— — — — — —
It wasn't until it was time to score Daphne that Bagman finally understood why Crouch had stubbornly refused to budge earlier, even under the murderous stares of Dumbledore and Grindelwald.
So this was what he'd been saving it for?
This time, Crouch didn't hesitate at all. He scored even faster than Dumbledore—straight to a perfect ten.
A strange glint flickered in Grindelwald's eyes, as if he were seeing Crouch in a whole new light.
So that's how it is, huh? Brown-nosing like this? Ariana doesn't even get a second glance, and now you're fixated on the golden girl Daphne? Where'd that backbone of yours go when you gave that eight earlier?
Even though he privately sneered at Crouch's flexibility, Grindelwald didn't slow down his own hand in the slightest. He also held up a ten.
Then came Dumbledore. And Bagman.
Headmaster Akihiko Kamiya of Mahoutokoro hesitated for a moment, but then Kamio said loudly in admiration. "To subdue a fire dragon with nothing but a Patronus… Miss Greengrass, a perfect score is truly well deserved."
Akihiko had originally been wavering, thinking of giving Daphne a nine. But the moment he heard that, he changed his mind.
Another ten.
The remaining four headmasters felt miserable. They'd been waiting for Crouch to lead with an eight so they could follow suit.
But their "leader" had defected.
In the end, they could only grit their teeth and hand out nines. That missing point was the last shred of their dignity.
Daphne's final score: eighty-six. Second place overall.
...
..
Over in the contestants' area, Daphne's eyes curved into crescents as she beamed, unable to stop smiling. A faint blush colored her cheeks.
She'd come to the conclusion that Kamio was an absolute master of conversation. Every word hit right where it counted—honestly, even sweeter than when she tried to butter Tom up on purpose.
"You're right, that dragon was pretty clever. It even knew how to beg for mercy. I think I'll buy it."
Thinking back to how her dragon had quickly read the situation and surrendered, Daphne decided she'd bring it home and keep it as a pet.
The little fox smiled sweetly, a hint of envy in her voice.
"As expected of Miss Greengrass… I actually really like the Antipodean Opaleye I chose too. It's just a shame my family can't afford that kind of luxury."
As she spoke, her expression grew a little wistful.
"I wonder if I'll ever get to see it again…"
"Leave it to me!" Daphne, still riding high, thumped her chest confidently. "I'll buy that Opaleye too. If you ever want to see her, just let me know in advance."
"Really?" Kamio's eyes lit up, her face full of delight. "Miss Greengrass, you're such a kind person. Honestly, you're a perfect Hufflepuff—kind, generous, and sincere."
She really knows how to flatter people. Seriously, really knows how.
Daphne loved straightforward people like this. She immediately pulled out the snacks she carried with her and started sharing them.
Meanwhile, though Tom was seated in the VIP section enjoying the show, his sharp senses caught every word of their conversation. He rubbed his forehead helplessly.
His silly girl…
A few sweet words from that little fox and she's completely lost.
You think she's after the dragon?
No, she's after your man!
That won't do. If Daphne's going to be the big sister figure someday, how can she get played so easily by a sly fox?
Tom's lips moved slightly, sending a silent message.
Fleur, who had been quietly chatting with Ariana, froze for a moment. She shot the boy a strange look, a flicker of understanding passing through her eyes, before quickly walking over to Daphne.
As expected of sworn rivals, a few casually provocative remarks from Fleur were enough to spark Daphne's temper. Just like that, she was lured away from Kamio's side.
The little fox didn't get angry. Instead, she cast Tom a coquettish glance before returning gracefully to her seat.
The big screen displayed the current rankings.
Aside from the dejected students from Ilvermorny and Jauncey, most people felt the scoring was fairly reasonable.
But what everyone was really looking forward to next…
…was the announcement of the wizard ranking system, set to be revealed today.
One by one, the contestants and judges returned to the stands, leaving the stage entirely to Tom.
The audience watching through the Lume-Lenes was completely confused. They had no idea what this "wizard ranking" was about. Sure, the newspapers had mentioned it before—but that had been ages ago, and few remembered the details.
Still, since the broadcast wasn't over, most people stayed put.
Tom faced the largest section of the crowd with a faint smile. He slowly raised his hands, palms open.
The ground began to tremble.
Dozens of stone coffins rose from beneath the earth, carrying an ancient, oppressive aura.
With a casual flick of his hand, the battlefield—still scarred and uneven from the earlier fights—began to soften. The terrain rippled like waves, smoothing itself out as gravel and dust settled back into place.
In just a few seconds, the entire landscape transformed.
The Dream Arena's ground became flat and open once more, fresh green grass spreading across it as if it had always been there.
The sheer scale of it left countless mouths hanging open.
They were all wizards, so why did the gap feel this ridiculous?
What Tom had just done would take at least twenty skilled wizards an entire day to accomplish, and that was assuming they specialized in Transfiguration.
Tom was very pleased with their reactions. The viewers watching remotely were probably just as stunned.
He never missed a chance to show off.
Playing weak might sound clever, but keep it up long enough and people might start to believe it. Worse, it invites trouble from those who think you're easy prey.
If you want to avoid that, you have to make your strength clear. Let people think twice before crossing you.
"Thank you to all the champions for their incredible performances," Tom said calmly, his voice carrying clearly across the entire venue. "They've demonstrated combat skill and magical control far beyond their years."
"For students, we may have year levels to gauge their ability, along with structured exams."
"But once they graduate, that structure disappears."
"Not only do others lose a clear sense of their capabilities, but the wizards themselves often don't know whether they've improved or regressed."
"Let me give a simple example. According to statistics, fewer than half of the wizards in the British Ministry of Magic can properly cast the Shield Charm."
A wave of uproar swept through the stands.
The Shield Charm? With its recent promotion and Moody teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts this year, nearly all fourth-years and above had mastered it. Even many third-years could use it.
Was Tom seriously saying Ministry employees were worse than students?
Inside one of the VIP boxes, Fudge's face flushed bright red. With so many foreign officials present, the strange looks and barely hidden smirks directed at him were unbearable.
Fortunately, Tom stepped in to ease the situation.
"This isn't an isolated case, nor does it mean the British Ministry is behind," he continued smoothly. "It's simply that many wizards neglect practice after graduation, gradually forgetting spells they once knew."
That gave Fudge his opening.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I suggest you conduct similar surveys when you return home," he said with a tight smile. "Take a good look at your own staff. I recall a conference in Tokyo where Aurors couldn't even manage a basic Muggle-Repelling Charm. A dozen Muggles walked straight in and reported us for running a cult."
The visiting wizards from Japan lowered their heads in embarrassment. Satisfied, Fudge finally relaxed and turned his attention back to Tom.
"Therefore, the Astra Abyssum Guild will establish a unified standard," Tom went on, "so that wizards and witches clearly understand their level."
"Creating such a system is complex. It spans many fields, and everyone has their own specialization. You can't expect every wizard to be a… well-rounded genius like me."
A collective twitch ran through the audience.
Tom, completely oblivious to everyone's reaction, continued confidently, "Today's evaluation focuses solely on overall dueling ability. It's also a demonstration by Astra Abyssum and major magical institutions to the world."
"After two months of continuous testing, we gathered data from all Aurors in Britain, France, and Germany, and selected the most representative individual as the benchmark for combat assessment."
"And for that, we must thank…"
"Miss Nymphadora Tonks, a newly appointed Auror of the British Ministry of Magic, for her invaluable contribution!"
Far away at the Ministry of Magic, Tonks was standing with a group of Aurors, watching the broadcast.
Her vision went black.
So the punchline was her all along?
She'd just been turned into a unit of measurement for combat power.
.
.
.