Chapter 254: That's My Son!
Chapter 254: That's My Son!
A collective gasp rippled through the audience as they witnessed the astonishing sight.
For some pure-blood wizards, this was their first encounter with Muggle society, let alone their television, as if Muggles were dangerous creatures emitting toxic fumes.
On the wall, a massive mirror displayed the maze's interior, leaving viewers in awe.
Even half-blood wizards were witnessing such a large screen for the first time, let alone the clarity akin to looking into a mirror.
Some thought the wall had been magically made invisible, rushing to the side of the FlowMirror to check if there was a hole behind it. Seeing the dense bushes and leaves, they finally revealed their shocked expressions.
Although the competition hadn't officially started, the audience's enthusiasm was fully ignited.
Soon, several enlarged FlowMirrors displayed scenes from other parts of the maze, with objects appearing almost life-sized, so close that people could almost smell the fragrance of the plants within.
From the Two-Faced Mirror in the center, a hissing sound emerged.
A magnified python coiled into a ball, resembling a colossal seashell, its skin adorned with black and white patterns, and its bitter melon-like head hidden within its body.
Those afraid of snakes jumped in surprise, taking a few steps back, their skin covered in goosebumps.
The python in the maze's center, eyeing the peculiar and fearless magical puppet bird, flicked its tongue.
Having just eaten its fill, it had no interest in this tiny creature that wouldn't even fit between its teeth.
To the audience, it seemed like the giant snake was glaring at them threateningly, almost making their legs go weak with fear.
Then, they heard other voices—
"Are we all ready? Let's get going!"
"Of course."
On the left mirror, several young wizards appeared.
They seemed unaware of the audience, not casting a single glance their way, engrossed in their conversation.
"Alright, let's stick to our plan—I'll scout ahead, Betty keeps watch, Brian and Chad prepare spells, Carol memorizes the route, Avery covers the rear, Buck—"
The tall, handsome boy who was speaking exuded authority, surrounded by a group of children.
Amos Diggory excitedly exclaimed to those around him:
"That's my son, Cedric! See him? That's my son! Go, Cedric!"
He shouted at the figures in the mirror, naturally receiving no response.
Another boy chuckled, saying:
"I've got the Dung Bomb and Boom Egg. If we encounter enemies, we'll throw them to distract their attention."
He made a throwing gesture, holding a Dung Bomb in one hand and wearing a few green, gourd-like objects on his waist.
A wave of good-natured laughter rippled through the audience.
"What's a Boom Egg?" someone asked.
"Don't you know? It's the Weasley Brothers' new invention, a small thing that hops around and screams loudly."
Another student replied.
"Most of the participating teams bought them," someone added. "They say it helps save crucial time."
"But aren't the Weasley Brothers also competing?"
"That's why the Slytherin teams rarely buy them—they're worried the Weasleys might tamper with them."
Meanwhile, Vold was conversing with the 'Technicians' from Aslan Magical Workshop.
"It's best to only amplify the sound from one Mirror at a time," he said. "Having three speaking at once is a bit chaotic."
"That's easy."
The bearded Coliver waved his short wand and pointed at several mirrors, and the messy sounds instantly became clear.
Coliver was the main person in charge of this magical workshop, and he was shorter than Professor Flitwick with a tangled, iron-brown beard.
Vold suspected he might have some fairy or dwarf blood, but out of politeness, he didn't ask.
For easier communication, they sat cross-legged on the ground, able to see the side view of the audience with just a glance.
"And we don't need to film the Python for now, just pan the camera around here..."
Vold drew a range and said, "Let the audience know the challenges the participants will face, and then focus on a few of the competing teams."
"Hmm," Coliver said. "The team we just saw was great; I think they'll make it to the end."
"Don't just focus on the successful ones."
Vold said, "Leave two Mirrors for the failures—watching others' misfortunes will also bring joy to the audience."
Although the audience only saw three Mirrors, Machiioni had placed over a dozen Master Mirrors inside and outside the maze for filming, and Coliver decided to present those images.
After hearing Vold's words, he hesitantly changed the center of one of the Mirror's screens to show several nervous and shrinking little boys.
They were almost huddled together, walking forward with trembling wands, completely unaware that an enlarged lizard had quietly followed them.
The lizard suddenly stuck out its tongue, sticking to the last boy in line and covering him with slime.
"Ah—"
The boy couldn't help but scream as he was pulled back.
The audience suddenly realized the unexpected attack and screamed in unison. Only after another person was taken away by the lizard did they think of running away.
Someone bumped into a nearby tree trunk, someone else was too fat to squeeze through the gap between the trees, and someone else stumbled headfirst into a spider's web, startling the half-human-sized spider.
Laughter erupted in waves from the audience, and the laughter never seemed to stop. Cedric's team in the center was almost ignored.
Coliver gave Vold a thumbs-up and then intuitively understood the password for the hotspot.
He left the main screen for the teams with the potential to win, switching between them, while the side screens showed the teams about to be eliminated.
Coliver had the "God's Eye View" and a keen eye, always managing to capture the moments when the participants were about to encounter accidents, making the "live broadcast" feel like a well-edited video.
He also assigned someone to switch the audio, ensuring the audience wouldn't miss out on the fun of hearing the sounds.
Magic was also convenient in this regard; there was no need for speakers or sound engineers, as spells could accomplish the work of ten people.
Vold saw that the FlowMirror screens were smooth and clear, the sounds were not distorted, and even the surrounding environment's sounds were well transmitted.
He put his mind at ease and then disappeared without a trace.
Coliver continued broadcasting for a while, gradually becoming more adept. Just as he was about to share his thoughts with Vold, he realized the person who had been beside him was gone.
(End of Chapter)
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