HP :Pokemon In Horgwart

"It will be the Manticores who win all the rounds... I am even shocked that you guys think otherwise," Fred shook his head at George and Lee.

"No one said they can't, but if they lose even one round in this battle and the Beast Brothers win all of theirs, they will take the trophy," Lee pointed out adamantly.

"But—"

Whatever Fred had been about to say was cut off.

"Welcome, one and all, to the last battle day of the season!" a voice suddenly boomed across the arena, drowning out the argument the three had been having about who would get the league trophy.

"All the twenty teams across ten arenas are also playing their final battle today, but the real fight is between the Flying Manticores, who will be playing here this evening..."

The commentary was cut off by a thunderous roar that made Magnus' eardrums itch.

"And... and..." The commentator seemed to have adjusted the pitch of his voice as he continued.

"The Beast Brothers, who..." Another roar of the crowd drowned out his words. The majority of the arena booed at the mention of their competitors, while a smaller section on the opposite stand cheered with surprising energy, seeing they were almost a quarter of the stadium.

Those must be the Silver Griffins fans, Magnus decided. Either that, or a part of the Beast Brothers' fans who've chosen to attend their rivals' match instead of their own.

"Alright... alright, folks..." the commentator roared, trying to calm the heated atmosphere.

"Here are the standings between the two rivals as of now."

At this, every noise died down as if a Deluminator had been activated. But instead of sucking away the light, it seemed to absorb all sound.

No one appreciated the silence more than Magnus.

"After eighteen battles each, they have both won fourteen and lost four. Thus, both the Beasts and the Manticores have forty-two points each," the commentator paused for effect.

Magnus began to understand why people were so confident in Charizard. Maybe he had been too overconfident.

If these people didn't consider type advantages, then Gyarados lost its edge, and the outcome came down to the teams' skill. And to have won fourteen battles, the Manticores must have incredible skill.

These thoughts were, however, cut off as the commentary resumed.

"Today's battle is, therefore, a must-win for both teams... all three rounds."

Even the previously roaring crowd seemed caught in the tension that followed this announcement, and Magnus knew why.

No matter how good a team was, there was always room for doubt. The stakes were incredibly high for the Manticores—they had everything to lose.

The Griffins, on the other hand, had no pressure. Losing wouldn't change much for them, but they'd definitely love to be the ones to deny their rivals the trophy.

Strike when it hurts the most.

"And now... ladies and gentlemen, let us welcome today's referee!"

There was decent clapping and some cheers as a middle-aged wizard in black-and-white striped robes zoomed into the arena on a broomstick, landing gracefully at the center.

Immediately upon landing, the referee took out his wand and pointed it into the space in front of him. He then stepped two paces to the left, repeated the action, then moved three steps to the right and did the same.

Magnus had no idea what the man was doing, as he could neither see nor hear anything. He guessed it was some kind of spell.

The commentator answered his unspoken question.

"And now that our referee has cast the shields, it's time to bring in the two teams. Wizards and witches, to the left, I give you the Silver Griffins!"

There was a roar of applause from the fans on the opposite stands as the gates on the far left opened. Two youthful wizards in silvery robes walked in, mounted their broomsticks, and kicked off the ground.

They zoomed in front of their fans, bowing and waving amidst the cheering, before gracefully descending to the left half of the ground and bowing to the referee, who bowed back.

"And to the right..." The magically magnified voice was drowned out again by the thunderous roar that erupted from the stands where Magnus and his friends sat, even before the man could finish his introduction.

Magnus faintly heard the commentator calling out "The Flying Manticores" amidst the roar.

True to their name, when the gates on the right opened, two figures in green robes shot into the stadium, crisscrossing each other on their broomsticks like a rearing dragon.

Magnus could hear Fred screaming over the noise, "That's their signature move—cool, right?"

Magnus nodded reluctantly. He hated agreeing with people who might make him sleep hungry and cold tonight, but he couldn't deny that the Manticores had style.

The duo swooped across their stands, bowing and waving amidst the cheering and applause.

They passed near where the four of them were seated, and Magnus noticed they appeared even younger than the Griffins.

"Well, charm doesn't stop a Gyarados," Magnus psyched himself up as he smirked at the duo.

After two more circles, the grinning pair joined their opponents at the center and similarly bowed to the referee and the Griffins, who bowed back.

The noise of the crowd died down again, as if everyone was holding their breath in anticipation.

Magnus noticed the tension around him. Some spectators teetered on their seats as if afraid to miss a single moment.

At the center, both teams, along with the referee, had mounted their brooms and risen off the ground.

"And now... the Pokémon!"

Whatever barriers had been holding the creatures were lifted simultaneously because what followed happened too fast.

Magnus saw two figures blitzing from opposite ends, each followed by a distinct roar.

It wasn't from the crowd.

No.

The stadium was in hushed awe mingled with anticipation.

The two creatures hit the center, but the clash Magnus expected never came. Instead, both were thrown backward by an invisible barrier, stopped by their own momentum.

It must have been the Protego spells cast earlier.

The referee had anticipated this kind of entrance.

Magnus now understood why both players and the referee had mounted their brooms before the Pokémon were released.

The invisible barrier seemed to infuriate the creatures further. Both snarled at each other from their respective ends, trying to reach each other through the shield.

The crowd, which had been held in awe, now roared to life once more.

Now that the Pokémon were less mobile, Magnus had time to observe them closely.

One thing became clear: neither Gyarados nor Charizard appeared cartoonish like in the anime.

Charizard could pass as a regular dragon, except its body wasn't orange like in the anime. The brilliant flames burning at the tip of its swooshing tail, however, were unmistakable.

Gyarados, on the other hand, remained true to its depiction. Its lithe, dark-blue segmented body, spiky crown, and fiery red eyes completed its intimidating serpentine form.

The referee pointed his wand at his throat, and his voice boomed across the arena.

"Players, please magnify your voices!"

Both players mimicked the referee's action, casting the Sonorous spell.

"Good move," Magnus thought. This would help him follow the commands given.

"And now... in three, two, one... FIGHT!"

The last word was shouted, and the referee's wand moved lightning-fast. When it fell, Magnus knew the protective barrier between the two Pokémon had been broken