If Charlotte were in their position, she'd activate the Dragon Pillar immediately after securing the item.
Instead, Sunny Finch was locked in fierce combat with an evenly matched opponent—a waste of time that risked losing the initiative. Completely counterproductive.
The British team's current behavior suggested only one possibility: they didn't possess the pillar-activating item. They'd been fighting for nothing.
On the opposite side, Sunny Finch reached the same realization. Hogwarts showed no signs of retreating, yet they clearly didn't hold any items either. Sunny Finch understood—Britain had made a critical error.
"Stop! No need to continue!" Sunny Finch shouted, raising her hand.
The British side halted instantly. With perfect synchronization, Hogwarts ceased as well. Both commanders signaled retreat simultaneously.
Fighters from both sides disengaged. Sunny Finch and Charlotte covered the rear. In the darkness, their eyes met briefly—just a glance, but it conveyed mutual understanding.
With their teams withdrawn, neither wasted another second. They vanished from the battlefield.
The battle had erupted hastily and ended just as abruptly. Spectators who'd just arrived found the show already over. They had no choice but to return to preparing their meals.
In short, the clash between Hogwarts and Britain had begun inexplicably—and ended just as mysteriously.
Meanwhile, Durmstrang had vanished after hearing the initial commotion.
"Sounds like they've stopped fighting," Krum observed.
"Should we move now?"
Krum shook his head. "No. Given Britain and Hogwarts' strength, their battle couldn't possibly end this quickly. If we went now, we wouldn't escape unscathed. We need to wait until they truly clash."
Erwin, eating while watching the live stream, was startled by Krum's words.
He glanced at Voldemort, who sat beside him elegantly cutting his steak. "Master," Erwin asked, "do you have a method to make people smarter?"
Voldemort smiled. "You mean Krum? Actually, that boy isn't stupid. How could a Quidditch star and Seeker be? It's just that constant praise made him complacent. After coming to this tournament and witnessing the strength of his peers, he realized his own power was insignificant. Now he's actually thinking."
"You seem to know him well," Erwin noted.
"I've examined his complete memories to facilitate my work," Voldemort replied casually.
Erwin's lips twitched. Of course—that's Voldemort for you. He'd just admitted to something that would land anyone else in Azkaban for life, as casually as discussing the weather.
"By the way," Voldemort continued, "you're just going to let them keep searching like this?"
Erwin chuckled. "Of course not. I'm going to provide some entertainment. The first round was merely to familiarize them with the format. From now on, I won't let them search so smoothly—otherwise, it'll be utterly boring."
Voldemort didn't press for details. Based on his understanding of Erwin, the boy had prepared a new surprise for the contestants. What proved challenging for them usually delighted the audience—after all, spectators craved tension and excitement.
That night, after dinner, wizards gathered in small groups, chatting or seeking entertainment. Some strolled the surrounding area—the scenery here was unlike anything at home, especially in places like the Changbai Mountains.
Ordinary wild beasts posed no threat to wizards, though they'd been ordered not to harm any living creatures. The Cavendish family and the Kunlun practitioners patrolled the mountains to prevent incidents.
Tonight, all four teams rested. No more battles occurred. Beauxbatons continued their leisurely approach, Durmstrang prepared to seize opportunities, while Hogwarts and Britain took turns resting and adjusting, preparing for the next day's fierce confrontation.
Charlotte and Sunny Finch had reached an unspoken understanding. Though they rested against the same tree, neither slept. Both analyzed the situation carefully.
From today's exchange, Sunny Finch discovered that Hogwarts had conducted considerable research on Britain, particularly regarding their formidable physical strength. They'd found an effective counter: spell suppression.
The frequency of this suppression was extremely high. Today, Hogwarts eschewed powerful spells in favor of minor ones—preferably cast silently and without wands—to keep the British students at bay.
Magical energy consumption far exceeded physical exertion. Though spells were more powerful, they required specific aptitude. Even current contestants didn't know many advanced spells. If they couldn't close the distance, it spelled trouble for Britain.
However, Sunny Finch hadn't yet devised a way to break this stalemate.
Charlotte's side, meanwhile, had discovered numerous problems. Although they'd found a method to suppress Britain, Sunny Finch's array amplification was devastatingly effective. With it, Britain and Hogwarts could maintain a prolonged stalemate, giving other schools opportunities to exploit the situation.
Whether Beauxbatons or Durmstrang—though their individual strength was moderate—they couldn't be ignored. Therefore, for Hogwarts, the most urgent task was neutralizing Sunny Finch—specifically, disrupting her array formations.
Charlotte began considering solutions. The optimal approach was to intervene personally and limit Sunny Finch directly, but this meant separating from the main force. If it were just the two schools, it might work. But this was a four-way battle. Who knew if Beauxbatons would wait to claim victory from the shadows, as in the previous round?
As Sunny Finch and Charlotte pondered these challenges, the night passed unnoticed.