บท 33: Chapter 0033 - The First Task Part I
Sunday, December 11, 1994
The Quidditch Stadium, Commentary Box
13:00 PM
Mason Timpson's and Alaric Spinster's POV
"Good afternoon, and welcome to the Tri-Wizard Tournament hosted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I'm Mason Timpson and Alaric Spinster joins me in the commentary box. This time we didn't forget our notebooks. Cheers to us. Join us live at the Quidditch Stadium as the first task gets underway," Mason said. "The first task for the previous fourteen competitions has been related to the fantastic beast, and this is no different. The champions are required to bring back a golden egg from the nest of a brooding mother dragon, with the father dragon in the way. Normally, this would never have been approved; however, the champions are now in teams of three. Alaric, would you mind going through Team 1?"
"The leader of Team 1 is Florentina Abramovich from Durmstrang. She is the younger sister of the Russian lord, Ramus Abramovich, who rose rapidly in the ranks of the Soviet Union. Florentina is the youngest woman to be accepted into the esteemed ICW Healers Programme at the age of 15, but she chose to reject the offer. There is no public information available as to the reason, but our Crows suggest it was due to her entering the Academy of Advanced Magical Research, located in Switzerland," Alaric replied. "The second member is Adrian Bohr from Beauxbatons. A descendant of the great Niels Bohr, Adrian does not take after his family's academic interests. He prefers to be in the arms of married witches. Being the last descendant of the Bohr lineage, he gets away with a lot. Finally, we have Hinata Nakamura. She is the daughter of the current headmaster of Mahoutokoro. Hinata is one of the very few people to learn the ancient arts of her predecessors, and from our reports, she outranks many older earners of the arts. Will we see the Nakamura family art in action today? Mason, back to you."
"Thank you. As you know, Team 1 will be facing a dragon. Which dragon? Give us a drumroll," Mason said as the stadium made some noise. "The Chinese Fireball." Cheers ran through the stadium at that announcement. An image appeared on the screen of the dragon with key information on it. "Let's go through all the information that is going to be displayed on the infographic. The Chinese Fireball grows to an average length between 10.7 and 12.2 metres. Its average height from the ground to the should is between 3.7 and 4.6 metres, and with its neck and head included, it grows up to a whopping 7.6 metres."
"The average Chinese fireball has a mass of approximately 1,800 to 2,700 kilograms. Dragon breath from this fantastic beast ranges from 1,650 to 2,200 degrees Celsius," Alaric continued. "Other key metrics and information to note. The wingspan of an average Chinese Fireball is up to 7.6 metres wide. This species of dragon is generally more aggressive and territorial, especially when nesting or threatened, and is carnivorous. The top speed of a Chinese Fireball ever recorder was 267 kilometres per hour, and it has an average lifespan between 150 and 200 years. Chinese Fireballs typically breed once every few years. They lay between 1 and 3 eggs at a time; the eggs are crimson with golden flecks. But, the brooding mother Chinese Fireball here is beyond ordinary, isn't it Mason?"
"She's a thing of beauty. The dragon on display here, and the one that the three champions are going to face, is 11.9 metres, by 4.2 metres, with a height of 7.8 metres when its neck is fully extended," Mason said as a round of applause abrupted in the stadium. "As you could tell by the noise, Team 1 has finally come out. A few rule changes that were made in the last few hours were announced. The task will only last for 12 minutes, and if the time is exceeded and the team has failed to retrieve the golden egg, they will be capped at 70 points. No items may be taken into the stadium, and there are no summoning items. But this rule does allow for potion ingredients, as long as you can carry it with your own to hands. Could we see a few of the champions creating old-fashioned salves?"
"It is not taught in the curriculums of most of the schools competing until their last year due to their historic value. It will be very unlikely we see a champion making them today," Alaric said. "Now, let's get into the action as Team 1 enters the stadium. They take their places, and Ludo Bagman strikes the bell, signifying the start of the 12 minutes."
"Starting the countdown, the three champions are in a stare-down with the father dragon. Florentina is the first one to break eye contact, while giving what I presume are instructions. Oh yes, witches and wizards, we do not have access to the audio coming from inside. We'll be guessing what spells the champions are using," Mason said. "Now, the three champions are slowly circling the circumference with the father still locking eyes on them. I'm glad we don't have audio because my ears would have burst then."
"The three champions have got too close to the nest, and both dragons let out an ear-piercing roar, going off the champions reaction. They stand firm and walk even closer. The father dragon backs off a tiny bit, and the champions capitalise. They creep a few inches closer to the nest, the mother dragon, and their objective," Alaric said. "Mason, what's this? Florentina and Adrian have left Hinata in a stand-down with the mother dragon. The father dragon does not seem pleased. Hinata is now using a hand seal, over her wand."
"Fun fact, Alaric: most of the students from Mahoutokoro are first generation wand users. Surprising, I know. That's due to their behaviour towards outsiders, gaijins. Muggles are more accepting, and would often help gaijins recover and send them on their merry way. However, the magical side had no tolerance for gaijins. They would hold public executions for any gaijins that entered their lands. But this changed after the muggle Americans destroyed Hiroshima and Nagasaki, two hubs of the magical population. During the rebuilding efforts, American witches and wizards came over and helped them. They couldn't hold public executions for them, and they had lost a huge chuck of the magical population. So the existence of wands spread. It wasn't popular at first, but it slowly gained traction. So, now you can see why most of the students are first generation wand users," said Mason.
"I'm sorry to interrupt, but I think we have action. Hinata has finished her hand seal, and formed a barrier around the mother dragon. From the reaction of the mother dragon and the frustration on her draconian face, I believe she has tried to put it to sleep. The father dragon sees this, and tries to rush over to the mother dragon," Alaric said. "Florentina sends a powerful charm directed to the father's underbelly. It's not happy, I can tell you that. The father dragon refocuses on Florentina and Adrian. They let out a barrage of spells. I'm on the edge of my seat."
"It's currently a stalemate, with nothing going either way. Hinata's barrier is holding, and the barrage is continuous. I think this task will be a failure for Team 1," Mason said. "We're approaching the nine minute mark. They had a good go. I think this is the best they're going to do."
"I would like to disagree with you, Mason. If you notice Adrian's movements, he is inching closer to the rubble. I believe Team 1 is going to go for the final push sometime soon," Alaric said. "I believe they're going for it now. Adrian stops his participation in the barrage, and transfigure a piece of the rubble into chains?! He then transfigures another piece into a large sphere. I think I know what's going on here."
"I do too," Mason said as they both stood up. "Adrian now connects the two constructs together and runs towards the father dragon's chain. The father dragon notices, but Florentina is there to re-shift its focus. Adrian manages to connect it. I believe he is placing a weighting charm on it, and he is over charging it going by his heavy panting. Adrian takes a step back, and the fires a spell at the weight. The weight goes flying along with the father dragon. Florentina overcharges a spell, and fires it at the underbelly of the father dragon, most likely decommissioning it for the rest of the task."
"The mother dragon does not look very pleased. It is now charging into the barrier that Hinata created. Hinata doubles down, and strengthens the barrier, but it is not enough. The mother dragon charges at Hinata, but Adrian sends another overcharged spell hurling towards the mother dragon," Alaric said. "He will be waking up with aches for the next couple of days. All three of them will be given the number of times they overcharged their spells. The mother dragon is now manically running over to Adrian as he tries to run away. Hinata fires a spell, but I don't think it'll make it."
"It doesn't have to make it. The bell rings. Florentina has secured the golden eggs. Dragon tamers have flooded the arena, and taken down the mother dragon. What a spectacle," Mason said as they both sat down. "11 minutes and 32 seconds. Too close for comfort, wouldn't you say?"
"No, not at all. They completed the task, and that's all that matters. Florentina and Hinata help up the tired Adrian. A round of applause rings around the stadium. The three champions soak up the acclaim as they head back to the tent, to be treated by the healers," Alaric said. "The ICW staff are now restoring the stadium, and the next dragons are set to be brought in. Join us after the short breaks as we get to see Team 2 in action."
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"Welcome back witches and wizards. I hope you have had your toilet break and get your snacks. Team is now leaving the tent and heading towards the entrance of the stadium," Mason said as the crowd began to cheer. "Alaric, would you do the honours and introduce the next three champions?"
"It would be my pleasure. Leading the lines for Team 2 is Harriet Potter from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The girl who lived is the youngest champion in the history of the tournament. On her right is Nicholas Raine from Queen Maeve's College. According to our crows, Nicholas has a vicious streak hidden under his gentlemanly façade. And to make up the trio, there is the Russian born Japanese champion. Kaito Yukaghir from Mahoutokoro is known for not being the sharpest tool in the shed," Alaric said.
"Do you think they'll complete it and complete it in time?" Mason asked.
"Maybe to both of those questions," Alaric said. "Our Crows have reported to us that Harriet Potter had almost failed her first two years at Hogwarts. While she may have the latent talent to live up to the moniker of Voldemort's Slayer, she does not apply herself in most lessons and is a little behind in terms of the practical skills of an average student her age. Nicholas Raine, as I said, has a little vicious streak and is known to not be a team player. I believe if he could curve his soloist tendencies, he could be the key to Team 2 completing the task. For what Kaito Yukaghir does not have in his head, he does make up for it in his defensive capabilities. He did, after all, make it to the quarterfinals of the under-18's duelling world championship by focusing solely on defence and tiring out his opponents."
"Team 2 have taken their place in the stadium and the dragon is revealed to be the Blue Eyes White Dragon. This is going to be difficult. Ludo Bagman strikes the bell and the twelve minute countdown starts," Mason said as the crowd roared in anticipation. "The champions are looking up and don the dragons, and are circling the dragon. By the looks of this and the previous team, they are going to be in this stalemate for a minute or two. In that time, why don't you tell us about the Blue Eyes White dragon?"
"The Blue Eyes White Dragon has an average length between 15 and 20 metres. From the ground to its shoulders, it height measures between 6 and 8 metres, but if you includes it neck and head, it measure up to 12 metres. An average Blue Eyes White Dragon weighs between 3,500 and 5,000 kilograms," Alaric said as the infographic finally appeared on the giant screen hanging from the centre of the stadium. "It's Dragon Breaths ranges between 2,220 and 3,000 degrees Celsius. It's most notable feature other than it's pristine white scales is the fact it is one of the few dragons that are able to project lightning from itself."
"It's diet consists of most large prey such as deer, wild boar, and the like. It's wingspan measures up to 30 metres in width. With those gigantic wings, it can reach speeds in excess of 300 kilometres per hour. Their native region is Japan, particularly in remote mountainous or forested regions, and they live for approximately 200 to 250 years. They only mate once every few decades, so if one of these two eggs is destroyed, I fear this may be the last time we see these champions," Mason said. "However, the ICW has employed three times more dragon tamers than the minimum requirement agreed upon by the International Dragon Tamers and Breeders Association. It's been a minute, and nothing has happened yet. There were no major movements from either side. The dragons are getting angsty."
"I would too if I were in the dragons' position. Blue Eyes White Dragons are notorious for being very territorial but would usually make themselves known and give the invaders a warning before attacking them. The warning is coming. I can feel it in my keens," Alaric said as the sky darkened for a few seconds, and a bolt of lightning flew by the champions. The sky returned to normal almost instantaneously.
"You must be getting old if you could sense lightning due to your knees," Mason said. "That was their warning, and the champions should get ready for the ensuing onslaught. The Blue Eyes White Dragon let out a roar, and I think they're now annoyed. The champions are finally moving. Harriet is rushing towards the father dragon, while Nicholas heads towards the mother dragon. Kaito remains where he is standing."
"Harriet's attempts are futile, as the father dragon takes the brunt of the attacks on his magic repellent scales. The ones that it predicts will get past, he flicks their way with his wings. The father dragon retaliates, letting out its blue dragon breath, narrowly missing the girl who lived," Alaric said.
"While that was happening, Nicholas went through his own dilemma. Nicholas unleashed a flurry of offensive spells at the mother dragon. His vicious streak is showing as he recklessly bombards the creature. The mother, like the father, takes the brunt of the attack on her scale. Kaito watched this unfold at a safe distance under his shield," Mason said. "I don't blame the kid. I would probably do the same."
"Harriet has grown tired of running away from the dragon, and decides to take a stand. Will she bombard the dragon or try something else?" Alaric asked. "Going off from where she's pointing her wand, she is trying something different. I think she wants to transfigure the ground to her advantage. However, the father dragon realises the danger, takes to the air, and starts an aerial bombardment."
"Kaito has finally awakened from his stupor and decided to help out Nicholas?" Mason said, confused. "Why is he helping Nicholas instead of Harriet, who is clearly in more danger? Nicholas continues his assault. He overcharges a spell, and the mother dragon reflects it with a bat of her wing. He overcharges, and WHAT'S THIS? Kaito is down. I repeat. Kaito is down."
"When the mother dragon reflected the spell, she directed it towards Kaito and broke his shield. Nicholas looks back for a moment to see the source of the scream. The mother dragon recognises the opportunity while Nicholas is distracted and swings her tail at him. And what a connection! Nicholas is sent sprawling, and the mother dragon approaches the down Nicholas to, I guess, taunt him at his failure," Alaric said. "Harriet sees this from the corner of her eyes, and tries to step away for a moment to help her fellow champion. I feel something in my knees, and a bolt of lightning stops Miss Potter in her tracks."
"It misses her by a fraction of a hair's width. Harriet starts running and she disappears? Where has she gone?" Mason asked. "There she is. She's close to the nest. How did she get there?"
"I believe it was a botched attempt at disapparating. Her limp was not there before. Nicholas stands up, even though he is bruised and bloodied. He stands defiantly as he overcharges a spell. He aims for the mother dragon's eye and releases," Alaric said. "The mother bats it away towards the nest."
"Oh no! Harriet is in the way, and she gets hit. She is flung right at the nest. And she breaks the eggs," Mason said sombrely as the stadium went silent. The audience holds its breath. "Oh Merlin! Someone gets in there before the dragons snap out of their confusion. Cut the broadcast. Cut the broadcast. If the broadcast has not been cut yet, please draw the eyes of young ones away. There is no reason why they should witness this potential blood bath."
"What a disastrous turn of events! Team 2 failed to get the golden egg and destroyed two Blue Eyes White Dragon eggs. A shamble is what a team is. I believe they won't score more than 30 points. The dragon tamers are now starting to enter the stadium en masse. Join us once the broadcast restarts at its earliest convenience."
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