Harry Potter: Another Chance

Disclaimer:

Harry Potter and all of its characters belong to J.K. Rowling. I own nothing but the original characters I create.

"Dialogue"

'Thoughts'

-Author notes-

Chapter 343: A Crack in the Sky

Neville was stepping out of the champions' tent when the last cracking noise echoed, and the sky seemed to rip in half.

"That can't be good…" he mumbled. He had been expecting something to occur. But this may be worse than predicted.

As he moved onto the rocky terrain, he could see the dragon handlers in the distance. It had been too long since he last saw that creature, but the memories rushed to the front of his mind like a torrent as he laid eyes on the angry beast.

"We meet again, Horntail… but it won't be the same this time…" Neville glanced up at the sky again.

This was a clear sign of a Convergence. The walls of their reality must be colliding with something, thus creating a rupture. The only question was… just how bad things were going to get, and what would slip through that crack before it closes.

There was a notable lack of cheers after Mister Crouch announced his entrance. In fact, most of the crowd was booing or calling him a cheater.

'Technically, they're not booing me, I guess,' he thought. Still, it did not make him happy. And brought back some very unpleasant memories.

Mister Crouch reminded him of the task and wished him good luck. The audience fell silent as the Horntail was finally unleashed.

"Can't blame them… that thing is terrifying." Neville stopped a safe distance away and considered his next move.

It wasn't clear if Voldemort had interfered with the test, but that seemed unlikely. If that was the case, it would be best to complete his task without showing too much of his abilities. That would keep him confident, and he wouldn't make any rash moves.

Then again, Voldemort acting early could be a good thing. The best-case scenario would be if the Dark Lord attacked Hogwarts directly, bringing all his forces with him. If that were to happen, He would be in the strongest position to counterattack. A battle within the castle would be quick, and he knew time was of the essence...this world might not last long.

With his mind made up, he moved forward. "Okay… I think the best course of action would b—"

Something fell in front of him with a loud 'thud.'

"What was that?! Something fell from the sky!" the commentator announced, stating the obvious.

Everyone could see it now.

"Mmm?... this is…" Neville squinted.

Screams began to echo around the stadium.

The 'thing' that had fallen wasn't a 'what,' but a 'who.'

No one could immediately identify the person, but it was clear by their appearance that they were dead.

"Let me through!" Madam Pomfrey was already rushing into the arena at an impressive speed.

Neville stood there, staring at the body. It was lying face-down, so he couldn't see the person's face, but he knew who it was. He glanced up at the sky. The black crack was still there, showing no signs of disappearing.

Whatever this was... it was just the beginning.

"Let me see!" Pomfrey knelt beside the corpse and checked for vitals.

"Oh no...it's too late..." she confirmed what everyone already suspected. But as a healer, it was her duty to be certain.

All that remained was to identify the body. She placed a hand on the shoulder and was about to turn it over when Neville spoke to her.

"It would be best if you left it as it is."

"I must confirm this person's identity as soon as possible. Their family and friends deserve to know," Pomfrey insisted. "Also, is not like we can leave him here."

The dragon ahead of them began screeching loudly, pulling violently at its chains.

"I know you have a job to do, but…" Neville pointed upward. "That's going to be difficult right now." He gestured toward the sky.

Pomfrey first heard the screams from the crowd, and then a large shadow was cast over her. The moment she looked up, she, too, screamed.

The first arrival had been the broom.

The rider came next.

And now, the one who had caused them to fall had arrived.

One Horntail roared from the air, and the other roared from the ground.

The newly arrived dragon ignored the audience and landed in the rocky arena. Something had caught its interest...the eggs guarded by the other dragon.

"Where did that one come from?! There should only be one!" Pomfrey shouted.

"Leave the arena while you still can. It won't be distracted for long," Neville advised as he walked past her with his wand in hand.

"Where are you going?! Let the dragon handlers handle this!" Pomfrey cried out.

"I have a task to complete. An extra dragon won't change much." Neville's voice was cold, but he wasn't trying to be. He was worried this wasn't the end of it.

He wanted to deal with this problem before anything worse happened.

Neville aimed his wand at the extra dragon, and it must have sensed the magic stirring because it shifted its attention away from the eggs and toward him.

He didn't want to waste time. He focused his wand on the target and conjured a metallic spear.

The spear was similar to a lance used in knight tournaments. It was round and thick on one side, sharp and pointed on the other. The spear measured about three meters long and was made entirely of steel.

Dragonhide was nearly impervious to magic, much like the basilisk he had faced in the past. It also offered resistance to physical attacks. He would need something with incredible piercing power to get through it.

As the dragon moved toward him, its mouth opened, and Neville gave his wand a twist.

The spear began to spin in place, so fast that it created a grinding sound as it cut through the air, building friction.

Flames started to form in the dragon's mouth.

"Too slow." Neville released the spear.

It shot forward faster than a bullet, piercing the dragon's skull. It didn't stop there...it continued through, disappearing into the coliseum walls.

The flames in the Horntail's mouth vanished as it collapsed.

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