After being offline for a while, the unnamed host finally picked up his wand again and got back to work...
"Did you see that? Our Champion Draco Malfoy actually stopped the Thunderbird's attack! That's unbelievable!"
If words failed to convey the moment, then Fleur—standing right behind Draco—could fully feel the terror the Thunderbird radiated, as well as the reassurance of Draco's steady back.
A barrier. Claws.
The deadlock between them made time feel suspended...
Draco ignored everything except his target.
His wand, aimed straight at the Thunderbird, didn't waver. The magic holding the barrier didn't so much as flicker. Draco even stepped slightly closer, meeting the Thunderbird's violent, feral gaze.
His reckless move made Fleur's heart skip a beat.
"Not bad."
"Keer!"
Crackle, crackle.
Whether it understood Draco's muttering or simply caught the threat in his eyes, the Thunderbird answered his provocation with a shrill, piercing screech aimed right at his head.
Its thunderous talons slammed against the barrier, trying to break through with raw physical force intertwined with lightning.
Clearly, compared with the large-scale magical barrier from before, the Thunderbird didn't think this little shield could last very long...
"It's not giving up! The Thunderbird is practically crushing that tiny barrier! How long can it hold? How long can our Malfoy Champion's magic last?"
"Damn it, hang on!"
"What about the other champions? Where did they go? Why aren't they showing up?"
Although Draco had stopped the Thunderbird's assault and shown strength far beyond that of any young wizard present, no one truly believed he could defeat a Thunderbird alone.
Naturally, they turned to the more reliable path to winning.
Except...
"Of course not. For the other two champions, this is the perfect opportunity. Why would they show up now, much less help?"
That light, airy remark snapped the hopeful wizards back to reality.
They remembered the rules: the task wasn't to defeat the Thunderbird but to retrieve the item placed in the center. That alone meant clearing the challenge.
In other words, they didn't need to go anywhere near a creature this dangerous...
"Wait! Don't forget, Draco has another champion with him!"
"The one from Beauxbatons?"
"Maybe, if the two of them work together... they might actually stand a chance."
At first, Pansy and Hermione hated how that fox-like Fleur Delacour stayed so close to Draco. But if she could help turn things around for him, then they could tolerate it.
Temporarily, at least...
...
The Thunderbird's outstretched wings blocked all visibility, keeping the wizards from seeing what was happening inside. All they could confirm was that Draco and the Thunderbird were still locked in a stalemate. Just as everyone watched in tense silence, Fleur—who had been protected within the barrier—suddenly moved...
"Don't underestimate me! I'm a Champion of the Triwizard Tournament too!"
The surge of magic, unmistakably different from that of ordinary wizards, made Draco pause in surprise. In that same moment, he noticed a flicker of oddly human confusion pass through the Thunderbird's eyes. Its body began to sway, as though it might drift into sleep at any second.
Legend said that under moonlight, a Veela's allure could enchant even a mighty Dragon.
And now, though Fleur was only a half-Veela, it seemed that together with her spellwork and innate gifts, she could still influence a powerful creature like a Thunderbird...
"Is this hypnosis?" Draco muttered, glancing over at Fleur Delacour, her tiny face tense as she held up her wand.
Her silver hair had come loose, giving her a fragile, disheveled beauty.
And her silver eyes—shining like starlight—pulled one in without warning...
But as moments passed, Draco began to notice discomfort tightening Fleur's expression. Clearly, this spell was far more taxing than it looked, or perhaps the magical energy needed was simply beyond what she had expected.
It was much like when Draco himself had pushed his magic to exhaustion.
"Why... are you staring at me? Hurry up and cooperate!" Fleur snapped through gritted teeth, shooting Draco a fierce glare while still managing a proud lift of her chest—as if announcing that without her, he had no chance of defeating the Thunderbird.
The Thunderbird's sluggish wingbeats and the glow at the tip of Fleur's wand also caught the attention of the wizards in the stands.
"She's doing it! The Delacour Champion has joined in! It looks like a mental charm—we can clearly see the Thunderbird is being hypnotized! This is a great opening and a perfect combination!!"
The commentator's fired-up narration, filled with vivid imagery and analysis, sent the young wizards into a frenzy.
Dozens of wide-eyed faces watched, terrified to miss even a second.
Just when everyone thought this flawless offense-and-defense coordination would bring Draco and Fleur victory...
The next moment reminded them why the Ministry had classified this creature as XXXXX-level danger. This was no foe to take lightly...
BOOM!
"Keer!"
A bolt of lightning crashed down onto the Thunderbird—yet instead of harming it, the lightning wrapped around its body like armor. Worse, it jolted the creature fully awake from its hypnotic state.
The instant it recovered, its bloodshot eyes snapped toward the pale human beneath its claws. Fleur's spell had enraged it completely.
Wings spread.
Winds surged.
Overwhelmed by its killing intent, the weakened Fleur shut her eyes in despair...
But because of the Thunderbird's reaction, it completely overlooked the real opponent standing before it—Draco Malfoy.
"You dare get distracted in front of me? Don't underestimate me!"
Draco's left hand, the one not holding his wand, swept out to his side before he sharply flicked it toward the Thunderbird.
To the spectators, it seemed like a meaningless gesture—but the professors behind the judges' table shot to their feet with horrified expressions.
"What is that?"
"Impossible!"
"He's mastered even this technique?!"
Boom!
The Thunderbird's massive body was hurled aside in an instant, rolling through the air.
Stone fragments burst apart, and golden feathers spiraled through the sky after the impact.
"Dumbledore, what is this!?"
"Ah... I didn't expect this either..."
It was a technique even more advanced than wandless casting.
Double casting...
...
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