Magical Magic Creature Spotlight: Dragon: Swedish Short-Snout

[sweettalkeress.livejournal.com]

 Race #9

Swedish Short-Snout

This is the other dragon found in GOF. It’s yet another pretty dragon, being blue, but this dragon appears more dangerous since it produces blue flame- blue flame is very, very hot, and even the text acknowledges that it can turn bone into ash in seconds (now think about the fact that Cedric got burned by this flame- and that most of Harry’s friends treated it as a joke). This dragon’s skin is especially valuable for making protective items, and the dragon itself has killed fewer people overall than most other dragons- but that’s largely because it chooses to live in areas situated very far from humans.

Comments

[charlottehywd.livejournal.com]

Poor Cedric! That's pretty jerkish, even for Gryffindors.

[lynn-waterfall.livejournal.com]

With a flame that hot, you could be burned just by being *near* the flame. The Gryffindors are still jerks, but I don't think we have to conclude that Cedric had a hand burned off, or anything along those lines.

[charlottehywd.livejournal.com]

When I think about it, doesn't it seem odd that Cedric didn't get a hand burnt off or something? I mean, like all the other wizards, I'm guessing that he was wearing long, flammable robes. Of course, if he did get badly burnt, I wonder if it would have made anybody reconsider the wisdom of putting a bunch of teenagers in such deadly situations. I'm surprised that they (or their parents) didn't have to sign some sort of release form to participate.
Of course, having this happen to poor Cedric would just add insult to injury, I think.

[lynn-waterfall.livejournal.com]

Well, the *robes* wouldn't burn any hotter than usual, even if they were set on fire by a hotter flame. That might be why he got burned, but it wouldn't make the burn any worse than if his robes had been set on fire by a different kind of dragon.

[charlottehywd.livejournal.com]

True, though it still seems like a good way to catch on fire. ;-)

[nx74defiant.livejournal.com]

"it chooses to live in areas situated very far from humans."

Can we add - it is a very smart dragon.

[oryx_leucoryx]

It's the Ravenclaw dragon - which explains the color.

[sweettalkeress.livejournal.com]

Now I'm wondering if Rowling didn't deliberately set up the four dragons to appear that way- Chinese Fireball- Gryffindor; Welsh Green- Hufflepuff; Swedish Short-Snout- Ravenclaw; Hungarian Horntail- Slytherin