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Chapter 635: The Second Task Begins
Wade walked over to the Referee’s table, giving a polite nod to Dumbledore and the other Referees, then greeted Harry and the others with a casual wave.
Natalia crossed her arms and leaned against the table, raising an eyebrow. “What was that Home bloke whispering to you about? Really lacking in manners!”
“Machionni?” Wade said. “He was just discussing some business matters with me.”
“Now?” Natalia shot a sharp glare at Machionni across the way and let out a dismissive huff. “Right before the Tournament—dragging a Champion into endless chatter? I’d say he’s deliberately throwing off your focus!”
“Machionni just gets so absorbed in things, he forgets everything else,” Wade began, but before he could finish, Bagman bounded over with cheerful strides.
“Excellent! All Champions have arrived on time. Let’s begin the preparations!”
His eyes swept across the group, scanning for any questions—yet none came.
At the Referee’s table, several pairs of eyes fixed on Wade, their gaze heavy with unspoken pressure.
Wade adjusted his sleeve, then pulled out a Merpeople Soft Candy and pressed it into his palm.
“Voice, loud and clear!” Bagman tapped his throat with his wand and murmured a spell. Instantly, his voice boomed like thunder, echoing across the entire arena:
“Two months ago, our Champions faced the Fire Dragon’s ambush and retrieved a Golden Egg from the depths of the Chamber of Secrets. Hidden within it was a song—”
“Come, search now! Where my voice rings out, seek. We cannot sing upon the surface. As you search, ponder deeply: The Heart of Steel lies hidden in darkness, the Red of the Sunset lingers in the tentacles, the Full Moon, etched with stars, is sealed behind an ancient stone door. When the three are united, you shall know your path!”
“This is the clue contained within the Golden Egg,” Bagman said, his gaze sweeping over the ten Champions lined up before him. “Some may have already deciphered the riddle. Others may not. But remember—your second task is to find three things beneath the lake: the Heart of Steel, the Red of the Sunset, and the Stellar Moon!”
A few of the young wizards paled, others looked tense, but no one wore the expression of someone caught off guard. Clearly, over the past two months, the Home teams had already cracked the Egg’s mystery.
Still, most of the audience heard this for the first time, and the stands erupted into a low, buzzing murmur of speculation.
Bagman raised his hand, silencing the crowd with a sharp downward motion.
“Champions, you have three hours beneath the water to search for your goals—”
Harry’s heart clenched.
His Bubble Head Charm was still unreliable for such long durations. While it was possible to repeat spells underwater, if the environment proved too dangerous, maintaining the protective bubble might be impossible.
Instinctively, he touched the pocket where he kept the Gill Sac Grass. A small sense of relief washed over him.
“—If you return to shore without finding any of the goals, you will be considered to have abandoned your place in the Tournament. But if you retrieve even one item, you qualify for the third task.”
Bagman’s booming voice shook the Streaming Mirrors, and he continued without pause:
“However, I must caution you—those who collect all three items will gain a significant advantage in the final challenge. So search with all your might. Do not surrender too soon—never give up until the very last moment!”
“Now, when I blow my whistle, the second task begins. I’ll count to three.”
“One… two… three!”
A sharp, piercing whistle split the cold air. The stands erupted into applause and cheers. The ten Champions moved at once.
Wade swallowed the Transformation Candy in one gulp, tossed off his robe, and leapt into the water. Even mid-air, his body was already enveloped in the swirling smoke of transformation.
There was a single splash—then, as the wind swept the smoke aside, the figure was gone.
“Look!” Bagman exclaimed, breathless with excitement. “Wade Gray is the first to enter the water!”
He paused, eyes wide. “He hasn’t cast either a Transfiguration Charm or a Bubble Head Charm—nothing I recognize. Is it…?”
“Oh my goodness, look!” Bagman cried, pointing. “The Giant Streaming Mirror has finally caught a glimpse!”
Coliver shoved his assistant aside and rushed to adjust the image, replaying and slowing it down. Seconds later, the audience saw what lay beneath the fresh water:
Wade Gray’s skin was pale, almost translucent with a bluish tinge. His upper body remained human, but his lower half had transformed into a long, silver-blue fish tail. His black hair floated like seaweed in the current. Scales shimmered with a silvery glow in the dim light, and with a single powerful flick of his broad tail, he shot out of the mirror’s frame at incredible speed.
“Look! Wade Gray has transformed into a Merperson!” Bagman shouted, nearly ecstatic. “This has never happened before! As far as I know, Animagi cannot transform into magical creatures—there’s no precedent for this! Is that correct, Professor Dumbledore?”
Dumbledore gave a slow, solemn nod. “Indeed, it is true. However…”
“I know! I know!” Fred shot up from his seat like a cannonball, barreling straight toward Bagman. “It’s Shapeshifting Gummy! Wade must’ve used Shapeshifting Gummy!”
A blue bird darted forward, its lens zooming in on Fred’s flushed, excited face.
George arrived a beat later, catching up breathlessly: “Shapeshifting Gummy is a product we developed with Wade. It lets you transform into any creature you can imagine—Pegasus, Unicorn, Merperson, even a Slime… or a Fire Dragon!”
Fred winked at the camera with a mischievous grin. “Of course, our version is fully reversible and completely safe. Wade must’ve customized it himself!”
George shouted, “He’s a genius—the Alchemist of our age! Everyone knows it!”
“Want to be as cool as him?” Fred waved his arms. “If you’ve ever dreamed of transforming into a different creature—no matter whether you’re an Animagus or not—contact the Weasley Twins’ Joke Shop!”
George pulled a shiny, glowing jar of candy from thin air and waved it like a trophy. “And yes—our shop isn’t officially open yet! But you can order by letter! Pre-launch special: just five Sickles for one Shapeshifting Gummy!”
“Write to Hogwarts—”
“Address: Fred and George Weasley—”
Before they could finish, Bagman hurriedly shoved the blue bird aside and stepped into the spotlight.
“Hey, boys! This isn’t the time for your advertisement!”
The stands burst into laughter and applause. Several students were already rummaging through their pockets, pulling out coins with eager anticipation.
Fred and George slammed their hands together, bumping shoulders in triumphant celebration.
“Ahem.” Bagman suppressed a smile. “The Tournament continues. Let’s see how the other competitors are doing…”
Harry snapped back to attention—and realized he was the only one still standing on the shore.
Frantically fumbling, he tore off his coat and shoes, cast a Bubble Head Charm on himself, and dove into the lake.
(End of Chapter)
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