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Chapter 569: Diana
Chapter 569: Diana
In just one day, the O.W.L.s had made many students realize the true terror of being a fifth-year at Hogwarts.
The lights in the common rooms of the four houses remained lit throughout the night, shining brightly until the next morning.
At the same time, this day also marked the beginning of the final event of the competition.
The breakfast table was bustling with activity, and the owl post nearly obscured the ceiling with their fluttering.
Some students were already celebrating the upcoming holidays, eagerly anticipating the evening's events, except for the fifth-years, who remained as tense as they had been the day before.
As Kyle hesitated between staying in the common room or heading to the library, Professor McGonagall walked by along the Hufflepuff table.
"The champions will need to assemble in the classroom next to the Great Hall after breakfast," she said.
"Is it starting already?" Susan Bones asked anxiously. "But, Professor, I thought the task was supposed to take place in the evening? We still have exams in the morning."
"I'm aware of that, Miss Bones," Professor McGonagall said, glancing at her. "This is a private matter for the champions, unrelated to the task."
"Oh, I'm sorry, Professor..." Susan nodded.
Without another word, Professor McGonagall turned and left.
After a while, once everyone had finished breakfast, Connor and Cedric left for their Herbology exam in the greenhouse.
Kyle stood up and made his way to the room where he had previously tested his wand, followed by Lotus.
When they pushed open the door and entered, they found Krum, who had arrived early. He was speaking rapidly in Bulgarian with two dark-haired individuals, presumably his parents.
The man shared Krum's distinctive hooked nose.
Fu Rong's mother was also present, hurrying over while holding Gabrielle's hand. Fu Rong quickly went to meet them.
By the fireplace stood Diana, quietly observing with a gentle smile on her face as she looked at Kyle.
"Your father is one of the judges, so it's not appropriate for him to be here," she explained softly.
"I understand," Kyle nodded.
Although Chris had given him a completely fair score, it could still be a little troublesome if the other champions or their parents found out about it.
After all, one could never be sure what others might think.
"Was it alright for you to come to the school?" Kyle asked quietly. "I mean, there are quite a few people here."
"It's fine," Diana reassured him with a smile. "My work doesn't require me to completely avoid contact with others. We only minimize interaction when there are highly confidential missions to be carried out."
"So, you don't have a mission right now?"
"I do, but it's not as important... Besides, this is the final task of the Triwizard Tournament. I had to come and see it for myself."
Diana explained with a smile.
The two chatted by the fireplace for a while, and Kyle noticed that Diana kept glancing at the portraits on the walls, a nostalgic look in her eyes. He suggested that he show her around the castle.
Diana readily agreed.
They left the room and made their way towards the entrance to the Great Hall.
"It's been over a decade since I last stepped foot here," Diana said, taking in the surrounding portraits and statues. "Everything looks exactly the same as when I was a student, not a single change."
"But didn't you come here when I received the Second Grade Order of Merlin?" Kyle asked, remembering that he had seen her on that occasion.
"That was a different situation, and I didn't have the time to leisurely explore the castle like I'm doing now."
Then, Kyle took her to the Hufflepuff common room.
With the exams ongoing, the room was empty.
Diana surveyed the barrel-like structure and the sunlit common room, nodding in satisfaction.
"I know..." Diana smiled, "Your dad used to send me cookies and treats all the time. By graduation, I could barely fit into my robe."
Kyle's eyes lit up, eager to hear more, but Diana chose to remain tight-lipped on the subject.
The two then took a stroll in the warm sunshine.
Kyle showed her the Beauxbatons carriage and Durmstrang's ship, but Diana didn't seem too interested.
Instead, it was the Whomping Willow that caught her attention. According to Diana, the tree had been much smaller during her school days.
"Hey, Kyle."
Hagrid's voice carried from a distance, "You're outside during exams? Oh, Merlin, is that Diana?"
"Hello, Hagrid..." Diana greeted him warmly, a hint of familiarity in her tone.
This surprised Kyle. "You know each other?"
"We go way back, before you were even born." Hagrid strode over with a broad smile, "Chris and Diana here were the only ones who'd come visit me in the Forbidden Forest. I remember Chris being quite fond of my rock cakes."
"If I may be blunt, Hagrid." Diana smiled, "He only ate them to save time for his magical creature research. One rock cake could keep him full for an entire day."
"I thought he liked the taste." Hagrid looked slightly disappointed, but only for a moment.
It had been over a decade, and now it was just a fond memory. Regardless of the reason, Chris had indeed "enjoyed" the rock cakes, and that was what mattered.
Around noon, Kyle suggested they head back to the castle for lunch, expecting Diana to refuse. To his surprise, she agreed.
When they entered the Great Hall, it was already filled with students.
Curious glances were cast in Diana's direction, but there was no real surprise, as they had already seen Fleur and Krum's parents.
"She's so beautiful." Susan and Hannah whispered, "No wonder Kyle's so good-looking..."
"Indeed." Hannah nodded in agreement.
During lunch, Connor looked even more nervous than the day before.
She didn't bother with her books and instead sat stiffly, eating small bites from her plate. On several occasions, she poked her fork outside the plate.
Thankfully, this tense situation didn't last long.
About five minutes later, Diana stood up.
"I need to find your father and discuss when we'll be picking up Molly and the others."
"Are you leaving now?" Kyle stood up as well, "I'll walk you there."
"No, it's fine." Diana shook her head, "Take your time, don't mind me."
Leaving behind a mysterious smile, she turned and left the Great Hall.
Only then did Connor let out a long sigh of relief. She glanced at the steak that was almost poked into a mess and grabbed the pumpkin juice from the table, downing it in one go.
Kyle poured her another glass.
"Why didn't you tell me your mom was coming?" Connor looked at him, stumbling over her words, "I mean... we could've prepared a better welcome..."
"I only found out this morning myself." Kyle shrugged, "You were still taking your exams then."
He could understand Connor's feelings.
To be honest, if Snape had been sitting across from him, he doubted he'd be able to eat a bite.
...
(End of Chapter)
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