Hogwarts: Starting with full Unforgivable Curses

“Because ‘Armando Dipette: Master or Fool?’ was published in 1992,” Dylan explained slowly, with a hint of certainty in his voice. “To be more precise, the book was officially released two months after Principal Armando Dipette passed away.”

“Two months? No, to be precise, seven weeks and three days.” Rita could no longer suppress her smile, and her voice rose a few decibels, clearly considering it something to brag about. “To be honest, I’m not satisfied with this speed. I think I can be faster.”

“But Principal Dippert’s life spans too long. From his enrollment to his appointment as principal, it’s a whole few decades to sort out. There’s really no way to shorten the time.”

Dylan shrugged slightly, knowing all too well Rita's writing style.

She has written many biographies of celebrities, almost all of which were published quickly shortly after the celebrities' deaths.

This way, they can take advantage of the continued reader interest in celebrities and significantly increase book sales.

It can also avoid unnecessary trouble, such as the celebrity or their relatives questioning the contents of the book, or even suing her for defamation.

After all, once a person dies, many disputes become irrelevant.

Rita clearly realized that Dylan had seen through her, and her smugness lessened slightly, but she still maintained a certain self-righteousness: "Writing is about seizing the moment. Are you going to wait until readers have forgotten about the person before slowly publishing the book? That would be disrespectful to the words."

Dylan looked at Rita's self-righteous demeanor and calmly added, "Besides, even if a celebrity's relatives sue for defamation, the compensation they eventually receive is usually far less than the amount they would receive if the celebrity themselves filed a defamation lawsuit. By choosing to publish the book after the celebrity's death, you had already factored in these risks."

"Ah..." Rita's eyes widened instantly upon hearing this, and her shorthand quill fell to the parchment with a "thud." She suddenly realized what was happening, and her self-righteousness was replaced by excitement. "It seems our rising star of magic is indeed planning something! This is something I'm best at, and I'd be more than happy to help!"

The thought of potentially touching upon my area of ​​expertise...

For example, uncovering secrets or writing impactful text.

She seemed much more energetic.

His previously slumped shoulders straightened up again, and even his eyes shone with an amazing brightness; his previous listlessness had completely disappeared.

“My idea is simple.” Dylan met her gaze, his tone still steady. “I want to commission you to write a book about Durmstrang. The help I can provide includes contacting people who know about the school and compiling various written materials—such as its history, curriculum, and clues behind those unverified rumors.”

“Write it in my style?” Rita immediately seized on the key point, raising an eyebrow with an undeniable firmness in her tone. “If you can’t guarantee that I can freely express myself and create in my usual style, then you should find someone else. I don’t want to write a bland, rambling account that no one will read.”

“No problem.” Dylan agreed readily without the slightest hesitation. “You are completely free to do as you please, without any restrictions.”

"Are you sure?" Rita's tone was full of disbelief. She even took half a step forward and asked again, "Are you really sure? You don't want me to adjust the content according to your requirements? And you don't want to review the first draft?"

“Of course I’m sure.” Dylan nodded firmly, his eyes unwavering. “Your writing style is perfectly suited to this book about Durmstrang. After all, the school itself is controversial, and only your writing can bring that controversy to life.”

"What about the deadline?" Rita stopped dwelling on the style issue.

She feared that if she asked too many questions, Dylan would change his mind and impose additional restrictions.

She bent down to pick up the quill pen from the ground, her fingers twirling unconsciously, her tone tinged with urgency, "I need to know roughly when the manuscript is due so I can plan ahead and gather more material."

“I will let you know the specific timeframe later. You can start preparing now,” Dylan explained. “It will have to wait until at least the Triwizard Tournament is over. Whether it will be a year or two is still uncertain—I need to confirm some key information to ensure the accuracy of the book’s contents.”

He paused, then added, "However, I can pay you the commission fee in the next few days. As for the subsequent profit sharing, it will be calculated according to the profit sharing ratio you usually get for writing celebrity biographies, so you won't be at a disadvantage."

“This seems like a good deal.” Rita lowered her head and pondered for a moment, her fingers lightly tapping the table. “I don’t think I’m losing out at all—I get the material, the payment, and the freedom to use my skills.”

She looked up, her eyes filled with inquiry, and her expression became serious: "But I really don't understand your purpose. Why do you suddenly want a book about Durmstrang? This school has kept a low profile over the years, so theoretically not many people would pay attention to it."

“Because I believe that it won’t be long before everyone knows the name Durmstrang and will be eager to learn about everything behind the school,” Dylan replied calmly, without revealing any further details.

"It seems I have the opportunity to stand at the forefront of the times?" Rita raised an eyebrow, a smile of excitement spreading across her face. "That's much more appealing than just talking about compensation."

“So, Ms. Skeeter, does this mean we’ve reached an agreement?” Dylan asked, his gaze falling on her face. “I noticed that you never asked about the specific amount of payment.”

“I don’t think you’re a stingy person. These clothes you’re wearing are all haute couture, right? I’ve never seen fabrics like these before; they look incredibly valuable.” Rita grinned, revealing a set of perfect teeth, her tone full of confidence. “Besides, you not only don’t interfere with my writing, but you also provide materials and insiders, and you’re so lenient with the deadlines—I can totally treat this as extra income to pass the time. Why would I refuse such a good deal?”

As she spoke, she picked up a quill and quickly scribbled a line on the parchment, then pushed it in front of Dylan: "This is my contact information. Contact me anytime if you have any news. The sooner you get the materials, the better. I'm already looking forward to uncovering Durmstrang's secrets!"

As the warriors from the three magic schools entered the classrooms one after another, Rita Skeeter immediately got busy.

Like a nimble butterfly, she flitted through the crowd, immediately greeting any brave soul who entered and launching into an interview.

However, the interview times were clearly different.

She only asked a few simple questions about Beauxbatons' Warriors – what were their expectations for the game?

When facing Harry, however, she would keep him busy asking all sorts of questions, from his preparations to his daily training. The interview lasted longer than all the other warriors combined, with her quill pen flying across the parchment, afraid of missing any "explosive moments".

Once all the warriors had arrived, a tripod for taking photos had been set up in the open space in front of the classroom, indicating that it was time to take a group photo.

Because there were many warriors, they needed to stand in two rows, one in front and one behind. The professor in charge of organizing had just finished saying, "Everyone, stand wherever you like."

Rita retreated to a corner, a faint smile playing on her lips, her eyes filled with a "let's watch the show" expression.

She had heard rumors that some school principals had used underhanded tactics when selecting warriors.

Now that it's time for the group photo, which is crucial to the school's reputation, Karkarov has no reason not to stir things up.

As she had predicted, things turned out just as she had expected.

Karkaroff quickly found Viktor Krum, whispered something in his ear, and repeatedly pointed to the middle seat in the first row.

That was clearly the most prominent position in the group photo.

Viktor just shook his head repeatedly, and before Karkaroff could say anything more, he turned and walked to the other two Durmstrang warriors.

The three of them stood in the far right corner of the first row without any hesitation, completely ignoring the principal's hint.

Rita's gaze fell on the center of the first row.

There stood the four champions of Hogwarts, with Dylan positioned right in the center. Harry, Cedric, and Draco on either side instinctively moved aside, clearly giving him the center position. Rita couldn't help but mutter to herself, "He's really popular. He was so unknown before. What an interesting guy. Even his positioning is so harmonious. It seems there's still a lot to discover about him!"

In fact, during the interview, Rita never gave up trying to get information out of the contestants, deliberately bringing up "whether there were any unusual situations during the selection process" several times, in an attempt to get the contestants to reveal the principals' underhanded tactics.

To her surprise, the warriors from all the schools she met brushed her off with excuses like "I didn't notice," "I don't know," or "The competition is important, nothing else matters."

No one wanted to talk more.

Based on her years of interviewing experience, the fact that these brave individuals from different schools, who were originally strangers to each other, could have such "tacit understanding" must have involved mediation from some people behind the scenes.

Even now, they all unanimously give up the middle position to the Hogwarts people, and deliberately avoid any "seat-grabbing" behavior that could cause disputes.

The group photo was taken quickly, and the warriors had just returned to their seats.

Old Barty Crouch stood up from his chair, cleared his throat, and scanned the room with his gaze. In a serious tone, he said, "Warriors, the most important part of gathering you all today is the wand test."

He paused, then emphasized, "Please remember, in the Triwizard Tournament, your wands are your only weapon and your most reliable partner."

"Its condition is directly related to your ability to safely meet the challenges!"

"For everyone's safety and the fairness of the competition, we have invited Mr. Ollivander to conduct a comprehensive inspection of everyone's wands to ensure that each wand is in optimal condition and can withstand the upcoming challenges."

At this point, he changed the subject, a rare gentleness appearing on his face: "Before the testing begins, I have some good news to announce—after deliberation by the judging panel, the first test will be conducted on December 1st."

“In addition, as the judging panel, we need to give you some guidance,” he continued. “Remember the previous meeting? We mentioned that ‘courage’ is the most important quality you need when facing challenges.”

"I hope that in the preparations to come, everyone will not only hone their magic skills, but also strengthen their beliefs."

As soon as Old Barty Crouch finished speaking, he took another half step forward, his tone even more solemn than before: "In addition, considering that the difficulty of the first event has been adjusted, the judges' second piece of advice is 'cooperation.' The following tests will be difficult to complete by individual strength alone. Warriors must work together and assist each other to better meet the challenges."

He stepped aside to make room for Dumbledore and turned his gaze to him: "There's one more thing—Hogwarts, the organizer of this Triwizard Tournament, has prepared a riddle for everyone, which can also provide you with guidance."

Dumbledore slowly stood up, his silvery-white beard gleaming softly in the lamplight.

He smiled at the warriors present, his gentle yet clear voice carrying throughout the classroom: "My riddle is simple—'A breath of hot air dissipates like smoke, a few whispers enter a nightmare.'"

The moment I heard the riddle.

Harry instinctively turned his head.

Two answers immediately flashed through his mind, but he needed to confirm them.

When Harry saw Dylan nod slightly, he instantly became certain of his idea.

The answer must be two things.

Or rather, they are two magical creatures!

Fire Dragon and Cat-Leopard!
"If you can guess the answer, you will naturally know the content of the first test."

Dumbledore continued, his eyes full of encouragement, "Mr. Crouch said that warriors need the courage to face the unknown, and I completely agree with that."

"But I'd like to add one more thing—if you know in advance the dangers you're about to face, and still have the courage to rise to the challenge, that courage is equally valuable. I'm really looking forward to everyone's performance in the first project."

Seeing the warriors deep in thought below the stage, Dumbledore gestured to Ollivander at the door: "Alright, now please have Mr. Ollivander check the wands of all the warriors to ensure that your 'partners' are in optimal condition."

Ollivander stepped forward carrying a dark brown wooden box and examined the wands of the warriors one by one.

Dylan noticed that the wands used by Beauxbatons and the champions of Hogwarts were quite similar in size and style.

The staff is slender and carved with delicate patterns. The handle is polished smooth and delicate, making it clearly a dexterous type.

Durmstrang's wand, on the other hand, is quite different. It has a thick shaft, and the surface retains the original texture of the wood, with even protruding knots visible, making it appear exceptionally rugged.

Ollivander, however, showed no surprise at all. Clearly, he had already communicated with wand makers in other regions before coming to Hogwarts and was familiar with this special style of wand.

The wand test was completed quickly.

Rita Skeeter immediately stepped forward and began arranging for the warriors to take individual photos.

The classroom suddenly became lively.

Taking advantage of this break, Dylan quietly followed Ollivander, and the two of them went to an empty classroom next door.

Dylan waved his wand, and a set of exquisite reception table and chairs instantly materialized in the air.

The carved wooden armrests, the soft velvet cushions, and even the tabletop were wiped spotless.

Ollivander sat in his chair, and without any pleasantries, went straight to the point: "Dylan, what's your opinion on the wand used by the Durmstrang warrior?"

Dylan walked to the window, opened it to let in fresh air, and then said, "Mr. Ollivander, I have collected some relevant information before."

He raised his wand, and a thick notebook immediately flew out of his pocket and landed steadily in his hand.

"Because Durmstrang's warriors arrived relatively late, and wands are very personal and sensitive items, I cannot study them directly."

He handed the notebook to Ollivander, his tone tinged with apology, "I can only gather information little by little by chatting with them regularly."

“I think I’ll send you my notes for reference after I’ve improved them a bit more,” Dylan asked.

“No need.” Ollivander raised his head, shook it gently, and looked at Dylan with a meaningful gaze. “I think this ‘incomplete’ notebook is actually more suitable for us. Do you know why?” (End of Chapter)