Chapter 214
"Harry, why did you bring us here? The task is only a few days away, and we still haven't figured out how to deal with the fire dragon. We can't afford to waste any more time."
Hermione stood just inside the open wooden door, frowning as she looked around. The floor was coated in dust, and cobwebs clung to the corners.
"I've already thought of a method," Harry said as he pushed the door wider and stepped in. "I'm just not sure whether we should use it."
Hermione and Ron followed him inside.
"Achoo!" Ron sneezed the moment he entered, rubbing his reddening nose. "Why are we here? Rubeus Hagrid hasn't lived here in ages—he's got a much better place now."
They were inside Hagrid's hut, on the edge of the Forbidden Forest.
"To see me, of course. It's easier to talk somewhere quiet."
A tall figure slipped in through the doorway at that moment, his tone light, almost cheerful.
"Sirius!" Hermione and Ron exclaimed together.
The pale golden afternoon light streamed through the doorway, outlining the man's features.
Sirius Black looked completely different from before. The gaunt, hollow-cheeked fugitive had vanished. Now he wore a fitted brown leather jacket, his hair cut short, his face fuller—he looked younger, sharper, alive.
"Harry, Hermione, Ron—long time no see!"
He opened his arms and pulled them all into a warm embrace.
"Also, Harry—I'm sorry I didn't reply to your last two letters," Sirius added. "I ran into some trouble and couldn't get back to where I was staying. I only saw Hedwig's message a few days ago."
"Was it dangerous?" Harry asked immediately.
Sirius hesitated, then nodded slightly. "I won't deny that."
Seeing Harry about to press further, Sirius cut him off.
"It's nothing you need to worry about right now. The important thing is the dragon you're about to face."
He paused briefly.
"If I'd received your first letter in time, I would've told you not to enter this tournament at all. But since you're already in it…" he gave a faint smile, "…I can only be proud of your courage."
Then his tone shifted.
"As for the fire dragon… the Stunning Spell is useless. Dragons are too powerful—too resistant to magic. It takes six or seven adult wizards casting together to bring one down."
The three of them nodded. That matched everything they'd learned.
"But," Sirius continued, "you can deal with it alone."
"There's a trick. You don't need anything complicated. Just one spell—used properly."
"What spell?" Ron leaned forward, eyes wide.
Sirius lowered his voice slightly.
"The Eye Curse."
"The Eye Curse?" all three repeated.
"It causes severe damage to a dragon's eyes," Sirius explained. "That's their weakest point."
"But Harry might not be able to aim properly!" Ron said at once. They'd already thought of targeting the eyes—it wasn't new.
"You'll have to practice," Sirius said calmly. "The spell itself is extremely fast. Once cast, even a dragon won't be able to dodge it. The only issue is accuracy."
He began demonstrating the spell in the cramped hut, setting up makeshift targets for Harry.
Harry tried again and again—but his results were inconsistent at best.
Hermione stepped forward and tried.
Her spell struck the target cleanly.
"Why didn't you enter your name in the Goblet?" Ron said, half-joking, half-serious. He tried as well—but his spell missed completely.
"I was busy with S.P.E.W.—the accounts, the planning," Hermione replied, sending another precise spell into the target with a sharp crack. "If Harry hadn't entered, I might have expanded it across the whole school by now."
"Yeah, right," Ron muttered skeptically.
"S.P.E.W? What's that?" Sirius asked, confused.
"That's—" Hermione began, her eyes lighting up instinctively, ready to launch into explanation.
Then she stopped.
"…Nothing important."
Her expression dimmed. The organization barely had four members—including herself—and even they didn't fully agree with her ideas.
Harry's safety mattered more.
Her thoughts drifted again.
Did he get the letter?
While they were here struggling to find solutions, Malfoy had only received a single anonymous note.
What if he thought it was a joke? What if he ignored it?
"Hermione? Hermione?"
Harry waved a hand in front of her.
"Sorry," she said quickly. "I got distracted."
Sirius stepped closer and lowered his voice.
"I've shown you the spell. Keep practicing. And one more thing—be careful of Durmstrang's headmaster."
Before continuing, he walked over and shut the door.
"Why?" Harry asked.
"That man… used to be a Death Eater."
All three of them froze.
The words hung in the air like something heavy and suffocating.
For a moment, none of them spoke.
"We were in Azkaban together," Sirius said flatly. "Officially, at least."
Disgust flickered across his face.
"I never wanted anything to do with him."
Hermione was the first to react, her voice trembling but sharp.
"He was imprisoned in Azkaban… and now he's free? He's the headmaster of one of the three major magical schools—and leading students in the tournament?"
Her expression tightened.
The revelation was difficult to accept.