The Return to Hogwarts

"what?"

Karkaroff's heart skipped a beat, and his face tightened. He knew that Amosta Blaine's revenge had arrived.

“There was a man who was Viktor Krum’s mentor and friend, and without a doubt, he met the requirement of being the ‘most important person’.”

Amosta said calmly.

"Oh?" Dumbledore blinked, asking curiously, "Who is that person, Amostella?"

"Professor Igor Karkarov himself."

Amosta said with a smile.

Chapter 840 Omen of Death

2024-04-03

The longest silence since the meeting began began was observed as everyone stared at Amosta Blaine, but no one uttered a sound.

Amosta's proposal has gone beyond the realm of fantasy; it can only be described as absurd!

"Aha!"

Suddenly, in a framed portrait hanging on the wall, Sirius Black's great-grandfather, Phineas Black, called out loudly.

“Fantastic, Amosta, a brilliant idea! There’s no better candidate. I completely agree!”

A wave of support arose, and Principal Dipett, who had always been at odds with Phineas, agreed with Phineas's point of view for the first time. He applauded Amosta's idea and joined his colleagues in expressing their approval.

Dumbledore didn't seem particularly surprised by Amosta's suggestion, but when Amosta actually made the suggestion, the light in his azure eyes behind his half-moon glasses flickered, as if he hesitated. But seeing Amosta's unwavering face, Dumbledore ultimately didn't object.

Professor McGonagall's tense expression finally eased, and she glanced sideways at Karkaroff, whose sallow cheeks were gradually turning red, and the corners of her mouth curved into a smile.

Perhaps Moody was one of only two people at the conference table who knew what Amosta's proposal meant; he didn't object, a layer of indifference flickering in his eyes.

Ludo Bagman's hesitation was understandable to everyone, and as the only official from the Ministry of Magic present at the meeting, Ludo felt he should raise the issue. However, the suggestion came from Amostall, the man who held a great deal of leverage over him, so he wisely remained silent.

Lady Maxim, on whom Karkaroff had placed his hopes, did not say a word in his defense. She understood Amosta's suggestion clearly: it was punishment for Karkaroff's disruption of the young warrior at Hogwarts. This was no longer simply about selecting the most important person for the warriors; it had escalated into a more complex struggle. Lady Maxim did not want to step into this murky water, lest the warriors of Beauxbatons be dragged into it.

Besides, provoking Blaine Karkaroff was somewhat of his own fault.

The portrait artists continued their clamor, and the silence of the crowd at the conference table finally made Karkarov realize that no one would speak up for him; he had to fight for himself.

"absurd!"

Karkaroff's fists were clenched, and the rapid heaving of his chest spoke volumes about his anger and panic.

“If you haven’t forgotten, Blaine, I am the principal of Durmstrang and one of the judges for this competition. I need to oversee whether the competition is fair and just and to score the warriors!”

"This isn't a problem, is it?"

Amosta smiled, his deep, unfathomable eyes looking at a fish pinned to a chopping board, still thrashing about, its fate already sealed.

“The second game is different from the first. My monitoring camera can't broadcast the whole thing underwater. The warriors' scores depend on whether they can complete the task and how long it takes. Their performance underwater will be told to us by the mermaid after the game. This means that you are fully capable of both serving as a judge and appearing in the game as Mr. Krum’s ‘most important person’!”

Amosta's pale purple eyes shone brightly, and her voice became light and cheerful.

"I'm even a little envious, Professor Karkaroff."

Karkarov's expression was somewhat ferocious; he tried to absolve himself with a weak excuse.

“I’m not the most important person to Viktor, Blaine. He has some really good friends, his teammates from his Quidditch days in Bulgaria, and... his parents.”

"But we don't have time to go to Bulgaria and 'kidnap' Mr. Krum's teammates and parents, do we?"

Amosta chuckled.

"Please don't be modest, Professor Karkaroff. We all know that Mr. Krum is your prized student, and you are also a respected professor and elder to him. Under the current circumstances, you are the most suitable candidate."

Seeing that Karkaroff still wanted to argue, Amosta's expression suddenly darkened, and he sighed.

“I don’t understand why you’re not happy, Professor Karkaroff. This is undoubtedly a very rare experience, isn’t it? A student saving his professor—this will undoubtedly be a legendary tale. You and Mr. Krum will be the most eye-catching combination. At the same time, this will deepen the bond between you and your student. It’s a win-win situation!”

Just like the excuse Karkaroff used to cause trouble for Hermione, Amosta's explanation was so reasonable that it left Karkaroff speechless and genuinely felt that it was indeed true!

However, Karkarov looked suspiciously at Amosta, who had a completely calm expression.

Would Blaine really be so kind? Especially since he had just tripped up Hogwarts.

"Is this permissible, Mr. Bagman?"

Mrs. Maxim looked at Ludo and expressed her concerns.

"Oh, I think—how should I put it—"

Ludo was also a little unsure, and he stammered,

"At least from the rules' perspective, there's no prohibition against the person chosen as the most important being unconscious and awaiting rescue, unable to provide the warriors with much help. Of course, as Amosta said, this is indeed a good topic; the reporters at the Daily Prophet will love it—"

“Unless you can suggest someone more convincing, Professor Karkaroff,”

Amosta made the final decision,

"Otherwise, you are the most suitable candidate."

Karkarov remained silent, still weighing the pros and cons of the matter, while Amosta was already consulting with those entitled to express their opinions one by one to see if they had any different views. As a result, everyone agreed with the proposal.

"Alright, it's decided then!"

After exchanging a glance with Dumbledore, Amosta stood up, placed his palms on the edge of the table, and said cheerfully, looking at Ludo.

“We don’t have much time left. Next, please have Mr. Bagman, the representative of the Ministry of Magic, accompany you all and take the most important people in each of your races to the small room behind the Great Hall. We need a little more time to explain to them. After that, I will cast a spell to put these people to sleep, and then I will hand them over to the mermaids, who will escort them to the finish line of the race.”

"and many more!"

Karkaroff's brow twitched. Facing the questioning gazes of the crowd, he forced a smile and said to Dumbledore,

“My dear old friend, Dumbledore, I would much rather you be the one to ensure my safety underwater!”

The portraits of past principals have not yet calmed down; many of them accuse Karkarov of being a coward, while some of the attendees cast veiled disdain at him.

“I have full confidence in Amosta’s magic, but if you insist, Professor Karkaroff,”

Dumbledore nodded.

"I can cast a spell for you."

Dumbledore's assurances finally put Karkaroff at ease.

However, when he stepped out of Dumbledore's office and stood in the corridor looking up at the sky through the archway, dawn was breaking in the east, and the dim stars were faintly visible in the sky. The Black Lake, where he had lived for half a year, looked like the gaping maw of a terrifying beast, revealing the throat of the abyss, unfathomable and exuding a strong aura of death.

An indescribable yet real sense of impending doom lingered in his heart.

Amosta Blaine was talking to Mrs. Maxime, with the rest of the group following behind them. Dumbledore, bringing up the rear, noticed Karkaroff had fallen behind, so he stopped and turned to look at him.

"Professor Karkaroff?"

With a calm expression, Dumbledore asked in a polite tone.

"Coming right now, Professor Dumbledore."

Karkaroff shook his head, banishing the illusion from his mind, and strode after him.

Chapter 841 Explanation

2024-04-03

More than an hour later, when Harry and Ron from Gryffindor, Cho Chang from Ravenclaw, and Gabrielle, Fleur's sister, were brought to the Great Hall, the sky was already tinged with a dark green glow, and the world was gradually awakening to the crisp chirping of birds.

As Harry descended the steps of the foyer, he was still dozing off, but when he saw the people gathered in the Great Hall—the Headmaster of Durmstrang, Professor Dumbledore, Professor Blaine, and others—he shuddered, and his weariness quickly vanished. Ron, standing beside him, shrank back and widened his eyes.

"What do you think happened?"

Ron asked in a low voice, but Professor McGonagall, who was in a bad mood, immediately turned around and glanced at the two boys, successfully quieting them down.

“I brought them here, Albus, Amosta.”

After arriving at the usual staff dining area, Professor McGonagall stepped aside and pushed Harry and Ron out, but judging from their expressions of impending doom, they probably thought they had committed a grave offense.

To avoid repeating myself, please wait a moment --

Harry heard Professor Blaine smiling as he spoke to them, and Professor Dumbledore beside him also smiled at him, his smile conveying encouragement.

It doesn't seem like a bad situation. Harry thought to himself, and he glanced around furtively, only to be surprised to find Cho Chang there as well. She was standing weakly in the shadow of a pillar, one arm clasped over the other, which Harry didn't immediately notice in the dim Great Hall.

Cho Chang seemed unaware of what had happened; her eyes held bewilderment and fear. When she noticed Harry looking at her, she shifted her feet, as if trying to approach him for comfort. But ultimately, reason prevailed over her; her gaze flickered, and she looked away.

Harry pursed his lips, a wave of dejection washing over him.

About ten minutes later, three dark figures appeared in the foyer. Although their faces were blurry and unclear, Harry and Ron immediately recognized one of them as Beauxbatons Headmistress. At Hogwarts, only Hagrid could rival her in physique, but Hagrid was stronger.

The little girl is Gabrielle Fleur Delacour, and the other middle-aged man is Ludo Bagman, the Director of the Department of Magical Sports and Magical Games at the Ministry of Magic, a retired Quidditch star.

Harry and Ron exchanged a glance, both vaguely sensing something.

"Now everyone's here—"

Amosta clapped his hands, drawing the attention of the frightened little ones to himself.

"Now, I will explain something to you."

Cho Chang walked over from the pillar, and Harry and Ron perked up, but Gabrielle, who was being held by Mrs. Maxim's arm, was still drowsy, blinking her sleepy eyes and with a few strands of hair in her mouth.

"As you all know, today is the day of the second round of the Triwizard Tournament--"