— — — — — —
"You're saying… you just slept in there?"
Having lasted more than ten hours longer than anyone else, Hozumi Kamio's result caused quite a stir.
The students were stunned by the sheer gap. The professors and headmasters were no different. Even Tom was puzzled.
The little fox looked completely unaffected. Her fair cheeks were flushed with a healthy glow, and she seemed even more radiant than before she went in.
Tom couldn't help feeling a little defeated.
'Was she in there for a beauty treatment or something?'
"Yep." Hearing his question, Kamio tilted her head, blinking her lively fox-like eyes with a playful air. Her tone was light, as if it were nothing worth mentioning. "I'm pretty good at sleeping. I can fall asleep anytime, anywhere. So after I went in, I didn't even notice anything. I just lay down and slept. When I woke up, it was already this late."
"Mr. Riddle…" She stepped a little closer, her voice suddenly turning soft and pitiful. Her slender fingers fidgeted lightly with her robe, her eyes slightly misty. "The rules didn't say sleeping wasn't allowed, so… I didn't break any rules, right?"
Tom opened his mouth, but the words just wouldn't come out.
Don't get the wrong idea. That kind of charm didn't work on him. If anything, he'd just push back harder.
The problem was… she was right.
There really wasn't any rule against sleeping. The only requirement for this task was to stay in the room as long as possible.
Tom had a reputation to maintain. He couldn't just make up a rule on the spot to make things difficult for a girl.
If the stakes were high enough, maybe he'd shamelessly bend things a little.
But for just one round's first place? Not worth it.
"Headmaster…" Tom shot Dumbledore a look, practically signaling for help.
Dumbledore didn't even glance at him. He simply stroked his beard at an unhurried pace.
You want to save face, and so do I. Bullying a young girl wasn't exactly dignified.
"Congratulations, Miss Kamio." Dumbledore smiled kindly, his tone sincere. "Wisdom is a form of strength. Such a simple and effective solution, yet only you thought of it. This victory is well deserved."
"As expected of Professor Dumbledore, truly fair and just."
Hearing that, Kamiya Akihiko, who had been tense just moments ago, immediately relaxed. A bright smile spread across his face as he stepped forward, exchanging polite compliments with Dumbledore. The atmosphere quickly turned warm and harmonious.
The other headmasters nodded in agreement, looking satisfied.
To be honest, Hogwarts had started to feel a bit like a common enemy to everyone.
Most of them shared the same mindset. Even if the winner wasn't from their school, it definitely shouldn't be from Hogwarts.
For most, it was just that Hogwarts had grown too strong, upsetting the balance.
For Ilvermorny, though, it was personal. Many of their students openly resented Dumbledore.
If leaving early wouldn't damage their international reputation, making it seem like they feared Hogwarts, they might have walked out already.
So for Fontaine, there was only one goal now. Do everything possible to stop Hogwarts from winning.
And setting aside Hozumi Kamio's near "cheat-like" victory, Daniel Jauncey had performed the best.
How could he not be pleased?
"Alright then. Congratulations, Miss Kamio." Tom let out a helpless sigh.
"Hehe~" The little fox instantly dropped her nervous act, breaking into a bright, triumphant smile.
"In that case, let's gather all the champions and announce the results of the first task," Kamiya Akihiko said cheerfully, turning to Dumbledore.
Dumbledore nodded. "However, I'm afraid it may be difficult to have all the champions come here. Why don't we move to the infirmary instead?"
Quinta, Nassim, and Jauncey were all still recovering there. Dragging them out didn't seem appropriate.
Everyone agreed, and the group headed to the infirmary together.
After a night of rest, the three of them looked a bit better. Their faces were still pale, their spirits low, but at least their minds were clear again.
Even so, the moment they thought about that endless, suffocating starry void inside the dark room—the silence, the loneliness that drove people mad—their bodies trembled uncontrollably, fear flashing in their eyes.
Daphne and Fleur were called over by Tom, while Rosier brought Ariana.
When they learned that Kamio had taken first place simply by sleeping, the girls immediately shot her unfriendly looks.
Kamio didn't care in the slightest.
She lifted her chin and gave them a faint, provocative smile.
"Now, I will announce the final results of the first task."
Ludo Bagman happily took the parchment from Crouch, stepping in as the announcer.
"First place, Hozumi Kamio of Mahoutokoro. She receives seventy points."
"Second place, Daniel Jauncey of Ilvermorny, with sixty-five points…"
The scores dropped by five points for each rank after that. When it came to Daphne, Bagman paused briefly before reading, "Sixth place, Daphne Greengrass of Hogwarts, with forty points."
A full thirty-point gap from Kamio.
The young lady, who had only just been cheered up, immediately sank again.
Tom rubbed her head helplessly, then reached out to hold Fleur's hand as well. For a moment, he felt completely overwhelmed, like he'd picked up a rock only to drop it on his own foot.
How had all his scheming ended up backfiring on himself?
Bagman noticed Daphne's expression and, trying to curry favor with Tom, quickly added with a smile, "A temporary setback doesn't mean much. There are plenty of chances to catch up. Until the very end, no one can claim victory."
For all his flaws and mountain of gambling debt, Bagman did have a way with words. Daphne's expression softened a little.
Crouch smoothly took over, his tone turning serious. "The points will come into play in the next task. You now have two weeks to prepare. The second task will take place on the weekend two weeks from now, and it will be broadcast worldwide. Your families and classmates, even those far away, will be watching your performance."
"The second task will test your ability to respond under pressure. Use this time to improve yourselves."
"Is the second task designed by Riddle again?" Quinta from Castelobruxo asked, her accented English carrying a hint of caution.
The other champions stiffened, glancing at Tom with faint unease.
"Nothing to do with me," Tom said immediately, shaking his head. "This one was planned in advance. Relax."
The champions turned to their respective headmasters, and after getting confirmation, the tension in the room eased noticeably.
No one stayed long after that. Once the important matters were settled, everyone dispersed.
...
Back in her dorm, Ariana had nowhere to vent her frustration. She stomped her foot in annoyance before diving straight into the study space to complain.
Ravenclaw stood by the window with a cup of tea, smiling but saying nothing. Morgan didn't even bother hiding her gloating, laughing so hard she nearly cried.
Only Jeanne gave Ariana the comfort she wanted.
"…Just do your best next time." Jeanne pulled her into a gentle hug. "I believe in you. You can definitely beat the others."
"Jeanne, you…"
Ariana felt both touched and a little helpless.
She had once held a trace of resentment toward Jeanne, thinking she had taken over a special place in Tom's heart. But after spending time with her, Ariana realized how unfair that had been. Trying to judge someone so pure with dark thoughts felt shameful.
Now they got along well, but every time Jeanne shone like this, Ariana couldn't help remembering her earlier jealousy. Guilt would quietly creep in.
"Hey, kid. I've improved a few dark spells these past couple of days. Master them properly, and a mere fox in the next task won't stand a chance."
Morgan had already learned about the second task from Ravenclaw and figured Ariana needed a boost.
They were all, in a sense, on the same team. If Ariana, with so many powerful mentors, still couldn't take first place, wouldn't that make them look worse than the average professors outside?
"Really?" Ariana's eyes lit up.
"Of course. Who do you think I am?"
Morgan stood up proudly, taking the girl's hand. "Come on. Let me take a look at your Obscurus. I'll try to tailor something that suits you."
Ariana smiled sweetly. "Thank you, Sister Morgan."
That one word, Sister, instantly brightened Morgan's mood. She patted her chest and promised that Ariana could come to her anytime she needed help.
When Tom later entered the space and heard about this from Ravenclaw, he shook his head helplessly.
"With that mindset… if she manages to outplay Merlin someday, that'll be a miracle."
"And Tom, this is Morgan's revised version of the Killing Curse. Take a look."
Ravenclaw pulled a few sheets of parchment from the shelf and placed them on the table. There weren't many words on them, and none of the usual dense, structured magical theory. Instead, it was all Morgan's raw insights and intuitive understanding of magic.
For an average student, it might look readable, but the true meaning would be impossible to grasp.
Tom, however, shared Morgan's kind of talent. He read through it with great interest, nodding occasionally.
"It really is stronger now. When great power moves, the world moves with it.… this spell has that kind of feeling."
"When great power moves, the world moves with it?"
Ravenclaw repeated his words under her breath, turning them over in her mind again and again. Her eyes grew brighter, as if a spark had ignited within them.
Suddenly, she stood up.
Without saying a word, she dashed straight toward the meditation room, leaving only a faint afterimage behind.
Tom stared blankly at the empty space by the window, blinking in confusion.
"…Wait. I just quoted some saying, and that's enough for you to have a breakthrough?"
Seriously? What kind of logic is that?
.
.
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