The last point Professor Bryan mentioned, which few young wizards could comprehend, was widely discussed by the eager crowd about what he had said before.
Three Battlecups and a thousand gold coins mentioned earlier are rewards that can only be obtained by the champion, while Professor Bryan explicitly stated that as soon as they were chosen as heroes, their names would be known throughout the entire European magical community. Moreover, the warriors will also receive at least thousands of gold coins as a reward after the competition.
This undoubtedly ignited the enthusiasm of many students. Some young wizards at Hogwarts, who had previously feared the dangers of competition projects, have already decided to change their minds. A few proactive people are borrowing quills and parchment everywhere, preparing to sign up for the Triwizard Tournament immediately after dinner.
"Age line—"
Fred Weasley's eyes twinkled, "That's easy, they'll fall for the enchanted age-inducing potion, I bet! As long as your name is in that cup, you'll be laughing with joy – it doesn't care if you're seventeen or not!"
"Are you planning to participate?"
Ron asked dazedly, clearly a bit overwhelmed by the prospect of fame and the prize money.
"But you only received a thousand gold coins as an investment."
"Who would complain about having too much gold in their hands, little fool—"
George Weasley said.
"I must remind you all!"
Hermione took a deep breath, casting a warning glance at Ron before addressing Fred and George,
"The competition is dangerous, and I don't believe underage wizards can safely handle it. We haven't learned enough yet!"
"We are students of Professor Bryan's sports class, Hermione. You yourself are on that course. Do you know how capable we are now?"
Fred said unhappily.
"But the key point is," Hermione said eagerly, "there are not just students like you in the sports class. There are adults too. You can't possibly compete with them."
"Let's wait and see," George said confidently, then calling to Fred, "Come on, brother. It's going to be a sleepless night tonight!"
Hermione underestimated the temptation of becoming a hero to this group of boys. Ron's eyes glazed over as he watched the backs of Fred and George, wondering if he should follow. Even Harry looked uncertain, though he was indifferent to gold and fame, nobody would refuse this honor.
The pace at which people dispersed was quick, with many even running up the stairs, eager to return to their dormitories and prepare. Considering the special circumstances of the night, Mr. Feeny and his Mrs. Weasley would certainly not be patrolling the castle to arrest underage wizards who didn't go to bed on time.
"Come on, come on"
Professor Bryan rushed up the stairs. No student dared to obstruct his way, and Karkaroff led his students out of the castle. It seemed they had no intention of spending the night in the castle, while Bagman was still talking with Dumbledore at the staff table. By the time most of the audience had dispersed, there was no sign that he intended to end their conversation.
Upon seeing this, Ron said despondently.
Following the crowd at the end of the hallway, they walked up to the third floor where they found Lavender and Parvati shouting in horror on the landing, their foreheads wrinkled in concern as they muttered to each other, and Neville was there, looking surprised.
"What's wrong?"
Hermione walked up to greet her two roommates.
"Oh, the Hufflepuff girl from Bicester!" Lavender said unhappily. "We saw her walking that way!"
"What?"
Hermione was not the only one surprised; Ron and Harry also opened their mouths wide, blinking in astonishment.
"She must be going to see Professor Bryan!"
Parvati glared at Harry and said angrily,
"Who knows, maybe she's trying to get an in with Professor Bryan! I mean, she must want to beat her classmates to become a hero, right? Oh, I bet Professor Bryan can see right through her!"
The student welfare office.
Tonight, to entertain the guest from afar, Amortadris drank a lot of wine but ate very little. So as soon as he returned, he brewed himself a cup of tea and then walked to the back of his desk and pulled out a drawer, taking out a box from it.
The box contained some biscuits with light sweetness, which had been specially made by a kitchen elf for him. The usual desserts at the school did not suit his taste.
KNOCK KNOCK
As Amortastis was carrying a teacup filled with extra tea leaves to prepare for the sleepless night ahead, a knock suddenly echoed from the door.
"Please come in..."
Inside the office, Amortadris' invitation, though somewhat helpless, rang out.
It was Fleur Delacour.
Fleur had pulled her hair into a high ponytail, making her look more practical than before. As soon as she entered the office, she didn't rush to greet Amortadris but instead used curious eyes to inspect his office. When she discovered that the famous Amortadris Bryan worked and rested in such a modest office, and even that he would be sharing it with others, her eyes widened with surprise.
"Is this how Hogwarts does things, Mr. Bryan?"
Fleur walked in, asking in an extremely familiar tone,
"Or your personal style. This office looks like it's inhabited by a monk!"
"A well-bred guest should not start criticising someone's home before even saying hello, Ms. Delacour..."
Amortadris smiled carelessly, making a gesture to Fleur, who was taller than she had been six months before, indicating that she should sit down. Then he walked to the window to open it for some fresh air.
"Don't—"
Fleur did not sit down but instead approached Amortadris' desk with great interest, glancing briefly at the box of biscuits he had taken out, before her eyes fell on a large bundle of unanswered letters piled up on the side of his desk. For some reason, she pursed her lips discontentedly.
She noticed Amortadris opening the window and shivered, speaking with a slight complain,
"Huh, it's really cold here!"
"Well, you should be grateful that the Triwizard Tournament isn't held in Demeterstang."
Amortadris shrugged and moved away from the window, making the fire in the fireplace burn a bit brighter, then sat down on the sofa.
"What's wrong, Ms. Delacour, was there something not satisfactory about the accommodation at Hogwarts that caused you to rush over here to complain after the banquet?"
"Oh, I don't have any complaints about this school right now..."
Looking across the table at Amortadris Bryan, who sat with his fingers interlaced, they had met at a planning meeting for the Triwizard Tournament. This was their second encounter. Compared to six months ago, there had been no change in Amortadris Bryan's appearance, but there was a serene and imposing quality in his eyes and eyebrows that could cause a chill in someone's heart when their gaze happened to meet.
Fleur had never experienced such emotions on any other man, usually it was the opposite. Whenever boys were around her, they always felt nervous, and in general, it was the boys who felt that way. The light purple eyes of Amortadris Bryan always seemed so pure, without the usual fierceness and possessiveness that she was used to.
Mysterious and powerful.
This is Fleur's assessment of Amortadris Bryan.
"I sent you three letters, Mr. Bryan, the last one was two months ago--"
Fleur leaned slightly forward, the flickering fire in the hearth casting a soft gold hue over her exposed collarbone, her voice husky with unusual emotion.
"But I haven't received a single reply, Mr. Bryan. I guess, my letters might be among the pile of letters marked 'No Reply' on your desk?"
"Ah--"
Amortadris smiled.
"Ah—Hogwarts house-elves are responsible for sorting my mail, and they might have made a mistake. Rest assured, I'll sternly reprimand them—"
"Humph--"
This excuse was too vague, Fleur hummed discontentedly, her eyes wandering around the room. She hesitated for a moment and did not inquire about what lay behind the wall covered with black curtains.
The office was so shabby that after glancing around a few times, Fleur lost interest entirely. She redirected her gaze back to Amortadris Bryan, who was maintaining a polite smile, her eyes flickering with a hint of curiosity.
"May I ask a question, Mr. Bryan?"
"What?"
"What about the witch you defeated in the Quidditch World Cup?" Fleur suddenly became very interested, fixing her serious gaze on Amortadris' eyes and asking abruptly.
"What's your relationship with her?"
(End of this chapter)
