Harry Potter and the Secret Treasures

Ron knew that Krum had known about the dragon. He had seen Karkaroff come here that night.

“I have some ideas!” Krum said simply, frowning and looking at Ron with some insight.

Looking at him, it was clear that he was doubtful why Ron would tell him about it.

The champions should not have known the content of the task before the start of the tournament. Krum was not sure what Ron meant. It was not wise to take the initiative to expose the fact that he knew the content of the tournament in advance.

“The Conjunctivitis Curse is the simplest magic to deal with the dragon. You know this spell?” Ron whispered.

He was ready, but worried that if Krum was not prepared, he would be shredded directly by the dragon…

“I know this spell!” Krum looked grimly at Ron. He paused and said, “The Headmaster told me this is a common magic against dragons. Besides, there is a simpler and more effective spell…”

Just then, Bagman came in from the other side of the tent.

“Ah, Ron, you came, that’s great!” Bagman said happily, and quickly walked over to Ron and interrupted his conversation with Krum. “I talked to your father yesterday. Just relax and make yourself at home!”

Bagman looked somehow like a slightly overblown cartoon figure, standing amid them, wearing his old Wasp robes again.

“Well, now we’re all here, it’s time to fill you in!” said Bagman brightly. “When the audience has assembled, I’m going to be offering each of you this bag!” He held up a small sack of purple silk and shook it at them.”From it, you will each select a small model of the thing you are about to face! There are different … er … varieties, you see. And I have to tell you something else too; your task is to collect the golden egg!”

The champions nodded to show that they understood Bagman’s words.

No one spoke and they were all pale-faced. It was really exciting to grab the golden egg from a nesting female dragon.

And in no time at all, hundreds upon hundreds of pairs of feet could be heard passing the tent, their owners talking excitedly, laughing, joking…

Ron felt as separate from the crowd as though they were a different species.

He kept looking around, wondering why Evan hadn’t come yet.

There was a terrible thought in his mind. If Evan didn’t come over, he wouldn’t get the Fire Protection Potion, and then he was likely to be burned to death by the fire of the dragon, and despair and fear regained the upper hand once again.

The little courage that had just risen vanished instantly.

And the simple spell Krum had just talked about also distracted Ron. He was not sure if this magic would work. If it was as simple and effective as Krum said, should he try it?

Although they have developed a battle plan, it was always a good thing to have a simpler way to win the task.

Time was fleeting, and more than ten minutes later, Bagman was already opening the neck of the purple silk sack.

“Let’s get started, champions, ladies first,” he said, offering the sack to Fleur Delacour.

Fleur put a shaking hand inside the bag and drew out a tiny, perfect model of a dragon. It was a Welsh Green, with the number 2 around its neck.

Seeing the model, Fleur showed no sign of surprise, but rather a determined resignation.

Krum pulled out the blueish-gray Swedish Short-Snout, the number 1 tied around its neck. He didn’t even blink, just sat back down and stared at the ground.

Cedric was just about to put his hand into the sack when Ron stopped him in a hurry.

“Hold on, let me go first!” he said in a trembling voice.

Evan had given him an analysis of the habits and attacking ways of the four dragons. And Ron knew that the Hungarian Horntail was the fiercest.

There were only two dragons left into the sack. He didn’t want Cedric to go first!

“Let Ron go first, this poor child must be frightened!” said Bagman.

Cedric shrugged indifferently, signaling Ron to go first.

Ron walked over and put his hand in the silk sack. He could feel the two models in his hands.

He remembered that there were a lot of spikes on the Hungarian Horntail, but he couldn’t feel them. Could he just rely on luck?!

Just then, Ron saw Bagman winking at him and motioning him to choose the one on the right.

He took out the model on the right without thinking about it!

Sure enough, it was the scarlet Chinese Fireball with a number 3 around its neck.

Ron heaved a sigh of relief and gasped heavily. He remembered Evan saying that the most powerful thing about the Chinese Fireball was its flame attack. Its physical attack was relatively weak. As long as Evan delivered the potion, he would hardly encounter any danger.

Sure enough, the Hungarian Horntail was left to Cedric, with the number 4.

“Well, there you are!” said Bagman. “You have each pulled out the dragon you will face, and the numbers refer to the order in which you are to take on the dragons, do you see? Now, I’m going to have to leave you in a moment, because I’m commentating. Mr. Krum, you’re first, just go out into the enclosure when you hear a whistle, all right? Now … Ron … could I have a quick word? Outside?”

“Er … yes.” Ron nodded and went out of the tent with Bagman.

He felt it strange, not knowing what Bagman was going to tell him, but the latter had just helped him.

Bagman seemed to have something very important to say. He pulled Ron by the arm and led him a short distance away, into the trees. And then he turned to him with a fatherly expression on his face.

“Feeling alright, Ron? Anything I can get you?”

“What?!” said Ron in surprise. “No, nothing!”

“Got a plan?” said Bagman, lowering his voice conspiratorially. “Come on, you father and I are old friends. You’re like my child. I can’t watch you face the dragons like that. Remember? I helped you choose the Chinese Fireball. It’s much less difficult than the Hungarian Horntail. If you like, I can give you some more ideas. I mean…” Bagman lowered his voice further, whispering into Ron’s ear.

“Rest assured, nobody would know. You’re the underdog here, Ron. Anything I can do to help…”

Ron nodded uncomfortably, hesitating, but unable to resist the temptation.

He knew that this was definitely not right to let a judge help him cheat, but listening to Bagman’s advice here was not a bad thing.

Ron felt that today was his lucky day. He first learned from Krum a simpler powerful spell to deal with the dragon, then drew a less difficult Chinese Fireball, and now Bagman had offered to help…

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