Chapter 349: Change to Top 3 Groups Competition
After the Goblet of Fire spewed out the last piece of parchment, the flames jumped twice.
Then, as if all the magic power was finally exhausted, "puff." It went out completely.
The auditorium fell into a brief silence.
Then, there was an even louder uproar than before: "Merlin's socks, Hogwarts has produced four warriors!?"
"This is outrageous! How can we still have this competition?"
"I suspect this is a conspiracy they have planned—"
"Wait, aren't they...all Slytherins???"
Amanta stood in front of the completely extinguished Goblet of Fire, her expression calm to the point of being false, but her fingertips were slightly cold and her face was tense.
She could clearly hear the whispers from all over the auditorium, hitting her eardrums like waves.
"It's all three of them...and that transfer student Hoffman."
"Don't you think it's weird?"
"Dark Lord in reserve—"
"The Savior is a warrior alongside the Dark Lord in reserve? And Malfoy is involved too?"
Dumbledore finally said, "Silence."
This time, however, the auditorium did not quiet down immediately.
It was not until he moved the Goblet of Fire away and repeated the word "Silence" using the amplification spell that his restlessness was gradually suppressed.
Dumbledore stared at the four of them, his blue eyes no longer smiling behind his half-moon spectacles.
He just doesn't get angry easily.
But at this moment, he was really angry.
"Warriors, follow me." He turned around and left.
The crowd automatically made way.
But that gap was filled with all kinds of gazes.
Questioning, awed, horrified, excited, envious...
Almost everyone gathered here, some stood on tiptoe, some moved chairs, and some took out feather pens to write something.
And the moment they stepped out of the Goblet of Fire area.
Two figures blocked the way ahead.
One was as tall as a mountain, wearing a purple-blue robe inlaid with gold, and his face was flushed red.
The other was thin and gloomy, with eyes as cold as a venomous snake under dark circles, and his face was full of anger.
It was Olympe Maxime of Beauxbatons and Igor Karkaroff of Durmstrang.
"Dumbledore!" Maxim was the first to speak up, his voice so loud that it echoed through the ceiling.
"Is this what you call fairness? We have one warrior from each school, and you gave me four?!"
Karkaroff's voice became even sharper: "We are not here to participate in a joke - this is cheating! A family bucket for Hogwarts contestants?!"
"If I were controlling the Goblet of Fire," Dumbledore looked at them sharply, "would I let the Goblet of Fire select a few fourth-year students?"
"…and they were all Slytherins."
As soon as he said this, both of them froze.
Indeed, this does not seem like the result of a "well-planned" cheating, but rather like a strange accident that went off the rails, or the result of a secret arrangement by a powerful wizard behind the scenes.
Karkaroff had a gloomy face, as if he was thinking about something. Finally, he snorted coldly, flicked his sleeves and turned around.
Maxim also muttered something and strode forward.
"You four."
Dumbledore turned around and glanced around.
"follow me."
The students were still making so much noise that it almost blew off the ceiling of the auditorium, but the four of them still didn't turn around.
They stepped out of the area that seemed to be burning, and behind them was the most outrageous warrior selection in the history of Hogwarts and the Triwizard Tournament.
Towards the principal's office, towards destiny.
The spiral staircase turns slowly.
With a creaky sound, a crack appeared in the stone statue. They went up the spiral staircase one by one and walked into one of the most mysterious places in Hogwarts - the headmaster's office.
Entering the principal's office is like walking into the belly of some ancient magic.
The four walls were surrounded by huge bookcases, the pages of which turned spontaneously. Silver rotating instruments tinkled, and a skinny phoenix dozed on the shelf with drooping eyelids.
Portraits of past principals were hung on the walls, and they were talking to each other in low voices.
"What era is this? How can we come up with six warriors... Is this Goblet of Fire blurry?"
"I remember when I was the headmaster...if the Goblet of Fire dared to do this, I would have smashed it and recast it."
"Oh my god, all the warriors at Hogwarts are kids! And that Merlin, is he really a descendant of Merlin's family?"
Six warriors were arranged to stand in the center of the office.
Krum stood with his arms folded, looking at Harry and Draco with a stern face, and occasionally glanced at Amanta with some caution.
Delacour stood straight, looking proudly at the four people, especially Amanta and Julius, as if he was studying some strange specimen.
As soon as Harry stood up straight, he swallowed awkwardly and wanted to ask Amanta quietly, but was afraid that Draco would glare at him.
Amanta stared at Julius - his face looked like "I should have been here" and she wanted to swing a chair at him.
And the fuse of all this, Julius...
At this moment, he was looking at the crystal ball in the corner of Dumbledore's desk elegantly, as if nothing had happened, as if all this had nothing to do with him.
Draco stood aside, still in a state of shutdown, and didn't even notice that he stepped on a copper footrest on the edge of Dumbledore's carpet, and was given a contemptuous look by the Phoenix.
"I protest!"
Karkaroff slammed the desk and pointed at Julius, his voice piercing the air.
"What the hell is going on at Hogwarts? You can't just let this go!"
"I don't agree either." Maxim said in a low voice, "Students from our school also want to participate in the second round of voting."
"Continue voting!" Karkaroff stepped closer, "Since the Goblet of Fire can select four people, then each of our schools should also select four!"
"The Goblet of Fire has gone out," Dumbledore said calmly, "and it will not be relit until the next tournament begins."
"Then reignite it!" Karkaroff gritted his teeth, "You Hogwarts created this mess, why should we bear the consequences?"
Before Dumbledore could give an explanation, Karkaroff and Maxime were already arguing fiercely.
The six warriors looked at each other.
Harry tugged at her robes and whispered, "Wouldn't it be more fun if they fought?"
"Karkaroff," Dumbledore said after a long silence, "The Goblet of Fire is a magical artifact. The choice is set and cannot be changed."
"This is an ancient contract, you and I both know it. The question now is how we can resolve the current situation."
There was silence in the principal's office. Maxim and Karkaroff also stopped, thinking with gloomy faces.
That’s right, the selection in the Goblet of Fire has a magical contract, and the chosen warrior must complete the Triwizard Tournament, otherwise the consequences will be unpredictable.
Krum suddenly said: "...Then we will divide into groups."
Everyone was stunned.
He added: “Three schools, four people from each school, will compete in groups, with a team points system.”
Delacour beside him also nodded, and glanced at all the other warriors with pride: "I accept. Anyway, I can win alone."
Dumbledore rubbed the ring on his finger thoughtfully.
"This proposal...is feasible."
After discussion among several principals, the final decision was made.
The competition was changed to "Top Three, Three Groups Competition".
Each school is composed of a group of four warriors who participate in three competitions as a team and are scored based on their overall performance or task completion.
Although the Goblet of Fire has been extinguished, for the sake of fairness, Durmstrang and Beauxbatons will select the other three warriors tonight.
Dumbledore announced, "Hogwarts will still be represented by these four. After all, the Goblet of Fire has already chosen them and it cannot be changed."
Karkaroff sneered, revealing his yellow teeth. "What a good choice! They are all Slytherins."
"And I will choose the people myself."
Maxime was not to be outdone: "The candidate for Beauxbatons will be decided tonight."
"What about us?" Harry raised his hand and whispered, "...can we go back now?"
Dumbledore nodded.
"You four, go back to your dorms and get some rest. Tomorrow morning, please gather in the auditorium to officially announce the format of the competition."
The six people bowed slightly, said goodbye one by one and left.
As soon as Amanta stepped out of the principal's office, she felt someone's eyes on the back of her neck.
She looked back.
Julius was standing at the bottom of the stairs, looking at her. His expression was calm and composed, with a hint of smile in the corners of his eyes. There was a fluorescent glow in his dark eyes, like a faint light burning on a snowy night.
Amanta subconsciously tightened her elder wand and pulled Harry and Draco out.