Hogwarts Raven's Claw

Chapter 287 Who is the real prankster?

"Age line?" Zhou Hong's eyes lit up. "That's easy. Since Dumbledore didn't set up any obstacles directly on the Goblet of Fire, it means that the Goblet of Fire doesn't have the ability to distinguish the ages of the contestants. So as long as we can find a way to bypass the age line and throw the note into the Goblet of Fire, we can be considered to have successfully registered."

Colin's brother Dennis asked, with confusion twinkling in his big eyes:

“But how do we get around the age line?”

"Stupid!" Zhou Hong said disdainfully, "Use an anti-aging agent."

"But... we don't have aging agents?"

"Don't worry about it, I have my own way!"

Zhou Hong curled his lips and decided not to pay any more attention to this idiot.

At the same time, he secretly made a decision in his heart to go find the potion maker tonight!

Anyway, that guy is so nice to me, he will definitely agree to such a small request.

On the other side, the Slytherin table was dead silent. The students who had just been so proud and arrogant now looked like eggplants hit by frost.

The reason is simple: no one in their college is qualified to participate in the competition for the Hogwarts Champion.

This makes these proud young people feel ashamed.

In contrast, the Durmstrang students sitting at the same table with them were quite happy. They cleared out all the food on the Slytherin table as if they had never eaten before.

"Well, let's go back to the ship." Karkaroff came to the Slytherin table, "Viktor, how do you feel? Have you eaten enough? Do you want me to send someone from the kitchen to bring some mulled wine?"

Krum shook his head silently, then stood up and put his fur coat back on.

"Professor, I'd like to drink some wine." Another Durmstrang boy next to him swallowed and said with salivating eyes.

However, Karkaroff changed his previous attitude towards Krum, which was like his own son, and turned around and scolded him harshly:
"I didn't ask you! Oh! Merlin's beard! You've dripped food down the front of your robes again, you're such a nuisance!"

After saying that, Karkaroff snorted and turned away with Krum.

The other people at Durmstrang seemed to have gotten used to their professor's different treatment and followed suit without saying a word, even the boy who was scolded was no exception.

Chris, who witnessed all this, pulled up a barely perceptible smile at the corner of his mouth, and at the same time, his left hand rubbed the knuckles of his right ring finger as if he was rubbing a ring.

……

The next day was Saturday, and on previous days the students would go to have breakfast very late.

However, today when Mike and others arrived at the auditorium, they found that it was already surrounded by a crowd of people.

Mike's arrival immediately attracted the attention of the crowd. They cast fiery eyes at Mike and automatically made way for him to walk to the Goblet of Fire in front of them.

When he got closer, Mike found that the Goblet of Fire from last night was still placed in the center of the auditorium, and on the floor, there was a circle of thin gold line drawn, completely wrapping the cup.

“Has anyone put their name in?”

In response to Mike's question, Ron, who was originally squeezed in the crowd, immediately came out and said excitedly:
"The Durmstrang guys registered this morning, but for some reason, I haven't seen anyone from Hogwarts sign up yet."

Mike nodded and was about to speak, but Franklin on the side spoke first:
"This is not surprising at all. Who in the entire Hogwarts doesn't know that our champion will be selected from Mike and Cedric? If other people sign up, it would be humiliating and they would be laughed at! So if I were them, I would definitely choose a time when no one else is around to submit my name!"

Ron opened his mouth slightly, and crumpled up a piece of paper in his hand and secretly put it into his pocket.

He was originally planning to sign up for a try, but after hearing what Franklin said, he suddenly decided not to go.

As if noticing Ron's embarrassment, Mike immediately began to change the subject.

"What about Harry, isn't he trying to sign up?"

"He's having a tantrum in his dormitory right now," Ron said. "Dumbledore found him last night and told him not to sign up. He said the Triwizard Tournament was too dangerous and he was worried that something might happen to him."

"I think what Dumbledore said is absolutely right!" Hermione's voice suddenly came, "The Triwizard Tournament is really dangerous, and even if Harry signed up, he would definitely not be selected. In fact, I think there is no need for the age limit at all. After all, unless someone cheats, the Goblet of Fire will select the strongest person in each school. Such a strong person will not have any accidents even if he is young."

After saying that, Hermione secretly glanced at Mike.

Mike shook his head secretly. Hermione had only been in the wizarding world for too short a time and didn't understand many things.

Just like Fudge said before, cheating has always been a common practice in the Triwizard Tournament.

The semi-finals not only tests the individual abilities of the Warriors, but also the abilities of each school.

Thinking of this, Mike took out a small piece of paper and began to walk towards the Goblet of Fire in the center of the auditorium.

Seeing this, the students who were originally whispering around held their breath and looked at Mike who was slowly approaching the Goblet of Fire with wide eyes.

Age line, passed smoothly.

The note was successfully put into the Goblet of Fire.

With a bang, the flame in the cup suddenly increased and engulfed the note.

There was immediately cheering from all around, and amidst the cheers, two small figures squeezed through the crowd and came to the age line.

"Are you ready? Dennis!"

"Of course!"

"Then let's get started!"

Zhou Hong and Dennis looked at each other, then took out a bottle at the same time, uncorked it and drank the liquid inside.

Then, under the surprised eyes of everyone, Zhou Hong and Dennis rushed straight towards the age line as if they had gone to Platform 9 3/4 for the first time!
"Oh!"

There was a loud bang, and the thin golden line around the Goblet of Fire flashed suddenly.

Afterwards, everyone saw Zhou Hong and Dennis flying backwards at a faster speed than before. After landing, before they could get up, white beards grew on their faces at a speed visible to the naked eye, and they only stopped when they grew to their chests.

"Hahahahaha!"

The crowd around finally reacted and burst into deafening laughter.

Amidst the laughter, Zhou Hong and Dennis were not angry. Instead, they also laughed after discovering the changes in themselves.

Mike walked up to them and helped the two naughty kids up, while looking at Benjamin with a questioning look.

In his opinion, Zhou Hong and Dennis, these two kids, definitely couldn't have made such a thing as an aging agent, so it could only have been given to them by someone else.

Benjamin is undoubtedly the most suspicious.

There were many people who had the same idea as Mike. Franklin and others looked at Benjamin almost immediately.

Benjamin, who was being watched by everyone, clenched his fists and glared at Zhou Hong, who was standing next to Mike and still laughing, and said through gritted teeth:
“They approached me, but I turned them down!”

"Hahaha! I can't stand George, this is so funny!" "Who said it wasn't, Fred, they actually tried it!"

The Weasley brothers on the side finally couldn't help it and started laughing.

Seeing this, Benjamin quickly ran up to the two of them and asked:
"Did you give them the aging agent? You knew it didn't work, but you still gave it to them?!"

"Of course! Hong is your younger brother after all. We still have to give you face." The Weasley brothers looked at each other and laughed, "Besides, it was them who stole our title of the King of Pranks. As their seniors, we have to teach them a lesson! Hahaha!"

Benjamin clenched and unclenched his fists, unclenched and clenched them again. After doing this several times, he sighed deeply and came to Zhou Hong silently.

"Come on, I'll take you to the infirmary. The indiscriminate use of aging agents is no joke."

This time, Zhou Hong unexpectedly did not reject the hand Benjamin extended. He slowly took it and walked away.

The Weasley brothers laughed even more happily as they looked at Benjamin's back, holding one of their hands each, and walking away.

Seeing this, Mike returned to the crowd and laughed.

He was originally worried that Zhou Hong and Dennis were two naughty kids who were too naughty and no one could control them.

But now it seems that old ginger is still spicy.

Compared with the Weasley brothers, these two children are still too young.

After finishing the work, Mike and others did not go their separate ways to do their own things as usual, but instead found a long table and sat down to chat.

Because of Halloween, the decorations in the auditorium have changed again.

A flock of live bats flew around the enchanted ceiling, while hundreds of pumpkin figurines stared at everyone from every corner in the setting sun.

Near noon, the girls from Beauxbatons finally arrived at Hogwarts Castle.

They lined up in a neat line and, led by Ms. Maxim, entered the age line one by one to register.

Furong was the first to complete the registration. After completing the registration, she did not return to the team, but instead came and sat next to Mike.

She obviously felt that the conversation at the dinner party yesterday was not satisfying enough and planned to continue today.

It was a pity that Penelope was there too, so they couldn't have a free chat at all.

While observing the Beauxbatons team, Michael discovered that the only Beauxbatons boy from last night did not show up, so he asked Fleur.

Upon hearing this, Furong replied nonchalantly:
"You mean Timmy? Ms. Maxime never planned to let him sign up. She brought him here just to let him see the world."

Black lines appeared on Mike's face. It seems that the feminist movement in Beauxbatons is really successful.

They were all too successful.

"Where did you sleep last night?" Franklin asked curiously, "If you don't sleep well, you are welcome to come to the Ravenclaw Common Room at any time."

"You don't have to worry about that. Our carriage is very big."

Furong didn't even turn her head, and her tone was a little impatient.

From childhood to adulthood, she has met too many people like Franklin who become bootlickers as soon as they meet, which makes her accustomed to treating these people roughly.

After all, she is so beautiful.

She is so beautiful that no matter how roughly you treat those bootlickers, they won’t care.

Fleur continued to speak softly to Mike, not paying any attention to the murderous eyes of Penelope beside her.

She was used to this, as she was isolated by all the girls in Beauxbatons.

After all, she is so beautiful.

She is so beautiful that other girls are jealous of her.

In addition, her Veela mixed-blood bloodline was much inferior to the Mudblood's Muggle bloodline in the eyes of pure-bloods, so it was normal for her to be isolated.

"Fleur, we should go."

Ms. Maxime's unique voice came from not far away, and Fleur said goodbye to Michael reluctantly. Amid the regret of the boys and the murderous gazes of the girls, she returned to the Beauxbatons team and left the auditorium.

"You like her very much?"

Hillary threw a fatal question to Franklin with a resentful look in her eyes, and Franklin immediately shuddered when he heard it and quickly waved his hand to deny it.

Mike smiled when he saw this, picked up the teacup and took a sip, but he felt a pair of resentful eyes staring at him from the side.

Turning his head and looking at Penelope who seemed calm, Mike didn't say anything.

He just silently held Penelope's hand and smiled at her.

Penelope seemed to have understood something from Mike's smile, and her frown finally relaxed.

Everything is left unsaid.

The sun always sets so early in winter, and when the sun sets completely, Hogwarts' annual Halloween dinner finally begins.

Unlike previous years, the students of Hogwarts seemed to have lost interest in the wonderful performances and delicious food. They were always whispering to each other, and their eyes kept drifting towards the Goblet of Fire that had been moved in front of the faculty seats.

Mike was also looking in that direction, but he was not looking at the Goblet of Fire, but at the people sitting in the classroom.

Moody, this guy is back!
He was still dressed the same way as always, but he looked much more haggard. It seemed that dealing with the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and the Wizengamot Council was quite exhausting for him.

At this point, Mike can basically confirm that this Moody is the real thing.

After all, the Ministry of Magic and the Wizengamot are not Hogwarts. The various detection methods there are outrageous. Michael doesn't believe that little Barty can remain concealed under such circumstances.

But new problems also arise.

So if this Moody is the real deal, then where is Barty Crouch Jr.?
Could he be pretending to be someone else?

Mike's eyes darted back and forth among the people sitting in the faculty seats, as if trying to see through any disguises they might have.

Or maybe.

Barty Crouch Jr. never came to Hogwarts? Voldemort never took action?
Mike thought so, and finally moved his gaze away and looked at the Goblet of Fire again.

That question will be answered tonight.

All we have to do is wait and see whether Harry will become the fourth warrior like in the original book.

(End of this chapter)