Chapter 595: Harry's Unjustified Dilemma
Chapter 595: Harry’s Unjustified Dilemma
"Professors, you told us that those who wish to participate must write their name and school on a piece of parchment and place it into the Triwizard Cup. I have done exactly that!"
Ivan looked at Dumbledore and added, "Last night during the feast, you didn’t mention that the Triwizard Cup couldn’t be taken out, did you? I followed the method you provided to sign up, so this should count, right?"
This is possible?
The young wizards couldn't help but feel a bit absurd upon hearing this. They had spent the entire day trying various methods to get past the Age Line, but Ivan had managed to bypass it so easily!
George and Fred were especially frustrated, regretting that they hadn’t thought of this method themselves.
Karkaroff and Maxime found it hard to accept, but upon closer consideration, they had to admit that Ivan’s method did indeed circumvent the restriction.
They suspected that this obvious loophole was deliberately left by Dumbledore to allow Ivan to participate.
However, when they looked at Dumbledore, they saw the old man’s face filled with genuine surprise, which didn’t seem to be an act.
After a moment, Dumbledore finally reacted, saying with a sigh, "This was indeed my oversight…"
"Professors, my magic level is far below yours, so I had to resort to a bit of cleverness!" Ivan replied humbly.
"This is not a shameful thing, Hals! For wizards, wisdom is equally important! In fact, you’ve given us all a lesson… sometimes the strength of one’s power isn’t the key to victory." Dumbledore looked at the young wizards below and said with a sigh.
Karkaroff and Maxime watched as the two seemed to play out a scene, feeling furious but unable to do anything about it. After all, Ivan had come up with the method himself, and in a sense, he had cracked the restriction set by Dumbledore.
Moreover, everyone was well aware of the rule that once the Triwizard Champion was determined, it could not be changed. Any further arguments would be futile.
Clap, clap, clap
Just as everyone was silent, a round of applause came from the Ravenclaw table. Ivan turned his head and saw that it was Luna who was clapping.
The young witches were as unconventional as ever today, wearing a necklace made of large cork stoppers and casually sticking her wand behind her ear, which made her look quite peculiar. The people around her kept their distance from her.
After Luna started clapping, it quickly spread like an infection, and scattered applause soon echoed throughout the Great Hall.
First, it was Hermione, then Dumbledore, Harry, and Seamus. The applause in the Great Hall grew louder, and eventually, everyone joined in.
Most of the students put aside their prejudices and acknowledged Ivan as the Champion. Many cheered and shouted encouragement.
"Great job, Hals, I knew that Age Line wouldn’t stop you!"
"Hogwarts Champion, Gryffindor Hero!"
...
The applause and cheers in the Great Hall made Ivan breathe a sigh of relief. He knew he had gained the recognition of the crowd.
This was the reason he had deliberately asked questions in the Great Hall the previous day—to build momentum and ensure everyone knew he intended to participate. When he became the Champion, it wouldn’t seem as sudden as it did for Harry in the original timeline, reducing the opposition.
After a while of the celebratory noise, Dumbledore cleared his throat, breaking the harmonious atmosphere. He called out loudly,
"Alright, there's no need to celebrate just yet. Now that our three Champions have been chosen, please follow the previous arrangements and head to—"
Before Dumbledore could finish his sentence, the Triwizard Cup suddenly stirred again. A long flame shot up, reaching nearly half a meter high, and a parchment with burnt edges slowly drifted down from the air.
This unexpected turn of events immediately drew the attention of the young wizards.
Hadn't the selection of Champions already ended? Why was another piece of parchment emerging?
Ivan immediately suspected something and his gaze swept across the teachers' table, focusing on Mad-Eye Moody and Barty Crouch. However, he found no telltale signs on their faces.
Dumbledore instinctively grabbed the parchment and glanced at it, his expression turning serious. After a careful inspection, he confirmed it and announced aloud:
"Fourth Champion—Harry Potter!"
When Dumbledore read out the name, everyone was stunned. The Great Hall fell even more silent than when Ivan was chosen, as no one understood why a fourth Champion had appeared.
Harry, the one directly involved, was completely bewildered, his mind blank. He wondered if he had heard wrong, or if he was simply dreaming...
"This is unfair! This is cheating! Each school is only allowed one participant!" Karkaroff erupted in fury, slamming his fist on the table, the loud thud echoing through the Great Hall.
"I demand an explanation, Dumbledore!" Madame Maxime said, her face ashen with anger.
While they could tolerate Ivan's participation despite his age, the appearance of a second Hogwarts Champion was unacceptable!
Dumbledore ignored the two and instead turned to Harry, asking calmly, "Did you put your name into the Triwizard Cup, Harry?"
"No, Professors, I didn't put my name in. I don't know why this happened..." Harry quickly shook his head, desperate to explain.
However, Harry's explanation sounded weak, and almost no one was willing to believe him. The various skeptical looks made him feel very uncomfortable.
He turned to his friends in a panic, seeking their support. "Ron, Hermione, you know the truth. I was with you all night last night, and all day today. I didn't have the time to put my name in!"
Hermione nodded and spoke up to vouch for Harry, but few people were listening.
Ron, on the other hand, seemed distracted, his lips pressed tightly together without a word.
"Enough, no more explanations! Who knows if you're all in on this together..." Karkaroff roared, cutting off Harry and his friends, his gaze icy as he turned to Ivan.
"And there's another one who shouldn't even be participating, isn't there? Who knows if he didn't slip someone's name in!"
"I wouldn't do that. The Triwizard Tournament is very dangerous. I wouldn't risk a friend who isn't strong enough!" Ivan retorted.
Then, Ivan shot a mocking look at Karkaroff, his words unyielding.
"Also, use your brain for a moment. Many students put their names into the Triwizard Cup, but the Champions are always fixed. It makes no sense for four Champions to be chosen. Someone must have tampered with it..."
"The Triwizard Cup is a very powerful magical item. Do you really think two fourteen-year-olds could do something like that?"
(End of Chapter)
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