Harry didn't want to let him finish it, so he launched a Whiz-bang straight at Krum, who didn't even flinch. Instead, he raised an armoured hand to shield his face and continued chanting, letting the flames strike him directly. I wish I could get myself some high-quality armour like that, thought Harry. Krum finished his incantation and a huge wave of magic burst from his staff, moving out in every direction. It cleared the mud behind Krum and pushed Harry back like a strong banishing charm. His shield-charmed robes absorbed most of the magic, stopping Harry from getting knocked off the arena completely. Krum was rather surprised that Harry's ordinary-looking robes actually served as armour, but smirked and began a second incantation.
Since one Whiz-bang wasn't enough, Harry decided to try four at once. Holding two in each hand and pulling the strings with his teeth, he launched all four at Krum. The four sparkling fireballs merged into one as they approached Krum, forcing an interruption to the incantation. Krum released all the energy he had been channelling into the staff with a quick tap, which helped dispel some of the flames, while he huddled low and again let his armour take the brunt of the attack. He came out of it red-faced and breathing hard, but otherwise unscathed. It seemed like Harry was nearing the limit of Krum's armour.
Krum quickly switched tactics as he watched Harry pull another set of contraptions from his belts. He began another, different incantation. Harry felt a small tug and accidentally dropped one of the Whiz-bangs he was holding, which slid towards Krum. Pieces of parchment form the judges table, bits of loose pebbles and other bits of rubbish from all around began sliding towards Krum. The random debris rose up above him and gathered into a ball that hovered above the staff. Harry felt the pull get stronger and stronger as he struggled to stop himself from sliding towards Krum as well. A few of his Beasties and an immolation vial slipped out of their belts ended up in the ball of debris. That, apparently was what Krum was waiting for, as he suddenly whirled his staff around, throwing the big ball of junk at Harry.
Harry only just managed to dodge out of the way, but as the mass crashed into the ground, the immolation vial and beasties within were triggered, causing the entire pile to light up on fire and then explode. Harry was struck from behind by flying chunks of burning debris, knocking him flat on his face. Okay, that hurt. I hope I'm not bleeding... too badly, he thought. He rose to his feet woozily, seeing spots. Krum grinned, gathering another ball of junk with the odd, sustained-summoning spell. Harry couldn't help but stumble towards Krum a bit as a few more of his trinkets came loose from his belt. He managed to catch one Whiz-bang in his hand and got an idea. Well, Krum, if you want these that badly... he pulled the emergency release on all his belts, deliberately throwing them all towards the gathering pile. Krum saw what Harry was doing and immediately twirled his staff again, throwing the ball back at Harry.
Harry, however, used the one last Whiz-bang in his and ignited it immediately after releasing his belts. The junk-ball and the fireball met somewhere in the middle of the arena, immediately triggering about six exploding potions, four immolation vials, twelve Bursting Beasties, another eight Whiz-Bangs and various other powders and potions. Harry shielded ducked low and shielded his face, but the resulting explosion still blasted him across the arena, where he skidded off the edge of the platform and fell onto the grass. Well, at least I went out with a bang this time, he thought as he blacked out.
Harry woke up on a bed and saw a few blurry shapes hovering over him. "Ugh. How did I do?" he asked. He was surprised when it wasn't Hermione's voice answering him.
"They haven't announced the scores yet. You'll be up on stage in a few minutes," a mediwitch answered.
Back on stage? How long are they waiting for me? Harry blinked a few times and got a better look at the witch. "How long was I out?"
"About half an hour. The judges decided it would be improper to announce the scores with two of the champions missing and decided to delay the ceremony," the witch explained.
Two? Harry, surprised, looked around and saw Krum, still in his armour but with a few scratches on his face, lying on the bed next to him.
The Bulgarian was already awake, and seeing that Harry had woken as well, grinned at him. "Mr. Potter. I haff not had such a fight for some time. You verr much different here than vand-duel."
Harry was surprised that Krum was being friendly. The last time he had lost against Fleur, he seemed very bitter, along with the Trial of Water. Harry was pretty sure he hadn't beaten Krum, but he suspected it would probably come out as a tie if both of them were laying here in the healer's tent. "Uh... thanks. I was just running on instinct today. I don't know why I threw all my belts at you, it just felt like the only thing I could do. During the wand-duels I was trying to... match your skill."
"Is that why you verr using such veak distractions? You verr following some plan?" he asked curiously.
"Yeah... Hermione figured the only way I could beat you was to keep you on the defensive and maybe sneak a Confundus somewhere in there," Harry explained.
"Not good strategy. I haff basic occlumency, I always use it in duels. Convundus vould do nothing, you vould need something stronger, like Cogero, Mandatus, or Imperio. Today you are stronger fighter. You are like... cornered animal. Beasts do not vaste time vith strategy. That is why they can be more dangerous than man."
Harry did feel like a cornered animal today. Then again, he did feel like that during the wand duels as well, but he suppressed the feelings while trying out Hermione's plan. Would he have done better just winging it? "Are you saying that I shouldn't try to prepare my fights?" That almost went against everything he had been learning from Moody as well as Hermione.
"No, preparing is for before fighting. Strategy is for opponent you can out-think. For opponent who has more power and more experience, instinct is your route to victory."
Harry doubted that instinct alone would be able to let him defeat Voldemort, but Krum did have a point. If you have nothing left to rely on, fight like a wild animal. It made sense, in a... primal sort of way. "Thanks for the advice, Mr. Krum."
"You can call me Viktor." He extended his hand over and Harry shook it in response.
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