FicFrenzy

0580 Worries

Harry, Ron and Hermione didn't linger for too long at Hagrid's hut. Not long after Professor Watson left, they also departed.

The main reason was Hermione. She wanted to make a trip to the hospital wing while there was still time, to ask Madam Pomfrey how someone hit with a Conjunctivitis Curse could recover quickly. Her idea was approved by Harry. However, Ron's abrupt words dismissed their plan.

"I'm not sure that's the best idea," Ron said as they hurried across the grounds tow...

0579 Apologies

When Bryan stepped into the dimly lit interior of Hagrid's cozy hut, he immediately sensed that the atmosphere in the room was not as pleasant as he had imagined.

The first thing that caught his eye was Hermione, who had made quite a name for herself earlier during the day by getting the highest score among all the champions in the first task of the Triwizard Tournament.

As soon as she noticed Bryan enter, she hastily rose to her feet from where she had been on the edge of Hagrid'...

0578 Plans

"These are just some initial suggestions to consider, Amelia--" Bryan said as he turned and began striding towards Hagrid's hut, where he knew Sirius was currently recuperating.

Although there thankfully hadn't been any major incidents earlier when Sirius was into the dragon shell, but he had still taken the full brunt of Hermione's Conjunctivitis Curse directly to his eyes.

Madam Pomfrey was clearly far too preoccupied tending to the other injured champions up at the castle to ha...

0577 Talks

The long-awaited first task of the Triwizard Tournament had finally come to a thrilling conclusion. By any measure, this tournament could already be considered a classic, filled with many memorable moments that would likely leave their mark on the history of magic for years to come.

But for the organizers who had spent months meticulously planning every detail, things were far from over.

The excited spectators filling the stands included many important and influential figures from...

0576 Met

"Our youngest champion has retrieved the dragon egg at the least cost!"

The applause at the scene was thunderous, like a thousand storms crashing together, and many people leapt to their feet to give Hermione a standing ovation, their faces shining with awe and admiration.

Ludo Bagman was still shouting excitedly and his magically amplified voice boomed across the arena, and Professor McGonagall had the same joyful reaction as his. She gazed up at the giant magical screen hovering...

0575 Dread

"What?!" Sirius exclaimed incredulously, his jaw dropping in disbelief at Bryan's sudden words. "Aren't we supposed to be helping Hermione succeed in the tournament? I thought the whole point was to ensure she passed each challenge!"

"I never said that, Sirius, we need to stage a convincing show, and setbacks and obstacles are still necessary for her to overcome. It also can't appear too easy, or people will grow suspicious."

"But this is dangerous!" Sirius protested fervently; hi...

0574 Tricks n Wits

The girl appearing on the enormous magical screen still had a pale complexion and lips, but her brown eyes sparkled with a determined light. The audience watching could sense that this youngest Triwizard champion must have gone through an intense complex mental struggle in the brief span of time just moments ago as she prepared to face her dragon. Undoubtedly, just like the three champions who strode out onto the stage before her, she had managed to overcome her fear of seeing a dragon up so ...

0573 Her Turn

Charlie's wand tip was connected to a chain as he single-handedly led the Chinese Fireball dragon into the newly restored arena at a leisurely pace. He struggled to climb the steep, rocky slope leading up to the dragon's nest.

Suddenly, due to an inadvertent misstep, Charlie's boot slipped on a loose stone and he slid down the steep, gravelly ridge. This unexpected turn of events caused the watching Weasley children to instantly change color, their faces were drained of blood as they ga...

0572 Disputes

The timing of this moment was extremely precise, down to the very fraction of a second. The blazing torrent of dragon fire was a half meter away from engulfing Krum. The intense heat had already caused red blisters to erupt on the side of his face closest to the flames.

Meanwhile, the tip of Krum's outstretched finger hovered just half an inch from making contact with the golden egg. However, apart from Watson and Dumbledore, everyone else's vision in the stadium was completely obscured...

0571 A Dragon's Rampage (LARGE-CHAPTER)

Bryan concluded his explanation and faced with this speculation; a heavy silence fell over the group. Aside from Dumbledore who remained calm, the others - Charlie, Sirius, and Hagrid - all showed obvious signs of shock.

They had not anticipated, even in their wildest imaginings, that the culprit behind this dragon fiasco would be a house-elf.

Harry let out a long, shuddering sigh of relief. His shoulders sagged as the weight of worry lifted. This meant the whole affair was simply...

0570 The Truth

"Impossible!" Harry's thoughts froze for a few seconds before he finally regained his senses.

Shock, disbelief and a growing sense of dread coursed through him as the seriousness of the situation sunk in. He took a deep breath, steeling himself, and resolutely said, "Professors Watson and Charlie would never suspect you of poisoning the dragon Hermione's going to face, Hagrid! You're the last person who would ever harm a creature, especially a dragon!"

Hagrid stammered in a panic,...

0569 Problems (LARGE-CHAPTER)

In the arena, Fleur finally arrived at the edge of the dragon's nest covered in hay. She raised her head, looking at the Welsh Green dragon that intended to make its home on the cliff wall. Every inch of her face was filled with astonishment.

Suddenly, an amused chuckle rang out from somewhere in the previously hushed stadium which was startlingly loud in the stunned silence. That lone laugh seemed to act as a catalyst, spreading like wildfire through the spectators. Even the coldest Mi...

0568 Next

Ludo Bagman's voice rang out across the arena, filled with genuine admiration.

"Cedric Diggory displayed truly commendable courage and quick-thinking in the face of such a fearsome adversary. It's clear to all who witnessed his performance that Mr. Diggory had formulated a brilliant plan for dealing with the dragon before ever setting foot in the arena.

From the very start of the task to its thrilling finish, every action he took was carefully calculated and flawlessly executed ac...

0567 Courage

"Oh my!" Professor McGonagall trembled with excitement. "Cross-species transfiguration, a highly advanced and extraordinarily perfect form of transfiguration magic. If this were performed in my classroom, I would not hesitate for a moment to award Cedric a well-deserved 20 points for his skill and ingenuity!"

"Aha, what a delightfully clever little trick!" Bagman commented happily, his jovial voice booming out over the arena as the tense atmosphere among the spectators eased slightly. "...

0566 Cedric's Chance

As Charlie and his mates cautiously led the Swedish Short-Snout dragon onto the arena, the creature's immense size became strikingly apparent. Standing several stories high, its magnificent silver-blue scales each one as large as a dinner plate glinted in the sunlight. The dragon's powerful legs, thick as tree trunks, dug into the sandy ground with each step, leaving deep imprints.

The moment the dragon came into view, the packed spectator stands erupted in a collective gasp of astonish...

0565 Surprises

After Hermione, it was Fleur's turn. With a trembling hand, she reached into the depths of the bag, feeling the miniature dragon figurines squirming in her fingers. Her heart pounded in her chest as she grasped one and carefully withdrew it. As she opened her palm, she saw the small green dragon perched there - the Welsh Green.

An immense wave of relief crashed over Fleur and she let out the breath she had been holding in a huge sigh. Although facing a dragon was still frightening, at l...

0564 Choices (Big Chapter)

The stadium for the Triwizard Tournament, while impressive in its own right, paled in comparison to the grandeur and magnificence of the Quidditch World Cup finals held earlier that summer.

After all, the latter was organized and funded by the Ministry of Magic and had used nearly all the resources available to British wizarding society to create a truly awe-inspiring spectacle. In contrast, the Triwizard Tournament stadium was the product of Bryan's efforts alone, without the backing o...

0563 Arrivals

Lucius gazed out the window of the Hogwarts Express compartment in a pensive frown as the train chugged through the lush Scottish countryside.

Truthfully, Lucius had little desire to return to Hogwarts controlled by that the pretentious, twinkle-eyed old fool he despised most in the wizarding world. Each time he was forced to endure the sight of that infuriating smile on that old face, Lucius felt a deep, instinctual discomfort that manifested both physically and psychologically.

...

0562 Wait

At the darkest hour before dawn, the sky outside held an inky blackness blurry from the moments just before falling asleep.

The clock struck six on this chilly winter morning, and though many would struggle to leave their warm, cozy beds at such an early time, Harry found it less painful thanks to the habituation from his morning exercises during the earliest physical education classes.

It took him a few dozen seconds to recollect his motivation for setting the alarm at this unusu...

0561 Final Preparations

A thin, wispy fog shrouded the area like a filmy veil as the first morning light glimmered faintly on the horizon.

High above in the dim, grey pre-dawn sky, a yellowish-brown owl returning late from its nightly hunt glided silently on the cool wind currents. It circled past the tallest astronomy tower of Hogwarts and tiredly towards the Owlery to rest its weary wings after a long night of hunting for prey in field and forest.

However, just as it flashed past the Ravenclaw Tower, t...

0560 Problems

Moody's expressionless, scarred face startled both Hermione and Cedric as they suddenly realized with a jolt of panic that they had been chatting right outside the open door of Professor Moody's office.

To make matters worse, as all the young witches and wizards at Hogwarts were well aware, a mere wall was no barrier whatsoever to Moody's magical eye. He must have seen the two of them conversing in the hallway before pressing his ear against the door to eavesdrop on their hushed convers...

0559 Anxiety

"The first train to Hogwarts is scheduled to arrive at precisely 8:10 am next Wednesday morning. I need each and every one of you to gather at the school gate no later than 6:30 am sharp. From there, you will make your way to Hogsmeade Station, ensuring that you arrive before 7:30 am. Time is of the essence, and punctuality is very important."

He paused for a moment, allowing his words to sink in as he surveyed the sea of eager faces before him.

"The school has prepared twenty car...

0558 Extra Task

In the end, despite their best efforts and hours of discussion, neither Harry nor Hermione could figure out why Krum had revealed the first task of the Triwizard Tournament to Hermione. This was no ordinary piece of information - it was a crucial advantage that whoever possessed would surely gain a significant edge in the competition, potentially even securing the championship title for themselves. 

Even Hermione herself had never once considered divulging the fact that the champio...

0557 Relief

"Auxiliary spells cannot be used to directly attack, but they can create obstacles for opponents and help oneself get out of trouble during a duel, producing unexpected effects. For example, if you are facing a vicious and fierce dragon, you certainly can't defeat it.

But you could use Accio charm to call nearby objects that might aid in escape or defense. Use Disillusionment charm to hide in the surroundings, A well-cast Fire-Extinguishing Charm could neutralize Dragon's f...