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. 

John didn't walk over with Malfoy and the others. Instead, he calmly accepted a ring that Tommy respectfully handed him. 

Slipping the ring onto the ring finger of his left hand, John glanced at Kim Ladeslay, who had arrived with them, and chuckled. "You really don't seem like a student. The Silverhand's internal Floo Network certainly makes things convenient for you." 

The Silver Hand had established a connected Floo Network across all its stores, including its branch in America.

"My studies are basically complete. The school doesn't mind letting me take a look at this legendary Triwizard Tournament." 

Jin grinned brightly, wearing a white mask identical to Tommy's. 

Tommy, somewhat concerned, asked, "My lord, Moody's magical eye might see through your disguise." 

"No matter," John stroked his handsome face with his right hand, and a silver mask appeared, covering his entire face. Confidently, he said, "This mask is enchanted with multiple spells—his magical eye won't see through it." 

Knowing that Moody's eye could even see through the Invisibility Cloak, John had upgraded his mask overnight. 

The mask was originally made of mithril, and John had layered it with multiple concealment enchantments, making it impossible for the magical eye to penetrate. 

Seeing this, Tommy suppressed his worries. With Silverhand Johnny's Specialty Store attending as a sponsor, they had secured excellent seats. 

With a snap of his fingers, John's wizard robes transformed into a deep green cloak with a hood, completely shrouding him in an air of mystery. 

He stepped forward, with Tommy and Kim closely following behind. 

… 

The Forbidden Forest was livelier than usual, making the centaurs restless. 

A young centaur was arguing with his parents about whether they should go watch the dragons. 

Suddenly, the male centaur tensed up. 

He drew his bow, aiming at the unexpected intruders. 

"Put down your weapon." 

A deep, hoarse voice sent the young centaur on high alert, his eyes locked onto the three figures who had just appeared.

Beneath the silver mask were eyes like those of a predator. 

The young centaur stopped arguing and instead curled up in his mother's embrace, letting out a frightened cry. 

In the end, the centaur family couldn't withstand the pressure and turned to flee. 

John: "…Am I really that scary?" 

All he had done was activate his Dragon aura of intimidation and mystery. 

Kim grinned and said, "You are, after all, known as the second king of the wizarding world." 

Fine. John curled his lips, toned it down a bit, and stepped into the bustling dragon arena. 

… 

Inside the tent set up for the champions, all four of them looked uneasy. 

They had all learned a day in advance what they would be facing, but so what? 

These were dragons—massive beasts even adult wizards struggled to handle. 

Knowing ahead of time only gave them an extra day to feel nervous. 

Fleur's face was pale, Krum looked even more brooding than usual, and Cedric was pacing back and forth, muttering under his breath. 

"Gulp.." Harry entered and saw the scene, unable to stop his own nerves from rising. 

The only one who seemed particularly cheerful was Bagman, dressed in his old Wasps team robes.

He called the four champions over, took out a cloth bag, and had them draw lots one by one.

It was at this moment that they learned the exact task.

Retrieve the golden egg!

Cedric silently noted that John had guessed correctly—it really was about seizing an object.

This boosted his confidence, easing the stiffness in his face as he managed a smile.

Fleur stepped forward first and drew the Welsh Green, securing the second slot.

Next was Krum, who picked the Chinese Fireball and would go third.

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. 

___________

Read 12 Chapters ahead:

Patreon: Dragonel