Harry Potter and the Prince of Slytherin

Chapter 17: Here Be Dragons (pt 3)

Previously:

"But what we all do expect," said Ludo Bagman pompously, "is that you'll do your best, both to complete the task and to do so in a manner that befits a Champion of the Triwizard Tournament. I mean, this competition has a proud and storied history behind it! Survive, yes. But do so in a way that can entertain the audience, impress the judges, and above all, give this Tournament the dignity and respect that it deserves! Now, come along then!"

And with that, Ludo Bagman turned and strolled out of the tent. Harry stared after him with a murderous look on his face before following behind. Bagman led him to the staging area before wishing him luck and then jogging up the nearby stairs to the judge's box just above.

Harry looked around the crowded stadium. At the Ukrainian Ironbelly waiting for him fifty yards away. At the image of his own face projected onto giant screens by his own Eye-spies. At the crowd of gawkers who'd come here to watch him and his friends fight for their lives. To be entertained .

As Harry contemplated both the deadly situation he was in and the absurd comments from Ludo Bagman (who was to some degree responsible for that deadly situation), the Slytherin's grim expression slowly changed to a malicious grin.

"Okay, Bagman, you win," Harry Black said to himself as he stepped off the platform towards the angry mother dragon. "Time to put on a show!"

28 November 1994
The Tri-Wizard Tournament
"Eye-Spy Control"

The control center for the four Eye-Spy units currently positioned around the stadium was a small 15x10 foot room situated above the top row of seats on the north side. The wall that faced down into the arena proper had been Charmed to be transparent from the interior and opaque from the exterior. Inside, there was a long table holding four silver mirrors onto which the images from each Eye-Spy were fed. Each mirror was monitored by a Muggleborn or Muggle-raised student under the command of Third Year Gryffindor Colin Creevey, Eye-Spy Incorporated's self-appointed "unit director and chief videographer." Now, however, the Eye-Spy personnel were joined by additional students who were both investors in the company and members of Harry Black's "brain trust," all of whom had rushed to the control room in the aftermath of Jim Potter's attempt at the First Challenge. It was getting a little crowded in the small, poorly ventilated control room, and tensions were running high.

The fact that a Hungarian Horntail had just broken free from its chains and run amok might have had something to do with that.

Presently, three of the four screens were showing replays from Jim Potter's challenge from different angles. As terrifying as it had been for all present, Jim's aerial duel with a nesting mother dragon had definitely won over the crowd—the Boy-Who-Lived was now tied for first place with Viktor Krum. Those watching the replay were less entertained.

"That ridiculous grandstanding BUFFOON led the dragon STRAIGHT TO RAVENCLAW TOWER!" exclaimed Anthony Goldstein in a sputtering fury.

The video feed that had put the Ravenclaw into such high dudgeon was somewhat grainy, as it was at the extreme range of the Eye-Spy's visual capabilities. (The design team had not made long-range viewing a priority since none of the competitors were supposed to leave the arena.) But it clearly showed Jim hanging from what looked like the window ledge of Anthony's own dorm room while trying to reach his broomstick that had somehow landed inches away, while the angry dragon, which had landed on a parapet, drew nearer and nearer. Finally, the dragon's roar dislodged the Nimbus 2000 from its perch and right into Jim's hand just as the creature let loose a gout of fire. The very real possibility that Anthony's dorm room had just been set ablaze by the dragon only made the boy sputter even more loudly more incoherently, while his not-quite-girlfriend-just-yet Sue Li patted him on the shoulder consolingly.