The Return to Hogwarts

In the instant their eyes met, Furong knew whose name was about to resound throughout the hall. And sure enough, her name came out of the mouth of the man she admired, causing a storm.

Hibiscus lightly tossed her shimmering silver hair, stood up gracefully, and slowed her pace slightly as she passed Amosta.

"Thank you—" Hibiscus said to Amosta, her face beaming with a smile.

"I wish you the best of luck, Miss Delacour!"

Amosta nodded, smiling politely.

Just like before, apart from the Beauxbatons students who were not selected, many Hogwarts students once again celebrated Fleur with enthusiastic applause. Of course, there were probably far fewer congratulations from the girls than before.

The air in the Great Hall had never been so tense. Even the heads of the four Hogwarts houses—Minerva McGonagall, Filius Flitwick, Pomona Sprout, and Severus Snape, who usually preferred to observe hot topics with a detached eye—cast expectant glances at the third parchment held in Amos Tower's hand.

Needless to say, the junior wizards below were also present. Many people's clenched fists trembled slightly, like gamblers betting their entire fortunes on the moment of the final reveal.

Keeping things a secret at this point will only make everyone resentful.

Amosta landed and unfolded the parchment. As the name on the paper came into view, Amosta's lips curled into a sincere smile.

"So--"

Amostella looked toward the center of the Hufflepuff table, at the slender, tall, handsome young man.

"You can cheer for Mr. Cedric Diggory!"

At the Gryffindor table, Angelina sighed in disappointment, while Ron's loud protests went unheard, as the cheers from the nearby table were deafening. Every Hufflepuff classmate was jumping up and down, screaming and stomping their feet.

Harry saw his classmates from Hufflepuff gym class—Hannah, Ernie, Justin, Susan, Megan—all leaving their seats and rushing to Cedric's side, cheering him on. To be honest, Harry was a little envious. He had only been this popular once before, and that was last year when he defeated Malfoy in the Quidditch final to win the championship for Gryffindor.

Harry glanced instinctively at Malfoy and the Slytherin students around him. Unsurprisingly, they were all looking at Cedric with disdain, as if he were a lucky clown. Seeing this, Harry felt much better. A smile crept across his face, and he clapped his hands vigorously. After all, Cedric was about to represent Hogwarts against Beauxbatons and Durmstrang, and besides, he was Professor Blaine's classmate in gym class.

Cedric, caught in the eye of the storm, was somewhat at a loss. He had been looking forward to it for so long, but now that his dream had come true, he felt a little lost. Instinctively, his gaze swept over the faces in front of him and reached the Ravenclaw table. When he saw the delicate and beautiful girl's flushed cheeks and the light in her eyes as she looked at him, Cedric's heart trembled, and his handsome face turned incredibly red.

"Oh, congratulations, Pomona!"

The disappointment on Professor McGonagall's face lasted for less than a second before she congratulated the overjoyed Professor Sprout, as did the other colleagues at the table.

Perhaps at this moment, only two people at Hogwarts could remain calm: Albus Dumbledore and Amostella.

"Very good--"

Amosta glanced impassively at Harry, who was clapping enthusiastically along with his classmates. He didn't leave the Goblet of Fire, but smiled cheerfully.

"Alright, now our three warriors have been chosen. I know you will all have unwavering faith in and wholehearted support for your respective school's warriors, and I also believe that our three warriors will contribute to everyone."

pop-

As if someone had cast a silencing spell on everyone in that instant, the Goblet of Fire erupted with red flames once more, to everyone's astonishment.

A long tongue of fire suddenly shot into the air, carrying out a piece of parchment.

Harry saw that Professor Blaine's face showed the same astonishment as everyone else's. He instinctively took the parchment, his brow furrowed, and held it high. But all his astonishment vanished in an instant after Professor Blaine saw what was on it. Professor Blaine didn't speak; instead, he turned to look at the faculty dining table, and the young wizards lost the chance to observe his expression.

Amos Stare stared directly into Dumbledore's deep blue eyes. In the long silence, the gazes of the two men, who were the focus of everyone's attention, met in mid-air.

This silence has been incredibly long.

This thought popped into the minds of more than one person.

Finally, Professor Dumbledore seemed to receive the message from Professor Blaine. He blinked his bright blue eyes behind his half-moon glasses and slowly leaned back in his chair.

Professor Blaine turned his head back, his face pale and serene in the blue and white firelight.

Professor Blaine raised the fourth parchment he had taken from the Goblet of Fire, and the next second, a name echoed throughout the hall.

"Hermione Granger."

Chapter 569 I didn't, it wasn't me

2023-11-02

Hermione sat there, realizing that everyone in the Great Hall was turning to look at her. Of course, that's not quite accurate, since she wasn't that famous in other years and quite a few people didn't even know who Hermione Granger was, but after some inquiries, their eyes immediately fell on her, anchored in the famous Harry Potter.

Hermione froze, her mouth slightly open, her clear brown eyes misty, her slender body trembling slightly under the gaze of countless people, as if she were waking from a deep dream, her consciousness not yet fully in control of her body.

There was no applause, only a buzzing sound that filled the hall, like countless angry bees. Some students even stood up to get a better look at Hermione Granger, while Hermione remained frozen in her seat, as if she were under a petrification spell.

Professor McGonagall rose from her seat and strode over to Professor Dumbledore. Her face was ashen and she spoke urgently in a low voice, while Dumbledore listened intently, his brow furrowing slightly.

Also rising from their seats were Ludo Bagman and Professor Karkaroff, who seemed to think that the young Professor Blaine had made an inappropriate joke. They quickly walked around the table and ran to Professor Blaine's side, peeking out from either side and staring at the note that Professor Blaine was still holding up.

Time marched on amidst the despair, and Hermione's trembling grew more and more intense, but this eventually restored her ability to move slightly.

She turned her head to look at Harry and Ron, and then at every face facing her at the Gryffindor table, and her eyes instantly welled up with tears.

Harry's face showed only blankness and confusion, which was good enough. Hermione had never felt that Ron was so unfamiliar. He was staring at her, and every wrinkle on his face showed his anger. As for the others, Fred, George, Ginny and the others, they looked at them as if they were seeing them for the first time!

Neville, Seamus, Dean, Arya, and Katie looked at her with shock in their eyes, but Hermione found it most unbearable with Patil, Lavender, and Angelina. Hermione's gaze only lingered on their eyes for a moment before looking away, because she simply couldn't stand the meaning expressed in their eyes.

Resentment and the fact that they felt she was just a lucky clown.

"I don't--"

Hermione couldn't control the sobs in her voice; the situation was so desperate.

Hermione remembered when she first entered Hogwarts. To hide the inferiority complex brought about by her Muggle origins, she remained humble and studied desperately. Of course, this earned her the favor of many professors and the respect of some classmates, but most people still ignored her and even thought she was a troublemaker. At that time, it was Harry and Ron's friendship that rescued her from this bewildered situation.

And now, it seems that she can only rely on the two of them.

"I don't"

Hermione's thin shoulders trembled violently. If she weren't in the Great Hall and under the gaze of so many people, she probably would have burst into tears.

Reassuringly, Harry took a deep breath. His mind was still foggy, but his gaze toward Hermione became firm. Ron, on the other hand, moved his lips slightly, the angry lines between his brows disappeared, but his eyes flickered.

Karkaroff's eyes seemed to pierce into the note in Amosta's hand. Amosta casually tossed the note into his lap, then stepped forward, gazing at the back of the Gryffindor table, and repeated himself.

“Hermione Granger, come, go through that door.”

Go then-

Harry's voice was heavy and angry. He gently patted Hermione's arm, and then his palm sent a jolt through Hermione's body as if it were electrified.

"Hurry, Hermione—"

The urging came from Neville; the astonishment in his eyes had vanished, replaced by worry. The silent support from some people finally gave Hermione a bit of courage.

Hermione stood up unsteadily, stepping slightly on the hem of her robe.

She still didn't dare look at the people at the Hufflepuff table beside her. Most of the Gryffindors were staring at her in surprise, but compared to the Hufflepuffs, their gazes were practically gentle. Hermione knew exactly why the Hufflepuffs resented her so much; it was a no-brainer.

Hermione walked down the aisle between the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff tables, and the path seemed endlessly long, the head table forever out of reach. She could feel hundreds, even thousands, of eyes fixed on her, each one a searchlight. The buzzing grew louder and louder, and it felt like a full hour before she finally reached Professor Blaine.

The only person Hermione dared to observe was Professor Blaine.

He was indeed looking at himself, but unlike his classmates, there was no surprise in his expression. This was not surprising, as it seemed that nothing could ever surprise Professor Blaine.

To Hermione's relief, Professor Blaine didn't seem to see her as a cunning little wizard. He looked at her as usual, even with a hint of concern in his eyes, an emotion Hermione was particularly adept at picking up on at that moment.

"It wasn't me, Professor!"

Perhaps it was this concern that made Hermione feel overwhelmed; she suddenly stopped walking unsteadily and cried out in a tearful voice.

“It’s alright, Miss Granger—”

Amosta patted Hermione on the shoulder, then turned to look at Professor McGonagall beside Dumbledore, who was covering her mouth with a look of deep reluctance. His voice was steady and completely calm.

“Minerva, I think Miss Granger needs some help. Could you please accompany her to that small room?”

Without any hesitation, Professor McGonagall immediately left Dumbledore's side, walked around the table, and strode toward Hermione. Hermione had expected Professor McGonagall to reprimand her, after all, she valued Gryffindor's reputation so much, and the moment the Goblet of Fire uttered her name, Gryffindor and Hogwarts had already been disgraced.

“Come on, Miss Granger.”

Professor McGonagall put an arm around Hermione's shoulder and spoke in the gentlest voice Hermione had ever used since they met.

Hermione quickly disappeared from everyone's sight. Amosta watched the little witch, who was destined to suffer, walk into the room on the side of the Great Hall. Then, she turned her head to look at the faculty and staff dining table. A cold glint flashed in Dumbledore's azure eyes. He slowly stood up and met Amosta's gaze.

Most of the faculty and staff at the table were still in shock, while Professor Snape seemed to be gloating, and Barty Crouch, with a stern face, seemed to have nothing to do with what was happening.

patter

A soft crack, barely audible to those near the faculty dining table, was heard. Amostah looked at Mrs. Maxim, who was struggling to suppress her anger, but a crack appeared on the table beneath her hand.

"As you can see—"

Amosta, facing those innocent faces, pointed to the gradually extinguishing blue and white flames of the Goblet of Fire.

"The Warrior Selection is now over. Student council presidents, male and female, and prefects of each college, lead your students back to their respective dormitories as quickly as possible. I don't want to see anyone breaking school rules and wandering around the castle tonight—"

The discontented murmurs below suddenly intensified, with many demanding an explanation. However, Professor Blaine's figure seemed to grow taller at the front of the faculty dining table, and a heavy pressure, accompanied by a faintly audible rumble of thunder, swept in from all directions. One by one, the young wizards shut their mouths, obediently leaving their seats and spontaneously heading towards the foyer. Those closest to Amostah, including the equally furious Professor Karkaroff and Ludo Bagman, who exuded a strange excitement, were swept over by the oppressive aura emanating from Amostah, feeling as if they had been struck by a freezing spell, their teeth chattering.

"bring it on--"

Amosta waved to Professor Karkarov and the other staff members at the faculty and staff table, and calmly said,

Let's get this straight—

Chapter 570 Argument

2023-11-02

Dumbledore and Amosta strode into the room, followed by Madam Maxim, Professor Karkaroff, and two high-ranking officials from the Ministry of Magic. Professor Snape was the second to last to enter, while Professor Moody, who entered last, scanned the now-empty Great Hall with his Magic Eye before finally closing the door.

The portraits on the walls of the room, which had become agitated, immediately quieted down after a group of people walked in. They stared at each other with curious eyes, ready to find out how they were going to handle this strange thing, and then go and brag to their respective portrait friends.