https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-657-The-Transformation-of-the-Dark-Wizard/13685867/
Chapter 658: The Argument by the Stable
With the arrival of May, the weather finally warmed up. The damp SeaWind carried the fresh scent of growing plants, brushing against the ancient Castle. The water level of Black Lake had risen significantly, and occasionally, shadows could be seen gliding beneath the surface, sending ripples across the dark expanse.
After the afternoon Potions class, Wade lowered his rolled-up sleeves and stepped out of the classroom, still carrying the lingering bitterness of the potion on his skin.
“Sorry,” Theo said, slinging his backpack onto his shoulder, “I got caught in the smoke during the sixth stir—nearly sneezed. So I messed up the rhythm on the seventh, and the potion didn’t turn out perfect.”
“No one’s flawless all the time,” Wade replied. “I sneeze when I have to—it’s unavoidable. But I read in the Books that if the smoke gets too thick, you can add a pinch of Moonstone Powder, and that usually—”
“Wade… Wade Gray!”
A breathless Gryffindor first-year ran up ahead, glancing nervously at the entrance of the Potions classroom before exhaling in relief when Professor Snape didn’t appear.
“Gray, Professor McGonagall sent me to tell you—meet her near Hagrid’s Hut tonight at nine.”
Michael stepped up behind him. “Know what this is about? If it’s work, we can help together.”
The first-year hesitated, then shook his head. “She didn’t say. I don’t know.”
Liam asked, “So besides Wade, did you give the message to anyone else?”
“Cedric from Hufflepuff.”
The first-year glanced at Wade and added, “I heard Professor McGonagall also kept Harry Potter behind after Transfiguration today.”
“Thanks, I know,” Wade said.
Michael raised an eyebrow. “Wade, I thought you mentioned that a month before the Third Tournament Project starts, the Referee’s supposed to reveal what it’s about?”
“That’s right,” Wade said, giving a brief nod. His gaze drifted away, toward the thick stone wall.
Through it, he could almost see the Pitch Black Deep of the Forbidden Forest again.
“Ah… makes sense,” Michael mused. “Time’s about right, isn’t it?”
The first-year hurried off to find Cedric. The four of them descended the stone staircase and walked through the corridor toward the Great Hall.
“Finally,” Theo grinned. “A month of preparation—this Third Tournament Project has to be more thrilling than any before.”
Liam sighed. “Hope no one gets seriously injured. Otherwise, Madam Pomfrey’ll go ballistic.”
“Don’t be so pessimistic, Liam,” Michael said. “Keep your hopes small—just pray no one dies. Otherwise, this kind of event might only happen once in a lifetime…”
“Only once…”
He rubbed his chin thoughtfully, then suddenly said, “Wade, what do you think about the title ‘The Only Eleven-School Tournament Champion in History’?”
Liam’s face darkened. “Are you a devil?”
“Ahahaha!” Michael laughed awkwardly. “Just kidding!”
Theo turned to Wade. “What do you think this project will be compared to?”
Wade replied uncertainly, “The first two involved tunnels and swimming across Black Lake. This time… probably treasure hunting in the Forbidden Forest?”
Theo chuckled. “Impossible. The Referee wouldn’t risk the champions’ lives like that.”
“Maybe the stadium’s in the sky,” Michael imagined. “Picture this—champions riding broomsticks or even Fire Dragons, racing through the clouds to snatch a prize even more agile and clever than the Golden Snitch. Isn’t that exciting?”
…
Half an hour before nine, Wade threw his cloak over his shoulders and stepped out through the Castle’s main gate.
The night still carried a cool, damp chill. The sky was thick with clouds—clearly, a heavy rain was coming.
“Hey! Wade!”
A clear, bright voice called from the side.
Wade turned. Natalia was striding toward him, her fiery red cloak billowing behind her, her face lit with her usual radiant smile.
“Good evening, Natalia,” Wade said with a smile.
“Let’s go together—I’ve been waiting for this moment all day.” She pulled a brown paper bag from her pocket, opened it wide, and offered it to him with enthusiasm. “Try this! My mom made them—soft candies with honeywine and cherry filling. I promise, you’ve never tasted anything like it!”
Wade had already reached for one, but pulled back. He clenched the candy tightly in his palm.
“Thanks, I’ll save it for later.”
“Why be so formal? I’ve got plenty more!” Natalia shook the bag. The candies wrapped in tin foil clinked and rustled inside.
Wade said seriously, “Eating candy at night isn’t good for your teeth.”
Natalia rolled her eyes. “Are you a child? You can brush your teeth when you get back. Oh, and we’ve got a tooth-strengthening potion back home—drink it, and your teeth won’t decay for years. I’ll have my mom send you a bottle.”
No matter how much she insisted, Wade just smiled and slipped the candy into his pocket.
As they spoke, the light from Hagrid’s Hut came into view—its chimney puffing out wisps of smoke, mingling with the rich aroma of freshly baked Rock-Crust Pie.
Jabari Wiven, already there, had been lured by the scent and asked Hagrid for a slice. Cedric watched him with the eyes of a champion.
Jabari took a bite, and instantly his face twisted into a look of disbelief. Under Hagrid’s expectant gaze, he chewed slowly, teeth grinding, unable to form any words.
Wade and Natalia’s arrival rescued him.
“Ah! You’re here too!” Bagman, wearing a purple robe embroidered with gold thread, beamed with childlike delight. “Wade, Natalia—of course I knew you’d come together!”
He clapped both of them on the shoulders with enthusiasm, then received a sharp glare from Natalia.
“We just happened to run into each other!” she insisted, pulling out the paper bag. “Have a candy! My mom made them!”
Everyone took a few. Jabari, barely touching his nearly untouched pie, eagerly grabbed several candies.
“Smells amazing! I’ll eat the candy first. Professor Hagrid, can I save the pie for breakfast tomorrow?”
“Of course,” Hagrid chuckled. “Don’t worry—my Rock-Crust Pie stays fresh for ten days!”
“Hmm,” Bagman added with a smile, peeling the candy wrapper, “but I’d prefer something sweet with honey.”
Suddenly, his eyes lit up. He glanced past the group.
“Harry! Good lad—you nearly missed it!”
“Good evening, Mr. Bagman,” Harry said, brushing his messy hair aside with a nervous smile. “Good evening, everyone.”
“Perfect. Everyone’s here,” Bagman said, clapping his hands. “Professor Hagrid, please begin the announcement.”
“Right,” Hagrid said, his deep voice gruff. His eyes swept over them, his expression slightly serious.
“They’re planning to make the Forbidden Forest the location for the Third Tournament Project. Honestly? I completely disagree. But unfortunately, the Ministry of Magic isn’t listening to me. So the forest ahead… is where you’ll be fighting each other in a month.”
The champions turned toward the Forbidden Forest.
Under the night sky, the dark trees loomed like a wall of pitch black. Twisted branches creaked in the wind, sometimes sounding like mournful cries. Faint green glows flickered between the trees. Distant, mournful animal cries echoed through the undergrowth, and the rustling of unseen creatures scurried through the leaves.
Before Mando had left, the elephant had only grazed at the forest’s edge—but never dared step inside.
“If you want to come back alive in a month,” Hagrid said firmly, eyeing the students from other schools, “listen closely: the Forbidden Forest isn’t some Muggle picnic spot! It’s full of Centaurs, Werewolves, Acromantulas, venomous snakes, deadly insects… and someone’s even seen a Sphinx and Vampire Bat inside.”
He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in, then continued:
“Sure, the Ministry temporarily moved some of my old friends deeper into the forest—but unexpected incidents happen everywhere. Don’t go wandering off on your own!”
Clementine raised her hand. “I heard there are Fire Dragons in the forest?”
Hagrid replied instantly, “Nobeta’s a good child… and she’s temporarily moved home. You don’t need to worry about her.”
Originally, the Ministry had intended to include Nobeta in the tournament, but after witnessing the first event, Hagrid couldn’t bear to send his child into danger.
These young wizards had already injured a Fire Dragon’s eye with a simple eye-impairment curse—no big deal to them. If they’d had more power, they might’ve killed it without hesitation.
So, despite the forest’s natural danger, Hagrid had convinced Nobeta to leave—under Dumbledore’s silent approval.
The cost? Hagrid’s carefully maintained hair and newly grown beard were mostly burned off. He was forced to return to his old, unkempt appearance.
Bagman cleared his throat. “The third tournament is simple—use the Compass from the last event to find the Triwizard Cup inside the Forbidden Forest. The first one to touch it becomes the champion!”
“How do we know who touched it first?” Jabari asked, glancing at Wade. “What if someone knocks the first person out?”
“Oh, that’s impossible,” Bagman said cheerfully. “The trophy itself is a Portkey. The champion who touches it gets instantly transported to the podium—brimming with victory and the cheers of the crowd!”
“But…” Clementine hesitated. “My Compass is incomplete… I only have the needle.”
She looked at Bagman with a pleading expression.
“Dear Miss Durand,” Bagman winked, his smile sly. “You’re the champions. Shouldn’t I be the one doing the thinking for you?”
He looked up and grinned. “Any more questions? No? Then let’s head back to the Castle. It’s getting chilly out here…”
They walked back across the lawn, the distant towers glowing with soft, scattered lights.
Wade lingered at the rear. His eyes caught a glimpse of a light figure weaving through the crowd—Clementine, smiling, intercepting the faint, almost invisible presence of Hope. Her fingers played with a strand of hair as she whispered something.
Hope shivered, bit her lip, hesitated… then finally nodded.
…
During Spell Study Society’s free time, Wade set his wand aside and leaned against the window, resting his eyes.
The stars tonight were dim, but his vision was sharp. He noticed—two figures, not particularly strong, moving quietly through the grass toward the Beauxbatons sigil horse stable.
A man and a woman. The girl’s fluffy golden hair bounced with each step—so distinctive, even from above, she was instantly recognizable.
—Luna Lovegood.
Suddenly, a sharp, off-key shout rang out from the activity room.
“Acromantulas? You’re going to fight those creatures?” Ron cried, his voice unnaturally high with panic. “You know how dangerous they are? You know they travel in swarms?”
Many had only just heard about the third tournament’s theme. The room erupted in murmurs, the quiet now buzzing with anxious chatter.
Harry’s face paled.
“The spiders aren’t the worst part,” Hermione said, taking a deep breath. “The real danger is everywhere in the forest! Harry, I think you need a full system of preparation—spells, potions, weapons, and emergency signals. Goodness, there’s so much to prepare—let me make a list!”
She sat down and began scribbling furiously. Fred draped an arm around Harry’s neck, pretending to be secretive as he passed him a list.
“Harry, Weasley-approved prank products. I’m sure you’ll need something. On account of our friendship, I’ll give you fifty percent off…”
“Gray!”
In the midst of the hushed discussion, a Hufflepuff student, Zacharias Smith, raised his hand. “What spells are effective against strange creatures in the Forbidden Forest?”
The room fell silent.
Wade turned from the window, meeting the varied gazes of his classmates. He smiled.
“Of course. Acromantulas fear flame. Centaurs, Sphinxes, Unicorns—none will attack unless provoked. If you meet a Werewolf, a strong light spell will scare it off—provided it’s not enraged. This is a stronger version of the Lumos Charm…”
Wade didn’t hold back. He taught the spell openly, clearly.
The student who’d asked was visibly uncomfortable under the sudden attention, and bolted the moment the session ended.
Wade quickly shook off a few classmates who wanted to talk, waved them off, and hurried down the stairs.
Near the stable, the scent of strong liquor reached him from afar. Wade cast a Bubble-Head Charm and a Disguise Charm, then moved quietly forward.
“Ah! Look—I found another one!” Rolf Scamander said excitedly, holding a struggling beetle with golden armor, nearly matching the sigil horse’s coat.
“I’ve got three already,” Luna said, shaking her bottle. She signaled Rolf to keep searching.
Most of the sigil horses were asleep. A few pawed at the ground, their wings occasionally brushing the fence, stirring soft rustles in the wind.
Luna and Rolf were crouched near the stable, searching for beetles, when heavy footsteps echoed nearby. They froze, then quickly ducked behind a nearby haystack.
Hidden, Wade shifted his leg, settling behind another stack. Luna suddenly glanced in his direction.
Then Madam Maxime stomped forward, her steps heavy, her face like ice.
Hagrid hurried to her side, confused. “I don’t understand! Giant bloodline isn’t something shameful! Why—”
“Let me say it again!” Madam Maxime snapped, her voice rising. “I. Do. Not. Have. Giant. Bloodline. Don’t you dare associate me with such savage creatures!”
The sleeping sigil horses stirred, whinnying uneasily.
“Savage? You call the Giant bloodline savage?” Hagrid said, hurt and stunned. Then anger flared. “Are you insulting our heritage? Saying such things… you’re insulting yourself!”
Maxime trembled with rage, her breath sharp and rapid, her chest heaving.
“Rubeus Hagrid! Have you ever seen a Giant? Brutish, filthy, stupid, violent—just saying their names makes me feel sick! I’m not half-giant like you—I’m just… bigger-boned!”
Hagrid’s voice trembled. “You’d rather lie to yourself than face the truth? But I—”
“Enough!” Madam Maxime cut him off coldly. She turned and walked away.
Hagrid stood motionless, watching her go. Finally, he let out a heavy sigh and departed.
After a moment, Rolf peeked out, brushing hay from his clothes.
“They really fought hard, didn’t they? Why say things that hurt each other when you know it’ll hurt?”
The boy sighed sympathetically, completely unfazed by the word “half-giant” he’d overheard.
“Like the Whomping Willow,” Luna said softly.
“The Whomping Willow?” Rolf looked at her curiously.
She glanced at the distant tree. “It looks fierce on the outside, but its roots are tangled together underneath.”
Rolf understood. He smiled. “...Do you think so?”
“Of course,” Luna said, gently swaying her head, her voice drifting like mist. “They wound each other because they care. They’re just too clumsy to know how to say ‘I care about you’ properly, don’t you think?”
Her eyes drifted toward the haystack where Wade hid, and she whispered, just loud enough to be heard:
“Don’t you?”
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
