Chapter 321: Escaping?
After solidifying the scene of this suite in the spaceship of the Dream World, Aisen opened his eyes in the real world.
Storing data with time as the scale is like the chat history of a certain penguin in the real world. But this so-called history must also occupy storage space to work.
But in the Dream World, Aisen can freely manipulate all time, so naturally, he can use time as a node for data storage. This is extremely convenient.
"The development of the Chat Group is on the right track now, hmm—, maybe it won't be long before the first version of the Chat Group can be launched," Aisen stood up and went to the window, looking at the figures coming and going on the field outside, and said with a smile.
However, I'll have to tell Hermione about it then, so she doesn't get startled.
"Look, over there—"
"What? The Durmstrang ship? What about it?"
"Haven't you noticed? Krum and they haven't appeared for a long time!"
"Maybe, they used to like to go to the Library, now they stay on the ship all day, I don't know what they are thinking."
"Maybe they are preparing for the third task of the Triwizard Tournament!"
...
His gaze swept over the Little Wizards below, and the voices of some people were clearly fed back into Aisen's mind.
Have the Durmstrang students all become homebodies?
Aisen was immediately a little surprised, and then with God's Perspective activated, his gaze entered the interior of the large ship, and sure enough, he found some Durmstrang students.
Each student held a book in their hand, or huddled together discussing something in low voices.
With a shift of thought, Aisen withdrew his gaze.
The next morning, when he came to the Great Hall for breakfast, he found that the atmosphere in the entire Great Hall had suddenly become much livelier. Before he could ask what was going on, he saw many Little Wizards grabbing newspapers and looking at the Gryffindor long table with astonishment.
Immediately, Aisen understood what was going on.
"Did you see it? Hogwarts Campus Weekly! This is the newspaper founded by the Savior, Harry Potter, it's great!" Laura Madley, a first-year Hufflepuff student, was so excited her face turned red.
"I bet they must need some help, what do you say about us?" Her friend egged her on.
"You mean, be an editor?" Laura's eyes began to shine.
"Uh, being an editor would certainly be good, but I think we can also contribute directly. Look, there's also a serialized novel section here—"
...
He glanced at the Trio and found that Hermione, Harry, and Ron were all exceptionally excited. Besides the Trio, Aisen noticed that even their friends Neville, Seamus, and others were in high spirits, huddled together discussing something.
"Hogwarts Campus Weekly, a very good idea, isn't it?" A voice sounded in Aisen's ear, and Sirius Black came and sat down at the faculty table.
"Of course, Hogwarts is missing such a newspaper!" Biting hard on a bread roll, Aisen sighed slightly.
"Maybe in a few years, Hogwarts Campus Weekly will become the most influential newspaper in the entire Wizarding World!" Professor Flitwick smiled as he looked down, and said his opinion lightly.
Hearing Professor Flitwick's words, the corner of Aisen's mouth couldn't help but twitch.
Just thinking about Hermione's plan to openly promote articles advocating for more rights for House-elves through this newspaper, Aisen felt that it would be good enough if this newspaper could spread its influence outside the school.
"You're right, maybe the founding of Hogwarts Campus Weekly will be recorded in 'Hogwarts, A History'!" Black's face showed a look of relief.
It was clear that he was extremely satisfied with Harry's ability to achieve such a feat.
"After they graduate, if they don't want to work for the Ministry of Magic, they can also make this newspaper their career. Hmm—, this is indeed quite good!" After pondering for a while, Aisen agreed with them.
Actually, thinking about it, it makes sense. After all, the Wizarding World doesn't stipulate that you must enter the Ministry of Magic or stay at Hogwarts after graduating from Hogwarts.
Apparently, starting a newspaper directly as a business is also possible.
"I don't think Harry is someone who can sit still, he still prefers Quidditch—" Black's smile faded, and he seemed to think of something as he shook his head, "After graduation, he'll become a professional Quidditch player!"
"That's very possible! However, his talent in Charms is very good, maybe becoming an Auror wouldn't be bad either." Professor Flitwick offered his opinion.
Professional Quidditch player? Or an Auror in the Ministry of Magic?
Taking a sip of orange juice, Aisen glanced at Harry, who was immersed in laughter, and showed a thoughtful expression.
To be honest, in the original story, the reason Harry chose to become an Auror in the Ministry of Magic after graduation was probably greatly related to his experiences along the way.
Especially fighting the resurrected Voldemort, Harrydidn't know how many battles he had experienced, how many times he had seen death. In the end, the Dark Lordfell, and Harry luckily survived.
Perhaps these experiences made Harry feel responsible for becoming an Auror to fight Dark Wizards.
But now, Harry hasn't experienced any battles. Uh—, he had a face-to-face encounter with Quirrell, who was possessed by Voldemort, in his first year, which probably doesn't count as a battle.
But the later events are obvious. With Aisen's guidance and help, Dumbledore has already destroyed all of Voldemort's horcruxes. Moreover, Dumbledore was not affected by the Killing Curse.
And at this moment, in the school, Harry is very well protected. Obviously, his favorite activity is still Quidditch. Therefore, logically speaking, it is more likely that Harrywill choose to become a professional Quidditch player after graduation.
"Professional Quidditch player? That should be good!" Aisen nodded in agreement with Black's statement, "He should enter the national team, like Krum from Durmstrang, and enter the world stage!"
"Exactly, that would be a fantastic scene!" Black was all smiles, as if he had already seen that moment.
"By the way, the third task of the Triwizard Tournament is about to begin, Aisen, how are you preparing?" Professor Flitwick changed the subject and brought up the Triwizard Tournament.
"Me? I'll just take it easy!" Looking at the two people whose eyes were on him, Aisen shook his head slightly, "You know, who wins the Triwizard Cup mainly depends on the performance of the other three champions!"
"Cedric is currently in the lead, and there's a high possibility of him winning the Triwizard Cup." Professor Flitwick looked towards the Hufflepuff area with a smile on his face.
Some Little Wizards were gathered around Cedric, chattering away. Looking at Cedric, he had a smile on his face, as if he would always give people a feeling of confidence.
It must be said that at Hogwarts School, Cedric is indeed a very outstanding student. Just as Dumbledoreevaluated in the original story, he is kind, hardworking, and believes in fair competition...
Sometimes, Aisen even wondered if Cedric would become one of the most famous alumni of Hogwarts School if he hadn't been killed by Voldemort.
What? Voldemort has no chance to kill him now? Oh, then it's fine! Aisen can wait slowly and see what achievements he can make in the future.
"Cedric has a great chance of winning, but Krum from Durmstrang should not be underestimated." Black said calmly, then changed his tone, "By the way, I haven't seen Karkaroff for a long time, has he been staying on the ship?"
"Perhaps, maybe he'll only come over when the third task is approaching!" Professor Flitwick nodded and said.
Karkaroff?
Hearing the two people's conversation, Aisen's mind recalled the scene Harry had told him about earlier. Karkaroff followed Professor Snape, bothering him for two whole hours.
Did he escape?
Aisen remembered very clearly that in the original story, during the third task, after Voldemort resurrected and killed Cedric, Karkaroff directly abandoned the school students and ran away.
As for now, Voldemort seems to have also resurrected. And, it's possible that he has recovered some of his strength. So, is it possible that Karkaroff has already escaped?
As his thoughts turned, a thoughtful expression appeared on Aisen's face.
Wait—
It seems I saw him last time, when was that? Oh, right, it was before the holiday when I was helping Hagridinvestigate the missing Unicorn.
At that time, Karkaroff went to Hogsmeade, right?
Hmm? Unicorn disappeared? Hunted by Voldemort? And then Voldemort recovered some of his power and started summoning Death Eaters through the Dark Mark?
Next, did Karkaroff feel the increasingly strong Dark Mark, and then couldn't help but flee directly?
However, in the original story, Karkaroff only fled after Voldemort recovered his strength using Harry's blood. But at this time, Voldemort was still hiding in the shadows.
Could it be? After he hunted a Unicorn and used its blood and Nagini's venom to recover some power, he casually found an enemy and used that magic ritual to restore his own power?
In the original story, Voldemort used a very ancient and evil magic: 'Bone of the father, unknowingly given, you will renew your son. Flesh of the servant, willingly given, you will revive your master. Blood of the enemy, forcibly taken, you will resurrect your foe.'
Clearly, Voldemort chose the blood of Harry, his enemy, to be completely resurrected and restore his own power.
So, did Voldemort have to use Harry's blood to resurrect? Obviously not, the blood of an enemy was nothing to Voldemort, as his enemies were everywhere.
As for why he had to obtain Harry's blood, it was clearly for the protective power flowing within Harry's blood.
And now, Voldemort using the blood of other enemies to resurrect is likely because he couldn't find an opportunity. After all, most of the Death Eaters are basically locked up in Azkaban now.
With no one available, Voldemort probably had to lower his requirements and use the blood of other enemies to complete the resurrection ritual.
"Yes, Karkaroff will probably appear around the start of the third task!" Aisen said calmly, then immediately opened his God's Perspective and projected his vision into the interior of the Durmstrang ship.
He had looked inside once before, only briefly glancing at the students, and hadn't specifically noticed whether Karkaroff was there or not. This time, as he looked again, his gaze swept across the entire cabin and he carefully scanned back and forth, and indeed, he did not find the other party's figure.
Did the other party really just flee?
Is it possible that he just temporarily left Hogwarts and returned to his own school? Uh—, well, no matter where Karkaroff went, Aisen felt that as long as the other party wasn't causing trouble at Hogwarts, there was no problem.
What? Karkaroff fled, and the Triwizard Tournament is missing a judge—but what does that have to do with Aisen? Oh, then it's fine!
The food on the plate was gradually finished by Aisen, and the orange juice in the cup was also running low. However, Aisen did not leave immediately. Instead, he cast a Refilling Charm to fill the cup with orange juice and continued drinking.
To be honest, ever since Aisen had the Energy Absorptionrunes inscribed on his body, eating and drinking had become purely a matter of taste bud enjoyment.
Because after food entered his stomach, it was directly broken down and converted into energy for absorption, there was no feeling of fullness. However, Aisen didn't really care about this and still maintained the habit of three meals a day.
"By the way, Philius, do you know who the Deputy Headmaster of Durmstrang School is?" Aisen suddenly asked after a moment.
"Durmstrang's Deputy Headmaster?" Professor Flitwicklooked at Aisen in confusion. Seeing that his expression was normal, he calmly said, "If I remember correctly, it should be a Witch named Jorgen Nonnal. He has extensive experience in Witch dueling, and I've had some dealings with him."
"Jorgen Nonnal, Witch dueling?" Aisen murmured.
"Yes, you know, I've won the Witch Dueling Championships many times before. I've had a few clashes with Jorgen Nonnal in the dueling championships, and his dueling skills are very good. He's been the runner-up a few times." Professor Flitwick's face showed a nostalgic expression as he recalled the past.
"Runner-up in the Dueling Championships, his skill level is indeed quite good!" Aisen nodded, and then as if he had thought of something, he continued to ask, "I heard that Durmstrang School focuses more on dueling and combat magic, do their students have an advantage in the dueling championships?"
"That is indeed the case!" Professor Flitwick nodded, and then changed his tone, "However, Aisen, the dueling class you are in charge of is excellent. Many students' practical combat skills have improved rapidly, and I believe they will not lose to Durmstrang School in terms of combat magic. By the way, is there any problem with Jorgen Nonnal?"
"No, I was just purely curious and wanted to understand a bit!" Aisen put down his cup and waved his hand.
Aisen didn't know much about the specifics of Durmstrang Institute. The reason he asked who the school's Deputy Headmaster was was simply because he suspected that this Deputy Headmaster might come to Hogwarts when the third task of the Triwizard Tournament began.
You know, in the original story, Karkaroff fled when the entire Triwizard Tournament was already over. Hmm—, perhaps the competition wasn't officially over at the time, but it must have been close.
And now, there is still more than a month before the third task begins, and Karkaroff is already nowhere to be seen.
So, when the third task is approaching, Dumbledore or Professor McGonagall will likely notify DurmstrangSchool.
With a missing judge, perhaps Durmstrang's Deputy Headmaster will come to replace Karkaroff.
After dinner, the Little Wizards gradually started their classes, and Aisen also went back into the Library.
For the next period of time, except for teaching dueling class on Monday evenings and Astronomy Class on Wednesday evenings, Aisen's energy was focused on the Chat Group.
As time slowly passed, Aisen's plan progressed very smoothly.
Of course, the Trio's Apparition lessons were not neglected. On weekends, Aisen would take them to the fields outside Hogsmeade to practice the Apparition Charm.
How should I put it? The three of them had quite good talent in the Apparition Charm. They succeeded one after another during their third lesson.
It might have a lot to do with Aisen frequently teaching them practical combat training. In the process of learning the Apparition Charm, they had very good control over the magic within their bodies.
Therefore, the Splinching phenomenon that beginners experience when learning Apparition did not occur with the Trio.
Although this surprised Aisen, after careful consideration, he felt it was understandable.
So, after they could all smoothly Apparate within a five-foot range, the distance they could Apparate also increased time and time again.
Of course, the magic within their bodies was still in a growth phase, and for their safety, Aisen advised them not to cross too great a distance at once.
Besides these, what surprised Aisen was that the "Hogwarts Campus Weekly" that the Trio started at his casual suggestion unexpectedly became popular.
Perhaps it was indeed because it was produced by Hogwarts students, so many Little Wizards in the school enthusiastically subscribed to this newspaper.
Even though a newspaper cost five Knuts, in just two weeks, the Trio had already earned a profit of over ten Galleons.
Hermione wasn't too concerned about this. What she was focused on was the issue of House-elf rights.
However, the "Hogwarts Campus Weekly" was in its development stage, so at Aisen's suggestion, she did not directly publish articles advocating for House-elf rights in it.
In the blink of an eye, time had come to the last week of May.
That evening, after dinner in the Great Hall, Professor McGonagall informed him that he was to go to the Quidditch field at nine o'clock that night.
Clearly, if nothing unexpected happened, he would be informed of the content of the third task of the Triwizard Tournament.
Although for Aisen, this was just a formality, he didn't say anything. After all, in addition to being a champion, he was also a safety officer.
So, as a safety officer, wasn't it a very reasonable thing to get a thorough understanding of the upcoming venue?
Chapter 322: Before the Final Match
At half past eight in the evening, Aisen slowly made his way downstairs. As he walked through the entrance hall corridor and down the stone steps, he noticed that it had become completely dark.
Hogwarts Castle in the night seemed to melt into the overcast environment, giving off a mysterious feeling. Stepping onto the lawn, a gentle breeze blew towards him, giving Aisen a strange sense of lightness.
A moment later, he passed through a gap between the stands and entered the Quidditch stadium.
However, the Quidditch stadium at this time was vastly different from usual.
The stadium was no longer smooth and flat; instead, brick walls of varying heights had been built. These brick walls were intricate and wound in all directions, forming a seemingly extraordinarily complex maze.
Evidently, the area enclosed by these brick walls was the site constructed for the third task of the Triwizard Tournament.
"Hello! Aisen—" It seemed Ludo Bagman had seen Aisenand happily extended his hand to greet him.
Bagman stood in the center of the stadium, with Cedric, Krum, and Delacour standing beside him.
Smiling and nodding, Aisen stepped over a low wall and walked towards their position. Upon reaching Bagman's side, Aisen stopped.
"Professor!" Cedric smiled and greeted Aisen.
Krum, as usual, maintained a poker face. As for Delacour, she also gave him a brilliant smile. Uh, perhaps it was because Aisen had saved her sister during the second task.
"How is the construction of these brick walls coming along?" Aisen pointed to the walls spreading in all directions and asked casually.
"Good progress, isn't it?" Bagman looked around. "In another month, Hagrid will have it built up to twenty feet high. It will definitely be ready for the third task."
Looking at Cedric, Aisen saw that his expression wasn't good. With just a thought, he understood why he looked like that.
"Don't worry, Cedric, as soon as the Tournament task is over, the Quidditch stadium will be restored to its original state. Right, Mr. Bagman?" Stepping forward and patting Cedric on the shoulder, Aisen said with a smile.
"That's right, you don't need to worry about that!" Bagman said, then clapped his hands to get their attention, changing his tone. "So, I think you can probably guess what we're going to do here, right?"
Aisen's eyes immediately narrowed.
"A maze!" Krum's gruff voice suddenly rang out.
"Exactly!" A look of satisfaction appeared on Bagman's face. "This will be built into a maze, and the third task of the Triwizard Tournament is very simple and clear—whoever is the first to touch the Triwizard Cup placed in the center of the maze will receive full marks."
"We just need to get through the maze?" A curious look appeared on Delacour's face.
"That is indeed part of the competition!" Bagman said happily. "But many obstacles will be placed in the maze. Hmm—Hagrid will provide some animals, and there will also be some Charms that need to be undone inside."
"I think I just need to do what a safety officer should do," Aisen said calmly.
"Exactly!" The smile on Bagman's face spread. He then looked at Cedric and Krum. "You must know that the Champion with the highest score will enter the maze first, then Mr. Krum can enter, and finally Miss Delacour. However, getting the Triwizard Cup will depend on your ability to overcome the obstacles. That's great, isn't it?"
Seeing Cedric and the others' eager expressions, Aisencouldn't help but sigh with emotion.
How to put it? Aisen didn't know how dangerous the Triwizard Tournament used to be, but judging from the content and procedures of these three tasks, there really wasn't much danger.
It was also fortunate that the plot had become completely unrecognizable under Aisen's intervention. Otherwise, if Cedric knew he would be killed by Voldemort, would he still show such an expression?
It's just that he didn't know what animals Hagrid would provide on this occasion. Blast-Ended Skrewts that had grown to nearly ten feet? Or a Hippogriff that Hagrid had raised again? Or perhaps, just put that husky in?
However, these shouldn't be a problem for Cedric and the others!
"Alright, if you have no questions, let's head back to the Castle. To be honest, it's a bit cold here!" Bagman said to the Champions, shrinking his neck at the same time.
Ah—is that all?
Ludo Bagman called the Champions out just to say a little bit about this, and that was it?
Aisen almost couldn't resist the urge to roll his eyes. Afterward, he crossed the brick wall with everyone and walked towards the Castle.
...
The next morning, Aisen went straight to Dumbledore's office.
"Aisen, is something the matter?" Dumbledore's puppet avatar sat behind the desk, seemingly having been waiting for him.
"Yes, there's something I need to tell you!" Aisen said calmly, without noticing anything. "Something related to Karkaroff."
Yes, what Aisen was going to talk about was Karkaroff's escape.
Although he thought that if Karkaroff still didn't appear after the third task began, he could be 100% certain that he had escaped. But since it involved the Triwizard Tournament, after thinking for a long time, Aisen still felt it was more appropriate to let Dumbledore know about this.
After all, Dumbledore had even asked him to keep an eye on Karkaroff before.
"Karkaroff!" Dumbledore mused.
"Yes, Karkaroff hasn't shown up for a long time. I suspect he has already left Hogwarts," Aisen nodded.
"Left Hogwarts?" Dumbledore looked at Aisen in surprise. "Why do you think that? Perhaps he's just been staying on the ship!"
"You said Karkaroff used to be a Death Eater, right?" Aisen said calmly.
"That's right, that's why I asked you to keep an eye on him!" Dumbledore's expression became serious.
"Karkaroff betrayed Voldemort and gave up many Death Eaters to reduce his sentence," Aisen said unhurriedly. "However, after he learned about Voldemort's resurrection, he would escape, wouldn't he?"
"You suspect he abandoned the Durmstrang students and escaped?" A thoughtful expression appeared on Dumbledore's face.
"Some time ago, I heard Harry say that Karkaroff pestered Professor Snape during Transfiguration for two full hours and even made this gesture towards Professor Snape," Aisen's tone shifted as he said this, rolling up his own sleeve.
"The Dark Mark!" Dumbledore's expression changed slightly.
"Harry said Karkaroff was very anxious at the time—" Aisen nodded.
"Based on just that, you concluded that Karkaroff has left?" Dumbledore was silent for a moment, then looked up at Aisen.
"A few years ago, Voldemort possessed Quirrell and drank Unicorn blood to restore his strength," Aisen said calmly. "Some time ago, Hagrid told me that a Unicornhad gone missing in the Forbidden Forest. I think it must have been hunted by Voldemort."
"You mean—" Dumbledore showed a look of realization.
"Unicorn blood can make Voldemort's power stronger. So, Karkaroff, as a Death Eater, felt the Dark Mark on his arm becoming more and more obvious and stronger, and then he abandoned the Durmstrang students and escaped directly," Aisen spread his hands.
"A very reasonable deduction!" Dumbledore nodded and said unhurriedly.
"To know if Karkaroff has escaped is actually very simple. Headmaster, you can go directly onto the ship to find him," Aisen shrugged. "Or, you can have the Durmstrangstudents notify him to come over."
"You're right," Dumbledore's tone was exceptionally calm.
"My point is, if Karkaroff has already escaped, then for the third task of the Triwizard Tournament, with one judge missing from the panel—" Aisen continued.
"Alright, I will handle this matter," Dumbledore said. "If Karkaroff has left, I will write a letter to Durmstrang's Deputy Headmaster, Jorgen Nonnal, and ask him to come over."
After leaving Dumbledore's office, Aisen felt slightly relieved.
Keeping an eye on Karkaroff, for him, was now completely finished. For the time being, Aisen's energy would be focused on some of his own research.
However, on the other hand. In the original story, not long after Karkaroff escaped, he was found to have been killed. But now, even though Voldemort has been resurrected, his power has been compressed to the extreme.
So, would Karkaroff still be killed?
Tsk tsk—
With just a little thought, Aisen couldn't help but shake his head.
If Dumbledore hadn't managed to take care of Voldemort in time, Karkaroff would likely still not escape the fate of being killed. There was nothing he could do about it; he could only blame the Dark Mark carved into his arm.
Aisen was highly confident that Voldemort could locate Death Eaters through the Dark Mark. This meant that unless the Dark Mark on Karkaroff's arm was removed, he couldn't keep hiding forever.
After arriving at the Great Hall for breakfast, Aisenreturned to his office.
...
As June arrived, Aisen could feel the atmosphere in Hogwarts Castle suddenly change. It became both tense and excited.
Although for many Little Wizards, the final exams felt like a mountain pressing down on their hearts, the third task, which would be held the week before the holidays, still left them full of anticipation.
The Trio were doing alright, thanks to Aisen's help with cheating, their homework was completed quite well.
So, from time to time, they would chat with the Hufflepuffstudents, discussing which Charms would be more suitable for Cedric to use in the maze.
But clearly, Cedric's Charm skills were excellent. He had mastered Charms like the Blasting Curse to break obstacles, the Barrier Charm to intercept attackers, the Pointing Charm to indicate north, and so on, very well.
Of course, besides the changes happening at Hogwarts, the atmosphere at Durmstrang also became lively. Aisendidn't know what Dumbledore had said, but Jorgen Nonnal arrived at Hogwarts a few days ago and was staying on Durmstrang's ship.
Perhaps, because they had their backbone, the Durmstrang students became like before, starting to frequent places like the Library again.
As time went on, the height of the brick walls being built on the Quidditch Pitch increased rapidly. After their studies each day, the Little Wizards would sneak into the maze to play hide-and-seek or something similar.
Fortunately, the dangerous creatures had not yet been placed into the maze's paths by the various parties.
In the first week of June, the final exams officially began.
As a champion of the Triwizard Tournament, Cedric didn't have to take exams, but the other students still had to obediently participate.
There was no helping it; although the attention of the entire European magical world was focused on the final task of the Triwizard Tournament on June 24th, by then, the Little Wizards would have finished their exams and be preparing to pack up and leave school for the summer holidays.
History of Magic exam, Transfiguration exam, Defense Against the Dark Arts exam, Astronomy exam...
After the exams were over, although the results hadn't come out yet, the Little Wizards had already started playing around wildly.
...
On the evening before the task began, when Aisen came to the Quidditch Pitch again, he found that the entire maze had been completed.
What surprised him was that besides Dumbledore, Madam Maxime, and others, some people from the Ministry of Magic had also gathered here.
"Fudge, you've brought quite a lot of people!" Dumbledore's voice rang out.
Looking at the people constantly entering and leaving the maze, Aisen deeply felt this.
"This is necessary, to prevent any accidents during the Triwizard Tournament, isn't it?" Fudge said in a low voice, "Having more people makes it safer."
"So, they are here to protect the champions' safety?" A smile appeared on Dumbledore's face.
"Yes, that's right, I know the Hogwarts Astronomy Professor will serve as a security officer, and he is very capable! But--" Fudge hesitated before continuing, "The maze is a bit too big, isn't it? He won't be able to handle it alone."
"Ah--, yes, a very reasonable arrangement!" Dumbledore's expression became much more serious.
"The site is ready?" Aisen stepped forward to stand beside the two, asking at the appropriate time.
"Yes, we're just waiting for the task tomorrow--" Fudgesaid flatly, then turned his head and shouted to a figure at the maze entrance, "Percy, check again, are the maze walls and protection Charms all set up?"
"No problem, Minister!" Percy responded, and along with several Ministry of Magic staff members, began casting destructive Charms on the maze walls.
Uh--, are they testing the sturdiness of the maze walls? It seems it is indeed necessary.
If the walls weren't reinforced, a champion entering the maze could just use a Pointing Charm and then continuously cast the Blasting Curse on the walls to go straight to the center.
"I heard Karkaroff left?" Fudge said softly, a curious look on his face.
"Yes, perhaps he had urgent business he had to attend to!" Dumbledore replied calmly, not mentioning the possibility that the other party might have fled.
"Jorgen Nonnal will replace Karkaroff as a member of the judging panel?" A fleeting look of surprise appeared in Fudge's eyes.
"Is there a problem?" Dumbledore looked at Fudge with a questioning gaze.
"No, I just hope the upcoming task proceeds smoothly!" Fudge shook his head.
A few minutes later, Percy and some Ministry of Magicemployees were still busy going back and forth, but Dumbledore and Fudge had already left.
"Alright, one last check of the path. If the traps set inside are okay, everyone can leave for now!" Percy shouted loudly, then looked towards a tall figure nearby, "Hagrid, are those dangerous creatures ready?"
"No problem, they'll be put in before the task starts," Hagrid smoothed his hair, speaking in a low voice.
The final task is about to begin.
In the night, watching the Ministry of Magic employees cast spells to gradually cover the maze walls with hedges and add various protection Charms, Aisen shook his head slightly and turned to walk towards the Castle.
Upon entering the Great Hall, Aisen found the Little Wizards chattering about something. Looking at their expressions, almost everyone's face was filled with smiles.
Clearly, the Little Wizards were quite looking forward to the task tomorrow.
"Professor, if it's the task tomorrow, will you enter the maze?" Coming over to the Trio, Harry asked excitedly.
"As a champion, of course I will enter the maze!" Seeing Harry's expression, Aisen's face became strange.
"Professor, if you enter the maze, how will you protect the other champions?" Hermione looked at Aisen, a conflicted look on her face, "I mean, the other champions will go into different paths in the maze, and you won't be able to see them, right?"
"Yeah, many of the maze paths are winding, and Cedricand the others definitely won't be in the same place. If there's any danger, how will you ensure their safety, Professor?" Ron exclaimed.
"Don't worry, I think the school will definitely have made preparations beforehand," Aisen smiled and shook his head. "By the way, your exam results were quite good this time. Ron, Harry, you both got several 'Outstanding's!"
"It was alright, thanks to your help, Professor!" Ron's face immediately showed a hint of embarrassment.
"Yeah, thanks to the Professor's help," Harry laughed.
"Humph--, I got all 'O's!" Seeing Aisen praise the two of them, Hermione raised her head like a proud peacock.
"Of course, Hermione, you are the most outstanding! With results like that, you should be first in the entire year!" Aisen said, his smile widening.
A top student is indeed a top student; after giving up Divination, she returned to her true nature as a top student.
Seeing Aisen praise her like this, Hermione's cheeks flushed slightly, and she pursed her lips.
"Right, Professor!" Ron said, his voice suddenly becoming quieter, "During the holidays, can we use the Apparition Charm?"
Hearing Ron ask this, Harry also looked at him eagerly.
"Hmm--, although you've learned Apparition, for safety, I think it's best you don't use Apparition alone during the holidays," Aisen said, hesitating for a moment, "Perhaps you still need to practice more, I mean, master it better before using it alone."
"Short-distance Apparition should be okay, right?" Ronwhispered.
"Based on the level you've mastered, short-distance Apparition is indeed okay," Aisen nodded, "But I still want to remind you, you must be careful."
"Okay, we understand, Professor!" The Trio nodded in unison.
Chapter 323: laplace's demon?
After finishing dinner in the Great Hall, Eisen was preparing to leave when Professor McGonagall called him to her office.
"Is something wrong, Minerva?" Eisen asked proactively as soon as he entered the room.
"Yes, there are some things I need to tell you!" Professor McGonagall did not sit down. After closing the door, she stood directly in front of her desk and began speaking.
Eisen nodded slightly, watching her without saying anything.
"Regarding the third task of the Triwizard Tournament, the school actually planned to invite the champions' families to watch. However, everyone agreed that although you are also a champion, you are not participating in the scoring, and your main responsibility is to protect the safety of the other champions—" Seeing that Eisen didn't say anything, Professor McGonagallcontinued.
"So, there's no need to invite my family to watch the final, right?" Eisen finished Professor McGonagall's sentence, a hint of understanding flashing in his eyes.
This wasn't a problem for Eisen.
Because the Triwizard Tournament final itself didn't hold much attraction for Eisen. So, whether his family was invited or not, Eisen didn't really care.
Of course, not inviting his family actually suited his intentions quite well.
After all, Eisen hadn't told his family about the Wizarding World yet. If Hogwarts sent someone to invite his parents over, wouldn't his life over the past few years be exposed to them?
Furthermore, Voldemort had successfully resurrected!
Although his situation wasn't great and his power was certainly not as before, Dumbledore hadn't completely killed him yet. So, for the safety of his family, Eisen still felt it was best for his parents to maintain their current life.
"Exactly, what do you think?" Professor McGonagall's expression became a little more serious.
"No, I think everyone's opinion is very reasonable. As the Triwizard Tournament safety officer, I certainly shouldn't steal the show. Thus, there is no need to invite my family over," Eisen said, waving his hand directly.
"Oh, Dumbledore asked me to tell you to pay more attention to Harry during the competition!" Professor McGonagall seemed to remember something, and changing the subject, she instructed, "Harry, is something wrong?"
"No, I will keep a close eye on him," Eisen said, a thoughtful expression appearing on his face.
From Professor McGonagall's words, it was highly likely that Dumbledore believed that on the day of the Triwizard Tournament final, Voldemort might take advantage of everyone's attention being on the competition to launch an attack on Harry.
However, this should be quite unlikely.
Because on the day of the Triwizard Tournament final, Harry would inevitably be watching the champions' competition from the stands as a spectator. So, who could possibly attack Harry in broad daylight?
Hmm—if Dumbledore wasn't at Hogwarts, then someone might have the courage to launch an attack. But Voldemort shouldn't know that Dumbledore isn't at Hogwarts.
After all, Dumbledore still appeared in front of the entire school's teachers and students from time to time.
So, unless someone used Polyjuice Potion to transform into someone and sneak into Hogwarts, only then could they openly take Harry away.
However, this wasn't a problem either. Just telling him beforehand would be enough.
After a brief conversation, Eisen said goodbye and returned to his office.
...
Sitting behind his desk, Eisen leaned back in his chair, his eyes slightly closed, as if he were asleep. But in reality, Eisen's attention was completely focused on what was "before his eyes".
At this moment, Eisen had not entered the Dream World, but was observing a "virtual chat screen interface" that only he could see.
The style of the virtual interface was similar to the screen that appeared when Eisen's own golden finger was activated, but the content inside was completely different.
The border of the Chat Group interface was formed by connecting "∞" symbols end to end, and inside was a simple Chat Group interface.
As for the style? Eisen didn't bother to design it, but directly copied the style of a certain penguin Chat Groupfrom his previous life—a column was separated on the right side, with the words "Group Owner: Eisen Turner" and "Group Administrator: Hermione Jean Granger" at the top. The left side was divided into upper and lower parts, with the bottom part for sending text and the top part for displaying the chat content.
Currently, the first version of the Chat Group had been developed by Eisen.
However, the functions of this version were very simple, with only basic text chat functionality. As for other functions like sending files, image editing, video chat, etc., Eisen had not added them.
After all, it was better to start with simpler functions for the first version of the Chat Group.
Of course, at present, Eisen couldn't directly talk to Hermione using the Chat Group. Right now, he had only added Hermione to the Chat Group.
To communicate, Hermione would need to download the "Chat Group" software. This would require Eisen to talk to Hermione and then connect them using the power of a contract.
Only then could the two of them communicate through a channel like the Chat Group.
So, should he go talk to Hermione about this now?
After closing the Chat Group, Eisen opened his eyes and fell into thought.
A moment later, Eisen looked up at the time and found that it was already close to ten o'clock at night.
"Okay, it's getting late. Perhaps it's more suitable to talk to Hermione about this after the competition," Eisen said, standing up and stretching, planning to go to rest.
However, the moment he lowered his hands, a sudden inspiration popped into his mind, causing him to freeze on the spot.
After a moment of stunned , Eisen hurriedly looked up at the mechanical clock hanging on the opposite wall—tick, tock, time was constantly flowing.
This mechanical clock was nothing extraordinary; almost every Professor's office at Hogwarts School had one.
It had nothing special about it; it couldn't manipulate time like a time-turner, nor could it show someone's location like the Weasley family's clock. It was just a simple clock, only for telling time.
However, the sudden inspiration that popped into Eisen's mind was not about this, but about the Dream World he had created.
Previously, although Eisen's created Dream World had the intention of starting from dreams and memories to delve into the observation and research of the soul, he hadn't made much progress.
And the function of the Dream World was treated by him as a virtual world that could be freely manipulated.
He could adjust the time flow speed of the Dream Worldfreely to carry out various experiments. He could also create various scenes to play immersive virtual games with Hermione or something.
Otherwise, he would build scenes like a memory palace and store some knowledge in them.
But the inspiration that suddenly popped into Eisen's mind at this moment made him realize that his development of the Dream World's functions seemed to still be in a rudimentary stage.
For example, when Eisen saw the clock hanging on the wall, he suddenly thought, what would happen if he moved the clock into the Dream World?
Some people said that Eisen was like a god in the Dream World, almost omnipotent, so wouldn't it be a very simple matter to have a clock in the Dream World?
Of course, it was indeed very simple for him. But at this moment, the question he was thinking about was, if he solidified the clock in a certain scene in the Dream World, would that mean that he would never get lost again in the future?
For example, although Eisen was confident that his strength was not afraid of anyone now, what if, at some point in the future, he was trapped in an unknown place.
And because of Eisen's immortality, after a long time, he would become insensitive to the passage of time, wouldn't that be a very dangerous thing.
Okay, although he felt that he could escape by traveling through time, his meaning was clear, which was to synchronize time to the Dream World and then use it as a marker to remind himself that when he wanted to know what time it was, he could easily find the answer from the Dream World.
Of course, solidifying the clock in the Dream World so that he could feel the passage of time at all times was indeed very good. But the thought that popped into Eisen's mind was not that simple.
From this, he suddenly thought, since the clock can be used as a marker and solidified in the Dream World, can other things also be?
For example, Muggle World computers, or rather, the supercomputers that Muggles have already invented in this world.
Since entering the Wizarding World, Aisen has clearly realized one thing: the magic in this world is a very mysterious power, capable of helping Witches accomplish many incredible things.
However, no matter how magical magic is, he still feels that magic is not omnipotent. For example, if you ask Dumbledore to prove Goldbach's conjecture, Aisen has reason to believe that Dumbledore would be utterly bewildered.
Even some advanced knowledge in many fields of the Muggle World, if Witches don't systematically learn it, they would have no way of dealing with it.
Given this, then the crystallization of high technology developed by the non-Wizarding World, ordinary Muggles—the supercomputer—must also be far superior to Witches in certain aspects.
So, what would happen if Aisen built a supercomputer in the Dream World?
Uh, will Aisen be able to sweep the entire Wizarding World in mathematics from now on? Or will there be no existence in the Wizarding World more capable of calculation than Aisen?
Of course not.
The capabilities of a supercomputer are actually incredibly powerful.
It seems Aisen won't need functions like simulating nuclear tests or simulating the Big Bang. But, he can use these functions in magic research.
Just like how he entered the Dream World and adjusted the time flow to gain enough time to research magicrunes and symbols, if the Dream World had a supercomputer, wouldn't it be much simpler to hand over the research, calculation, and analysis work to the supercomputer?
Of course, some might say that in the Dream World, Aisen is a god-like existence; couldn't his calculation and analysis ability surpass a supercomputer?
That's not entirely wrong, the problem is, doing so in the Dream World is indeed fine, but after leaving the Dream World, Aisen would still have to bear a lot of pressure.
After all, his brain capacity is not infinite.
Conversely, if a supercomputer were built in the Dream World, and then with Aisen's god-like authority in the Dream World, it seems possible to elevate the supercomputer's functions to an extreme.
Uh—
In that case, would such a supercomputer, like the 'Lord of the Future' in the novels he read in his previous life, be able to calculate all information and then predict fortune and misfortune?
This, it seems, is still possible.
Thinking of this exaggerated function, Aisen seemed to recall something, and a rich smile appeared on his face.
After practicing the Lord of the Future to great mastery, through countless calculations, it can deduce the most likely future in advance, allowing one to be prepared.
And once Aisen builds a supercomputer in the Dream World, then relying on the supercomputer itself and his nearly omnipotent authority in the Dream World, combining their use, deducing the future should not be a problem either.
Furthermore, he can also create a universe directly in the Dream World using the real world as a template. Then replicate all the creations and sentient beings from the real world.
With the support and simulation of a supercomputer, this is entirely achievable.
In this way, with a supercomputer in the Dream Worldequipped with sufficient data, wouldn't predicting the future be effortless?
"Uh—, am I about to create a laplace's demon?" Aisenmuttered, a shocked expression on his face.
laplace's demon, for Aisen, was a concept he often heard in his previous life.
It is said that the current state of the entire universe is seen as the effect of the past and the cause of the future. Once there is a sage who can know the forces of all natural movements and the positions of all naturally constituted objects at a certain moment, and this sage can analyze this data, then the largest object and the smallest particle in the universe are all included in one formula.
Thus, this sage would be able to clearly see all scenes at a certain moment in the future. And this sage is the so-called laplace's demon.
However, with the rapid development of quantum mechanics, due to the quantum uncertainty principle, laplace's demon has been considered an impossible existence.
But the question is, what if the concept of laplace's demon is further elevated?
For example, the uncertainty principle states that in the microscopic domain, the position and momentum of a particle cannot be simultaneously determined. So, what if the elevated laplace's demon, while clarifying the particle's momentum, could enumerate all possible positions where the motion might occur?
After all, the trajectory of a particle's motion also has a range.
Then, even if the particle's trajectory has no discernible pattern and can extend throughout the entire universe, it would still be possible for the elevated laplace's demonto analyze and calculate all possibilities.
Of course, this also means that when this sage "looks" into the future, they won't see a single moment in the future, but rather many different future scenes simultaneously.
And isn't this also an interpretation of the many-worlds interpretation in quantum theory?
Therefore, once the ability of laplace's demon is elevated to the level Aisen described, it can see all possibilities shown at a certain moment in the future.
This—is parallel worlds, the multiverse!
Then, because the total energy of the entire universe remains constant, the number of all parallel worlds is actually not infinite? No, in a sense, it's also correct to say it's infinite!
Thoughts raced through his mind, but Aisen couldn't help but shake his head.
Clearly, such a powerful laplace's demon cannot exist. Because to achieve the level Aisen described, it means having transcended the constraints of time and space, standing on a higher dimension.
But if there truly were intelligent life that could transcend the constraints of time and space and stand on a higher dimension, then predicting all possible futures of that world would seem like nothing, right?
Wait—
Aisen suddenly thought of something. In the Dream World, his nearly omnipotent state should allow him to transcend space and time.
If that's the case, building a supercomputer could allow him to create a true laplace's demon? No, no, no—if he were in his previous world and had his current conditions, it seems he could indeed create a laplace's demon in the Dream World.
But the problem is, the world Aisen is currently in has magic. This means that even if he replicates the entire universe into the Dream World, he cannot replicate the magic power as well.
Otherwise, he wouldn't need to accumulate magic using the golden finger at a rate of 10 points of magic per day; he could just load the magic of the entire universe into the Dream World and become invincible instantly.
In this way, even if he created a laplace's demon in the Dream World, predicting the future would likely not be very reliable.
Thinking of this, Aisen suddenly felt a bit discouraged.
It's like he is a nearly omnipotent being in the Dream World, but in the real world, he is still a Witch with average strength.
"Alright, even so, there's no problem in creating a 'laplace's demon' in the Dream World. Perhaps, looking at it from a different direction, there might be some unexpected gains!"
After a moment, Aisen calmed down. His thoughts stirred slightly, and he seemed to have thought of something, a smile appearing on his face.
Then, suppressing the urge to act immediately, Aisenreturned to the staff room.
...
The next morning, when Aisen arrived at the Great Hallfor breakfast, he found the entire Great Hallextraordinarily lively. The Little Wizards were chattering excitedly about the upcoming final match.
A considerable number of students were staring at Cedricfrom Hufflepuff while eating. Of course, some students also gathered at the Ravenclaw table, chatting with Delacour.
Ever since Aisen "saved" her sister, she no longer held that arrogant attitude towards Hogwarts School. This was also why she was willing to interact with other students at Hogwarts.
Besides the Little Wizards below, the Professors sitting at the staff table were also exceptionally cheerful. Professor McGonagall, Hagrid, Professor Flitwick, everyone had smiles on their faces, and even Professor Snape's face wasn't as cold as usual.
Eating eggs and bacon heartily, Aisen's mood at this moment was exceptionally calm.
Clearly, he was not affected by the Triwizard Tournament.
Chapter 324: A Reminder
Half an hour later, the Great Hall gradually quieted down.
"The competition is about to start, Aisen, are you ready?" Professor Flitwick asked enthusiastically.
"It's not complicated, is it?" Aisen smiled and took a sip of pumpkin juice.
"Don't worry, Philius, Aisen has served as a safety officer twice, those Champions won't have any problems!" Sirius Black, who was nearby, echoed.
"Yes, this year's Triwizard Tournament wasn't very dangerous to begin with, I mean, everyone has made a lot of preparations," Aisen nodded at Black and said to Professor Flitwick.
"I wonder what Karkaroff was up to, he actually left!" Professor Flitwick nodded, changing the subject and looking to the other side.
"Maybe he had an urgent matter, you never know!" Aisenreplied casually, "Is that Durmstrang's deputy headmaster, Jorgen Nonnal?"
"Yes, haven't seen him in many years, still the same as before," Professor Flitwick withdrew his gaze.
That was a male witch with a scar on his forehead, messy hair, and wearing a Black robe. How should I put it? The feeling Aisen got was that the other person's demeanor was very similar to Professor Snape's.
Perhaps, this is a common point after mastering Blackmagic in depth?
"You're about to compete, good luck, Cedric!"
"Thanks, watch me!"
Over at the Hufflepuff table, the Gryffindor Little Wizards specifically came forward, enthusiastically offering their good wishes to Cedric.
Although everyone hoped Hogwarts would win the Triwizard Cup, no one continued to dwell on this topic at the moment. It was likely they didn't want Cedric to feel too much pressure.
So, while everyone was offering their blessings, a third-year Gryffindor student named Colin Creevey even specifically came forward and took several photos.
Clang—
Professor McGonagall left her seat and came down, saying a few words to Cedric, Krum, and Delacourrespectively. Then they all got up and entered the conference room behind the staff seating area.
Is this—did something happen?
Aisen's thoughts stirred, God's Perspective opened, and the scene in the conference room was reflected in his mind.
Cedric stood by the door, talking to a middle-aged couple. In the corner on the other side, Krum was talking in Bulgarian with a Black-haired couple. Besides them, Delacour and her sister Gabrielle were holding hands with a middle-aged woman who resembled her somewhat, chattering non-stop.
Seeing this scene, Aisen immediately understood what was happening, and withdrew his gaze.
...
After breakfast, Aisen took a walk outside the grounds for a while before returning to the Castle. Immediately after, God's Perspective opened, and he saw the Trio busy in the common room.
"How about it, Harry, Ron, what do you think of this photo?" Colin held a camera in one hand and a photo in the other, leaning towards Harry and Ron with an expectant look.
"Excellent, this photo is good, I think it can be on the front page! Harry, what do you think?" Ron held a photo in his hand, looked at it several times, and then showed a surprised expression.
"Hermione, what do you think?" Harry handed the photo to Hermione.
"This photo is taken very well, the angle is also just right, but for the front page, let's take a few more photos when we watch the competition from the stands tonight," Hermione said after examining it, giving her opinion.
"This isn't good enough?" The Weasley Twins on the side looked at each other and couldn't help but exclaim.
"Of course, it's not that it's not good, it's just that we are going to cover the Triwizard Tournament final, it would be most appropriate to have all the Champions in the photo," Hermione said seriously.
"Okay, I'll handle this," Colin nodded.
"Oh, right, Creevey, when you take photos later, stay a bit further away from them, don't put too much pressure on them," Harry seemed to have thought of something and suddenly said.
"No problem," Colin smiled and nodded.
...
Ah~ this—
Could it be that a single "Hogwarts Campus Weekly" has sparked their ambition? Looking at the Trio's busy demeanor, Aisen couldn't help but shake his head.
He didn't find it strange that this happened to Hermione. After all, as a top student, whether it was doing homework or writing articles, he had seen Hermione's busy state many times.
However, Harry and Ron being busy with one thing surprised him greatly. He didn't know why they were so invested in the "Hogwarts Campus Weekly".
Could it be that, as he thought, their ambition had been sparked?
But it's also possible.
Perhaps, they just found this matter more interesting.
Maybe after a while, they won't have such enthusiasm.
For a while after that, Aisen stayed in the Library. After having lunch in the Great Hall, he called the Trio over and took them to an empty classroom.
"Professor, is something wrong?" Hermione asked impatiently, as if she had something to deal with.
"Yes, there are some things you need to pay attention to," Aisen nodded, "The final is tonight, but I think you need to be careful, when watching the competition from the stands, don't leave easily!"
"Uh, what does that mean?" Harry asked in confusion.
"Professor Dumbledore told me that during the final, it's possible that Death Eaters will sneak in!" Aisen said unhurriedly.
After listening to Aisen's words, the Trio all inhaled sharply.
"Will the Death Eaters attack?" Harry's face showed horror.
"Like what happened at the Quidditch World Cup last time?" Ron swallowed.
"But, with Dumbledore there, who would dare to make a move at Hogwarts?" Hermione, however, was very calm.
Yes, with Dumbledore at Hogwarts, some Death Eaters might not have the guts to make a move. But their plan might just be to create some chaos and then take Harryaway in the chaos.
Uh—, perhaps, they don't even need to create chaos, as long as someone uses Polyjuice Potion, they might be able to take Harry away openly.
"Don't worry, it's not that serious," Aisen spread his hands and pressed them down slightly, "Since many Death Eaters were rounded up last time, the number of Death Eaters still wandering outside is very small. So, there might not be many Death Eaters who can sneak into Hogwarts."
"Then, should we tell Dumbledore about this?" Ron's face recovered a little.
"That's not necessary, he is already prepared," Aisenshook his head, "Moreover, the Minister of magic will also come to watch the competition, he will definitely send some Aurors to guard the third task, so you don't need to worry too much."
"Then Professor, you mean—" Hermione's face showed a thoughtful expression.
"Do you remember, in your second year, you drank a Potion called Polyjuice Potion?" Aisen changed the subject and looked at the Trio.
"Of course, I can't forget that!" Harry said, pursing his lips, "Hermione brewed the Polyjuice Potion, and we turned into Crabbe and Goyle to ask Malfoy if he was the Heir of the Chamber of Secrets."
"Yes, it felt weird to turn into someone else!" Ronreminisced, a strange look on his face, "But, Hermioneturned into—"
"I know! I drank Polyjuice Potion mixed with cat hair back then, you don't need to say more!" Hermione interrupted Ron indignantly.
"I'm saying this to tell you that without special detection methods, if a stranger uses Polyjuice Potion to turn into someone you know, you won't be able to identify them," Aisen said unhurriedly.
"Professor!" Hermione suddenly covered her mouth and exclaimed, "You mean, a Death Eater will use Polyjuice Potion to turn into someone we know?"
As if thinking of the situation Hermione described, Harryand Ron both changed their expressions.
"Think about it, if a Death Eater uses Polyjuice Potion to turn into Sirius, or Professor Flitwick, or me. Then approaches you and asks you to leave with them, would you leave?" Aisen casually gave an example.
But it was just such an example that made the Trio break out in a cold sweat.
"That's terrible! What should we do?" Hermione forced herself to calm down and looked at Aisen with burning eyes.
Uh, this—
To be honest, it's not a big problem. Dumbledore had an enhanced sneakoscope that could detect hostility; as long as he carried it, it was clear at a glance who had infiltrated Hogwarts.
What? Dumbledore is no longer at Hogwarts? Oh, well, there's no helping that. Then Aisen just needs to make an enhanced sneakoscope again.
Wait—
It seems there's no need to do that either! He still remembers the Weasley Twins have the Map with them. At that time, they can stay with the Trio and just keep an eye on the Map constantly?
"I think you can go to Hogsmeade and buy a sneakoscope, that thing is very useful!" The thought flashed through his mind, but Aisen's tone changed.
"That thing is completely use—" Ron's face showed an expression of disdain, but halfway through speaking, his expression froze.
Ron looked at Harry, who seemed to understand something too. He looked at Ron, and a look of sudden realization appeared on his face.
"On the train in our second year, remember? That pocket sneakoscope kept going off. I'm sure it was because of Peter Pettigrew, who had turned into a rat!" Harry said confidently.
"Do you still have your sneakoscope?" Ron's face showed excitement.
"Uh, I thought it was broken at the time, and then I threw it away!" Harry's face showed embarrassment.
"In a moment, you can take a trip to Hogsmeade and just buy some pocket sneakoscopes," Aisen said calmly.
"Got it, Professor!" Hermione nodded vigorously.
"So, is that enough?" Ron said, his tone slightly relaxed. "I mean, Death Eaters transformed into someone will be detected by the sneakoscope, but we still won't be able to find them, right?"
"Exactly!" Harry's expression became serious. "Just like with Peter Pettigrew, my sneakoscope kept going off, warning us that there were suspicious people around, but we didn't know at the time that the rat was the problem."
"You're right," Aisen mused for a moment. "Hmm—you can borrow something from Fred and them to use in conjunction with the sneakoscope."
"What thing?" Ron asked, surprised, getting ahead of him.
"The Map!" Aisen said slowly.
"That's—" Harry looked at Ron, then turned his gaze to Aisen.
"You should know that Fred and George used to sneak out at night often, and they could always avoid the caretaker Filch without getting caught, right?" Aisen's face showed a smile.
"Is it because of the Map?" Ron asked curiously.
"That's right!" Aisen nodded. "Speaking of which, this Map actually has something to do with you, Harry."
"Me?" "Harry?"
Harry and Ron looked at each other.
"Many years ago, there were four students at Hogwarts School who were very good friends. They were: James Potter, Peter Pettigrew, Remus Lupin, and Sirius Black," Aisen said in a calm tone. "Except for Remus Lupin who was a Werewolf, the other three were unregistered Animagi."
"They often explored after bedtime in their Animagusforms. Over time, they became familiar with all the secret passages and underground tunnels at Hogwarts. Later, they made the secret passages they discovered into the Map."
"Uh—you also know about their feud with Snape. Perhaps because Snape reported them, or perhaps because of their own excessive behavior, it ultimately led to Filch seizing the opportunity and confiscating the Map."
"After Filch confiscated the Map, he never found the correct way to use it. It wasn't until after Fred and Georgeenrolled, when they were given detention one time, that they secretly stole the Map from Filch's office."
"Then Fred and George discovered the correct way to use the Map, and from then on, every time they snuck out in the Castle at night, they could easily avoid Filch."
"That's amazing! Harry, let's go find them and borrow the Map in a bit." After hearing what Aisen said, Ron looked at Harry with an excited expression.
"Was Sirius also a creator?" Harry's expression turned strange.
"Professor Aisen! You said the sneakoscope can be used with the Map. Does that mean the Map can show people's names on it?" Hermione frowned slightly, then tilted her head and asked.
"That's right!" Aisen's mouth curved slightly. "The sneakoscope can detect suspicious people nearby and give a warning, while the Map can directly show the names of people who are in Hogwarts School."
"Oh, I see, then there's no problem!" Hermione's face showed a look of understanding.
"Alright, if there's nothing else, go get ready!" Aisenclapped his hands. Just before he left the classroom, as if he had thought of something, he turned around and instructed, "Remember, be a little careful!"
...
In the evening, when Aisen came out of his office and arrived at the Great Hall for dinner, he found that the atmosphere in the entire Great Hall had been completely built up.
The Little Wizards were talking happily, occasionally turning their heads to look in the direction of the staff table, seemingly waiting for something.
Cornelius Fudge, Ludo Bagman, Percy Weasley, and others sat beside the staff table, followed by Madam Maxime of Beauxbatons and Jorgen Nonnal of Durmstrang.
Perhaps to allow the Little Wizards to have more energy for the competition later, the food that evening was more sumptuous than usual.
The Trio each had a sneakoscope tucked away and were chattering, discussing something. Aisen could see clearly that Harry was also clutching a piece of parchment in his hand. It was probably the Map they had gotten from Fredand George.
Clearly, they had indeed listened to his reminder.
Of course, Aisen doing this was just a precaution. But it's also hard to say; Dumbledore thought someone might come to cause trouble, but perhaps nothing would happen.
Time passed bit by bit. When the enchanted ceiling's color turned from blue to dark purple, Professor McGonagall stood up directly from the staff table.
Seeing this, the noisy sounds of the Little Wizards in the Great Hall immediately cleared up and became quiet.
"Ladies and gentlemen! In five minutes, I will ask everyone to go to the Quidditch Pitch to watch the final event of the Triwizard Tournament. Now, please ask the champions to go to the Quidditch Pitch with Mr. Bagman."
"Go for it, Aisen!" Black patted Aisen on the shoulder and gave him a thumbs-up.
"Hey! This is yours, you'll need it later!" Professor Flitwickwaved his wand and summoned a broomstick in front of Aisen.
"A broomstick?" Aisen took it in his hand and looked at him in surprise.
Professor Flitwick smiled and nodded, not saying much more.
After a moment of stunned silence, Aisen's mouth twitched. He picked up the broomstick and followed behind Cedric, Delacour, and Krum, walking out of the Great Hall.
It wasn't until he walked through the entrance hall, down the stone steps, and entered the Quidditch Pitch that Aisen saw the twenty-foot-high hedge maze standing there, giving off a mysterious feeling.
"Quiet! Everyone quiet! Come with me!"
Professor McGonagall's voice echoed, followed by the sound of shuffling footsteps.
Five minutes passed, and the Little Wizards had flooded into the Quidditch Pitch and onto the stands. The students filed out, accompanied by excited chatter, and took their seats one after another.
In the night sky, stars began to twinkle.
But on both sides near the outer edge of the maze, people were lined up, seemingly guarding something. Clearly, they were employees arranged by the Ministry of Magic.
"We'll be patrolling outside the maze! If you encounter difficulties and want rescue, just send up red sparks into the air, and someone will come to help you, understood?" After exchanging a few words with Bagman, Professor McGonagall instructed the champions.
The few of them nodded hastily.
Bagman went to the other side, said a few words to Fudge, and then waved to the group lined up beside them. Subsequently, those guards became patrol personnel and walked off in different directions outside the maze.
Chapter 325 The Final Began
"Aisen!" Professor McGonagall turned and walked towards Aisen.
"Ah—, yes, no problem, I'm ready!" Aisen said to himself.
"Do you have your broomstick?" Professor McGonagallsaid, looking over. When she saw the broomstick in his hand, she nodded with satisfaction.
"Broomstick? Ah, yes, that's right! Professor Flitwick said I could use it!" Aisen picked up the broom, swung it a few times, and looked at Professor McGonagall with some surprise.
"That's right. Everyone thinks that in the next competition, it's not suitable for you to directly enter the maze," Professor McGonagall said. "Because the positions of the other champions after entering the maze are not fixed. So, as a safety officer, you will stay above the maze—"
After speaking, Professor McGonagall pointed her finger to the sky.
"You mean I have to patrol in the sky like those patrol personnel arranged by the Ministry of Magic!" Aisenimmediately showed a look of sudden realization.
"Yes, but considering that in addition to being a safety officer, you are also a champion, you should be arranged to be the first to enter the maze. However, the moment you enter the maze, you must rise up," Professor McGonagall said with a serious expression.
"Okay, I understand!" Aisen finally understood what they meant.
At the entrance of the maze, several champions stood still, waiting quietly. In the stands, the Little Wizardswatching the game were already seated at this time.
Turning his head, Aisen spotted Hermione, Harry, and the others from the middle of the stands. Seeing Aisen look over, they smiled politely at Aisen and waved their hands.
"Ladies and gentlemen!" A loud voice suddenly spread throughout the venue.
Bagman cast a Sonorus Charm on himself and began to introduce the competition to everyone.
"The final event of the Triwizard Tournament is about to begin. Now, we invite Mr. Turner, Champion and Safety Officer, to enter the maze and prepare!"
Is it that direct?
Aisen was startled, but then said nothing, picked up his broomstick, and walked towards the entrance of the maze.
As soon as he entered the hedge maze, the dark and tall shadows immediately engulfed the path. It seemed to be due to a spell, as the moment he entered the maze, it was as if he had entered another world. The sound from outside suddenly disappeared.
"I'm in! Well, the champion's job is done. Next, it's the safety officer's job!" Taking a breath, Aisen mounted his broomstick and ascended directly from the ground, flying above the entire maze in an instant.
The moment he left the maze, a sudden cheer entered Aisen's ears. It was as if he had returned to this world again.
Floating leisurely in the air, Aisen looked down and saw the tangled hedges in the maze intertwined, winding and twisting, forming extremely complex paths.
The moonlight appeared, casting light and shadows down, reflecting mottled dots on the paths.
Black figures were perched on the edges of the paths, as if beasts lurking in the darkness, ready to devour. Uh, are those the dangerous animals Hagrid placed?
Well, there are ten-foot-long Blast-Ended Skrewts, and giant spiders...
In a corner of the maze, the branches and leaves of the hedge twisted, abruptly shot out a large section, and then returned to their original state.
In the very center of the maze, a golden trophy was placed on a stone platform. The trophy shimmered with a faint golden light, extremely conspicuous in the dark night.
Of course, this is what Aisen saw from the sky's perspective. In the maze, unless you entered this path, you couldn't see anything elsewhere.
"Look, Professor Aisen is in the sky!"
"He must be using this method to observe whether other champions will encounter danger."
...
Voices sounded from the stands. Turning his head, Aisennoticed that many Little Wizards were staring at him and cheering at the same time.
Snap—
Uh, is that kid Colin Creevey taking pictures?
"Alright, I'll report the current scores!" Bagman's voice sounded in time. "Cedric Diggory—87 points, Hogwarts School!"
"Wow—"
"Great, Cedric!"
Cheers and applause resounded throughout the entire stands!
"Viktor Krum—80 points, second place, DurmstrangSchool." "Fleur Delacour—63 points, BeauxbatonsSchool!"
After Bagman's voice fell, applause sounded again among the crowd.
"So, now listen for my whistle, Cedric, get ready—" Bagman said, and began to count. "Three, two, one!"
Immediately after, a short whistle sounded, and Cedricquickly ran towards the maze entrance and then entered it.
Inside the maze, everything was eerily quiet. The towering hedges rose into the air, seemingly piercing the sky, giving a very oppressive feeling in the dark environment.
"Lumos—" Cedric cast a Lumos Charm, lighting up the surroundings.
Aisen, who was leisurely circling in the sky, could clearly see a hint of caution and uneasiness on Cedric's face. He carefully lowered the brightness of the Lumos Charm a little, and then quickly walked along the path towards the end of the passage.
When he reached the fork at the end, he thought for a moment, extended his wand, and cast a spell. He held the wand level in his hand and shook it, then pointed it directly towards the direction of the maze wall.
Immediately after, Cedric seemed to have received a revelation and turned directly into the left fork.
Turning left, turning right...
Cedric was stealthily moving through the dark path, and from time to time, he would be attacked by some dangerous creatures that had been placed there in advance.
However, his spellcasting level and reaction ability were good, and he easily dealt with those dangerous creatures. However, for Cedric, moving forward in the hedge maze had another big problem, which was that he needed some luck.
Aisen, sitting on his broomstick, could see clearly that Cedric's luck was not good. After turning several corners in a row, he entered a dead end.
Seeing this, he couldn't help but shake his head. If Cedric's luck was like this, then his advantage of entering the maze first might be gone.
Whistles sounded one after another, and Krum and Delacour, the two champions, also entered the maze entrance one after another.
"Hmm—, Cedric went a little too fast! His luck was a little bad, and he hasn't found the right path yet!" Bagmanshouted from the stands.
Professor McGonagall next to him clenched her fists tightly, as if she wished she could go up and compete on behalf of Cedric herself.
Loud noises from the Little Wizards came from the stands.
"Oh, danger! That's Hagrid's Blast-Ended Skrewt placed inside—" Bagman's eyes widened. "What will he do? Will he avoid this place and choose another path, or will he directly challenge it head-on?
Oh—not bad, he chose to fight head-on! Hmm, non-verbal spellcasting technique, Barrier Charm and Levitation Charm! He handled it well, hmm—, beautiful, he is moving in the right direction."
The restless crowd in the stands seemed to be calmed down.
Krum and Delacour were also hurrying through the maze.
Obviously, the problems Cedric encountered before, they also encountered. But fortunately, as participating champions, they handled the traps and ambushes that were set early quite well.
Aisen focused some of his attention on the maze below, and the other part on the Trio in the stands.
Hermione clutched a miniature sneakoscope tightly in her hand, while Harry held a blank piece of parchment in one hand and his wand in the other, seemingly preparing for something.
Seeing the two in this posture, Aisen nodded secretly.
Immediately, he turned his gaze to the entire stands, taking in everyone's expressions, and observed carefully, not finding any abnormal situation.
Perhaps, no one will come here to cause trouble!
Looking at Fudge standing not far from Bagman in the stands, the patrol personnel squatting outside the maze wall, and the venue guarded by some Ministry of Magicstaff further away, Aisen's face showed a thoughtful expression.
Inside the maze, the competition between the three champions continued.
Cedric wandered back and forth in the dead end several times. In Aisen's opinion, he wasted more than ten minutes before finally moving smoothly towards the center of the maze.
If this were a running race, then the time Cedric wasted would surely be enough for the champions behind him to catch up. But unfortunately, this was a complex maze scene with various traps set.
Even when Krum and Delacour entered, they couldn't seize the opportunity to close the gap with Cedric.
Hippogriffs, and sometimes those twitching vines extending from the hedge maze, and also the seemingly troublesome Aragog and other creatures.
These dangerous creatures were hidden in the shadows at the edge of the paths, and from time to time, they would emerge to cause them some trouble.
"Reducto—"
A trap ambushing in the shadows was directly destroyed by Krum, and then he charged forward with his head down.
A vine suddenly appeared and lashed him, leaving a bloody mark on his body, but he didn't care at all. After grinning, he jabbed his wand forward, swinging the vine away, and walked straight through.
"Hmm—the progress of the contestants is exceeding our expectations! Look at this—Cedric is using Transfiguration, isn't he?" Bagman's voice echoed through the stands.
Turning his gaze to Cedric, Aisen saw that after summoning clear water with his wand, he used Transfiguration to change it into a smooth sheet of ice and placed it on the ground.
The one chasing him from behind, uh—a husky? It slid for a distance in a kneeling position and then fell to the ground, whimpering.
Cedric tapped himself with his wand, and a mist of water rippled outwards, obscuring his figure, and then he agilely darted into a passage.
Bagman wore glasses on his nose, seemingly able to see what was happening inside the maze by the moonlight. Thus, whenever an exciting scene occurred, he couldn't help but explain it to the Little Wizards with an exclamation.
"Oh dear—the Beauxbatons champion is in a bit of trouble, she chose to enter the wrong passage, and she's stuck there!" Bagman's tone conveyed regret.
Turning his gaze to Delacour, Aisen noticed that she was indeed entangled by the vines extending from the hedge maze. Of course, this wasn't the main problem.
The key was that she was also being attacked by Grindylows! Wait? Are Grindylows placed inside the maze? These things should have been water monsters ambushing underwater during the second task, why are they placed here?
Hmm? Is that—a Boggart?
This—because she missed saving her sister while being surrounded by Grindylows, Grindylows have become her psychological shadow?
"Oh—it seems she's in a very bad mood now! She raised her wand, and she cast a red flame... but it didn't seem to help much." Bagman continued to act as the commentator. "Hmm—surprisingly, she's free from the vine's entanglement, she turned around and retreated from this passage! Well, a very wise choice!"
Seeing the ambush Delacour encountered, Aisen had no intention of rescuing her.
Although, as a safety officer, he must ensure the life safety of the champions. However, all the dangers they could encounter in the maze were actually in a controllable state.
Therefore, although Delacour encountered some ambushes, it wasn't to the point where she was completely helpless and needed Aisen to rescue her.
"Huh—was Cedric delayed over there? Krum is already catching up to his progress." Bagman's face showed surprise. "They are already close to the center of the maze, and next—is that another trap?"
"Reducto—"
"Incendio—"
"Armor—"
Cedric cast several Charms in succession towards a golden mist, but they seemed to have no effect. After a moment of hesitation, he looked at another fork in the path not far behind him, gritted his teeth, and plunged into the mist.
Instantly, Cedric felt as if the entire world had turned upside down.
In his sight, the deep and brilliant night sky was still above his head, and the green grass was still under his feet. But his senses told him that his whole body seemed to have been hoisted up.
The strange sense of dislocation gave him a heart-stopping feeling of fear.
"Is this—turned upside down?" Forcing down the discomfort in his heart, Cedric calmly analyzed the situation.
After a moment, he bravely pulled his feet from the grass "ceiling" as he had before, and then stepped forward. With one step, the entire world quickly returned to normal, and Cedric stood on the ground again.
...
Late at night, before the Triwizard Tournament final began, near the old Crouch family manor, in a slightly desolate attic suite, a hoarse voice sighed.
"It's really not easy, is it? You agree, Gilderoy—"
Gilderoy Lockhart, who had once been as dull as a simpleton, now bowed his body obsequiously, bending low towards a figure.
"You are right, my master!"
The figure stood before the suite's window, looking through the dark window frame at the slightly ancient manor opposite. It was quiet inside, without any sign of life, as if it had long been uninhabited.
Getting closer, one would notice that the figure's breathing was somewhat rapid. His eyes revealed a light that seemed particularly pressing.
"My plan wasn't entirely successful, but I can't wait any longer," the figure said in a cold tone after standing quietly for a while.
"That doesn't matter, as long as the master gets that thing, isn't that enough?" Lockhart's eyes seemed to have a bit more life in them, no longer looking like a puppet.
"How are things at Hogwarts?" the cold voice asked.
"No, the Triwizard Tournament final is being watched too closely by the Ministry of Magic and Dumbledore. There are too many people guarding it, and I haven't found an opportunity—"
"It doesn't matter, I expected Dumbledore would be prepared!" The figure spoke with an air of having everything under control. "The time is almost here, get ready—"
"Understood, master!" Lockhart bowed again, then stepped down from the attic and walked towards the house opposite.
Hiss—hiss—
A chilling sound rang out, and only then did one see a large snake coiled in the corner's shadow at some point.
It was at least twelve feet long, and when its head emerged from the shadows, it gave the impression of gathering strength for an attack at any moment.
"Don't worry, Nagini, you'll have a feast soon!" The cold voice seemed to soften considerably.
...
Arriving at the house's front door, Lockhart tapped it with his wand, then reached out and pushed the door open. His posture was exceptionally natural, as if opening his own front door, he pushed it open, entered, and closed the door behind him.
Entering the house, he showed no panic, but cast a LumosCharm, then walked straight through the spacious hall to the second floor.
Opposite the stairs entrance on the second floor, against the wall, stood a large floor-to-ceiling cabinet. Next to the cabinet was a bookshelf, filled with many old books.
He didn't make any other movements but went directly to the floor-to-ceiling cabinet, opened the doors, and reached inside to grope around.
A moment later, when he withdrew his hand, he was holding a brightly glowing crystal. The crystal emitted powerful magic fluctuations, seemingly containing extremely strong power.
This was—the Philosopher's Stone fragment Dumbledore had given to Aisen!
A fragment of the Philosopher's Stone that had already been destroyed obviously couldn't contain magical power. Therefore, to make the plan go more smoothly, Dumbledore had specifically cast a spell to infuse it with a lot of magic.
Of course, the power contained within was one thing, whether it could be borrowed was another. But these things, neither Voldemort nor Lockhart knew.
Tucking the crystal into his embrace, Lockhart made no extra movements, turned directly, went downstairs, and left the place.
In the dark night, a dark cloud drifted across the sky, obscuring the moonlight.
Lockhart's figure appeared, like an assassin lurking in the shadows, silently walking back in the direction he had come from.