Harry Potter and the Lighting Lord

Chapter 41

Harry entered the arena and saw thousands of faces looking at him from their seats. He could see himself on the enormous mirrors that were placed around the stadium. To his confusion, he didn't see the dragon; in fact, the arena seemed to be empty. He activated his mage sight and sensed a ward. He frowned as he didn't like to go forward and find himself in a trap.

The audience watched Harry close his eyes for a few seconds. He then, to everyone's intense shock, didn't move forward like the other three champions had done. Instead, he slowly walked around, one step at a time, while his right hand was raised in the air as if he was searching for something.

"Look at that everyone!" shouted Bagman. "It looks like our youngest champion is doing something unconventional. Just what is he up to? The other champions just walked right through it to find the ring of fire in their path, but it seems Hadrian Potter thinks something is amiss."

After nearly a minute, he found it. Every ward always had a trigger for something else, and he had found his. There were more advanced ones that hid it better, but this was designed with NEWT students in mind. Besides, he had dealt with its kind before. Harry caught hold of a magical grip in mid-air, and using his wand that was in his left hand, he tapped the ward grip. Immediately, something started shimmering in front of him, and he took his chance.

"Bomborda Maxima" he said mentally. A white beam of light flew from his wand and hit the ward. There were flashes of light as the ward came down. As the magical disturbance cleared, Harry looked around and his eyes widened.

The crowd roared and Bagman shouted, his voice booming "Outstanding!" he shouted. "Our youngest champion knows more about warding and curse breaking than those older than him! And what was that method? Was he sensing magic? He literally felt the ward trigger without uttering a word, and then blasted it apart! Such subtlety and advanced knowledge are not seen even by the most experienced witches and wizards. Sweet Merlin, he is surely a one to watch out for."

But Harry wasn't listening to them. Staring at him were three ten foot long Blast-Ended Skrewts. Harry couldn't believe that the Triwizard Committee would actually breed Fire Crabs with Manticores and violate a law just for the blasted tournament. The Skrewts were inching forward towards him. Harry acted fast. He knew from fire crabs that their shells protected them from most minor to medium spells; and this hybrid would probably be worse, given that it had the deadly power of a manticore as well. Conventional tactics won't work and he did not want to get anywhere near those creatures.

Harry pointed his wand and dug three deep holes in the ground. He ensured that they were diagonal to the path of the incoming Skrewts.

"Wingardium Leviosa" he said mentally, and all three Skrewts rose above the ground.

"Aguamenti!" he cast and a very large and forceful jet of water flew from the tip of his wand and impacted the underside of the Skrewts. Being fire creatures, water was their disadvantage. Finally, he used the water still remaining on the creatures and cast "Glacius"

The Skrewts froze in ice, and Harry dropped each of them in individual holes in the ground. He then proceeded to encounter another ward. He didn't hear the crowd cheering for him loudly as there were wards in place so that the champion didn't get distracted due to the noise.

"Amazing! Spectacular! Brilliant!" yelled Bagman over the crowd of cheering people. "He didn't even scratch himself, while the other three champions struggled to get past those creatures! Good Lord, did you see him levitate all three of them at the same time, and still use spells while maintaining the charm? I just can't believe it! Sheer genius, Ladies and Gentlemen; fire creatures don't react well to water. And he used it on the most vulnerable part of the beast and put them in pits so that they couldn't get out. What a stroke of brilliance from Hadrian Potter!"