Chapter 255: The Changed Triwizard Tournament
Dumbledore, Karkaroff, and Madame Maxime all fell silent.
What Ethan had just said, though not in line with the Triwizard Tournament's rules, was indeed fair.
All three schools had three Champions chosen.
As for the culprit, according to what Ethan had just said, it was indeed the red-haired kid who had just run out.
Bullshit!
Only a fool would believe that. But Karkaroff and Madame Maxime couldn't say anything now; the outcome was already set.
Why offend a future top Wizard in the Wizarding World? It was perfectly fine to play dumb and shift the blame onto that red-haired kid.
Anyway, that red-haired kid didn't look like he would amount to anything, and even if Weasley was a pure-blood noble surname in Great Britain, did that matter?
"Dumbledore, what do you intend to do with that red-haired kid? Everything that has happened is because of him."
"If he were from our Durmstrang, he would have been expelled by now and sent home."
"Indeed, Dumbledore, you must give us an explanation."
Hearing the two Principals' successive attacks, Dumbledore was not unaware of what they were thinking.
Ultimately, Hogwarts had made a mistake, and regardless of its severity, an explanation was due. Ron indeed bore undeniable responsibility.
Furthermore, with the other two Principals having already defined the situation, even he couldn't do anything.
"Don't worry, I will deal with him properly."
When Harry heard this, he didn't feel there was a problem; it seemed that it really was Ron's fault.
Professor McGonagall, the only one who wanted to say something, couldn't due to her position; saying anything might make the situation even worse.
"Alright, now that things are clear, it's time to give our Champions some guidance, isn't it?"
"Barty, you tell them?"
Ludo, seeing that the matter was settled, immediately rubbed his hands together and said with a smile to everyone in the room.
"Hmm, alright!"
Barty Crouch stepped forward two paces, coming before the young Wizards.
"The first task is to test your daring, so we are not going to tell you what it is. Daring to face the unknown is an important quality for a Wizard... very important..."
"The first task will take place on November 24th, to be completed in front of your fellow students and the panel of judges."
"In completing the task, Champions must not ask for or accept any help from their teachers. The only weapon a Champion will have when facing the first challenge is their wand."
"Only after the first task is over will they learn about the second task. Because the competition is very demanding and long, Champions will not take their end-of-year exams."
After speaking, Barty Crouch turned to Dumbledore.
"I think that's all, Albus?"
"Yes."
Watching the two who had determined the Triwizard Tournament's tasks with just a few words, Karkaroff and Madam Maxime did not agree.
After being chosen by the goblet of fire, there was indeed a magical contract to participate in the Triwizard Tournament.
But it was never said that the Triwizard Tournament's tasks couldn't be changed!
Moreover, the main purpose of these tasks was to fit the theme, and no specific competition rules were determined.
As long as the competition hadn't started, everything could still be changed.
"Viktor, Field, Richardson, you three go out first."
Karkaroff immediately said to his students.
Now was the best opportunity to make changes to the competition.
There were five judges in total. After today, the next time they would gather would be on the day of the official competition. Ludo and Barty Crouch, as heads of departments at the Ministry of Magic, couldn't stay at Hogwarts indefinitely.
Incidentally, Karkaroff also gave Madam Maxime a look, signaling her to follow.
Although both were competitors, at this moment, they could only cooperate; otherwise, it would be nearly impossible to change projects that had already been set.
After receiving a nod from Karkaroff, Madam Maxime, who already had some ideas, immediately followed suit.
"Fleur, Hilda, Hether, you three go out first."
Upon hearing Madam Maxime, Fleur and the other two bowed and immediately followed behind the three Durmstrang students.
At Beauxbatons, rules were quite strict, completely unlike the indulgence and freedom found at Hogwarts.
As Karkaroff and Madam Maxime began to clear the room, Dumbledore could not remain indifferent.
"Ethan, Harry, I suggest you two go back to sleep."
"I believe the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff students are waiting to celebrate with you. It would be wrong to take away their excuse for a good commotion."
Seeing this, Ethan and Harry could only leave together, with Professor McGonagall and Snape following closely behind.
The discussions among the Triwizard Tournament judges that followed were clearly something he couldn't participate in.
Walking out of the room, the Great Hall was now empty, the candle flames were very low, making the gap-toothed grins of the pumpkin lanterns flicker unsteadily and appear eerie and strange.
Harry, with something on his mind, could no longer bear it.
"Ethan, was what you just said true?"
"He's back again?"
To be honest, Harry wasn't particularly scared, but he just felt like he wasn't ready.
Anyway, in his first year, Harry had learned that he was protected by his mother's magic, and Lord Voldemortcouldn't harm him.
But similarly, he couldn't seem to kill Lord Voldemorteither, and he couldn't avenge his parents at all.
Over the past few years, he had been quite lax and had not found a way to deal with Lord Voldemort at all.
If only he had more time, then he would be prepared…
"I'm not sure, this is just a possibility!"
"To use Confundo on the goblet of fire, it still requires some skill. Among students, I'm probably the only one who can do it, but for Professors, they can do it easily."
"Now, if they involve you, they must want something. The only valuable thing you have right now is probably your life. They're likely planning to use the dangers of the Triwizard Tournament to murder you. I can't think of any other possibility."
"Dumbledore probably knows something. The ghosts and portraits in this school are all his eyes and ears. He couldn't possibly not know who touched the goblet of fire."
"Or maybe Dumbledore did it. Isn't he trying to train you to fight Lord Voldemort?"
"This is also a very good opportunity."
Ethan casually stated his conjectures. Anyway, even if Dumbledore didn't guess some things before the goblet of fire's results were out.
But now, he must have known why Harry was chosen by the goblet of fire.
Otherwise, he would have lived for over a hundred years in vain.
If he couldn't even figure this out, how could he have Lord Voldemort so thoroughly outmaneuvered?
He could even control everything after his death.
So, everything could be blamed on Dumbledore.
"Hmm, I understand. I'll talk to Sirius. Thank you!"
Harry also thought Ethan's words made sense.
Being dragged into this for no reason must mean ill intentions.
After all, even if he participated, he wouldn't win the championship. In such a situation, why would they want him to participate? Besides making him lose face, it might even cost him his life.
He thought back to his first year, when Lord Voldemortpossessed Quirrell and then fake Quirrell.
Now, he might very well be back, right here in Hogwarts, but he didn't know who he was possessing.
The teachers and students of Beauxbatons?
Or the teachers and students of Durmstrang?
As for Moody, Harry didn't suspect him, mainly because Moody's track record was a bit fierce; he had caught most of the criminals in Azkaban and was a retired Auror.
Such a person could never collude with Lord Voldemort.
Watching Harry walk towards Gryffindor Tower, deep in thought, Ethan glanced at the shadow behind him.
There, a large bat had been following behind everyone, even using a Disillusionment Charm.
It had heard Ethan and Harry's conversation from beginning to end.
He guessed that soon, he would be kicking Dumbledore's Principal's office door again.
Walking up to Ravenclaw Tower and entering the common room, it was just as Dumbledore had said.
The Ravenclaw common room was quite lively at the moment; they were celebrating Ethan becoming a Triwizard Tournament Champion in their own way.
As for Ron and Harry, who also became Champions, they were completely ignored; these two were just there to make up the numbers.
The glory belonged to Hogwarts, to Ravenclaw.
...
Unlike the lively atmosphere in Ravenclaw, the room where Ethan and the others had just exited was now quite dull and oppressive.
"Dumbledore, what do you think of my proposal?"
Karkaroff looked at Dumbledore with a serious expression.
He and Madam Maxime knew the theme of the Triwizard Tournament, but they didn't know the specific tasks.
This was mainly to prevent cheating, as Principals telling their students the tasks in advance so they could prepare for better results had happened in the past.
Some Principals even went to great lengths to inquire about the specific tasks to give their students a greater advantage.
But no matter what the task was, there was only one winner.
However, now each school had three Champions participating in the Triwizard Tournament. If the rules and tasks remained the same as before,
Their three combined couldn't beat Ethan alone, even if the remaining two Hogwarts Champions were useless.
There truly was a gap even among geniuses.
But if it were changed to a team event, or if scores were based on school rather than individual performance, then the outcome might be different.
For team scores, no matter how strong Ethan was, what if he got first place?
The remaining two from Hogwarts would be dead weight. If they came in last, they would directly drag down Hogwarts's score, and no matter how high Ethan's individual score was, it would be useless.
It wasn't that Karkaroff looked down on Harry and Ron; even if Krum didn't participate, any student he brought would be better than those two.
"This task has already been determined, and we've been preparing for a long time. Some of the staff responsible for the competition are already ready, and they will arrive at Hogwarts soon."
"Isn't it too late to make changes now?"
Today was the first, and the competition was not far off.
The staff from the Romanian Dragon Sanctuary, responsible for the first task, had to bring their Dragons a week in advance. This was mainly to prevent the Dragons from getting sick, or becoming overly aggressive due to unfamiliar surroundings, and so on. They had to be given time to adapt.
Even those Dragons were carefully selected by the Romanian Dragon Sanctuary staff as suitable for the competition, so changing them would also be very troublesome.
Unlike Madam Maxime and Karkaroff, Dumbledore was fully involved in the planning of the task procedures due to providing the venue.
To change it now, wasn't that making things difficult?
Conversely, Dumbledore didn't pursue the Triwizard Tournament championship as much as Karkaroff and Madame Maxime. If they could win, that would naturally be best.
If not, it didn't matter; it would just be a workout for Harry, an eye-opener for the Hogwarts young Wizards, and a bit of excitement.
"We know time is tight, and we don't plan to completely overturn and re-arrange everything."
"Now, can you tell us the specific tasks and procedures of the Triwizard Tournament, and then we can make some changes within that framework?"
Madam Maxime also knew that there wasn't enough time to completely rearrange everything now.
But he also didn't intend to give up. Like Karkaroff, after he stated his proposal, Madam Maxime understood.
Once the individual points competition was changed to a team points competition, Hogwarts would be insignificant.
"Let me say a few words."
Barty Crouch wearily stepped forward.
"To change the Triwizard Tournament tasks, first, a contract needs to be signed to ensure that no one reveals any part of the competition. Then, time is short, so changes cannot be too drastic; only certain adjustments can be made."
More precisely, Barty Crouch, controlled by Peter, was also thinking of making some changes, which might even benefit himself.
Mainly, Ethan's involvement had a significant impact on him.
Especially the last task, which was the most crucial part of the plan. If Ethan was dragged into it, everything would be ruined.
So, now that someone wanted to make adjustments, it couldn't be better.
Hearing Barty Crouch say this, Karkaroff and Madam Maxime exchanged glances.
They had indeed planned to tell their school's three Champions the tasks after learning them, so they could prepare in advance.
But now, while they couldn't cheat in advance, it wasn't unacceptable either.
At least the possibility of Hogwarts winning could be ruled out in advance.
Everything was back to square one. What could be better than that?
Chapter 256: wand Testing
On Sunday, when Ethan arrived at the Great Hall, he was warmly welcomed by the young Wizards.
In contrast to Ethan, Ron earned the nickname 'Snot-Rag,' even though by the time Ron ran out that day, the Wizards in the Great Hall had already started to leave.
But his appearance at the time was still seen by a few young Wizards, and then he became famous.
Harry was also not having a good time, receiving cold treatment from students outside of Gryffindor.
Although Harry kept explaining that he hadn't signed up for the Triwizard Tournament, few people believed him.
But this had nothing to do with Ethan. Early in the morning, after breakfast, Ethan took Fleur and Gabrielleto Hogsmeade.
They traveled on the Thunderbird family. Since they arrived in the Forbidden Forest, Ethan no longer used the tunnel to Hogsmeade unless absolutely necessary.
By Monday, when classes officially began.
The students from Durmstrang and Beauxbatons also attended classes with the Hogwarts young Wizards. Of course, they attended seventh-year classes, not with Ethan.
In Great Britain, Hogwarts seventh-year students needed to pass the N.E.W.T. exams, and these scores directly affected their employment prospects after graduation.
In France and Northern Europe, there were also corresponding exams, which were equivalent to graduation assessments.
Therefore, these young Wizards who came to Hogwartswith their respective Principals could not fall behind in their studies; all required assignments had to be completed.
Although the textbooks and courses differed slightly between the two sides, they could only make do.
At first, everyone was curious about the students from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang, especially Fleur and Krum.
But after attending classes together for a few days, everyone got used to it, and Hogwarts returned to its usual calm.
However, Fleur mentioned that the Defense Against the Dark Arts Class and Care of Magical Creatures at Hogwarts really opened her eyes.
Compared to Beauxbatons, the Professors here at Hogwarts were truly daring.
Friday, Potion Class.
As usual, this Potion Class was two consecutive periods.
Before class, Draco and Ron had a conflict, which Snapehappened to see.
The result was obvious: Gryffindor lost fifty points.
Ron naturally protested loudly and indignantly, but Snapededucted another fifty points from Ron for talking back to a Professor.
These Gryffindor young Wizards looked at Ron as if he were an enemy.
Undoubtedly, Gryffindor's house points were still at the bottom, and their hourglass was almost empty.
On Monday, Dumbledore had just deducted fifty points and sentenced him to detention with Filch every evening.
Now, after only a few days, he had cost Gryffindoranother hundred points. They understood now: with Ronaround, Gryffindor could forget about winning the House Cup.
The class began with Gryffindor looking gloomy and Slytherin looking triumphant.
The lesson for this class was a general antidote.
The difficulty isn't high, but the scope of its effect is quite broad.
However, Ethan had already learned this Potion long ago and had brewed it many times himself.
Yet, the class had barely begun when a knock sounded at the classroom door.
Before Snape could even allow anyone in, Colin Creeveysqueezed into the classroom sideways.
After flashing a smile at Harry, he walked towards Snape's lectern at the front of the classroom.
"What is it?"
Frowning at the young Wizard who had interrupted his class, Snape asked impatiently.
Snape had already decided that if there was no legitimate reason, he would deduct all of Gryffindor's house points today.
For so many years, no young Wizard had dared to barge into his classroom like this.
"Excuse me, Professor, I need to take Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Ethan Adrien upstairs."
Facing Snape's gaze, which seemed to drip from his hooked nose, the smile vanished from Colin Creevey's eager face.
His usual fear of Snape once again seized his heart.
Snape, however, refused without hesitation.
"Potter still has an hour of Potion Class."
"He can go upstairs after class."
Colin Creevey's face flushed crimson, and he said somewhat uncomfortably:
"Professor… Professor, Mr. Bagman wants him to go, all the champions have to go, I think they're going for a photo…"
Colin Creevey had taken on this task himself, and it included his idol, so he naturally didn't want to fail.
"Very well, very well, Potter, leave your things here. I want you to come back later and test your antidote."
Snape had mentioned at the beginning of class that he would choose someone to test the antidote he had prepared.
If it were another school year, this opportunity naturally wouldn't fall to Harry; it would be Ron or Neville.
But this year, although Snape still seemed to target both of them, his affection had returned to Harry.
Although he hadn't specified who would be the test subject, everyone knew who the final choice would be.
As for the other two, Ethan didn't really want to bother with them now. Ron had already lost a hundred points for him, and the goal for this class had been more than achieved.
"Excuse me, Professor, he must take his things, all the champions."
Colin Creevey looked nervously at Snape; at this moment, if it were any other Professor, he wouldn't feel such immense pressure.
Ultimately, due to Colin Creevey's persistence, Snape still allowed Ethan and the others to leave.
This concerned the Triwizard Tournament, so even Snapehad no reason to stop Harry, the champion, from going.
Otherwise, no matter the reason, Harry would have been the test subject today.
However, the moment Harry and Ron stepped out, Neville shivered involuntarily, sensing that something big was about to happen to him.
Led by Colin Creevey, the group soon arrived at a classroom door.
Pushing the door open, they entered a smaller classroom. Most of the desks had been pushed to the back of the room, leaving a large open space in the middle.
However, three desks were lined up side-by-side in front of the blackboard, covered with a long velvet cloth.
Behind the velvet-covered desks were five chairs. On one of them sat Ludo Bagman, talking to a Witch in a magenta robe. This person was undoubtedly an old acquaintance of Ethan's – Rita Skeeter.
After the Quidditch World Cup, Ethan had even invited her to do an exclusive interview.
Besides the two of them, the Durmstrang and Beauxbatons champions had also arrived.
Viktor Krum, as usual, had a gloomy face and stood in a corner, not speaking to anyone, while his two classmates were excitedly discussing something.
Clearly, Krum was still annoyed that the honor of his identity as a Durmstrang champion had been divided among his two classmates.
Ethan had noticed this when the two Durmstrangstudents first entered the cabin.
He hadn't expected Krum to still be bothered by it now.
Fleur and two other Beauxbatons girls stood on the other side. Opposite them, a portly man held a large, slightly smoking black camera, continuously taking photos of the group.
Electrical devices were not allowed inside Hogwarts, but after cameras were invented by Muggles, Wizards also modified them, and they were now quite common in the Wizarding World.
Ethan, however, couldn't understand why cameras hadn't been listed in the "Prohibition of Improper Use of MuggleArtefacts" registry.
Many items of a similar nature to cameras were prohibited by the Ministry of Magic. Arthur often had to sneak around when researching Muggle items.
Seeing Ethan and the others arrive, Ludo immediately stood up enthusiastically and invited them in:
"Hogwarts champions, come in quickly! There's nothing to worry about, it's just a wand inspection. The other judges will arrive shortly."
"wand inspection?"
Harry looked at Ludo with some unease.
"We must check that your wands are fully functional and in good condition, as wands are your most important equipment in the upcoming tasks."
Bagman began to explain to them.
If a wand had issues, accidents would certainly occur.
Furthermore, it was possible that a Wizard might later dispute their performance, claiming that a faulty wandprevented them from doing their best. These were phenomena that had occurred in the past.
Therefore, the procedures for subsequent competitions had become increasingly numerous, precisely to prevent such situations.
"Oh, by the way, the expert is upstairs with Dumbledore. Then there are a few photos to take. This is Rita Skeeter; she's writing a little article for The Daily Prophet about the Tournament…"
Casually, Ludo also introduced the Witch in the magenta robe beside him to Ethan and the others.
To this day, Ludo still didn't know that Rita Skeeter was his colleague.
However, Rita Skeeter didn't quite agree with Ludo's introduction.
"Perhaps not so 'little,' Ludo."
Especially about her writing "little articles."
Rita Skeeter had been thriving in recent years, becoming The Daily Prophet's star reporter. Every article she wrote was given ample space.
As usual, her hair was styled into elaborate, stiff, and bizarre curls that looked particularly awkward with her large-chinned face. She still wore her jeweled glasses, and her thick fingers clutched a crocodile-skin handbag, her nails two inches long and painted bright red.
In front of outsiders, Rita Skeeter, according to custom, could not appear too familiar with Ethan; their relationship was merely a few interviews.
Immediately, Rita Skeeter asked Ludo, though her eyes remained fixed on the three young Wizards in front of her.
"Before we begin, may I have a few words with them?"
"You know, the three Hogwarts champions are all rather young. This is also to add some color to the article."
"You can, but only if they agree."
Ludo dared not make decisions for Ethan.
"Uh!"
Harry blinked blankly. An interview?
"You agree! Excellent!"
Seizing the opportunity, Rita Skeeter didn't wait for Harryand Ron to react, and immediately took them to the small broom cupboard nearby.
As for Ethan, she selectively skipped over him.
Although the reports about Ethan would eventually occupy a considerable amount of space.
With nothing to do, Ethan went over to Fleur's side.
It was just her turn to be photographed. Fleur kept tossing her head, making her long silver hair shimmer with dazzling brilliance.
Following behind Fleur, Ethan also took two photos, which would later appear in the newspaper.
After doing this, Ethan pulled Fleur to a corner to chat.
As for the other two Beauxbatons girls, Fleur didn't have a good relationship with them either, so Ethan didn't need to care about their feelings.
Not long after, Dumbledore pushed the door open, accompanied by Mr. Ollivander, as well as Karkaroff, Madam Maxime, and Barty Crouch.
"Harry and Ron, have they not arrived yet?"
Upon entering, Dumbledore scanned the room and noticed that two people were missing.
Dumbledore was aware of the Hogwarts schedule; they should be in Potion Class right now.
Ethan was here, but the two of them weren't. Had Snapenot let them go?
"They're inside, Rita Skeeter is doing an exclusive interview with them."
Ludo pointed to the small broom cupboard.
Dumbledore's mouth twitched. He knew Rita Skeeter's interviewing style.
She could twist white into black, and even he found it a bit much, let alone Harry.
He immediately walked over there.
The other judges, meanwhile, went to sit at the velvet-covered table.
Soon, led by Dumbledore, a dejected Harry and Ron were brought out.
Unlike them, Rita Skeeter had a satisfied smile on her face.
Clearly, this exclusive interview had been very fruitful for her.
After Dumbledore sat down at the judges' table, he said to the champions:
"Allow me to introduce Mr. Ollivander. He will be examining your wands to ensure they are in good condition before the Tournament…"
Although the Hogwarts Wizards all knew him, there were still students from other schools, so a brief introduction was necessary.
First up was Fleur.
Mr. Ollivander took Fleur's wand and, like a conductor's baton, made it spin between his slender fingers. The wand emitted many pink and gold sparks.
Then he brought the wand closer to his eyes, examining it carefully.
"Excellent, nine and a half inches… very springy… made of maple… containing… Oh, dear me…"
Facing Mr. Ollivander's fuss, Fleur said generously:
"It contains a Veela hair. It's my grandmother's hair."
Fleur had no intention of hiding her part-Veela heritage. Anyway, everyone at Beauxbatons knew, and it would be easily discovered with a little inquiry.
After carefully checking for nicks and scratches, Mr. Ollivander tested its casting fluidity. Once confirmed to be in order, he returned it to Fleur.
Subsequently, he examined the wands of the other two Beauxbatons girls and the Durmstrang students.
All the wands were fine. Normal Wizards were very careful with their wands; barring accidents, it was likely to be a lifelong companion.
Soon, it was the turn of the Hogwarts champions.
"Yew wood, Thestral tail hair, fifteen inches. It possesses considerable power; it is my proudest work."
Taking the wand from Ethan's hand, Mr. Ollivander gently stroked it.
This was a creation he had poured a great deal of effort into.
Given Ethan's current performance, his choice to present this wand back then was indeed correct.
Moreover, this wand was very well-maintained, indicating that Ethan also cherished it greatly.
"In excellent condition. Do you maintain it regularly?"
"Of course. Every summer vacation, I go to your shop to buy the maintenance kit."
It must be said that the maintenance kit was more expensive than the wand itself, though this was the price after the wand had been subsidized.
Hearing Ethan say this, Mr. Ollivander grinned, clearly pleased that Ethan was giving him face.
He then cast a Fire Charm, confirmed its condition, and handed it back to Ethan.
After Harry and Ron's wands were inspected, the group began to take a group photo.
However, a small problem arose during this process.
No matter where Madam Maxime stood, she blocked everyone else, and the room was too small for the photographer to stand far enough back to get her in the shot. Finally, she had to sit down, with everyone else standing around her.
Chapter 257: Nine Dragons
The Saturday before the Triwizard Tournament began was Hogsmeade Day for Hogwarts.
Similar to the previous school year, students in their third year and above could visit Hogsmeade after obtaining their guardian's signature.
Only this year, Beauxbatons and Durmstrang students also went together.
After the start of the school year, Hogsmeade had seen many Diagon Alley merchants join, and Ethan had already taken Fleur and the others to explore it once.
So he wasn't as excited about this trip and, as usual, took Cassandra and others for a date and shopping here.
However, at The Three Broomsticks, Hagrid told him to come to his place at midnight.
Ethan, who had read the original work, naturally knew what this was about; Hagrid was going to leak the test questions in advance.
Although it wasn't the exact questions, he would know who he had to face.
Ludo had already revealed the original task, which, like in the original work, was to snatch the golden egg guarded by a Dragon. These were all mother Dragons that had just laid eggs and were in their incubation period.
However, the day after the champions were selected, Ludo told Ethan that the task had been slightly altered, but he couldn't disclose the specifics, as a magic contract had been made at Moody's request.
Therefore, Ethan wasn't entirely sure what the specific task was.
However, Ethan didn't pay too much attention to these things.
After all, no matter what the task was, it held no pressure for Ethan, let alone one Dragon.
Even if the alteration meant bringing all the Dragons from Romania, a single display of Ethan's might would be enough to make them obediently hand over their eggs.
It was just Hagrid's kind intention, which Ethan found hard to refuse.
At night, approaching midnight, Ethan transformed into a shadow by the Ravenclaw Tower window and vanished from his spot.
He used Shadow Stealth directly, moving along the outer wall of Ravenclaw Tower, which led directly to the Forbidden Forest.
It was much more convenient whether he went directly to the Forbidden Forest or to Hagrid's place.
Passing by the brightly lit Beauxbatons carriage, as he arrived at the entrance of Hagrid's hut, Ethan just happened to see Harry knocking on the door, of course, this was Harry wearing his Invisibility Cloak.
For Ethan, the Invisibility Cloak had no effect whatsoever.
He didn't know why it was considered one of the Deathly Hallows; not only could powerful Wizards see through it directly, but Wizards with good intuition could also sense something, and even Moody's magical eye could penetrate it. It truly lacked any prestige.
Without exposing Harry, Ethan directly turned into a shadow and only dispelled it when he was next to Harry.
Harry, sensing someone beside him, visibly stiffened.
When he saw it was Ethan, he finally let out a sigh of relief and removed his Invisibility Cloak.
As for Ron, Ethan didn't see him.
It seemed that after Harry and Ron fell out, Hagrid hadn't had much contact with Ron either. He just didn't know if Hagrid was aware of what Ron had done.
"Ethan, Hagrid called you too?"
Even now, Harry still didn't know why Hagrid had called him and thought he had something to say to him.
"Yes, I met Hagrid at The Three Broomsticks, and he told me to come."
"Then do you know what he wants?"
Harry truly couldn't guess why Hagrid would call him at midnight.
Couldn't whatever he wanted to say be said during the day?
"It should be related to the Triwizard Tournament!"
"Hagrid, as the Professor of Care of Magical Creatures at Hogwarts, probably knows something, which is why he called us over in the middle of the night."
Just as Ethan and Harry were discussing at the door, Hagrid also came out of the hut.
After looking left and right to confirm there were no issues, he said to the two of them:
"Come in!"
Ethan remembered that Hagrid took Harry to the Dragonbreeding site in the original work, so this part was gone?
"I already know the first task, it's Dragons."
"On Tuesday, the staff from the Romania Dragon Reserve brought them over, and Charlie was among them. I'm responsible for feeding them, which is how I know this."
"You can't tell anyone when you go back!"
Hagrid cautiously instructed Ethan and Harry.
He wasn't too worried about Ethan; dealing with Dragons was definitely not a problem, after all, whether it was his Norbert or Ethan's own Onyxia, they were much more powerful than the Dragons that had arrived.
As long as Ethan paid attention in advance, he would definitely get a good score.
It was Harry that was more concerning.
Hagrid, who had raised Dragons, knew how much destruction adult Dragons could cause, which most XXXX-rated Animals couldn't compare to.
Sometimes, when Norbert threw a tantrum, he couldn't do anything about it.
Not to mention Harry, a young Wizard, facing Dragons that were incubating eggs, which made them even more aggressive.
"Dragons?"
Ethan didn't react much, but Harry's eyes widened instantly.
During this time, as the Triwizard Tournament drew closer, Harry became increasingly afraid, especially after Sirius specifically collected information and introduced him to previous Triwizard Tournaments.
This made him think every day about what he would face.
Harry always felt like it was a terrifying behemoth, looming in front of him, blocking his path.
His heart had never been as nervous and anxious as it was now.
Even during Quidditch matches, when he was about to play against the Slytherin team, it wasn't like this.
Not to mention Lord Voldemort, who might be hiding somewhere in the shadows.
Now, knowing he had to face Dragons, it directly sank Harry's heart to the bottom.
He and Ron used to visit Norbert, whom Hagrid raised, quite often. It was cute when it was young, but when it was three months old, he couldn't beat it anymore.
Later, after Norbert became an adult, he had seen it twice. With that size, Harry really didn't know what magic he had that could affect it.
On the contrary, if the other party breathed fire, he would probably be gone.
Ethan glanced at Harry and saw him trembling all over.
This shouldn't be!
In the original work, Harry didn't seem to be this scared.
After a moment's thought, Ethan understood why.
In the original work, Harry faced Cerberus in his first year, and he faced it here too.
In his second year, he saw Acromantulas and directly confronted a Basilisk. Although with the help of a Phoenix, he still killed the Basilisk.
A Basilisk is a XXXXX-rated creature, no less formidable than a Dragon.
In his third year, he was first scared unconscious by Dementors, but later he was able to overcome his fear and use the Patronus Charm to repel a large number of Dementors.
But here, it seems he only faced Cerberus, and he was the one being chased, and he hadn't overcome his fear of Dementors.
Now, suddenly knowing he had to fight Dragons, it would be strange if he wasn't scared.
"Dragons, there are nine of them!"
Hagrid confirmed again, also revealing another piece of information.
"Nine?"
Harry was completely stunned; the news was getting worse and worse.
One Dragon could eat him, and now nine Dragons?
"Yes, nine. They didn't tell me the specific task, but there are nine in the camp. There are over a hundred Dragontamers and support staff who came with them."
"They are an Australian Opaleye, a Fireball Dragon, a Welsh Green, a Hebridean Black, a Hungarian Horntail, a Norwegian Ridgeback, a Peruvian Vipertooth, a Romanian Longhorn, and a Ukrainian Ironbelly. These are all mother Dragons that have just laid eggs."
"Except for the Swedish Short-Snout, there's one of each type of Dragon, and they're all mother Dragons that have just laid eggs, which is not easy. Charlie told me that three of them were specially transferred from other Dragon reserves."
When he said this, Hagrid was quite excited.
Although he had raised a Dragon and clearly felt how difficult it was to raise one, his love for Dragons remained unchanged.
Especially seeing nine different types of Dragons at once.
During this time, it could be said that when he wasn't teaching, Hagrid spent a considerable amount of time in the temporary Dragon breeding camp.
"They are all Dragons that have just laid eggs. This competition task is probably related to Dragon eggs, otherwise, they wouldn't go to such lengths to find such Dragons."
"Snatching a golden egg right under the Dragon's nose, that's probably the type of task it is."
Ethan decided to reveal some information, otherwise, Harry might really fail the first task. At this point, he was severely lacking in experience!
It's just that this seemed no different from the original work, except that four Dragons were replaced by nine.
"I don't know about that, but what Ethan said is possible. He has a lot of knowledge about Dragons, Harry, you can ask him if you don't understand anything."
Hagrid shook his head; asking him to think was still a bit too difficult for him.
"Ethan, do you know how to deal with Dragons?"
Hearing Hagrid say that, Harry immediately placed his hope on Ethan...
"My method definitely isn't suitable for you. It's basically impossible for you to reach a level where you can suppress a Dragon in such a short time."
Ethan would either directly use his might to control them or use brute force. It could be said that, besides Dumbledore, it would be very difficult for any other student or Professor at Hogwarts to achieve this.
It's easy for Professors to repel Dragons, but it's still somewhat difficult to knock down or kill these flying giants.
At any rate, more than half of the Dragon species require twenty skilled Wizards to subdue them.
Looking at the disappointed Harry, Ethan changed his tone:
"There are still clever ways. Your flying talent is good. Dragons can't catch up to the speed of a rocket. As long as you can learn Accio before the competition, you can directly summon a pre-prepared rocket in the arena. You'll naturally be able to deal with the Dragon using the speed advantage of the rocket."
"I don't know if you can complete the task objectives of the competition, but your safety is guaranteed."
"Of course, the premise is that you need to understand the characteristics of these Dragons. Each type of Dragonhas its own advantages; some are venomous, some are large and slow, some are fast, and some breathe fire far..."
"Hagrid should have books introducing these Dragons here."
Hearing Ethan's idea, Harry's eyes lit up. This was indeed possible!
Fighting a Dragon with his own strength would definitely be a losing battle, but if he rode a broomstick, then it would be no problem.
Harry was very confident in his flying skills.
It's just that the first Triwizard Tournament task was on Tuesday. In such a short time, could he master Accio?
He also had to remember the characteristics of all the Dragons in between. The time seemed a bit short.
And Ron, should he tell him about this task?
Ron letting Peter go made Harry somewhat unforgiving, but they had been friends for such a long time after all.
If Ron faced the Dragon unprepared, Harry felt Ronwould be swallowed alive by the Dragon.
Even he, if he didn't prepare beforehand, would probably have weak legs then.
Not to mention Ron's courage, and in terms of strength, Ron wasn't stronger than him. He had suffered from that Dark Arts spell before, but with preparation, he definitely wouldn't be like that.
"I'll go look. I bought books on this topic before."
Hagrid scratched his head and got up, walking towards the cabinet in the back. These books were bought quite early; he had looked through them when raising Norbert, but they hadn't been touched in years. He hoped he could find them!
Then Ethan introduced a few more small tricks for dealing with Dragons to Harry.
For example, how to hide in a Dragon's blind spot, using a powerful Flash Charm that could temporarily make the Dragon lose its sight for 5.9 seconds, though the duration was relatively short, and so on.
By the time Ethan and Harry left Hagrid's hut, it was almost one o'clock.
The Beauxbatons carriage in the distance was still brightly lit.
Harry, wrapped in his Invisibility Cloak, disappeared into the night with a book about Dragons.
Ethan, on the other hand, gazed at the Beauxbatonscarriage.
In the original work, Fleur seemed to face a Welsh Green.
This type of Dragon is small and relatively docile, usually avoiding humans and preying on sheep or similar Animals.
Fleur also successfully obtained the golden egg from it, but the specific method she used is unknown.
Now with nine Dragons, can Fleur still manage to draw such a lucky lot?
If she takes Felix Felicis, passing the task should not be an issue.
Ethan still has a lot of Felix Felicis that he hasn't used, but generally, large-scale competitions prohibit its use; although the original work didn't mention a testing process, no one knows if they will test for it.
Alchemy tools are also prohibited, as stated in the Triwizard Tournament rules, so only one wand can be brought onto the field.
Otherwise, Ethan could have equipped Fleur with a full set of gear.
After all, this is a champion's competition; what kind of sense does it make to use external power?
Otherwise, Harry wouldn't have needed to use Accio to summon his flying broom from outside the arena.
He still needs to figure out a solution.
After this school year ends and Fleur graduates from Beauxbatons, she will come to Great Britain to work, and Ethan will have to give Fleur some special training.
In the Wizarding World, strength is fundamental.
If Penelope were here instead, Ethan wouldn't have to worry about any of this.
Chapter 258: The Tournament Begins
On Tuesday, the long-awaited Triwizard Tournament was finally about to begin.
A fervent atmosphere permeated throughout Hogwarts; everyone was excited and looking forward to the first task of the day, hoping it would be spectacular.
However, the competition was scheduled for the afternoon, and classes continued as normal that morning.
After the last History of Magic Class in the morning, Ethan and the others headed to the Great Hall for lunch.
Amidst the congratulations from the surrounding Ravenclaw students, Professor McGonagall hurried over with quick steps, accompanied by Ron and Harry.
"Ethan, the champions must now go down to the arena; you must be prepared there to complete the first task."
"Alright."
Ethan said, standing up. He had eaten enough. As for preparations, there wasn't much to prepare.
"Go for it! I believe in you!"
Luna, sitting next to Ethan, clenched her fists and gave Ethan a cheering gesture.
"Don't worry!"
Ethan gave the young Wizards around him in Ravenclawa confident smile.
Then he followed Professor McGonagall, walking out with Harry and Ron.
Unlike Ethan's calm composure, Harry and Ron both had somewhat stiff faces and dark circles under their eyes, looking quite haggard.
Clearly, they hadn't rested well these past few days due to worry and fear, and it was unclear if they were prepared.
However, Ron's expression was off. Had Harry told him about the first task being Dragons?
Outdoors, the Scottish Highlands in November were still quite cold.
Harry and Ron both shivered involuntarily.
Professor McGonagall placed her hands on Ron and Harry's shoulders, comforting them:
"Alright, don't be nervous. Keep a cool head. We have some Wizards stationed nearby. If things go wrong, they will step in to control the situation. The most important thing is to fully utilize your own abilities. No one will think you are inferior to others."
In fact, Professor McGonagall was also extremely nervous; her two students were participating in the Triwizard Tournament illegally, and under circumstances where their age and strength were not up to par.
She was also quite worried about any accidental incidents. Although it was said that Wizards would be watching the scene and would intervene in emergencies, it wasn't always possible to intervene in time during a real crisis.
Just like the Duelling Tournament Lockhart organized at Hogwarts back then, Dumbledore was watching from the sidelines, and Harry still almost got killed.
These Professors and the Principal could only say that they increased the safety rate, not that it was truly foolproof.
Otherwise, there wouldn't have been so many unexpected situations in previous Triwizard Tournaments, and casualties occurred frequently, eventually leading to the Triwizard Tournament being shut down.
Saying these things now was just to reassure Harry and Ron.
Otherwise, if they went into the task this nervous, their performance would only be worse.
As for Ethan, she didn't need to worry about him.
Although all three enrolled at the same time, based on Professor McGonagall's own observations, Ron and Harry's spell-casting abilities now were still not as good as Ethan's during the first half of his first year.
Now, the three of them were simply not on the same level.
In the competition, it wasn't Ethan who should be worried, but his opponents.
"Is that true?"
"I mean, will this competition actually not have any real danger?"
But Ron truly believed Professor McGonagall's words. For such a dangerous competition, it was naturally safer to have Wizards watching from the side!
Seeing Ron look at her with a hopeful expression, Professor McGonagall also felt a bit awkward.
"With Dumbledore watching, he will minimize the danger."
She could only say that; Professor McGonagall couldn't offer any more guarantees.
Those words were originally just to reassure the two of them.
Upon hearing Professor McGonagall say this, and with Dumbledore watching over them, Ron and Harry's mood also eased considerably.
Although they were still quite worried about facing a Dragon directly, they were no longer as terrified.
Dumbledore's name was still very effective; he was the strongest Wizard in the Wizarding World, and with him present, if they truly encountered danger, he could naturally suppress the Dragon easily.
However, they both forgot that Dumbledore was also present when Ron almost killed Harry.
Seeing Ron and Harry no longer trembling and their expressions having eased somewhat, Professor McGonagall also breathed a sigh of relief.
Then she quickened her pace, bypassing the edge of the Forbidden Forest and heading towards an open space.
Arriving in front of a tent, Professor McGonagall finally turned to the three of them, her voice trembling slightly:
"The champions participating in the Triwizard Tournament will all be waiting inside here. Mr. Ludo will also come here later, and he will tell you the steps one by one. Good luck!"
After the three bid farewell to Professor McGonagall, she turned and left.
"Go in!"
Ethan said to Harry, then he was the first to pull open the outer curtain and walked inside.
Only then did he realize that the champions from Durmstrang and Beauxbatons had already arrived.
Fleur sat on a low wooden stool in the corner, her head held high and spirits high, looking full of confidence.
Her two fellow Beauxbatons champions sat tightly together, their faces very pale, looking sickly.
Viktor Krum looked even more sullen than usual, clearly also quite nervous.
As for the other two from Durmstrang, they were anxiously pacing back and forth.
According to Fleur's disclosure, on Sunday evening, they were taken to see Dragons. Although Madam Maximesaid nothing, they knew that this was the target they needed to face in the first task of the Triwizard Tournament.
Indeed, even with a contract spell, loopholes can still be found if one tries.
Although Madam Maxime could not reveal the tasks due to the contract, she could make some arrangements that were not considered violations.
Durmstrang probably did the same.
When Ethan and the two others entered, they merely glanced at them before lowering their heads again, each contemplating how to deal with the Dragons they would face later, with no mind to pay attention to others.
Ethan went directly to sit next to Fleur. This girl was full of confidence at the moment, which naturally meant she had a strong backing.
Ethan had just sat down and hadn't even exchanged two words with Fleur when the curtain was pulled open again.
This time, Ludo entered, but he was wearing his old uniform from the Wasps team.
Ethan didn't know what his intention was with this.
After entering, Ludo stood directly in the middle of the several pale-faced champions and cheerfully said:
"Alright, everyone is here now—it's time to brief you on the situation!"
"When the audience gathers later, I will pass these three pouches to each of you in turn."
As he spoke, Ludo held up three purple silk pouches and shook them at Ethan and the others.
From Ethan's perspective, he could clearly see something moving inside the pouches, indicating there was something alive in them.
This looked like it was no different from the original task.
"You will each pick out a small model of the creature you will face! They come in different types. I also have one more thing to tell you: your task is to retrieve the golden egg!"
"The final score will be based on the number of golden eggs retrieved."
"The entire competition is divided into three rounds, with a champion from a different school participating in each round. At that time, you can either cooperate or be rivals; that is your freedom."
"The specific groupings will only be determined after you have chosen the small models you will face."
After speaking, Ludo looked at the young Wizards present, ready to answer if anyone had questions.
"Mr. Ludo, I want to ask, according to what you just said, do we need to face three Dragons simultaneously?"
Krum's face became even more sullen. As for cooperating with champions from the other two schools, he hadn't even considered it.
He was a genius from Durmstrang, a world-class Quidditch star; cooperating with others would be a loss of face.
But facing three Dragons at once, could that really be done?
"There will indeed be three Dragons in the arena, but you will not be forced to face all three simultaneously; you can cooperate and take them on one by one."
Ludo replied with a smile.
When facing Dragons, it was naturally necessary to reduce some risks. If three Dragons were released without any restrictions, it was likely that everyone except Ethan would be wiped out.
This was the Triwizard Tournament, a competition, not a life-and-death challenge, so they naturally wouldn't be given impossible tasks.
"I understand!"
Krum also breathed a sigh of relief. Although it wasn't explicitly stated, there were still restrictions on the Dragons in the arena.
In that case, it wasn't impossible.
Anyway, cooperation was out of the question.
He glanced again at the still indifferent Ethan, presumably he also wouldn't be willing to cooperate!
Although his own strength was not as good as Ethan's, his prestige on the field could not be lost!
He was a Quidditch superstar, what was Ethan? Just someone with a bit more Galleons?
Seeing that the other champions also had no more questions, Ludo exited the tent.
On this competition day, he was quite busy.
Not long after, the few people inside the tent heard the sound of hundreds of thousands of feet walking past the tent, the owners of the feet excitedly talking and laughing…
Clearly, the audience was starting to gather.
Unlike the joyous laughter outside, the tent was exceptionally oppressive.
After the footsteps outside ceased, Ludo entered the tent again.
After greeting the few people, he untied one of the pouches and came over to the Beauxbatons side.
"Ladies first!"
Ludo looked at the three Beauxbatons champions, gesturing for them to reach in and choose their target.
Fleur glanced at her two pale-faced classmates, then strode forward directly to Ludo.
She directly reached her hand into the purple silk pouch.
Soon, Fleur pulled out a small, lifelike model of a Dragon—it was a Welsh Green, with the number 2 tied around its neck.
Although Ethan didn't know the specific tasks, he had told Fleur the physical characteristics of all the Dragons.
The Welsh Green, with two front legs, was the first choice if she felt it.
The long, slender one was also good; that was the Fireball Dragon.
The Peruvian Vipertooth is not large in size and has a black ridge on its back.
If you encounter these three, just choose them without hesitation.
If it were like the original story, where one chose the Dragon they were about to face, knowing the appearance of these Dragons would be a huge advantage.
Unexpectedly, he still chose the Welsh Green, just like in the original story.
These three Dragons are relatively easy to deal with; actually, the Australian Opaleye is also decent, but without experience, you really can't tell by touch alone.
As for the other Dragons, they all have their unique skills, making them not so easy to deal with.
For example, the Ukrainian Ironbelly is slow, but its fire, stamina, resistance, strength, etc., are all very high. Conversely, speed isn't that important when they are restrained and can't fly; what's the point of speed then?
On the contrary, the Peruvian Vipertooth is the smallest and fastest-flying Dragon, but if restrained and unable to fly, its biggest advantage is directly nullified.
After seeing Fleur choose the Welsh Green, the remaining two Beauxbatons girls rushed over, eager to pick, completely forgetting their earlier sisterly affection.
After knowing he had to face a Dragon, he focused on reading books about Dragon introductions, naturally aware that there were differences between Dragons, and these differences were quite significant.
Ultimately, one of them drew a Hebridean Black, and the other a Romanian Longhorn.
However, the girl who drew the Hebridean Black turned pale; this Dragon is notoriously aggressive and quite powerful.
The former was number three, and the latter was number one.
Apparently, these numbers indicated the order in which they would enter the arena.
After the Beauxbatons students had drawn, the Durmstrang champions stepped forward, but Viktor Krumunceremoniously pushed aside the two classmates who were about to go first.
Despite the anger in their eyes, the two pushed-aside champions dared not speak, and could only make way for Viktor Krum to draw first.
As expected, he drew the best one—a bright red, long, strip-shaped Dragon that looked more like a snake than a Dragon.
The number tag on it was 1.
The other two could only go up one by one and choose, picking a Norwegian Ridgeback and a Peruvian Vipertooth, respectively.
Their numbers were also two and three.
Finally, it was Hogwarts' turn.
Ron impatiently ran over as soon as Ludo opened the bag, as if afraid someone would snatch it from him.
Ethan glanced at him, and then Ron pulled out a Dragonwith remarkably long claws and a large belly.
Ron's face changed when he saw the Ukrainian Ironbellyin his hand.
Ever since Harry told him he would face a Dragon, although he hadn't found a way to deal with it, he had read some books on the subject, just to increase his chances of survival.
And after Harry looked at Ethan, Ethan motioned for him to draw first.
Anyway, Ethan didn't care what he got; as for Ron, Ethan had indeed tampered with it a bit.
And Harry still drew the Hungarian Horntail; it truly was fate.
Ethan had no choice; the last one left was the Australian Opaleye.
The order for the three was also one, two, and three.
Chapter 259: Facing the Dragon Directly
After everyone had drawn their corresponding Dragons, Ludo looked at the crowd and said, "Alright, I need to leave you for a moment because I'm going to commentate for the audience."
"Mr. Weasley, Mr. Krum, Miss Hesel Godwin, you are the first group. When you hear the whistle, walk into the arena, understood?"
The named individuals immediately nodded, indicating they understood.
After reminding them again, Ludo strode out of the tent.
Ron looked at the number one tag in his hand, clutching it even tighter. He was going to be in the first group!
And he was facing a Ukrainian Ironbelly.
He had originally hoped to see how others dealt with the Dragons so he could learn from them and increase his chances of winning.
He never expected to be the first one up.
His heart, which had slightly calmed down under Professor McGonagall's comfort, tightened up again.
At the same time, he also made a mental note against Ethan again. If it weren't for him, he wouldn't have participated in this Triwizard Tournament, and wouldn't have to face a Dragon.
Just wait, one day, he would get his revenge.
Time passed in silence, and they didn't have to wait long before a sharp whistle sounded from afar.
Viktor Krum took a deep breath, didn't even glance at the others, and was the first to push aside the curtain and walk out.
Ron and Hesel Godwin followed closely behind.
The three walked along the path to the edge of the arena, arriving at a gap.
Standing there, Ron suddenly felt the world spin. Hundreds of faces looked down at him from the stands above, including his parents, though he couldn't see where they were at the moment.
Although Ron himself hadn't written home to tell them he had been chosen as Hogwarts' champion for the Triwizard Tournament, as the process of his involvement was truly unspeakable—anyone who knew would only scorn him, unless he could win the championship.
But once he was actually chosen, Ron sobered up a bit, knowing his chances of winning the championship were slim to none, and naturally, he no longer dared to be proud of it.
At the other end of the enclosure, three Dragons stood prominently.
The Ukrainian Ironbelly, the Fireball Dragon, and the Romanian Longhorn were crouched low, guarding their clutch of golden eggs, wings half-folded, their fierce yellow eyes fixed on Harry.
Especially the Ukrainian Ironbelly; this Dragon was extraordinarily large, making the other two Dragons appear quite small in comparison.
At this moment, it was violently twisting its spiky tail, leaving several meters of pitted marks on the hard ground, looking quite formidable.
The crowd in the stands erupted in deafening cheers as they saw the champions appear.
However, at this moment, none of the three were in the mood to respond.
After the three walked into the gap, they found it was a narrow passage about twenty to thirty meters long.
Walking through it, Ron's mind raced, quickly searching for a way to break the deadlock.
"Viktor Krum, I'm your fan! I even have your signed jersey at home. Can we cooperate in this task?" Ron quickly said to Viktor Krum beside him.
Ludo had just said in the tent that cooperation was not forbidden in this competition.
Cooperation would definitely be stronger than going solo, especially with Viktor Krum. With such strength in Quidditch, his spellcasting must not be weak either.
If he could cooperate with him, it would definitely be extremely beneficial to himself.
Viktor Krum glanced at Ron, a sneer twisting his lips, then walked forward without looking back.
For the other champions, Karkaroff had already given all the 'treatment' to him.
Among them, besides Ethan, there was no one else worth his attention.
This Ron was the worst of the bunch, practically cannon fodder among cannon fodder.
He knew exactly how Ron got involved in the competition, and if it weren't for him, the situation wouldn't have deteriorated to this extent.
If he weren't a member of the national Quidditch team with this public identity, Viktor Krum wouldn't mind cooperating with them, and then, with a hidden agenda, tricking all of them out of the competition. It would be even better if he could get them fed to the Dragons.
But he had to maintain his image, so he couldn't do that.
After all, in the Wizarding World, Quidditch is considered a positive, active, and uplifting sport.
Once he left an impression of being treacherous and backstabbing teammates, his Quidditch career would likely be over.
So, from the moment he heard Ludo say they could cooperate, Viktor Krum had decided he would go solo.
After all, besides Ethan, no one else was better than him. He didn't need to perform exceptionally well; just being stronger than the people in his group would be enough, wouldn't it?
Even if he were in the same group as Ethan, he didn't believe Ethan would cooperate with him; it would just be a matter of going solo either way.
Ron naturally noticed the sneer on Viktor Krum's face and immediately fell silent.
The other party clearly looked down on him and had no interest in teaming up with him at all.
He had thought that by bringing up his fan status, he would agree.
The Viktor Krum he used to read about in the newspapers wasn't like this!
However, Ron didn't give up. He quickly jogged two steps and came before Hesel Godwin.
"Miss Godwin, can we—"
"Move aside!"
Ron, who hadn't finished speaking, was immediately stunned by Hesel Godwin's icy gaze and involuntarily stepped back.
Hesel Godwin had no desire to deal with Ron.
She didn't want to be backstabbed by Ron. Like Viktor Krum, Hesel Godwin also knew the information of all the participants.
Ron's information showed that although he was from Gryffindor, he was not trustworthy at all. He could even turn on his best friends, so who knew if he would stab her in the back?
She didn't want to face a Dragon while also having to guard against a teammate behind her.
Rather than that, it was better not to.
Anyway, with this kid around, she couldn't possibly be last in this group, could she?
Ron, pushed aside, clenched his hands tightly, his eyes flashing with resentment, but he quickly relaxed them.
Even if they looked down on him, what could he do?
At this point, Ron began to miss the diary he had obtained in his second year. If the diary were still there, he would definitely not be like this.
He might even have surpassed Ethan and truly become Hogwarts' champion, instead of his current awkward situation.
Ethan must have realized this, which is why he resorted to destroying the diary.
It also destroyed him.
Arriving at the end of the tunnel, the three found that the gate here was still closed.
The three of them didn't communicate with each other, just stood there quietly, waiting to enter.
Soon, they heard Ludo's voice from above.
"I believe everyone is very much looking forward to today's event. Now, please welcome our first group to the arena!"
"Ron Weasley from Hogwarts!"
"Viktor Krum from Durmstrang!"
"And Hesel Godwin from Beauxbatons!"
Accompanying Ludo's words was a roar of cheers from the entire stadium.
It was unclear whether it was cheers for the three champions about to enter, or cheers for the start of the competition.
Meanwhile, the gate in front of the three slowly opened, revealing an arena similar to a large coliseum.
"Viktor Krum!"
"Hesel Godwin!"
"Weasley!"
With the entry of the three champions, the atmosphere in the arena immediately reached its peak.
Even some of the younger Wizards from Gryffindor, due to the atmosphere, started cheering for Ron. After all, he was from their own house, and if there were only cheers for the other two contestants and none for their own, it would be embarrassing for them.
It should be known that this competition was not only for young Wizards to watch, but also for many families of the champions.
In addition, interested Wizards from outside could also attend, and no tickets were required; they only needed to abide by Hogwarts' rules.
As a result, a considerable number of Wizards from Europe chose to come and join the excitement, as this was a competition that was resuming after a two-hundred-year hiatus.
Here, losing face meant losing face internationally.
"Oh, the Dragons have noticed them!" Ludo shouted from the commentary stand.
As soon as the three entered the arena, they were immediately fixated upon by the Dragons.
The Dragons participating in this competition had just laid golden eggs and were in an extremely sensitive and irritable period.
Under the influence of magic, these Dragons believed that these golden eggs were their own, and they were extremely sensitive to every movement from the outside world.
When they were brought to this arena, they were already in a state of shock due to the large number of Wizardspectators Wai outside.
Now, with three Wizards approaching them, how could they possibly stay put?
Looking at the Dragons charging towards them, pulling their chains with a "whoosh" sound, Krum and the others turned pale with fear.
The deterrent power of these three Dragons was quite formidable.
Otherwise, Gringotts wouldn't have a Dragon on its lowest level as a final safeguard.
Facing the enraged Dragons, none of the three moved first.
They knew that if they acted rashly at this moment, they could very likely be targeted by all three enraged Dragons simultaneously.
Although they were bound by chains, these Dragons all possessed a means of long-range fire-breathing.
And the temperature of Dragon fire was famously high.
No one wanted to get even a tiny bit of Dragon fire on them.
Closest to the entrance fence was a Fireball Dragon, which was now staring intently at the three, white smoke puffing from its lion-like nostrils.
Suddenly, a mushroom-shaped fireball erupted from the Fireball Dragon's nostrils, flying directly towards the three.
Unlike the single stream of flame expelled by other Dragons, the Fireball Dragon was famous precisely because it could shoot fireballs from its nose.
The range of this fireball also far exceeded that of other Dragon fire.
However, it lacked the sustained nature of other Dragonfire and couldn't change direction after being expelled.
Facing the sudden rampage of the Fireball Dragon, Krumwas the first to react.
After casting two spells on himself, he took off running to the right.
Although he knew Protego, he didn't believe he could block this Dragon fire.
Hesel Godwin and Ron followed closely, also without any intention of blocking it.
It was fortunate that the Dragons were relatively far from this spot, and typical Dragon breaths couldn't reach them, which gave them a little time to dodge.
The three, having narrowly escaped, were all somewhat pale; this Dragon was more troublesome than expected.
It wouldn't be easy to get the golden egg under their protection, especially since only one Dragon had attacked so far. If all three Dragons attacked at once, then…
"Let's cooperate!"
"Otherwise, none of us will get the golden egg."
Krum was the first to break the silence.
If he only faced one Dragon, he was confident he could get the golden egg.
He would use Transfiguration to distract the Dragonwhile looking for an opportunity to get the golden egg.
Seizing the right moment and finding an opportunity was his strength; he only needed the opponent to show one flaw.
But facing three Dragons all staring at him, how could he find an opportunity?
"How do we cooperate?"
"And how can I trust you two?"
Hesel Godwin also realized that, relying solely on her own strength, obtaining the golden egg would indeed be a bit difficult.
But if they cooperated, she didn't trust them.
Ron remained silent, even feeling a bit smug.
They hadn't agreed when he suggested cooperation just now, but now they were obediently cooperating.
"We split up, each dealing with their own Dragon. If you get the golden egg from the Dragon you're guarding, then you can think about trying to get someone else's."
"If we continue like this, none of us will succeed."
Krum had no real intention of cooperating; he just hoped these two could contain the other two Dragons.
After a moment of thought, Hesel Godwin nodded in agreement:
"Okay, I think that's a good idea."
Then both of their gazes turned to Ron.
"I… I disagree!"
What kind of cooperation was this? And according to Krum, he would have to face the Ukrainian Ironbelly.
Could he fight that?
Although he had indeed drawn this Dragon, Ron didn't want to face it.
With that size, it could probably swallow him in one bite.
"You have no choice. Look at the audience outside, and those reporters with cameras; your parents and family must be among them, right?"
"If you don't act, what will they think?"
"And you know what your reputation at Hogwarts is like. Think carefully: do we act separately, or do you hide in a corner like a coward by yourself?"
Krum looked at Ron with disdain, speaking mercilessly.
Once here, unless you no longer wanted to be in the Wizarding World, there was no turning back.
Someone like Ron would definitely have that as a black mark for life.
Failing after trying your best and being completely paralyzed by fear are two different concepts, especially in this competition, which actually represents the honor of your respective country.
"I was there at the time, and you said that if you could be a candidate, you would definitely be Hogwarts' Champion. Is this how a Champion acts?"
Hesel Godwin also twisted the knife.
Without Ron's participation, although it meant one less person at the bottom of the list,
the danger for the two of them acting alone would increase significantly.
The best outcome was still to drag him into it.