Chapter 525: Chapter 525: The Legendary Three-Headed Dog Patronus (Edited)
"First-class ticket!" exclaimed the Ministry of Magic witch after examining Mr. Weasley's ticket.
The first-class box was located on the highest level and offered the best view of the entire stadium.
Together with the crowd, they ascended the stairs, continuing upwards until they reached the top. At that point, the Granger and Weasley families would part ways.
Since even within the first-class section, there were different levels, Mr. Weasley had VIP first-class tickets, which were the best seats in the stadium and allowed for watching the game from the same box as the British Minister of Magic. Tom had obtained regular first-class tickets from Lucius, located higher up in the stadium, next to the Minister of Magic, but they were of slightly lesser quality.
Of course, there couldn't be found on the black market a seat that allowed one to watch the game alongside the Minister of Magic. And as for the tickets Mr. Weasley claimed to have obtained at a low price through an acquaintance, they actually only reflected his pure-blood lineage status. Many people could leverage their connections, so how was it possible for Arthur Weasley to get seats next to the Minister of Magic?
Tom and Mr. Weasley exchanged greetings and made their way to their respective boxes. Tom's box was right in front of the golden goalposts, offering a panoramic view. There were over twenty purple and gold-coated chairs arranged in two rows.
As they had arrived early, Tom had no qualms about taking a seat in the front row. After the Granger family settled in, he looked down at the field below and witnessed an unforgettable scene: tens of thousands of wizards entering the stadium and taking their seats. From Tom's perspective, a line of dialogue formed in his mind.
[People are ants.]
Indeed, the crowds of people, bustling and monotonous, were ultimately just ordinary people, even if they were wizards. Not to mention the wonders of mother nature, even in front of this artificial construction, they seemed tiny. But compared to the British Isles, this stadium was nothing. These vast British Isles were just a corner of the Earth, and the Earth was just a speck of dust in the galaxy, which in turn was insignificant compared to the universe...
While Tom was absorbed in watching the stadium, the box also filled with excitement. The beautiful girls who had bought fake wands from Fred and George at the camp entered, followed by a silvery flash.
A young and extremely beautiful woman entered through the box's door. Her beauty was breathtaking: she had a slim and graceful figure, walked as if floating on the floor, had long silver hair that reached her waist, and a soft silver light seemed to emanate from her. When she entered, the box became overwhelmingly enchanted. If she looked at someone with her large blue eyes, that person would blush and lower their head, unable to look at her directly, unless they were already stunned by her beauty. All the men held their breath, including Tom.
But in the next instant, he felt a burning sensation on his wrist that snapped him out of his fascination, reminding him to wake up. Tom activated Occlumency and freed himself completely from that hypnotic temptation.
Nervously, he looked at Hermione and realized she was looking at him too. Now he was glad he had quickly recovered. After freeing himself from that "misfortune," he didn't forget to help Mr. Granger as well, so he gave him a strong elbow in the waist to wake him up, at least to prevent him from drooling and thus avoid an awkward explanation with Mrs. Granger.
"That person just now has Veela ancestry." To save Mr. Granger and ensure his future happy life in London, Tom had to clearly explain to the two Granger ladies that their previous behavior was an act of magic and not lust on both their parts.
Upon hearing this explanation, Mr. Granger felt relief. "Oh, it turns out it was magic, then it has nothing to do with me," he thought and felt happy.
Tom's voice wasn't too low, and the girl heard the term "Muggle-born." Clearly, she didn't like that term. In the magical world, Veelas didn't have a high status; they were considered pets raised by wizards in the past. Most wizards didn't recognize a Veela-muggle-born as their offspring, which was a shame to them. Moreover, Veela-muggle-borns didn't appreciate anyone pointing out their identity, so what Tom said was like an insult.
This created a bad impression of Tom in the girl's eyes. She looked at him, and perhaps due to her innate talent, she could see through the relationship between Tom and Hermione. A mischievous idea crossed her mind, and then she gave Tom a slight smile.
When she smiled, the entire compartment seemed to light up. While smiling, she consciously activated her Veela talent and directed it directly at Tom at full power.
She thought this boy would surely fall under her charm like other wizards and do something embarrassing in front of his girlfriend...
However, nothing happened. Tom's black eyes seemed like a tranquil pond with no ripples. After calmly nodding at her, he returned to his seat.
Girl: ???
Tom's reaction took the girl by surprise, but before she could react, a large hand gently landed on her shoulder and pushed her gently, guiding her inside the compartment.
"Fleur, forgive me," said a tall, corpulent woman who squeezed her way in through the door. She had an olive-colored complexion and large, watery black eyes. Her hair was neatly pulled back. She was clad in a black satin dress and wore several opal adornments.
If it weren't for her towering height, she would be a perfect French lady.
"She must be Madame Maxime, the headmistress of Beauxbatons Academy of Magic in France. I read about her and Beauxbatons in 'Assessment of Magical Education in Europe,'" Hermione whispered in Tom's ear, giving him a brief introduction.
Tom nodded. It seemed that Madame Maxime had brought her students to witness the World Cup final, perhaps as an alternative summer camp. Beauxbatons was truly wealthy; they had purchased first-class tickets for both the headmistress and the students. Not surprisingly, as they had the financial support of Nicolas Flamel.
Fun fact: Nicolas Flamel graduated from Beauxbatons and, as an alumni, always donated money to the school. He was a true money-making machine as an alchemist, and he didn't care about inflation. This generous benefactor made Beauxbatons the wealthiest wizarding school in all of Europe, even richer than Hogwarts.
After Madame Maxime had taken her seat, her students found places to sit.
At that moment, the Ministers of Magic from Britain and Bulgaria, Bones and Oblansk, arrived in their box. The box filled with prominent figures from the British wizarding world. And speaking of personalities, it naturally included the Malfoy family.
The encounter between Lucius and Arthur could only be described as explosive. Tension between them reached its peak, but in front of the Minister of Magic and distinguished international guests, neither dared to step out of line, limiting themselves to exchanging ambiguous comments.
Of course, there was also the matter of greeting Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived. Even wizards in Bulgaria knew of him. Bones wasn't going to pass up this opportunity and introduced her "national treasure" to Oblansk.
"Oh, by the way, did I hear that Tom Yodel also came to watch the game with you, Arthur?" Once the introductions were done, Bones looked around and realized she didn't see Tom, so she asked Mr. Weasley.
"Tom couldn't get tickets for this box, so he's watching the game from the next box over," Mr. Weasley quickly explained.
"Oh, I see. Would you like to meet the wizards with the legendary Patronus next door? His Patronus Charm has driven away over a hundred Dementors," Bones had a brilliant idea and extended an invitation to Oblansk.
Oblansk, the Minister of Magic from Bulgaria, was an English-speaking wizard. Although he initially wanted to play along and pretend he didn't understand English, Bones was prepared and saw through his jest.
Listening to Bones' presentation, Oblansk also became interested. He wanted to witness the legendary Patronus as well!
So, the group headed to the adjacent box. As Lucius Malfoy passed by Harry, he rested his cane on his shoulder and said, "I hope you enjoy yourself while you can."
After lightly threatening Harry in this way, he also followed Bones and Oblansk out of the box.
Upon entering the adjacent box, Minister Bones was momentarily taken aback. She clearly hadn't expected to encounter Madame Maxime here, but she quickly reacted and greeted this renowned headmistress, whose territory in terms of school influence far exceeded that of Hogwarts. While Hogwarts only recruited students from the British Isles, Beauxbatons spanned Western Europe and the Iberian Peninsula, rivaling Durmstrang in Eastern and Northern Europe.
After greeting Madame Maxime, Minister Bones approached Tom. Tom noticed Lucius Malfoy following her. When he entered, he glanced at the people in the box and finally fixed his gaze on Hermione and her parents.
His lips pursed.
Tom knew the reason for that expression. Lucius Malfoy was a staunch blood purity advocate and considered Muggles as inferior, and Muggle-born wizards were seen as low-class. Although he despised Hermione, he wouldn't say anything untoward in front of Minister Bones. He could only show some unpleasant expressions to annoy Hermione, but fortunately, she remained unfazed and stared back at him unflinchingly.
"Mr. Oblansk, allow me to introduce you to Tom Yodel. Beside him is Hermione Granger. Both of them have extremely rare Patronuses. Granger's Patronus is a three-headed dog, and Tom's is even rarer; no one knows what Patronus he has, but their Patronuses can merge..."
After Bones introduced Tom and Hermione's Patronus Charms, she uttered words that left both of them speechless: "Would you two be willing to summon your Patronuses as part of the opening ceremony for the final?"
Tom and Hermione: !!!
Couldn't you have told us in advance about something this important?! It's not really fair to surprise us like this, Minister Bones!
It felt like at the opening ceremony of the World Cup, the organizers suddenly called a passerby to sing the tournament's main theme.
The audience believed everything was rehearsed, but only the passerby was utterly confused.
Everyone in the box had their eyes on Tom and Hermione.
Granger's parents were filled with curiosity: Are our daughter and Tom really that impressive? Representing the opening ceremony of the World Cup on behalf of Britain! They've really kept this a secret! Lucius Malfoy showed a slight change in his gaze. He had also heard about their accomplishments, and this was an opportunity to broaden his horizons and witness the legendary Patronuses in person. On the other hand, Madame Maxime and the rest of the audience were mere spectators, watching in disbelief.
As a French student who understood English, Fleur listened to Bones' presentation about Tom and Hermione, giving her a more complete understanding of that rude boy. It turned out he had some skill! She didn't expect that at such a young age, he could already cast the Patronus Charm. Fleur sighed in surprise. The United Kingdom truly was a great magical power, not to be underestimated.
No wonder he can be here, Fleur thought, and her doubt was resolved. It was normal for the attraction not to work on him. Wasn't it normal for a wizard capable of casting the Patronus Charm to have means to resist Veela allure? If wizards couldn't resist the charm of Veelas, Veelas would have already enslaved all wizards. There would no longer be a need for a battle between Grindelwald, Dumbledore, and Voldemort. It would only be a matter of how many Veelas could control their subordinates.
Tom and Hermione exchanged glances.
What do you think? Should we go for it?
Yes.
They quickly reached an agreement and raised their wands together:
"Expecto Patronum!"
"Expecto Patronum!"
Two dazzling beams of silvery light shone at the top of the Quidditch pitch. The light engineers also turned off all the lights on the field at Bones' signal, and the sudden darkness along with that single light quickly drew the attention of all spectators in the stadium.
Under the gaze of a hundred thousand people, those two lights began to change. First, a miniature three-headed dog leaped from Hermione's wand tip, and then the silvery mist at the tip of Tom's wand writhed and transformed into the shape of a three-headed dog.
There was a great commotion throughout the stadium, and everyone was stunned by the appearance of the two legendary Patronuses.
Chapter 526: Chapter 526: Barty Crouch Jr. in Action (Edited)
"What is that? Is it a Patronus?"
"Yes, but why does the Guardian have that appearance? Is it a three-headed dog?"
"It turns out the rumors were true. The British wizarding world has produced a powerful wizard with a Patronus in the form of a three-headed dog!"
The stadium was abuzz with murmurs as the two Patronuses appeared in the upper box.
"Look, the dogs are transforming!" a young girl noticed the change in the Patronuses and shouted loudly. More and more people realized the transformation of the Patronuses: they drew closer to each other, and a large amount of silvery vapor emerged from their bodies. The vapors intertwined, and the two Patronuses merged into a silver whirlwind over the field, illuminating the dark stadium as if it were daytime.
The vortex emitted a glow that warmed those on the field, as if they had taken a sip of butterbeer by a crackling fireplace.
Gradually, the light faded, and in front of everyone appeared a three-headed dog the size of a calf, with a layer of silver fire burning on its body.
Everyone who saw the three-headed Patronus was impressed by its appearance: beautiful, powerful, majestic... It was as if all the virtues of the world had gathered in it.
Once formed, the three-headed dog turned its three heads in search of something and, not seeing any trace of Dementors, looked at Tom and Hermione with confusion, its six eyes filled with bewilderment.
"Go ahead," Tom gestured with his hand for it to run around the field. The three-headed dog obediently wagged its tail with joy and ran around the stadium.
The crowd erupted in applause, and many witches and wizards approached the front of the box, reaching out their hands to try to pet the beautiful Patronus. Of course, Tom didn't allow them to and kept the three-headed dog at a safe distance, letting their hands meet only a flash of bright light.
The flames that emanated from the three-headed dog's body fell into people's hands and melded into their bodies, bringing a warm and sweet sensation.
The stadium, with a capacity of a hundred thousand people, was huge, and the Patronus summoned by Tom and Hermione became less solid after running around the field. It became semi-transparent, almost like a ghost.
"Thank you, you've done a great job," Tom gently stroked the center head of the dog, and the three-headed dog gave a cheerful bark before disappearing completely.
The stadium lights came back on, and the crowd burst into applause.
"Thank you very much," Bones was very satisfied, thinking that this start was truly grand. Even though the British Quidditch team wasn't in the final, this spectacle was enough to restore prestige. The Bulgarian Minister of Magic, Mr. Oblansk, voluntarily approached and shook hands with Tom and Hermione, showing his respect.
He was just an ordinary Minister of Magic, while the young people in front of him were the only holders of a three-headed Patronus in wizarding history.
The two ministers and their companions returned to their boxes, where Ludo Bagman was waiting to announce the start of the match.
Calm returned to the box, but everyone couldn't help but cast curious glances at Tom and Hermione, seated beside each other.
The same happened with Fleur. She was amazed by the three-headed dog that Tom and Hermione had conjured together. After a brief moment of confusion, she began to carefully examine the boy named Tom Yodel.
Honestly speaking, Tom's appearance met the requirements; he looked very handsome. Additionally, with the confidence radiating from within, it was easy to win favor from others. If it weren't for the word "Muggle-born," Fleur's first impression of him would have been completely different.
And now? Fleur decided to forgive his lack of tact. After all, it was understandable that a boy would want to explain his behavior in front of his girlfriend.
While Fleur mentally "forgave" Tom's rudeness, Madame Maxime, sitting beside her, crossed her hands over her belly. Fleur knew that when her headmistress made that gesture, it meant she had something to say.
"That boy is a student at Hogwarts," Madame Maxime said quietly.
Fleur suddenly felt her heart tighten. Madame Maxime's words made her realize something.
"Yes, that tournament... If he could participate, he would be a formidable rival," Madame Maxime nodded slightly.
Fleur felt as if a giant stone had fallen onto her chest. Could that kind of Patronus really be summoned by a Hogwarts student? How much of a chance did she have to win against such a wizard?
As Madame Maxime's favorite student, Fleur had already known since the end of the previous semester that the Triwizard Tournament would resume. Although the selected champions were still uncertain, Madame Maxime already had her own candidates in mind and had made some preparations, such as revealing the news of the Tournament to Fleur and a few other students who might be selected.
But it was Madame Maxime's following words that reassured her.
"Thank goodness we discussed the possibility of raising the age limit for champion candidates. That boy can't be seventeen years old... I will contact Albus Dumbledore and Karkaroff as soon as possible to confirm this. Will you turn seventeen this year in September?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"That's good. Sometimes, being too young is not a positive thing, is it?"
"..."
Madame Maxime stopped speaking and, along with Fleur, focused on watching the match.
Not only the spectators but also the participants who would soon be competing were captivated by the Patronus.
"Hey, Viktor, did you see the Patronus that appeared a moment ago? It's so...". A Bulgarian Seeker interrupted Viktor Krum, who was next to him, elbowing him.
Krum, with his dark and slender appearance, thick eyebrows, and prominent aquiline nose, didn't look like an eighteen-year-old student. Upon hearing his teammate's words, he felt an inexplicable irritation.
"Ivanova, if I were you, I'd focus on the next match." Krum abruptly interrupted his words. Krum was struggling to control his inner dissatisfaction and avoid saying anything more inappropriate. He was pessimistic about the upcoming match. Krum was aware that the Bulgarian team had reached this position mainly thanks to his brilliant performances time and time again, and that his teammates were actually no match for the Irish team.
How can he have the mind to pay attention to the Patronus? The showdown is about to begin! Krum really wanted to grab Ivanova by the collar and ask him some pointed questions. It seemed absurd to Krum.
But he did nothing.
Krum, at just eighteen years old, was already an extremely mature athlete. He understood that, although Quidditch had a strong sense of heroic individualism, at the end of the day, it was a team sport and he shouldn't say words that would harm team harmony.
It might be fine to lash out at his teammates at that moment, but there was no chance of winning the rest of the match.
He tried to adjust his emotions and spoke to Ivanova in the calmest tone possible: "But three-headed dog Patronuses are rare."
"Yes, yes!" Ivanova didn't take it very well and continued to chatter in Krum's ear.
Krum: ...
Returning to the ministers in the box, they also paid no attention to the opening ceremony. Oblansk sincerely said to Bones, "I genuinely envy you. You not only have Dumbledore but also such talented young wizards. Although we have Krum, he's still in school."
Minister Bones merely smiled without responding. To her, that was entirely normal. The power of the British wizarding world was something entirely different from the Muggle British government, which had fallen from its superpower position long ago. The British wizarding world remained the core of the wizarding world.
Comparing a Seeker to Tom was something she scoffed at. Can a Seeker run faster than other wizards when facing a Dementor? Let's wait until they turn Krum into a Chocolate Frog card to discuss that!
Ludo Bagman entered the box at just the right moment and asked excitedly, "Minister, can we begin?"
"Of course," Minister Bones replied gracefully.
Ludo Bagman made an exaggerated bow to her and then cast a voice-amplifying spell on himself so that the entire stadium could hear him.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the 422nd Quidditch World Cup has begun!"
Under Bagman's direction, the opening ceremony proceeded smoothly.
"...Allow me to introduce you to the mascot of the Bulgarian national team."
Tom looked down, and his face changed dramatically.
"Mr. Granger, close your eyes immediately and cover your ears," Tom spoke these words while activating Occlumency.
As Tom struggled to clear his mind, a hundred Veelas glided onto the field and began performing the most beautiful dance in the world.
Amidst the Veela dance, all the men in the stadium became entranced, except for a few exceptions like Mr. Granger, who covered his ears and closed his eyes in time, and Tom, who used Occlumency.
Tom watched as Harry lifted his legs and propped them up on the partition wall of the stands, while Ron assumed a posture as if he were about to dive into the water. Hermione noticed the hormonal excitement in the stadium and cast a nervous glance at Tom, surprised that he seemed so calm.
In her mind, she silently gave Tom a rating and decided to reward him after the match.
Tom wasn't the only one who remained composed. The Veela's charm was potent, but it was challenging to cause chaos in tens of thousands of wizards simultaneously. The enchantment magic weakened significantly during transmission, and most adult wizards with advanced magical skills could control their emotions and refrain from doing anything embarrassing. Those who lost control were mainly young wizards who had just come of age and underage wizards.
After the Veelas departed, Hermione made a loud noise with her mouth and removed her father's hand from her ear.
Then, Ireland's mascots also appeared.
The Irish leprechauns threw handfuls of gold coins into the air, sending the stadium into madness once again. People were applauding and rushing to collect the coins that fell beneath the seats.
The giant shamrock formed by the leprechauns vanished, and the match officially began with the referees' orders.
...
"Ireland wins," Bagman shouted in confusion, "Krum caught the Golden Snitch, but Ireland wins... My God!"
The stadium filled with noise, as if several dozen jet planes were taking off and landing there.
Both teams had just had a brief but intense showdown, and both Seekers were bleeding: Lynch had crashed into the ground, while Krum was hit in the face by a Bludger from the Irish team.
In the end, Krum caught the Golden Snitch.
Tom admitted that this was the most exciting Quidditch match he had ever witnessed, and even Hermione was shouting during the match.
After the match, Hermione leaned forward and observed Krum being carried off the field by the medics. "He's really brave, isn't he? He looks like a real mess..."
"His team lost, but he is the winner." Tom also had to admit that Krum had played a very good game.
Although defeated, that phrase described Krum perfectly. He had restored some honor to Bulgaria with a score of 160 to 170, it was an honorable defeat and seemed fine.
If the Golden Snitch had been caught by the Irish, it would have been 10:320...
After the match, the Quidditch World Cup was brought to an honor box, both teams' players entered the box together and shook hands with the two Ministers of Magic. Then, under the watchful eyes of both countries' Ministers of Magic, the seven Irish team players lifted the Cup.
Thus, the match came to an end, and the grand event of the wizarding world also seemed to have concluded. Spectators began discussing the match as they left the stadium.
"We will meet again," at the moment of leaving, Madame Maxime suddenly turned and said to Tom in English with a slight French accent.
"It will be a pleasure," Tom replied in French.
Madame Maxime raised her eyebrows and left with her students. After a long wait, Tom returned to the camp and went back to the Weasley family's tent.
On the way, they encountered the Weasley family again. Mr. Weasley was pleading with Fred and George not to tell his mother about their bet.
The post-match camp was wrapped in a festive atmosphere, with laughter and crowds indulging in frenzy. The Irish leprechauns were flying through the night sky, waving lanterns and stoking people's fervor.
The revelers had no idea what would happen in a few hours.
A person with their face hidden by a hood stood in the forest, gazing intently in the darkness toward the tent at the edge of the woods: Harry Potter was there...
In a very well-decorated tent, a group of wizards exchanged drinks, all of them intoxicated. If someone had entered, they would have been amazed: this tent was full of respectable people from the wizarding world!
However, the conversations of this group of respectable people were anything but respectable...
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