Capítulo 239: Chapter 239: "Aftermath anf the Golden Egg"
After escorting the now-calm Horntail to the dragon enclosure in the Forbidden Forest, Harry found himself whisked away by a concerned Professor Flitwick. Professor Flitwick, his face etched with concern, insisted on a quick checkup for his prized apprentice.
As they made their way through the castle, Flitwick filled Harry in on the aftermath of the dragon's rampage. "Your actions in escorting away the Horntail undoubtedly prevented a catastrophe, Harry," he said, his voice tinged with both pride and worry.
"However, the initial destruction caused by the dragon, coupled with the panicked stampede of fleeing students, has resulted in numerous injuries among the spectators from all three schools."
Harry's brow furrowed with concern. "How bad is it, Professor?"
Flitwick sighed, his normally cheerful demeanor subdued. "Thankfully, there are no severe injuries. But the sheer number of minor wounds and magical mishaps necessitated the conversion of the Great Hall into a temporary infirmary. Madam Pomfrey has her hands full, I can tell you that much."
As they walked, Flitwick couldn't contain his excitement about Harry's performance in the first task. "Your performance in the first task was simply astounding, Harry! The level of transfiguration you displayed... even Minerva was shocked. She confided in me that she might not have been able to pull off such a feat herself."
Harry smiled modestly. "Thank you, Professor. I've been studying independently."
"And it shows!" Flitwick exclaimed. "To think you've come this far without a dedicated transfiguration master... it's truly remarkable. And as for your handling of the escaped dragon," he lowered his voice conspiratorially, "while surprising, I must admit I expected nothing less. I never doubted you could best a single dragon, no matter how fearsome."
Curiosity got the better of the Charms professor. "How did you manage to subdue it, if I may ask?"
Harry decided to give a partial truth. "After a rather intense battle, I discovered that dragons can understand Parseltongue. We had a... let's call it a heart-to-heart conversation."
Flitwick's eyes widened. "Fascinating! That's not common knowledge at all. The implications for dragon research..."
Their conversation took a more serious turn as Harry broached the subject of the dragon's escape. Flitwick's expression darkened. "Alastor believes someone tampered with the restraints, possibly to endanger you specifically. He suspects Karkaroff, given his background and Krum being your main competition, but there's no evidence. Dumbledore's asked Moody to investigate, but..." He trailed off, shaking his head. "To the outside world, it's being portrayed as an unfortunate accident. The Headmaster is... concerned about further damage to the school's reputation."
As they entered the Great Hall, Harry was struck by the transformation. The usual house tables had vanished, replaced by rows upon rows of hospital beds. Healers in lime-green robes darted between patients, their wands flashing as they tended to various injuries. The air was thick with the smell of medicinal potions and the low murmur of worried conversations.
No sooner had Harry stepped into the hall than he found himself surrounded by a crowd of grateful students and spectators. Their voices overlapped in a cacophony of thanks and praise.
"Potter! You saved our lives out there!"
"That was incredible magic, Harry!"
"How did you manage to tame that dragon?"
Before Harry could respond, Madam Pomfrey appeared, parting the crowd with the efficiency of a seasoned healer. "Out of the way, all of you! Mr. Potter needs to be examined." She ushered Harry into the antechamber behind the staff table, leaving Professor Flitwick to manage the excited crowd.
In the relative quiet of the antechamber, Madam Pomfrey conducted a thorough examination. Her wand moved in intricate patterns as she cast diagnostic spells, her frown deepening with each passing moment.
"Remarkable," she muttered, more to herself than to Harry. "Barely a scratch on you. In all my years, I've never seen anyone come out of a dragon encounter so unscathed." She fixed Harry with a piercing look, curiosity warring with professional discretion. After a moment, she seemed to come to a decision. "Well, Mr. Potter, you seem to be suffering from nothing more than mild exhaustion. A Pepper-Up Potion should set you right."
As she handed him the steaming potion, Madam Pomfrey allowed herself a small smile. "Whatever you did out there, it was extraordinary. But do try to avoid any more death-defying stunts, if you can help it. I have quite enough on my plate as it is."
Harry had barely downed the potion when the door burst open, admitting a flood of his friends. Cedric, Roger, Reggy, Elvinia, Arabella, Angelina, and Alicia poured into the room, their faces a mixture of relief and excitement.
"Harry!" Cedric exclaimed, clapping him on the shoulder. "You absolute madman! Taking on a dragon like that!"
Elvinia raised an eyebrow, her Slytherin cool barely masking her concern. "We were worried sick, you know. Next time you decide to play Dragonrider, give us a heads-up, will you?"
As his friends settled around him, peppering him with questions, Harry noticed a small beetle perched on the windowsill. With a casual wave of his hand, he sent a silent banishing charm its way, smirking as Rita Skeeter's animagus form was unceremoniously ejected from the castle.
"Alright, alright," Harry laughed, holding up his hands in mock surrender. "I'll tell you what happened, but I warn you, it's quite a tale."
For the next hour, Harry regaled his friends with an abridged version of his aerial duel with the Horntail. He omitted certain details, like his wandless magic and the full extent of his physical abilities, but the story was thrilling nonetheless. His friends listened with rapt attention, gasping and cheering at all the right moments.
"Merlin's beard, Harry," Roger breathed when the tale was done. "That's... that's incredible. You've got to show us this dragon of yours!"
Harry's face fell slightly. "I'm afraid that's not possible. I overheard some handlers saying all the dragons are being transferred back to the reserve tonight. Can't risk another breakout, apparently."
A collective groan of disappointment went up from the group.
"Speaking of the task," Roger said, reaching into his bag, "I've got your golden egg here. Bagman said it contains a clue for the next task."
Harry's eyes glinted with mischief. "Did he now? Well, why don't you open it and see what we've got?"
As Roger reached for the egg, Harry casually conjured a pair of earmuffs and slipped them on. Elvinia, ever observant, narrowed her eyes. "Why are you wearing those, Harry?"
"Oh, you know," Harry said innocently, "my ears are feeling a bit cold. Must be all that high-altitude flying."
His friends exchanged skeptical glances but turned their attention back to Roger as he found the groove in the golden egg and twisted it open.
The moment the egg cracked open, an ear-splitting screech filled the room. It was like nothing they had ever heard before - a horrible, loud wailing that set their teeth on edge and made their hair stand on end.
"Shut it!" Angelina bellowed, her hands clamped over her ears.
Roger slammed the egg closed, silence falling once more. "What in Merlin's name was that?" Cedric asked, wide-eyed.
Elvinia rounded on Harry, who was struggling to contain his laughter. "You knew, didn't you?"
Harry's attempts at innocence fell flat in the face of his friends' knowing looks.
"Sounded like a banshee," Alicia mused. "Maybe that's your next challenge, Harry?"
Reggy, ever the Ravenclaw, stroked his chin thoughtfully. "I've read about this sound somewhere. Give me some time with the library, and I'll crack it."
"Isn't Harry supposed to solve the clue himself?" Cedric pointed out.
"Oh, I'm not helping Harry," Reggy countered. "This is purely to satisfy my own curiosity. You know how we Ravenclaws are."
Elvinia chimed in, "Slytherins are curious too, dear brother. I'll assist in your research."
One by one, each friend found a reason to join the investigation, their eagerness to help evident. Harry smiled, knowing the answer but content to let them enjoy the challenge.
As curfew approached, the group dispersed. Harry, feeling rejuvenated, headed back to Ravenclaw Tower with Roger and Reggy. To their surprise, a celebration awaited them in the common room.
The day's danger hadn't dampened the Ravenclaws' spirits. Amid the festivities, someone inevitably asked about the golden egg. With a mischievous glint in his eye, Harry agreed to open it once more.
This time, he, Roger, and Reggy donned earmuffs before dramatically revealing the egg's contents to their unsuspecting housemates. The resulting chaos of screeches and startled Ravenclaws was, in Harry's opinion, the perfect end to an extraordinary day.
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