Hogwarts: Starting with full Unforgivable Curses

These words were like a thunderclap out of nowhere, instantly igniting the atmosphere in the room.

Most of the audience immediately stopped what they were doing and turned their attention to the screen displaying Dylan's figure, their faces full of anticipation and curiosity—what secrets did the final level of the maze hold?
The scene of the seventh level of the maze was clearly displayed on the projection screen.

Unlike the narrow passages and dense traps of the previous six floors, this place is exceptionally spacious. The ground is paved with flat, light-colored stone slabs, and there are no thorns or stone walls to obstruct the view. The view is surprisingly open. At least on the surface, there are no visible traps here, and the whole space appears tranquil and solemn.

In the very center of the venue, there is a slightly raised circular platform, upon which a trophy sits quietly, radiating a dazzling light that attracts everyone's attention.

The design of this championship trophy is ingenious. The cup has a perfect triangular outline with smooth and beautiful lines. Three delicate handles are evenly distributed on both sides of the cup, which obviously symbolize the three magic schools participating in this Triwizard Tournament, and signify fair competition and friendship.

Although the design of the three handles may seem complicated, they are harmonious and natural when combined. Instead of appearing abrupt, they add a dignified and unique aesthetic, inspiring awe at first glance.

As Dylan approached the platform, the light on the trophy softened, transforming into a warm blue halo that pulsed rhythmically like breathing, as if it had come to life. The blue mist flowed gently, forming a thin curtain of light around the platform, both dreamlike and mysterious, making people want to get closer and explore.

But Dylan did not rush forward. To ensure that nothing went wrong, he stopped, slowly raised his wand, pointed the tip at the trophy that was flashing blue light, and began to carefully examine the magical traces attached to it.

He knew very well that this trophy was more symbolic. According to the rules of the competition, in addition to some protective and preservation spells commonly used by magical items, the most important magic would be the Portal Key Charm—once a warrior touches the trophy, the Portal Key Charm will take effect and teleport him back to the center of the arena.

There's a deeper reason behind his meticulous inspection.

Will Voldemort change his tactics this time?
On the screen, the moment Dylan pointed his wand at the trophy, Karkaroff on the judges' table was the first to lose his composure.

He abruptly stood up from his chair, his face instantly turning serious, his tone filled with obvious anxiety and unease, and said loudly, "We clearly stated in the rules that warriors must not damage any facilities in the maze, but it didn't explicitly say that the trophy cannot be destroyed! What is he trying to do? Does he want to destroy the trophy?"

Hearing Karkaroff's concerns, Ludobagman on the commentary stand sounded a little uneasy. He rubbed his hands together and said uncertainly, "Don't worry about that, right? Dylan has always been very composed. He shouldn't... he shouldn't do anything to damage the trophy, right?"

As he spoke, he subconsciously glanced at Dumbledore, as if hoping to get a positive answer from him.

Dumbledore maintained his gentle and composed smile as he turned to the agitated Karkaroff, softly reassuring him, "Mr. Karkaroff, please calm down. Dylan is a thoughtful, sensible, kind, and gentle boy. I don't think the things you're worried about will happen. He's just conducting necessary security checks. After all, this is a crucial moment concerning the championship, and it's always good to be cautious."

“Hmm…” Karkaroff looked around and found that no other principals stood up to support his point of view. A hint of embarrassment flashed across his face. He could only shrug awkwardly and soften his tone a bit. “I just think that there are still loopholes in the competition rules and they can be improved. If some warriors imitate this behavior in the future and actually damage the trophy, that would be troublesome.”

"Thank you for considering the long-term development of the event."

Dumbledore's smile remained gentle, his eyes filled with approval. "You make a good point. This Triwizard Tournament is indeed groundbreaking. Many rules are being formulated for the first time, and there are bound to be oversights. Thinking ahead and anticipating potential problems will never hurt the improvement of the tournament."

Hearing Dumbledore's confirmation, Karkaroff's expression softened considerably. He nodded, cleared his throat, and quickly added, "Ahem! That's exactly what I meant! As the headmaster, we have a responsibility to ensure the fairness and safety of the competition."

Just as the little incident on the judges' stand came to an end, Dylan on the projection screen had completed his magical examination of the trophy. He put away his wand and a relieved smile appeared on his face, as if he had confirmed the trophy's safety.

Then, he took steady steps up to the central platform and walked toward the championship trophy that shimmered with a blue halo—the victory of the ultimate challenge seemed to be within reach.

Meanwhile, the other warriors are still striving to catch up in the lower levels of the maze. The final outcome of this three-way battle for supremacy is about to be revealed.

"Clearly, Dylan Hawkwood will have to wait here for a while."

On the commentary stand, Ludobagman stared at the screen, his tone tinged with obvious regret, "According to the tournament rules, this trophy requires teamwork to win. He has to wait for his teammates to arrive and trigger the conditions together to successfully lift the trophy. Wait, look!"

"Wow, wow, wow! This is unbelievable! Potter and his friends from Hogwarts are actually fighting a magical creature!" Ludobagman's voice was filled with surprise and shock. "Let's see what they've encountered—it's a Reem Bull! This is a notoriously 'unreasonable behemoth' in the wizarding world, and its fighting power is quite astonishing!"

On the screen, the image of the Reem bull was clearly visible. Its appearance was somewhat similar to that of an ordinary yak, but it was much more robust. Its limbs were as thick as pillars, supporting its massive body. Its golden fur shimmered under the magical light, as if it were covered with a layer of hard metal armor. Its defensive capabilities were excellent, and it could easily withstand most conventional magical attacks.

As the maze's levels increase, the challenge becomes exponentially more difficult. The warriors' exploration speed slows down significantly, and the frequent encounters with dangerous traps and powerful magical creatures cause injuries to many, completely disrupting their originally smooth progress.

The three warriors of Beauxbatons are now in deep trouble, having encountered a group of volatile fire crabs.

These magical creatures, wreathed in flames, brandished their sharp pincers, constantly spewing out scorching sparks, forcing the three to retreat repeatedly. In the fierce battle, the hems of their robes were charred black by the sparks, with many places burned into holes, and most of their sleeves were burned off. The exposed skin on their arms was red and swollen, with clearly visible burn marks of varying depths. They had obviously suffered a lot in their struggle against the fire crabs.

On the other side, Harry, Draco, and Cedric were also in dire straits. Their faces and arms were covered with fine scratches, some of which were still bleeding. These were marks left from traversing thorny thickets and dodging attacks. Their once neat school uniforms were torn to shreds, with tattered strips of cloth hanging from the edges, covered in mud and stains, and no longer in their original tidy state.

On the judges' stand, Karkaroff looked at his student Viktor Krum on the screen with a furrowed brow and felt a surge of irritation. Krum was wrapping a magical bandage around the wound on his shoulder, and blood had already soaked through the outer fabric, indicating that the injury was quite serious.

Karkaroff's brows furrowed as he glanced disapprovingly at the screen display where Dylan was—Dylan was still sitting in the armchair, looking calm, his school uniform spotless, without a single scratch, and not even his hair was disheveled.

"Strange... How come Hawkwood is completely unharmed?" Karkaroff muttered under his breath, his tone filled with barely concealed jealousy and doubt.

Hearing his mutterings, Mrs. Maxim, sitting beside him, shook her head helplessly and explained, "Because he has figured out the entire route of the maze." "Figured out the route of the maze? The maze that Beauxbatons painstakingly designed and built has been cracked just like that?"

"This is the most reasonable explanation at present."

Mrs. Maxim sighed softly, her tone tinged with regret, "You may not have noticed... but from the moment Dylan entered the maze, every route he chose was the easiest and least arduous one."

"I can only conclude that he had thoroughly studied the layout and rules of the maze during the process of clearing the levels."

Mrs. Maxim sighed again, turned to Dumbledore, and said in a complicated tone, "Hogwarts has produced a... very outstanding student."

“Yes, you’re right, I can’t disagree.” Dumbledore’s face still wore a gentle smile, but a hint of approval flashed in his eyes. “It is indeed Hogwarts’ good fortune to have a student who not only loves learning and has outstanding talent, but is also kind-hearted and doesn’t want to do bad things.”

Connelly Fudge was sitting to the side and behind the referee's table, and he heard the conversation between the principals clearly.

Looking at Dylan's relaxed appearance on the screen, and then comparing it to the miserable situation of the other warriors, his expression gradually turned ugly, and he secretly plotted something in his mind.

Meanwhile, in another passage of the maze, Harry, Draco, and Cedric are encountering a ferocious Blasttail.

This magical creature is enormous, covered with a thick, hard shell covered with uneven patterns, and its tail constantly spews out spinning sparks and emits a pungent sulfur smell.

"What a disgusting thing!" Draco nimbly dodged a swirling burst of sparks, his face contorted with revulsion. He swiftly raised his wand and thrust it forward at the Blasttail, shouting, "Shatter to pieces!"

However, this blast-tailed snail's defenses were far better than one might imagine.

It made no attempt to dodge and endured the shattering curse head-on.

With a crisp "clang," the spell struck the thick carapace, leaving only a shallow white mark and causing almost no real damage.

But this attack clearly enraged it. The Blast-tailed Snail let out a sharp roar, and several larger bursts of sparks shot out from its tail. At the same time, it took a step on its thick limbs and charged towards the three of them at a speed far exceeding expectations.

Harry was positioned slightly ahead of Draco, and seeing the Blasttail about to charge, he didn't hesitate for a moment. He immediately waved his wand and cast the defensive spell: "Protect Yourself!"

A transparent magical barrier instantly unfolded in front of him.

Boom!
A dull thud resounded as the Bombtail slammed violently into the barrier.

Despite the protection of the Ironclad Charm, the enormous impact still jolted Harry, sending him flying backward like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily to the ground. However, the impact also allowed him to create a safe distance from the Blasttail.

He struggled to his feet, not even bothering to brush the dust off himself, and turned to shout at Cedric behind him, "Cedric, how are you?"

“No problem!” Cedric immediately agreed, pointing his wand at the Blasttail and turning to Draco, saying, “Lure it this way!”

Boom! A dull, loud noise interrupted his words.

Before Draco could even react, the Blasttail had already turned around and charged towards him.

Draco's hastily cast defensive spell failed to stop the impact, and he was sent flying backward, landing heavily on the ground next to Cedric.

He awkwardly propped himself up, spat out a mouthful of dirt, his face full of frustration and impatience.

The giant slug blocking their path was far more terrifying than the three had anticipated—its body was as solid as if filled with lead, and its broad back was almost level with an adult's shoulders. In Harry's view, it looked like the head of a runaway train, exuding a destructive sense of oppression.

The continuous magical attacks, even if they only landed on its thick, steel-like carapace, were enough to completely ignite its ferocity.

At this moment, the blasting snail had lost control of its emotions. Suddenly, a fist-sized ball of scorching sparks shot out from its tail, igniting the dry grass on the ground the moment it hit the ground, sending up wisps of smoke.

The surrounding air became unbearably hot under the scorching heat, and even breathing felt like a burning sensation.

It let out a deafening roar, pushed off the ground with all four limbs, and charged towards Harry, Draco, and Cedric like a speeding truck. Its heavy hooves pounded the ground with a loud thud, as if the passageway itself was trembling.

The three were prepared and showed no signs of panic.

They exchanged a glance and, in perfect unison, retreated a considerable distance, just outside the charging path of the Bomb-Tailed Snail. (End of Chapter)