The rotten weather around Hogwarts had lingered on ever since the day the OWL exams began, and even after the exams ended it had not yet cleared up, still keeping its gloomy, oppressive, awful state.
But compared to that, the atmosphere inside Hogwarts was completely different from before.
To celebrate everyone being freed from the pressure of exams, each house had spontaneously held grand celebrations.
Among them, Hufflepuff, being the house closest to the kitchens, was the most practical, directly holding a feast in advance.
The atmosphere at that feast was so lively that when Link woke up the next morning, he could still see John and a few of the students who usually loved messing around the most, still gathered in the common room shouting and laughing.
Around them lay students sprawled all over the place, knocked out by drink, and the entire Hufflepuff common room was a complete mess.
Carefully avoiding John's outstretched foot, Link went straight out the door.
He had no time to look after these drunks. Last night, he had agreed to meet Emily in the Great Hall.
But before he could actually leave the common room, Cedric, looking haggard and worn-out, suddenly blocked his path.
"Link, the champions need to meet in the conference room next to the Great Hall."
"Hm? What's going on?"
"The champions' families have been invited to watch the competition. Dumbledore thinks you should meet them first." Cedric rubbed his temples with a pained look.
"I got wrecked last night, so I won't be going with you. Oh, right, you don't need to look for Emily either, she asked me to tell you this. She already went ahead."
After saying that, Cedric pulled out a bottle of dark green potion and gulped it down.
It was a hangover cure brewed by Madam Pomfrey, very effective at easing the pain of a hangover, but as the price, the drinker's skin would take on a sickly bluish-green tint.
Watching Cedric, already starting to change color, walk farther away, Link quickly left the common room too. Passing through the hall, he pushed open the doors to the so-called "conference room."
It was called a conference room, but in truth, after being decorated, the big chamber looked much more like a formal reception room.
At that moment, Krum was squeezed into a corner with his equally broad-shouldered parents, rapidly speaking Bulgarian. From the tone and volume, it sounded like they were arguing.
But with his skill at Legilimency, Link could tell, they were actually having a very cheerful conversation.
Sirius, being Harry's godfather, had naturally come to Hogwarts this time too.
After all this time, he had completely adjusted to life after prison and reverted to his pre-Azkaban playboy self.
Not only were his hair and beard carefully groomed, but he was also wearing a flashy, gaudy suit, strutting around like some gangster.
If an ordinary man dressed like this, he'd surely be taken for a tacky poser and might even get beaten up in the street for looking so cocky.
But on Sirius, it was different.
He carried an inborn noble aura.
And most importantly, he was handsome.
Put those two together, and Sirius wasn't a poser anymore, but a dashing, wealthy bachelor with roguish charm.
Still, Link figured this "diamond bachelor" was unlikely to ever marry.
Because his love for Harry ran too deep.
You only had to look at the way he was gazing at Harry right now, full of tender affection, to see that.
Elsewhere in the hall, Fleur was chattering away in French with her mother.
Compared to Krum's family, their rapid French sounded almost like singing.
The mischievous Gabrielle was naturally there too.
Noticing Link, she tugged on her sister's and mother's arms, turning their attention.
Then, three pairs of silver-blue eyes all fell on Link at once.
Fleur's mother, who clearly also carried Veela blood, looked especially dignified. Smiling warmly, she held Fleur and Gabrielle by the arms and greeted Link with a graceful bow, leaving Link blushing as he hastily bowed back.
Just then, Emily appeared silently at Link's side.
Naturally looping her arm through his, she gave the soft flesh at his ribs a little twist before nodding politely with him toward Fleur's family.
Fleur's smile immediately collapsed. Emily was clearly declaring her territory.
"I didn't do anything!" Link hurriedly whispered. But arguing with a woman about this sort of thing was obviously pointless.
"Whether you did or not, you know it yourself. Don't bother explaining to me, explain to Aunt Leonie later!"
As Emily spoke, Link saw Mrs. Flamel herself approaching slowly, dressed in a pure black gown with a fine veil covering her head.
"Mother, I'm so glad you came!"
Link rushed forward to greet her, carefully not mentioning his earlier exchange of looks with Fleur's family.
He wasn't stupid. From what he knew of Mrs. Flamel, if he confessed, she'd definitely join forces with Emily to scold him.
Better to change the subject directly, besides, Emily wouldn't be unreasonable enough to cling to it endlessly.
Sure enough, once Mrs. Flamel reached them, Emily dropped the matter and joined Link in chatting with her. They shared funny stories about Link's blunders at school, the OWL exams, and earlier events in the Triwizard Tournament.
Thanks to their efforts, it wasn't long before Mrs. Flamel was laughing behind her hand.
"I didn't think life at Hogwarts could be so interesting! Back when I was at Durmstrang, things were much tougher."
She reached out to touch a monster relief carved into the wall, speaking half in nostalgia, half in complaint.
"That horrible place was freezing cold, and worst of all, the professors forbade us from lighting fires at will, saying it was to 'train our willpower.'"
"Nonsense! Everyone knew they just liked watching us shiver."
"Of course, we didn't obey. If they didn't allow us to light fires openly, we lit them in secret!"
"You know how you've always asked me what magical creature I like best? Actually, my favorite is the fire-dwelling salamander!"
"Such a cute little thing, wrap it in fireproof cloth and it would stay warm for hours. We used up several of them every day back then."
"And the professors also forced us to learn all sorts of Dark magic. If it had just been the Killing Curse or Cruciatus, fine, but some spells required disgusting ingredients, like toad entrails. Absolutely revolting."
"Back then, we…"
Mrs. Flamel went on endlessly with her complaints, her expression shifting between outrage and melancholy, as though she'd been taken right back to her youth.
Link chimed in, helping her curse Durmstrang, though inside he was secretly delighted.
He'd worried about her after Old Kled had betrayed the Flamel family. But judging from her state now, she seemed to be recovering well.
"In short! Durmstrang is absolute trash!" Mrs. Flamel ended her rant with firm finality.
Link and Emily quickly echoed her.
"Hogwarts is so much better," Mrs. Flamel sighed.
"Link, why don't you show me around? I'm on the Board of Governors, but I've never really seen the castle."
Link thumped his chest.
"Then you've found the right guide! I won't boast too much, but here at Hogwarts I've got some connections."
"First we'll tour all the classrooms, then after lunch, forget the Great Hall, we'll head straight to the kitchens and have the house-elves cook for us."
"In the afternoon, we'll go to the Hufflepuff common room so you can see my dorm and classmates."
"That's not enough!" Emily added.
"We have to see the other houses' common rooms too! Especially Slytherin! Aunt Leonie, let me tell you, the Slytherin common room is built entirely under the Black Lake, with glass walls! The view is incredible!"
"Yes, yes, how careless of me!" Link said.
"My dear mother is a Governor of Hogwarts, she can go anywhere she likes! Even Slytherin's Chamber of Secrets, I can take you there!"
Mrs. Flamel smiled happily. Though their playful bickering was a little exaggerated, she enjoyed it, and more importantly, she was truly drawn in by their 'sightseeing plan.'
The three of them immediately agreed to set off.
But just then, Fleur's familiar voice suddenly rang out.
"Hey Link, since you know Hogwarts so well, why don't you take us along too?"
The three froze and turned. Fleur and Gabrielle were looking eager, while their mother looked embarrassed, patting Fleur's head while apologizing in French.
'If I'm not embarrassed, then it's someone else who'll be embarrassed!' Link grumbled inwardly.
He was honestly embarrassed now. Unlike Fleur, he couldn't just shamelessly invite himself. He racked his brain for a polite excuse to refuse.
Emily, though, wasn't so restrained. Her face darkened instantly. Gripping Link's wrist, she snapped, "No way!"
Fleur raised an eyebrow. "Why not?"
"You think you have the right to come with us?"
"Of course we do! Gabrielle and I are Link's friends. We even stayed at the Flamel estate last summer! I'm not familiar enough with Hogwarts, so what's wrong with asking Link to show me and my mother around?"
Her eyes narrowing, Fleur's tone went cold. "Or is it that you don't think we're qualified, because you're prejudiced against our Veela blood?"
At her words, the entire room fell silent.
Sirius, Krum, and his family all perked up, ready to watch the drama.
Everyone knew that while purebloods still held power, blood prejudice was a very sensitive issue, at least on the surface.
Fleur had just dropped a massive accusation, leaving Emily too furious to speak.
Seeing this, Fleur's lips curled upward. At last, she'd gotten the upper hand over Emily.
She had long since noticed, though the Flamels were pureblood supremacists in name, in reality both Link and Mrs. Flamel were friendly toward Muggle-borns and even to a Veela half-blood like her. No trace of prejudice.
That was one of the reasons Fleur had feelings for Link.
After all, it was rare to find a boy both excellent and free of blood prejudice.
That was why she dared challenge Emily now, because she knew this accusation would work on the Flamels.
If she tried it on the Malfoys, it would mean nothing. But with the Flamels, it was deadly.
She was certain Emily would have to back down and deny it, or risk souring things with Link.
From the looks of it, Fleur's plan was working.
But she overlooked one thing, Link's affection for her wasn't nearly strong enough for him to overlook this situation.
"Shut up! Don't throw false accusations at us!" Link barked coldly. "Your mother is your responsibility. We're leaving!"
With that, he pulled Emily and Mrs. Flamel out of the room.
Right now, anything more said would only make things worse. Leaving was the best option.
Still, Emily was clearly not over it. After walking only a short distance, she excused herself to "fix her makeup" and returned to the Slytherin common room alone.
Watching her retreat with such icy fury that the air itself seemed to freeze, Link scratched his head helplessly.
He figured Fleur was in for big trouble.
"Now it's just the two of us. We should have a proper talk."
Mrs. Flamel, unfazed by the quarrel, gently clasped Link's hands in hers and asked in a low voice, "Are you certain you want to go against the Dark Lord, and that the first stage of your plan starts tonight?"
"Of course." Link's smile faded as he whispered back.
"The arrow's already on the string, it has to be loosed. But don't worry, I've already pulled Dumbledore and old Barty into this. The plan will be a success!"
Mrs. Flamel ignored his reassurance. Instead, she drew a hollow dragon-tooth pendant from her robes and hung it around Link's neck.
"Mother has also found you some outside help. This charm is a portable Portkey anchor point. If you're ever in danger, they'll be able to Apparate straight to you instantly."
Link rubbed the pendant thoughtfully.
"These allies you speak of, are they strong?"
Mrs. Flamel chuckled softly, amused.
"Heh, they're all battle-hardened veterans! Once they form up, their strength easily surpasses Snape's."
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