The memorial tablet swayed slightly! Then, a talisman floated out from behind it. The talisman vanished the instant it appeared, disappearing to an unknown place. Inside the hall, the candles stopped flickering, as if everything that had just happened was an illusion.
Meanwhile, elsewhere, Erwin paused mid-bite. He looked up, his brow furrowing slightly. Ebony nuzzled his arm, purring in confusion.
Erwin shook his head. "It's nothing. How does it taste?"
Ebony meowed in affirmation.
Erwin smiled. Still appreciates good food.
After finishing the meal, Erwin checked the time. "Let's go, Ebony. We should rest. We set off for Changbai Mountain tomorrow."
Ebony nodded. A smile touched Erwin's lips. His teacher should have arrived at Changbai Mountain by now.
The students from the four major schools had already gathered at the Changbai Mountain range. While the Durmstrang students looked travel-worn and disheveled, the others were relaxed, their faces beaming with high spirits.
The live stream resumed the moment the students arrived, causing an eruption of excitement among the wizards watching from around the globe who hadn't been able to make the journey.
"Finally! We've waited so long!"
"Is this the venue for the third match?"
"Look at that environment! It's beautiful."
"The students from the four schools are all here."
"Hey, notice something? Hogwarts and Beauxbatons look so relaxed. But Durmstrang... they look terrible."
The observation was spot on. The contrast was stark. The Beauxbatons girls looked pristine, while the Durmstrang students looked like they had endured a genuine ordeal.
The Durmstrang students noticed the disparity themselves, a sense of unease creeping in. Before they could process it, Harry Potter's voice carried over—softer than he intended, but loud enough in the quiet valley.
"Senior Cedric, Durmstrang looks exhausted. Did they really walk the whole way?"
Harry hadn't meant any malice, but the Durmstrang students' expressions darkened instantly. The implication hung heavy in the air.
The tension was cut by the arrival of Old Tom.
"Welcome, everyone, to the arena for the third and final battle!" he announced. "To ensure fairness, you all have one more day of rest. The competition officially begins tomorrow at eight. You will enter the Changbai Mountains on your own to begin. As previously explained, occupying the pillars requires the use of specific items. These items are free to be contested. I wish you the best of luck."
With that, Old Tom departed to oversee the arrangements for the spectators.
At the foot of the mountain, thousands of tents—enlarged by the Undetectable Extension Charm—had already been erected. Fortunately, Changbai Mountain was vast enough to accommodate them.
Charlotte and the other contestants exchanged glances. "Let's set up our tents and rest," she said. "The real battle begins tomorrow."
The others nodded in agreement.
By evening, inside the Hogwarts tents, the afternoon's discussions had solidified their tactics. Given the unpredictable environment and the contested rules, the best approach was the same as the first round: stay together.
"Get some food and rest early," Charlotte advised once everyone was in agreement. "It will be hard to sleep properly tomorrow."
She turned to leave, heading off to handle her own preparations. Once she was gone, the students decided to take a stroll.
Harry went to find Draco; the two had plans to explore the nearby area. No one knew exactly what they did, but they didn't return until evening. They parted ways not far from the camp—Draco heading back to his father, Lucius, and Harry making his way back.
Lucius watched his son return and sighed, a mixture of resignation and acceptance on his face. He already knew from Erwin that Draco was involved with someone—a fact that was confirmed to be Harry Potter.
If it were anyone else, Lucius would handle it differently. But with Harry? Lucius remained silent. He couldn't bring himself to forbid it.
Narcissa, however, had a different perspective. She had accepted her son's relationship, choosing to support him unconditionally. Whatever made her son happy was fine by her.
But for the sake of the Malfoy legacy, Lucius and Narcissa had been preparing. While the Malfoy family traditionally had only one heir per generation, they had taken special measures just in case.