[132] A Curse in the Echo

But just as Hall obtained the golden egg, an unexpected event occurred.

The petrification effect — expected to last at least a minute — vanished prematurely.

The Ukrainian Ironbelly suddenly awoke, letting out a deafening roar. Its eyes burned with furious flames, as if it wanted to incinerate Hall. It became exceptionally ferocious, violently twisting its body and struggling wildly. It broke free of some of its chains. The thick iron chains creaked, then snapped completely before the crowd's eyes.

Breaking free, the Ironbelly lunged at Hall, its mouth spewing scorching flames.

Hall gripped the golden egg tightly, nimbly dodging the attacks. He used the gaps in its movements to constantly change position. But the dragon's speed had noticeably increased. Each attack put Hall in grave danger.

Sweat beaded on his forehead. His breathing grew rapid.

The audience was stunned by this sudden turn. They had initially thought Hall had successfully subdued the dragon. Now the situation had reversed instantly. Some covered their mouths, pale with terror. Others stood up, watching Hall with their hearts pounding. A tense atmosphere filled the entire arena, as if even the air had grown heavy.

Dumbledore, in the judges' platform, sensed something was wrong. While the Ukrainian Ironbelly had a bad temper, it was not bloodthirsty. But now, its eyes were bloodshot, and it was closing in on Hall, looking as if it wanted to kill him.

"That Ukrainian Ironbelly is problematic," a faint voice came from the two-way mirror in Dumbledore's hand.

"I know." Dumbledore frowned, his eyes filled with worry. He stood up, but was pulled back by the Ministry official beside him.

"Headmaster Dumbledore, where are you going? Are you going to help your student?" the official asked pointedly. "This match is governed by a waiver of oath. Interference is not allowed. Every Triwizard Tournament has its share of trouble. This is not the first time you have experienced something like this."

The unusually young official wore a gloating expression.

"Ah!!!"

Screams erupted from the audience. Dumbledore turned immediately. He saw the Ukrainian Ironbelly snatch Hall in its mouth and toss him into the air. Then it opened its mouth wide.

Hall felt a sudden darkness before his eyes. His body plummeted uncontrollably. The whistling wind exploded in his ears, his clothes fluttering wildly. He quickly regained his composure, waving his wand and casting a Levitation Charm.

The spell seemed to strike an invisible wall. It had no effect.

He continued to fall.

Behind him was the gaping maw of the dragon.

His body plummeted like a meteor. The howling wind in his ears was like the roar of death, dragging him into an endless abyss. The surrounding air seemed distorted, suffocating him. At that moment, Hall's mind went blank. The world consisted only of the howling wind and the approaching jaws.

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In the stands, Mum screamed — a desperate cry even through her covered mouth, as if her heart was being torn apart. Dad held her tightly, offering her strength. He himself was filled with fear and sorrow.

Pansy and Hermione could not hold back their sobs. Tears streamed down their faces. Ron gripped the hand of the person beside him tightly, unable and unwilling to tear his gaze away from Hall. It was only a moment, but Ron felt as if time had stretched infinitely. All sound had vanished. He could only hear the drumming of his own heartbeat.

The tense atmosphere hung like a heavy cloud over the audience. Every second felt like the final one.

The professors on the platform could no longer bear it. Especially Snape. Although he had never said it aloud, he had long considered Hall his own protégé. The instant the incident occurred, he drew his wand. But Dumbledore pressed his hand down firmly.

Snape was instantly furious — but then he looked up at Dumbledore. Dumbledore's eyes showed no less worry than his own.

"Trust him. Trust the boy."

Dumbledore's tone was filled with worry, pain, and helplessness. They had no choice. If Hogwarts, as the host, led the way in breaking the long-established rules, then the subsequent tournament would be utterly unfair. Even if they knew there was something wrong, they could not interfere.

Unwillingness burned like a raging fire in Hall's chest. His heart pounded, his blood surged. The instinct for survival ignited instantly. In that critical moment, a flash of insight struck him.

He clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms. He felt no pain. His eyes were fixed on the ground below, finding a glimmer of hope in the darkness.

He frantically rummaged through his pocket, pulling out various items. His face was filled with anxiety. He remembered putting it inside — the thing he had experimented with countless times but had still not fully succeeded with. Why could he not find it now? It was clearly inside.

Time pressed in on him, suffocating. Hall was incredibly anxious, but his hands moved methodically. Overhead, dark clouds hung low. His forehead was covered in fine beads of sweat. His face was as pale as paper.

Just as he was about to fall into the dragon's mouth, Hall finally found what he was looking for.

A thin piece of paper.

A look of surprise appeared on his face, quickly replaced by tension. Time was running out. He slapped the paper against himself.

Without hesitation, Hall closed his eyes tightly, concentrated all his magic, his lips moving as he chanted an incantation. Magic was drawn from his body. The surrounding air seemed to respond. Instantly, the strange patterns on the paper were activated. Red light danced along every line until the entire pattern glowed.

A faint red halo surrounded his body.

The audience watched with tense eyes. Their hearts were in their throats. Some covered their mouths. Others stood up, leaning forward, fists clenched.

Harry, standing inside the champions' tent, clenched his fists so tightly his knuckles turned white. Hermione, tears streaming down her face, prayed incessantly. Her lips trembled. Her hands were clasped to her chest.

In the final moment, the dragon's jaws snapped shut with a deafening sound.

Snap!

Hall vanished.

"Hall!!!" Mum cried out in anguish, her eyes blurred with tears. Many around her covered their eyes, unable to bear it. He was only twelve years old.

Arthur, though tense, had been watching carefully. "Molly! Hall was not eaten by the dragon! He just disappeared!"

"Disappeared!?"

Molly wiped her eyes fiercely and looked up at the sky. The surrounding whispers reached her ears, confirming what Arthur had said. Everyone craned their necks, searching frantically for the missing Hall.

Molly, her face streaked with tears, managed a smile. She knew it. Hall had always been mischievous. He was always involved in George and Fred's pranks. It was alright that he was gone. It was alright.

She comforted herself.

But as time ticked by, everyone began to doubt their eyes. Had the child been eaten after all? Otherwise, where had he gone in half an hour?

Hope gradually turned to fear. To despair.

Only a deathly silence enveloped the scene.