[130] The Rattling Bones

Soon it was Harry's turn. He was pale, trembling slightly. His hands were clenched into fists, veins bulging. His eyes were filled with tension and unease.

Hall stepped forward, straightened Harry's collar, and patted his shoulder. "Go on."

Amidst a deafening roar, Harry slowly walked out.

The arena was a realistic valley. Harry cautiously approached the golden egg, each step tense and cautious. Suddenly, a huge wing flapped open. Harry slammed into a nearby rock before he could react. He groaned — but found his body completely unharmed.

Before he could process it, the massive, mountain-like body of the Hungarian Horntail burst into view. Scorching flames spewed from its mouth, engulfing everything. Harry scrambled behind a boulder, his heart pounding as if it would leap out of his throat.

He could hear nothing but his own heavy breathing. He clutched the silver coin tightly in his hand — it felt as heavy as a thousand pounds. His palms were slick with sweat. His breathing was rapid, each breath a labour. Fine beads of sweat glistened on his forehead. He closed his eyes, trying to calm himself, patiently waiting for his chance.

The Horntail sensed his hiding place and began circling the boulder, occasionally spewing flames. Harry knew he had to find an opportunity to throw the coin as soon as possible.

As the Horntail circled to the far side, Harry quickly peeked out, ready to throw. The Horntail turned back. Harry pulled his head in. This happened several times. Harry grew increasingly tense. He could not let this continue.

Finally, as the Horntail circled around to the other side, Harry took a deep breath, his eyes filled with determination. He slowly raised his arm, leaned out as fast as he could, gritted his teeth, and hurled the coin toward the ground where the Horntail stood.

The coin traced a graceful arc through the air. The moment it struck the ground, a dazzling flash of light appeared. The magical array rapidly emerged on the ground, its light flashing like brilliant stars. Mysterious runes wove together into a dome, enveloping the Horntail's entire body.

The Horntail roared furiously, its enormous voice sending chills down the spine. It struggled incessantly, its massive body slamming against the boundaries of the array. Each impact sent tremors through the ground, raising clouds of dust.

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The audience held their breath. A profound silence fell. Ron and Hermione rushed to the front row, their eyes glued to Harry. Their faces were filled with worry. On the professors' platform, Sirius gripped his robes tightly. If Lupin had not been holding him back, Sirius would have rushed onto the field.

The array continued to activate. The Horntail began to stagger, swaying like a drunkard. It roared, trying to break free, but grew increasingly weak. Then its massive body collapsed to the ground with a thud. It slowly closed its eyes. A loud, satisfied snoring filled the air.

The audience erupted.

Cheers were deafening, piercing the sky and echoing throughout Hogwarts. People waved their arms, their faces beaming with excitement. George and Fred ran and jumped wildly in the stands, shouting Harry's name.

Harry knew this was the perfect opportunity. He charged towards the egg, swift as an arrow. He grabbed it, clutched it to his chest, and fled the arena at top speed.

Even after he ran out, his heart was still pounding. He clutched his knees, panting, sweat streaming down his face, a triumphant smile spreading across his cheeks.

Then he straightened up and eagerly turned back towards the tents. There was a tiny figure in the distance. He knew it immediately.

Hall.

Harry's eyes lit up. He raised the golden egg high and waved his arm vigorously towards Hall, wanting to share his joy. The golden egg swayed in his hand, its light flickering in the air. He shouted Hall's name, even though he knew Hall might not hear him.

From afar, Harry saw Hall waving back.

"Next, please welcome our last hero —" the announcement blared over the loudspeaker. The voice echoed. Harry's heart tightened.

"Hall Weasley!"

"Hall Weasley!"

The deep voice echoed through the valley.

Harry gazed at Hall in the distance, his expression grave, his eyes filled with worry and anticipation. He knew Hall was capable enough to retrieve the golden egg, yet his anxiety remained. His lips were pressed tightly together, his brow furrowed.

"Hall. Good luck," he prayed silently.

Hall flashed Harry a bright smile, waved vigorously, and turned to walk into the arena.

A deafening roar of cheers filled his ears. The sound seemed to come from all directions, enveloping him. Some were encouragement, some mockery and disdain, some pure spectator entertainment.

Hall Weasley. No one had ever heard of this name before. No one knew which random kid had popped up out of nowhere to cheat the Goblet of Fire and actually qualify to become a champion. It was practically the most absurd thing that had ever happened at Hogwarts.

"What? His last name is Weasley?"

"You mean that Weasley guy — the one famous for having so many kids and being so poor?"

"His kids are all pretty smart. Some of the older ones have been prefects. But this one's only a second-year. How good can he be?"

"I've heard he's really good at potions — good enough to be Professor Snape's assistant."

"I think what he's good at isn't potions. It's his temper."

The audience buzzed with discussion, sharing the information they had gathered. But the parents of Hall's year were very optimistic about this child. He was their year's number one. They were proud of him. They all stood up, cheering for Hall.

All the murmurs and discussions were irrelevant to Hall. His attention was focused entirely on what lay before him.