"Alright, now that everyone is here - it's time to introduce the situation!"
Bagman said somewhat excitedly, "Outside, when the audience has gathered, I will pass this bag around for each of you."
As he spoke, the man lifted a purple silk bag and shook it in front of them, "You will pick out a model of the thing you will face from it! There are many different - um - types, and then I suppose there's one more thing I should tell you... Ah, yes... Your task is to retrieve the Golden Egg!"
Seeing that the other champions had no reaction, Viktor Krum's expression grew darker.
What happened?
Why did he suddenly feel betrayed by the whole world? Was he the only one who didn't know what was happening?
Lately, Headmaster Karkaroff seemed busy with something else, seemingly caring less about the tournament -
Really knowing nothing, Krum desperately wanted to ask, but seeing Alexander's equally uncomfortable expression, he chose to swallow back his words.
Soon, they heard the sound of hundreds and thousands of feet moving, their owners chatting excitedly and laughing... Bagman was already untying the purple silk bag.
"Ladies first."
Bagman said, then passed the bag to Fleur and Heller.
The two exchanged a glance, silently hesitating for a moment, finally, Heller reached her hand in first - then she drew out a delicate, lifelike model of a dragon - it was a Common Welsh Green, with a number tied around its neck - number two.
"!"
Krum's pupils experienced a magnitude thirteen earthquake, looking up in shock, only to find that the Uagadou student seemed unperturbed, like he had expected it, resignedly sitting to the side -
He glanced around again, and found that among the circle of champions around him, he was truly the only one who still looked clueless, unprepared.
"..."
If he withdrew from the tournament now, would it still be in time?
Fleur also reached out her hand, grabbing a small black dragon, "It's that Norwegian Ridgeback, girl, named Norbert." Newt had returned at some point, watching the sleepy little dragon lying on Fleur's fingertip, he introduced.
"You mean, there's a male one too?"
Yamamoto Senren blinked, then reached into the bag, indeed, a dragon almost identical to the one in Fleur's hand, only with eyes changed from deep green to bright yellow, climbed out onto his arm.
"Woo -"
The fire dragon model roared powerlessly.
"..."
Yamamoto Senren blinked, inexplicably feeling that this guy looked familiar.
An illusion! It must be an illusion!
Everyone quickly sorted out their fire dragons: Harry got a Hungarian Horntail, though it didn't seem to be William's; Cedric had a Swedish Short-Snout, its silver-blue scales shimmering.
"Cauliflower" held an Antipodean Opaleye, Alexander grasped another Hungarian Horntail, "Poser" Daniel had a scarlet Chinese Fireball, Krum was holding a Ukrainian Ironbelly staring blankly, eyes full of despair.
"Who's first?"
Bagman glanced at the fire dragons in their hands, then, Yamamoto Senren raised his hand, stood up, patted his slightly trembling legs, exchanged glances with the other champions - at that moment, they seemed no longer competitors but shared the same plight.
"Good, as soon as you hear the whistle, you need to head out, understand? Alright, I have to leave you for now as I need to commentate for the audience."
Bagman nodded, patted the other on the shoulder, and then turned to look at Harry, "So... Harry, Mr. Potter! ... Can I speak with you for a moment? Just a few words, outside?"
"Uh... alright?"
Harry hesitantly agreed and followed him outside, Bagman took him to a slightly distant place, entering the trees, then turned to look at him with a fatherly expression.
"How do you feel, Harry? Is there anything you need my help with?"
"What?" Harry frowned, "I don't - I don't need it."
"Got a plan?"
Bagman lowered his voice sneakingly, asking, "If you're willing, I could give you some pointers, I mean -" Bagman lowered his voice further, continued, "You're at a disadvantage here, Harry... If I can help in any way..."
"No, really no need!"
Harry paused then shook his head again, "I know what I should do, thank you." Simultaneously, his eyes started to emit a blue glow, so in Harry's view, Bagman's emotional fluctuations became a glow in front of him -
It represented a worried yellow.
What was he worried about? Were we close?
"No one will know, Harry."
Bagman said while blinking at him, "Just like Karkaroff, he was desperate to know the test content this time, but in the end I kept him out, rest assured, Harry, this time the bottom will definitely be Durmstrang's little one..."
Suddenly, a whistle sounded somewhere.
"Merlin's pants! I have to run!" Bagman said frantically, then took off running.
"..."
Harry turned and walked back to the tent, just in time to see Yamamoto Senren coming out from inside, his face greener than before.
"Good luck."
Harry looked at the Norwegian Ridgeback in the opponent's hand, a trace of pity appearing in his eyes.
"Thank you."
Brother Yamamoto didn't notice this, only nodding stiffly.
The path leading to "death" was exceptionally long; Yamamoto Senren moved step by step to another place and then passed through a gap in the arena fence.
Finally, he saw everything before him, as if it were a dream.
Hundreds and thousands of faces looked down at him from the stands above, countless spotlights fell from the sky, and then he saw many wizards floating in the sky on brooms, each carrying a black box.
"Are you ready?"
He saw the "referee" who helped them cheat that night, now standing not far from his side, asking softly.
And at the other end of the arena, there stood the Norwegian Ridgeback, sitting there guarding a nest of eggs, wings folded behind it, its yellow eyes curiously glancing around—Yamamoto Senren suddenly remembered where he had seen it before.
This was the referee's dragon!
...
"Let's welcome our first contestant!"
The late Bagman stepped to the front of the podium, shouting loudly. In front of him was a black camera capturing everyone on the podium, "From the little island in the Pacific, an outstanding student from the Magic Institute! Yamamoto Senren!"
"And, what he will face is a fierce and wicked fire dragon—the Norwegian Ridgeback!"
Fierce and wicked?
William stood at the edge of the field, looking at Norbert waiting for his command on the opposite side. He lightly waved his fingers.
"Roar—"
The previously docile yellow eyes instantly became vicious, Norbert crouched lower, protecting a nest of dragon eggs it had no idea where it got from—they were male and had no instinct to guard dragon eggs—but now, the boss instructed him to do so!
Do everything possible to protect the golden egg without changing size, not letting the evil human take it away…
Hmm…
Norbert's expression was momentarily blank, then it turned its head, looking pensively at the golden egg in the nest.
"Opportunity!"
Yamamoto Senren suddenly shouted, noticing the fire dragon's attention wasn't on him, he took a deep breath, and then spread his golden robe wide, a mess of stuff falling from his pockets—
"Boom—"
Smoke instantly spread, he gripped his magic wand, continuously swinging it as he began running towards the side.
"..."
Previously deep in thought, Norbert was bewildered by the commotion this guy created. It turned its head, looking at the smoke and the tiny spot trying to cover the entire field with smoke, tilted its head, then unfolded its wings and flapped hard.
The thick fog dispersed in response, but this was only temporary. Shortly after, more waves of fog spread out, Yamamoto Senren's figure flickering ghost-like within it, even appearing three or four times simultaneously at the same period, and casting spells at Norbert—
"Snap—"
Seeing the harmless charm fall on its wings, Norbert froze for a moment, then ignored the opponent and looked back at the golden egg, pondering the fleeting idea in its mind.
No effect at all?!
Seeing the fire dragon take his spell head-on but not reacting, cold sweat slowly trickled down Yamamoto Senren's forehead—
No, he must think of a way to lure that fire dragon away from its nest, otherwise, the fog would be useless!
What to do…
Yamamoto Senren gritted his teeth, swinging his magic wand forcefully, causing two figures dressed in golden robes to pop out behind him, albeit appearing somewhat illusory, which led William nearby to nod and jot something down in his notebook.
The Smokescreen Spell couldn't obscure his sight, but it could obscure the judges, audience, and camera's view.
But no matter, their task was to snatch the golden egg from the fire dragon's nest, not for entertainment value, perhaps the guys behind would salvage some ratings? William mused—it wasn't necessary to worry about ratings since the Eight-Team Tournament was the only program currently on television.
Moreover, reportedly, since last night, the Leaky Cauldron and the Three Broomsticks have been packed, all for those few televisions.
While William was lost in thought, Norbert moved at this moment, ignoring the few golden figures charging towards it, instead lowering its head, opening its mouth to take the golden egg in, and then in everyone's gaze, "Gulp—"
It swallowed the golden egg.
The fire dragon nodded in satisfaction, this way it could definitely protect the golden egg—
"..."
The smoke dispersed, Yamamoto Senren's advancing steps halted, he stood stiffly in place, gazing at the dragon that ate the golden egg, and turned blankly to the referee behind him.
"?"
Noticing the dispersing smoke, William frowned, acknowledging Yamamoto Senren's gaze, he hesitated, "Yamamoto, do you want to forfeit?"