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Chapter 364: Disassembly
Chapter 364: Disassembly
"Harry went to the Hospital Wing?"
When Felix returned to Classroom Seven, it was still some time before noon, and many people hadn't left yet. He asked Jordan Lee, the commentator with his hair styled into neat strands.
As soon as he entered, he heard Jordan's enthusiastic commentary, which had a lot to do with the intense atmosphere on the scene. However, after a while, his voice had become a bit hoarse.
"Yes, Professor Hup", Jordan Lee said. "He received an invitation card, but he didn't look well. His friend Hermione Granger took him to the Hospital Wing, along with Ron Weasley, Fred and George Weasley's younger brother."
As they spoke, a figure was thrown out by the black floating door. Felix waved his wand lightly, and she landed steadily on the ground.
"Oh, thank you, Professor Hup", Angelina Johnson said gratefully.
Felix nodded and looked at the black door, which was covered with handprints of various sizes. He saw a student deliberately squatting and pressing his dirty hand against the edge of the door. "This is a symbol of courage", Jordan Lee said, and Felix chuckled.
He raised his wand and pointed at the left side of the black stairs. A small mound of earth rose from the ground, and the soil in the center slid to the sides. The grass on the ground was flipped over, and under everyone's gaze, a pointed stone monument pushed through the soil and emerged. The monument was about six to seven feet tall, with a smooth stone surface. Four names shone brightly, like stars, and the crowd gathered around, pointing and discussing—
Cedric Diggory;
Roger Davies;
Collins Flue;
Harry Potter;
The young wizards stared at these four names, feeling an overwhelming sense of envy. How wonderful it would be if their names could appear there too.
When Felix heard Angelina mention the secret Cedric had shared, he waved his wand again, and the words "Courage", "Wisdom", "Resilience", and "Calm" appeared at the top of the monument.
"You should realize that everyone can attempt this multiple times", Felix said calmly, projecting his voice so everyone could hear clearly. "There are a few more pieces of advice—"
"Each failure will impose a significant mental burden on you. It's best to rest for half an hour to an hour before trying again, unless you have an exceptionally resilient and strong personality."
The young wizards murmured among themselves, words like "Potter", "amazing", and "incredible" floating in the air. Even the phrase "I'll show you" that Felix used to encourage Angelina was brought up. Draco Malfoy mouthed the words with disdain: "Saint Potter!"
Felix smiled slightly—
"As for the content of the test, I'm sure many of you have already guessed. It's about facing your fears. Of course, if your fear is something silly, like a mountain of garbage or a smelly boot, you'll face some interesting and quirky creatures that I've prepared. Even Headmaster Dumbledore has praised them.
It's not just my work; I've also taken inspiration from Muggle movies and the challenges faced by past Triwizard Tournament participants."
The young wizards who were participating in the selection glared at him, their eyes practically shooting flames. That morning, they had been chased by monsters, entangled by snakes, stepped on by trolls, squished by giants, and kicked away by a transforming car...
Their experiences were so bizarre that they could be compiled into a book of strange stories.
"It's clear you're eager to continue the challenge", Felix said with a smile. "So, the final point: the selection will continue until next Monday. I'll return then to confirm the final list."
"Don't even think about casting spells on the monument to print your name on it..."
Hospital Wing.
Madam Pomfrey angrily handed Harry a potion, personally supervising him as he drank it. Harry endured the taste of the liquid, which smelled like low-quality vegetable juice, and wiped his mouth forcefully. Thank goodness, he was finally free from Madam Pomfrey's nagging.
Ron sat at Harry's feet, fiddling with the invitation card. He ran his fingers over the intricate patterns on the golden card, his face filled with envy. "It's so beautiful."
"How did you do it, Harry? Any tips?" he couldn't help but ask.
"My tip might not be useful for you. No one is likely to cast the Killing Curse at you..." Harry yawned widely. Madam Pomfrey's potion always took effect quickly, and he struggled to stay awake as he continued.
"You faced the Killing Curse?" Ron's body trembled, and the card slipped from his hand. He quickly clamped it between his legs.
Hermione covered her mouth and asked in surprise, "That spell? The one Professor Moody demonstrated in class?"
"Yes, green light shooting at you from all angles. Every time, I thought I was going to die", Harry said lazily. "Only after getting out do you break free from that state..."
"Strange! I tried a few times to tell myself it was all fake, but once inside, I forgot everything."
"We did too", Ron said, "Hermione and I. I tried twice and saw over a dozen different spiders, and each time they were different. Can you believe it?" He paused for a moment, recalling a terrible memory, and his face contorted. "There was one ball spider; if you poked it, pus would ooze out. When my spell hit it—"
"I faced various academic setbacks: failing exams, being called in by professors, being expelled from school for not being able to use magic, or having magical accidents..." Hermione sighed. "Like you, I completely forgot that I was in a strange place being tested. It's as if we suddenly lost our minds and couldn't remember why we were there."
"Maybe that's Professor Moody's intention."
"But if we don't remember and treat each time as real, how can we pass?" Ron said.
Harry thought for a moment. "We shouldn't just focus on what happens inside the black door. Didn't Professor Moody emphasize potential and growth? Remember, we forget we're being tested while inside the black door, but we remember everything once we're out. I suddenly realized that the time between tests is crucial for overcoming our fears and growing."
"So the test is actually to see if you've reflected and grown?" Hermione said perceptively.
"Y-Yeah—exactly." Harry's eyelids drooped, and he was getting sleepy.
He tapped his head. "There's one more thing I need to tell you. The invitation card has a spell on it, probably done by Professor Hup. It's very interesting, and I strongly recommend you try it!"
Before Harry could finish, he fell asleep on the pillow. He was exhausted today.
"What kind of spell is it?" Ron stared at the golden card, examining it for a long time, then handed it to Hermione. "I can't find anything."
Hermione took it and pointed her wand at it. "Reveal the magic! Show the secret!" After a while, she hesitated. "It seems to be a one-time spell, and only the first person to receive the card gets the reward."
Ron said regretfully, "I wish we could wake Harry up and ask him clearly."
After lunch, the two returned to Classroom Seven. They had specially asked Madam Pomfrey for a large bottle of potion to soothe their spirits. Hermione pleaded for a while, and Madam Pomfrey reluctantly gave it to her.
At that moment, Jordan Lee was nowhere to be seen. His morning of explanations had strained his voice, and Neville said he planned to urgently order a box of Frost Rat sweets to soothe his throat.
Hermione glanced at the additional black stone monument and hummed softly.
In the late afternoon, just before dinner, Harry returned. He enthusiastically went through the names on the stone monument. When he saw "Angelina Johnson", Harry genuinely felt happy for her. He also saw Cho Chang's name, and he couldn't quite tell whether he felt sad or happy—Cho Chang had agreed to be Cedric's girlfriend.
Before he could think more, Angelina rushed over and gave him a warm hug. "Thank you, Harry." She then pulled him into the Gryffindor group.
"Ah, our brave Potter is here!" the twins teased. Fred pretended to bow deeply. "It's an honor, we're in dire need of some guidance."
"No, I'm not—", Harry waved his hands awkwardly, "I'm not old enough."
The twins each put an arm around his shoulders. "We can include you in the Ageing Potion", Fred nodded at Jordan Lee. "Lee found a way, but we need to buy at least an ounce, and we're looking for someone to share the cost..."
"Don't you have a profit share?" Ron asked.
"True, George, we've been a bit careless lately and forgot about the debt we still owe", Fred said.
"Good point. We've already spent thirty Galleons this month", George said.
"Thirty Galleons!" Ron's eyes widened in anger. "And you're not even willing to buy your own brother a new dress robe!"
The twins exchanged glances.
"We've been through it too", Fred shrugged. "And the money is already spent on materials. We can lend you some feathers to stick on your dress robe."
(End of Chapter)
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