Chapter 347: Durmstrang's War Magic
The three of them looked at each other, unsure how to respond.
Afraid that opening their mouths would reveal their worries and affect Dylan's mindset, they could only stand silently, their eyes filled with internal conflict.
Just then, Ludo Bagman's voice, amplified by the Sonorus Charm, echoed into the tent, instantly capturing everyone's attention: "Ladies and gentlemen! Next up are the champions from DurmstrangInstitute! According to the draw, the Dragon combination they must face is the Norwegian Ridgebackand the Hebridean Black!"
Harry and his two companions immediately crowded by the tent flap, peeking through the gap into the arena.
Ludo's voice continued: "Everyone should be familiar with these two Dragons! I wonder if the Durmstrang champions can display excellent tactics and strength in dealing with these two behemoths?"
His tone shifted, tinged with anticipation: "And one more thing must be mentioned—Viktor Krum of Durmstrang is a famous Seeker in the International Quidditch League! With his flying skills, he will likely summon his broomstick again and launch an aerial attack, giving us a spectacular aerial duel! Oh!"
Ludo's tone suddenly paused, clearly having witnessed an unexpected scene: "It seems I guessed wrong! Krum seems to have other plans! He hasn't summoned his broomstick; instead, he and his two teammates are staying on the ground, preparing to engage the Dragons directly! This is truly an unexpected choice!"
Inside the tent, Harry intently watched the three Durmstrang students' actions.
When he saw Krum raise his wand, and a faint blue light flash from its tip, he suddenly realized: "I see it! They're going to use the Sight-Baffling Jinx! This spell can temporarily interfere with the target's vision, making the Dragon unable to see its surroundings, thus avoiding its fire breath attacks!"
"The Sight-Baffling Jinx?" Draco frowned, turning to look at Harry, his voice tinged with conflict, "Isn't the plan we discussed earlier a similar visual interference spell? Now Durmstrang has gone first and used this idea; if we use it afterward, the Durmstrang people will definitely accuse us of plagiarism, and who knows what trouble that might cause."
Cedric also nodded, clearly agreeing with Draco's concerns: "And the judges might also think we lack innovation, affecting our final score."
"It seems we might need to temporarily adjust our tactics to avoid repeating Durmstrang's approach."
Dylan did not speak immediately, but continued to observe Durmstrang's actions in the arena.
Krum's two teammates were moving towards the two Dragons respectively, their wands constantly waving, seemingly preparing other auxiliary spells.
Krum himself remained in the middle, staring intently at the Norwegian Ridgeback's eyes, clearly looking for the best moment to cast the spell.
It seemed Durmstrang's tactics were far more layered than they appeared on the surface.
In fact, Harry had learned the Sight-Baffling Jinx during the preparation stage.
This spell, which could interfere with vision, was not difficult to cast but was very practical in its effect.
After learning it, he immediately shared the spell-casting techniques and key points of magic control with Draco and Cedric.
The three of them even found an empty classroom to practice several times until they could cast it proficiently.
It was precisely because they had mastered the Sight-Baffling Jinx that they developed their second contingency plan.
And the "plan" Draco mentioned earlier was their initial first strategy.
By summoning fast-growing magic plants, such as thorny brambles and extremely tough tripwires, they would use the plants'entanglementforce to restrict the Dragon's limbs and wings, thereby creating an opportunity to snatch the golden egg.
However, this plan had a high cost.
The seeds of the magic plants needed to be specially ordered from a flower shop in Diagon Alley, and the special Potion to stimulate growth required a large amount of rare materials, so after learning the Sight-Baffling Jinx, they immediately adjusted the priority of the two plans, deciding to prioritize the simpler and lower-cost Sight-Baffling Jinx plan.
"There's no need to rush to adjust now; let's first see the specific effect of Durmstrang using the Sight-Baffling Jinx," Cedric analyzed calmly, watching the arena, "I heard from Stebbins before that among the Durmstrang students, only Viktor Krum is good at flying, and most of the others are better at ground combat. It seems this is true—they never considered an aerial assault at all."
He turned to Harry and Draco and continued: "And the three of us are all Seekers for our respective House Quidditch teams; our flying skills are far superior to theirs."
"As long as we can complete the challenge faster than them when we go on, even if we use a similar Sight-Baffling Jinx approach, they won't have much to say—after all, the effect and speed will be there."
"Then let's just watch for now." Draco shrugged, tapping his pocket, "Anyway, I've packed all the spare magic plant seeds, and the growth-stimulating Potion is in my backpack; I can summon them anytime. At worst, we can combine the two plans."
As the three discussed, Ludo Bagman's exclamations of praise came through the Sonorus Charm: "Ladies and gentlemen! The Durmstrang champions have truly given us quite a surprise! Look at the coordination among the three of them; it's incredibly synchronized! Whether dodging attacks or launching counterattacks, their movements are almost perfectly synchronized! Perhaps it's because of this advantage in ground coordination that Krum gave up summoning his broomstick—after all, it's difficult to maintain such precise teamwork in the air!"
The four people inside the tent all looked towards the arena.
They saw the three Durmstrang champions moving quickly on the arena floor, and when faced with the Dragon's fire breath, they always dodged in the same direction simultaneously.
And when they launched an attack, they would simultaneously raise their wands, accurately hitting the Dragon's eyes with three faint blue Sight-Baffling Jinxes.
This highly synchronized movement gradually made the originally fierce Dragons confused, and their fire breath began to lose its accuracy.
"I have to say, their ground coordination is indeed better than what we practiced before," Cedric said somewhat helplessly, watching the scene.
Although they could also coordinate their actions during their previous practices, they always needed to communicate through eye contact or simple commands, far from the unspoken understanding Durmstrang displayed.
"And how do I feel like their strategy is becoming more and more similar to what we originally discussed?" Harry scratched his head, his voice full of confusion, "The only difference is that we planned to assist from the air with broomsticks, while they stayed completely on the ground to fight."
"This should be related to the different teaching methods of magic at the two schools," Dylan explained, his gaze fixed on the Durmstrang trio's spell-casting movements, "Do you still remember Battle magic? That's Durmstrang's signature course and their most proficient field of magic—the core of this magic is team synergy, emphasizing amplifying magic effects through synchronized spell-casting in combat."
"Oh, right! I almost forgot about that!" Harry suddenly realized, clapping his hands, "I heard Ron say before that Durmstrang's Battle magic is very powerful, but because it involves too much offensive content, many countries do not encourage it."
He paused, then thought of another question: "But… I remember someone saying before that Durmstrang, due to external pressure, had hidden much of its Battle magic content and rarely taught it publicly anymore."
"Hiding it doesn't mean it can't be used." Draco interjected, a hint of sarcasm in his voice, "Just like the Unforgivable Curses; after using them, you're sent to Azkaban, but don't Dark Wizards still use them? This kind of thing is inherently 'secretive'—they won't officially disclose course details to the outside world, but they will still teach it to students, as it's their core advantage."
Harry looked at Draco in surprise: "You actually know about Battle magic too? I thought you only cared about pure-blood family matters."
"Heh."
"Is it strange that I know this, when even you can find out through others?" Draco raised an eyebrow, a hint of disdain in his voice, clearly displeased by Harry's surprise.
He paused, then changed the subject, a newfound understanding in his eyes: "But speaking of which, this does answer a previous question of mine—no wonder Durmstrang rarely won the Triwizard Tournament before. Now I understand; previous tournaments were all solo entries, and the core of Battle magic is team synergy; a single person simply cannot unleash the true effect of this magic."
He looked at the scene of the three Durmstrang students casting spells in unison in the arena and continued: "This time is different; three champions appeared at once, and the number just meets the basic collaborative needs of Battle magic, allowing them to fully unleash the advantages of this magic."
In fact, this was not surprising.
The House of Malfoy, as a long-standing pure-blood family, naturally had many records in its family library about the unique magic of various countries.
Draco knowing about Battle magic was not unexpected.
Dylan also generally understood these matters.
In fact, most of the books on Battle magic had been confiscated and destroyed due to Ministry of Magicpolicy requirements.
And those that remained, like most of the information circulating on the market, merely stated the name "Battle magic" and its core characteristic of "emphasizing team collaboration," without specific spell-casting techniques, spell combinations, or other key information, making them of no practical reference value.
"Ladies and gentlemen! Pay attention! Durmstrang's magic!" Ludo Bagman's exclamation suddenly came, interrupting the discussion in the tent, "The three of them cast magic simultaneously, and three beams of light accurately hit the eyes of the Hebridean Black! The accuracy is astonishing!"
His voice was filled with excitement, and his speaking speed quickened: "Even more fortunately, they immediately turned to attack the Norwegian Ridgeback, and actually successfully hit the target's eyes as well! This is definitely magic specifically designed for the eyes! It's incredible! You know, the Dragon's scales are thick enough to resist most spells; to make magic effective, the eyes are indeed the best attack point—they have no scale protection and can directly interfere with the Dragon's actions!"
As Ludo narrated, the situation in the arena also changed significantly.
Under the effect of the Sight-Baffling Jinx, both Dragons let out painful roars, their voices filled with anxiety and rage.
They began to twist their bodies wildly in place, their huge tails thrashing, and from time to time, they would attack in directions where no one was, clearly unable to see their surroundings.
Even more dangerously, they would spray fire breath erratically.
Orange-red and dark blue flames alternately erupted from their mouths, landing on the ground, instantly scorching the soil black, turning the originally hard ground soft, and constantly emitting thick white smoke.
The high temperature brought by the fire breath distorted the surrounding air, and the vegetation at the edge of the arena was directly burned to ashes by the flames.
The green vegetation that was once visible instantly turned into a charred wasteland, and the entire arena became a mess.
The students in the stands held their breath, their eyes fixed on the arena.
Although the Dragons had lost their targets, this indiscriminate attack was even more dangerous, and no one knew how the Durmstrang champions would snatch the golden egg amidst this chaos.
Harry and his three companions in the tent also watched with extreme focus, especially Harry and Draco, who were quietly discussing Durmstrang's possible next moves, while also adjusting their own tactical thinking.
The two blind Dragons vented their fury in the arena, and their attack range was far from limited to the ground.
From time to time, they would open their gaping maws towards the circular stands, and orange-red and dark blue fire breath would spray towards the audience without warning.
The students in the stands could even clearly see sparks dancing in the flames and feel the scorching heat rushing towards them. Many instinctively curled up, gripping the railings in front of them tightly, their hearts instantly leaping to their throats.
Fortunately, Old Deng's prior arrangements worked.
Whenever the fire breath approached the stands, a transparent barrier would automatically appear, firmly blocking the flames.
The fire breath struck the barrier with a "sizzling" sound, then dissipated into wisps of white smoke.
Although the audience suffered no actual harm, the oppressive feeling of "death being so close" still made everyone hold their breath, cold sweat seeping into their palms.
In the center of the arena, Viktor Krum was fully concentrated on dodging the Dragon's attacks.
When a stream of fire breath from the Norwegian Ridgeback sprayed in his direction, he reacted extremely quickly, lunging sideways, rolling twice on the ground, narrowly avoiding the scorching flames.
The hem of his robes was still singed by sparks, leaving a charred mark.
Krum quickly stood up, brushed the dust from his clothes, and then raised his wand towards the sky.
Ludo Bagman had been closely watching his movements. Seeing this, he immediately looked up, and when he saw a black shadow flying from a distance, gradually revealing the outline of a broomstick, he couldn't help but laugh, slamming his hand on the commentator's desk in front of him.
Chapter 348 Hogwarts' Challenge
"Indeed! I knew he wouldn't give up his broomstick!"
His voice, amplified by the Sonorus Charm, echoed throughout the arena, filled with excitement: "Ladies and gentlemen, please look! Viktor Krum has summoned his personal broomstick! From its appearance, this should be the latest model of the Firebolt! It seems he intends to use his flying advantage to break through the blockade of the two Dragons and charge directly towards the Golden Egg! This is definitely the most daring and most spectacular tactic!"
Viktor Krum flipped onto his broomstick, pushed off the ground lightly with his feet, and the broom immediately carried him soaring into the sky.
The students in the stands all looked up, their eyes fixed on his figure. Many Durmstrang students even held up signs that read 'Krum will win' and cheered loudly.
"Beautiful! That acceleration is so fierce!" Ludo Bagman also stood up, leaning forward, pointing at Krum in the air, "He is rapidly approaching the skies above the two Dragons! But danger also comes with it—everyone, look! The Norwegian Ridgeback has tilted its head back! It's going to breathe fire!"
No sooner had Ludo finished speaking than an orange-red pillar of fire erupted from the Norwegian Ridgeback's mouth, shooting high into the sky, heading towards Krum.
It was at this critical moment.
Krum's expression remained incredibly focused. He acutely sensed the danger behind him, immediately lowered his body, gripped the broomstick tightly with his left hand, and gently pressed down on the broom's tail with his right.
The broomstick instantly executed a thrilling sideways dodge. The pillar of fire grazed his shoulder, and the scorching air made his hair curl slightly.
"My goodness! That dodge was magnificent!" Ludo Bagman excitedly waved his arms, his voice a little hoarse, "Krum's reaction speed is simply astonishing! He perfectly dodged this sudden, fatal blow! And did you notice? He didn't even slow down! Now he has already flown over the two Dragons and is preparing to dive down!"
Just as Ludo said, Krum immediately adjusted his direction after dodging, urging his broomstick into a rapid dive.
His body and the broom were almost in a straight line, like an arrow released from a bowstring, flying towards the Golden Egg in the center of the arena.
"Look at that fierce diving speed! He's almost at the Golden Egg!" Ludo's voice was full of admiration, "He's like a shooting star streaking across the night sky! Charging so recklessly, is he trying to prove his strength to the other Champions?"
Inside the tent.
Harry, Draco, and Cedric, upon hearing this, subconsciously felt there was something hidden in Ludo's words.
After all, Dylan was the last to enter, and had to face the most difficult Dragon combination.
The three of them glanced at Dylan beside them from the corner of their eyes, and seeing him intently watching the arena, seemingly not paying attention to Ludo's commentary, they quietly breathed a sigh of relief.
Just as Krum was about to approach the Golden Egg, a swift dark shadow suddenly darted out from behind the rocks at the edge of the arena.
It was the Manticore that had been hiding all along!
Its speed was astonishing, and its sharp claws gleamed coldly as it lunged at Krum's calf.
Many spectators in the stands stood up, letting out a gasp, as if they had already envisioned Krum being injured.
But Krum once again demonstrated astonishing reaction ability.
During his dive, he performed a difficult turn almost in place, his body rapidly rotating half a circle around the broom handle, narrowly avoiding the Manticore's claw attack.
"He did it! He dodged the Manticore's sneak attack!" Ludo Bagman cheered excitedly, "Now he's just one step away from success! He just needs to reach out and grab the Golden Egg!"
But just then, a deep blue Dragon breath suddenly erupted from the Hebridean Black's mouth, landing on the ground in front of Krum, scorching a long, charred mark.
Although it didn't hit him, it forced him to slow down and dodge, missing the best opportunity to snatch the Golden Egg.
The situation in the arena once again became tense.
The deep blue Dragon breath gradually dissipated, and the charred mark in the center of the arena was particularly glaring.
Ludo Bagman stood at the judges' table, staring at the scene before him, his mouth agape in surprise, almost dropping his wand, unable to utter a single word.
He had been in the profession for many years and had never seen such a bizarre situation.
In the few seconds he was stunned, a dozen Wizards in Ministry of Magic uniforms rushed out from the passage on the side of the stands and quickly jumped into the arena.
They had clear divisions of labor: some were responsible for restraining the two blind Dragons with ropes and magic, while others raised their wands and cast binding spells towards the Manticore.
Pale blue magical ropes instantly wrapped around the Manticore's limbs, firmly pinning it in place, preventing it from launching further attacks.
Viktor Krum also stopped his charge. He circled slowly in mid-air on his broomstick.
His previously tense expression was now extremely grim, his brows tightly furrowed, his gaze fixed on the center of the arena.
Where the Golden Egg had been placed, only a pile of charred ashes remained. Clearly, the Golden Egg had been completely incinerated by the Dragon breath.
"Oh... oh! Ladies and gentlemen!" Ludo Bagman finally reacted. He cleared his throat, trying to make his voice sound steady, "Something completely unexpected just happened—based on the scene, the Dragon breath just now, exhaled by the Norwegian Ridgeback, accidentally hit the Golden Egg placed in the center. Our target Golden Egg... has been completely burned away."
No sooner had he finished speaking than the circular stands instantly erupted in an uproar.
Students whispered amongst themselves, their faces filled with disbelief.
No one expected such an accident to occur when success was just one step away.
The Durmstrang students were even more disappointed, many of them shouting "Rematch" into the arena, hoping the judges would provide a reasonable solution.
Ludo Bagman looked at the chaotic stands and stammered, "Regarding the current special circumstances, the judges need to conduct an emergency discussion to determine the follow-up plan. Please remain calm."
Inside the tent.
Harry looked at the chaotic situation in the arena, his voice tinged with a hint of lament: "Do you think the judges will arrange a rematch? Krum was really just one step away, but the Golden Egg was burned by the Dragon breath. It's such a shame."
"Yes, this situation is truly incredible," Cedric also nodded, his eyes full of emotion, "Although Beauxbatons' process was thrilling but without real danger, at least there wasn't an accident where the target was destroyed."
"This situation isn't that rare. Didn't Dylan simulate similar 'target damaged' scenarios during training before?" Draco shrugged indifferently, his tone certain, "I don't think there will be a rematch. You see, even if Karkaroff of Durmstrang insists on a rematch, the other Principals won't agree."
"Ultimately, Durmstrang's own tactics were flawed," Harry said with some emotion, "Their choice to blind the Dragons with the Sight-Baffling Jinx inherently carried risks—blind Dragons attack indiscriminately, and no one knows what they might hit. But Viktor Krum is indeed a pity; his execution was already perfect, just one last step."
Draco's tone held a hint of anticipation as he turned to Harry and Cedric: "As you've seen, the Sight-Baffling Jinx is riskier than we imagined. For the Hungarian Horntail and Norwegian Ridgeback we're about to face, who can say if they'll go berserk like this one and destroy the Golden Egg with their Dragon breath."
"We definitely need to reconsider our tactics," Cedric nodded gravely, "If it really comes down to the last step, and you're about to get the Golden Egg, only for it to be destroyed by Dragon breath, that feeling would surely be devastating. Rather than take that risk, it's better to use the magical plant plan we prepared earlier; at least it's a more secure way to restrain the Dragons' movements."
Harry also nodded, his voice carrying a hint of agreement: "I have no objection. Although the magical plant plan is costly, its advantage lies in its stability. Durmstrang's example is already before us; let's not take risks."
Just as Draco and his companions had predicted, the judges' discussion did not last too long.
When Ludo Bagman reappeared at the commentary stand, he did not offer any explanation for the "destroyed Golden Egg" situation, but directly announced: "Next, we move to the judges' scoring segment, where comprehensive scores will be awarded based on each school's Champion's tactical performance, collaborative ability, and handling of risks."
Not long after, the tent flap was gently lifted, and a Ministry of Magic official poked his head in, saying respectfully, "Mr. Harry Potter, Mr. Draco Malfoy, Mr. Cedric Diggory, it's your turn to enter the arena. Please follow me."
The three of them exchanged glances, took a deep breath, picked up their wands, and followed the official out of the tent.
As Harry, Draco, and Cedric emerged from the arena entrance, wands in hand, a warm cheer immediately erupted from the stands.
Especially when they saw the three of them simultaneously raise their wands, three silver flashes appeared, and three broomsticks flew from a distance, landing steadily in front of them, Ludo Bagman's voice instantly became especially cheerful, and the Sonorus Charm spread his excitement throughout the arena: "Look what this is! Of course, it's three brand new broomsticks! The Champions of Hogwartscertainly haven't disappointed us!"
He paused, specifically adding: "To my knowledge, these three Champions share a common characteristic—they are all the main Seekers for their respective House Quidditch teams! Harry Potter is from Gryffindor, Draco Malfoy is from Slytherin, and Cedric Diggory is from Hufflepuff! Seekers are best at agile flying and quick reactions, and I'm already looking forward to their upcoming performance!"
No sooner had he finished speaking than Ludo's eyes suddenly lit up, and his gaze shifted to the sky: "Wait! There's more! It seems the Hogwarts Champions are extremely well-prepared. Besides their broomsticks, other items are continuously flying into the arena! What could they be? Are they tools for auxiliary magic, or special equipment to deal with the Dragons? Let us wait and see, I believe they will bring us unexpected surprises!"
As he commentated, the situation in the arena gradually became clear.
Harry and Draco were the first to flip onto their broomsticks, pushing off the ground lightly with their feet, and the brooms carried them slowly into the air.
Cedric, however, did not immediately take off. He held his broomstick upright in front of him, one hand on the broom handle, the other raising his wand, its tip shimmering with a pale green light, clearly casting some kind of magic.
The ground began to tremble slightly, as if something was about to break through the earth.
"Ladies and gentlemen, please look! Potter and Malfoy have already flown up, only Diggory remains on the ground!" Ludo Bagman's voice was full of curiosity, "He's holding his broomstick, intently waving his wand. Is he preparing some kind of ground magic? This is quite different from our previously anticipated 'all-air assault' tactic!"
Even more surprising was the flying height of Harry and Draco.
They did not choose to ascend to high altitudes to avoid Dragon attacks. Instead, they maintained low-altitude flight, less than five meters from the ground. Although their speed wasn't fast, they were exceptionally agile.
Ludo watched this scene, his voice full of surprise, yet tinged with a bit of worry: "Wow! It seems they are quite confident in their flying skills! Flying so low, at this height, if they are affected by the Dragon's breath, there's almost no time to dodge! Aren't they afraid of being harmed by the Dragon breath?"
Indeed, the two Dragons quickly noticed these two "provocateurs."
The Hebridean Black was the first to let out a roar, its huge head turning towards Draco, opening its mouth to breathe fire.
The Common Welsh Green Dragon was not to be outdone, swinging its tail towards Harry, attempting to knock him off his broom.
"Watch out!" No sooner had Ludo's shout ended than Harry was seen suddenly pressing his body down, his broomstick almost skimming the ground, narrowly dodging the Green Dragon's tail.
The tail swept across the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust, its power astonishing.
Draco, meanwhile, quickly pulled on the broom handle, his body performing a graceful sideways maneuver in the air. The deep blue Dragon breath grazed his ankle, landing on a distant rock and sparking.
"Beautiful! Such an agile turn!" Ludo Bagman clapped his hands excitedly, praising, "Potter's concentration is excellent; that dodge was perfectly timed! He successfully avoided the Common Welsh Green Dragon's deadly tail whip!"
He then changed his tone, a hint of teasing in his voice: "However, I must say, these two young Champions, Potter and Malfoy, are incredibly brave! Everyone knows that the Common Welsh Green Dragon is the most docile of all Dragons; it rarely attacks unless provoked. But now? Even it has been provoked to anger by these two, which shows how 'daring' their flight path is!"
After the teasing, Ludo's gaze turned to Draco's side, his tone becoming serious: "In comparison, Malfoyseems to be under a bit more pressure. He is facing the Hebridean Black, which is a whole size larger than the Common Welsh Green Dragon! And the Black Dragon's reaction speed is also faster; continuously dodging its attacks at low altitude will certainly be much more difficult!"
Just then, a new development occurred in the arena.
Harry and Draco seemed to reach a tacit understanding through their eyes, almost simultaneously adjusting their directions and swapping opponents.
Harry flew towards the Hebridean Black, while Draco turned towards the Common Welsh Green Dragon.
Ludo immediately caught this detail and commentated loudly: "Oh! They've swapped opponents! Now it's Potter against the larger Hebridean Black, and Malfoy against the relatively docile Common Welsh Green Dragon! Is this to share the pressure, or are there other tactical considerations? It seems the Hogwarts Champions are constantly adjusting their strategy even while flying!"
During a break in commentary, Ludo suddenly slapped his forehead, as if remembering something important: "Speaking of which, we seem to have forgotten a Champion! I've been so focused on Potterand Malfoy's flying that I almost overlooked Diggory, who remained on the ground! So, what is Mr. Diggory doing now? How are his magical preparations coming along? Could the commotion on the ground become the key to turning the tide?"
Chapter 349 Oh my God! What a wonderful coordination!
As he asked, all eyes refocused on Cedric.
At this moment, Cedric, who remained on the ground, had completed his magic spell.
The tip of his wand flashed with a soft white light.
Six small birds with light brown feathers flew out in response, their wings flapping in perfect unison, circling clockwise around his body, occasionally letting out crisp chirps, as if confirming each other's positions, or perhaps waiting for the next command.
"Ah ha ha ha! This is truly interesting!" Ludo Bagman's laughter echoed through the stands via the Sonorus Charm, leaning forward and pointing at the six small birds, his voice full of novelty, "It seems Hogwarts's champions intend to open the situation with numerical superiority! Originally, it was three champions against two Dragons and one Manticore, but now with these six magical small birds, the numbers have directly multiplied several times! Honestly, I'm already starting to worry for the Hebridean Black and the Common Welsh Green Dragon, not to mention the Manticore that hasn't officially appeared yet - they'll be facing more than just human champions! But what use are these birds?"
No sooner had he finished speaking than Cedric flipped onto his broomstick, his feet firmly planted on the footrests, his left hand tightly gripping the broom handle, and his right hand raising his wand to his chest, the tip pointed at the group of Dragons ahead.
The next second, a sharp yet not piercing whistle emanated from the tip of his wand, extremely penetrating, so much so that even the spectators in the stands could hear it clearly.
This was a clear signal!
"Everyone must have heard that whistle!" Ludo Bagman immediately reminded, "Diggory has released a tactical signal! Now, please turn your attention to the sky - observe the other two champions! Look! Their movements have clearly changed!"
Sure enough, Harry and Draco, who had originally only been cruising at low altitude, instantly adjusted their flight strategy.
Harry, controlling his broomstick, flew along the edge of the Common Welsh Green Dragon's wing, the tail end of the broom occasionally brushing against the Dragon scales, deliberately creating friction.
Draco, on the other hand, flew directly above the Hebridean Black's head, circling less than two meters from its horns, and occasionally emitting faint sparks from the tip of his wand; the attack power wasn't strong, but the provocative intent was palpable.
"Look at them! So proactive, even aggressive!" Ludo Bagman's voice was filled with astonishment, mixed with a hint of tension, "They are clearly deliberately trying to provoke the Dragons into breathing fire! Such close-range provocation, a slight misstep, and they could be engulfed in flames! I'm particularly curious now, what kind of plan have these three Hogwarts champions devised, to dare to use such a risky method, to invite trouble!"
The Hebridean Black was the first to be enraged.
Feeling the disturbance above its head, its massive skull suddenly twisted to the left.
This movement was faster than expected, and the strong wind it generated even made Draco's broom wobble.
Immediately after, it opened its gaping maw, and deep blue Dragonfire, laden with sparks, gushed out, heading straight for Draco's position.
On the other side, Harry was not doing any better.
The Common Welsh Green Dragon, annoyed by his brushing, suddenly raised its front claw and swiped at his broom.
Harry reacted extremely quickly, sharply lowering his body, his chest almost pressed against the broom handle, even his breathing became lighter.
The green Dragon's claw grazed his shoulder, the sharp tip catching a strand of hair, a truly close call.
But before he could even sigh in relief, the green Dragon opened its mouth again, and orange-red Dragonfire spewed in his direction.
He quickly pulled the broom handle, performing a sharp turn in mid-air to barely evade it, but the hem of his robe was still scorched by sparks, instantly igniting a small ball of flame.
"Damn it!" Harry cursed under his breath, steadying his broom with his left hand, and quickly waving his wand with his right, clearly enunciating the Severing Charm.
A silver blade of light flashed, and the burning robe hem fell off in response, quickly extinguishing itself on the ground.
He dared not linger, immediately controlling his Firebolt to lower his position again, avoiding the green Dragon's subsequent tail whip.
The Dragon's tail swept across the ground, raising half a meter of dust, and even leaving a shallow pit in the ground.
"Harry! Distract on the left!" Cedric's voice suddenly came from diagonally behind him; he was riding his broom, leading the six birds towards the Hebridean Black, clearly intending to coordinate with Harry's actions.
Harry immediately understood, responding loudly: "Got it!"
He looked in the direction of the voice, just in time to see Cedric nod at him; the six small birds had already fanned out, flying towards the black Dragon's eyes, as if to obstruct its vision.
This was a golden opportunity!
Harry no longer hesitated, controlling his Firebolt to sharply raise his position, flying directly towards the Hebridean Black's head.
This time he didn't just brush past, but deliberately circled once in front of the Dragon's eyes.
The black Dragon was thoroughly enraged, letting out a low growl from its throat, about to breathe fire.
"Expelliarmus!" Harry seized the moment, pointing the tip of his wand at the black Dragon's mouth, and decisively cast the spell.
A red beam of light accurately hit the inside of the black Dragon's mouth, followed by a faint "crack" sound, like something hard had shattered, perhaps a small stone caught between the black Dragon's teeth, or tartar in its mouth.
This, however, completely ignited the black Dragon's fury.
It suddenly raised its head, its bright purple eyes bloodshot, and its formerly low growl turned into a deafening roar, causing the entire arena to tremble slightly.
Harry could clearly feel the surge of anger washing over him, his heart accelerating.
He knew this was no time to be stunned!
"Cedric! Prepare for backup!" Harry shouted loudly, simultaneously controlling his broom to retreat.
But it was too late; the Hebridean Black opened its gaping maw, and a deep blue Dragonfire twice as thick as before surged out, almost covering all the space in front of him, as if to incinerate him and his broom into ashes.
Harry's pupils contracted, and without the slightest hesitation, he immediately pulled the broom handle, sweeping out a huge arc to the right.
The radius of this circle was a full ten meters, his body almost parallel to the ground, the tail end of his broom even scraping against the stones on the ground, sending sparks flying.
Finally, just as the Dragonfire was about to catch up to him, he successfully circled to the black Dragon's rear-side, avoiding the fatal blow.
As Harry controlled his Firebolt to circle and evade the Hebridean Black, the corner of his eye suddenly caught sight of four small dark figures.
These were four of the six small birds Cedric had previously transfigured, and they were moving at an extremely fast speed, taking advantage of the Dragon opening its mouth to roar, and drilling into the Hebridean Black's mouth.
Almost at the same moment the small birds entered the Dragon's mouth, the Hebridean Black's body suddenly showed an abnormal reaction.
Its neck swelled rapidly at a visible speed, its originally smooth neck lines becoming bloated and distorted, and a painful "gurgling" sound came from its throat.
Immediately after, several emerald green vines emerged from the corners of its mouth, nostrils, and even the crevices around its eyes, the ends of the vines carrying tiny barbs, tightly coiling around the Dragon's teeth and scales, as if forcibly holding its mouth shut.
What made the Dragon even more painful was that the vines were also covered with tiny poisonous tentacles.
These poisonous tentacles continuously contracted and stung the Dragon's oral mucosa and skin, each sting causing the Dragon's body to tremble violently.
Although the Dragon was still frantically twisting its body and struggling, trying to break free from the vines on it, its movements visibly slowed down, and its originally fierce roars gradually weakened, turning into painful whimpers.
"Excellent! The Hogwarts champions have succeeded!" Ludo Bagman's cheers echoed throughout the arena via the Sonorus Charm, as he excitedly waved his arms, "They didn't choose to confront it head-on, but instead found an alternative route, choosing to attack from inside the Dragon! This approach is too clever! No matter how thick the Dragon's scales are, capable of resisting most spells, its internal body surely isn't protected by hard armor, is it? The internal organs are all vulnerable! This is definitely a highly creative tactic for this competition!"
"Are we..." Harry looked at the Dragon controlled by the vines, a surge of excitement in his heart, he couldn't help but shout, "They succeeded!"
But before he could celebrate for long, a chorus of startled cries suddenly erupted from the stands.
These cries were instantly drowned out by a piercing whooshing sound.
Harry felt the hairs on his back suddenly stand on end, a strong sense of danger washed over him, he instinctively wanted to control his Firebolt to create distance, but this time his reaction was still half a beat too slow.
A cold sensation first came from his back, followed by a burning pain - he could even feel the scorching sensation of his skin being torn.
Harry endured the pain, urging his Firebolt to quickly ascend to a high altitude, then looked down at his back.
His black robe had been torn open with a long gash, and blood was continuously seeping from the wound, staining the shirt underneath.
Fortunately, the wound was not too deep, only scratching the surface of the skin, not damaging any internal organs.
Harry frowned, pulling his wand from his pocket with his uninjured hand, and cast a simple blood-staunching charm on the wound on his back, temporarily slowing the bleeding.
He knew in his heart that he was not proficient in healing magic, and if the magic couldn't be used, it would be useless and only drag down the current situation.
Therefore, he could only perform emergency treatment first, and then completely heal it with dittany essence after completing the task.
They had learned in Potion Class that dittany essence had miraculous effects on such external injuries; as long as it was applied evenly, the wound would scab and heal in about ten seconds.
This was also the result of many of his personal "experiments."
So Harry wasn't worried about these external injuries.
Within the mere dozens of seconds Harry spent checking his wound, the Common Welsh Green Dragon on the other side met the same fate.
Cedric and Draco, taking advantage of the moment Harry was distracting it, threw the remaining magical plant seeds at the green Dragon; vines and poisonous tentacles similarly emerged from within the green Dragon, quickly controlling it firmly, leaving it stiff and unable to move, only occasionally letting out a few weak roars.
After confirming that both Dragons were controlled, Harry endured the pain in his back and slowly descended his Firebolt to the ground.
Cedric and Draco immediately gathered around, and Cedric pulled a handful of black seeds from his pocket, scattering them on the ground.
These were Man-Eating Thorn seeds, which immediately began to grow rapidly upon contact with the air, quickly forming thorn bushes over a meter tall within seconds, completely enveloping the two Dragons, thoroughly cutting off any possibility of them breaking free.
"Your wound is fine, it's shallow, you dodged very quickly, I'll help you heal it." Cedric looked at the wound on Harry's back, his voice tinged with worry; he raised his wand, its tip shimmering with a soft pale blue light, and slowly waved it over the wound.
This was a basic healing charm, though not as effective as dittany essence, it could temporarily alleviate pain and promote wound healing.
While Cedric was healing Harry, Draco again waved his wand, summoning a cloth bag from the air.
Inside were Venomous Tentacula Seeds.
He scattered the seeds in various corners of the arena, and these seeds immediately germinated upon landing, growing into fist-sized green cabbages, their surfaces covered with tiny teeth, and capable of rolling quickly on the ground.
By the time the wound on Harry's back had initially healed, the Venomous Tentacula Seeds on the ground had already begun to take effect.
They were madly chasing the Manticore that had been restrained earlier.
The Manticore had originally intended to launch a sneak attack during the confusion, but as soon as it took a step, it stepped on a rolling Venomous Tentacula Seeds.
The cabbage instantly opened its "mouth," biting down hard on the Manticore's claw, making the Manticore violently shake its leg to crush the cabbage.
But before it could regain its footing, several more Venomous Tentacula Seeds rolled in from different directions, some biting its tail, others directly climbing onto its back, constantly gnawing at its fur with their teeth.
The Manticore was completely overwhelmed by these Venomous Tentacula Seeds and had no time to pay attention to the three of them.
Meanwhile, Harry, Cedric, and Draco took the opportunity to mount their broomsticks and fly towards the Golden Egg in the center of the arena.
The Golden Egg now lay quietly there, undamaged, and taking it was the final step.
"Oh my goodness! There's even this kind of countermeasure!" Ludo Bagman looked at the Manticorebeing tangled up by the Venomous Tentacula Seeds in the arena, his eyes narrowed with laughter, tears almost spilling from the corners of his eyes, "Before, I joked that Hogwarts wanted to win by numbers, but I never expected them to actually do it! These dense Venomous Tentacula Seeds have compressed the Manticore's movement space to the extreme!"
He leaned on the commentary desk, finally calming his laughter with difficulty, his voice still full of astonishment: "Honestly, if I were that Manticore, seeing so many round, actively biting cabbages swirling around me, I'd probably feel a splitting headache too! This tactic seems simple, but it has brought the principle of 'overcoming the rigid with the flexible' to its extreme - no need to cause substantial damage, as long as you can hold back the opponent, that's the greatest success!"
In fact, the attack power of these Venomous Tentacula Seeds was indeed limited.
Their teeth could only scratch the Manticore's outer fur, completely unable to harm deep muscles, let alone cause fatal damage.
But they excelled in their large numbers, flexible movement, and once they bit onto a target, they wouldn't easily let go.
The continuous attacks gave the Manticore no chance to breathe; even if it wanted to cast its Good athypnotic magic, it needed to concentrate, but the constant interference from the cabbages prevented it from even calming its mind, let alone casting magic.
Just as the Manticore was completely overwhelmed by the Venomous Tentacula Seeds, letting out angry and helpless roars, Harry, Cedric, and Draco had already landed steadily beside the Golden Egg on their broomsticks.
The three exchanged glances, then tacitly reached out and together lifted the glittering Golden Egg from the stone platform.
A thunderous cheer immediately erupted from the stands.
Chapter 350 How could his magic attainments be so high?
The Hogwarts students waved their house flags even more excitedly, shouting the three names.
At this point, the Hogwarts champions had officially completed the first task.
"Let us cheer once again for the Hogwarts champions!" Ludo Bagman's voice was full of passion, "They successfully met the dual challenge of the Dragon and the Manticore in an unexpected way! Today's competition also made me deeply realize that one must never underestimate any seemingly ordinary magical plant—even a tiny Venomous Tentacula Seeds, if used correctly, can become the key to defeating powerful opponents!"
He paused, raising his hand to signal the audience for quiet: "The exciting competition has come to a close. Next, I ask the members of the judging panel to give a comprehensive score based on the Hogwarts champions' tactical design, teamwork, and risk-handling performance!"
However, before the scoring could even begin, disagreements arose among the judges.
Professor Karkaroff of Durmstrang was the first to frown, his tone clearly questioning: "I object! Can their performance be considered their own strength? From beginning to end, they relied on various magical plants, from vines to thorns to Venomous Tentacula Seeds, showing almost no real combat magic!"
No sooner had he finished speaking than Madam Maxime of Beauxbatons immediately retorted: "Professor Karkaroff, the competition rules never stipulated that the use of magical plants is forbidden. If we follow your logic, then summoning charms should also be prohibited—after all, summoning charms also rely on external forces. Does only head-on confrontation count as strength? Flexibly utilizing existing resources is itself part of magical ability."
"Moreover, how many times have you protested in this competition? Each time you want to deduct points on the grounds of 'not meeting strength standards.' Since you have so many questions about the scoring criteria, I think it would be better to summarize all the points of protest and re-score the champions of each school—this would ensure fairness and satisfy everyone."
Karkaroff looked at the others, his expression turning somewhat ugly.
He had originally only intended to lower Hogwarts's score by questioning it, to gain an advantage for Durmstrang, but he hadn't expected to provoke a proposal for re-scoring!
If there really was a re-score, Durmstrang's previously low score due to the destroyed Golden Egg would likely have little chance of improving.
Just as the dispute among the judges reached a stalemate, Old Barty Crouch suddenly spoke, his voice steady and powerful, instantly overriding everyone's discussion: "Principals, please don't forget that the Triwizard Tournament is an event jointly organized by the three schools. The Ministry of Magic is only responsible for venue coordination and safety assurance and will not participate in discussions about scoring standards."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over every Principal present, his tone carrying a hint of seriousness: "Regarding the re-scoring, I hope you will consider it carefully—scoring not only concerns the honor of each school but also holds responsibility for all participating champions. Without sufficient reason, arbitrarily changing the scoring process can easily lead to new controversies."
Ludo Bagman, hearing this, quietly put down his wand and let out a long sigh.
He had long grown impatient with these arguments. In his opinion, instead of wasting time agonizing over scoring standards, it would be better to focus on Dylan, who was about to enter.
As the last champion to compete, Dylan had to face the most difficult Dragon combination, and Ludo was already looking forward to what unexpected performance he would deliver.
No sooner had Barty's words fallen than Headmaster Dumbledore spoke with a smile, his tone relaxed yet carrying undeniable authority: "Since the Ministry of Magic does not interfere with scoring details, we will handle it according to the consensus among the schools. The situation is clear now: two Principals support re-scoring, and only one opposes it. According to the principle of 'the minority obeys the majority,' Mr. Karkaroff, how about we proceed with re-scoring? This will ensure fairness and avoid more controversies later on."
Karkaroff's face instantly became even uglier, the muscles in his cheeks twitching uncontrollably.
He knew very well that continuing to object would only make him seem unreasonable.
He opened his mouth, the rebuttal he had prepared swirling in his throat, eventually only turning into a choked "Fine," so soft it was almost inaudible.
Clearly, he had been forced to accept the proposal for re-scoring.
"Excellent! Since the Principals have reached a consensus, please begin scoring!" Ludo Bagmanimmediately seized the opportunity, announcing loudly, fearing any new developments, "Principals, please release your scoring ribbons with your wands, so all spectators can witness the final scores!"
At this moment, Harry, Cedric, and Draco had walked near the judges' platform.
The wound on Harry's back, after simple treatment, was no longer bleeding and showed no signs of reopening.
All three looked curiously at the judges' platform, wanting to know their scores immediately.
Madam Maxime was the first to raise her wand, its tip lightly tapping, and a pale pink ribbon appeared out of thin air. The ribbon twisted and coiled flexibly in the air, quickly forming a clear number "9."
A round of enthusiastic applause immediately erupted in the stands, and the Beauxbatons students cheered along.
Clearly, Madam Maxime highly approved of Hogwarts's tactical performance.
When it was Karkaroff's turn to score, he still wore a sour expression, reluctantly raising his wand.
A dark gray ribbon floated out slowly, hesitating for a few seconds in the air before reluctantly twisting into the number "4."
As soon as this score appeared, the cheers in the stands quieted considerably, and many people showed surprised expressions.
"Only four points…" Harry looked at the glaring "4," muttering softly, his tone full of confusion, "We clearly completed all tasks, and our tactics were recognized by the other Principals. He's too strict, isn't he?"
Draco stood by, feeling the fluctuating applause in the stands, and then subtly observed the expressions of the other judges.
Madam Maxime was frowning.
He immediately understood the reason and couldn't help but let out two mocking laughs: "Heh heh, that score is truly 'fair'."
He turned to Harry and Cedric, his tone tinged with sarcasm: "Maybe he's this strict with the champions of all schools? But I guess, besides the Durmstrang champion, the champions from the other two schools will probably be 'specially treated' by him."
Finally, Ludo Bagman and Dumbledore also scored one after another, two ribbons, orange and silver respectively, flew out, both forming the number "9."
At this point, the final score of the Hogwarts champions was clear, and their overall score temporarily led among all schools.
Cedric couldn't help but smile, his tone full of relief: "Anyway, the other judges gave us very high scores, which means our performance was recognized by most people."
"This is what we deserve!" Draco said righteously, with a hint of pride in his eyes.
After all, he also participated in the design of this tactical plan!
Harry glanced at the entrance next to the judges' platform, which was where Dylan was about to appear, and he quickly suggested: "Let's step aside first! It's Dylan's turn next, let's not affect his state here."
Cedric and Draco both nodded, and the three tacitly took a few steps back, turning their gaze towards the entrance.
Everyone was anticipating the arrival of the last champion!
After Harry, Cedric, and Draco exited the arena, the staff quickly cleared the site.
When two massive Dragons were guided back into the arena, the circular stands instantly erupted in an uproar.
The spectators all stood up from their seats, their eyes fixed on these two colossal beasts, which were symbols of destruction, and many even unconsciously recoiled.
One of these two Dragons was a Hungarian Horntail.
Its Dragon's breath was extremely hot, and when it flapped its wings, it could stir up strong winds. Even hard rocks could be easily crushed by its claws.
On the other side was a Norwegian Ridgeback of comparable size, looking even more ferocious at this moment.
The Hungarian Horntail slowly raised its head, scanned the arena, and then gently flicked its tail.
The sharp spikes at the end of its tail scraped against the ground, instantly sparking brilliantly and even leaving a shallow scratch on the rocky surface.
Just this alone made the audience clearly realize that the sharpness of these spikes was enough to pierce metal!
In contrast, the Norwegian Ridgeback was in a more agitated state.
It continuously let out deafening roars, its mouth full of sharp fangs glinting menacingly in the sunlight, and its powerful long tail whipped the ground like a lash, each strike leaving a bone-deep trench in the earth, sending gravel and dust flying everywhere.
Just looking at the destructive power displayed by the two Dragons at this moment, and then thinking about the champions from the two schools earlier, even if they teamed up against two Dragons, there was still a possibility they wouldn't complete the challenge!
The audience couldn't help but worry for Dylan, who was about to enter alone.
One person against two such fierce beasts—this was an almost impossible challenge!
"Ladies and gentlemen! Let's give our warmest applause to the last champion of this event!" Ludo Bagman's voice echoed through the arena via the Sonorus Charm. He deliberately drew out the last syllable to create a tense atmosphere, then shouted the name, "He is from Gryffindor House, Hogwarts—Dylan Hawkwood!"
As the name rang out, all eyes turned to the other entrance of the arena.
Dylan, dressed in a black Hogwarts school robe, slowly walked out. His steps were steady and firm, as he slowly approached the two Dragons.
Surprisingly, there was no trace of tension or worry on his face, only his usual gentle affability, as if what lay before him were not two deadly Dragons, but two docile small animals.
The Hogwarts students were the first to react, clapping vigorously, their cheers like thunder, even the ground of the arena seemed to tremble slightly with the applause.
Especially the Ravenclaw students, who erupted with a rare display of enthusiasm. Many held up signs that read "Go, Dylan!" and loudly chanted his name, trying to convey strength to him with their cheers.
However, to the Norwegian Ridgeback, these enthusiastic cheers became an irritating provocation.
Already in a state of fury, it was instantly enraged and launched the first attack.
It already clearly knew that this human in front of it was the enemy who wanted to "steal" the golden egg!
The moment it saw Dylan, it didn't hesitate, suddenly opening its mouth and spewing a scorching orange-red Dragon's breath towards Dylan. The flames formed a long pillar of fire in the air, almost instantly covering the entire area in front of Dylan.
"Oh! Merlin's beard!" Ludo Bagman shrieked, his voice filled with panic, "The Norwegian Ridgeback is too cunning! It actually ambushed Dylan before he was ready! This is too dangerous!"
Before his words had fully faded, a shocking scene unfolded.
A giant rock, easily two people tall, suddenly appeared out of nowhere in mid-air, blocking firmly in front of Dylan like a shield.
With a loud "boom"!
The Dragon's breath slammed into the giant rock, and flames instantly engulfed the entire stone, emitting thick plumes of smoke.
But the giant rock remained motionless, completely deflecting the Dragon's breath.
Before the audience could recover from their shock, the giant rock that had blocked the Dragon's breath suddenly moved, hurtling towards the Norwegian Ridgeback at an astonishing speed.
The Norwegian Ridgeback clearly hadn't expected such a swift counterattack, and quickly raised its thick Dragon claw, attempting to block the giant rock.
With a crisp "crack", the giant rock was shattered directly by the Dragon claw, sending fragments flying!
"Incredible! This is Transfiguration magic! Dylan Hawkwood actually completed the transition from defense to counterattack in such a short time!" Ludo Bagman roared, his tone filled with disbelief, "How on earth did he do it? This reaction speed, this magical precision, it's simply beyond my imagination! This level of magic, oh my! I feel like he's even stronger than me?!"
Before he could finish speaking, an even more astonishing scene unfolded.
The shattered fragments of rock suddenly paused in mid-air, as if fixed by an invisible force, floating motionlessly there.
Ludo Bagman instinctively swallowed, and just as he was about to continue his commentary, the suspended fragments began to change again.
They moved rapidly in the air, colliding and merging, and in a blink of an eye, they converged into a dozen sharp rock spears.
Each rock spear was as thick as an arm, its tip so sharp it gleamed, and they fiercely thrust towards the Norwegian Ridgeback.
Seeing this, the Norwegian Ridgeback quickly twisted its massive body and simultaneously swung its long tail, sweeping towards the incoming rock spears.
Its long tail was extremely flexible, and each swing accurately struck the rock spears—"bang bang bang" sounds echoed continuously, and most of the rock spears were shattered by the long tail, turning into smaller stones that fell to the ground.
But a small number of rock spears still broke through its defense, piercing towards the scales on its body at extremely high speed.
Although a Dragon's scales are thick and hard, the impact of these rock spears was extremely powerful.
With a few "thwacks," several rock spears successfully struck the relatively weaker scales on the Norwegian Ridgeback's belly, leaving several deep scratches. Blood instantly seeped from the wounds, staining the surrounding scales.
"Aooo—!" The Norwegian Ridgeback let out a painful roar, its voice filled with anger and unwillingness. It instinctively retreated a few steps, staring warily at Dylan, clearly not expecting this seemingly gentle human to be able to inflict such severe damage upon it!
Ludo Bagman opened his mouth but found himself at a loss for words to continue his commentary.
From the Norwegian Ridgeback spewing Dragon's breath, to Dylan defending with a giant rock, and then to the shattered rocks transforming into rock spears for a counterattack, the entire process happened in mere seconds, too fast for the eyes to follow.
He had just been worried about Dylan, and the next second he saw rock spears leaving wounds on the Dragon. The reversal came so quickly that his mind was somewhat confused.
Perhaps... now he should worry about the Norwegian Ridgeback?
Not just Ludo, the Headmasters on the judging panel were also extremely surprised.
Karkaroff reached out and pinched his brow, shaking his head slightly, sighing repeatedly, clearly finding the scene before him difficult to comprehend.
Besides sighing, Karkaroff couldn't help but mutter, "I was afraid this would happen... How could Hogwarts have such a strong student? This is simply not the strength one should have at this age!"
Madam Maxime's brows were also tightly furrowed. She looked at Dylan, who remained calm in the arena, her eyes filled with complexity.
Earlier, she had thought she had a certain understanding of Dylan's strength, but now it seemed her perception was clearly not comprehensive enough; this young Gryffindor student still hid more surprises!
Of course, perhaps it was fright?
Unlike the complex feelings of the judging panel, the audience in the circular stands didn't think so much.
They only knew that they had witnessed a brilliant counterattack, and seen a seemingly weak human use magic to make a powerful Dragon howl in pain!
That was enough!
They immediately fulfilled their duty as an audience, erupting once again with even more enthusiastic cheers and applause than before. Many even excitedly waved their arms, applauding Dylan's spectacular performance.
The atmosphere of the arena was, at this moment, pushed to a new climax.
Chapter 351 Oh my god, I can't explain it anymore! Because I see
The Dragon Handler Wizard team at the edge of the arena naturally heard the Norwegian Ridgeback's pained wails clearly.
A young Wizard in a fireproof robe frowned, rubbed his throbbing forehead, and looked at Charlie Weasley beside him, his voice full of worry, yet with a hint of hesitation: "Charlie, you say... will something unexpected happen next? That kid's magic power seems to be much higher than we estimated. What if the Dragon is too seriously injured..."
Charlie Weasley's face showed a wry smile at his words.
He crossed his arms, his gaze fixed on Dylan, who remained calm in the arena, and shook his head: "I can't guarantee anything now—before, I thought Dylan would be at a disadvantage and we'd need to be ready for rescue, but now it seems we might need to worry about that Norwegian Ridgeback."
He pondered for a moment, then added with an uncertain tone: "But from what I know of Dylan, he should handle it well. He's not the type to abuse power, at least he won't make it too difficult for us to treat the Dragon's injuries afterward."
"I hope so," the Dragon Handler Wizard sighed, turning to look at the two other Dragons bound by vines not far away, a hint of relief in his voice. "The Venomous Tentacula Seeds those three Hogwartsboys used earlier, while fatal to Wizards, didn't actually cause much damage to the Dragons' flesh; at most, it made them hurt for a while."
"But with these rock spears piercing them, if the scales are too severely damaged, it will be troublesome for them to heal afterward—once a Dragon's scales fall off over a large area, it's not only prone to infection but also affects their defensive capabilities, and the recovery period will be at least half a year."
Just as the Dragon Handler Wizards were discussing, the situation in the arena changed again.
The Norwegian Ridgeback's pained wails seemed to provoke the Hungarian Horntail nearby.
This Dragon, which had originally been observing, suddenly raised its head, opened its gaping maw, and a deep blue Dragon's breath, even more scorching than before, instantly spewed out, heading straight for Dylan in mid-air.
Dylan reacted extremely quickly, immediately waving his wand at the scattered rubble on the ground.
Under the effect of magic, the rubble rapidly expanded, instantly transforming into a half-human-tall boulder, blocking him.
But the Hungarian Horntail's Dragon's breath temperature far exceeded expectations.
With a loud "boom," the boulder was instantly enveloped in flames, its surface melting at a visible speed, and it didn't even block the Dragon's breath for half a second before the flames penetrated the boulder and continued to rush towards Dylan.
The heatwave carried by the Dragon's breath arrived first, making Dylan's black robe flap loudly, and the hem of his clothes was even slightly curled by sparks.
But he remained calm, twisting his wrist slightly, and his wand, which had been pointing at the rubble, now pointed at himself.
Most of the audience only saw this scene; the next second, Dylan's figure was engulfed by the surging Dragon's breath, and a gasp immediately rose from the stands.
As a former Quidditch star player, Ludo Bagman's observation skills were far sharper than those of ordinary spectators.
He stared intently at the edge of the Dragon's breath, quickly caught a blurry figure, and immediately shouted loudly: "Everyone look! Dylan Hawkwood is in mid-air! He wasn't hit by the Dragon's breath!"
He swallowed, his voice full of disbelief, trying hard to organize his words to describe: "My goodness! Hawkwood... he seems to be standing in mid-air! There's no support beneath his feet, he's as stable as if he were standing on flat ground! How did he do that?"
The audience quickly looked up and indeed saw Dylan steadily "standing" ten meters above the ground, his figure not shaking in the slightest.
A buzz of discussion instantly swept through the stands; everyone was curious about what magic he had used.
Headmaster Dumbledore on the judges' stand smiled and spoke, his voice not loud but clearly audible throughout the arena: "This is a modified Shield Charm, incorporating elements of Transfiguration magic, which transformed the originally invisible barrier into a solid platform, strong enough to support a person's weight. As for how he moved there so quickly—it's simple, he used a Banishing Charm on himself, utilizing the thrust generated by the spell to achieve rapid displacement, perfectly avoiding the Dragon's breath attack range."
Ludo Bagman immediately took over, explaining Dumbledore's clarification to the audience.
But even so, the discussion in the stands did not stop, and students from different schools offered their opinions.
"Shield Charm and Banishing Charm? Are they just such simple magic?" A Durmstrang student frowned, a hint of confusion in his voice. "Our teachers already taught us these two basic spells when we were preparing for our O.W.L. exams."
"They're not advanced, true, but the key is how they're combined," another student next to him retorted. "Could you think of using a Shield Charm as a platform, and then a Banishing Charm for propulsion, to evade a Dragon's breath attack? And his movements were so fluid, without a single flaw."
"Anyway, I think this isn't as amazing as the Transfiguration magic just now—at least those rock spears really hurt the Dragon," another student whispered.
"But you have to admit, this combination magic tests on-the-spot reaction and magic control more," a Ravenclaw student immediately interjected, with a hint of pride in her voice. "Ravenclaw represents wisdom, and although Dylan isn't from our House, he is from our school! And he found Ravenclaw's lost ravenclaw's diadem! Did you know that?"
"Not to mention, the fact that he could come up with such a method in such a dangerous situation is remarkable in itself. And daring to face two Dragons alone, that courage—truly worthy of Gryffindor! He's a true genius!"
"If he came to our House, all the Professors would surely be scrambling to have him as their student," students from other Houses couldn't help but exclaim.
Amidst the rising and falling discussions in the arena.
Ludo Bagman suddenly became serious and added into the microphone: "Ladies and gentlemen, I must warn you, this approach is extremely dangerous! I personally strongly advise against anyone imitating it! Even if you are an experienced Quidditch player and believe your balance is excellent, do not attempt this when facing a Dragon—even the slightest magical error could have unimaginable consequences!"
Dumbledore nodded with a chuckle, his eyes full of approval as he looked at Ludo: "Mr. Bagman, you've added a very good point, something I forgot to emphasize earlier. The essence of magic is to serve life, not for adventure; safety is always paramount."
Just as Ludo was repeating Dumbledore's explanation and adding safety warnings, Dylan in mid-air had already begun new actions.
He continued to alternately cast Shield Charms and Banishing Charms.
Each Banishing Charm allowed him to move quickly, avoiding the Dragon's breath and claw attacks of the two Dragons.
Each Shield Charm, in turn, created a new solid platform beneath his feet, ensuring he could stand steadily.
His movements were fluid and precise, as if he were performing a dangerous aerial dance.
Many spectators watching this scene couldn't help but twitch their eyelids, silently muttering in their hearts: "We know it's dangerous without you telling us! Even if you taught us hand in hand, we wouldn't dare to try such a maneuver!"
But there were a few exceptions among the audience.
Fred and George, in the corner of the stands, were now wide-eyed, intently watching Dylan's every move.
The two laughed loudly, then said in unison: "Oh my goodness! It's really you, Dylan! This trick is absolutely brilliant! With this method, why didn't you tell us sooner? Brother (Brother), we seem to have found a way to deal with the moving stairs in the Castle! We'll never be late again because the stairs suddenly shift! Ahahaha~"
As they spoke, they pulled out parchment and quills from their pockets, quickly jotting down the magical details they had just witnessed, clearly already contemplating how to apply the "Shield Charm+ Banishing Charm" combination to their "prank plan."
As the fight continued, Dylan and the two Dragons' battlefield gradually expanded, with more than half of the arena becoming their maneuvering area.
The audience in the stands gradually noticed a strange phenomenon.
Dylan's evasive movements became increasingly agile, each movement precisely avoiding the Dragon's attacks, as if he had anticipated their trajectories.
In contrast, the Hungarian Horntail and the Norwegian Ridgeback's attack movements became increasingly strange.
Claw strikes would suddenly halt mid-air, and their long tails would inexplicably stutter when swung, as if hitting an invisible wall, making their entire attack disjointed and haphazard.
Ludo Bagman stared at this bizarre scene, his commentator's wand suspended in mid-air, completely at a loss for how to describe it.
He instinctively looked towards the judges' stand, his eyes full of a "pleading" expression.
Headmaster Dumbledore noticed his gaze and slowly spoke, his voice amplified by magic, clearly resounding throughout the arena: "Perhaps you are all curious as to why Dylan can be so composed; in fact, he is still using the Shield Charm here—but unlike the solid platforms earlier, this usage is more concealed."
He paused, his fingertip gently tapping the air in front of him, as if simulating a spell: "Each time Dylan waves his wand, he preemptively places invisible Shield Charms at different locations in the arena. This type of Shield Charm is similar to the Shield Charm; its magical effect is not obvious, but it serves a dual purpose of support and obstruction."
"He needs to remember the location of each Shield Charm, so that when he moves quickly using a Banishing Charm, he can always find a stable foothold. At the same time, these invisible obstacles also restrict the Dragon's attack trajectories, causing their movements to stutter—this is why the Dragon's attacks have become strange."
No sooner had Dumbledore finished his explanation than the confrontation in the arena entered a new climax.
Dylan continued to dodge nimbly.
Whether it was the deep blue Dragon's breath spewed by the Hungarian Horntail or the sharp claws swung by the Norwegian Ridgeback, he easily avoided them.
The two Dragons were clearly utterly enraged by this "unhittable" situation, their attacks becoming increasingly frantic, the frequency of their Dragon's breath noticeably increasing, and they would occasionally let out deafening roars, sparks overflowing from their mouths landing on the ground, igniting hay and rubble, and the air temperature in the arena rose accordingly.
Even more nerve-wracking for the audience was that the two Dragons' desire to attack grew stronger and stronger; they began to frequently flap their wings—the enormous wings created strong winds when flapped, sending rubble flying across the ground, clearly intending to fly high into the sky and launch an aerial attack to break the current stalemate.
"Everyone look! The Dragons are about to fly!" Ludo Bagman finally found his commentary rhythm again, his voice full of surprise. "Who would have thought? It's actually the two Dragons who are at a loss first, planning to use their aerial advantage to deal with Dylan! Is this Dylan's strategy? Deliberately using ground maneuvers to wear down the Dragons' patience, and then seizing the opportunity to snatch the golden egg once they ascend?"
He changed his tone, a hint of worry entering his voice: "But don't forget! There's still a Manticoreguarding the golden egg! The Venomous Tentacula Seeds that those three Hogwarts champions used to distract the Manticore have long been cleared away by the staff! The Manticore is quite dangerous now that it's unrestrained!"
Though he spoke of worry, Ludo's eyes were full of anticipation.
He was already imagining the spectacular scene of two fifty-foot-long Dragons simultaneously taking flight, their massive shadows obscuring the entire arena—such a sight was a rare and cool spectacle!
Just as Ludo was fantasizing, the two Dragons had already spread their wings and slowly lifted off the ground.
The Hungarian Horntail's wings fully spread first, its dark brown scales glinting coldly in the sunlight, and with two gentle flaps, its body rose three meters.
The Norwegian Ridgeback followed closely, its dark green wings, bearing unhealed wounds, were still full of power, and it quickly caught up to the Hungarian Horntail's height.
But before they could ascend further, Dylan's actions shattered Ludo's expectations.
He quickly cast a Banishing Charm on himself, his body shooting skyward like an arrow from a bow, and in an instant, he reached a height similar to the Dragons.
Immediately after, he raised his wand and waved it three times consecutively at the wings of the two Dragons.
A miraculous scene unfolded.
The two Dragons' wings, which had been flapping, suddenly seemed to be caught by something, completely stopping in mid-air.
Their bodies were suspended ten meters above the ground, unable to rise further or descend, only able to twist their bodies in vain, letting out furious roars, creating an exceptionally bizarre scene.
"This... is this also a Shield Charm?" Ludo Bagman's eyes widened, and he once again sought help from Dumbledore. "I'm truly confused! I can't commentate anymore! Because I don't understand!"
He was completely unable to keep up with Dylan's magical thinking and could only rely on Dumbledore's explanations to comprehend the scene before him.
"You are correct, it is still a Shield Charm," Dumbledore nodded with a smile, his eyes full of admiration. "Dylan has placed invisible obstacles beneath the Dragons' wings, restricting their flapping range—now the Dragons can neither fly higher nor descend, they are in a 'dilemma' state."
He paused, glanced at the hovering Dragons in the arena, then looked at Dylan, who was already moving towards the golden egg, and softly said: "Now, the timing is just right."