pertwk Chapter 4: Fire!
Chapter 4: Fire!
That was no ordinary bark, but a piercing, trembling wail filled with terror, as if it had witnessed something utterly horrifying.
All three of them were stunned.
"A flock of sheep?!" Lucas jumped to his feet.
That was their own sheepdog barking! But Lucas had never heard it bark like that before. Even when faced with wolves or circling golden eagles, the brave sheepdog would only growl angrily and warn them; it had never been so afraid!
Another mournful cry rang out, this time even louder.
"Something's happened." Finley grabbed the double-barreled shotgun, which had hardened again.
The three rushed out the door. Finley, moving with incredible speed, roared as he charged ahead, still loading bullets into his shotgun.
Lucas picked up a pitchfork and said in a low voice to Professor Sprout, "Professor, thank you for not calling me out earlier."
Professor Sprout, running alongside him, asked, "Expose what?"
"About the magic farm. You mentioned the Secrecy Act, so wizards need to remain hidden and not let ordinary people know about it, right? Of course, the world-famous magic farm I mentioned is impossible to achieve."
Lucas, panting, said, "But my grandfather is eighty-four years old, and he's too stubborn; he needs some white lies. I also know it's unlikely I'll get permission to visit Hogwarts—"
He couldn't finish his sentence because they had already run up the hillside and saw the sheep scattering in terror, with many even stumbling and falling in their panic.
Among the sheep, the sheepdog's fur stood on end, howling and retreating.
Something was hovering in the clear sky, casting a huge shadow.
It was a huge, black thing.
Its giant, bat-shaped wings spread out like dark clouds, stirring up a gale with each flap. It had a long neck, a ferocious head, a long row of spines standing upright, and a long tail like a sharp arrowhead that lashed out with a thunderous crack.
That was a monster that should only exist in fantasy, that was—
"A dragon!" Professor Sprout gasped.
To be precise, it was an adult Hebrides black dragon that was over thirty feet long!
It was clearly starving. Its huge, deep purple vertical pupils were fixed on the flock of sheep rolling around below. Before the three of them could react, the huge black dragon folded its wings and crashed down like a meteor right in front of them!
With a deafening roar, the hillside trembled, grass and dirt flew everywhere, and the pitiful cries of black-faced sheep could be heard.
A huge crater appeared on the hillside, and the black dragon spread its wings from within it, with several sheep crushed into a pool of flesh beneath it. It leaned down and bit through the sheep's bellies, then raised its head to chew on the sheep's soft entrails, blood dripping from its sharp teeth.
With another whoosh, the long, thin, and powerful tail lashed out, cleaving a nearby sheep in two, its flesh and blood flying everywhere, its entrails spilling onto the ground.
The sheepdog whimpered, tucked its tail between its legs, and collapsed to the ground. Finley McGregor, who had been charging ahead, froze in place; the horrific scene was beyond the limits of what the eighty-four-year-old Muggle could bear.
"Step back! Lucas! Step back!" Professor Sprout pulled Lucas behind him and drew his wand to stand in front of the two of them.
"This is an extremely dangerous creature, you must get out of here!"
However, the black dragon had already noticed them. It turned its long neck, its deep purple vertical pupils contracted, and it opened its blood-red maw, letting out a hoarse roar at the three of them!
Professor Sprout bit his lip, his face turning deathly pale.
She knew, of course, that a normal Hebrides black dragon should never behave like this. Even if it were extremely hungry and occasionally wandered into the Muggle world to catch sheep or cattle, it would do so like an eagle catching its prey, grabbing it and flying away to take it back to its nest to eat. It would never do what it did now, ferociously pouncing and then dismembering and devouring it on the spot in front of humans.
Moreover, even though the Hebrides black dragons are more warlike than the Welsh green dragons, they will not easily attack a wizard who raises his wand!
But doubting these things was useless now; she could only resort to the spell that came to mind first—
The black dragon spread its wings and leaped out of the pit with a boom, opening its huge mouth and charging over!
"Blindingly bright!"
A blinding flash of light shot from the tip of the wand, and an Eye Strike spell pierced the black dragon's eyes. Suddenly, they saw a deep, long, and blood-soaked wound protruding from the middle of the black dragon's massive left wing.
The next instant, the black dragon suddenly turned its neck, and the Eye Strike spell struck its jaw with a bang. After sparks flew, it left only an inconspicuous mark on the black scales.
Damn it, if it were Minerva or Felius, they definitely wouldn't have missed. But I... and none of my magical plants are with me!
"No!"
Professor Sprout let out a sharp cry of alarm as the giant beast stretched its neck, raised its wings, and charged at him like a rumbling locomotive.
Her wand lit up with a brilliant blue light again, but there was a figure who was faster than her!
Lucas McGregor!
The moment Lucas saw the ferocious black dragon, he was also greatly shocked. But in the blink of an eye, he was free from his fear.
Completely contrary to fear, Lucas heard his heart pounding like a drum, his eardrums booming, his blood boiling and rushing to his face and limbs, his whole body trembling with excitement, and his red hair shaking slightly like flames.
What's right in front of me is a dragon, a creature that originally only existed in myths and legends!
Just hours ago, Professor Pomona Sprout opened the door to the magical world for herself. And now, those legendary creatures, usually standing at the pinnacle of "mystery," are right before her, fulfilling all her fantasies.
I've already died once, so death isn't scary to me at all!
Every moment of this life is a gift from the world!
I'm about to join Professor Sprout in the magical world to fight a black dragon!
Protect my grandfather, save my flock of sheep!
Lucas's arm was so swift and powerful that he snatched the double-barreled shotgun from Finley McGregor's hand in one swift motion.
A crisp click as the bullet is chambered; a quick flick of the finger releases the safety; crouch, raise the gun, aim—three points aligned perfectly!
boom!
A loud gunshot echoed through the valley!
The 12-gauge shotgun shells shot out amidst the muzzle flash, and eight 0.36-inch diameter No. 000 buckshot lead pellets were deeply embedded in the huge wound on the left wing of the Black Dragon!
The smoke from the gun muzzle and the blood mist on the black dragon's wings exploded together!