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Chapter 662: This is the True Spirit of the Triwizard Tournament, Isn't It?
Chapter 662: This is the True Spirit of the Triwizard Tournament, Isn't It?
After Dumbledore finished speaking, Crouch added his own thoughts.
"Indeed, the difficulty of the Triwizard Tournament is determined by the average skill level of the Champions. If we lower it any further, it would lose all challenge for the Hogwarts Master."
Their words only served to infuriate Maxime and Karkaroff further.
However, they couldn't really argue back, as all four Champions had faced the same Mermaid attacks, and everyone had been treated equally...
Moreover, Krum's unconsciousness at the hands of a group of Mermaids was due to his own recklessness. Both Fleur and Harry, who had similar encounters, managed to quickly escape the Mermaids' pursuit using their magic.
In contrast, Ivan's performance was particularly noteworthy.
Throughout his journey to the Mermaid Village, Ivan encountered no fewer troubles than the other Champions.
But whether it was the sudden appearance of Grindylows or the massive Giant Squid, Ivan always handled the situations calmly and efficiently, earning a great deal of praise and applause.
As a result, Karkaroff's face remained grim for the next few minutes.
Maxime was no better off, especially when she saw Fleur, after escaping the Mermaids, only to fall into a trap. Her face darkened with both anger and concern.
The happiest person on the field was undoubtedly Ludo Bagman. Watching Ivan overcome obstacle after obstacle while the other Champions struggled, he almost burst out laughing.
He could almost see the countless Galleons waving at him. Ludo Bagman even regretted not betting more when he had the chance.
Dumbledore was also in a good mood, but out of consideration for Karkaroff and the others, he didn't show his joy. Instead, he maintained a worried expression, as if deeply concerned about the Champions' well-being.
After this delay, Fleur's situation at the bottom of the lake had worsened.
Unable to free herself from the trap immediately, she was now entangled by the black water plants, which bound her hands and feet, making it impossible for her to escape. The more she struggled, the tighter the plants wrapped around her...
The students in the stands watched this scene with growing concern. Some young witches couldn't bear to look away from the cruel sight.
Maxime felt her heart clench. She set aside her pride and turned to Dumbledore, pleading:
"Headmaster Dumbledore, your Hogwarts has already won this round. Please, send the Aurors to retrieve our Beauxbatons Champion and the hostages."
"Also, Krum, you need to bring him up too!" Karkaroff quickly added.
Although Krum had been unconscious and carried on Harry's back since the Mermaid attack, his current state would undoubtedly be a humiliation for Durmstrang if he finished the task like this.
Karkaroff couldn't bear to think about how tomorrow's Daily Prophet would describe this competition. His only thought was to rush down and get this embarrassing situation over with immediately!
"No rush... Sending Aurors now could interfere with the other Champions' progress", Dumbledore shook his head, rejecting their proposal.
Maxime glared at Dumbledore, clearly frustrated.
In her view, Dumbledore was deliberately trying to make the Beauxbatons and Durmstrang Champions lose face.
After all, the competition had already turned into an internal struggle among the Hogwarts Champions, and Ivan had performed exceptionally well. The outcome was already clear, and sending Aurors to rescue the injured would not affect the match in any way.
"Please be patient, Madame Maxime. I have always believed that winning and losing are not the only aspects of this competition..." Dumbledore, well aware of Maxime's thoughts, tried to reassure her and gestured for her to look at the Crystal Ball on the far right.
Maxime scoffed at Dumbledore's rambling but followed his gesture and noticed that the situation on the field had changed.
Ivan, who had been leading and had already successfully rescued the hostages, had stopped to save the restrained Fleur. At Fleur's request, he was now hesitating about whether to return to save Gabrielle.
On the other side, Harry was stubbornly carrying Krum and continuing the competition. Even when they encountered a few Mermaids blocking their way, he had no intention of abandoning Krum.
"Isn't this the true spirit of the Triwizard Tournament?" Dumbledore looked at the scenes in the Crystal Ball and said with a sigh.
The original purpose of the Triwizard Tournament was to promote friendly exchanges among the three major European Magic schools. However, over time, the competition had gradually transformed into a ruthless battle for fame and victory, where anything goes.
Over the seven-hundred-year history of the tournament, there have been numerous instances of Champions "accidentally" killing their opponents during the competition.
Even the headmasters of the schools would resort to underhanded tactics to vie for the title of the top European Magic school, to the point where cheating became a tradition in the tournament.
The high death rate of the Triwizard Tournament is undeniably linked to this toxic atmosphere.
As a result, what was originally intended to foster better relations ended up deepening the rifts among the three Magic schools, leading to a breakdown in communication and growing tensions, which is truly regrettable.
Now, Ivan and Harry's acts of aiding their opponents during the competition were all the more commendable.
As they watched the scenes unfold in the Crystal Ball, Karkaroff and Maxime fell into a long silence.
"I think such a spirit of friendship should be maintained. What do you think?" Dumbledore turned to the two and asked.
"Alright, if the Triwizard Tournament is held again, Beauxbatons will consider participating", Maxime hesitated but finally agreed.
Karkaroff, however, was not as generous, sarcastically remarking, "That is, assuming Hogwarts doesn't suddenly produce two Champions again!"
Dumbledore was taken aback and then let out a bitter laugh. This was not a situation he had wanted either.
But Dumbledore knew that no matter how he explained it, Karkaroff and Maxime would not believe him.
"Alright, everyone, let's save the small talk for later! We should prepare for the Champions' return!" Crouch interjected, breaking the conversation among the three headmasters.
Dumbledore nodded and waved his wand to conjure several thick blankets and stretchers. He then instructed the Ravenclaw Prefect to call Madam Pomfrey from the tent, so she could tend to the injured Champions as soon as they returned.
(End of Chapter)
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