Hogwarts' Golden Glory

On the judges' stand, Bagman was still flipping through the score sheets, but his eyes kept glancing toward the tent.

"Referees—please—please wait a moment—let me catch my breath." He took a deep breath. "Alright. Now—the first event is over! Warriors, please go back and rest! There will be a banquet tonight—"

He paused, as if thinking about what to say, and then gave up.

"Never mind. You all know who's number one anyway."

A burst of laughter erupted from the audience. Kane's name was still being chanted repeatedly, as if it would never stop.

Dumbledore stood up, his blue eyes fixed on the Hungarian wood bee that was still retreating in the center of the field, then glanced in the direction of the first aid tent.

He didn't smile, but his eyes shone brightly. "The King of Hogwarts."

He repeated the title in a low voice, a faint, indescribable smile playing on his lips. "Interesting."

Inside the emergency tent, Mrs. Pomfrey walked up to Kane and looked down at him.

Are you hurt?

"No," Kane said.

Mrs. Pomfrey stared at him for a few seconds.

"Really not?"

"No, really."

She snorted and turned to walk back to the medicine cabinet. "Then get out. Don't take up a bed here."

Kane nodded, picked up the golden egg, and turned to walk towards the tent exit.

Furong watched his retreating figure and said, "See you tonight."

Kane didn't turn around. "Hmm."

He lifted the curtain and went outside.

Kane lifted the curtain and went outside. Sunlight rushed in, carrying the scent of grass and earth, and a sound wave even more intense than the sunlight.

The audience had not yet dispersed.

The shouts still lingered, overlapping and blurring into a buzzing tide.

Someone saw him come out and called his name again, and then more people saw him and the shouts became louder.

Meanwhile, the castle was already brewing something even bigger.

The news of the first project's completion spread faster than anyone else's.

Those students who didn't go to the event, and those who were stranded in the castle for various reasons, had already crowded the corridors, stairs, and hallways.

The owl flew in and out, bringing messages with it, and bringing messages back with it.

When Cedric returned to the castle first, the people in the Hufflepuff common room jumped up from the sofas, some throwing muffins at the ceiling, others shouting, "He got them alive!"

Then the whole of Hufflepuff erupted, screaming as they rushed out the door, blocked Cedric in the hallway, and hoisted him onto their shoulders—his left shoulder was still bandaged, but nobody cared; they just wanted to toss him around.

When Fleur returned to the castle, the girls from Beauxbatons were already waiting in the foyer.

They draped her in a brand new light blue cloak, some sprinkled gold dust on her head, some were crying, and some were laughing.

Furong was pulled into the swirling dance circle by them. Her long, silvery-white hair shimmered in the candlelight. She smiled and did not struggle. They surrounded her and spun her around and around.

When Harry entered the foyer, the Gryffindors were already lined up on the steps.

They didn't call his name, but everyone was clapping.

Seamus clapped the loudest, Dean whistled, and Neville held the golden egg above his head like a trophy.

Ron stood at the back of the crowd, neither clapping nor leaving.

He was clutching a flagpole in his hand—a silver-green flagpole—with a Slytherin flag that appeared out of nowhere.

He glanced at the flagpole in his hand, then at Harry, his face turning bright red, like a roasted sausage. He then planted the flagpole in the ground and turned to leave.

Harry stared at the silver-green flagpole for a long while, unsure whether to laugh or chase after it.

But Neville had already rushed over and hugged him.

The real revelry takes place at the dinner party.

The auditorium had been redecorated. The four long tables had been restored to their usual color, but the walls were now adorned with many silver-green ribbons, as if someone had hung them up overnight.

The candlelight on the ceiling was twice as bright as usual, illuminating every excited face.

The food was more plentiful than usual, with roast chicken, lamb chops, pumpkin pie, and chocolate pudding—it was as if the house-elves in the kitchen had brought out all their best dishes.

Dumbledore stood up and tapped his wine glass.

The sounds in the auditorium gradually quieted down. "Tonight,"

He said, "We're not talking about scores, rankings, or anything related to the game. Tonight we're only celebrating one thing—all three Hogwarts warriors have returned alive."

Laughter and applause filled the auditorium.

After the applause subsided, Dumbledore added, "And they all got the golden eggs."

This time the applause was even louder.

Some people were whistling, some were banging on the table, some were calling Cedric's name, some were calling Harry, and some were calling Kane. The shouts for Kane were the loudest and lasted the longest, as if the entire Great Hall was applauding him.

As Dumbledore watched this scene, the corners of his mouth curved into a deeper smile.

He sat down, raised his cup, and gently tilted it toward the Slytherin table.

Kane sat at the front of the Slytherin table, with Igor perched on his shoulder, but he held no wine glass, only a cup of pumpkin juice.

He nodded slightly in Dumbledore's direction and raised his glass.

At the Slytherin table, Draco sat next to Kane, speaking loudly to Pansy beside him, his face radiating an almost overflowing pride—not the sinister smugness, but the pure pride of "he's my brother."

Pansy, unusually, didn't refute him, but just looked at Kane with an expression as if she were looking at something unbelievable.

At the Hufflepuff table, Cedric was surrounded by a group of people, his left shoulder still wrapped in bandages, but he raised a glass of wine with his right hand.

"Respect for life!" he shouted.

Everyone at the table raised their glasses, then the whole aisle, and then the people at the next table followed suit.

"Respect for life!" The voice echoed throughout the auditorium.

At the Gryffindor long table, Harry sat between Neville and Dean. He wasn't surrounded by too many people, but he felt comfortable with the meal.

At the long table in Beauxbatons, Fleur sat at the very front, her long, silvery-white hair having been re-combed and draped over her shoulders like a flowing waterfall.

She didn't turn around to look at Kane, but the corners of her mouth remained curved in a smile.

The girl from Beauxbatons next to her was whispering something, and she just listened, occasionally chuckling softly. Her gaze fell on the golden egg in front of her, and she tapped the shell lightly with her fingers.

Krum sat alone in a corner at Durmstrang’s long table.

His golden egg was on the table, but he didn't touch it; he just stared at it blankly.

The Durmstrang students around him were drinking, chatting, and celebrating—celebrating that Krum had also won the golden egg—but he just sat there quietly, as if looking into the distance, or perhaps at something nearby, his expression unchanged.