บท 615: Under Orders to Cheat?
บรรณาธิการ: Atlas Studios
"Ivan, what does it say?" Harry managed to squeeze his way in, but he was too short to see the announcement because of the wizard in front of him.
"It says Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will arrive at Hogwarts at six o'clock next Friday evening, and everyone will have to go to the gates to meet them," Ivan explained.
"Friday afternoon? Great, the last lesson should be Potions!" Harry's first thought was that Snape might not have to take Potions, which was something of a relief.
"What about the champions? Have they been chosen?" Ron asked hurriedly.
"It doesn't say. They're probably waiting for Beauxbatons and the Durmstrang students to arrive before they choose together!" Ivan said casually.
They were joined by a group of young wizards who were gathered nearby discussing who would be the champion for Hogwarts.
The junior wizards of each house wanted their house to be elected, and some of the senior students were wondering how they would qualify.
The most talked about was Cedric of Hufflepuff.
As for Ivan? While he excelled in every school year and made headlines from time to time, Dumbledore's age limit was there, and the vast majority of young wizards and witches refused to believe that Ivan could find a way to break it.
Otherwise, why would they choose to be brave? They should just wash up and sleep.
Due to the announcement in the Entrance Hall, the school grounds were abuzz for several days, and the Triwizard Tournament became a hot topic of conversation.
Even the interior of the castle was decorated in a grander fashion than when Ivan received his Order of Merlin!
Paintings that had not been touched for hundreds of years and were covered in dust were removed and wiped clean.
The suits of armour placed in the corridor were polished to the point where they could almost be used as mirrors.
The Great Hall, which served as the reception area, had been refurbished. Enormous silk banners hung from the walls, and the banners of the four houses flew high above them.
The other staff members and professors were equally nervous, regulating every student's clothing and mannerisms, and cursing Filch if anyone looked sloppy.
All of this was, naturally, to welcome the students of Beauxbatons and Durmstrang, as none of the professors wanted to embarrass Hogwarts in front of the staff and students of other schools.
During the final Transfiguration class, Professor McGonagall had a rare fit of anger when Neville accidentally grafted his ear to a cactus while practising the Switching Charm.
"You should see Hals, he probably learned this simple spell in his first year!
I don't expect you to be anything like him, but please try a little harder and don't let on to Durmstrang's people that a fourth year student can't learn the most basic Switching Charms!"
Professor McGonagall's angry outburst nearly made Neville cry.
After class, Professor McGonagall asked Ivan to stay.
Professor McGonagall looked at Ivan and exclaimed, "What a pity, Hals! I'm afraid you're the most brilliant student Hogwarts has ever seen. Without that age limit, you would have been a champion and a glory to Hogwarts!"
"Professor, do you approve of my participation in the competition?" Yvonne looked at her in surprise. She was surprised that McGonagall, who had always been an old-fashioned woman, would hint at her participation.
"If you can, why not?" Professor McGonagall smiled. She didn't know exactly how strong Ivan was, but she had a rough idea.
The Triwizard Tournament wasn't dangerous for Ivan, and she certainly wasn't worried about it.
On the contrary, McGonagall believed that once Ivan was chosen, there would be no doubt who would win the Triwizard Tournament.
More crucially, Gryffindor House did not have any senior students other than Ivan.
McGonagall did not want any of the other Houses to beat her to the match, nor did she want Hogwarts to lose.
The rivalry between the three European schools had been going on for centuries, and everyone wanted their school to be number one in Europe!
If Ivan could somehow get past the age limit and put a name into the Goblet of Fire, she believed that Headmaster Dumbledore would turn a blind eye.
"This time the age limit was proposed by Beauxbatons and Durmstrang together, and it may be against you!" McGonagall complained.
Ivan rubbed his nose but didn't answer. He didn't think it would be that bad.
He was not present in the original timeline, but the Triwizard Tournament still had this restriction. It could be seen that the original intention was indeed to ensure the safety of the younger generation of wizards and prevent casualties due to insufficient strength.
From an outsider's point of view, however, it would seem that the message was clear.
"Anyway, come to me if you have any questions!" Professor McGonagall said cryptically, patting Ivan on the shoulder. Then she packed up her teaching equipment and left the classroom.
Ivan, who was left behind, had a strange expression on his face as he muttered to himself, "So I'm being ordered to cheat?"
Ivan was relieved at the thought, at least he didn't have to worry about Dumbledore giving him trouble if he crossed the age line.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione were waiting for him in the corridor.
"Ivan, what did Professor McGonagall say to you?" Hermione asked, clutching the book to her chest.
"It's a high-end transfiguration spell, as you know, the classroom knowledge is of no use to me anymore," Ivan lied, not wanting to reveal the fact that he was worried Ron would talk.
… .
Time passed, and soon it was the agreed date of 30 October.
Everyone at Hogwarts was looking forward to the arrival of the Beauxbatons and Durmstrang staff, and were not in the mood for lessons. The young wizards and witches sitting by the windows kept looking out, but there was nothing there.
To Harry's disappointment, Snape's Potions lessons continued as usual, the only difference being that they ended half an hour early, allowing them to leave earlier and suffer less.
When the bell rang for the end of the lesson, the young wizards were so excited that they rushed back to the lounge as fast as they could to put their things away and line up in the foyer to wait.
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