Regarding how to handle the Chinese Fireball, Regulus Black communicated with Minister Fudge of the Ministry of Magic. This fire dragon became the sole exception among all the dragons brought here.
Every evening, Regulus Black would bring a cow and hand it over to the Chinese Fireball to roast.
During the day, the Chinese Fireball would wander freely through the Forbidden Forest. Within a week before the tournament began, most of the forest creatures had become friends with her.
Centaurs fond of divination, elves who taught magical runes, unicorns, and even Acromantulas—each of them befriended the Chinese Fireball.
"Can't afford to provoke her! Can't afford to avoid her either!"
That was the most common sentiment among the forest creatures. However, not all of them shared this view.
"I didn't expect that in the distant East, prophecy, philosophy, and astrology would differ from ours so much. Yet, even with such differences, we still arrive at similar conclusions. That's quite a fascinating phenomenon."
Centaurs like Faelon held high praise for the Chinese Fireball. He even believed that the Ministry of Magic's act of escorting her here was an offense to such a noble lifeform—an insult that he could not tolerate. He intended to file a complaint against the Ministry officials involved.
For such a straightforward centaur, Regulus Black had no choice but to stop him.
"Listen to me, friend! Maybe things aren't how you think. While the escort personnel may have had a poor attitude, they didn't harm the Chinese Fireball. On the contrary, being brought here without effort to participate in the tournament—without having to fly all the way herself—the minor restrictions during the trip were acceptable."
The Chinese Fireball, standing beside them, clearly agreed with Regulus. Her tail thudded rhythmically against the ground in approval.
But this statement clashed with the centaur's ideals. After all, it was the centaurs who had historically trained the legendary Spartans through watered-down methods.
Yes, that's right—the famed 300 Spartan warriors, rugged and disciplined, were trained by centaurs using simplified training regimes.
"Listen, my friend. Your attitude is wrong. Life is about movement. Only those who keep moving are truly alive. Only by burning oneself can one understand the essence of life..."
Centaurs like Faelon launched into sermons with no regard for their audience. Regulus Black rolled his eyes and walked away, while the Chinese Fireball simply lay down to sleep. She half-squinted her eyes to give the illusion that she was listening.
In the end, Regulus Black's original goal was still achieved—Centaurs like Faelon had successfully put the Chinese Fireball to sleep.
To celebrate the Triwizard Tournament, Hogwarts held a Yule Ball—or rather, the ball was a required component of the Goblet of Fire.
The six champions would open the event with a dance, and all students in fifth year and above were allowed to attend. Younger students could only attend if they were invited.
However, due to the Valentine's Day disaster Regulus Black orchestrated during the second year, its aftershocks were still being felt throughout Hogwarts. The entire student body had now split into two major factions: the Black Harem and the Theban Legion, while those couples who had narrowly escaped the chaos of that fateful Valentine's still trembled in fear between the two.
Inviting a girl to the ball had become mandatory. Even members of the Theban Legion had to invite a female date to participate.
So, since Regulus Black couldn't possibly accompany his entire harem, Zhang Qiu ended up going with Cedric, Hermione with Krum, Ginny asked Harry Potter, and Fleur finally invited one of the other champions from the German school—the large, forgettable one. Regulus Black, meanwhile, invited Gabrielle to the ball.
Unsurprisingly, given her one-quarter Veela bloodline, Gabrielle was already somewhat familiar with Regulus Black due to their previous encounters. When he invited her, she accepted without hesitation.
Naturally, a formal ball required appropriate attire. For the boys, that meant dress robes; for the girls, flowing ballgowns. These were the basics—jewelry and accessories were even more essential.
Regulus Black had already prepared everything for his harem. Owls flew in and out busily, delivering these gifts into their hands.
The ball proceeded as scheduled. Six champions, dressed in formal attire, entered the dance floor with their partners. As the music began, the six pairs spun like six vividly colored blossoms.
"Gabrielle dances beautifully. You must have learned to dance in France! I truly envy the boys from your school," said Regulus Black.
His words made the little girl blush deeply. She had never formally learned to dance! Dancing was a gift of the Veela. Gabrielle Delacour and her sister Fleur Delacour had both mastered it naturally—their bodies instinctively moved with the music. No one had ever needed to teach them.
However, dancing with Regulus Black felt different to Gabrielle. A powerful emotion—clearly love—was welling up inside her.
This left the still-young Gabrielle flustered and panicked. She knew that once the ball ended, she would fall in love with this man.
Veela are exceptionally clear about their feelings. Unlike humans, who often choose partners for practical reasons, Veela follow their hearts, seeking only those who truly stir their emotions. Though they are inherently seductive and capable of deceiving others, there is still a distinction between instinct and true intention.
When they encounter true love, Veela give their all—regardless of the risk of betrayal, abandonment, or heartbreak. They never regret it.
There have been many instances in history where Veela were treated poorly by humans. Yet no matter how painful the outcome, some Veela simply cannot go against their hearts, falling for those they shouldn't. In this light, the fault really does seem to lie with the other party.
Then again, compared to those who are deceived or seduced by Veela, it seems less tragic. After all, more people have lost everything or even taken their own lives after falling for a Veela's tricks.
The Delacour family, however, was fortunate. They not only won the true love of a Veela, but also inherited her bloodline. Even the wand cores of the two granddaughters' wands were made from their grandmother's hair—that is, Veela hair.
Gabrielle felt herself falling—Regulus Black was simply perfect.
He was tall, handsome, powerful, and always surrounded by admiring girls. Rumor had it he was the most popular teaching assistant at Hogwarts, more admired than many of the professors. Even the boys who had suffered at his hands acknowledged his capabilities.
That night during the Goblet of Fire ceremony, a single quiet command from him silenced the entire hall. When the Goblet spun out of control, it was Regulus who sealed it completely—something the three headmasters had failed to do. Now the Goblet remained in the Great Hall, a sealed sculpture.
He had handled the dragons effortlessly, understanding each species' habits in great detail. Even the three types of Dragon-Sleeping Charms were no mystery to him—a remarkable feat. In the end, he had even managed to communicate with the Chinese Fireball, allowing the champions to enjoy the rare delicacy of flame-grilled dragon cuisine.
Tomorrow's task would involve the dragons again—terrifying! Gabrielle was so weak, she might die.
There was something she needed to say—something that couldn't wait, or she might never get another chance.
"Gabrielle! You danced wonderfully! But the music has ended," Regulus Black said, stopping mid-step. He brought the dazed little girl back to the moment, gently kissed the back of her hand, then handed her over to her older sister, Fleur.
Seeing Gabrielle's flushed face, Fleur was stunned. She had heard many stories from their grandmother about the nature of Veela, and she recognized the signs. Gabrielle hadn't merely been blessed—she was giving true love. She had found someone she was genuinely ready to fall for.
Turning away, Regulus Black went to greet the other girls—Hermione, Cho Chang, Ginny—all key members of his harem. For the next dance, he invited Pansy Parkinson.
Naturally, none of the harem members would be excluded. Regulus Black tried his best to treat everyone equally.
Fleur Delacour stood there, watching silently. It surprised her that Gabrielle had fallen for Mr. Black.
"Sister! If only the last dance had lasted a little longer, I could've told him how I felt," Gabrielle said, gazing lovingly at Regulus. She knew she would need to find another opportunity to express her heart—and no one would be able to stop her.
"Then let's go express our feelings together! It would be a pity to miss out on a man like that."
At some point, Fleur's cheeks had also turned bright red with affection. The two sisters had fallen for the same man.
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