luck!"
He dramatically waved his wand, and a dazzling red spark shot into the sky before exploding into countless shimmering stars.
"And now... I declare the first event of the Eight-School Tournament officially open! First champion, prepare yourself!"
Deafening cheers and applause erupted like a tidal wave.
Sagres leaned back slightly, his gaze calmly fixed on the arena, while also noting that Barty Crouch's seat in the judges' box was empty.
He glanced discreetly at the vacant seat, a series of questions inevitably passing through his mind.
Ludo Bagman had mentioned while chatting with the professors that Barty Crouch was absent due to poor health. He had even temporarily set aside his work at the Ministry of Magic and was supposedly resting quietly at home to recover.
Sagres was somewhat sceptical of this explanation, so he had already decided that as soon as the competition ended, he would immediately pay a "visit" to the Head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation.
As Ludo Bagman announced the start of the competition, the uproar in the stands reached its peak before quickly subsiding.
Every eye turned towards the small, magically formed dark room at the edge of the arena.
"Ladies and gentlemen!"
Bagman's booming voice rang out at just the right moment.
"The exciting moment has arrived! As you can see, the champions' opponents are completely random, fairly assigned by the ancient Duelling Stone Tablet! At the same time, I must remind everyone that the suspended arena can not only recreate the most suitable environment for each species of dragon, but also ensure that champions are transported out before suffering fatal injuries. Of course, this function will only activate when a fatal injury is imminent, and we sincerely hope it won't be needed!"
As his words faded, the door to the dark room slowly opened, and Diego Rodrigues, the champion from Castelobruxo, stepped out steadily.
He was tall and well-proportioned, his bronzed skin particularly striking beneath the gloomy daylight, and his face bore an almost reverent expression of concentration.
He walked directly towards the towering Duelling Stone Tablet at the centre of the suspended arena, pressed his palm against its cold stone surface, and began chanting in a low voice.
The ancient runes carved into the tablet lit up one by one, giving off a soft glow.
Immediately afterwards, the tablet slowly sank into the ground, and the entire arena began to shake violently, distort, and reshape like rippling water.
The originally flat stone floor bulged and twisted, rapidly transforming into rough terrain covered with jagged rocks and sparse tundra vegetation. The air seemed to be swept by a freezing current from the north, carrying a biting chill and a faint hint of salty sea breeze.
A leaden grey sky hung low overhead, with only a few thin rays of sunlight barely piercing the clouds to illuminate the magically created dragon's nest.
And at the very centre of the nest lay Diego Rodrigues's opponent, a fully grown Norwegian Ridgeback.
"It's here! A Norwegian Ridgeback's nest!"
Bagman's voice carried just the right amount of astonishment.
"It seems Champion Rodrigues hasn't had the best of luck. Right from the start, he's drawn this big fellow, famous for its ferocity and cunning!"
The enormous Norwegian Ridgeback looked like a small mountain covered in obsidian scales. Its powerful muscles shifted beneath its hide, brimming with explosive strength.
Most striking of all was the row of spikes resembling obsidian daggers that ran along its spine from the top of its head to the tip of its tail, glinting ominously in the dim light.
Its wings were broad and powerful, and even while folded against its sides, the bony spurs along their edges were clearly visible. Its dark golden slit pupils, like molten gold, were cold and cruel as they locked onto the tiny human intruding upon its territory.
"Everyone, take a good look!" Bagman continued enthusiastically. "The Norwegian Ridgeback! Its most distinctive feature is that spine covered in spikes, which can easily pierce most armour! Its flames are bright blue, extremely hot, and incredibly dangerous! What's more, it is one of the most ill-tempered and bloodthirsty breeds of dragon, even known to prey upon its own kind! Champion Rodrigues must be extremely careful!"
As if to confirm Bagman's words, the Ridgeback let out a threatening roar, and sulphurous hot air burst from its nostrils, forming two plumes of white mist.
Its thick tail swept restlessly from side to side, scraping against the rocks with a harsh grinding sound and fully displaying its irritable, aggressive nature.
Rodrigues stopped at the edge of the dragon's nest.
The Norwegian Ridgeback shifted its massive body slightly, revealing the crude nest of rocks and earth beneath it.
From where he stood, Rodrigues could see several large, spotted dragon eggs, and among them, one gleamed with an enticing golden light.
The Norwegian Ridgeback did not immediately attack the intruder. Instead, it lowered its body slightly, the spikes along its back rising as though it were assessing the creature bold enough to disturb it while it guarded its eggs.
Rodrigues stood at the edge of the nest with a solemn expression, his wand angled towards the ground.
Clearly, he understood just how formidable an opponent he was facing.
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