After the task was complete, the teachers and students complimented Aaric and Fleur on how effortlessly they had made the challenge seem and how much meticulous preparation that must have required.
That evening, during dinner, Aaric and the other champions arranged a celebration feast in the Great Hall with Dumbledore's permission.
With the headmaster's jovial attitude, the teachers had to turn a blind eye to the butterbeer being served in the Great Hall.
However, the party stopped prematurely when it was discovered that some Durmstrang students had snuck in vodka during the celebrations.
As they were being led out of the Great Hall by their respective heads of houses, Draco signaled to Aaric that they needed to talk and received a nod in return.
Later that night, Draco heard a knock on his door and sighed before getting up and opening it to find Aaric standing there with a grin.
"We could have talked tomorrow instead of you standing in front of my room at this hour," Draco said with exasperation.
"Oh no, I love sneaking around Hogwarts, so I don't mind," Aaric replied with a wave of his hand as he entered Draco's room.
"One of these days you're going to tell me how you do that," Draco muttered and gestured for Aaric to sit at his study table while he settled on his bed.
"He is getting his army ready," Draco said, taking a deep breath before continuing.
"He told me he has a grand plan for the day of the third task," Draco added, looking at Aaric with worry.
"Well, I'll have my army ready on that day as well then," Aaric said with a shrug and swirled his silver flame between his fingers.
Draco observed Aaric for a long moment and shook his head. Whenever he witnessed how confidently Aaric acted, he sometimes thought that Voldemort was playing right into Aaric's hands.
"I think my flame is different. More than just a flame. It feels like my magic is more potent now," Draco mentioned with a thoughtful expression.
"Hmm. Well, that's for you to figure out. My advice would be not to limit yourself," Aaric said with a hum and a nod of his head.
He then patted Draco's shoulder and exited the room with a smile on his face, leaving behind a less worried and more relaxed Draco inspecting the golden-red flame swirling in his palm.
The next morning, breakfast was interrupted by the sound of a spoon clanging against a glass that reverberated through the Great Hall.
The students looked toward the teachers' table to see Dumbledore rising to make an announcement.
"It pleases me to see you all in harmony with each other as different cultures and traditions mingle in the halls of this school," Dumbledore said with a jovial smile, spreading his arms toward the students.
He was particularly happy that even the Slytherin side had mellowed out and were making genuine efforts to mingle with the other students, especially with the Alchemy Sect disciples after witnessing how powerful they could be.
"There are a couple of new changes to Hogwarts that I am pleased to announce," Dumbledore said calmly and leaned forward on the podium.
"First, your Care of Magical Creatures professor will now be adding a salamander sanctuary on our grounds. This will allow students who may be interested in flame arts to bond with these beautiful creatures," he said, glancing at some salamanders eating peacefully near a few disciples.
The students cheered and clapped at the news, most enthusiastically the Gryffindor and Slytherin students who had shown keen interest in bonding with the creatures.
"Second, and this announcement is for the students who will be graduating this year. We have created a mastery program in collaboration with the Alchemy Sect of China that will allow you to pursue more advanced potioneering in China. The finer details will be provided to you during classes," Dumbledore said and returned to his seat with a smile.
A louder cheer rang out from the student tables at the prospect, mostly the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs.
Many students had previously given up on pursuing the art of potion-making because of Snape being a dick.
Now they had the opportunity to follow that interest at the leading alchemy and potioneering school in the world.
"I know what I'll be looking forward to after graduation," Alice Marwood said to Fleur with a giggle; she had clapped the loudest when she heard the second announcement.
Later that day, the students learned that after graduation there would be an optional test for those interested in studying at the Alchemy Sect.
The test would consist mostly of interviews to determine whether they would be able to adapt to learning in a foreign country and culture.
What Dumbledore had not announced was that disciples of the sect also had the option to pursue a mastery course in Transfiguration at Hogwarts after their graduation.
"There is not much time until we go to the next world," Aaric told the girls later that evening as they tended to the dragon on Nightshade Island.
The dragon had grown exponentially in the nearly two months since hatching, and even the environment near his lair in the cave had begun to change because of his presence.
The already magic-filled lands of the island now held even more abundant, purer magic, along with some new magical species that had appeared.
"Well, I will tell my parents and my sizzter about ze new developments in my life zen... and we will be viziting regularly, right?" Fleur said with a finger on her chin.
"Yes, it won't be a problem to visit whenever we want," Aaric said with a shrug.
He, Luna, and Daphne had opted for early graduation as well, so school was no longer an issue for them.
"Well, I think you will have to wait for us there, little guy," Aaric told the dragon, knowing the island would be sent a thousand years into the past, taking the dragon with it.
The dragon sniffed and laid his head on Aaric's lap as Aaric started to scratch his chin.
"I'll spoil you as much as you want until then," Aaric said with a chuckle, earning a contented snort from the dragon.
Luna sat in front of Aaric, pampering the dragon as well, while Fleur and Daphne leaned on Aaric's shoulders as they enjoyed their date.
Aaric leaned in and kissed the tops of Fleur's and Daphne's heads, drawing warm smiles from them as they held him tighter.
"How is mother-in-law adjusting to life?" Aaric asked Luna with a smile.
"For now, she stays mostly in the house with Dad. She is a demi-goddess now, so she is getting used to that power as well," Luna answered with a giggle; she loved it when Aaric called her mother, mother-in-law.
A/n: Give me your thought on the chapter and reviews on the fic.
And.. you got any power stones? Well, hand em over then..