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In the Triwizard champions' tent, Harry and the others listened to the roaring cheers outside as the staff handed them a newly prepared bag containing four dragon models, each reduced to a scale of two hundred to one.
The previous four small dragon models had been taken away by Dudley.
They had to draw in advance so that if Dudley failed, the others could immediately take over.
When it was Harry's turn to draw, he waved at the staff member.
"There is no need to draw. It has no meaning."
Based on what he knew of Big D, there was no need to consider facing those four dragons afterward.
Big D never did things without confidence. If he said he could handle four dragons, then he could.
Harry trusted Dudley, but the others did not.
"He cannot possibly succeed. You had better prepare yourself," Fleur said. Her face looked much better now, and some color had returned to her pale lips.
Harry looked at her calmly and said nothing. He did not even answer.
She did not like Dudley, and Harry did not like her.
The atmosphere became rather awkward.
After being ignored, Fleur did not bother with Harry again and went to draw from the staff member.
When she opened her hand and saw her order, her tightly furrowed brow immediately relaxed.
"It seems my luck is not bad."
She had drawn the Common Welsh Green, the dragon she was most confident about handling. Incidentally, Viktor had drawn the Chinese Fireball.
At that moment, both of those dragons were already following behind Dudley in the arena.
"How did he do that? It is unbelievable."
After the Welsh Green, Dudley had used the same method to "persuade" the Chinese Fireball.
The Fireball's temper was naturally much fiercer than the Green's, but compared with the other two dragons, it was still far better. It could tolerate its own kind and was even willing to share territory with one or two other dragons.
Among dragons, that was almost unimaginable.
"I know how he did it!"
Bagman, who was responsible for commentary, suddenly shouted. His voice carried across the entire arena through the magical amplifier.
Attracted by the content of his words, the spectators looked at him all at once.
Not only the spectators. The other judges also looked at him.
Bagman glanced around mysteriously, then lowered his voice and spoke one word.
"Dragon speech."
His expression grew excited as he raised his voice, as though he had uncovered a tremendous secret.
"It is dragon speech! I have been observing him closely, especially when he speaks to those two dragons. Heh, there is one thing I have not told everyone. I can read lips. Mr. Dursley is not using our language to communicate with those two dragons. He is using another language."
"The only language that can communicate with dragons must be the legendary language of dragons!"
The whole arena was shocked.
Yet after thinking about it carefully, it seemed reasonable. No matter what method one used, threats or temptation, convincing two dragons in succession in such a short time was far too unbelievable.
If it was dragon speech, it became much easier to understand.
According to legend, dragon speech possessed a unique charm. It made dragons treat the wizard who used it as one of their own and greatly increased their favor.
Every wizard who knew dragon speech could be called a top dragon handler.
Look at Dumbledore. He had extremely high language talent and knew Mermish, Gobbledegook, and many other languages of beings and magical creatures. Merpeople were classified as magical creatures, after all. It was not so strange that his favored student might know dragon speech.
Except, of course, that it was very strange.
Dragon speech had been lost long ago, and for many, many years. Records of it in magical history dated back a thousand years. Only wizards with extraordinary linguistic talent could master such a language.
High talent was one matter.
The important point was that the language had been lost.
"Only dragon speech explains it."
Just as Bagman said, everything made sense only if Dudley knew dragon speech. Otherwise, how had he made the Green and the Fireball willing to follow him?
If news spread that Hogwarts's champion had mastered dragon speech, lost for countless years, it would shock the entire wizarding world.
The spectators' eyes were full of excitement.
Not only could they see a wizard who knew dragon speech, they could also see one person fighting four dragons alone.
This ticket was worth it.
At the judges' table, the other judges' expressions differed. Lucius's face was calm. Madame Maxime was stunned. Dumbledore looked serene.
Karkaroff, however, glanced sideways at Dumbledore.
At that moment, he finally understood.
'Dumbledore, this is why you did not vote against him and instead voted in favor, is it? So he knew dragon speech. You hid that well. Give up Harry Potter and secure another champion's score. That way, even if Hogwarts loses in the next task, the chance of final victory will still be pushed as high as possible.'
'That is just like you.'
Perhaps sensing his gaze, Dumbledore turned his head and gave Karkaroff his usual mild smile.
Karkaroff did not respond. He turned his head back with a cold face and cast a dark, venomous look toward Dudley in the center of the arena.
'Perhaps you can use the same method on the Swedish Short-Snout, but the Hungarian Horntail is not something that can be reasoned with.'
The Hungarian Horntail's temperament was extremely violent.
Trying to persuade it with only a few words, even with dragon speech, would be impossible.
Just as Karkaroff expected, Dudley encountered some trouble with the Swedish Short-Snout, which could also be called the blue dragon.
The Swedish Short-Snout rarely came into contact with humans. When it saw Dudley, it was full of vigilance. Even though Dudley tried to communicate with it, it still sprayed a breath of blue flame at him.
This was the Swedish Short-Snout's unique dragon fire, just as the Chinese Fireball could breathe mushroom-shaped fireballs from its nostrils.
The blue flame was extremely hot. It could turn wood and bone to ash in an instant and was a very dangerous flame. More than a few wizards had died by it.
The sudden breath of fire made the spectators cry out. Some of the more timid ones even closed their eyes.
Karkaroff's eyes flashed fiercely, and a cruel smile appeared on his face.
Fortunately, Dudley was agile and dodged that breath.
In the end, Dudley still successfully "persuaded" the Swedish Short-Snout.
The dragon lowered its proud head toward him.
The spectators breathed a sigh of relief.
Karkaroff looked deeply unwilling to accept it.
Then Dudley led the three dragons and, under the spectators' expectant gazes, turned toward the final dragon in this challenge:
The Hungarian Horntail.
'Even the Swedish Short-Snout has such a fierce temper. The Hungarian Horntail will tear him apart.'
Karkaroff thought this in his heart.
'What, can he command the other dragons to surround and attack the Horntail?'
However, everyone seemed to have forgotten one thing.
Dudley's task was not actually to deal with four dragons.
It was to obtain the golden eggs from them.
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