After May arrived, the weather finally turned warm. The damp sea breeze carried the fresh scent of greenery as it swept past the ancient castle.
The water level of the Black Lake had risen considerably, and from time to time, dark shapes could be seen gliding beneath the surface, leaving ripples trailing behind them.
When the afternoon Potions class ended, Wade rolled down his sleeves as he walked out of the classroom, still carrying the faint, bitter smell of potion ingredients.
"Sorry, I got choked by the fumes when stirring the sixth circle — almost sneezed right into the cauldron," Theo said, slinging his bag over his shoulder.
"So when I started the seventh circle, I messed up the rhythm. That's why the potion didn't turn out perfect this time."
"No one's perfect. I can't hold back sneezes either," Wade replied. "But I read in a book once — if the fumes get too thick, you can add a small spoon of moonstone powder. That'll—"
"Wade… Wade Grey!"
A panting Gryffindor student from a lower year ran up to them. He first cast a wary glance toward the Potions classroom door, and only after confirming that Professor Snape hadn't come out did he breathe a sigh of relief.
"Grey, Professor McGonagall asked me to pass on a message — tonight at nine o'clock, meet near Hagrid's hut."
Michael came over from behind. "Do you know what it's about? If it's something that needs doing, we can help too."
The younger student hesitated, then shook his head. "She didn't say. I don't know either."
Ryan asked, "Besides Wade, who else did you deliver messages to?"
"Cedric from Hufflepuff."
The boy glanced at Wade, then added, "And I heard Professor McGonagall kept Harry Potter behind after Transfiguration class today."
"Thanks, I got it," Wade said.
Michael raised an eyebrow. "Wade, I remember you said that about a month before the third task, the judges would tell you what the challenge would be?"
"That's right," Wade answered shortly, nodding once as his gaze drifted away.
Through the thick stone walls, he seemed to once again see the dark, shadowy expanse of the Forbidden Forest.
"I see… the timing fits," Michael said.
The younger student ran off to find Cedric, while the rest of them made their way down the stone steps and through the corridors toward the Great Hall.
"It's finally happening," Theo said with a grin. "A whole month to prepare — the third task's bound to be the most spectacular one yet."
Ryan sighed. "Let's just hope there aren't too many injuries, or Madam Pomfrey's going to lose her mind."
"Don't dream so unrealistically, Ryan," Michael said. "Set your hopes lower — let's just pray no one dies. Otherwise, this grand event might be the first and last of its kind…"
"The only…"
Michael rubbed his chin thoughtfully, then after a moment said, "Wade, what do you think of the title 'The Only Champion of the Eleven-School Magic Tournament in History'?"
Ryan's face darkened. "Are you the devil?"
"Ahahaha…" Michael gave a dry laugh. "Just kidding!"
Theo asked, "Wade, what do you think the third task will be?"
Wade replied uncertainly, "The first two involved going underground and swimming through the Black Lake. This time, maybe… treasure hunting in the Forbidden Forest?"
Theo couldn't help laughing. "Impossible — the judges have to consider the champions' safety, right?"
"Or maybe the arena will be in the sky," Michael said dreamily. "Imagine it — the champions flying on broomsticks or dragons, competing for some treasure even nimbler and faster than a Golden Snitch. Wouldn't that be amazing?"
…
Half an hour before nine, Wade put on his cloak and stepped out of the castle.
The night air was cool and damp, heavy with moisture. Thick clouds hung low in the sky — it looked like it might rain before long.
"Hey! Wade!"
A bright female voice called from the side.
Wade turned and saw Natalia striding toward him with her fiery red cloak billowing behind her and her face lit by its usual radiant smile.
"Good evening, Natalia," Wade greeted her with a smile.
"Let's go together! I've been waiting for this day forever."
Natalia pulled a small brown paper bag from her pocket and held it open toward him eagerly. "Try one! My mum made these caramels herself — with honey mead and cherry filling. I promise you've never tasted anything this good!"
Wade had already picked up a candy, but hearing that, he paused, then closed his hand around it.
"Thanks. I'll save it for later."
"No need to be polite — I've got plenty more!" Natalia shook the bag, and the candies wrapped in foil rustled inside.
Wade said seriously, "Eating sweets at night isn't good for your teeth."
Natalia rolled her eyes. "Are you a child? You can just brush your teeth later. Oh, right — we have a kind of strengthening potion back home that keeps your teeth from decaying for two or three years. I'll ask my mum to send you a bottle."
No matter what she said, Wade just smiled, then slipped the candy into his pocket.
As they talked, the light from Hagrid's hut came into view. Smoke drifted lazily from the chimney, carrying the rich, toasty scent of freshly baked rock cakes.
Jabari Viven, who had arrived early, had been tempted by the smell and asked Hagrid for a piece. Cedric was watching him like one might watch a fellow warrior headed to battle.
Jabari took a bite, and his expression instantly turned into one of deep existential doubt. Under Hagrid's hopeful gaze, he chewed in silence for a long time, unable to come up with any comment at all.
The arrival of Wade and Natalia mercifully saved him.
"Ah-ha, you're here too!"
Bagman, wearing a purple robe embroidered with gold patterns, beamed at them. His round face was lit with the delight of a child. "Wade! Miss Natalia! I knew you two would come together!"
He enthusiastically patted both of them on the shoulder — earning an exasperated glare from Natalia.
"We just happened to run into each other!" Natalia explained quickly, then pulled out her brown paper bag. "Here, have one! My mum made these sweets herself!"
Everyone took one or two pieces. Jabari, eager to escape his half-eaten rock cake, immediately set it down — barely a dent in it — and grabbed a handful of candies.
"Smells amazing! I'm eating the candy first. Professor Hagrid, can I save this cake for breakfast tomorrow?"
"'Course you can," Hagrid said cheerfully. "Don't you worry — my rock cakes don't go bad even after ten days!"
"Ah, but I prefer sweets. Add a bit of honey and it's even better," Bagman said with a grin as he unwrapped his candy. Suddenly, his eyes lit up as he looked past the group. "Harry! There you are, my boy — you were nearly late!"
"Good evening, Mr. Bagman." Under everyone's gaze, Harry brushed his messy hair aside awkwardly. "Evening, everyone."
"Excellent, everyone's here," Bagman said happily, clapping his hands. He turned to Hagrid. "Professor Hagrid, please begin the introduction."
"Right."
Hagrid's deep, rough voice grew a bit more serious as he looked around at them.
"They said they want to use the Forbidden Forest as the site for the third task. To tell you the truth, I'm dead against it. But unfortunately, the Ministry of Magic doesn't care about my opinion — so that forest ahead is where you'll be fighting each other a month from now!"
The champions turned to look toward the forest.
In the darkness, it loomed like a wall of shadow. The ancient trees tangled together, their twisted branches creaking under the wind, producing eerie, mournful sounds.
Now and then, faint green lights flickered between the trees. Strange cries echoed from deep within, mingled with the rustling of things crawling through the undergrowth.
When Mantra was still around, even the elephant only grazed on the forest's edge — never daring to take a single step deeper in.
"If you want to come back alive a month from now," Hagrid said gravely, "then listen carefully — the Forbidden Forest isn't the kind of place where Muggles go for a picnic!"
He looked especially at the visiting students. "There are centaurs, werewolves, Acromantulas, and more venomous snakes and deadly insects than you can count. Some people have even seen sphinxes and vampire bats in there."
He paused deliberately, giving them a moment for the shock — and the fear — to sink in, before continuing:
"The Ministry's driven some of my old friends deeper into the forest for now, but danger's everywhere. You'd best not wander off on your own!"
Clémentine raised a hand. "I heard there are dragons in the forest too?"
Hagrid immediately replied, "Norberta's a good girl… and she's moved out for a bit. You won't be having any trouble with her."
The Ministry had indeed planned to include Norberta in the competition — but after seeing the first task, how could Hagrid bear to let his child suffer like that?
Those reckless young wizards had already hurt a dragon's eyes with their Conjunctivitis Curse— that alone was bad enough. If they'd been stronger, they wouldn't have hesitated to kill one.
In any case, the forest itself was dangerous enough. With Dumbledore's quiet approval, Hagrid managed to persuade Norberta to leave her lair temporarily.
The price Hagrid paid was steep — most of the hair he'd painstakingly groomed and the beard he'd finally managed to grow back were badly singed. He'd had no choice but to return to his old, scruffy appearance.
Bagman cleared his throat and said, "The third task is quite simple — you'll use the compass you obtained in the previous round to find the Goblet of Fire within the Forbidden Forest! Whoever touches it first will be the champion!"
"How will you determine who touches it first?" Jabari asked, glancing at Wade. "What if someone knocks out the person who touches it first?"
"Oh, that would be absolutely impossible," Bagman replied with a grin. "The Goblet itself is a Portkey — the moment a champion touches it, they'll be whisked straight to the winner's platform, accompanied by all the glory and cheers of the audience!"
"But…" Clémentine said hesitantly, "my compass is incomplete…"
She looked at Bagman pitifully.
To be precise, all the girl had was a single pointer.
"My dear Miss Durand," Bagman said with a mischievous wink, "you're the champions — surely you wouldn't expect the referee to do your thinking for you, would you?"
He straightened up, smiling. "Well then, any more questions? …No? In that case, let's head back to the castle — it's quite chilly out here."
The group walked back across the lawn toward the castle, where faint lights glowed in the tower windows.
Wade, walking at the back, caught a glimpse of a slender figure slipping through the crowd — Clémentine had intercepted the quiet, almost invisible Hope. Twirling a lock of her hair around her finger, she leaned close, whispering something softly.
Hope hunched her shoulders, bit her lip in hesitation, then finally nodded.
…
During a break at the Spell Study Group, Wade put away his wand and leaned against the window to rest his eyes.
The starlight was dim tonight, but his eyesight was sharp enough to see two not-so-strong figures moving cautiously across the lawn, shielding each other as they ran toward the Beauxbatons Abraxans' stable.
A boy and a girl. The girl's fluffy blond hair bounced with every step — even just seeing the top of her head, one could easily recognize her.
— Luna Lovegood.
Suddenly, a shrill, cracking shout rang through the room:
"Acromantulas? You're going to fight those monsters?"
Ron's face was pale with horror as he shouted at Harry in a voice that was far too high-pitched. "Do you have any idea how terrifying those things are? Do you know they always move in swarms?"
Many students were hearing about the third task for the first time, and a wave of chatter broke out immediately — the once-quiet studygroup room buzzed with anxious voices.
Harry's face had gone slightly pale too.
"The spiders aren't even the worst of it — there are countless dangers in the Forbidden Forest!"
Hermione took a deep breath. "Harry, I think you need to prepare systematically! Spells, potions, weapons — and emergency signals for calling help! Merlin, there's so much to get ready, I'll have to make a checklist!"
She sat down and began scribbling furiously, while Fred slung an arm around Harry's shoulders and leaned in conspiratorially to hand him a list. He said:
"Harry, Weasleys' prank products — I'm sure they've got just what you need. Since we're friends, I'll even give you a fifty-percent discount…"
"Grey!"
As murmurs filled the room, Zacharias Smith from Hufflepuff suddenly raised his hand and asked loudly, "Are there any effective spells that actually work against the creatures in the Forbidden Forest?"
The room fell silent for a moment.
Wade withdrew his gaze from the window. Under the curious, expectant looks of everyone in the classroom, he smiled slightly and said,
"Of course there are. Acromantulas fear fire; centaurs, sphinxes, and unicorns won't attack unless provoked; and if you encounter a werewolf, the Bright Light Charm can drive it off — assuming the werewolf isn't already enraged. It's an enhanced version of the Lumos spell…"
He didn't hold anything back, calmly teaching the spell step by step. The one who had asked the question — Zacharias — squirmed under everyone's stares and bolted as soon as the meeting ended.
Wade quickly slipped away from a few classmates trying to strike up a conversation, waved them off, and hurried downstairs.
As he neared the stables, a strong whiff of alcohol hit him. Wade cast a Bubble-Head Charm on himself, then a Disillusionment Charm, and moved forward quietly.
"Ah, look — I've caught another one!"
Rolf Scamander said excitedly, holding up a struggling beetle with golden shell plates, its color almost the same as the Abraxans'.
"I've got three already," Luna said, shaking the jar in her hand, signaling that Rolf still had work to do.
Most of the Abraxans were already asleep; a few pawed at the ground with their hooves, their wings brushing the fence and stirring faint gusts of wind.
The two of them were crouched by the stables searching for beetles when the heavy thud of approaching footsteps startled them. They froze, then ducked behind a haystack nearby.
Hidden and invisible, Wade also shifted his position behind another hay bale — just as Luna glanced in his direction.
Moments later, Madame Maxime appeared with heavy steps and a cold face.
Hagrid came striding quickly after her, looking bewildered. "I just don't understand! There's nothing shameful about having giant blood! Why would you—"
"I told you already!" Madame Maxime snapped, her voice rising in fury. "I! Am! Not! Half-giant! Don't you dare compare me to those savage creatures!"
The Abraxans were startled awake, and neighed uneasily.
"Savage? Ma'am, did you just call the giant blood savage?"
Hagrid's face twisted with both hurt and disbelief, and then with anger. He growled, "Are you insulting where we come from? Saying things like that… you're insulting yourself, too!"
Madame Maxime trembled with rage, her breath became fast and her chest heaved violently.
"Rubeus Hagrid! Have you ever even seen a giant with your own eyes? Those filthy, brutal, brainless beasts — even saying the word makes me sick! I'm nothing like you. I—I'm just big-boned, that's all!"
Hagrid's voice shook. "You'd rather lie to yourself than face the truth? But I—"
"Enough! There's nothing more to say between us!" Madame Maxime cut him off icily, turned, and strode away.
Hagrid stood there for a long moment, staring at her retreating figure, before finally sighing heavily and leaving too.
After a while, Rolf peeked out from behind the haystack and brushed the bits of grass off his clothes.
"They really had a big fight, didn't they? You'd think people would stop to consider how their words might hurt before blurting them out."
He sighed sympathetically, completely unfazed by the phrase "half-giant" he'd overheard.
"It's like the Whomping Willow," Luna said softly.
"The Whomping Willow?" Rolf looked at her curiously.
The girl glanced toward the distant tree. "It thrashes and snarls on the surface, but underground, its roots are all tangled together."
Rolf understood and smiled, asking, "...Do you really think so?"
"Of course." Luna tilted her head gently, her voice light and dreamlike. "They hurt each other because they care so much — they're just too clumsy to say, 'I care about you.' Don't you think so?"
She turned her gaze toward the spot where Wade was hiding and asked the question softly.
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