Chapter 277: The Competition Begins
Chapter 277: The Competition Begins (Request for Subscriptions, Favorites, and Votes)
Taking advantage of the time before the competition, Liam seized the opportunity to ask Professor Mcgonagall about various Transfiguration problems he had encountered while self-studying the Nymph's Magic Book. After confirming Liam's Transfiguration skills through some tests, Professor Mcgonagall taught him Human Transfiguration, a topic usually reserved for advanced Transfiguration classes. She even shared many of her valuable personal experiences while teaching him.
"I sincerely hope you win this competition, Liam", Professor Mcgonagall said as Liam was about to leave after learning enough to be ready.
"Thank you, Professor Mcgonagall. I'm well-prepared this time and I'm sure I'll win", Liam replied, bowing to Professor Mcgonagall before leaving the classroom.
Besides Professor Mcgonagall, Professors Flitwick and Sprout also provided Liam with some assistance. It seemed that most of the professors were willing to offer help to their school's champion.
On Monday evening, Liam went to bed early. After all, adjusting to the best possible state before a battle was crucial.
The day of the competition arrived quickly. Although Liam found it frustrating that there were still classes in the morning before the afternoon competition, it was fortunate that the morning class was History of Magic, giving him ample time to mentally prepare for the afternoon's events.
With Quidditch canceled this year, Hogwarts students had poured their enthusiasm into the Triwizard Tournament. Even though classes continued in the morning, it did nothing to dampen their excitement.
By noon, every student knew about the afternoon competition. After lunch, the Great Hall was filled with the noisy chatter of students. Of course, this commotion had nothing to do with Liam—Professor Mcgonagall had come to call him to the competition venue right after lunch.
As Liam stood up to leave, he heard the sound of a chair scraping behind him. Hermione called out, "Liam—"
"What—?" Liam turned around and was immediately hugged by Hermione. She leaned in and whispered, "Good luck, you'll definitely succeed."
"Of course", Liam replied, gently patting Hermione's back. A few students nearby gasped at the scene, and Liam even heard Ginny mutter, "Darn, why didn't I think of that..."
After saying goodbye to Hermione, Liam and Harry walked around the edge of the Forbidden Forest toward the Fire Dragon's location. The area that was usually visible was now blocked by a tent, which concealed the Fire Dragons. The tent's entrance faced them.
Professor Mcgonagall seemed a bit anxious as they walked. When they reached the entrance, she began giving them last-minute instructions.
"Stay calm... We've arranged for some wizards to be nearby, and they will step in if the situation gets out of hand... Most importantly, use your own abilities to the fullest, Harry. Safety is paramount. If you feel you can't handle it, call for help. Your life is more important than any glory. Liam, I know you're well-prepared this time, but be as cautious as possible once you're in there. Don't be complacent."
"No problem", they both said in unison. Seeing their serious yet calm expressions, Professor Mcgonagall relaxed a bit, nodded, and gestured for them to go inside.
The plot had changed slightly. When Liam and Harry entered the tent, they found it empty, indicating they were the first to arrive. After finding a seat, Liam turned to Harry and asked, "Are you ready?"
"Sure thing", Harry's response sounded a bit nervous, but there was a clear note of confidence in his voice. "Sirius Black and Ginny came up with a few good strategies, and Ginny and I have been practicing them over the past couple of days."
"That's great, keep it up!" Liam said, making a fist to encourage him. Harry smiled when he saw the gesture. At that moment, the sound of footsteps at the door interrupted their conversation. The curtain was lifted, and Krum, along with another Durmstrang Champion, walked in and found seats.
As time passed, the Champions and staff members arrived one by one. Liam noticed that most of the Champions looked pale, clearly aware of what they were about to face. The Dragons were certainly a formidable threat.
Glancing around the tent, Liam realized he was the one with the calmest expression among the Champions. It was evident that everyone had different levels of mental resilience and different ways of dealing with pressure.
Of course, Liam knew that each of these individuals was a true Champion. Not one of them had backed out at the last minute. His own composure was simply a result of his extensive combat experience. To Liam, the Dragons' lethality didn't compare to the Blood Deity he faced last year.
Moreover, the Champions seated here might not all be trembling out of fear. Some might be excited about the impending battle. Liam had seen such people in other worlds—those who thrived on the thrill of combat, their excitement palpable before every fight.
Finally, the tent door was lifted, and Barty entered, wearing an old Wasp Team robe. It was clear he hoped to evoke memories of his past glory rather than draw attention to his middle-aged belly.
"There's no need to be nervous. Relax, make yourselves at home!" He tried to ease the tense atmosphere, seeing the pale faces around him.
"—Do Wizards' homes typically have Fire Dragons?" Liam thought to himself, a strange idea popping into his head.
"Alright, I'm glad everyone is here, and I hope I'm not too late—let me explain the situation!" Bagman said cheerfully. "Once the audience is gathered, I'll pass this bag around to each of you."
He held up a purple velvet bag and shook it in front of all the Champions. "You'll each draw a small model of the creature you'll be facing. They are of different, um, types. And I have one more thing to tell you, um, your task is to retrieve the Golden Egg!"
His explanation was disjointed, and the Champions, who already knew the task—facing a Fire Dragon to retrieve the Golden Egg—couldn't show that they understood, as they weren't supposed to know. The atmosphere became slightly awkward.
As they were talking, the sound of footsteps and chatter from outside the tent grew louder—clearly, the audience was gathering.
Hearing the noise outside grow, Bagman checked his pocket watch and then untied the purple bag.
"Come on, ladies first." He said, handing the bag to Fleur Delacour.
She extended a trembling hand into the bag and pulled out a small, intricately detailed dragon model—a Welsh Green Dragon, with the number one around its neck.
Next was the other Beauxbatons Champion, who looked as pale as Fleur. When she drew her model, it was a Chinese Fireball, number three.
It seemed this competition was indeed giving priority to the ladies.
The next to draw was Krum, who pulled out number four: another Welsh Green Dragon, the same as Fleur's. His companion drew number five: a Romanian Longhorn.
Harry swallowed hard and stiffly reached into the bag. When he opened his hand, his face turned even paler—number two, a Swedish Short-Snout.
Now Liam knew his opponent: number six, a Hungarian Tree Hornet.
(End of Chapter)
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