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Chapter Thirty-Eight: The First Match
Time flew by, and Lockhart didn't even
notice before the first task of the Triwizard Tournament was about to begin. Although he had no desire to watch the unfolding events, curiosity—or perhaps vanity—compelled him to the match venue.
Amid applause and gasps from the audience, the main competitor of the event—a living, roaring dragon—was brought onto the field. Bagman, clad in his outdated and ill-fitting Hornets jersey, hurriedly mounted the commentary booth and loudly announced the start of the first task: each champion must retrieve a golden egg guarded by a dragon, by any means necessary.
The first competitor to enter the arena was Cedric Diggory.
Diggory stumbled from the champions' tent, his steps unsteady. Had he not been jolted awake by the dragon's roar, he might have wandered too close and been swallowed whole. Realising the danger, he quickly retreated to a safe distance, drew his wand decisively, and enchanted a nearby stone into the shape of a bear. The bear charged at the golden eggs at the mother dragon's feet.
The dragon, enraged, breathed fire at the bear, sending it tumbling aside. Undeterred, the bear pressed on, forcing the dragon to rise and strike at it with full force. Meanwhile, Diggory seized the opportunity and dashed forward, and by the time the dragon realised the bear's true form, he had already snatched the golden egg.
Cheers erupted from the audience.
Next up was Fleur Delacour, who left her avatar behind to approach the dragon. Using her mastery of illusion and protective enchantments, she stealthily retrieved the golden egg. When the dragon breathed fire, she conjured a water shield just in time, losing only a single strand of hair—a loss that still drew tears from her eyes.
The audience applauded, though it was unclear whether they were applauding her skill or her beauty.
Lockhart, seated on the teachers' bench at the field's edge, struggled to feel the thrill of the competition. The arena's proximity should have helped him immerse himself in the excitement, but he was too preoccupied with jealousy and frustration.
Viktor Krum followed. He attacked the dragon's eyes directly, taking advantage of its temporary blindness to seize the golden egg. However, the dragon trampled and damaged its own egg in its fury, and multiple judges deducted points as a result. Subduing the Fireball Dragon, now without its egg, required considerable effort from the lifeguards. When it finally collapsed under the combined effects of over twenty Stunning Charms, many of the women in the audience wore expressions of pity.
As for Harry, his performance went far more smoothly than in the book. Hermione had ensured his broom reached the arena promptly, allowing him to complete the task without major incident. Watching him succeed effortlessly, while others received applause and admiration, Lockhart felt increasingly inadequate.
With the Christmas Ball approaching, Lockhart considered the possibility of inviting Fleur to dance—and perhaps pursuing something beyond friendship. The Veela had left a strong impression on him.
But he quickly realised his miscalculation: several girls had invited him to dance, and one was particularly difficult to refuse.
"Professor, would you be my dance partner?" The girl's large green eyes blinked at him expectantly.
"Um… Pandora, perhaps you should dance with boys your own age? I'm twice your age—"
"I just want to dance with you, Professor. Will you agree?" Her request was sweet, reasonable, and difficult to refuse.
"Very well, darling. I promise you—if you haven't agreed to any other boy by the day of the ball, I will dance the first dance with you."
"Great, Professor, it's settled then!" Pandora exclaimed, leaving happily.
Having made the promise, Lockhart could no longer entertain other ideas. He obediently prepared his lessons and continued teaching as usual. Later, he visited the library to borrow some books.
"Hermione, are you ready for the ball?" he asked, noticing his favourite student.
The female students nearby caught his words and let out suppressed, sharp giggles before Hermione could respond.
"Out! All of you, out!" Mrs. Pince suddenly shouted from behind the counter, chasing the noise-makers away.
She shot Lockhart another disapproving glare. "Lunch break is over. The library is closed!"
Lockhart shrugged apologetically, took the book, and left. Hermione followed, murmuring, "Someone invited me, but I don't like him."
"Where are Harry and Ron?" Lockhart wondered. He felt a twinge of sympathy for the two boys.
"They'd rather have no dance partner than invite me!" Hermione complained bitterly. "Professor, will you help me? Will you be my dance partner?"
Hermione looked at him expectantly, but Lockhart disappointed her. "Um, sweetheart, I promised someone else. As compensation, how about a prom dress? I'll send it by owl this afternoon."
Hermione's disappointment deepened, so Lockhart added, "Don't be sad. Wear the dress I gave you, and I promise I'll dance with you for the second song, okay?"
"Alright, Professor, thank you. I guess I'll have to agree to Krum then," Hermione said, slightly mollified.
Lockhart patted her shoulder. "Don't be upset, Hermione. You're such a lovely girl. Dress up nicely, and Ron and the others will regret not inviting you."
"Then why did you promise someone else…" Hermione muttered softly, but Lockhart pretended not to hear.
"I have to go to Hagrid's class now."
"Alright, goodbye, Hermione. Dress nicely for the ball," Lockhart said.
"Uh-huh!" Hermione responded, secretly proud and excited.
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