Along with Asterion, Daphne, Rose - Luna and Cedric were present at his house.
Daphne served two cups of tea and a plate with some snacks to eat to both guests, who accepted after thanking her. The weather was getting colder and colder as Christmas approached.
The Hufflepuff representative clearly had a melancholy expression. The reason for the melancholy was in the young man's arms - a Dragon Egg.
It was the last day of the first phase of the Second Trial of the Tournament and Cedric's dragon egg hadn't hatched, and even if it did, a dragon cub couldn't be ridden.
"Although my house didn't say anything, even supported me, the other houses don't think the same way." Cedric commented with a helpless expression on his face. It was the first time in his life that he had suffered such looks and words from his own schoolmates.
Since Cedric hadn't managed to make the dragon egg hatch successfully even at the last moment, he had practically become something to be criticized in the eyes of the other three Hogwarts houses.
This made him see for the first time how different people were in the face of a different reality.
"You don't have to worry about talking to those people Cedric, just ignore them and hold your head up high with pride, you're in the Tournament and they're not. It's just jealousy and they're taking advantage of the moment to criticize you." Rose said, comforting her friend with an expression of understanding. She knew how horrible people could be when something they didn't like came up in front of them.
Asterion and Daphne also gave her looks of silent comfort.
"What are we going to do? We're one down, the other teams are probably thanking the gods for it." Luna asked with an expression of disinterest. Not that she was indifferent to her friend's torments. But she saw something like this as necessary to make Cedric mature in the future.
Although being a boy with a heart of gold was a very good thing, good people die early, something she didn't want for her new friend. It was better for Cedric to suffer a little at this point and become a more mature man, rather than lose his life for someone else in a time of need.
"How many teams managed to hatch dragon eggs?" Looking away from the despondent Cedric, Rose asked Asterion. She knew that her cunning cousin was secretly watching all the teams.
"Of the twelve magic schools that took part in the Tournament, only Greece and Italy failed to hatch any of the four eggs they received. They were the first to be disqualified from the Second Trial." Asterion answered without hesitation, his calm voice causing even Cedric, who was nervous, to relax unconsciously. Almost as if he believed that, as long as he was there, the sky might fall and he would be holding it up.
"As for the number of dragons, all ten of the remaining nations, such as France, Russia, the United States, Germany, Austria, Brazil, Japan, China, Sweden and Spain managed to hatch dragons." Asterion goes on to say what he discovered: "We're not in first place in terms of the number of dragons, that place went to Brazil with four dragons, then France, Russia and the United States with three dragons."
No one was surprised by his words; if Castelobruxo, the largest magical school focused on breeding and trading magical animals, hadn't been in first place in terms of numbers, they would have suspected something was wrong.
"Still, I'm surprised by France, Russia and the United States, all three of which aren't exactly known for being very good at breeding magical animals." Cedric commented with a surprised tone upon hearing the situation of the three enemy teams. Durmstrang in particular was the complete opposite of the Witch Castle.
Don't say three dragons, even one would surprise most people, Russia has never really been a powerhouse in terms of the domestication and trade of magical animals.
"Did they cheat?" Daphne frowned and asked with an uncertain expression, her voice tinged with suspicion for the three dragons on the Russian team. It wouldn't be the first time this had happened, it was quite normal for Russia to cheat in international events.
[Note: If you're Russian and you're reading this, bear in mind that I didn't mean to offend you with my words in this chapter. it's just the reality for most teams].
Of course, it wasn't just Russia that cheated, there were always other countries cheating. Everyone wanted to have an advantage against their enemies. It was quite normal for them to try to cheat in the face of benefits and perhaps pressure from their own country.
Daphne's words made everyone around her think, the news of three dragons on the Russian side was indeed suspicious, but it wasn't to the point where everyone began to suspect that Durmstrang was cheating.
After all, it was the first International Tournament of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and being caught cheating in something so historic wasn't exactly an image a country wanted for itself.
"Without proof we have nothing to do against Durmstrang, but if there is any cheating, an old fox like Dumbledore will be able to see if there is anything wrong with the Russian team. The man is known for his research into the twelve uses of dragon's blood." Asterion broke the silence, making everyone around him feel satisfied with his words.
As Asterion had said, Dumbledore really wouldn't let anyone cheat on a subject that he himself was an expert in.
"Let's not talk about that, let's talk about the battle formation we'll be using while we're in the air." Rose commented with an extremely bright gaze. Although she could fly on her own, flying on a dragon had a completely different symbolism.
Rose's words caught everyone's attention, apparently it wasn't just Rose who was excited, Luna was equally cheerful at the moment. A stark contrast to Cedric, who was visibly more melancholy. After all, the poor boy wouldn't be riding the dream of every English boy.
"As for training, I think we can use Luna as bait." Asterion's words surprised everyone, including Luna herself, who showed a false expression of discontent.
Seeing everyone's eyes focused on him, Asterion spoke calmly. "It doesn't matter whether we use Luna or not, we will be attacked at the weakest link in the chain, namely Luna herself. So instead of waiting to be attacked, it's better to use a trap to take out one or two competitors at the start."
Even though she knew Asterion's words were true, no one liked being called weak, especially not Luna, who had one of the most powerful Gifts in the Wizarding World.
Rose frowned, but not because of Asterion's proposal, but because of something else. "We don't know anything about the race, which means that even if we set up a battle formation now, everything could change when the race track appears."
"Instead of a combat formation, why don't you three stand together at the start of the match in a triangle position defending from all sides?" Cedric, who had been silent until now, proposed in a serious voice.
He continued. "When the three of you get together, you'll be able to take on all the teams head-on without too much difficulty, especially with Asterion's Ancalagon, which is a monster that no one alone has ever dared to attack."
His words won everyone's approval. With Ancalagon, even a fool would avoid attacking the biggest dragon in the competition. A relaxed atmosphere hung in the air as everyone seemed more comfortable with their decisions.
"So, how's married life?" Luna asked looking curiously at the trio, her expert eyes strangely brightened by the question asked.
Cedric's face flushed with embarrassment at Luna's sudden question, he looked at his companion with a shocked look for asking something so intimate.
If Cedric's face was ashamed, Rose's face was dark. Only those who know what she's been through know how irritating the nights in the room next to hers were.Daphne seemed to purposely moan loudly every night. It made the nights rather unpleasant for the white-haired girl.
Daphne didn't look shy and answered calmly and elegantly. "Better than expected, I can't wait to get married for real."
An uninterested look flashed across Luna's face, she expected to see the embarrassed expression of the legendary Slytherin ice queen, but Daphne was very calm.
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Author's thoughts: Tomorrow I'm going for an X-Ray at the hospital and I'll probably spend the whole day on it, there may be no updates, but I'll try to write even doped up after the surgery. Yes, I'm going to have surgery, but it's nothing serious, just my wisdom teeth had the pleasure of appearing after twenty-three years of my life. And I have to say, waking up with an agonizing pain in my tooth is one of the worst pains I've ever experienced in my life
Wish me luck.
Prince.
Support me to write more and read chapters ahead of all regular readers!
P-atreon.com/HPSCB
(Just remove the hyphen to access Patreon normally.)
Next Chapter Second Volume:Chapter 194 - How to Train Your Dragon (5), Chapter 195 - Dragon Race (1), Chapter 196 - Dragon Race (2), Chapter 197 - Dragon Race (3), Chapter 198 - Dragon Race (4), Chapter 199 - Dragon Race (5), Chapter 200 - Dragon Race (6), Chapter 201 - Dragon Race (7), Chapter 202 - Dragon Race (8), Chapter 203 - Golden Path (1), Chapter 204 - Golden Path (2), Chapter 205 - Golden Path (3), Chapter 206 - Battle in Desert City (1), Chapter 207 - Battle in Desert City (2), Chapter 208 - On the Night of the Storm (1), Chapter 209 - On the Night of the Storm (2), Chapter 210 - On the Night of the Storm (3), Chapter 211 - On the Night of the Storm (4).
"Those equestrian outfits make you look incredibly beautiful, Daph, your ass looks huge." Rose said, her eyes fixed on Daphne's buttocks, which were perfectly outlined by the tight white pants. Showing off her ass in all its glory.
Daphne blinked a few times when she heard this and looked at herself in the mirror, she took a few poses and confirmed that what Rose had said was the truth. With those tight-fitting clothes, what had previously been hidden by the baggy skirt of her school uniform was revealed.
If you're wondering why she was dressed like that, it was just to test it out and see how it looked. The result left Daphne very satisfied, she looked beautiful.
Turning to look at Rose, Daphne looked at her future wife/sister. She was dressed similarly to her, but instead of her dark green suit and white pants, Rose was wearing a dark red suit with black pants.
And she had to admit, Rose was a sight for sore eyes, which made Daphne a little envious. Her beauty was slim and elegant, while Rose's beauty was larger and full of curves, especially her breasts and buttocks, which were perfectly outlined by the tight clothes.
Suddenly, the door opened and Asterion entered, wearing a dark green suit, black pants and boots.
As he entered, he noticed the scene inside the room and couldn't help looking at the two young women. Daphne and Rose looked beautiful in their equestrian outfits, perfectly outlining their slim, fit bodies.
Although he was confused as to why Daphne was wearing those clothes, since she wasn't going to take part in the race in this second trial.
"You both look beautiful." Asterion wasn't stingy with his compliments and spoke in a calm tone. Whether it was Daphne or Rose, they both sensed the warm look hidden behind his apparently calm gaze.
"You look beautiful too, darling." Daphne approached Asterion and spoke, kissing his lips in a soft, chaste kiss.
Rose nodded as she stared mostly at Asterion's ass with a glowing eye. Women liked to appreciate beautiful things and squeeze them often, she was no different and Asterion's ass was begging to be groped.
If Asterion had known her thoughts, he would have rolled his eyes and retorted to her words. It was Rose's ass that was practically screaming to be groped.
Perhaps noticing her gaze, Asterion grabbed Daphne's slender waist and beckoned Rose with his eyes.
Although confused, Rose moved closer and to her surprise, Asterion pulled her closer, the next second she felt the soft touch of lips and was shocked to realize that she was kissing Asterion.
But she didn't think much of the moment and gave herself over to the kiss. Unlike her first impulsive kiss inside the tent before the First Trial, she was much more comfortable at the moment and enjoyed the taste of his lips.
Their lips crossed in a more aggressive kiss, eager for each other, both savoring the taste of each other.
Seeing her fiancé kissing another woman in front of her, Daphne was at first upset, but she knew it would happen sooner or later. So she let out a helpless sigh and let everything take its course.
Daphne had already accepted Rose when she had signed the agreement between the three parties, she wouldn't be stingy enough to deprive Rose of Asterion's touch because of jealousy.
After a while, the kiss ended and Rose reluctantly broke away from his lips. She wanted more, kissing really was so good, especially with someone you liked.
"Better than the first time." Asterion commented with an amused smile playing on his lips, remembering the impulsive kiss Rose had given him.
Rose rolled her eyes and glared at Asterion, she didn't want this story to be known to Daphne. She would be teased about it all her life.
"Although I'm curious what her first kiss was like, we're almost late for the stadium." Daphne said, looking at them both.
Sighing with relief, Rose looked gratefully at Daphne. She turned her gaze to Asterion and spoke, regaining her confidence. "You'll be surprised by my dragon"
Asterion and Daphne looked curiously at Rose, she had already said that she was preparing a potion to purify her dragon's draconic bloodline. Honestly, if it were anyone else, even Snape, a famous potions master, Asterion would doubt that he could create such a potion.
But as it was Rose, who possessed the Six Eyes and could calculate almost anything she wanted with the infinite flow of information, Asterion believed that such a potion could exist in the near future.
Even so, he was surprised to notice the pride on Rose's face when talking about her dragon.
Could she have made it in less than a week? Asterion thought, his lips curving into a smile.
Thinking of something amusing, Asterion spoke in an encouraging tone. "If you come first, I'll grant you any wish you may have."
Rose's eyes lit up at his words. What does anything mean? Is that what she was thinking?
Seeing the slightly perverted smile on Rose's lips, Daphne was speechless, a moment ago Rose was acting like any virgin, blushing at any kiss.
"Stop flirting and let's go, we're almost late." Daphne said, letting out a tired sigh. Rose proved to be someone she imagined herself to be, a chaotic force of nature.
Fortunately, her Innate Technique, The Heart of Nature, could control nature or she would be having trouble dealing with this tornado in the form of a fourteen-year-old girl.
Asterion and Rose stopped playing and nodded, they looked at each other and smiled.
"We're going to win." Rose said with a confident smile.
"If we don't win, I'll punish you, Rose." Asterion spoke in a calm tone, but the amused look in his eyes showed that he would be enjoying himself if she lost.
Snorting coldly, Rose pulled Asterion's hand and Daphne's hand, pulling them both out of the house.
It didn't take long for the three of them to arrive at the completely packed Quadrilboll stadium. It seemed even more crowded than when the Game of Kings took place.
"Remember to win." Daphne said, giving Asterion a kiss on the lips and a gentle kiss on Rose's cheek. Then she said goodbye to them both and headed towards the stands where all her friends were.
Rose touched her cheek with a stunned expression and looked at the figure walking away with a blush appearing on her cheeks.
"Stop acting like a lovesick maiden and let's go." Seeing Rose's state, Asterion rolled his eyes and spoke with a teasing tone.
He had to admit, Daphne really could make anyone fall in love with her. The woman was perfect when it came to managing relationships.
Rose, hearing his words, couldn't help but feel even more embarrassed. Daphne's kiss was too unexpected for her.
Taking a deep breath to calm her increasingly uncontrollable feelings, she followed Asterion to the Hogwarts tent, alongside all the other tents of the schools that were qualified to take part.
Entering the tent, they both saw Luna and Cedric.
Luna was wearing equestrian clothes, a blue suit and white pants. Her slender, elegant and delicate figure was enhanced even more by her clothes. Cedric, on the other hand, wasn't wearing equestrian clothes, even at the end, he didn't manage to hatch the dragon egg, but Asterion noticed that apart from a certain despondency on his part, he showed a calmness that he hadn't had before.
This made him realize that Cedric was more mature, not as naive as before. The harsh comments from his colleagues really made him see that maintaining friendly relations with everyone wasn't right, some people simply weren't worth the time.
That was fine in Asterion's eyes, Cedric's future was in the Clock Tower acting as one of the Twelve Lords alongside him, and in the future, perhaps his foreign minister.
Just as Rose was about to greet both friends, a horn sounded loudly accompanied by a sea of deafening applause.
"Looks like it's started." Rose whispered to herself with an excited smile. "Good luck and win another trial!" Cedric looked at his friends and spoke with a bright smile, his green eyes showing no envy, only regret at not being by their side.
"We will." Luna spoke with a dreamy but equally happy tone.
----------------
Author's thoughts:
Support me to write more and read chapters ahead of all regular readers!
P-atreon.com/HPSCB
(Just remove the hyphen to access Patreon normally.)
Next Chapter Second Volume: Chapter 196 - Dragon Race (2), Chapter 197 - Dragon Race (3), Chapter 198 - Dragon Race (4), Chapter 199 - Dragon Race (5), Chapter 200 - Dragon Race (6), Chapter 201 - Dragon Race (7), Chapter 202 - Dragon Race (8), Chapter 203 - Golden Path (1), Chapter 204 - Golden Path (2), Chapter 205 - Golden Path (3), Chapter 206 - Battle in Desert City (1), Chapter 207 - Battle in Desert City (2), Chapter 208 - On the Night of the Storm (1), Chapter 209 - On the Night of the Storm (2), Chapter 210 - On the Night of the Storm (3), Chapter 211 - On the Night of the Storm (4), Chapter 212 - On the Night of the Storm (5).
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