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Chapter 585: I'm Proud of You
The wooden door of the Owl Shed creaked shut behind Harry, sealing in the scent of dry hay and bird droppings. The floor was littered with tiny bones. A cold wind howled through the broken window, whistling like a restless spirit, while various owls perched on their perches—some fast asleep, others wide-eyed and fixed on Harry, watching his every move as if he were a trespasser under surveillance.
Cedric was feeding a particularly large owl, tossing it the last of its meat strips. At the sound of a voice, he turned.
“Harry?” He finished feeding his owl, straightened up, and asked, “You said it was urgent?”
Harry suddenly noticed that Cedric’s robe was open, revealing a gray sweater underneath—making him appear even taller and more upright, casting Harry, who was noticeably shorter, into the role of a mere child.
“Yeah…” Harry instinctively stepped back, creating distance. He glanced at the owl devouring its meal with wild hunger and said, “I need to tell you… the first task is the Fire Dragon. Seven of them. All adult, fully grown.”
Cedric’s smile froze. He stared at Harry, his gray eyes first filled with confusion, then slowly clouded with fear—his pupils contracted, his throat bobbed.
“Fire Dragon?” Cedric whispered. “Are you sure?”
At that moment, his breathing grew strained and shaky.
Harry nodded. A strange weight lifted from his chest.
—So he wasn’t the only one afraid.
“Absolutely,” Harry said, counting off on his fingers. “Hungarian Horntail, Chinese Fireball, Swedish Short-Snout, Welsh Green, Scottish Black, Romanian Longhorn, Ukrainian Ironbelly—I saw them all with my own eyes.”
A gust of cold wind rushed through the broken window, whipping Cedric’s hair into disarray, making his head look messy and wild.
Cedric pulled his robe tighter, fastened it, took a few deep breaths, then sneezed violently from the stench of the owl shed.
He rubbed his nose and gave a bitter smile. “Alright… Fire Dragon. I won’t ask how you found out—because we shouldn’t know. But Harry… why are you telling me?”
“Everyone else already knows,” Harry said honestly. “Only you didn’t. I couldn’t just let you walk into this blind.”
Cedric blinked. “Everyone knows?”
“Yeah.” Harry added, “This morning, every book in the library about Fire Dragons was checked out.”
Silence fell over the shed, broken only by the occasional flutter of owl wings. Cedric stared blankly at a bird ahead, his expression distant.
“Wade still has books,” Harry said. “He said he’d be willing to share information. If you want to borrow any details, go to the Umbrella Room and ask him. You know the address, right?”
Cedric nodded slowly. “Theo mentioned it before.”
“Good…” Harry turned toward the entrance, hand on the rusted doorknob. Then, from behind him, Cedric spoke suddenly.
“Thanks, Harry.”
Harry turned. Cedric was smiling.
“If you hadn’t told me, I might’ve been eliminated in the first round… Really, thank you.”
His voice had regained about seventy percent of its composure. He looked calm now.
Harry grinned and waved. “Good luck to us both… let’s make it through tomorrow, okay?”
…
The blue curtains of the dormitory hung like curtains of twilight, fluttering gently from the open window. Wade sat in his armchair, his feather quill scratching softly across parchment, while earbuds connected to a communication pea hummed with his mother’s voice.
“Tomorrow’s the tournament… Has the school told you what the first task is?”
“No,” Wade said calmly. “Whatever it is, I’ll handle it. Don’t worry.”
“Then I’ll be watching your performance on the streaming mirror,” Fiona said with a smile. “I’ll be praying for you.”
“Get some rest,” Ferdinand instructed. “Make sure you’re in top shape when you step into the arena. Don’t eat too much in the morning. Avoid drinking too much water. And keep a few chocolate bars on hand to keep your energy up.”
“I know,” Wade chuckled. “You said the same thing before my exams.”
He chatted casually with his parents for a few more minutes until they urged him to go to bed. Then the call ended.
Wade hadn’t told his parents—or anyone else—about the Fire Dragon. He didn’t want to worry them, nor did he want to have to comfort others.
In truth, he wasn’t worried at all. He just couldn’t quite convey the quiet certainty and confidence he felt to anyone else.
…
By Tuesday morning, the entire school was charged with tension and excitement.
With so many participants, the school had closed early. After breakfast, students were free to head straight to the tournament grounds.
Wade arrived at the Great Hall at his usual time for breakfast. As he walked in, many students greeted him with cheers and well-wishes.
“Good luck, Gray!”
“Wishing you a smooth tournament!”
“Break a leg!”
Just as he finished eating, Professor Flitwick hurried over.
“Ready? Good. Once you’ve eaten, come with me—The champions’ path is different from the audience’s.”
Wade stood, and together they left the Great Hall. They wound around the edge of the Forbidden Forest, heading toward the dragon arena.
Meanwhile, the students followed signs along a different route, leading to a towering, temporary structure.
It hadn’t existed the night before when Wade had flown here as a falcon. Yet within hours, magic had raised it from the earth, a grandstand rising like a monument.
The noise of the crowd had driven the forest creatures away. The trees swayed gently in the wind, their shadows dancing like ghosts. Even Professor Flitwick’s voice sounded quiet in the midst of the chaos.
“Wade,” he said, glancing up at him, “I assume you already know what the first task is?”
“Yes,” Wade replied.
“Are you afraid?”
“Not really.”
Flitwick studied his expression, as if sensing he was putting on a brave face. Then, gently and sincerely, he said,
“Wade, I hope you bring honor to your house. But more than that, I hope you come back safe. That’s what matters most.”
“I will, Professor,” Wade smiled. “I’m fully prepared. I won’t let you down.”
“Remember,” Flitwick added, “no matter what happens, staying calm is the most important thing. If you feel nervous or afraid, take deep breaths. Just breathe. Let yourself relax.”
Ahead stood a massive tent. Harry stood at its entrance, gazing inside.
“Go on, child,” Flitwick said, placing a hand on Wade’s shoulder. “I’ve always been proud of you.”
(End of Chapter)
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