Dumbledore waited a moment to make sure everyone had heard him clearly before continuing.
"Tonight, the Goblet of Fire will be placed in the centre of the Entrance Hall for all eligible students to submit their names."
"And to ensure the seriousness of the selection, as well as to prevent some of our younger students from giving in to temptation..."
He paused and glanced towards the Gryffindor table, a mischievous gleam in his eyes.
"I will place an Age Line around the Goblet of Fire. Anyone under the age of seventeen who attempts to cross it will be politely sent back."
He left a brief pause for everyone to imagine the consequences, then clapped his hands.
"Very well. The feast is officially over. Hogwarts prefects, please lead the students back to your common rooms in an orderly fashion. Students from our visiting schools, please return to your respective accommodations. I wish you all a comfortable night."
As soon as he finished speaking, the Great Hall filled with the scraping of chairs and the shuffling of footsteps. School uniforms of different colours flowed towards the doors like a tide.
In the Entrance Hall, the Goblet of Fire had already been placed atop a stone pedestal. A faint golden line, seemingly formed from flowing specks of light, shimmered around it on the floor.
The students from each school parted ways here, heading towards their uniquely distinctive temporary accommodations.
Ilvermorny's Thunderbird magical construct stood like a statue with its enormous wings spread wide, cleverly supporting two spacious tents bearing the Ilvermorny crest beneath its feathers.
The Castelobruxo students headed towards an enormous tree that had risen from the ground beside the Castle. Beneath its canopy, green vines intertwined to form several natural wooden doorways.
The Headmistress of Uagadou unfurled the enormous magic carpet. It folded and twisted through the air before transforming into a magnificent tent filled with exotic charm.
The most startling sight belonged to Ukarlo. Its students formed an orderly line and quietly approached the enormous serpent lying nearby, entering one by one through its open mouth.
The Durmstrang students silently formed ranks, preparing to return to their phantom ship moored on the Black Lake.
The sight greatly broadened the horizons of the Hogwarts students, who stared wide-eyed, hardly knowing where to look first.
Near the Durmstrang delegation, numerous young Wizards clutched pieces of parchment as they eagerly crowded around Viktor Krum, hoping to get his autograph.
"What's the point of all this?" Hermione asked from outside the crowd, her arms crossed.
"The point? He's Viktor Krum! He is the point!" Ron exclaimed excitedly, while both he and Harry craned their necks for a better look.
Hermione stood beside them with a deep frown, looking completely baffled.
Just then, Krum's gaze passed through the crowd and met hers.
Hermione stared back without flinching and even gave him an unimpressed glare, which visibly startled him.
Karkaroff, the Headmaster of Durmstrang, strode forward with a grim expression and brusquely dispersed the crowd.
"Enough! Everyone return to where you should be! Viktor needs his rest!"
His harsh manner caused the students to retreat reluctantly.
Karkaroff then turned towards Krum, his expression instantly shifting into almost exaggerated concern, and even his voice softened.
"Viktor, how are you feeling? The evening breeze over the lake is rather cold. Shall I have someone bring you some mulled wine from the kitchens? It would help warm you up."
Krum merely shook his head.
"No need, Headmaster," he murmured.
Just then, another Durmstrang boy nearby seemed encouraged and interjected with a mixture of flattery and expectation.
"Headmaster, I'd like some mulled wine too..."
The concern on Karkaroff's face instantly froze, replaced by undisguised disgust.
"Do you think this is a holiday, Poliakoff?" Karkaroff's almost paternal gentleness vanished in an instant. "I noticed you've spilled food down the front of your robes again, you irritating boy..."
His sharp gaze struck the boy like a whip.
"Get back to the ship immediately!"
The boy went pale with fright, hunched his shoulders, and hurriedly scurried back into line.
Not far away, Sagres, who had witnessed the entire scene, couldn't help but reveal a mocking smile.
This was Karkaroff's true nature.
"Disgusting, isn't it?" a rough voice suddenly sounded beside Sagres.
Sagres did not turn around. He merely tilted his head slightly as Moody came to stand beside him, leaning on his cane. His magical eye remained fixed in the direction Karkaroff had gone.
"I assume you're referring to our dear Headmaster Karkaroff?" Sagres asked evenly.
"Who else?" Moody scoffed, his magical eye spinning. "A complete opportunist. Watching him fuss over that boy reminds me of the way he snivelled and begged for mercy before the Wizengamot."
Sagres raised an eyebrow slightly.
"People tend to invest in whatever they consider valuable, especially after backing the wrong side once before."
Moody's magical eye finally turned towards Sagres, scrutinising him.
"You know his history rather well."
"Well enough."
Sagres watched as Karkaroff disappeared through the doors.
"At least well enough not to be fooled by his current façade as an educator."
"Hmph. He'd better not try anything under my nose," Moody growled, his fingers unconsciously brushing against his wand. "I'm watching him. Some people never change what they are at heart."
Sagres neither agreed nor disagreed. He asked casually,
"Were you the one who caught him back then?"
"Of course," Moody replied. "He was slippery as an eel, but eventually he showed his true colours."
"It must have been quite a spectacular arrest," Sagres said flatly, without the slightest hint of admiration.
"Spectacular?"
Moody scoffed.
"He kept running, and when we finally caught him, he didn't even put up a decent fight."
His rough voice was filled with contempt.
"And in the end, to get his sentence reduced, he spat out a dozen names in one breath. Completely spineless..."
Sagres nodded. He had heard a little about those events.
The two fell briefly silent as the last few students in the Entrance Hall gradually dispersed.
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