Ludo Bagman expertly brought the situation under control, pressing his hands down. Once the cheers subsided, he flashed his infectious smile again and announced in a booming voice:
"Thank you to all the judges for your hard work, and congratulations once again to all the champions who successfully advanced! The smoke from the first task has cleared, but the challenges are far from over! I can reveal that the second task will be an even more extraordinary journey, one that will test your wisdom!"
He paused deliberately, heightening everyone's anticipation.
"The second task will be held after the Christmas holidays! The exact time and location will be announced separately. And as for the key clue to the second task..."
He drew out the words, his gaze sweeping over the champions holding their golden eggs.
"It is hidden inside the golden egg in your hands!"
"Yes, champions! What you are holding is not merely a pass to the next stage, but also the key to unlocking the next riddle! How you decipher the secret of the golden egg will depend on your own wisdom and efforts. I suggest that you find a way to interpret it before Christmas and prepare in advance! Because once the Christmas bells ring, the real challenges will come one after another!"
This announcement immediately caused a stir among the champions.
Everyone instinctively looked down at the heavy golden eggs in their arms, their eyes filled with curiosity.
"All right, ladies and gentlemen! The first task of the Triwizard Tournament has come to a successful conclusion! Thank you once again for your attention and support!"
Following Bagman's final announcement, the students in the stands began to leave in an orderly fashion under the guidance of the prefects and professors.
Lively discussions filled the area. People were still reliving the thrilling competition, speculating about the secrets hidden inside the golden eggs, and discussing the newly introduced scoring rules with satisfaction.
In the days that followed, Hogwarts Castle gradually returned to its usual rhythm, though things were noticeably different from before.
Classes continued as usual, but many unfamiliar faces could now be seen in the classrooms.
Durmstrang students, dressed in heavy fur cloaks, sat quietly and seriously in the back rows of Charms and Defence Against the Dark Arts.
The Beauxbatons girls, meanwhile, made for a striking sight as they sat elegantly in History of Magic and Herbology, occasionally whispering to one another in their distinctive French accents.
Students from Ilvermorny, Uagadou, and the other schools also attended various classes according to their interests.
This inter-school exchange produced some unexpected results.
In Professor Flitwick's Charms class, students from different schools often engaged in friendly discussions about the pronunciation and wand movements of certain spells.
In Professor Sprout's greenhouse, students from Castelobruxo would also speak knowledgeably about the characteristics of certain tropical magical plants, broadening everyone else's horizons.
Even in Professor Snape's cold underground classroom, students in different uniforms could be seen frowning as they struggled with complex and difficult potion recipes.
In the corridors of the castle, uniforms of different colours mingled together, while conversations in various languages and accents rose and fell around them, bringing unprecedented vitality to the ancient castle.
Of course, minor conflicts and rivalries between the schools still existed, but after the shocking ordeal with the dragons, a subtle new atmosphere had also begun to take shape.
The next morning, the winter sunlight lazily streamed through the tall windows, casting dappled light across the staff common room.
The warm aroma of black tea drifted through the air. Yesterday's commotion had faded, and several professors had gathered to enjoy a brief respite between classes.
"I must say," Professor McGonagall said, taking a sip of black tea, a rare note of admiration in her voice, "the floating arena truly is an incredible magical creation. It not only simulated a variety of environments perfectly, but its stability and load-bearing capacity also exceeded expectations."
"Absolutely, Minerva," Professor Flitwick agreed in his high-pitched voice, gesturing excitedly. "I dare say that throughout the entire history of magic, there are only a handful of creations that can rival its complexity and functionality! It is undoubtedly a monumental achievement in the combined application of modern magic and ancient runes!"
"That's why the Headmasters and students from the other schools have praised it so highly," Professor Sprout said with a smile. "We put a great deal of thought into constructing those runic circuits back then."
"Hmph." Snape held his teacup, his eyes fixed on the dark liquid as though checking it for poison. "Shouldn't resisting those clumsy magical attacks be one of its most basic functions?"
The professors who had participated in constructing the arena exchanged knowing smiles. The arena embodied all of their hard work and ingenuity.
Moody's magical eye swivelled as he looked toward Professor Flitwick beside him. "Filius, speaking of which, what I'm most curious about is its protective magic. That Uagadou boy was hit by dragon fire so badly yesterday, yet the arena still managed to pull him out at exactly the right moment."
At the mention of this, Professor Flitwick immediately perked up and began gesturing animatedly with both hands.
"Ah, you've touched on the key point, Alastor! It involves a very complex 'monitoring system.'"
"Monitoring system? I've never heard that term before..."
"Of course. That's hardly surprising, because I hadn't heard it before either," Professor Flitwick said with a smile. "Sagres mentioned it once. It's probably a Muggle term."
"What exactly does it mean?" Moody asked with a frown.
Professor Flitwick thought for a moment before answering, "Rather than mechanically judging the intensity of an attack, it continuously monitors fluctuations in the champion's life force. If an attack reaches a certain threshold and threatens their life, then regardless of whether the attack continues, the teleportation will be triggered immediately..."
Moody listened intently, occasionally interjecting.
"So even if someone is hit by Stupefy, as long as their vital signs suddenly drop, they'll be judged unable to continue? They don't have to wait until the dragon's teeth actually bite down?"
"Precisely! We considered every possibility. Of course, the protective magic was adjusted before the competition..."
The two professors enthusiastically discussed the details of the protective magic, with one proposing various extreme scenarios from the perspective of practical combat and defence, while the other explained them in terms of spell theory and magical contracts.
Meanwhile, as the professors chatted idly, Sagres had temporarily left Hogwarts.
At that moment, he was standing before a mansion in London, the residence of Barty Crouch, Head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation.
Sagres's gaze swept across the tightly shut windows and silent courtyard. His brows furrowed slightly as he keenly sensed something unusual in the air.
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