stonecrandall Page 270
Page 270
Thinking of this, Harry and Ron both sighed.
No, we have to accomplish a few big things this year.
Professor McGonagall must see their performance!
I'm determined to be the prefect!
The two of them secretly made up their minds at the same time.
Chapter 294 The Triumvirate
Harry felt unhappy again during the rest of the journey.
Hermione didn't speak to them the whole time, seemingly angry with them, but he couldn't figure out why she was angry.
After making her rounds, Cho Zhang returned to the box, but chose to sit on the innermost side, letting Marietta sit next to Harry, thus preventing Harry from getting close to her.
During the ensuing conversation, Zhang Qiu chatted and laughed with Levin throughout, but was rather perfunctory about her own topic.
Even if it's snacks bought from a shopping cart, she only eats the ones Levin bought.
Harry was almost depressed.
However, before Harry developed Jade Syndrome, the train finally arrived at its destination.
The train doors opened, and a rumble of thunder echoed through the air. The young wizards disembarked, heads bowed and eyes squinting in the torrential rain. The rain poured down relentlessly, like a bucket of icy water being drenched over their heads.
In the cold wind and rain, they shivered like quails.
Harry was just about to be chivalrous and invite Cho Chang to share a waterproof cloak with him
Levin then declared, "Grab me, and I'll take you all back to the castle."
As he spoke, he grabbed Hermione with one hand and Cho Chang with the other.
Without hesitation, Luna placed her hand on Levin's arm.
Ginny thought about it and did as Luna suggested.
Even Marietta grabbed Zhang Qiu.
Just as Harry was about to ask what was going on, Levin was suddenly engulfed in flames.
The next moment, he and everyone he had come into contact with vanished from the spot.
Even Marietta is gone.
Harry and Ron were left adrift in the storm.
There's no way around it; opportunities always slip away in the blink of an eye.
It's their fault for not trusting Levin unconditionally.
When they arrived at the magnificent auditorium, it was completely empty.
“She wants to ask you, was that Phoenix’s Apparition just now?” Luna translated for Hermione.
However, judging from her inquisitive gaze, the girl herself was clearly very curious.
Seeing that Marietta was sitting a few meters away with no one around to listen, Levin admitted it.
"You guessed right, that's Phoenix's Apparition. I've also learned some new tricks about Animagus."
As Levin spoke, he demonstrated his local Animagus abilities to them.
The reason I was able to use Phoenix's Apparition without revealing my Phoenix transformation was precisely because I applied this technique.
After satisfying her curiosity, Hermione took out the "Book of All Laws" that she had copied from Levin and sat down right next to Levin at the Ravenclaw table.
The auditorium was specially decorated for the new semester banquet.
Hundreds of candles floated above the table, illuminating the gold plates and goblets.
When Hermione had almost finished reading the book, the four long house tables were already filled with chattering students.
At the top of the auditorium was a fifth table, where faculty members sat one on each side, facing their students.
Because they had to brave the rain to enter the school, the surrounding young wizards got soaked.
Levin and his group of dry-looking people immediately became the envy of everyone.
Seeing that everyone was almost there, Hermione stood up and returned to the Gryffindor table amidst the envious gazes of the crowd.
In such cold weather, in this castle where Apparition is prohibited, it's such a wonderful thing that Levin can send them directly into the castle without them having to endure the cold wind, rain, and muddy paths!
After witnessing the Sorting Ceremony, the hungry and cold young wizards were finally able to have a full meal.
When almost all the food was gone, the last crumbs on the plate disappeared, and the plate was clean and shiny again.
At this moment, Albus Dumbledore stood up once again.
The buzzing in the hall suddenly stopped, and only the howling wind and the pounding rain could be heard.
"Alright!" Dumbledore said with a smile, looking at everyone. "Now that we've all eaten and drunk our fill, I must once again ask you to pay attention, as I have a few announcements to make."
"First of all, it is with great regret that I inform you that the Academy Quidditch tournament will not be held this year."
After a brief gasp, the auditorium fell into an astonishing silence.
Dumbledore continued, “This is because a large event will begin in October and continue throughout the school year, taking up a great deal of the teachers’ time and energy—but I am confident that you will all enjoy it immensely. I am very pleased to announce that this year at Hogwarts—”
Ron immediately pricked up his ears at the Gryffindor table.
He was finally able to learn the secret everyone had been keeping from him.
Just as he was eagerly anticipating Dumbledore's next words, a deafening clap of thunder rang out.
The auditorium doors were slammed open.
A man stood in the doorway, leaning on a long cane, and wearing a black travel cloak.
Everyone in the auditorium turned to look at the stranger. Suddenly, a forked bolt of lightning flashed across the ceiling, illuminating him. He took off his hood, revealing a head of long, gray hair, and began to walk toward the faculty desk.
His face appeared to be covered in scars, his mouth was a large, crooked gash, and his nose, where it should have been, was missing. But what was most terrifying about this man was his eyes.
One of his eyes was small, black, and sparkling; the other eye was large, round like a coin, and a bright, vivid blue.
The blue eye kept moving without blinking, turning up, down, left, and right, completely unrelated to the normal eye—then, the blue eyeball rolled over and burrowed into the person's head.
"Professor Alastor Moody. The one who was defeated by Cirira three times."
Despite never having met him before, Levin recognized him instantly by that magical eye alone.
“Please allow me to introduce our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher,” Dumbledore said cheerfully, “Professor Alastor Moody.”
However, not a single teacher or student applauded.
Dumbledore and Hagrid clapped a few times, but finding the applause echoing lonely in the silent Great Hall, they wisely lowered their hands.
Everyone else seemed stunned by Mad-Eye Moody's bizarre appearance, staring intently at him—while he, seemingly oblivious to these gazes, began to devour his food after the initial introduction.
His eating habits were quite strange. He pulled over a plate of sausages, held it to his mutilated nose and smelled it, then took out a small knife from his pocket, poked one end of a sausage, and started eating.
His normal eye was focused on the sausage, but his blue eye was still moving around in its socket, looking at the auditorium and his classmates.
There are even people bringing their own cutlery... That's overreacting.
Dumbledore cleared his throat.
"As I just said,"
He smiled as he looked at the large group of students before him and said—the students were still staring blankly at their new professor, Moody.
"In the coming months, we will be honored to host a truly spectacular event, one that hasn't been held in over a century. I am delighted to announce that the Triwizard Tournament will take place at Hogwarts this year."
The single stone stirred up a thousand ripples; the Great Hall instantly erupted in noise. At each house table, some were either gazing fervently at Dumbledore, while others whispered excitedly to their neighbors.
Ron finally learned this big secret and was finally happy.
But Dumbledore spoke again, and the Great Hall fell silent once more.
“Some of you don’t know what this competition is all about, so I hope those who do know can forgive me for explaining it briefly. I’ll allow their minds to wander for a while.”
Dumbledore quickly introduced the Triwizard Tournament.
But when he mentioned the death toll, it elicited gasps of alarm.
The death toll here certainly doesn't just refer to the three warriors, but also to the professor and the spectators.
Watching a single match can result in a large number of deaths, which is indeed a very high cost.
Levin couldn't help but recall the tragic racing accident that occurred at Le Mans in France in 1955.
But it was clear that the students in the auditorium weren't worried about people who had died more than a hundred years ago.
What does this have to do with them?
“For centuries, there have been several attempts to revive the Championship,” Dumbledore declared loudly.
"But none of them were successful. However, our Department of International Magical Cooperation and Department of Magical Sports in the Ministry of Magic believe that the time is ripe to try again. We have done a lot of work this summer to ensure that no warrior is in mortal danger."
"In October, the headmasters of Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will lead their carefully selected competitors. The ceremony to select the champions will be held on Halloween. An impartial judge will decide which students are most qualified to compete for the Triwizard Cup, win honor for their own school, and each student will receive a prize of one thousand Galleons."
One thousand Galleons!
This number practically set the entire castle ablaze.
Dumbledore seemed to be saying:
Do you want honor and Galon?
If you want to, become a warrior!
All the Galonnaise is there.
Harry and Ron immediately recalled their experience on the train and both expressed their desire to participate.
As long as you can become a warrior and win for Hogwarts,
Becoming a class monitor is a piece of cake, isn't it?
Hermione didn't join their conversation. Instead, she calmly stared at the Book of All Laws spread out on the table while eating her strawberry mousse.
"Hermione, how can you still watch?" Ron asked, puzzled. "Don't you want to participate?"
Hermione shook her head and held up one finger.
"Only one spot is available per school. 2.9"