The Bard of Hogwarts

Chapter 312 A Chance Encounter at Midnight, The Secret of the Goblet of Fire

As night fell, the bright moonlight, like a layer of soft and mysterious silver sand, gently enveloped the earth.

At night, Hogwarts Castle, Beauxbatons' carriages, and Durmstrang's ships all fell into silence.

All around, there were only the occasional hooting of owls and the whisper of the breeze through the nearby leaves; there were no other sounds.

……

The night remained deep.

Inside Hogwarts Castle, in a side hall of the Great Hall.

Beneath the enormous ceiling, there was no one at the moment.

Only the ancient Goblet of Fire stands in the center, its blue-white flames burning quietly. The flames appear neither scorching nor icy, but rather possess an indescribable mystery.

The tranquil castle and the ancient Goblet of Fire meet at this moment, as if they are telling each other secrets of the past and the future in the dead of night.

But this atmosphere was soon broken.

As a red glow flashed, a figure carrying an oil lamp suddenly appeared in the room.

With the help of Coriber, Ino arrived at the auditorium alone.

The quiet auditorium, the burning Goblet of Fire—the somewhat idyllic scene before him inspired him to take a picture.

He acted on his impulse and disappeared again, but this time he did not rely on the power of the phoenix. Instead, he returned to the Sanctuary Valley alone.

When he reappeared, he was holding a nimble instant camera, a gift from Newt when they were in America. Newt had rarely used it since, but now it was finally putting it to good use.

"Snap!"

With a soft sound, Ino also received a photograph of the Goblet of Fire burning.

He hung the camera around his neck, then carried the lamp and walked forward.

Despite the mysterious blue-white flame, the tiny flame in the bronze oil lamp was not obscured at all, and the orange flame emitted a warm light.

In the firelight, Ino could also see the intricate alchemical incantations engraved on the Goblet of Fire.

Although they look very complicated, they are roughly divided into two parts and present an overall double helix shape, extending upwards from the bottom of the cup.

Times have changed. Ino has long since accumulated a certain level of knowledge in alchemy and ancient runes.

Upon closer inspection, he also discerned some clues.

The two sets of spell inscriptions on the Goblet of Fire represent two independent effects. One set seems to include the function of identification and screening, while the other set clearly carries a hint of dark magic, as if it is associated with a curse.

After seeing the curse, he hesitated for a moment about his previous decision, wondering if Draco was capable of shouldering this responsibility.

It's important to understand that the difference between the main character and the supporting characters in a story is significant. Harry's safety doesn't mean that everyone else is safe and sound.

Moreover, considering the Goblet of Fire's centuries-long history and the intricate alchemical incantations inscribed on its surface.

After much hesitation, he decided to abandon his previous idea.

Do not try to be a force of fate, nor be driven by fate.

Having made up her mind, Ino picked up the camera hanging around her neck again and began to take close-up photos of the Goblet of Fire.

Suddenly, a series of clicking sounds rang out in the quiet side hall.

After taking about ten photos from different angles to ensure nothing was missed, Ino finally put down her camera.

……

Just as he finished making all the preparations to leave, another figure appeared in the side hall.

"I thought you would invest your name, or even use a Confusion Charm to confuse the Goblet of Fire, but... just taking a picture is quite unexpected."

Dumbledore, dressed in a blue nightgown and wearing a rather cute moon-shaped nightcap, quietly appeared in the side room.

Ino wasn't surprised at all to see the old principal appear.

If it was just speculation before, after he gained some of the headmaster's power, he had a clearer understanding of Dumbledore's control over the entire castle.

However, after hearing Dumbledore's exclamation, Ino didn't hide his thoughts:

"That's what I thought at first too, and I even prepared a name."

As he spoke, Ino pulled a parchment from his pocket with Draco Malfoy's name written on it, then snapped his fingers, sending the parchment flying silently toward Dumbledore.

"However, after seeing the Goblet of Fire, I changed my mind! I don't want to be the one who pushes fate forward, nor do I want to be pushed forward by fate, so I'll just take a few photos as souvenirs."

Ino had another hidden thought in her mind, which was also the reason why she didn't want to participate in the Goblet of Fire in the first place.

Because he didn't want to be driven by fate.

……

At the same time.

Dumbledore looked at the parchment flying towards him and suddenly felt a sense of wonder.

This single, silent, staffless levitation spell already surpasses the abilities of over 99% of wizards.

Gently taking the parchment, Dumbledore glanced at the name on it and slowly began to speak:

"For those who are willing, fate leads them forward; for those who resist, fate pushes them forward; but they overlook the third option: to walk alongside fate."

This is a wise saying.

Ino also savored it carefully.

……

a long time.

"It's hard to imagine that you can use fate so skillfully to explain things. Logically speaking, this is the exclusive domain of us fortune tellers."

Ino chuckled and made a joke.

He understood what Dumbledore meant and also grasped the other's plan; it seemed that any headmaster of Hogwarts needed to have corresponding prestige and honor.

Although this may seem somewhat utilitarian, it is the truth. Living in the secular world, no one can escape this influence.

Even the reclusive Nicolas Flamel still had to consider Beauxbatons when dealing with his estate. It's like the Gugger gears; no matter how difficult they are to turn, the moment the first gear begins to turn, it already affects the final outcome.

As Ino pondered the question of fame and fortune, Dumbledore also revealed a nostalgic expression.

After a long pause, Dumbledore picked up the conversation:

"Is it only for fortune tellers? But unfortunately, I used to have a friend who was a fortune teller."

Upon hearing this, Ino suddenly regretted his earlier joke; he had genuinely forgotten about that person from Nurmengard.

Frankly speaking, it is very impolite to use someone else's sad past as material for jokes.

Not to mention that the person being mocked was a man over a hundred years old.

Thinking of this, Ino changed the subject:

"Professor! If possible, I'd like to wait a little longer. Professor McGonagall is an excellent candidate!"

Upon hearing this, Dumbledore nodded slightly in agreement.

"I don't deny Minerva's efforts, and I also acknowledge her excellence! But you should know what she cares about."

"Okay! Maybe you're right."

Ino smiled, as if going along with fate was a good choice.

Thinking of this, he took out his notebook from his pocket, tore off a piece of paper, wrote his name on it, and then threw it into the Goblet of Fire.

In an instant, the blue and white flames surged high, and as the goblet of fire engulfed the paper, a flash of orange flame disappeared.

"Alright! I should go to sleep now. But before I leave, I sincerely suggest that older people try not to stay up late."

As the words fell, Kreber appeared on Ino's shoulder, a red halo flashed, and then her figure disappeared.

……

In the quiet side hall.

Dumbledore stood quietly in place.

Gazing at the burning blue flames, he seemed lost in thought, his gaze becoming distant and unfocused.

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The Aura Thruster was invented by Xenophilius Lovegood. It is shaped like small, shimmering blue wings and is said to enable people to "enter a higher state of mind".

(End of this chapter)