Chapter 345 The Goblet of Fire Recognizes His Qualifications
The ceremony continues.
The blue flame of the Goblet of Fire burned quietly, constantly devouring the notes that contained courage and ambition.
Most of the eligible students have already registered, and the crowd in the auditorium has gradually dispersed, leaving only whispers in groups of three or four and unwilling junior students.
"It's so unfair." Harry complained, looking at the Goblet of Fire, his tone full of regret, "If there were no age limit, I would definitely participate! It sounds so exciting."
"You talk as if you can really win." Draco glanced at him, "Just relying on your spell skills? Don't let yourself be eliminated at the first round."
"Well, at least better than you!" Harry retorted.
The two of them were arguing back and forth, but the atmosphere seemed quite relaxed. Amanta just stood aside, her eyes sweeping across the Goblet of Fire inconspicuously, thinking about what Julius had said before.
"You're not bound by rules, are you?"
Does he really know any method to get underage people to sign up?
She pondered for a moment, then turned her gaze to the other side. Julius stood in the distance, facing the flickering blue flames, his expression normal, with a smile even on the corner of his mouth.
Their eyes met.
Julius raised his eyebrows slightly and moved his lips slightly, as if to say, "Wait for you."
Amanta blinked, then looked away, turning around and following Harry and Draco.
"Let's go back to bed." She said, her tone calmly as if nothing had happened.
*
late at night.
Amanta sat up from the bed and carefully put on a black cloak. She took a deep breath, pulled the hood of the cloak lower, then gently pushed open the door and walked out of the dormitory.
In the Slytherin common room, a faint fire was burning in the fireplace, illuminating the dark green velvet sofa, swaying unsteadily.
And in the shadow that was not illuminated by the fire, a figure had been waiting there.
"You're late." Julius whispered.
His tone was as calm as ever, but Amanta could hear some kind of teasing in it. She ignored him and just narrowed her eyes slightly, looking at him.
"I'm just being cautious," she replied calmly, casting an Disillusionment Charm to conceal herself in darkness.
Julius raised his eyebrows, seeming amused by her attentiveness, and immediately cast the same spell.
"Be careful." Amanta whispered, then walked lightly across the common room and pushed open the door.
They walked into the corridor quietly and silently, their footsteps as light as ghosts.
Hogwarts was always shockingly quiet at night, with the occasional scratching of cats and the metallic collision of armored knights being particularly clear. Amanta and Julius avoided the patrolling professors and Filch along the way, and even saw Peeves playing a prank on a painting at a corner - they held their breath and waited for Peeves to fly away before continuing on their way.
Soon, they arrived in the foyer.
The Goblet of Fire still stood in the center, the blue flame dancing gently, illuminating the hallway deep and mysterious.
Amanta stood not far away, her eyes slightly gloomy, looking at the blue flames.
"What now?" she asked in a low voice, with no emotion in it.
Julius walked up to her, a smile on his face, and looked at her meaningfully.
"You know," he said, "I have a way of getting your name into the Goblet of Fire if you want it to."
Amanta said nothing, but just stared at the Goblet of Fire, the thoughts in her eyes as deep as the sea.
"Give me."
Julius stood beside the blue flame of the Goblet of Fire. Between his bony fingers, a small transparent crystal bottle reflected a faint cold glow in the dim light.
Amanta's eyes fell on the bottle and her brows furrowed slightly.
She knows what it is.
This wasn't the first time he'd demanded her blood.
But what exactly is he doing?
Her eyes lingered between the crystal bottle and Julius for a moment, and she asked in a low and cold tone: "I have never asked you, what are you doing?"
Julius smiled, still with that usual gentle smile, but his deep black eyes concealed a dark current that she could not see through.
"Give it to me and I'll tell you a secret."
Amanta stared at him in silence.
He was always like this - he always used certain words to arouse her curiosity and make her walk into his trap unknowingly.
After a moment, she calmly raised her hand, took out a silver knife, and cut a shallow wound on the inside of her arm. Bright red blood slowly oozed out, and she skillfully adjusted the flow rate, dripping the blood accurately into the crystal bottle until the bottle was filled with the warm crimson liquid.
Julius stared quietly as her blood flowed into the bottle, without urging or showing any extra expression, but Amanta keenly noticed that his fingers holding the bottle tightened slightly.
As the blood filled up, Amanta took out her wand and cast a silent spell on the wound, which healed instantly as if it had never existed.
She looked at Julius and said in a steady voice: "A secret."
Julius raised the corner of his mouth slightly, and gently stroked the surface of the crystal bottle with his fingertips, as if playing with a precious work of art, and then put it into his robe sleeve.
"This is about an ancient magic in our family."
His voice was soft, with an ambiguous tone of pleasure.
"A kind of magic... that can deceive the soul."
Amanta's eyes moved slightly: "Cheating the soul?"
But Julius said nothing more, but took out a piece of parchment with his name on it, and then, under the gaze of Amanta, walked towards the Goblet of Fire.
At that moment, her heart suddenly tightened, as if she realized something was wrong.
Without spells or potions, how did he pass the age limit? Even if he passed the age limit, there was still the Goblet of Fire...
"Julius—" She wanted to stop him, but it was too late.
Julius's movements were quick and decisive, without any hesitation, he threw the parchment into the blue-white flames of the Goblet of Fire.
laugh--
The flame instantly turned blood red, leaping and bursting with sparks, as if confirming that some mysterious contract had taken effect.
Amanta's pupils contracted slightly.
He passed.
The Goblet of Fire recognized his qualifications.
But... this is impossible!
Her eyes were fixed on the burning path of the Goblet of Fire, and countless possible explanations flashed through her mind.
The Goblet of Fire is bound by a magical contract, and the age limit is set by Dumbledore himself. Any student under the age of seventeen cannot be recognized by it!
But why could Julius do it?
“This is impossible…” She murmured in a low voice, her eyes suddenly sharpened, and she suddenly looked up at Julius.
Julius stood in front of the Goblet of Fire and turned slowly, a faint smile on his lips. That smile contained a bit of calmness of being sure of victory, and also a bit of teasing pleasure.
He looked at her and whispered, "Amanta, the boundaries of magic are not always absolute."