Chapter 237: Chapter 237: "Harry's Spectacular Performance"
As Harry stepped into the arena, the Hungarian Horntail's malevolent yellow eyes locked onto him. Smoke curled from its nostrils, and its spiked tail lashed menacingly against the rocky ground. The crowd held its collective breath, the tension palpable as they waited to see how the European Dueling Champion would fare against the most formidable dragon of the lot.
Harry took a deep breath, his mind clear, his plan ready. This wasn't just about completing the task; it was about putting on a show, about demonstrating the true potential of magic when wielded with creativity and skill.
"And here comes Hadrian Potter, facing the fearsome Hungarian Horntail!" Bagman's voice boomed across the stadium, echoing off the stands. "This is arguably the most dangerous of all the dragons. How will the elder Potter fare?"
While Bagman was commentating, Harry had already sprung into action. With a flourish of his wand, he began casting spells in rapid succession, his movements fluid and precise. The crowd gasped in amazement as the rocky terrain of the arena began to shift and change before their very eyes.
Boulders transformed, taking on new shapes and colors. Within moments, an astonishing sight stood before them: an army of magical creatures, each bearing the colors of a Hogwarts house. The spectacle was nothing short of breathtaking.
"Merlin's beard!" Bagman's voice cracked with excitement, his commentary adding to the electric atmosphere. "I've never seen anything like this! Hadrian Potter has conjured an army of Hogwarts! We're seeing magic far beyond the typical curriculum here, folks!"
Majestic lions in scarlet and gold prowled at the forefront, their manes gleaming in the sunlight. Behind them, black and yellow badgers shuffled restlessly, their claws digging into the earth. Blue and bronze ravens perched on newly formed outcroppings, their intelligent eyes scanning the arena. And weaving between them all, emerald and silver snakes slithered silently, their scales glinting ominously.
The Horntail eyed this new development warily, smoke billowing from its nostrils in great, acrid clouds. For a moment, the arena was still, the calm before the storm. The crowd held its breath, waiting to see how this incredible display would unfold.
Then, with a roar that shook the very foundations of the stadium, the battle began. The lions charged forward, their transfigured muscles rippling under their magical coats. The Horntail met their charge with a blast of fire so intense that the heat could be felt even in the highest stands. The first wave of lions was incinerated, but as quickly as they fell, Harry conjured more to take their place, his wand a blur of motion.
"Incredible!" Bagman shouted, his voice thick with awe. "Potter is maintaining multiple complex transfigurations simultaneously! This is magic beyond NEWT level, possibly beyond what many fully qualified wizards could manage!"
The ravens took to the air, diving and pecking at the dragon's eyes, distracting it from the main assault. Their blue and bronze feathers glinted in the sunlight as they swooped and dove with incredible precision. The dragon's tail lashed out, smashing several of the birds into puffs of blue and bronze smoke, but more appeared to replace them, Harry's concentration never wavering.
"Look at that coordination!" Bagman continued, his voice filled with wonder. "The lions are keeping the Horntail occupied while the ravens run interference. This is a masterclass in magical strategy! Potter isn't just showing magical prowess; he's demonstrating tactical genius!"
While the lions and ravens kept the dragon occupied in a dazzling display of magical combat, the badgers began their work. Unnoticed by the Horntail, they started burrowing, their black and yellow forms disappearing into the earth. They worked with incredible efficiency, creating a network of tunnels that led towards the golden egg.
"What's this?" Bagman exclaimed, his excitement infectious. "The badgers are digging! Potter is using every aspect of the house mascots to his advantage. Truly a tribute to the unity of Hogwarts! But what is Potter planning to do with these tunnels?"
The crowd was on their feet, cheering and gasping in turns as the spectacle unfolded. Even the judges watched in awe, their scoring paddles forgotten for the moment. Professor McGonagall's eyes shone with pride, while Flitwick was practically bouncing in his seat. Snape, usually so stoic, couldn't hide a look of grudging admiration.
"The Badgers seem to have completed their network of tunnels," Bagman observed, his voice tinged with curiosity. "A clever strategy, but how will that help Potter get the egg?"
As if in answer to Bagman's question, the snakes made their move. They slithered through the passages, unseen by the dragon still battling the lions and ravens. One particularly large snake, its emerald scales gleaming, reached the nest. In a feat of transfigured magic that drew gasps from the crowd, it opened its jaw impossibly wide and swallowed the golden egg whole.
"I don't believe it!" Bagman yelled, his voice reaching a fever pitch. "The snakes have the egg! Potter has used the very essence of Slytherin cunning to secure his prize! This is magic that combines all four houses in a way I've never seen before!"
With their prize secured, the snakes retreated through the tunnels, moving with silent efficiency. The largest snake slithered up to Harry, regurgitating the egg at his feet. The golden surface gleamed, unmarred by its unusual journey.
"He's done it!" Bagman yelled, his voice cracking with excitement. "Hadrian Potter has retrieved the egg in the most spectacular fashion I've ever seen! This isn't just completing the task; this is redefining what's possible in the Triwizard Tournament!"
Harry picked up the egg, holding it high for all to see. The crowd's roar was deafening, a wall of sound that seemed to make the very air vibrate. But Harry wasn't done yet. The transfigured creatures, their task complete, began to gather around Harry. What happened next left the audience breathless with wonder.
The lions roared majestically, their voices harmonizing in a sound that stirred the heart of every Gryffindor present. The badgers performed a synchronized dance, their movements so perfectly coordinated it seemed impossible they were transfigured rocks. The ravens took to the air, flying in intricate patterns overhead, creating shapes and symbols that left the Ravenclaws in the audience cheering with pride. And the snakes, in a display of magic so advanced it drew gasps even from the teachers, formed the words "Thank You" with their bodies.
"Unbelievable!" Bagman shouted, his voice hoarse from the constant commentary. "Potter's not just completed the task, he's putting on a show! This is magic at its most creative and impressive! I doubt we'll ever see anything like this again in the history of the Triwizard Tournament!"
As their final act completed, the transfigured creatures began to fade, returning to their original rocky forms. The transformation was gradual, allowing the audience to fully appreciate the mastery of transfiguration on display. When the last creature had returned to stone, the crowd erupted in thunderous applause, stamping their feet and chanting Harry's name. The spectacle had captivated everyone, from the youngest first-year to the most seasoned professors.
As Harry made his way out of the arena, he was mobbed by his friends. Cedric was the first to reach him, clapping him on the back with a wide grin that threatened to split his face. "That was bloody brilliant, Harry!" he exclaimed, his voice barely audible over the continuing roar of the crowd.
Roger Davies and the Whitlock twins pushed through the throng next, their faces alight with awe and excitement. "Mate, that was incredible!" Roger shouted over the noise. "You showed them all what Ravenclaw is made of! The way you coordinated all those creatures... no words can describe the sight!"
Alicia and Angelina arrived, both looking awestruck. "Harry, you're amazing!" Alicia gushed. "The way you controlled all those transfigurations at once... I've never seen anything like it!"
His friends surrounded him, their excited chatter creating a bubble of celebration as they made their way to the judges' podium.
At the podium, the judges conferred briefly before raising their wands. Madame Maxime, looking impressed despite herself, shot up a nine. Mr. Crouch, his face unreadable, gave a ten. Dumbledore, his eyes twinkling with pride, also raised a ten. Bagman, still buzzing with excitement from his commentary, enthusiastically displayed another ten.
Then came Karkaroff's turn. The Durmstrang headmaster's face was a study in conflicting emotions. For a moment, it seemed he might actually award a fair score. But then, after a moment's hesitation, he reluctantly raised a six.
"Hadrian Potter scores a total of... forty-five points!" Bagman announced, his voice tinged with disbelief at Karkaroff's score. The crowd's reaction was immediate and vociferous, with boos and jeers directed at the Durmstrang headmaster.
As they left the podium, Harry's friends erupted in outrage. "Forty-five?" Cedric exclaimed incredulously, his face flushed with anger. "After that performance? It should have been a perfect score!"
"It's that git Karkaroff," Roger fumed, his hands balled into fists. "He's obviously biased against non-Durmstrang champions. He gave Krum a ten despite the eggs that were crushed!"
As they made their way back to the champions' tent, his friends filled him in on the other scores. "Delacour got forty-three," Arabella reported, her tone suggesting she found even this score too high compared to Harry's performance. "Krum got forty, and your brother got thirty-eight."
Alicia added, her voice dripping with disdain, "Their low scores are because of Karkaroff, who is clearly cheating. It's not fair, Harry. You were leagues above the rest!"
Harry, however, remained calm. A knowing smile played on his lips as he said, "It's alright. The points won't stop me from winning the cup." His quiet confidence seemed to soothe his friends' indignation somewhat.
As they approached the tent, a commotion drew their attention back to the arena. To everyone's horror, the dragon handlers seemed to have lost control of the Horntail. The massive beast was moving freely, its chains hanging uselessly from its scaled hide.
Screams erupted from the crowd as they realized the Horntail had broken free from its restraints. Harry watched, his mind racing, as all the restraints snapped easily under a little force from the dragon. The restraints should have been far stronger; it looked as though they had been tampered with. Harry instantly understood that this had been prepared for him by someone, but since he had restricted the movement of the dragon during his performance, the restraints had not broken during his battle.
Harry's gaze darted towards the Judges' table, where they too were looking at the Horntail with expressions of shock and fear. A suspicion formed in Harry's mind – could this be the work of the polyjuiced Crouch? Had he intended for the dragon to injure Harry, only for the plan to backfire due to Harry's quick completion of the task?
The dragon, enraged and disoriented, took to the air with a mighty beat of its wings. It breathed a stream of fire towards the stands, causing panic among the spectators. People scrambled to escape, their screams filling the air. The handlers rushed forward, wands out, but they were too far away to intervene in time.
Harry knew he had to act. He turned to his friends, his voice calm but commanding. "Run to safety. I'll handle this."
His friends hesitated for a moment, torn between their concern for Harry and their trust in his abilities. "Be careful, Harry," Cedric said, speaking for all of them. They knew they would be a burden if they stayed. Harry was strong, and they believed he would come out of this unharmed.
As his friends retreated to safety, Harry ran towards the enraged Horntail. The fate of the crowd, and perhaps the entire tournament, now rested on his shoulders. There were professors and dragon handlers present, but Harry didn't trust them to control the situation without casualties. He had to act, and he had to act now.
Chapter 238: Chapter 238: "The Dragon Rider"
As the Hungarian Horntail unleashed a torrent of flame towards the panicked crowd, Harry's wand slashed through the air. With a thunderous rumble, massive concrete walls erupted from the ground, intercepting the inferno mere feet from the spectators.
The searing heat dissipated against the hastily conjured barrier, leaving behind scorched stone and a moment of stunned silence.
Harry's mind raced. He knew he couldn't engage the dragon here, not without risking countless lives. The spells required to subdue such a beast would be too dangerous in these close quarters.
No, he needed to lead it away, to draw the battle to a safer location where he could unleash his full power without fear of collateral damage.
With a flick of his wand, Harry pointed towards the distant silhouette of Hogwarts castle. "Accio Firebolt!" he commanded, his voice carrying the urgency of the moment.
While waiting for his broom, Harry conjured a flock of ravens, their midnight feathers glinting in the sunlight as they took flight. With another wave of his wand, he sent them to harass and distract the enraged Horntail, buying precious seconds.
Around him, chaos reigned supreme. Dragon handlers rushed forward, their wands out and face set with grim determination, but their usual tools seemed ineffective against the dragon's unbridled fury.
Professors herded terrified students away from the danger, their faces etched with worry and resolve. The air was thick with the acrid smell of smoke and the tang of fear.
The distinctive whoosh of his Firebolt pierced the cacophony of screams and roars. Harry leapt astride the broom with practiced ease, kicking off hard from the ground. He soared to eye level with the Horntail, unleashing a barrage of stinging hexes.
The spells, harmless against the dragon's armored hide, nonetheless captured its attention, yellow eyes narrowing as they fixed on Harry. The human who had annoyed her a few minutes ago.
What followed was a dizzying dance around the dragon's massive form. Harry weaved through the air with the grace of a seasoned Quidditch player, ducking between the Horntail's legs, looping around its thrashing tail, always just out of reach.
The dragon's frustration grew with each near miss, its focus narrowing solely on the elusive wizard who dared to challenge it.
Sensing the moment was right, Harry shot upwards, climbing higher and higher into the azure sky. The dragon hesitated for a split second, then with a thunderous beat of its wings that sent tremors through the air, gave chase. They climbed higher and higher, leaving the safety of the ground far below, the stadium shrinking to the size of a toy.
Now began a deadly aerial ballet that would have left even the most seasoned broom flyer breathless. Harry corkscrewed and dove, the dragon's fiery breath singeing the tail of his broom. He led the beast away from Hogwarts, out over the Forbidden Forest, all the while formulating his next move.
As they flew, Harry realized brute force wouldn't win this battle. The dragon, though enraged, was a magnificent creature deserving of respect. He needed to calm it and connect with it without causing it much injury.
But first, Harry knew he needed to assert his dominance, to show the dragon that he was not prey, but a force to be reckoned with. Before calming it down a beating to show Harry's strength might be necessary.
Once they were a safe distance from Hogwarts and away from prying eyes, Harry did something unexpected. He stopped his Firebolt mid-air and dismounted, floating effortlessly in the sky. With a casual wave of his hand, Harry sent his broom soaring away to safety.
The dragon halted its pursuit, clearly confused by this strange human who could fly without aid. Its yellow eyes narrowed, trying to make sense of what it was seeing. Steam curled from its nostrils as it regarded Harry with a mixture of curiosity and wariness.
Harry, drawing on the strength he'd gained as a knight and the flying ability he'd gleaned from Voldemort's memories, hovered confidently before the massive beast. He raised his hands, a smirk playing on his lips as he taunted the dragon.
"Come on then," Harry called out, his voice carrying on the wind. "Let's see what you've got!"
The Horntail, enraged by this audacious challenge, charged forward with a roar that seemed to shake the very heavens. Harry met its charge head-on, his fist connecting squarely with the dragon's nose.
The impact was tremendous, the sound of the collision echoing across the sky. But Harry found himself flung backward, tumbling through the air before regaining control.
He had underestimated the dragon's strength. Despite being seven to eight times stronger than a normal adult from the years of training with the Knight breathing method, Harry realized he was outmatched in raw power against an adult dragon. Direct confrontation wasn't the answer, but he was far from defeated.
Undeterred, Harry flew towards the dragon for another attempt. The Horntail breathed a massive gout of flame, a river of fire that threatened to engulf him. But Harry was ready. With a wandless gesture, he summoned a powerful gust of wind, redirecting the inferno harmlessly into the sky.
As the dragon recovered from its breath attack, Harry seized the opportunity. He rushed in, delivering a powerful uppercut that rocked the Horntail's head back. The dragon's eyes rolled in its head, momentarily stunned by the force of the blow.
And so began a true aerial battle, the likes of which had never been seen in the wizarding world. The dragon attacked relentlessly, snapping with its massive jaws that could crush stone, breathing streams of fire hot enough to melt steel, and lashing out with its spiked tail that whistled through the air.
Harry dodged and weaved, using wandless wind spells to maneuver and deflect the flames. He threw in occasional thunder spells, using the loud cracks to disorient the beast and mask his movements.
Harry's fists found their mark again and again, each blow enhanced by his knight's strength. But the dragon's hide was tough, like hitting a wall of living stone, and its stamina seemed endless. For every successful hit, Harry had to avoid a dozen potentially lethal attacks.
The fight stretched on, a dizzying dance of man versus beast high above the earth. Sweat poured down Harry's face, his breath coming in ragged gasps as he pushed himself to his limits and beyond. His muscles screamed in protest with each movement, but he refused to give in.
The dragon, too, showed signs of fatigue, its attacks becoming less coordinated, its body marked with bruises from Harry's relentless assault.
As both combatants hovered, catching their breath, Harry knew he needed a new strategy. Brute force alone wouldn't win this fight. He could have had an easier fight if he had his sword with him but that was put away since he could not bring anything to the task and the sword was not something he could summon with a simple summoning charm.
Harry had to fight with what he had. He did not have the stamina to outlast the dragon, as impressive as his endurance was. He needed to connect with the dragon, to calm it, to show it that he was not the one to be messed with.
With a wave of his hand, Harry conjured a makeshift saddle on the dragon's back, the magic shimmering as it took form. The Horntail eyed this new development warily, smoke curling from its nostrils. But before it could react, Harry had maneuvered himself onto its back with a burst of speed that surprised even the dragon.
The Horntail bucked and rolled, desperate to dislodge its unwelcome passenger. It climbed higher into the sky, then plummeted towards the earth in a dizzying dive. It barrel-rolled and looped, its movements so violent that any normal wizard would have been thrown off in seconds. But Harry held fast, his grip unyielding, his determination unshakeable. Minutes stretched into what felt like hours as man and beast struggled for dominance in the sky.
Gradually, almost imperceptibly at first, the dragon's movements became less frantic. Exhaustion and hunger began to take their toll on the mighty beast. Seizing the opportunity, Harry spoke, his voice calm despite the exertion of the battle.
"Have you had enough? You should know I have not really used any spells to attack since I don't want to cause severe injuries to you. Do you want me to go all out?"
However, even if the dragon understood Harry's words, it gave no sign. It began another round of attempts to dislodge Harry from its back, though its movements lacked their earlier ferocity.
Harry tried again, but this time, struck by sudden inspiration, he spoke in Parseltongue, the language of serpents.
The change was immediate and dramatic. The Horntail's head swiveled, yellow eyes fixing on Harry with newfound interest. Though the dragon couldn't reply, Harry sensed it understood, a flicker of intelligence passing between them.
Harry hissed in the serpentine language, his words carrying a hint of threat. "I don't want to hurt you badly, but I am losing my patience. You know how I got my ability to speak in this tongue? I killed a thousand-year-old basilisk to gain this power. Do you want to follow in its footsteps? I hear dragon hide sells at a very good price."
To drive his point home, Harry did something next that made the Horntail more afraid than it had ever been in its life. He got off the dragon's back and, in mid-air, transformed into his Animagus form: a thunderbird. The massive bird, almost three-quarters the size of the dragon, spread its wings wide. Lightning crackled between its feathers, and storm clouds began to gather around them.
This display of power was the final straw. The fight drained out of the Horntail, replaced by a wary respect for the wizard on its back.
Now that the dragon had calmed, Harry summoned his broom back and guided the Horntail towards Hogwarts. As they approached the school grounds, Harry first directed it towards Hagrid's pumpkin patch, where he knew a flock of sheep was kept for the dragons' meals.
Harry motioned for the dragon to have its fill. A combination of punishment and rewards, he knew, was the best way to improve obedience. The Horntail feasted, its aggressive demeanor melting away with each bite, replaced by a contentment that seemed almost comical on such a fearsome creature.
The sight that greeted them was one of astonishment. It had been a couple of hours since Harry had led the dragon away, but the stadium was still surrounded by people. They were ready for battle, wands drawn and spells on their lips, but the sight of Harry calmly perched on the back of the now-docile Horntail stopped them in their tracks.
Students, professors, and handlers alike stared open-mouthed as Harry guided the Horntail to a gentle landing. As handlers rushed forward with chains, Harry held up a hand, his voice carrying across the hushed crowd. "There's no need for those," he called out. "I'll lead her to the forest myself. She's calm now and will follow my instructions."
Dumbledore stepped forward, his blue eyes twinkling with a mixture of relief and intense curiosity. "Well done, Mr. Potter," he said softly, his voice carrying a hint of awe. "Your quick actions have averted a tragedy. If you would, can you tell me how you subdued the Horntail?"
Harry smiled enigmatically. "Sorry, Professor, that is between the dragon and me," he replied. "However, I can tell you it was a fierce fight, which you can already tell from the appearance of both of us."
Indeed, both Harry and the dragon bore the marks of their epic battle. Harry's robes were singed and torn, his hair windswept and his face smudged with soot. The Horntail's scales, usually gleaming, were dulled with exhaustion, and bruises were visible where Harry's blows had landed.
Dumbledore was not satisfied with this answer, but he knew their relationship was not close enough for him to press the issue. Perhaps, he hoped, Harry would tell the story to others, and he could learn the details through them. The elder Potter was shocking him more and more. Strong magic and dueling skills were already known, but it would take more to subdue a dragon. To kill with magic was one thing, but to subdue required tricks and skills beyond mere power. It looked like he would have to pay more attention to the elder Potter.
Dumbledore had thought he knew enough about Harry, but today's events showed how much he had underestimated the young man.
Harry could sense Dumbledore's wheels turning, formulating new plans and strategies. But Harry was not concerned. He was not someone who could be controlled or directed now. If Dumbledore tried anything untoward, Harry knew he had the means to send the old wizard on to his next great adventure. He already had an easy way for that, involving a certain cursed ring hidden in a ruined shack.
As Harry led the Horntail away, the crowd parted before them, a mixture of awe and fear on their faces. Students whispered excitedly, already embellishing the tale of Harry's battle with the dragon.
As Harry disappeared into the Forbidden Forest with his new draconic ally, he couldn't help but smile. The Triwizard Tournament had only just begun, and he might have already scared away his fellow champions. They were competing with someone who had subdued a dragon.
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