Chapter 510: A Competition Between Headmasters

Hagrid's eyes were glazed as he stared at the Dragon before him. It was as if he had forgotten there were two other people nearby. He unconsciously stepped forward, drawn to the creature, his awe palpable.

"Stay where you are, Hagrid!" shouted a wizard standing near the fence. With short, spiky red hair and a muscular frame, it was clear the speaker was Charlie.

"This one can spit fire forty feet, so you'd better keep your distance!"

"Oh, how beautiful," Hagrid murmured, his voice soft and soothing, reminiscent of the tone he used with young Fluffy, his Three-Headed Dog.

After several tense moments, the dragon keepers finally managed to subdue the agitated Dragons with Stunning Spells. Hagrid took another two steps forward, his gaze fixed on the Hungarian Horntail.

"Well, Hagrid," Charlie said, panting as he approached. "It was hard work getting them here. Thankfully, there weren't too many, or even twenty of us wouldn't have been enough."

"Oh, yes..." Hagrid replied absentmindedly, his attention still locked behind Charlie.

Charlie, catching the direction of Hagrid's gaze, understood exactly what he was thinking. But just as he was about to comment, he noticed the two figures standing beside them—Madame Maxime and Professor Lochneal.

"I didn't realize you brought them along, Hagrid," Charlie said, frowning. "A Champion shouldn't know what they're up against ahead of time… She must've told her students, hasn't she?"

"Oh, I just thought they'd be keen to come along for the ride," Hagrid said vaguely, his eyes never leaving the Dragon.

Charlie shook his head. The group had already seen what they came for, and there was no point in sending them away now. Still, to keep the competition fair, Charlie resolved to take matters into his own hands. He could take a casual walk near the Forbidden Forest tomorrow, ensuring Kyle saw him "by chance." He wouldn't need to say a word—just being seen should give Kyle the hint about Dragons. That way, he wouldn't technically be breaking any rules.

Deciding not to dwell on the situation further, Charlie turned to greet the newcomers.

"Professor Lochneal, a pleasure to see you here," Charlie said warmly, extending his hand.

"And I you, young Mr. Weasley," Professor Lochneal replied with a smile, shaking his hand firmly.

"You know each other?" Hagrid asked, surprised, just as he was about to introduce them.

"Of course," Charlie explained. "A year ago, at the Dragon reserve, Professor Lochneal was an enormous help to us."

"A year ago… the Dragon reserve..." Hagrid's face lit up with recognition as he pieced the information together. "Could it be during the Dragon melee?"

"That's right," Lochneal exclaimed, his face alight with nostalgia. "Dozens of Dragon species in one massive melee—it's a memory I'll always treasure."

"Oh..." Hagrid let out a wistful sigh. When he looked at Lochneal again, his eyes were glassy with emotion.

"You really should've invited me too, Charlie," Hagrid said, unable to keep the disappointment from his voice.

"It wasn't up to me, Hagrid," Charlie replied with a shrug. "The Romanian Ministry of Magic handled the guest list. We were just there to manage things."

"Okay," Hagrid sighed.

Hagrid's gaze suddenly shifted to a large suitcase hidden in the shadows nearby. He squinted, curiosity sparking in his eyes.

"Are there Dragons in there too?" he asked, unable to resist. "Why is the suitcase sealed?"

"That one..." Charlie hesitated, glancing back at the suitcase before shifting his eyes to Maxime and Lochneal. After a brief pause, he shook his head.

"Don't ask, Hagrid. I can't tell you. But I promise it's not a Dragon. Those big guys wouldn't just sit quietly in a box like that."

"But what about the missing one?" Hagrid asked, his eyes scanning the area as he voiced the very question Kyle had been dying to ask. "There are only two Dragons here, but there are three Champions. There's not enough to go around, is there?"

"I don't know," Charlie admitted. "Our job was just to escort these two Dragons and that... well, let's call it a special prop, to Hogwarts. Beyond that, we weren't told much."

"As for the missing one... maybe it's intentional. Perhaps they want the Champions to draw lots, and whoever's lucky gets to skip the Dragon entirely, winning that part outright. But if you ask me, whoever draws the Hungarian Horntail is in for a rough time—it's by far the most dangerous of the Dragons."

Maxime glanced at the black Dragon, then lowered her head, deep in thought.

"By the way, Hagrid," Charlie said, changing the subject, "how's Kyle doing?"

"Fine," Hagrid replied. "He's been preparing for the Triwizard Tournament. Seems to be in good spirits."

"Glad to hear it." Charlie's gaze shifted back toward the pen where the Dragons lay. "When I was on holiday, I had a feeling Kyle might end up as a Champion, but it was still a surprise to get the official news. Mum's thrilled, though—really proud. Not that I'd dare tell her what the first task is; she'd be a nervous wreck."

"Never mind that..." Charlie grinned. "Hagrid, want to get a closer look? Just be careful not to wake them."

"Oh, can I?" Hagrid's eyes sparkled with excitement, though his body was already moving toward the unconscious Hungarian Horntail. He crouched beside it, his gaze filled with awe and reverence as he examined the magnificent creature.

Meanwhile, in the shadows of the nearby woods, Kyle and Kanna were preparing to leave. They had seen enough. Knowing Hagrid, they figured he'd be there until sunrise and decided to slip away quietly.

The two retraced their steps toward the castle, following the narrow path back to the edge of the Forbidden Forest. Just as they neared the boundary, a dark figure hurried toward them through the gloom.

Kyle quickly sidestepped to avoid a collision, his hand instinctively moving toward his wand.

"It's Karkaroff," Kanna whispered, catching a glimpse of the man's distinctive goatee.

"He's probably delivering a message," Kyle murmured. "The Triwizard tasks are meant to be secret, but they always seem to leak. This might be part of the unspoken rivalry between the headmasters."

The two continued their journey back to the castle. As they reached the front entrance, Kyle pulled out the Marauder's Map and scanned it quickly.

"Good, Filch is still patrolling the fifth floor," he said, relieved. He nudged open a door that was slightly ajar, and they slipped inside, carefully making their way through the hallways toward the Hufflepuff Common Room.

When they arrived, the Common Room was empty. Kanna pulled off her Invisibility Cloak, her expression tense.

"I can't believe the first task is actually a Dragon," she said, her voice heavy. "Isn't that way too dangerous?"

"Well, it's likely that only part of the first task involves Dragons," Kyle replied, lifting the Disillusionment Charm. "From what I've heard, there are three stages in the first event, each representing one of the three schools. The Dragon is probably Hogwarts' contribution."

"I'd bet the headmasters have already tipped off their Champions about what's coming," Kanna said, frowning. "So, has Headmaster Dumbledore told you anything? Like you said, the headmasters usually find a way to pass on some hints."

"Not yet," Kyle said, shaking his head. He hadn't seen Dumbledore much recently, let alone received any guidance from him.

When it came to bending the rules to help their Champions, Dumbledore seemed to lag behind Maxime and Karkaroff.