studiobondurri 209: Picking up the golden egg and Ludo’s daring
209: Picking up the golden egg and Ludo’s daring
209: Picking up the golden egg and Ludo’s daring
What's the best way to handle a dragon?
Make the dragon go easy on you!
Of course, John wouldn't stoop that low.
That would be disrespectful to Cedric.
But making the other dragons a little harder to deal with? That wouldn't be too difficult.
Cedric told John that Harry had warned him about the first task being dragons, which surprised John.
"I thought he'd keep it to himself. Didn't expect the Chosen One to actually care about fairness."
John had to admit—he wasn't that noble.
Even if Harry wasn't selfish, John hadn't forgotten how the Hogwarts professors played favorites.
Cedric was a champion, yet no one had even tried to help him.
Hagrid was just simple-minded—Cedric wasn't his friend, so he hadn't thought of it. But the other professors? Not a single hint.
Not even a vague warning.
Tomorrow was the first task of the Triwizard Tournament.
John and Cedric discussed their strategy for dealing with the dragons.
"It's impossible for students to actually defeat a dragon, so the task must involve stealing something."
Analyzing the possible objective, John recalled that Charlie had mentioned all the dragons were nesting mothers. During this period, dragons were extremely sensitive about guarding their eggs. He speculated that the task would likely involve snatching a dragon egg.
He said, "Since it's about taking something, the key is making sure the dragon can't see for a while or distracting it."
Cedric nodded in agreement. After thinking for a moment, he suggested, "Maybe I can use Transfiguration to lure the dragon away."
"That would take too long," John shook his head. "I think, the key to winning this task is time. Trying to draw the dragon away is too slow. It's better to make the dragon stop moving or to speed yourself up."
"Maybe you could use a Firebolt and summon it with the Summoning Charm."
Cedric, as a Seeker, had no problem controlling a broomstick, and John was happy to provide the best one.
But Cedric looked utterly shocked. "Wouldn't that be cheating? The first task is supposed to rely only on your wand."
Hmm. Fair point.
From Cedric's perspective, summoning a broom from outside the arena was no different from bringing one in directly.
After all, anyone could use a Summoning Charm.
Ah, the classic humblebrag from top student Cedric.
Meanwhile, somewhere, Harry—who was struggling to master the Summoning Charm overnight—was crying.
John switched tactics. Instead of running away, they should make sure the dragon couldn't move.
The Sleeping Charm was unreliable; dragon scales were too thick. The best approach was to restrict its movements.
Using the terrain to trap the dragon and then using Transfiguration to quickly move the object away.
The two finalized their strategy and began practicing.
...
November 24th.
Today was the day of the first task.
Morning classes ended early, and all lessons were suspended after noon.
The cold weather made people involuntarily shiver.
The Triwizard Tournament was being held again after a century so it drew significant attention.
Barty Crouch Sr., as one of the judges, had already gained recognition for his excellent handling of the Quidditch World Cup. This led many to pay closer attention to him.
The former Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement still looked as energetic as ever, giving the impression that he could keep working for another hundred years.
The arena was set up in the Forbidden Forest to ensure quick response in case of dragon-related accidents.
Cedric and Harry exchanged glances before Cedric reached into the bag and pulled out a silver-blue Swedish Short-Snout. Around its neck hung a tag marked with the number one.
Harry's face turned pale—his luck was awful. He had drawn the most aggressive of them all, the Hungarian Horntail, and would go last.
"Mr. Diggory, you'll be going first. Step into the arena when you hear the whistle," Bagman announced, then turned his gaze toward Harry. "Mr. Harry Potter, could I have a word with you outside?"
Ludo Bagman's eyes gleamed with the slyness of a seasoned hustler.
While Harry was still confused, Bagman outright asked if he needed any 'help.'
The implication was clear.
Bagman: Harry, do you want to cheat? Just say the word, and I'll help you right away.
Harry was stunned and stammered, "I... no, no, I don't need it."
Bagman was about to say something when a voice suddenly interrupted their conversation.
"Ahh~ What do we have here~ Ludo Bagman, perhaps you've forgotten—you still owe a debt."
The low, raspy voice was like an ice cube slipping down one's collar, sending shivers down Bagman's spine. His round, babyish face twisted in terror.
Harry turned toward the source of the voice. The sight of that silver mask immediately reminded him of the scene at the Quidditch World Cup, making him even more nervous.
Bagman forced an awkward smile, the corner of his eye twitching. "Respected Sir Johnny Silverhand, this is a misunderstanding."
"A misunderstanding?" A deep chuckle came from behind the silver mask, carrying the unsettling sensation of walking on shifting sand. "At the Quidditch World Cup, you secretly ran a little betting ring, lost big, and had to borrow money from me. I thought you'd have learned your lesson."
"Ludo, Ludo... Tell me, what have I done wrong to make you show me such disrespect?"
The voice was like a judge pronouncing a death sentence, making Bagman's legs tremble.
The cheerfulness from before had completely vanished. Now, he only cursed himself for stepping outside in the first place.
The silver mask was right in front of him. From beneath it, Bagman could see those eyes—eyes that didn't seem human, filled with a chilling coldness.
"Ludo, if you think you can manipulate the tournament to take Galleons from Silverhand, then the flowers blooming in the dirt of Knockturn Alley will owe their growth to your efforts."
Bagman couldn't bear it anymore. He frantically swore that he would ensure a fair and just competition.
Then, grabbing Harry, he stumbled back into the tent.
Harry's face was pale, his already anxious heart now feeling like it was about to leap out of his chest.
...
After warning Ludo Bagman, John entered the stands and took his seat.
Several discreet glances were cast his way, but he remained indifferent.
Tommy spoke up. "Ludo Bagman has placed a huge bet on Harry Potter winning. He's probably trying to use the tournament to clear all his debts."
John nodded noncommittally.
Bagman had racked up an enormous gambling debt at the World Cup. If he didn't find a way to make his money back, he'd likely have to flee the country.
It wasn't surprising that he had thoughts of manipulating the Triwizard Tournament to turn a hefty profit from the bets.
Well.. A surefire way to get himself killed.
The first whistle blew, and John watched as Cedric stepped into the arena.
His opponent, the Swedish Short-Snout, was glaring at him with a fierce and predatory gaze.
Standing before a dragon—just not buckling at the knees—already showed exceptional mental resilience.
Cedric gripped his wand tightly, his mind racing through the plan.
The competition was set in the Forbidden Forest, meaning there were plenty of natural materials to use.
He didn't charge in immediately. Instead, he pointed his wand and transfigured the hard ground into a muddy swamp.
The ground beneath the Swedish Short-Snout loosened.
Seeing this, Cedric again aimed at the ground and turned the ground around the golden egg into spikes, making the Dragon off balance.
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