That evening, Link went to Snape's office under the excuse of needing to ask questions about Slytherin's Pharmacopeia.
He successfully managed to pester Snape into giving him some more of his secret potion brews, restocking the weapon belt that had already run dry.
When he left, he just so happened to bump into the mermaid princess, who was preparing to leave Hogwarts.
"Greetings, Prince of the Night."
The mermaid princess was the first to speak, her tone flowing like song.
It was only then that Link got his first proper look at the princess in full.
Sure enough, her lower body was a fish's tail.
But unlike common mermaids, her tail wasn't covered in slime or filth. Instead, it was golden, and under the light at the tip of Link's wand it shimmered brightly, truly beautiful.
She also seemed to have some control over water, since at the tip of her tail there was always a bubbling spring swirling, carrying her forward.
A tail straight out of a fantasy, paired with a strikingly unforgettable upper body, it was a sight pleasing to the eyes.
Only, the look Link gave her was very strange.
Because this mermaid princess was struggling to carry that giant glass tank that Link knew all too well.
'So Dumbledore really doesn't have any shame, huh?'
Link sighed inwardly, then noticed how she had just addressed him. He asked, puzzled, "Greetings to you too, Princess. But why do you call me 'Prince of the Night'?"
"Oh, that's a legend among our people. You can think of it as our habit, any noble person appearing at night, we call them 'Prince of the Night'."
"Is that so?"
Link muttered doubtfully. Even without Legilimency he could tell she wasn't being honest with him.
He was about to keep asking when she spoke first,
"Prince, I'm very grateful you waited here for me. But this tank of phoenix tears gifted to us by Mr. Dumbledore, I absolutely can't give them back to you!"
Hearing this, Link's gaze shifted again to the tank of tears.
His face immediately twisted.
He had just spotted a small clump of brownish-yellow fibrous residue floating inside. He didn't even want to imagine which part of Yoyo it had come from.
"May I be so bold as to ask, what do you intend to do with those phoenix tears?" Link asked, after pulling himself together.
"Drink them, of course!" the princess replied without hesitation. "I've heard phoenix tears have beautifying effects!"
At that, Link turned to stone on the spot. He really couldn't imagine the scene of her drinking Yoyo's bathwater.
But as an outstanding student of Hogwarts, naturally he wouldn't go out of his way to ruin his Headmaster's grand con. After a pause, he said in deep admiration,
"Truly a heroine of great courage… might I have the honor of knowing your name?"
She blinked at him blankly.
But she seemed to guess he was praising her, and after realizing it, she happily waved and said, "Oh! You'll make me shy if you say that. As for my name, of course I can tell you! But I'll only say it once, and you must remember it, okay?"
"Of course!"
"Then here I go!" She drew a deep breath, gathering strength, and then rattled off at lightning speed, "&*%@…"
Link, "?"
Link was stunned.
She had just rattled off nearly a hundred syllables in mermaid language, at incredible speed. Link couldn't even make out a single word, much less remember it.
Seeing his face, the mermaid princess covered her mouth and laughed like a child whose prank had succeeded.
Her movement sent ripples through the tank she was hugging, stirring up large clumps of sediment from the bottom.
"I was just joking with you! My name can't really be spoken in human language," she explained when Link's face turned grim. "But you can call me Jenny! That's my human name. Nice, right?"
Link didn't reply. He only stared at her with an odd expression.
He honestly didn't know how to react. In the end, he just gave a half-hearted nod.
"I knew I had talent for naming! Anyway, it's late, I won't keep you. Goodbye!"
Princess Jenny waved cheerfully, then happily left Hogwarts.
Link scratched his head, watching her go.
Somehow, she seemed… a little silly.
———
The next afternoon, Dumbledore, with his usual frightening efficiency, immediately announced a full lockdown of Hogwarts, banning students and outsiders from coming or going.
Not only that, his determination this time was so strong that he even marked off wide restricted zones within the school itself, areas strictly forbidden for students to enter.
At first, the students were extremely displeased with this decision. After all, it meant they couldn't go to Hogsmeade anymore.
Especially George and Fred.
The twins' smuggling business, running contraband like booze into the castle, was completely ruined.
They had been hoping to save up enough money before graduation to open a prank shop on Diagon Alley. They even planned to organize the students to protest against Dumbledore.
Of course, in the end, their plan never came to pass.
Because once everyone realized that those restricted zones were being used to build the arena for the third Triwizard Tournament task, all complaints instantly vanished, replaced with excitement.
To support Link, or rather, for Hogwarts' honor, everyone changed their tune and firmly backed Dumbledore's decision.
That collective excitement reached its peak in early June, when Bagman, on behalf of the Triwizard Committee, announced the task details to the champions and explained the spectator arrangements.
"…Learning from the lessons of the Black Lake task, we've made many improvements for this round. Aside from safety measures, the most important is enhancing the spectators' experience!"
"For this task we've rented over a hundred alchemical hummingbirds and wolffish cameras from the International Alchemist Association through the Ministry of Magic."
"These marvels of alchemy will follow each champion and stream live images into Hogwarts' viewing areas, ensuring the best possible experience for everyone!"
As Bagman's booming voice echoed through the hall, every student erupted in cheers.
In the earlier task, they hadn't seen a thing.
This time, with the third task promising to be even grander, they absolutely didn't want to miss out.
The announcement sent them wild.
Hufflepuffs even swarmed around Link, singing the Hogwarts school song.
John hugged Link tightly and shouted, "This is awesome, Link! Now we can finally watch you crush those losers and win the championship with our own eyes!"
His words were shamelessly arrogant, but none of the Hogwarts students nearby objected. Many even cheered in agreement.
In their eyes, the third task was just a formality, Link was already the rightful champion.
Even putting aside his terrifying strength, his perfect scores in the first two tasks had already secured him the crown.
Emily clearly thought the same.
She nestled happily at Link's side, enjoying everyone's congratulations, her face glowing with joy.
Link, however, could only give a bitter smile.
Of everyone present, only a handful, himself included, knew the true situation of the third task.
Chances were, he'd still have a very tough battle ahead.
Cedric seemed to take Link's smile as discomfort with the crowd. He stepped forward to help, saying, "Alright, don't get too carried away. Even if the outcome seems certain, it's still too early to celebrate."
He even gestured toward the corner where the Durmstrang and Beauxbatons students sat silently, looking like castrated roosters in sharp contrast to the hall's lively center.
"Who cares about them?" John shot back immediately.
"This is Hogwarts, it's our turf! As long as we're happy, that's all that matters. What can they do, flip the sky upside down? Right, guys?"
His words drew another wave of loud agreement.
Cedric frowned. "Don't celebrate too soon! Tomorrow is the O.W.L.s. Have you even studied?"
"Uh…"
John was instantly silenced.
And not just him, many of the fifth and seventh years nearby suddenly lost their smiles.
After repeated 'study talks' from their professors, even the laziest students now understood the importance of the O.W.L.s.
Compared to the massive weight of their future, Hogwarts' glory at the Tournament didn't seem like much.
Seeing this, Link chimed in, "Everyone, hurry back to the dorms and study a bit more. Even if it doesn't help much now, a last-minute cram is better than nothing."
"Link's right, let's all go. And the other years, don't make a fuss tomorrow. Normally, fine, but at least let the candidates study in peace," Cedric added.
With both Link and Cedric persuading them, the crowd finally began to scatter. Cedric himself also excused himself to revise for the N.E.W.T.s, but not before shooting Link a knowing smile as he left.
Link understood, the guy was deliberately leaving him alone, not wanting to play third wheel. He smiled back gratefully, then turned to Emily.
"Let's head back. No more books tonight, just rest early. What you need most for tomorrow's exams is energy."
Emily tilted her head up at him.
"But you just told everyone else that cramming helps, even at the last minute."
"That's true for them. But for us, actually knowing the material is what matters. Exams are just a formality to keep our parents happy."
Link said it righteously, not the least bit ashamed of his double standard.
And in fact, with Legilimency he could sense Emily's nervousness.
He thought she was still shaken by his and Cedric's words about exams.
But this time, he was wrong.
Emily shook her head gently.
"I know. I've never really cared about the O.W.L.s."
She paused, then furrowed her brows. "Link, in just over a month we'll be engaged. I'm worried…"
"There's nothing to worry about!" Link interrupted firmly, finally understanding what she meant. "It's just an engagement. I've even got the ring ready."
To emphasize his words, he tightly squeezed her hand.
Emily squeezed back, managing a faint smile. "Then… Link, will you take a walk with me?"
"Of course!"
Link didn't hesitate. He took her hand and led her out of the hall.
Hogwarts had no shortage of places to stroll now. In the restricted zones, large facilities had been built for the third task, especially at the Forbidden Forest starting point, it was spectacular, and perfect for exploring.
For Emily's sake, Link ignored the curfews and showed her around everywhere. After dark, he even took her up to the new observatory tower, funded by the Flamel family, to enjoy the view.
Originally, he thought the early summer stars would soothe her heart, girls usually loved that sort of thing.
But Link's grades in Astronomy and Divination were terrible. He couldn't even forecast the weather.
So when they reached the tower, what greeted them wasn't starry skies, but thick, suffocating clouds.
"Uh… maybe we should go somewhere else?" Link suggested awkwardly, ready to leave.
He figured this gloomy setting wouldn't help Emily at all, might even make her engagement fears worse.
But Emily shook her head. She buried her face in his chest and whispered, "I like it here."
"Then we'll stay." Link softened. He stroked her hair gently.
"Link, I have a bad feeling," Emily murmured again. "Promise me, no matter what, you'll stay safe and marry me?"
His heart trembled. Emily's love was so quiet yet fierce, like a blindfolded goddess of love still finding her way straight into his soul.
He was silent for a while, then answered with utmost seriousness, "Yes. I promise you."
"That's wonderful."
For the first time that evening, Emily's voice carried a trace of laughter.
Link tilted his head back, looking once more at the heavy, oppressive sky.
For the first time in his life, he thought, this view wasn't so bad after all.
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