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Chapter 498: The Department Head
Chapter 498: The Department Head
Even after just a brief chat, the relationship between Kona and Hibiscus seemed to rapidly escalate at an unbelievable pace.
Within five minutes, Kyle, who had been sitting in an enviable seat among the boys, found himself mercilessly banished, relegated to sitting with Mikkel.
As he watched Kona conversing with Fuyong, Kyle felt that she seemed a bit different from usual; her expression was slightly...forced.
However, Kyle chose to ignore it and simply lowered his head to eat the large steak and French bouillabaisse that had just been served on his plate.
If he dared to voice his thoughts, even slightly hinting at what he suspected, he would most certainly meet a terrible end...well, in every sense of the word.
So, Kyle wisely opted to focus on his meal.
The French-style dishes were actually quite tasty, especially the bouillabaisse, which tasted very similar to what he had eaten at Nicole's house.
Perhaps there was a house-elf from France working in the kitchen; he could ask later if this dish could be added to the regular menu to replace the corn chowder.
Aside from the bouillabaisse, the desserts that followed also included many unfamiliar treats.
Kyle's attention was drawn to a piece of French vanilla almond jelly, but before he could take it, Kona pushed the plate towards Lotus.
"This should be reserved for our guest...aren't you fond of Yorkshire pudding?" Kona said.
Furong merely smiled, showing no intention of yielding.
Alright then...can't argue with that.
Kyle sighed and randomly picked a piece of pudding instead.
Twenty minutes later, as the golden plates regained their sparkling shine, Dumbledore stood up once more.
A mix of excitement and tension began to permeate the Great Hall.
"The moment has finally arrived!" Dumbledore exclaimed joyfully. "The Triwizard Tournament is about to commence, and I'd like to offer a few words of explanation before we..."
"Bang!"
At that moment, the Great Hall doors were pushed open from the outside, and two figures walked in, one after the other.
"I hope we're not late, Dumbledore," came a voice that was all too familiar.
Kyle looked on in bewilderment as Chris entered the hall, unsure why he was there.
"My dear, you've missed a sumptuous feast," Dumbledore said. "Those French dishes were truly exquisite."
"Oh, drat," Chris lamented. "Things have been so busy at the Ministry lately that I only received the notification to come here ten minutes ago."
"I understand, and I'm glad you made it in time for the most crucial part," Dumbledore replied.
Then, addressing the entire hall, he said, "Allow me to introduce our guests, as some of you may not know them. This is Mr. Chris Jooba, the Department Head of the Department of Magical Creature Control at the Ministry of Magic..."
A round of applause filled the Great Hall, with Fred and George being the most enthusiastic, while Ginny, Ron, and the others nearly stood on their tables.
"He's Kyle's dad," Ron explained to Hermione and Harry, who sat beside him. "A really easygoing guy, and he remembers everyone's birthday. The only new robe I have is the one he gave me."
Harry nodded; he had known that Kyle's father also worked at the Ministry of Magic, but he had never heard that he held such a high position as a Department Head...
"...and this is Mr. Ludo Bagman, the Department Head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports," Dumbledore continued.
Meanwhile, over at the Hufflepuff table, Kyle was filled with confusion.
Department Head...Did Chris get a promotion? But that didn't make sense. Any change in the heads of departments at the Ministry of Magic was a significant event, second only to the election of the Minister. It would definitely be mentioned in the Prophet, but he had been reading the paper regularly, and there was no such news.
At the same time, the side door of the Great Hall opened, and Filch entered, carrying a large, jewel-encrusted, and ancient-looking wooden box.
The students watched in fascination as Filch placed the box on a table in front of the main guest seat.
"This year's Triwizard Tournament will consist of three separate tasks, taking place at different times throughout the school year..." Dumbledore began to explain, "...and they will test the champions in various ways—magical talent, daring, logic, and, of course, the ability to overcome danger."
The Great Hall fell into a hushed silence, as if everyone was holding their breath.
Dumbledore continued calmly, "And the selector of the champions will be a fair and impartial chooser—the Goblet of Fire!"
He tapped the box three times with his wand and then withdrew a roughly carved wooden cup, ablaze with blue and white fire.
"Those who wish to enter the tournament may do so by placing their names into the goblet. Tomorrow night, on Halloween, the goblet will reveal the champions it has chosen to represent each of the three schools.
Of course, I must remind you that only students of age are eligible to participate. Shortly, I will draw an age line around the goblet to prevent younger students from entering their names.
"Finally, I must emphasize that the Triwizard Tournament is not a matter to be taken lightly. It carries with it a great deal of danger, and once a champion has been selected by the goblet, a binding magical contract is formed, and you are committed to seeing the tournament through to the end..."
In fact, Dumbledore's final warning had little effect.
Far from calming down, the students became even more excited, eager to submit their names immediately, and this fervor continued until they returned to their respective common rooms after the feast.
Furong planned to spend the night in the carriage, so she parted ways with Kona at the entrance of the Great Hall.
Kyle, on the other hand, waited by the side door of the Great Hall.
About twenty minutes later, Chris finally emerged.
"I knew you'd be here," he said with a smile. "Are you surprised?"
Kyle nodded. "With Beauxbatons in France and Durmstrang in Northern Europe, this clearly falls under the jurisdiction of the Department of International Magical Cooperation."
"Yes, it should have been Bagman's responsibility..." Chris paused, "...but he's a little tied up at the moment and couldn't make it over here..."
"Because of Sirius Black?" Kyle asked.
"Yes," Chris confirmed. "After Black was proven innocent, someone accused Crouch of sentencing him without a proper trial twelve years ago. This serious mistake has had a significant impact on many people...
Anyway, these people are now under investigation to prove that they had no personal agenda back then. During this period, Bagman can't leave the Ministry."
"Many people?" Kyle said thoughtfully. "What about your position...?"
"Oh, this is just a temporary arrangement," Chris replied, seeming reluctant to discuss Ministry matters further with Kyle. He gave a vague explanation.
"And once the investigation is over, I'll hand the judging duties back to Bagman."
He checked the time.
"Sorry, but I must get back to the Ministry now."
"I really hope they finish the investigation soon," Chris continued. "No one told me beforehand that being a judge in the Triwizard Tournament would involve so much work... Merlin's beard, just for tonight, I have to write eight reports!"
With that, Chris hurried off toward the castle exit.
(End of Chapter)
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