Capítulo 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.
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