Chapter 504: Don't Let Him Down
“No, it’s just me here,” Antoine said with a cheerful smile. “Gellert Grindelwald won’t be coming. When he arrives—well, that’s classified. Even I don’t know. Maybe you should ask Gunter Dreian… oh, right, you two are awfully close these days, aren’t you?”
“Not bad, what’s your point?” Wade asked, frowning slightly. There was something oddly off about Antoine’s tone—too smooth, too deliberately teasing.
“Come on, admit it,” Antoine said with mock accusation, “we were the first to know each other, weren’t we, Wade? But now you’re practically pen pals with Dreian, aren’t you?”
“Come on, are you still a student? Just because I’m friends with someone doesn’t mean I can’t have other friends,” Wade retorted, rolling his eyes and changing the subject. “I didn’t expect you’d be interested in the Quidditch World Cup.”
“Who wouldn’t be?” Antoine replied, lifting the tent flap and gesturing for Wade to enter. “But honestly, we’re not just here for the spectacle. There’s another reason we came.”
Wade raised an eyebrow. “So this is classified too?”
“Not really. You’ve probably heard about it already.”
Antoine poured Wade a cup of Earl Grey tea and settled beside him. “Hogwarts’ tournament is making quite the stir. The Ministry of Magic in Britain is all in—seems they’ve already decided who’s going to win. And Gellert Grindelwald wants to use this moment to gauge the strength of magic schools across the world.”
—Across the world?
Wade arched a brow. This didn’t sound like the old Triwizard Tournament anymore. Was it really no longer just a contest among the three European schools?
“Which countries are participating?” Wade asked.
“Wait—you don’t know?” Antoine blinked, genuinely surprised. “Hogwarts didn’t give you a crash course or anything? Or did Dumbledore have a better plan?”
Wade said nothing. He just stared at Antoine, blinking slowly.
But silence spoke louder than words.
Antoine burst into laughter. “Haha! You really don’t know? Is this some kind of… ‘save the surprise for the last moment’ joke? I know students from a few of these schools have been training nonstop all summer!”
Wade exhaled slowly. “I know there was once a Triwizard Tournament. Every five years, Hogwarts, Beauxbatons, and Durmstrang would each send one student to compete.”
“But the casualties were too great. The tournament was suspended centuries ago and never revived.”
“So you’re saying it’s back? And expanded?”
Antoine rested his chin on his palm, grinning. “The Minister Fudge did want to revive it. And because of the growing ties between Britain and America, he personally invited Ilvermorny.”
Wade recalled the ship that had carried Umbridge and several Ministry officials across the Atlantic—bound for America.
Antoine continued, “Then Castrobsche and Wagadoo somehow found out. They wanted in—wanted to prove themselves. Especially Wagadoo. You know they claim to be the largest and most prestigious magic school in the world, with centuries of history. They’ve always wanted to challenge Hogwarts—after all, yours is considered the best school in the world.”
“Once Ilvermorny got the invite, word spread to Japan’s Magic Institute. They said they just wanted to observe European wizardry. But from what I hear, their students have been training harder than anyone else this summer.”
“At this point, the news is impossible to keep secret. Now, Kodostoriz, Salem, Mando, Akatim—all have sent messages saying they’d love to participate.”
“Reports say some of their professors even came to inspect Hogwarts’ facilities. And yet—here you are, the closest to it all, completely in the dark. How is that possible?”
Wade was silent, baffled. Why were British wizards so united in keeping this under wraps?
It was like the Hogwarts sorting ceremony—everyone went through it, yet children never learned until the very last moment that the Sorting Hat was just a dirty old hat.
“This is basically the Olympics of magic schools,” Wade sighed, imagining the chaos to come. “So they’ll all be coming to Hogwarts?”
“Absolutely,” Antoine said, eyes gleaming with excitement. “The Triwizard Tournament was last held at Hogwarts, so this time, the main venue is here. What do you think, Wade? Any interest?”
Wade stared blankly. “…Sounds like a nightmare. Can I just stay out of it?”
“Of course I’d say yes. The honor of Hogwarts means nothing to me,” Antoine said, then placed a hand on Wade’s shoulder. “But if your school loses… can you really live with the shame?”
Wade said nothing.
Antoine leaned in, his smile fading. “You used the Olympics analogy yourself. You know what this is—beyond war, beyond politics. It’s a stage where every wizard hopes to prove their worth.”
“Winning brings rewards, sure—but more importantly, the champion becomes a legend. For five years, they’ll be the most famous wizard in the magical world. Even decades later, just say their name, and wizards from across the globe will recognize them.”
Wade turned his head slightly, uncomfortable. “Don’t act like it’s already me. There are plenty of talented students here—even Cedric isn’t someone I’d take lightly. And don’t forget the wizards from other countries.”
He didn’t even need to mention Harry. Even if the boy only mastered Expelliarmus, Wade couldn’t be sure who’d win. The Savior, blessed by fate—when the time comes, the world itself seems to lend him a hand, whether friend or foe.
“Have a little faith in yourself, my friend,” Antoine said. “Gellert Grindelwald has high hopes for you. I’ll be at Hogwarts during the tournament. If you need help—anything—I’ll give it to you without hesitation.”
Wade frowned. “If I only win with your help, what’s the point?”
Antoine laughed heartily. “You’re such a kid. Think again—do you really believe everyone’s competing fairly? Dumbledore might uphold fairness and rules, but the others? They’ll do whatever it takes to win.”
He lowered his voice, locking eyes with Wade. “You know what Grindelwald expects from you. He’s never been this generous with anyone else. So…”
“Please… don’t let him down. Don’t let us down, okay?”
(End of Chapter)
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