After discovering the Swedish Short-Snouted Dragon, Kyle immediately abandoned his plan to stay hidden. He sharply turned his broom around, looped in the air, and stopped directly above the Dragon.
A blast of Dragon fire shot past, but Kyle dodged just in time.
"Hey, calm down," he called out, flying alongside the Dragon's head to ensure it could see him clearly. "We've met before, remember?
"Come to think of it, I treated your wound back then, and you insisted we were meddling..."
The Swedish Short-Snout's snorting came to an abrupt halt. The yellow, vertical pupil directly in front of Kyle shifted slightly, as though it was sizing him up. Then, the second ball of fire forming in its mouth gradually extinguished, leaving two thin streams of flame escaping from its nostrils.
"It seems you do remember," Kyle said, his tense posture relaxing slightly. Fortunately, he hadn't mistaken the dragon.
"How's your injury healing? It's rare to run into you again—if you've got any scrapes or bruises, I can help with those."
As he spoke, Kyle adjusted the Firebolt, positioning himself near the Dragon's left side. He pulled back just enough to create the illusion, from the spectators' perspective, that he was locked in a daring chase with the Dragon.
Gasps of surprise rippled through the stands regardless.
The Short-Snout snorted again, this time emitting a low, rumbling whimper. Its speed slackened, as though it was growing bored and considering heading back to the cliff.
"Wait! Don't go just yet!" Kyle said quickly.
The Dragon's orange-yellow pupils shifted toward him.
"Don't get me wrong," Kyle added hastily. "I just need your help with one small thing... really small, I promise."
The dragon showed signs of impatience but refrained from returning to the cliff. It continued flapping its wings, following Kyle with an air of wary curiosity.
"You probably haven't noticed yet," Kyle continued, "but someone has mixed something into your Firestones. How about I help you sort it out?"
The Dragon eyed him warily, releasing a low growl.
A burst of flame shot past the tail of the Firebolt, drawing nervous screams from the spectators in the stands.
"Don't worry, I'm not after your treasure!" Kyle assured it, speaking quickly. "It's just a few stones, and I can guarantee they're not Firestones..."
The man and the dragon soared through the sky, their conversation continuing as they left the stadium behind. They circled the castle before returning, only for the audience to witness the surprising sight of the dragon seemingly tripping over a castle spire.
"The gap is widening!" Fred shouted excitedly from the stands. Through his Omnioculars, he could clearly see Kyle speeding toward the cliff. "The dragon's at least fifty feet behind him—he might actually get the stones!"
"No, it's too dangerous!" Cedric said nervously. "Don't forget there's still a dragon out there— the most dangerous one, the Hungarian Horntail!"
"But Kyle's already going for it!" George exclaimed, his eyes glued to the Omnioculars.
He watched as Kyle charged toward the cliff without hesitation. Suddenly, a tree-like shape loomed ahead and spat a ball of flames, which Kyle narrowly avoided.
"Bravo!" George couldn't help but cheer.
As the Firebolt picked up speed, the tension in the stadium grew palpable, hearts pounding in unison with the broom's acceleration. Finally, the Firebolt shot over the cliff, and Kyle leaned forward, gripping the handle with one hand while his other hand reached down, seemingly snatching something from the ground.
Then, in that fleeting moment of pause, the dragon closed the gap—it was now just a few feet away.
"Run!" Kanna stood up in the stands, trying to shout a warning.
Before her voice could reach Kyle, it was drowned out by a deafening roar from the crowd. People screamed, shouted, and applauded wildly.
Somehow, Kyle had slipped past the dragon and reappeared on the other side of the audience, near the referee's platform. In his hand, three red stones gleamed brightly.
"What a bold strategy!" Bagman's voice boomed. "Exceptional courage! Yes, yes, he's done it... It's incredible! Our youngest champion has overcome all the hurdles in record time!"
Kyle glanced up and noticed Dumbledore smiling warmly at him. Karkaroff and Madame Maxime were smiling as well, though their expressions were clearly forced.
As Kyle exited the arena, the noise of the crowd hit him like a wave, their cheers and chatter reverberating in his ears.
"That was absolutely brilliant!" Professor McGonagall exclaimed as she rushed to meet him. She was clearly shaken, her hands trembling slightly. "You need to see Madam Pomfrey immediately, before the judges finalize the scores. She's in the changing rooms—over there!" McGonagall pointed down the corridor.
Kyle nodded, noticing her concern.
"You did it, Kyle," Hagrid said hoarsely, his eyes brimming with pride. "You handled two dragons on your own, while the others haven't even reached the third level yet..."
"Thanks, Hagrid!" Kyle interjected loudly, his voice cutting off Hagrid's praise. He glanced at Karkaroff and Madame Maxime, whose faces were already turning a deep shade of red.
"Professor, can I see Madam Pomfrey later?" Kyle asked McGonagall. "I'd like to watch the rest of the match."
"I understand, but no," McGonagall said firmly.
"Fine," Kyle sighed, reluctantly heading toward the changing rooms. He saw Madam Pomfrey waiting at the entrance, her expression tight with concern.
"Matagots, Bludgers, Dragons!" she muttered in irritation as she pulled Kyle inside. The room was divided into small cubicles, resembling the Hospital Wing.
Examining a scratch on his back, Madam Pomfrey continued her rant. "What were they thinking, allowing so many dangerous creatures into the school at once? You're lucky it's just a scratch and not worse. Here, drink this."
She handed him a bottle of smoky blue potion.
Kyle recognized it as a Calming Draught, often used to ease tension—popular among students before exams. Though he didn't think he needed it, he downed the potion under Madam Pomfrey's watchful eye.
Once she left the cubicle, Kyle stood up cautiously, intending to peek out the door.
Before he could, a group of familiar faces burst in.
"You're the first to finish—the very first!" Kanna exclaimed, her excitement contagious. "You were absolutely amazing!"
"You bet!" Fred added, squeezing his way inside. "I'm sure you'll get the top score."
"So, what's the situation?" Kyle asked curiously.
"Not great," Cedric admitted. "Krum got seriously messed up by the Matagot. He barely cleared the first level using a Charm to harden his skin."
"And Delacour's stuck on the second platform," he added. "She's trying to destroy all the Bludgers."
"That Summoning Charm of yours was pretty clever," Cedric continued. "She never thought of it."
"It wouldn't have helped her anyway," Fred said with a grin. "First, she'd need a Firebolt..."