Chapter 423 Daphne Turns Into a Little Fox, Published by Liuguangjing
After that day, everyone's disdain for Castrobushe disappeared, and they even thought Thiago would be a strong favorite to win the championship.
Remembering Isabella's description of the Druid's Polymorph ability, Thiago could transform into a brown bear today and an eagle tomorrow—how could anyone fight like that?
The sixth-grade contestants also sought the professor's help, looking for ways to counter the Druid's shapeshifting.
Tom fulfilled Daphne's wish two days later.
It also fulfilled his wish.
"Squeak!"
A snow-white little fox nestled in Tom's arms, its eyes closed contentedly, enjoying the boy's skillful caresses.
The other girls gathered around, staring wide-eyed at the little fox. Astoria reached out to touch it, but was scared away by the fox's bared teeth.
The little witch was unhappy. "Sister, can I touch it too?"
That's right, the little fox in Tom's arms is Daphne. Even a druid's shapeshifting technique wouldn't be this fast, so Daphne takes the medicine and then Tom helps her shapeshift.
It is possible to forcibly deform the human body without taking medicine, but that would be harmful to the body.
For example, in the original book, Malfoy was turned into a weasel by Barty Jr., who was disguised as Moody. It felt like his soul was locked in a dark room. Even after Professor McGonagall restored him, it still terrified Malfoy.
The others also wanted to come up and touch it, but when they saw that even their own sister wouldn't let them, they gave up the idea.
After playing for about half an hour, Daphne had had enough and signaled to Tom to turn her back.
After recovering, the girl loved the feeling and begged Tom to teach her Castellobuscher's Transfiguration technique. Other girls also signed up to try it.
Suddenly, Tom's surroundings became like a zoo, with ferrets, swans, sparrows, and British Shorthairs appearing one after another.
It wasn't until late at night that the girls, having had their fill of fun, reluctantly returned to their dorm with the copied Druid Polymorph spell. Even Luna, who was usually indifferent to everything, asked for a copy.
According to Lu390na, after transforming into an animal, she would be better able to understand the thoughts of animals, and perhaps she could find the Curved-Horned Snoring Beast.
Anyway... Tom was deeply shocked, he didn't understand but respected.
The Curved-Horned Snoring Beast was just a beautiful dream Mr. Lovegood wove for Luna—finding the Curved-Horned Snoring Beast would allow her to see her mother again. No normal person would believe such an outrageous lie.
Luna, however, believed it.
Tom didn't want to expose her. If Luna could understand, she would be at peace with it. If she didn't, having a pursuit in life was not bad.
Two days later, Venda Rozier appeared at Hogwarts with the Quidditch team selected by Durmstrang—a group of muscular, strong men.
Krum, who is 1.8 meters tall and weighs 180 pounds, looks petite among these people.
Upon seeing them, Wood's expression immediately turned serious. These guys looked even stronger than Slytherin's big men, and their hitting power was definitely not an issue. He, the goalkeeper, was in big trouble.
That same day, Wood organized a group of people to practice at the course and also decided on Harry as the finder.
Aside from a few murmurs from the Slytherin members, even Cedric himself didn't object to the decision. The two men were about the same in flying skills, but Harry was more agile and smaller, so he was often able to spot the Golden Snitch faster than Harry.
He readily congratulated Harry, then hurried back to the castle to begin preparations for the final duel.
When Ronald learned that Harry had defeated Cedric, he was even more excited than Ronald, dancing around the dormitory: "That's awesome, Harry! I knew you were the strongest! Cedric is no match for you!"
"Don't say that, Ronald." Harry, who had just returned from training, shook his head somewhat embarrassedly: "Cedric is very strong. I got the advantage with the broom. He's not as good with the fire bolts."
Ronald didn't take Harry's words to heart at all, thinking he was just being modest.
In Harry's mind, Cedric was the perfect student, the kind of person he wanted to be—academically excellent, with superb athletic ability, and incredibly popular. Every Hufflepuff considered him the pride of the house.
Unlike him, who has already helped Gryffindor lose over a hundred points this semester.
What? You're saying his target isn't Tom?
He just wanted to become a better person, not a monster...
Tom is such a freak that Hogwarts only has one in its thousand-year history.
However, Harry was also very excited to have defeated Cedric and become a regular member. He was almost asleep in bed when his 'I chat' started shaking wildly, pulling him back from his drowsy state.
Upon opening it, Harry found a long string of "warm wishes" from Malfoy. He was furious and picked up his quill to retaliate.
Taking advantage of being an orphan, Harry successfully suppressed Malfoy and then contentedly continued to drift off to sleep.
This time, I couldn't fall asleep no matter what I did, and I only managed to doze off for a short while as dawn was approaching.
"The competition is this Sunday, is everything you've been working on ready?"
Grindelwald looked at Tom, who was teaching Joan of Arc how to feed him porridge, and asked.
"Yes, it's almost ready." Tom took a sip of oatmeal before saying, "Have Rozier deliver the equipment to Berlin tonight, making sure there's one at the entrance of every Wizarding Guild, and any extras are placed in the heart of the commercial district."
"Hiss, Joan of Arc, you forgot to blow that last puff, good question."
"I'm sorry, Divine Child!"
"It's okay, just be more careful next time."
Grindelwald's lips twitched. Joan of Arc was a disgrace to the King of the Century. "She's become a little maid."
He couldn't stand it any longer, so he went to find Rozier with (ahdd) the boy's instructions.
Soon, a mirror was hung at the entrance of each of the eighteen wizarding guilds, attracting a lot of onlookers.
"Sirius, what is this?"
A middle-aged wizard with a thick beard saw Sirius Black walking out of the door and quickly pulled him aside to ask him a question.
The two met during a mission to find potion ingredients.
Since Sirius became the guild leader, he discovered that Catherine could completely solve almost any problem, so he completely let loose.
Every day he was either on his way to do missions or going to the newly opened tavern to listen to the mercenaries bragging.
The newly opened pub is in Knockdown Lane, Tom's property. It's cleaner, bigger, tastier, and more expensive than the Leaky Cauldron.
It's another amazing coincidence that both owners of the bar in Diagon Alley are Tom!
Although prices have almost doubled, wizards still enjoy going there for a drink, partly for the ambiance and better drinks, and partly to see if there are any quests that need manpower.
The team lobby belongs to [the relevant area].
"Oh, it's Marcus."
Sirius looked up and shielded his eyes with his hand; the smooth mirror reflected the sunlight, making it impossible for him to open them.
"I just received Tom's message too, and I don't understand what's going on yet. You should wait for Catherine to come out and explain."
"Towards the stars... joy..."
As the two were talking, a woman named Catherine came out, her hands clasped in front of her lower abdomen as she was familiar. After nodding to those around her, she introduced herself:
"This is our boss, Mr. Riddle's latest masterpiece—the Lume-Lens, an alchemical treasure used to watch live events and store images."
"This weekend, Hogwarts will have a Quidditch match between Hogwarts and Durmstrang, where you can experience the effect of the Mirror of Light."
"Catherine, you mean we can watch the Hogwarts matches from here?" someone asked with great interest.
Although the wizarding world has live streaming equipment, it is rarely used and can only broadcast from fixed camera angles, which is of little use for matches like Quidditch.
"Yes, Mr. Prince." Catherine quickly found the information of the person who asked the question and patiently replied, "Both sound and video can be transmitted synchronously."
Prince said happily, "Then I'll have to see it. I was Ravenclaw's goalkeeper back then, but unfortunately I only played for the team once."
Another witch joked, "Prince, you're my senior. I still remember that game vividly. It's rare to see a goalkeeper concede twenty goals in thirty minutes."
A burst of laughter erupted from the audience. Prince smiled awkwardly, not expecting that an old classmate would be there and bring up his embarrassing past.
Before long, the crowd at the entrance dispersed, and many people secretly noted down the match time, intending to come and join in the fun.
I was curious about the effect of the shimmering mirror, and it was also because I hadn't watched any school competitions in a long time, which brought back fond memories of my student days.
The same scenario is happening in guilds in other countries; people from all over the world are interested in new and exciting things.
Tom not only had to broadcast this friendly match live, but also the final match, expanding the reach of the telescope in the shortest possible time.
The 'New World Creator' task requires him to continuously update and release products that can influence the lifestyle of wizards, not necessarily to obsessively engage in 'I Talk'.
Release the Flowing Light Mirror as a standalone device first, and then integrate it into mobile devices when the industry matures in the future to achieve the same goal.
And just like that, the weekend morning arrived quickly.
A large crowd gathered at the entrance of the Wizards' Guild, and even many people who didn't know what was going on came over and waited with great interest after being explained to them by enthusiastic crowds.
Buzz!
At exactly 10 o'clock, the Mirror of Light trembled slightly, then emitted a white light, and an aerial view of the Hogwarts Quidditch pitch quickly appeared on the mirror, zooming in and rotating rapidly.
"It's like sitting in the stands!"
This view was unanimously agreed upon.
Chapter 424 the Entertainment Industry in the Magical World: The Difference Between Capital and Landlord
In yesterday's sixth-grade competition, Furong defeated a host of competitors with overwhelming strength, becoming the last contestant to enter the finals.
(I initially assumed that Furong was in fifth grade this year, but after checking the information, I found that she graduated after the Goblet of Fire. I always remembered that she graduated after fifth grade, so I made a mistake and am correcting myself here.)
It wasn't until this moment that everyone realized that this incredibly beautiful girl from Beauxbatons was actually so strong; when fighting the others, Hibiscus didn't even move an inch.
It was Krum's eerie black mist and black magic that made her wary. To be on the safe side, she retreated some distance and then lit torches all over the area.
When Grindelwald pulled him from the fire, Krum already had the potential to become a hot commodity in the triangular trade.
Even today, you can still see the scorched marks on the lawn, but Quidditch doesn't use the grass, so it had no impact on today's game.
But Krum's face remained as dark as it had been yesterday.
Before the competition, he confidently assured Grindelwald that he would win the championship to prove himself and defend Durmstrang's honor, and now look what happened.
He didn't even make it to the finals; he almost got burned to death by that woman.
Although Grindelwald said nothing, Krum could still clearly recall that cold, indifferent look, as if he were looking at a piece of trash with no value whatsoever.
Although he and Grindelwald were enemies, he found it even more unacceptable to be looked down upon by his enemy.
Today's match is his last chance to prove himself. No matter what, he must help Durmstrang win at Hogwarts.
And today's referee is not Mrs. Hooch, but Ludobagman, whom Crouch invited from the Ministry of Magic.
Bagman initially looked down on the students' petty squabbles, but when he heard that star player Krum would be playing and that the game would be broadcast live in more than ten countries, he immediately agreed.
"beep---!"
With Bagman's whistle, the game officially began, and Hogwarts got the Quaffle first, launching their first attack.
"He's quite agile for a fat man."
Watching Bagman skillfully weave between the two teams without affecting the game in the slightest, the young wizards were full of praise.
Amidst cheers, Roger Davis fooled the goalkeeper with a feint and sent the Quaffle into the far left goal.
But Durmstrang's players remained calm and continued to advance steadily. Wood's fears were proven true, as the Weasley duo worked together seamlessly as batters.
Durmstrang's batters are all about one word—powerful!
The club struck the ball, both deforming noticeably. With terrifying force, the ball hurtled towards Derian Puse, who barely managed to dodge it by ducking onto his broom. The whistling wind startled him so much that he couldn't straighten up for a long time.
A gasp of surprise came from the audience at just the right moment.
Next, Durmstrang made full use of their physical advantages, constantly looking for opportunities to collide with each other, and the score difference quickly widened.
Harry watched with growing anxiety, but he was also being suppressed by Krum, wandering around the field like a headless fly.
The psychological pressure Krum put on him was too great; he was using a lot of feints and jumping around the court.
Inside the castle, Tom, along with Dumbledore and Grindelwald, watched the game through a holographic mirror in the headmaster's office, nodding occasionally.
He wasn't watching the game, of course; he was just satisfied with the broadcast effect of the tracing lens—clear, no delay, and the angle could be adjusted at will with intelligent focus tracking.
"Professor, I'll also be live-streaming the finals next weekend. You don't mind, do you?"
Dumbledore shook his head. "You don't need to ask me about such trivial matters."
The translation is: — You won't listen to me even when I say no.
"Riddle, I need two hundred Mirrors of Light," Grindelwald suddenly said. "Many people enjoy listening to my lectures and want to know my views on the current state of the wizarding world.
I'll try to place a few in every wizarding community.
It'll be much more convenient in the future; no need to travel all the way to Berlin or Munich."
Dumbledore was exasperated. He wanted to persuade Grindelwald to be kind, but it was clear that this person wouldn't listen to him either.
"Pay up and take the goods." Tom adjusted his viewing angle without turning his head and said, "But it won't be until summer vacation at the earliest. I need to take over the British radio market first before considering expansion."
"Professor, who are the owners of Wizard's Voice and Daily Magic? Could you tell me about them?"
This was his main purpose in coming to see Dumbledore today.
The wizarding world has magical radios, which are among the few electronic products that are allowed to be modified. Almost every wizarding family has one, and they can receive quite a few programs, from normal news broadcasts to all kinds of gossip and even the queen's beauty secrets.
In the original story, 'Potter Lookout,' founded by Lee Jordan, became the only channel for obtaining real intelligence.
"Professor Flitwick will give you unexpected surprises in this regard."
Dumbledore turned his gaze away from the screen, his words full of earnest advice: "Ravenclaw's students occupy important positions in many fields, Tom. 'While you are innovating, I hope you can also take care of the feelings of others.'"
"For ordinary people, they don't ask for much. A stable job and living environment are more important than anything else. Even if your alchemy can solve many problems, I still hope you can take their feelings into consideration."
"I understand what you mean." Tom nodded. "Don't worry, I'm not a scumbag, nor am I the kind of capitalist who sucks blood."
The emergence of the glider was undoubtedly a huge blow to the traditional radio industry. There were quite a few people who depended on this industry for their livelihood. If Tom were to create a bunch of Catherines to occupy various positions, there would inevitably be a wave of layoffs.
That's why Dumbledore reminded Tom to give those people a way out.
Tom is not one of those people from his previous life. Those people were not capitalists, but landlords, because they only knew how to exploit their own people.
He was happy to share some of the profits so that most people could work and live peacefully.
Since no one is making money, how can he earn it back from them by constantly launching new products?
A sigh suddenly came from the mirror. Tom looked up and saw Krum smiling broadly, raising his right hand. The Golden Snitch, especially its weapon, was flapping its wings in his hand. Beside him was a dejected Harry. The two formed a stark contrast.
0...Requesting flowers…0
Clearly, Durmstrang won this match.
The boy pondered, "Looks like we need to add a replay function..."
That evening, Tom brought two ancient books to Professor Flitwick's office.
The short professor loved books, especially spellbooks from before the Middle Ages. Tom's gift hit the nail on the head, and upon hearing his request, he readily gave Tom the contact information of several students.
"Mr. Riddle, your ideas are truly ingenious. I think it won't be long before I'm able to see all sorts of live broadcasts in my office."
Tom corrected him, "It's not my whimsical idea, but the wisdom of Muggles. They call this a television, and it's already in most homes. It not only has live broadcasts, but also all sorts of strange and wonderful programs."
It's a pity that Hogwarts rejects all electronic products, otherwise he would have moved two televisions to the Slytherin common room long ago.
Professor Flitwick was also impressed after listening, saying, "Although there is no magic, their world seems to be more wonderful. Trains, radios, and even many desserts are all imitations of Muggles by wizards."
Tom agreed with this point. Excluding the magical element, wizards are like a group of primitive people compared to Muggles, especially those pure-blooded nobles who hold a lot of resources and don't even know how to enjoy life. All they know is endless parties.
The reason he first created the 'television' for the magical world was to develop entertainment activities and make his future life less boring.
Tom is looking forward to the day when he can see a wizard-themed soap opera.
Leaving the office, he encountered many listless students. Today's match could be described as a crushing defeat. Hogwarts was already far behind before Krum caught the Golden Snitch, and all the team members were covered in bruises after the match.
The happiest people in the castle right now, besides Durmstrang's students, are Malfoy and his gang.
Suddenly, a conversation reached Tom's ears.
"Have you heard? Malfoy from Slytherin went to the entrance of Gryffindor's lounge to mock Potter, and his two big oafs got beaten up along with him."
"I really don't know what he was thinking. Did he think Potter and the other team members were in a bad mood, so he offered himself up for them to vent on?"
Tom: "..."
He didn't understand whether Malfoy was genuinely that stupid, or whether he just became stupid whenever Harry was involved.
Or... is it really as these students speculate, that he did it to make Harry happy?
Tom suddenly felt a chill. The British situation was indeed not to be underestimated. This made him so disgusted that he didn't even want to go back to his dormitory.
Let's just go dig up graves in Azkaban.
Tom left without hesitation, sending Fleur a message telling her not to wait for him that night. He also sent Grindelwald out for a stroll to make his presence known to Dumbledore, so that he wouldn't be blamed. Then, he quietly flew out of the castle and disappeared into the night.
Chapter 425 Transformation Into a Phoenix, Old Ge, Go and Beat up Aberforth.
As a good boy, Tom shouldn't have known Azkaban's address.
But what can he do when he has a less-than-ideal dean?
When Snape intercepted Peter Pettigrew last time, he had already leaked the address of Azkaban. However, Tom had never been there before, so he could only Apparate to the island from last time and then slowly fly there.
Out of curiosity, he also tried out the Druid's shapeshifting ability.
And this time, he transformed into... a phoenix.
Transforming into a magical creature is a very difficult thing; only a master of druid transformation can do it. Isabella asked him for some basilisk flesh and blood, which is an important raw material for making potions.
However, Tom's transformation is not so complicated.
He does not need the flesh and blood of a phoenix as materials.
He is already a humanoid phoenix... with ancient bloodline.
He only needs a magic potion to protect his flesh and blood from being excessively eroded by magic and to maintain the stability of his mind.
The transformation went smoothly, and before long, a beautiful golden-red bird appeared in the night sky above Beihai.
Fox was about the size of a swan, but Tom's phoenix was already the size of two swans, with a wingspan of nearly two meters. The two also had different appearances.
Fox is entirely red, with only its tail feathers and the tips of its wings having flame-like gold patterns. But the phoenix that Tom transformed into was the opposite, mostly gold with flowing crimson feathers at the tips.
Using the sea as a mirror, Tom admired his own 'heroic' appearance and let out a satisfied crowing.
His looks are far superior to Fox's. If a big-mouthed bird from some other world saw him, it would definitely be so envious that it would awaken its Sharingan.
Tom, caught up in his playful mood, completely forgot the purpose of his trip. His flight path became erratic, and he would occasionally turn into a ball of fire [and then appear hundreds of nautical miles away].
He discovered that after transforming into a phoenix, he could no longer use magic, but he could still use the phoenix's innate abilities, such as setting fires, apparition, and simply using magic to create light cannons.
I don't know if other people have the same effect after transforming into a phoenix, but apart from him, there are hardly any other people in this world who have the chance to become a phoenix.
As long as the phoenixes are unwilling, no one can obtain their flesh and blood. They can even swallow the Death Curse and be reborn from the ashes. What other means are they afraid of?
It wasn't until late at night that Tom had had enough fun, and before he knew it, he had flown to... the vicinity of the North Pole, where he had to transform into human form and hurry back.
Inside the study space, Ariana knew that Tom was coming to dig up her father's grave today. Although she had prepared herself mentally, she still felt guilty when the time came.
So the little girl found Joan of Arc, who was doing addition and subtraction within 100.
Ariana made her request: "Joan of Arc, aren't you a saint? Please pray for me, hoping that my father can forgive my decision and appease his resentment."
Joan of Arc was delighted, thinking that Ariana had also been influenced by her and had begun to believe in the Lord. Then she began to pray to God for a wizard.
When Tom arrived at his destination and entered the learning space, he witnessed an outrageous scene.
If God truly exists, he probably wouldn't protect wizards...
He had originally intended for Ariana to watch him move the grave, but seeing her praying so earnestly and nervously alongside Joan of Arc, he quietly slipped away.
The number of Dementors had decreased sharply after Tom used the Patronus to wipe them out last semester, but after half a year of recuperation, they have gradually been replenished.
The way Dementors reproduce is also quite interesting. As long as they absorb enough negative emotions, they can create new Dementors by splitting. However, each Dementor can only split a limited number of times in its lifetime.
Whether it was mitosis or amitosis, Tom didn't have a good grasp of biology other than childbirth, and he had no interest in studying Dementors.
He simply picked up two lone Dementors, scooped them up with the Patronus's large hand, and instantly sent them into his personal little world.
Then, he used his powerful positive force to continuously grind down their bodies until both Dementors passed out.
Only then did Tom breathe a sigh of relief.
He was very careful throughout the process, afraid of making a big commotion that would attract the attention of other Dementors.
The aura of the guardian deity is almost like excrement to a Dementor; if you're not careful, they'll smell it. The reason for knocking them unconscious is to prevent the Dementor from having some kind of distress signal that the guardian deity doesn't know about.
After doing all this, he arrived at the most remote hill on the island, where the prisoners were buried after they died, with crooked signs indicating their identities in life.
"Could it be labeled wrong...?" The boy wondered to himself. What if someone else's grave was buried in Percival's? That would be troublesome.
Looking at the small hill in front of him, Tom was also intimidated.
Even if everyone here came back to life, he could send them all back in with one hand, but the atmosphere is terrifying. Back in the day, he was so scared while playing Silent Hill that he didn't dare to cook rice at night.
To bolster his spirits, Tom even pulled out his wand, which he hadn't used in ages, its powerful magic held back.
Finding Percival's grave, Tom quietly chanted a spell, causing the ground to tremble and the decaying coffin to be pushed out of the earth.
Tom took out a new coffin he had prepared beforehand, put it inside along with the old one, and then ran away from Azkaban Island at top speed, almost as if he were escaping.
He Apparated three times in succession and returned to Hogwarts.
In the following days, the disappearance of the Dementors did not cause any stir.
In fact, a Dementor went to the Ministry of Magic to complain the very next day, but the Department of Magical Creatures didn't take it seriously.
Even people can go missing, let alone animals.
Maybe Azkaban didn't have enough 'food' and ran out to find something to eat.
These are all very normal things.
It's not too late to have the Emergency Response Department investigate when we receive a report from a wizard, or when strange paranormal events occur in Muggle society.
Since no one was investigating, Tom stopped caring. He received many orders, all from people who saw the potential of the Mirror, especially from Quidditch clubs. Some even sent people to the school to negotiate with him, but he turned them all away.
If you want to talk about something, come back next week. This week, all his time belongs to Furong.
"I'm leaving the day after the match, shouldn't they spend some quality time with me?"
When the mixed-race Veela clung to his arm, her eyes red-rimmed, and pleaded in a tearful tone, Tom knew he couldn't refuse.
So these past few days, after school, Tom and Fleur practically became conjoined twins, spending even their nights in the Little World, which once again demonstrated the advantages of Snape being the dean.
As long as you don't lose points or embarrass Slytherin, he won't care what you're doing...
Even Daphne didn't make a fuss, because she knew Fleur was about to leave Hogwarts. She considered these past few days as a sign of the young lady's pity; Tom would be hers from now on.
I wonder if she would regret her decision now if she knew that Fleur would be coming to Hogwarts again next semester and might even stay longer.
"If the students at Hogwarts knew that I was giving you special training, they would definitely curse me to death behind my back."
That night, Fleur clung to Tom like an octopus. The two had just finished training, and she felt like she was about to fall apart. This man had no idea what a gentleman was. Every spell he used hit her at her limit, forcing her to be on her guard.
Hearing Tom's complaint, the girl patted him weakly.
"What special training? You just want to mess with me. I clearly said I was going to the Forbidden Forest to see Da Bao and the others, but you insisted on dragging me into training."
"Besides, your Hogwarts students lost in their sixth and seventh years, do you really expect the fifth year to win?"
Tom scoffed, "So you just didn't let me participate, and you got a championship for free."
Furong was so angry she laughed. Tom's status was such that no one would treat him like a student. Even the professors outside the school spoke to him very politely.
She already has such a status, yet she still thinks about participating in a children's play-house competition. Anyway, if it were her, she definitely wouldn't do something that would lower her status like that.
In a daze, Yi Furong had already fallen asleep from exhaustion.
Tom stroked her smooth back, which he had cupped several times, and his consciousness entered the library within the study space.
The library's collection is currently the best in the wizarding world, including not only Hogwarts and a large number of pure-blood books, but also the Durmstrang Collection sent by Grindelwald, and Nico's six hundred years of accumulation.
Although many of the basic books are highly homogenized (5.6), the number of valuable books has exceeded five thousand. Even Tom couldn't possibly read and fully understand all of them.
Fortunately, Ravenclaw took on the role of librarian, meticulously categorizing and organizing all the books. She would leave annotations and summaries on the first page of any book she had read, making it easier for Tom to find them.
"Hmm...this is it."
It didn't take long for Tom to find the book he wanted. Upon closer inspection, he discovered it was from the Malfoy family collection, and the author was one of ten 17th-century Malfoys.
Tom had a general idea of what was going on after flipping through the pages, and then he called for Grindelwald.
Old G, who was having tea in Dumbledore's office, frowned almost imperceptibly. He didn't respond immediately, but chatted with Dumbledore for a few more minutes before making an excuse to leave the office. He only entered the study space on his way back to his room.
"Why are you suddenly in such a hurry to find me?"
"I need you to do something." Tom closed the book. "I need you to go and beat up Aberforth Dumbledore."
Grindelwald's eyes lit up immediately.
"I'll go right now!"
"etc!"
Chapter 426 the Boundaries of the Blood Alliance, Words That Pierce the Heart
Tom quickly stopped Grindelwald, whose eyes were shining and whose energy was at its peak, and said with a wry smile:
"I mean, is it really that serious? You get more excited about Aberforth than you do when you see the headmaster. You're practically a second Newt Scamander."
Grindelwald retorted, "Don't you understand how much I hate that megalomaniac?"
After saying that, Grindelwald poured out all his resentment towards Aberforth: "He's the root of all trouble! Even Ariana's death is related to him!"
"All he knows is how to use family to tie Aberforth down. If we had succeeded, he would have had plenty of time to return to his family, instead of things falling apart like this, which even led to Ariana's death. And what did he do after that?"
"He blamed everything on me and Albus, without ever realizing he had done anything wrong, but he was the one who started it all, the one who shouldn't have been there!"
"Alright."
Tom felt that Grindelwald was now like a resentful woman confined to her chambers, so full of resentment that she could use it to cast profound curse magic.
"Don't put all the blame on him. Given Ariana's situation at the time, by the time you and Dumbledore achieve fame and rule the world, the grass on your graves will be three feet tall."
"XX..."
Grindelwald was speechless for a moment, unable to find a reason to refute, so he could only change the subject, "Didn't you tell me to deal with Buffett? Why are you speaking up for him now? By the way, what did that old guy do to you?"
"He didn't do anything to me."
Tom shook his head and handed the book to Grindelwald. "We've already obtained Percival's remains, but I'm worried there might be some problems. I want to confirm it again, so we need a Dumbledore's blood sample for verification."
Grindelwald opened the book and soon saw the magic Tom had mentioned—the Bloodline Reincarnation Charm.
There are many methods in the magical world for identifying family members, which effectively prevents the appearance of "neighbor Wang" (a derogatory term for someone who cheats).
However, these methods usually involve verification between living people, and it is rare to find one that can be verified using both corpses and living people.
Grindelwald understood Tom's plan and felt somewhat regretful.
He really hoped that Aberforth had offended this vengeful little devil, so that he could then freely torment the old man.
It's a pity, you can only enjoy it once.
However, he readily agreed, saying it would only be once.
Pig Head Bar.
Aberforth was grumbling as he wiped the table with a rag that was dirtier than the floor.
Even though it's the season of renewal and the weather in Hogsmeade has been frighteningly nice lately, his pub business is still dismal, making him wonder if there's any point in keeping it open.
The culprit behind all of this was actually Tom, or rather, his magic guild.
The selling point of Pighead Bar has never been the drinks or the Indian-style environment, but rather the ten places where wizards in the gray or even black areas can communicate and trade.
But now, 80 percent of the people have been taken by the Wizards Guild. Most of those previously sensitive transactions have become formalized and legalized, and with the guild as a guarantor, they are safer than private dealings. Naturally, no one would choose to come to the Pighead Bar.
Those who still come to Pighead Bar are either problematic in their identities or want to do things that cross the guild's bottom line. In any case, they are all vicious villains, which makes Aberforth always vigilant, for fear of getting involved in some big trouble.
It was already six o'clock in the afternoon, the perfect time for dinner, but there were only a handful of wizards in the bar, sitting at two tables, each hiding their figures and communicating in secret.
Creak—!
The dilapidated wooden door was pushed open roughly, making a creaking sound as if it were about to collapse. Several guests instinctively looked towards the doorway.
Upon seeing this... everyone's expression changed drastically.
"Grindelwald!"
Hearing their exclamations, Aberforth looked up sharply, and sure enough, Grindelwald, with his full head of white hair, stood swaggering at the door, looking around at the filthy tavern with a look of disgust on his face.
"People can live in a place like this?"
He originally wanted to make a sarcastic remark: "Is this a place for people to eat?" But then he remembered that Tom had been here many times, and to avoid being overheard by some petty person, he silently revised his words.
But just one simple sentence was enough to enrage Aberforth instantly!
"What are you doing here! Ambitious people aren't welcome here, get out!"
Several guests looked at Aberforth with eyes that seemed to regard him as a god. Was this boss really that brave? That was Grindelwald, the Dark Lord who single-handedly suppressed hundreds of Aurors!
"After all these years, your mouth still smells so bad."
Grindelwald wasn't angry. Instead, he glanced at the few guests who were still sitting there dumbfounded and said, "Do I have to ask you to leave?"
Clang—!
In the ensuing chaos, several guests scrambled out of the bar, some even jumping out of the windows instead of using the doors.
Aberforth's face looked even worse.
Those bastards not only broke his plates and cups, but they also ran away without paying!
Aberforth watched Grindelwald, who was leisurely finding a place to sit, his eyes blazing with anger, but he didn't make any rash moves. He was hot-tempered, not brainless. Now that his older brother wasn't here, if a fight broke out, he would definitely suffer, and might even lose his life.
He wanted to kill Grindelwald, and Grindelwald wanted to kill him just as much.
If it weren't for his surname, Dumbledore, he would have died countless times over.
"Grindelwald, what exactly do you want?"
"I'm here to visit an old friend. It's okay if you don't welcome me."
Grindelwald slowly took out a bottle of whiskey and two glasses. Once the drinks were poured, they were already chilled to the perfect serving temperature. One of the glasses wobbled and floated toward Aberforth.
"What, you're afraid to drink?" Grindelwald raised an eyebrow. "You're using such a lame trick to deal with me?"
Aberforth snorted, picked up his glass and downed it in one gulp, while his other hand was also out of control, hiding under the bar to send a distress message to Dumbledore.
Grindelwald took in his subtle actions and sneered inwardly.
Just wait patiently. Your brother is still discussing next year's competition with professors from other schools; he doesn't have time to deal with you.
Having kept quiet for so long, Dumbledore had lowered his guard and never expected him to launch a sudden attack on Aberforth.
"Grindelwald, did you make a special trip just to buy me a drink?"
"Of course not." Grindelwald smiled faintly. "You came uninvited, offering a drink as an apology. Do you think you deserve for me to buy you a drink?"
"Since you know you're showing up uninvited, then get lost!" The old man's eyes were filled with irritation and anger. "You're simply an eyesore! If you have something to say, go find him!"
"It's been over a hundred years, why can't you improve a bit?" Grindelwald frowned. "I don't need you to grovel before an invincible enemy, but at least maintain a certain level of respect."
Aberforth sneered: "If you have the guts, then kill me. You want me to respect you? Fine, then kill yourself right now, and I'll kneel down and kowtow ten times."
Grindelwald took a deep breath. He swore that if Aberforth weren't Albus's brother and Ariana's brother, he could kill this guy seven times over in ten seconds.
The silver chains of the Blood Oath silently wrapped around Grindelwald's hands, and the pressure and stinging sensation on his skin somewhat diminished his killing intent.
This is really troublesome...
Grindelwald thought coldly, "This is why I wasted time talking to Aberforth after I arrived—because the Blood Oath binds me from making the first move; I can only try..."
The opponent launched a counterattack.
It's difficult to provoke someone else and give them the courage to attack a Dark Lord, but if it's Aberforth... then it's not a problem.
"Aberforth, you know, I always had a question when I was young."
Grindelwald poured himself another glass of wine, ignoring Aberforth's reaction, and said to himself, "Are you really a member of the Dumbledore family? I once sent people to investigate your parents carefully, just to confirm whether you were adopted by 500."
"Not only do you lack Albus's brilliance, but you don't even have a tenth of his intelligence. You're irritable, short-tempered, and always self-centered."
"Compared to Ariana, even a thirteen or fourteen-year-old is more mature than you."
"How dare you mention Ariana!"
"Shut up, let me finish!" Grindelwald glanced at him coldly, and Aberforth's anger was suppressed.
"It wasn't until your son, Credence, appeared that I was finally able to confirm that you were indeed a member of the Dumbledore family."
"He is more talented than you, but less so than you."
"Grindelwald, are you showing off?" Despite his extreme anger, Aberforth calmed down and stared at him with cold, emotionless eyes. "You killed my sister."
"You've set your sights on my son again. You've turned Dumbledore's fate upside down, and what have you gained in return?"
"I was locked up in Nurmengard by my own brother, and now I'm jumping out like a clown who broke his promise, seeking a sense of existence."
"You've never come to terms with reality."
Grindelwald appeared before Aberforth like a ghost.
The old man was about to raise his wand, but Grindelwald held his arm firmly. "Don't you know whose spell it was that hit Ariana? You were just running away.
I deflected Albus's spell, and you tried to take advantage of the situation, but you accidentally bumped into the deflected spell.
The explosion caused by the two killed Ariana.
Am I right?"
Aberforth's body trembled; he tried to refute, but no sound came out.
The devil's whispers continued, "And Credence? If you hadn't abandoned them, how could the Obscurial have been born within him? Without me bringing him back from North America..."
You'll never know you have a son in your entire life.
"Aberforth," Grindelwald said softly, "the tragic fate of the Dumbledore is of your own making…"
"Aa ...
Chapter 427 the Slothful Ariana, Aberforth's Mental Breakdown
When Aberforth couldn't help but take action, the outcome was already predetermined.
Although he was very strong, Grindelwald was not playing around this time.
As soon as Aberforth struggled to break free from his grasp, he immediately drew his wand.
Grindelwald took a step back, and the air in the room rippled like water, creating layers of waves.
In an instant, the air became many times more viscous.
Aberforth felt as if he had fallen into a cement mixing tank; raising his hand and breathing had become incredibly difficult.
"I've shown you mercy before only because of your brother, and perhaps also because of Ariana," Grindelwald's wand was already touching Aberforth's forehead, but I truly hate you, second only to Scamander. I've lost count of how many times the two of you have ruined my plans."
"But Scamander is different from you. He's behaved himself now, while you're still as foolish as ever, jumping around in front of me. Do you think I don't know what you said to me?"
Grindelwald was furious when he remembered Tom coming over and deliberately enticing the old man to touch him repeatedly.
If I can't handle Tom, I can handle you too!
The next second, Aberforth's body trembled violently, and a brilliant light burst from the tip of his staff, followed by a tidal wave of magic. With the help of the powerful reaction force, Aberforth was blasted out of the Pighead Bar, indirectly freeing himself from his restraints.
Without the slightest hesitation, Aberforth was about to use Apparition to escape, but Grindelwald was faster and followed closely, lashing out with a whip made of magic.
The excruciating pain interrupted Abu Fusi's spellcasting. Strange energy surged wildly within his body, as if he were under a boneless curse, leaving him powerless.
But Aberforth gritted his teeth and didn't scream. Grindelwald slapped him a few more times, blood splattering everywhere, which he collected.
Some people heard the commotion and ran over to check what was happening. When they saw that it was Grindelwald committing the violence, they screamed and fled the scene. Only those who were fearless dared to step forward to stop him. There are very few wizards in all of Britain with such courage.
"Don't worry, I won't kill you. I'll come back once you've recovered from your injuries. Aberforth, Dumbledore has no future. You and your brother will have to live a few more years."
After making those harsh remarks, Grindelwald slipped away. He had no choice but to leave; Tom and Ariana were watching the whole time using their learning space, and the little witch had already started cursing at him.
"Grindelwald! Tom only asked you to draw some blood, why did you swear so rudely and hit Aberforth several times!"
Ariana was so angry that she fell silent.
The black storm kept lashing at Grindelwald, but he dared not retaliate.
Tom was still watching him menacingly, so Ariana could only keep repairing the protective shield and defending her actions: "Ariana, we have to play the part.
Besides, I have the Blood Oath on me and can't take the initiative.
I can only provoke him first."
"Then those extra lashes you gave me were revenge!"
A muffled voice came from inside the black tornado.
If it were her older brother who was beaten today, Ariana would definitely not be so angry, and might even be gloating.
It's all because old Dumbledore was a scoundrel back then, thinking only about making a name for himself and becoming a great wizard.
He cared less than a tenth of what Albus cared about his family.
But Aberforth had taken good care of her since she was a child, especially after she became an Obscurial, he cherished her even more. In the end, he was bullied by Grindelwald because of her, which made the little girl feel even more guilty.
Faced with Ariana's questioning, Grindelwald surprisingly admitted this time: "That's right, I was deliberately seeking revenge. He can't beat me, and neither can you."
Ariana was completely enraged; the Dragon Ring spun even faster.
Andros, standing to the side, looked disgusted. "This Grindelwald is getting more and more shameless. When he first came, I thought he was a very elegant and charming dark wizard."
"There's an old Eastern saying, 'One who stays near vermilion gets stained red, and one who stays near ink gets stained black.'" Ravenclaw said with a smile, "Andros, do you understand now?"
Andros glanced at one of the boys and nodded imperceptibly.
I understand.
Tom glared at Ravenclaw with a dark expression. Ravenclaw met his gaze innocently; she had simply uttered an ancient saying—was there a problem?
"I'm not messing around with you anymore." Grindelwald's expression suddenly changed. "Your older brother is here to see me, Ariana. Go back and practice more. Don't always rely on Tom."
After saying that, his consciousness left the learning space.
That last sentence was also from the bottom of her heart. Recently, Ariana has actually been showing signs of giving up because she has found herself falling further and further behind Tom, and no matter how hard she tries, she can't catch up.
Grindelwald truly regarded her as both his first and last disciple [and naturally did not want Ariana to give up on herself].
Therefore, the beating Aberforth received today was also meant to provoke her. All things considered, Aberforth didn't lose out. What did a beating matter compared to her sister's resurrection and a bright future?
Returning to Dumbledore, shortly after Grindelwald left the Pig's Head, his meeting with the other professors also ended. Rozier represented Durmstrang, which didn't seem strange to him, as he knew Grindelwald didn't like to concern himself with such trivial matters.
Back in his office, Dumbledore saw Aberforth's plea for help in his contacts, his expression changed, and he rushed over.
When he arrived, Aberforth was covered in blood and sitting disheveled at the entrance of the Pig's Head pub, staring silently at the sky, showing no reaction to Dumbledore's appearance.
"Aberforth, how's Grindelwald? How are you feeling?" Dumbledore asked with concern. He quickly glanced at the wounds and breathed a sigh of relief. The injuries looked quite alarming, but they were all superficial.
(Zhao) Aberforth mechanically turned his head and asked in a hoarse voice, "Albus, have I been a failure in my life... for not taking good care of Ariana?"
I failed in my duty as a father to Credence, watching helplessly as he died in my arms.
"Aberforth, this isn't your fault," Dumbledore said softly. "We've done our best, but life can't be perfect forever. You should learn to look forward."
"Look ahead?" Aberforth gave a wry smile. "What's ahead? Tell me what's ahead!"
"The fate of the Dumbledore family is sealed. Grindelwald is right, we have no future. It was me, it was me who killed Ariana with my own hands [and it was me who made the Dumbledore family powerful!]"
This chapter is shorter than expected; a section was deleted and couldn't be corrected in time. I plan to speed up the pace later, and the missing words will be added in the next chapter.
Chapter 428 Tom, Full of Mischief, The Final Battle
Dumbledore's expression changed.
Aberforth's heart-wrenching self-reproach was like needles piercing his heart, one after another, until his heart was riddled with holes.
This was Aberforth's mistake, and wasn't it also the calamity he caused?
If he hadn't been blinded by fame and fortune back then, none of the tragedies that followed would have happened.
Dumbledore also felt a surge of anger.
Grindelwald!
Are you out of your mind?! You have to keep teasing my brother. He's not very smart to begin with, and now you're making him question his very existence!
"Aberforth, what exactly did that b*****d Grindelwald say to you?" Dumbledore asked gently, suppressing his anger.
Hearing him call Grindelwald a b*****d, Aberforth felt a little better and briefly repeated what Grindelwald had just said.
After listening, Dumbledore looked at her brother with a hint of pity.
Has this brain... been unused for so many years that it's started to rust? It fell for such a simple provocation.
"Albus...do you really believe what Grindelwald said?"
"He has no reason to lie to me."
"He's just trying to trick you into making a move. Have you forgotten that Grindelwald and I have a blood pact?" Dumbledore said wearily.
Aberforth's eyes widened slightly; he had completely forgotten about it at the time.
"Besides…" Dumbledore sighed, and continued, "You should remember how chaotic the scene was back then. By the time we found Ariana… quite some time had passed. Do you think Grindelwald could remember that clearly?"
"All three of us are murderers, there is no difference between us."
After calming Aberforth down, Dumbledore stormed back to town, eager to find Grindelwald and avenge his brother. Grindelwald had already guessed Dumbledore's intentions, so he slipped away before he arrived.
He is currently in a weakened state. Although there is room for improvement after his soul is purified, the power of black magic is not as great as before, and he still needs to temper his will once again.
Fighting Dumbledore with the Elder Wand without using dark magic would be pure torture, and there's even a risk of being captured alive, so it's best to hide for a while first.
He was even angrier when he discovered that Grindelwald had run away. He first went to borrow his bird from Tom, and then chased after him.
In the following days, the two were not seen at school, and the attack on Pig Head Bar made the front page of major newspapers.
Tom's manipulations explained the conflict as a personal feud between Grindelwald and his boss, which greatly reduced the public's panic.
It's fine to settle personal scores, it's all just personal grudges.
As long as there's no intention to break the contract, the wizarding world is actually quite tolerant of Grindelwald these days. Most people can accept the current situation, having tasted the sweetness of peace, and therefore don't want to cause any major conflict.
The only victim in the entire incident was Aberforth.
In an instant, the Pig's Head Bar became a popular tourist attraction, with many wizards coming from abroad to find out what was going on—the fact that the owner of the bar was still alive despite having a personal feud with the Dark Lord meant that he was no ordinary person either.
Frustrated, Aberforth simply closed the shop, planning to reopen it after the storm had passed, or perhaps sell it off altogether.
After this, he doesn't know how many people will be watching him. Thinking back, being an intelligence broker or middleman like before won't be so easy anymore.
However, not everyone is prohibited from entering the Pighead Bar.
Tom brought a fruit basket, made from fruit he had taken from the kitchen, to Aberforth to offer him some warmth.
"Aberforth, I heard you got beaten up by Grindelwald again? Oh my, why did he keep hitting your face? He's a real jerk."
Tom immediately showered her with concern and inquiries, but Penelope, who had come with him, didn't seem to notice anything amiss. Andros and the others, who were watching the scene unfold inside the space, remained silent.
Even Ariana, Tom's biggest fan, couldn't understand how strong his mental fortitude and how thick-skinned he was to say those things without batting an eye.
You're the one who sent Grindelwald to beat people up...
Unaware of the situation, Aberforth was somewhat touched, and the coldness on his face lessened considerably. He even went into the kitchen to prepare dinner for Tom and Penelope.
After a few drinks, the old man (baci) got carried away and started pointing at Grindelwald and cursing him.
"Grindelwald is a sissy! A coward!"
"I may not be able to beat him, but I will never submit to him. He only dares to humiliate me, but he doesn't dare to kill me! What? You say I rely on my brother! He is my brother, and even if I don't acknowledge him, it won't change the fact. What is Grindelwald? He will always be an outsider!"
"If you push me too far, I'll move into Hogwarts right now and become the key keeper, so he'll never see Albus again!"
Tom quickly called Grindelwald, who was hiding in Durmstrang, into the study space so he could hear Aberforth's evaluation of him. He couldn't even leave, leaving everyone speechless.
Not only do they enjoy watching the spectacle, but they also relentlessly add fuel to the fire.
What a scoundrel...
Aberforth, I will thank you properly when I am resurrected.
Ariana watched Aberforth gesticulate wildly and begin inquiring about Grindelwald's family tree, and felt she really needed to work harder. "Otherwise, her brother will be tormented to death by Tom sooner or later."
Aberforth's sacrifice wasn't without value; at least it proved that the remains did indeed belong to Percival. Tom had secretly sent them back to Godric Valley, to the Dumbledore family cemetery. A tombstone couldn't be erected yet, lest the Dumbledore find out someday.
Having already downed a bottle of tequila, Aberforth turned his attention to Tom.
"You brat, what kind of wizard guild did you set up that almost ruined me? Do you know how much my business has suffered in just two months?"
Tom raised his glass and clinked it with his, then clinked it with Penelope's orange juice and drank it all in one gulp.
"That's called the tide. Your little bar is just a tiny ant being crushed by the overwhelming tide. Compared to those people in Knockback Alley, what are you? Those people are probably cursing me every day now."
Abufus grunted, but didn't argue. He knew he was just an innocent bystander, and he was just complaining. If he really cared, he would have already yelled at the kid and gotten beaten up.
Tom wasn't just there to cause trouble. The Pighead Bar was declining, and because of his near-custodial status, it probably wouldn't be able to reopen, so he found Aberforth a new job.
Tom plans to open a branch of the Wizarding Guild here. Firstly, one guild in the whole of Britain is not enough. Secondly, he wants to move some sensitive missions out of London, at least to avoid trading under the Ministry of Magic's nose, which is also a way of giving Burns face.
Aberforth readily accepted this, as he and Sirius were actually quite similar in temperament; otherwise, they wouldn't have opened a bar as a black market.
The two reached a verbal agreement: Tom would give Sirius Black's contact information to Aberforth, and they could discuss the details themselves. Aberforth would only be responsible for providing Catherine.
After they had eaten and drunk their fill, it was almost ten o'clock when they returned to Hogwarts. Tom simply took Penelope back to the small world, so they didn't need to go back to their dormitories.
Before you know it, it's the weekend, the day when minors engage in duels.
The castle was more lively than ever before, with many prominent figures from the wizarding world making a special trip to witness the birth of the first champion—Matheus Celardo, headmaster of Castelobusch; Blair Hawthorne, vice-headmaster of Ivermony; and Fudge, the Minister of Magic, naturally wouldn't miss such an opportunity to make his mark, bringing two teams of Aurors to the competition venue.
"Mr. Riddle, it's been a long time. I've read your recent articles several times, and I must say your knowledge is truly extensive."
Upon arriving at Hogwarts, Fudge didn't immediately go to see Dumbledore. Instead, he sought out Tom and exchanged warm greetings, his familiar manner and even somewhat humble attitude evident in his approachable demeanor.
It's hard to believe that just a short time ago he was thinking of having the Aurors capture Tom and put him in Azkaban.
But that's what politicians are best at: even if they hate someone to death in their hearts, they can act like brothers on the surface.
Until he finds an opportunity to check and balance Tom and remove him from power, Fudge will remain sufficiently docile to ensure he stays in the position of Minister of Magic.
Tom was well aware of Fudge's plans, but he didn't care. He also wouldn't break off relations without a reason. He pretended to be familiar with Fudge and chatted with him for a few words before making an excuse to leave.
As the two headed in opposite directions, their smiles vanished simultaneously.
Tom walked into the Quidditch pitch and looked around. His gaze finally settled on a mustachioed man talking to Dumbledore behind the extended referee's table.
Blair Hawthorne, the vice principal of Ifamoni.
Robert Grevis revealed almost everything he knew.
The two most mysterious people in North America were the two successive headmasters of Ilfamoni, and this Hawthorne was the right-hand man of the current headmaster, Gilbert Fontana.
The two were classmates, and after graduation, they both served as Aurors in the Magical Congress of North America for five years.
Finally, they returned to the school to teach together, and their relationship was as close as if they were one person.
Fontana has a big problem. At such an important moment when all the school principals are present, he sent out a vice principal. Didn't you see that the expressions on the faces of the other principals, apart from Dumbledore and Rozier, were not very pleasant?
Grindelwald ran away, leaving behind Rozier, we accept that, after all, nobody wants to sit at the same table as the Dark Lord. But where did you, Fontana, get such a grand entrance [sending ten vice-principals to think you can sit on equal footing with us]?
Why doesn't he leave North America? Is it because he's afraid, or because he's unable?
At this time, Dumbledore shared the same idea as Tom. He had been encouraged by Grindelwald to investigate what North America was hiding, and naturally noticed Fontana's strange behavior.
But Deng only thought about it; Tom... he was a staunch advocate of the unity of knowledge and action.
If you've decided to do it, then do it!
Around 10 o'clock, Fudge took his seat and said some inconsequential things, after which the room was filled with the voice of today's commentator, Do Bagge.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the Five Schools Duel has finally reached its climax! It is my honor to introduce today's contestants! The strongest second-year student—Ginny Weasley! The strongest third-year student—Hermione Granger! The strongest fifth-year student—Diggory Cedric! They come from Hogwarts!"
"The strongest fourth-year student—Cassandra Worre! Ipham! The strongest sixth-year student—Dracul Fleur, Beauxbatons! The strongest seventh-year student—Dura Thiago! Castellobusher!"
The applause never stopped from the beginning. Everyone respected the players, regardless of whether they were from their own school or not, because they were all the strongest players who had earned their place through hard work, and no one else had the right to question them.
Only Rozier's smile was somewhat stiff, as were the Durmstrang students sitting in the corner, who were desperately keeping their heads down to minimize their presence.
Five schools participated, and students from the other four schools (excluding Durmstrang) made it to the finals.
They all thought Grindelwald's early departure was due to their anger, and some even considered transferring schools—they were afraid that if they returned to school with their left foot first, they would be cursed by a wisp of smoke that seemed to come from nowhere.
The green light hit its target.
They dare to embarrass the Dark Lord, and the Dark Lord can kill them...
Ludobagman explained the rules of the game, this part mainly prepared for those watching the live broadcast. With the Quidditch friendly match as a warm-up, Tom added dozens more gliders.
The number of people following this competition is now at least 30,000, which is definitely a large-scale event in the magic world.
Each contestant can freely choose an opponent to challenge, with no limit on the number of attempts, but can only lose twice. This means that after losing twice, one is disqualified from continuing the challenge and will ultimately be eliminated.
The one on the fighting platform is the ultimate victor.
The rules of this almost chaotic arena may seem brutal and disorderly, but they better reflect the absolute strength of the final champion, and none of the contestants have any objections to this.
The order of challenges does not require drawing lots; it is sorted by grade level by default, from lower to higher grades.
So Ginny was the first to go on stage.
Eager to reach the center of the arena, Ginny immediately pointed her wand at Cassandra.
"Miss Wore, let me see how much you've improved this year. Don't disappoint me too much."
Cassandra gave a soft hum, and with light steps, head held high, she approached Ginny like a proud white swan. She said nothing, her wand already tilted downwards.
This demonstrated her unwavering determination to win.