As the snow-capped mountain gradually became clearer, Rhys finally caught sight of the magnificent structure shrouded in mist halfway up the mountainside: Uagadou.
Across the African continent, magical schools were as numerous as stars in the night sky, but only Uagadou had withstood the test of time, enduring for over a thousand years without falling into decline.
Its students excelled in Astronomy, Alchemy, and Self-Transfiguration, as well as possessing astonishing proficiency in wandless magic.
As the culmination of the mystical traditions of countless African tribes, Uagadou taught its students a vast array of magical gestures and charms. In many cases, Uagadou students could cast spells without needing a wand at all.
Rhys noticed that the grounds of Uagadou had become crowded with activity.
Countless tiny black dots appeared outside the buildings.
Presumably, those were the school's teachers and students.
At this point, Rhys had already figured out Uagadou's method of arrival.
They were travelling through dreams.
Perhaps at this very moment, every teacher and student on the Mountains of the Moon had also fallen asleep. Their dreams had become connected to those of Hogwarts.
As for what happened next, it was simple enough.
They would travel to Hogwarts within the dream, then "burst" the dream itself, allowing the competitors and accompanying teachers to emerge from it into reality.
'What a fascinating method.'
Even Rhys couldn't help but admire the ancient spells of the African continent.
Although this transportation method was extraordinarily ingenious, it also required a high degree of cooperation from Hogwarts.
If Dumbledore decided to be difficult, Uagadou's delegation would have no choice but to travel the conventional way, just like Beauxbatons and Mahoutokoro.
While Rhys was busy analysing Uagadou's dream magic, a commotion suddenly arose atop the Mountains of the Moon.
His train of thought interrupted, Rhys looked up.
A golden shape was rising from the entrance of the Uagadou campus.
Concentrating magic into his eyes for a closer look, he discovered that it was a gigantic Sphinx.
Behind the Sphinx was a pyramid-shaped structure being dragged through the air.
After ascending into the sky, the Sphinx began pulling the pyramid toward Hogwarts.
In barely more than ten seconds, it crossed the distance from the distant Mountains of the Moon to the shores of Hogwarts' Black Lake.
Rhys raised an eyebrow.
Then he remembered that dreams did not require logic.
Viewed from that perspective, the whole thing seemed perfectly reasonable.
Upon landing beside the Black Lake, the Sphinx opened its mouth and let out a shrill cry.
The sound pierced Rhys' ears, sending goosebumps across his skin.
At the same time, it completely disrupted the dreamscape, waking everyone who had fallen asleep.
As the crowd emerged from the dream, they instinctively turned toward the shores of the Black Lake.
Sure enough, there sat a gigantic Sphinx, crouched upon the ground, with a miniature pyramid roughly three storeys tall standing behind it.
One of the stone blocks on the pyramid suddenly retracted inward, revealing an opening.
The Hogwarts students assumed someone would emerge from it.
Instead, a lion leapt out.
Before the young wizards could cry out in surprise, the lion transformed into a tall Black wizard.
His massive afro looked remarkably similar to a lion's mane.
Animagus!
The term immediately appeared in countless minds.
"Welcome to Hogwarts, Professor Nduru."
Dumbledore stepped forward as usual to offer his greetings.
"Your dream magic was truly eye-opening. This way, please. Madame Maxime and the others have already arrived."
Asmo Nduru, Headmaster of Uagadou School of Magic on the Mountains of the Moon, was an Animagus just like Professor McGonagall.
Behind him, Uagadou's competitors emerged one after another from the pyramid.
Almost every one of them had extremely dark skin, dark enough that their facial features were difficult to distinguish from a distance.
After lining up behind Nduru, they began examining Hogwarts Castle in the distance.
"Thank you for your cooperation."
Professor Nduru's voice was deep and magnetic, giving an immediate sense of reliability.
Rhys could not help but think of Kingsley, the Auror from the Ministry of Magic whom he had met a few times.
The Uagadou headmaster's voice sounded remarkably similar.
"There are still three schools left to arrive. Fortunately, we're not the last."
Professor Nduru swept his gaze across the formations of the various schools and quickly counted how many had yet to appear.
"Yes, and another school has just arrived."
Dumbledore had barely nodded when he sensed something unusual.
Professor Nduru suddenly felt a chill at the back of his neck.
Looking upward, he discovered snowflakes drifting down from the sky.
"You've got to be kidding... We didn't bring any winter clothes."
He muttered the complaint under his breath while leading his delegation to stand beside the Beauxbatons formation.
It was late September.
While the Scottish Highlands had already become somewhat chilly, it was certainly not cold enough for snowfall.
Yet the snow falling from the sky only grew heavier.
The northern horizon became increasingly dark and gloomy.
"Koldovstoretz."
Dumbledore narrowed his eyes as he spoke the name.
Koldovstoretz School of Magic, located deep within the Arctic wilderness of Russia.
In recent years, the school had maintained a very low profile within the international magical community. Its name was rarely heard, but it had nevertheless accepted the invitation to participate in the Global Young Wizards Tournament.
"Ah-choo!"
A loud sneeze suddenly rang out from within Hogwarts' formation.
Since it was only late September and the middle of the day, most Hogwarts students were wearing ordinary wizarding robes rather than the thicker robes designed for winter.
The Beauxbatons students had it even worse.
Their uniforms were made of silk, and there were clearly no warming charms woven into them.
The sudden change in weather left them all shivering.
Rhys narrowed his eyes.
The people from Koldovstoretz seemed a little lacking in manners.
Just as he was about to use the power of his Domain to disperse the falling snow, he noticed Rowena raising a hand.
Immediately, a powerful wind sprang up from nowhere, sweeping away every snowflake in the sky and carrying them into the distance.
Dumbledore smiled.
Clapping his hands lightly, he conjured over a thousand roses made entirely of orange-red flames.
With a wave of his hand, the fiery flowers scattered in all directions, drifting toward the students and driving away the cold surrounding them.
The expressions of the other headmasters immediately became serious.
Dumbledore's display had thoroughly impressed them.
'Not bad. At least he didn't disgrace Gryffindor.'
Rhys silently approved of Dumbledore's response.
If it had been him, however, he would have transformed the snowflakes into hailstones and pelted the Koldovstoretz delegation until he felt satisfied.
Under the influence of Rowena's magic, the snowfall was confined to the area around the Black Lake.
The snow continued growing heavier, eventually resembling a full-blown blizzard.
Visibility dropped so low that the opposite shore of the lake could barely be seen.
Then, from deep within the blizzard, a song began to echo.
It was in Russian.
The melody was beautiful, yet carried a stirring, passionate quality.
The singing grew louder as it approached.
Eventually, a carriage burst through the blizzard, carrying the song with it as it emerged before the crowd.
The carriage came to a halt.
Its door swung open with a creak.
Twelve tall young men stepped out carrying musical instruments.
They formed two opposing lines and continued playing.
Rhys: "..."
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12 Chaps ahead at Patreon.com/HornyFBI