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"Why has no one appeared yet? Did something happen to the champions?"
Seeing no movement for so long, the wizards in the stands began discussing quietly in small groups. The judges seated at the judges' table looked at one another, equally unsure what had happened.
The tent flap was lifted. Bagman, the final judge, hurried out with a troubled expression. His brows were knotted together, and he looked weighed down by something as he went straight to the judges' table.
"Bagman, what happened? Which champion is first?" Karkaroff asked impatiently the moment Bagman arrived.
If possible, he did not want Viktor to go first. The first champion to enter the field was always at the greatest disadvantage.
Madame Maxime tried to keep her face calm, but her eyes, which remained fixed on the two men, gave her away.
Clearly, she did not want Fleur to go first either. Ideally, one of the two Hogwarts champions would.
"Dursley."
Because he had run too quickly, Bagman was panting hard.
"That is not the important part. He... he..."
"He drew the fiercest one, the Hungarian Horntail? Poor unlucky boy."
Karkaroff showed his distinctive yellow teeth as he spoke, unable to hide the gloating in his tone.
Bagman raised four fingers and slapped them heavily onto the table.
"No. Not the Hungarian Horntail. He drew four! He drew all four dragons!"
"He says he wants to challenge all four."
The instant Bagman finished speaking, the entire judges' table went silent.
All the judges, including Dumbledore, froze.
"Bagman, what are you saying? What do you mean he drew four dragons?" Madame Maxime could no longer hold back and asked at once. "Then what about Fleur? I mean, what about the other champions? What did they draw?"
"He took all four numbers by himself, so naturally there was nothing left for anyone else."
Bagman first recounted what had happened in the tent, of course omitting the part where he had not dared look Dudley in the eye. Then he spoke as though the conclusion was perfectly obvious.
'If there is nothing left, how will Beauxbatons's score be counted?'
Madame Maxime grew anxious.
"How could you allow him to do that?"
"What was I supposed to do? Declare his draw invalid?" Hearing Madame Maxime question him, Bagman also grew irritated, and his tone lost its friendliness. "Our rules do not state that a champion may choose only one dragon."
"But that..."
But surely each champion was supposed to draw only one lot.
Other champions heard that they had to challenge a dragon and wanted nothing more than to stay away. Dudley had taken everything at once. Those were dragons, not wild garden gnomes, and certainly not some harmless item on the roadside. This was far too reckless.
"I think our champion Dursley is correct. The rules do not state that a champion may challenge only one dragon."
Lucius, seated upright, spoke at last. As he did, he looked toward Dumbledore with a provocative gaze.
"I heard he is Professor Dumbledore's most favored student. Dealing with a mere four dragons should naturally pose no problem."
Those who did not know the truth would think he was targeting Dumbledore. Those who knew a little of the truth would assume he was targeting Dudley.
As for the real situation...
"Then what about the other champions?"
Bagman looked blankly at his colleagues.
Karkaroff, who was already dissatisfied with Hogwarts having two champions and even more dissatisfied with Dudley, hurried to speak before Dumbledore could.
"Since the Hogwarts champion is so confident, let him challenge them."
Cruelty flickered in his cold eyes.
"But if he fails, or even dies, his score will be zero. The other champions will draw again and continue the task."
One dragon alone was enough to overwhelm most people. Four dragons?
Even Karkaroff himself could not handle that.
There was no need to think too hard about the result. Dudley would certainly fail.
Karkaroff had originally wanted to find a chance to deal with him, but since the boy was this arrogant and seemed determined to get himself killed, he might as well help him along.
"Professor Dumbledore, what do you think?"
After saying that, he did not forget to take a jab at Dumbledore.
Based on what he knew of Dumbledore, the old man would certainly not allow his student to take such a risk.
Karkaroff had already prepared his next words and was only waiting for Dumbledore to refuse.
Unexpectedly, Dumbledore said, "Professor Karkaroff... what if he succeeds?"
"Then only he will receive a score."
Karkaroff sneered and answered without hesitation.
"Let us vote on whether this proposal passes. Those in favor, please raise your hands."
As he spoke, he raised his own hand first.
Madame Maxime hesitated visibly. Although she was also unhappy that Hogwarts had two champions and did not like the one called Dursley, this involved the life of a young wizard. Challenging four dragons was practically certain death, and she could not bear to watch such a thing happen.
She voted against it.
Lucius voting in favor was no surprise. What was surprising was that Dumbledore also raised his hand in favor.
Five judges. Three votes in favor.
Whether Bagman voted or not no longer mattered.
Karkaroff looked at Dumbledore in astonishment. Had Lucius not just said that this Dursley was the old man's favored student? Was Karkaroff certain the boy had not offended him instead?
Successfully challenging four dragons alone?
If that boy could do it, Karkaroff would eat his own words.
"Since the proposal has passed, let us implement it."
Karkaroff's face was full of excitement.
After the judges confirmed the arrangement, Bagman instructed the staff.
One by one, the four dragons were brought out.
"They're moving!"
Seeing activity at last, the spectators grew excited.
But when they saw the Common Welsh Green, the Chinese Fireball, the Swedish Short-Snout, and the Hungarian Horntail, the spectators were somewhat confused.
"What is that? Why are they bringing out four dragons? Are the four champions going to challenge them together?"
Questions rose everywhere.
"What is the task? Teamwork?"
"This is the Triwizard Tournament. How could it test teamwork? There can only be one winner among the three schools."
The wizard who had been refuted was still unconvinced.
"Why not? In theory, the Triwizard Tournament should only have three champions, but now there are four."
"Witches and wizards, distinguished spectators."
Bagman's magically amplified voice spread across the entire arena.
"At the request of a certain champion..."
"According to the drawn order, the next challenge..."
"Will be completed by him alone!"
"Please welcome our Hogwarts champion, Dudley Dursley!"
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