"ROAR—!"
The dragon's flames burst forth, the air itself twisting under the searing heat—but the figure ahead vanished into the compass in an instant, leaving only a few strands of hair curling slightly from the heat.
Outside the enclosure stood tall spectator stands, already packed. Among the audience were not only Hogwarts students, but also officials from various Ministries of Magic and delegations of staff and students from the eleven wizarding schools.
On both sides of the stands, enormous streaming mirrors had been set up, showing the champions' progress as they were Portkeyed away to search for their golden eggs.
Dozens of small blue birds also circled up and down around the arena, recording the match and broadcasting it to the entire wizarding world.
Though the mist had hidden Wade's movements as he slipped past the Scottish Black Dragon, the magic ensured that the fog did not spread near the compass.
So everyone saw that moment— The boy shot out of the cloud of fog like an arrow, his body little more than a blur, swift and decisive as he slapped his hand against the compass.
Behind him, fire swept forward with destructive force, but too late—it seared only empty air.
After a brief silence, the crowd erupted and the stands shook with a tidal wave of cheers.
Ravenclaw girls threw aside their usual poise and elegance, and jumped and shrieked with excitement: "Did you see that? He did it! He really did it!"
Those who had been on the verge of suffocating with tension now cheered wildly. Whether Ravenclaw or not, whether even Hogwarts students or not, at that instant people rose to their feet, waving arms and clapping furiously.
Some students hugged each other tightly with pride and joy shining on their faces. Someone shouted loudly: "He's the first! Wade is the first!"
On the commentary platform, Bagman's round face shone with exhilaration and thrill, as though he himself were down in the arena. His booming voice rang out across the space—
"Unbelievable! Hogwarts' champion, Wade Grey, is the very first to break through the fire dragon's defenses—and completely unscathed! This is—oh, Merlin—!"
Gasps and shrieks rippled through the crowd.
Down in the arena, the six other champions still struggling against their dragons were distracted by the eruption of cheers from the stands. Instinctively, their eyes darted toward the compass.
And in that instant— Arjun from Mantra was struck by a dragon's tail, his whole body flung like a ragdoll across the arena.
Deep, vicious gashes split open his chest, blood splattered, and his wand spun out of his grasp. He seemed to have lost consciousness instantly.
At the same time, Isabela from Castelobruxo failed to fully escape her dragon's flames.
Half of her body caught fire as she gritted her teeth through the agony and staggered through the final stretch before collapsing onto the compass. In a flash, she vanished from the arena.
"Isabela—!"
A piercing scream burst from her friends in the stands.
Elsewhere, another Castelobruxo student, Arthur, was among the first wave as well, fighting the Ukrainian Ironbelly. Hearing the scream, Artur instinctively turned toward Isabella's direction.
In a battle like this, even a moment's distraction could be fatal.
The Ironbelly, cruel and quick to react, seized the chance. Its long tail lashed out violently, stabbing straight into Artur's stomach.
If not for the nearby wizard who, at the last possible second, swung his wand and deflected the blow, the strike would have gone straight through his heart.
In the blink of an eye, three champions were gravely injured. The stands, which moments before had been full of screams and cheers, fell utterly silent.
Some people couldn't help but cover their mouths with tears welling up in their eyes as they muttered in horror, "This is too terrifying…"
Fortunately, the Ministry's rescue team, prepared in advance, reacted swiftly. They immediately carried the two severely injured students out of the arena. As they left, they gave a signal toward the judges' stand, indicating that both were still alive.
Bagman was stunned for a moment. Only after witnessing this did he blink and regain his energy.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we have just witnessed an accident in the arena. From Mantra, Arjun Rajput—eliminated! From Castelobruxo, Arthur Faria—eliminated!"
"It's a great pity—both of these competitors had the strength to contend for the championship, but now their journey ends here."
"Thanks to the Ministry's Auror rescue team and St. Mungo's medical staff, the dragons did not inflict fatal injuries on our champions. They will receive immediate treatment."
"I think now everyone understands—every single task is a life-or-death trial. The champions must be even more cautious and give their all—oh, and from Castelobruxo, Isabela Santos—eliminated!"
The audience, who had been focused on the arena, hurriedly shifted their gaze to the streaming mirrors, but they were too late to catch the moment Isabella collapsed.
All they saw was Wade crouched beside the unconscious girl, raising her wand to signal surrender. Moments later, an Auror suddenly appeared and whisked Isabella away.
"Wade Grey didn't go for the golden egg—he knocked Isabella out?" someone speculated aloud.
Another student immediately shouted back in protest: "Didn't you see the burns on her body? She must've collapsed from her injuries!"
Most people didn't dwell on the reason for Isabella's elimination. Their attention remained fixed nervously on the three champions still attempting to get past their dragons, worried about who might be injured next.
Few paid much attention to the images in the Streaming Mirror—Wade Grey, alone in a dark and twisted environment, searching for the hidden golden egg. Compared to battling dragons, who cared about a mere "search mission"?
…
Whether it was an old boot, a badge, or a gleaming compass, so long as it was a Portkey, the sensation of being transported was never pleasant.
Once Wade regained his footing, he immediately felt the difference in atmosphere.
He had appeared in an especially vast, dark, and frigid place. The ground was thickly carpeted with moss, the walls smothered in climbing vines. To his left and right stretched a pair of passageways, as though inviting him to choose a direction forward.
The tunnel mouths gaped in pitch darkness, and from within it echoed strange noises: the sound of wind, dripping water, low murmurs, the creaking of gnashing teeth, and the scraping of chains against stone.
Amidst layers of echo and distortion came faint growls, resonating like whispers from the depths of hell.
If not for the stone pillars—barely visible as they dissolved into the shadows above—and the enormous serpent statues coiled around them, Wade might not have recognized the place at all—
It wasn't some unfamiliar dungeon. It was the Chamber of Secrets, once the lair of the Basilisk.
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⭐Harry Potter: Becoming a Study God (HP:BSG)- 200+ Chapters
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