It was still far from blotting out the sky.
But when Barty Crouch Jr. and the others surged forward all at once, the sight and momentum were still astonishing.
At the very least, when several streaks of the Killing Curse came flying straight at you, no one could possibly face them calmly.
And just as every pair of eyes below turned upward, Draco finally showed everyone just how powerful the Dragontongue gift could be.
...
Before his eyes, the sky was almost dyed entirely green.
In his ears was the chaotic clamor of the battlefield.
In truth, the instant Draco saw Barty Crouch Jr. and the others raise their wands, he was already prepared for battle.
He did not cast a spell right away, nor did he use a Charm to defend himself. Instead, Draco crouched low and gave Norberta his battle order beside her ear. "Gain altitude, Norberta!"
"Roar!"
Her wings beat hard.
The air currents she stirred up tore a hollow straight through the clouds behind her.
Only now did Norberta truly reveal her terrifying burst of speed.
And it made everyone understand just how terrifying and difficult to deal with a Dragon could be when it knew how to fight in the air.
"After him!"
"Don't let him get away!"
"Quick! Pick up speed!"
Draco did not recklessly charge into their encirclement. He immediately opened up the distance.
Barty Crouch Jr. and the others were not frightened by this. Instead, they steered their Broomsticks and gave chase.
And though it looked as if Draco was being pursued, this was exactly the situation he wanted.
Glancing back, Draco raised an eyebrow. "Now, Norberta!"
A sudden climb.
A shift they had not been prepared for at all.
Barty Crouch Jr. and the others, who had been chasing Draco from behind, nearly lost control and went tumbling off their Broomsticks.
"He... he disappeared?!"
"No, he's on our right."
"He's on the left!"
"Wait... he's above us!"
It was not that they were blind, nor that their reactions were too slow.
It was simply that Barty Crouch Jr. and the others did not understand how to fight in the sky.
They had no concept of so-called aerial maneuvers, and that was why they lost sight of Draco so easily.
...
In fact, aside from a few theoretical details, there was another enormous difference between them and Draco.
And that difference put them at a tremendous disadvantage when it came to aerial combat.
To be fair, the Broomstick created by wizards was indeed an extraordinary invention, one that had changed the entire wizarding world.
Quidditch.
Transportation.
Through generations of innovation and development, Broomsticks had been perfected in terms of speed, smooth turning, and even riding comfort.
At the very least, even the pickiest wizard would have a hard time finding any real flaws in them.
Not to mention, the Broomsticks Barty Crouch Jr. and the others were riding now were all the latest and most expensive models.
But even so, there was no denying the true nature and purpose of these Broomsticks. They were tools invented for the sport of Quidditch.
In other words, they were tools, not weapons!