A Memorable Tale

44 | Dragons Are Not Meant for Fighting

I swayed nervously as a dragon was transported to the area, chained to the ground. "A Swedish Short-Snout," I whispered.

It was a beautiful blueish grey with long claws and a nose that hooked upwards. Even with the fact that it felt like my organs were rearranging themselves, I couldn't help but marvel at it.

"Like what you see?" Padma asked.

"He's beautiful..."

"He? How do you know?"

"Look at his scales under his tail. They cease right before his legs. If you were to feel under, there would be lumps." I smiled grotesquely at her.

"Oh, Y/N!" Padma groaned, covering her face while Neville on my other side laughed.

"I was kidding, the female ones are just smaller!"

"That is not a funny joke!"

I looked back at the dragon, not mentioning to her that it also had boiling hot blue flames that could turn timber and bones to ashes. Hopefully Cedric wouldn't be facing him.

The canon sounded and Mr. Bagman started. "Please join me in welcoming... Cedric Diggory!"

"Oh, you're kidding!"

Cedric walked out with cheers of his name sounding through the stadium.

He spotted the egg and hesitated to run towards it, which was certainly the right call as blue flames roared right where he was about to step.

"Ooh, narrow miss there, very narrow!"

The Swedish Short Snout thrashed and began running towards him, unable to fly.

He dove out of the way of its tail and jumped onto one of the rocks, aiming his wand at another and transfiguring it into a dog before disappearing behind the boulder he stood on.

The dragon managed to get preoccupied with that and chased the running animal while Cedric approached the golden egg.

"He's taking risks, this one!"

Midway, the dragon turned its attention away from the dog and back on his, fire erupting from its mouth in his direction.

Screams whistled through the stadium as Cedric narrowly dodged the fire, gaining a burn on his arm and part of his face.

"Clever move - pity it didn't work!"

"Water, Ced, water!" I shouted.

He aimed his wand at the sky and seemed to remember a spell that I had cast back at the World Cup. "Meteolojinx!"

Clouds gathered in the sky and it began to rain heavily.

The Swedish Short Snout tried to spit fire again, but it was put out before it could leave his mouth.

Cedric dove under the dragon and grabbed the egg.

The crowd roared, some chanting Cedric's name, some simply screaming and whistling.

I ran to the entrance to the enclosure with Neville close behind, somehow holding an umbrella, and Cedric ran to me, scooping me up into a hug.

"You're a bloody idiot, you know that?"

"A bloody idiot that got the golden egg," he answered with a grin.

"And isn't going straight to Madam Pomfrey, come on!" I took the arm that wasn't injured and dragged him to the tent that Madam Pomfrey was in.

She shook her head, looking at the burn. "Dragons!" she exclaimed angrily as she led him inside.

"Next thing you know, they're going to bring trolls," I said with a playful grin.