All that mattered was understanding one's own strength.
The Durmstrang students weren't discussing tactics. They were preparing for their next assault. To them, strategy was unnecessary. They were strong—the mindset of pure fighters.
In the Great Hall, Sunny Finch had returned early from class; she needed to prepare her equipment. She hadn't witnessed the attack in the corridor, only hearing about it when her teammates returned.
Upon learning that Durmstrang had stolen two fragments from Beauxbatons, Sunny Finch's eyes lit up.
"Finally! The opportunity has found us! Let's go!"
The exchange students beamed, eagerly anticipating the operation about to unfold.
Sunny Finch wasn't targeting Durmstrang out of malice; she simply had no choice. She knew Fleur. While they weren't exactly enemies, Sunny Finch felt she couldn't strike first while Beauxbatons was so weak. She had to wait.
Her plan was simple: let Hogwarts and Durmstrang clash over Beauxbatons. Then, she would lead her people to seize the prize from the victor. It was the path of least resistance, and a favor to Fleur. Strategic patience was key.
That was why the exchange students had remained passive, waiting for someone else to fire the first shot.
Sunny Finch marched her group directly toward the Durmstrang lounge.
Students watched them pass, whispering.
"Why are the exchange students mobilizing?"
"Are they targeting Beauxbatons? That player is already injured; they're vulnerable!"
"This is the perfect moment! Does this mean Beauxbatons will be wiped out? The exchange students are terrifying. Charlotte of Slytherin admitted Sunny Finch is her equal!"
The students debated animatedly, seeing nothing wrong with the move. Even though Erwin was strictly the top student of Slytherin, the entire school operated under his influence now. They understood a single principle: in a school tournament, victory justified all means.
However, a student suddenly pointed out the discrepancy. "Wait... look where they're going. Beauxbatons is on the other side. That's... Durmstrang's lounge."
The crowd turned to stare.
"So the exchange students are moving against Durmstrang?"
"Quick, follow them! We're about to see a show!"
The crowd scrambled after them. It seemed the love of watching drama was universal.
Meanwhile, from another direction, Charlotte was leading her own group toward the Durmstrang lounge.
Her motives mirrored Sunny Finch's. The Cavendish family lacked influence in France, whereas the Delacour family was prestigious. More importantly, it was clear Fleur had interest in her master, Erwin.
As Erwin's right hand, Charlotte's focus was the wizarding world. France was territory Erwin would not abandon, and the Delacour family was the key to it.
Charlotte's daily task was figuring out how to help Erwin build alliances. Naturally, she wouldn't harm Fleur; instead, she planned to let Durmstrang attack Beauxbatons first, then intervene to assist them. It would earn Fleur's gratitude and make future cooperation smoother.
It was a perfect plan from a devoted strategist.
Thus, under these circumstances, the exchange students and Hogwarts reached a silent agreement, creating a world where only Durmstrang was getting hurt.
In the Beauxbatons lounge, aside from the six guards huddled around the fragments, Fleur had sent the remaining four to scout. The moment the exchange students and Hogwarts began moving, the news reached her.
"You mean Hogwarts and the exchange students are both heading for Durmstrang?"
The returning scout nodded vigorously. "Yes! They should be there by now. Should we go watch?"
Fleur smiled grimly. Watching Durmstrang suffer brought her joy, but being seen while watching was dangerous. She feared becoming the spectacle herself.
"Keep it simple," she decided. She sent one scout to monitor the situation while the rest stayed put.
Victory for Durmstrang was impossible. From Charlotte and Sunny Finch, Fleur had already glimpsed the true power of the other schools. This so-called tournament was merely a battle between Hogwarts and the exchange students. Beauxbatons and Durmstrang were just participants.
Erwin, the chief organizer of the tournament, had arranged not just common rooms for the four schools, but a special room for the referees. Hogwarts had countless hidden rooms; if Erwin hadn't held three-quarters of the school's authority, no one would have known how many existed. It didn't matter if they used one for the "referees"—a group consisting of the four Heads of House and five officials from the Ministry of Magic.