Hogwarts: Starting with full Unforgivable Curses

Chapter 344 This is for you; it's said to bring good luck.
The morning of the day the first project was held.

The air inside Hogwarts Castle seemed heavier than usual.

The once noisy corridor was less boisterous, and the students walked with quieter steps.

The occasional conversations that could be heard carried a subtle tension, and an invisible atmosphere of tension was quietly spreading.

Dylan first truly experienced this atmosphere on the way back to the tower from the greenhouse with Neville.

At that time, the two had just returned the magical plant samples that Professor Sprout had given them to the greenhouse.

Then they saw the Weasley brothers running towards them, panting, clutching two crumpled hand-drawn cards in their hands.

The painting on it is crooked and messy, with the words "Go for it!" written next to it.

"D-Dylan!" Fred ran, his cheeks flushed and his words stammering. He gestured to the picture on the card as he hurriedly said, "You have to do your best today! We'll be cheering you on from the audience! Don't be nervous!"

George nodded in agreement, his hand gripping the card so tightly it was almost deformed. Beads of sweat trickled down his temples as he cheered for others, his own hands trembling uncontrollably.

Dylan couldn't help but smile as he watched the two brothers so nervous they were practically moving in unison.

These two were clearly more nervous than they were, the ones about to compete.

"We've already delivered Harry's card, so don't worry!"

"Don't worry, you can just be nervous for me."

The tense atmosphere became even more pronounced when they arrived at the auditorium for breakfast.

Students who usually just wandered between the long tables of each house made a special detour to the Gryffindor table today. Some were holding homemade gifts, while others just blushed and said "Good luck."

Others stood a short distance away, hesitating for a long time before daring to quietly hand over a note filled with blessings.

Too many times.

Those around Dylan noticed that something was wrong.

Neville put down his toast and looked at Dylan, who had just seen off a student who had given him a gift. His expression was a little strange: "Dylan, I feel like... these students who came to give their blessings are more nervous than you are? Look at that Hufflepuff girl just now, her voice was shaking when she said 'Good luck,' and she was still gripping the tablecloth tightly."

"Oh, right! When I came from the Gryffindor table just now, I vaguely heard people talking about how the first project was related to dragons."

Fred suddenly clapped his hands, as if he had remembered something important. He turned to Dylan and asked, "Could it be because everyone knows you're going to face a fire dragon, so they're nervous for you?"

“If it really is a fire dragon, then it’s normal for Dylan not to be nervous, right?” George’s tone was full of certainty. “Someone with such strong magic should be the one who’s nervous, not the fire dragon.”

Fred glanced at him, then looked at Dylan. "That's true, but do you know exactly what this test is about? Is it simply about dodging fire dragons, or is it about completing some kind of mission?"

“I’m not entirely sure either.” Dylan shook his head, picked up a spoon and scooped up a mouthful of cereal. “But Cedric told me yesterday that he observed that the fire dragon used in this competition seems to be much larger than a normal fire dragon, and it has a particularly bad temper, roaring if you get too close.”

He paused, then added, "Based on his judgment, these fire dragons are most likely female—female fire dragons are exceptionally fierce during the period of protecting their cubs, and their bodies are also larger than usual."

"If that's the case, then the specific test content is not hard to guess. It will likely involve taking something from the fire dragon, such as a fire dragon egg, since this is the best test of one's ability to deal with ferocious creatures."

"How does Cedric know so many details about dragons?" Fred asked curiously. In his memory, although Cedric was skilled in magic, he didn't seem to have studied dragons in particular.

“I remember his father worked in the Department of Magical Creatures Control at the Ministry of Magic?” George frowned.

“Yes, that’s the reason.” Dylan nodded in confirmation. “Cedric said that his father has recently been in charge of coordinating the use of fire dragons for this competition, and he occasionally mentions the habits of fire dragons to him, so he was able to make a judgment based on this information.”

No sooner had the words been spoken than a commotion suddenly came from the teachers' section at the front of the auditorium.

Headmaster Dumbledore stood up, holding a silver whistle in his hand, clearly signaling to the warriors to prepare to assemble.

Dylan put down his cutlery, patted his friends on the shoulders, and walked towards the teachers' table. Behind him came the loud cheers of his roommates, which were particularly clear amidst the gradually heating up noise in the auditorium.

In fact, Dylan and Cedric had already had an in-depth conversation.

The two were sitting in the same classroom, talking about their future plans.

Cedric had seriously mentioned that he hoped to work for the Ministry of Magic after graduation, with the goal of joining the Department of Magical Creatures Control and working alongside his father, Amos Diggory.

He had heard his father tell stories of all sorts of magical creatures since he was a child, and he longed for this job.

Cedric has been working towards this goal.

Lately, even dating isn't as enviable as it used to be.

During his recent holidays, he has mostly accompanied his father on missions to help deal with incidents of magical creature intrusions.

Sometimes it involves helping to move lost wild beasts, sometimes it involves recording the activity patterns of magical creatures, and sometimes it involves participating in the health checks of magical creatures.

These experiences allowed him to accumulate a wealth of practical knowledge about magical creatures.

Recent research, in particular, has given him a far greater understanding of fire dragons' habits, physical characteristics, and even emotional changes than his peers.

This is also the key reason why he was able to accurately determine that the dragon used in the competition was female.

Let's go back to the morning of the first project. The atmosphere in the classroom was exceptionally relaxed.

Almost all the students were distracted by the afternoon's competition.

In the herbalism class, someone held tweezers in their hand, but their gaze drifted out the window, staring blankly in the direction of the Forbidden Forest, as if trying to capture the moment when the fire dragon breathed through the dense forest.

During the spell class, the students chanted spells noticeably softer than usual, but private discussions were frequent, with some speculating whether the first project would start in the afternoon.

Someone was asking the prefect when they would be notified to gather for the game, and even the most attentive student unconsciously stopped holding their wand in mid-air.

This anxious wait continued until noon.

As students entered the auditorium to have lunch, they suddenly found a large crowd gathered in front of the notice board in the lobby.

A brand-new parchment was pinned in the center, with the spectator notice written on it in gold ink.

Almost simultaneously, Headmaster Dumbledore ascended the steps to the teachers' platform, holding an amplifying wand in his hand, his gentle yet clear voice resounding throughout the Great Hall.

"Dear students, all afternoon classes are cancelled. Please return to your respective college lounges after lunch. Your class leaders will organize you to go to the temporary stands next to the hunting grounds to watch the first event of the Triwizard Tournament." Cheers erupted in the auditorium, the students' excitement no longer concealed.

After lunch, students from the other schools also quickly left the auditorium.

The students at Beauxbatons were adjusting their skirts, while the students at Durmstrang were discussing tactics among themselves.

Everyone wore similar expressions of anticipation, clearly having received the same notification to watch the game.

As Dylan stepped out of the auditorium, he saw Luna standing at the corner of the corridor waiting for him, holding a small pendant woven from silver thread with a pale blue bead strung on it.

"Here, take this. It's said to bring good luck."

Luna handed him the pendant, her tone still gentle, "Don't worry too much about the result this afternoon, just come back safe and sound! Good luck, Dylan!"

Dylan took the pendant, whispered a thank you, and then joined Cedric, Draco, and Harry, who had arrived, and followed Professor McGonagall toward the hunting grounds.

"Don't be nervous, kids."

Professor McGonagall walked at the front, her usually calm voice carrying a subtle, almost imperceptible fluctuation.

She blinked and looked around every now and then, her fingers tightening slightly as she gripped her wand, clearly not as calm as she appeared.

"Headmaster Dumbledore is already waiting on the scene, along with staff from the Ministry of Magic and professors from various schools to ensure security. If any unexpected incidents occur, someone will take control of the situation immediately, so you don't need to be afraid."

She paused, turned to look at the four of them, her eyes full of affirmation: "I have seen all your hard work during this time - the training under the Man-Beating Willow every morning, the focus on practicing the Iron Armor Spell repeatedly after class, you have put in more sweat than anyone else."

"You are absolutely the best warriors. Believe in yourselves and just play to your usual level."

As Professor McGonagall spoke, she led the four across the grassy field covered with a thin layer of snow.

A magnificent circular grandstand suddenly appeared before us beside the distant hunting grounds.

The stands are supported by dozens of log pillars, each as thick as an adult's embrace, and each pillar is engraved with magical runes for reinforcement.

The seats in the stands are made of thick oak and covered with a soft wool pad.

The key joints were wrapped with thick hemp ropes, which were coated with a waterproof and snowproof magic potion, making the entire stand both sturdy and meticulously prepared.

As the distance closed, the details of the temporary stands became increasingly clear.

A wide boardwalk extends from the entrance to the stands, made of thick pine wood, with the gaps between the planks filled with thin hemp rope.

It can prevent snow accumulation and avoid students slipping, making it convenient for students from various schools to quickly reach designated areas.

The seats in the stands are arranged in a neat, tiered pattern, rising gradually from bottom to top. Each tier is half a meter wider than the one below, ensuring that no matter where a student is sitting, they can see the arena below without any obstruction and without their view being blocked by the people in front of them.

The log pillars supporting the stands are not only thick but also nearly three meters higher than the top of the stands. Several crossbeams are supported at the top of the pillars, and large pieces of dark blue canvas are covered on the crossbeams.

The canvas edges are secured to the pillars with metal rings, which can block the glare of the sun on sunny days and block falling snowflakes on snowy days. The canvas surface is also coated with a waterproof agent, so you don't have to worry about water dripping down and wetting the seats even in rainy or snowy weather.

To the left of the stands is the arena for this competition.

A wide-open space enclosed by a magical fence, the snow on the ground has been cleared away, revealing brown soil, and several metal stakes used to anchor the fire dragon can be seen in the distance.

To the right of the stands stood a tall, dark green tent, its curtains secured to both sides with brass buckles, and embroidered with the emblem of the Triwizard Tournament—clearly a rest area prepared for the warriors.

Professor McGonagall stopped at the tent entrance and did not continue walking.

She pointed to the tent flap, her tone gentle yet tinged with seriousness: "Go inside, someone will tell you what to do next."

"Remember to stay calm and don't let nervousness cloud your judgment."

Dylan, Cedric, Harry, and Draco stepped into the tent and immediately felt the spaciousness inside.

The inside of the tent was much larger than it appeared from the outside, clearly due to a spatial expansion spell.

The warriors of Beauxbatons had arrived. Some leaned against the tent walls, while others stood around the round table in the center. When they saw Dylan and his group of four enter, they simply nodded slightly as a greeting, without exchanging any further words.

Inside the tent were a dozen or so soft armchairs with comfortable dark gray wool covers. There were also several small round tables with kettles and cups on them.

But none of the warriors of Beauxbatons sat down; instead, they each occupied a corner of their tents and paced back and forth.

Some people kept reaching out to touch their wands in their pockets, while others muttered something under their breath; they were all clearly nervous about the upcoming match.

Draco saw this, gave a soft hum, and walked straight to an armchair away from the curtain and sat down.

He crossed his legs, interlaced his fingers in front of him, and straightened his back, trying to make his expression look calm, but the slightly pursed corners of his mouth betrayed his nervousness.

"Let's just sit and wait. Standing makes it easier to overthink."

Dylan smiled slightly, walked to the armchair next to Draco, sat down, picked up the kettle on the table, and poured himself a glass of warm water.

Harry and Cedric exchanged a glance, then each found a chair and sat down.

Harry pulled a tattered spellbook from his pocket, pretending to look at it but not turning a single page for a long time.

Cedric then took a handkerchief out of his backpack and repeatedly folded and unfolded it, trying to distract himself with these small actions.

Before long, Durmstrang's warriors also entered the tent one after another.

Their reaction was similar to that of the warriors of Beauxbatons; instead of sitting down, they stood in the other corner of the tent.

Some stared blankly at the top of the tent, while others gazed outside the curtain. A stifling silence permeated the entire tent, broken only by the occasional sound of footsteps and breathing.

This silence was not broken until Ludobagman appeared.

He was wearing a bright yellow and black robe.

That was a former Wimbledon Hornets jersey, with the team's badge still printed on the chest, and an exaggerated smile on the face.

As soon as he entered, he waved vigorously at everyone, his voice so loud it almost lifted the tent roof: "Great! It's so good to see you all here!"

(End of this chapter)