Chapter 544: Anthony's Request
Chapter 544: Anthony's Request
After the banquet, Wade's first task was to find Professor Mcgonagall and retrieve the Time-Turner.
The flame in the fireplace flickered gently, and Professor Mcgonagall sat in her chair, her expression much more relaxed than it had been in the Great Hall.
"Sit down, Wade."
Professor Mcgonagall took a box from the cabinet where she kept the Time-Turner. She opened it but didn't immediately hand it over.
"I know you have more flexibility in your schedule now, and you could manage without the Time-Turner... but I still applied for it on your behalf."
Professor Mcgonagall looked Wade in the eyes, her voice serious and earnest. "I know you've taken on many tasks, and even if your time doubled, it still wouldn't be enough. You really need the Time-Turner."
Wade smiled. "That's true. Thank you very much for your help, Professor."
"Do you remember the rules for using the Time-Turner?" Professor Mcgonagall asked.
Wade nodded. "I can't interfere with events that have already happened, I can't use it for more than five hours, I can't use it frequently in the same time period, I can only use it for studying, I can't use it for personal gain, and... I absolutely can't tell anyone else."
Professor Mcgonagall's lips curved into a slight smile, but her expression quickly returned to its serious state. She pushed the box toward Wade. "Good. Remember to follow the rules strictly."
"I will."
Wade took the Time-Turner, hung the long golden chain around his neck, and tucked the hourglass into his collar.
"Another thing", Professor Mcgonagall added. "If you plan to participate in the tournament, remember—absolutely do not use the Time-Turner to influence the results. Understand?"
"Of course", Wade replied. "If I need to cheat to win, I'd rather admit my defeat honorably."
Professor Mcgonagall's lips twitched into a barely noticeable smile. "Very well, Wade. You may go."
...
As she watched her proud student leave her office, Professor Mcgonagall loosened her tight bun and touched her left ear.
She then heard Professor Flitwick's eager voice. "How did it go? Minerva, did Wade go to get the Time-Turner? What did he say?"
"Wade just left", Professor Mcgonagall said as she poured herself a glass of Butterbeer and stood by the window, looking out at the Black Lake. "You were wrong. He's decided to participate in the tournament."
After a couple of seconds, Professor Flitwick squeaked, "Are you sure? He really will participate?"
"Yes, I've spoken to him", Professor Mcgonagall replied firmly.
"Fantastic!"
On the other end of the line, Professor Flitwick jumped with joy. "I thought he'd definitely dislike such a high-profile event! I've been trying to figure out how to convince him for days!"
Professor Mcgonagall smiled. "It seems this young man is more spirited than you thought..."
"Ha ha... or perhaps he's doing it for the honor of Hogwarts", Professor Flitwick said, shaking his head excitedly. "If Wade participates, the trophy will definitely belong to Hogwarts!"
Professor Mcgonagall wasn't as optimistic. She took a sip of her drink, her eyes carrying a hint of worry.
"I have faith in his abilities, but compared to adults, Wade's magical power is still somewhat lacking. Other schools are bound to have very talented students."
She sighed and said, "And the scale of this tournament is unprecedented, with eleven schools participating... The danger level will certainly far exceed previous ones. Anything can happen during the competition..."
"Dumbledore is watching! The Ministry of Magic has learned from the mistakes of the previous Quidditch World Cup and will undoubtedly take the security of this tournament extremely seriously."
Professor Flitwick optimistically said, "Minerva, you really should see the spells Wade demonstrated to me... They are absolutely perfect! He is fully qualified to receive his N.E.W.T. in Charms!"
"My Transfiguration class is the same, but the competition requires more than just perfect spells. It needs something else..."
Professor Mcgonagall softly said, "Like trusting your teammates, seeking help when needed. And... being wary of tactics outside the competition."
Flitwick rubbed his chin thoughtfully and said, "I understand... I'll talk to him again. Thank you for the reminder, Minerva! You've been a great help!"
The call ended, and Professor Mcgonagall heard the two beeps, blinking in confusion.
—What exactly did Filius understand?
...
When Wade returned to the common room, he found that everyone else had already gone to bed. Only Anthony Goldstein was sitting by the fireplace, reading a book on Practical Defense Magic.
A cat, belonging to someone, was lounging on the mantel above the fireplace, its tail hanging down and swaying back and forth.
Wade glanced at the cat, confirming it was just a regular pet, and walked over to sit opposite Anthony. "Anthony, is there anything I can help with?"
Anthony put down the book, hesitated for a moment, and asked, "Wade, are you going to participate in the tournament?"
Wade nodded. "Of course."
Anthony exhaled, a relieved smile spreading across his face. "That makes me feel better."
"Feel better?" Wade asked, puzzled. "Why?"
"Because, if I win and have a lot of fans writing to me, I won't have to lose sleep over how to reply to them", Anthony said earnestly.
Wade was speechless. "You called me here for that?"
"Ha ha ha... Of course not."
Anthony chuckled, then set aside the book, rubbed his face, and sighed. "I have an aunt who married into Russia. She told me that the students at Kedrostoris received the news months ago. They selected their best students and have been training for at least two months specifically for the tournament."
Wade didn't respond; he already knew about this.
"Then there are the Magic Academy, Ilvermorny, Durmstrang... Most other schools have been training their students in advance, especially Durmstrang. You know they teach their students Dark Magic, right?"
"I've heard about it", Wade said.
"That's why I'm a bit worried... I asked Professor Flitwick if Hogwarts had a training plan, but he said no..."
Anthony said helplessly, "However, Professor Flitwick also mentioned that if we organize our own training and learning, the school wouldn't forbid it..."
By this point, Wade already knew what Anthony wanted from him.
Sure enough, Anthony then said, "Wade, I know your time is tight, but... if we want to make sure Hogwarts doesn't lose face in the tournament, we need someone to lead the training... and that person can only be you!"
(End of Chapter)
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