Chapter 721: Awakening
Wade woke up.
In a daze, consciousness slowly returned. He felt as though he’d just emerged from a long, endless dream. Even now, his eyelids were heavy, like leaden weights, and fragmented memories of that dream churned like debris in the depths of his mind.
The scattered, surreal images had left him utterly drained—so much so that he almost didn’t want to wake up.
Faint, hushed voices reached his ears:
“Still not awake?” Ferdinand’s voice was hoarse.
A soft rustling of fabric followed. Fiona’s reply came so gently it was barely more than a sigh: “No.”
“You go rest. I’ll stay.” Ferdinand said.
Wade felt the bed dip slightly—someone had sat beside him.
“I’ll stay too… I’m not tired yet.” Fiona’s cool fingertips brushed lightly against the hair on Wade’s forehead.
Finally, Wade struggled to open his eyes, surfacing from the deep sea of unconsciousness like a swimmer breaking through the water’s surface. His parents’ faces slowly came into focus.
Ferdinand’s jaw bore a patch of stubble. He turned to retrieve a water cup from the cabinet, but it was Fiona—eyes red-rimmed—who noticed first. She gasped, hand flying to her mouth.
Ferdinand spun around, the cup trembling in his grip. He nearly dropped it.
He steadied himself, then reached out with the cup, paused, set it down, and instead ruffled Wade’s hair.
“Finally awake… you little rascal!” His voice cracked with relief. “You’ve been asleep for ages!”
The tone was scolding—almost playful—but it was as if Wade hadn’t just run headfirst into the most dangerous Dark Lord in the Wizarding World, drained his power to the point of collapse, but had merely taken an ordinary, lazy nap.
Fiona gripped his hand tightly, her eyes wide with concern. “How do you feel? Any pain? Are you hungry?”
“I’m fine. Really.” Wade’s voice was rough from sleep. He touched his throat, then glanced at his hands. His body had fully recovered—no longer that of a child.
“Did Dumbledore turn me back?” Wade asked, pushing himself up with a hand on the edge of the bed.
“Yeah,” Ferdinand said, still tense, reaching out to steady him. “Thank Merlin Harry Potter brought back that water kettle. They were worried you’d be over-transformed. They debated for ages before starting the process. Lucky it worked out.”
He paused, then added with a wry smile: “Though… six-year-old Wade was adorable.”
Fiona’s tone carried a hint of regret. Then, cautiously: “Wade… do you remember everything that happened?”
Wade nodded. “Of course. I remember… after I lost consciousness, Professor Dumbledore must’ve arrived on the scene. What happened after that?”
“The Wizard Purity Party all left,” Ferdinand said. “But every Death Eater present was captured. Rumor has it they’ll spend the rest of their lives in that terrifying prison—Azkaban.”
“It’s already been reported,” Fiona said, rising and quickly flipping through a stack of newspapers. She handed one to Wade, then rushed to pour him water. “Here—take a look.”
Ferdinand stood. “You read it first. I’ll go get Madam Pomfrey. She said she wanted to run another check once you woke up.”
He closed the ward door behind him.
Wade’s gaze swept over the front page headline:
“The Dark Lord’s Resurrection Backfires—Minister Fudge Announces Resignation”
The article recounted the live broadcast in detail. Since the audience had witnessed everything, the journalists didn’t embellish or speculate. They simply ended with a quiet jab at Cornelius Fudge’s sudden resignation, contrasting him with the previous, bolder and more open-minded Minister, Mileson Bagnor.
On the second page, Wade found the results of the Magic School League.
Because he’d carried a large number of Magic Puppets during the Tournament, some referees had argued he should be disqualified. But most agreed: the circumstances were justified. The Tournament rules clearly stated that the Champion was the one who first touched the Triwizard Cup. And before that moment, Wade Gray’s actions had been entirely within the rules.
As for what happened afterward—that was an “unexpected incident,” outside the scope of the Tournament itself. It couldn’t be used to invalidate the rules or the outcome.
In the end, Wade Gray and Harry Potter were declared co-champions, sharing the 3,000-galleon prize.
But due to everything that had happened, the official award ceremony was canceled. The Ministry only published the final result in the newspaper.
During the days Wade had been unconscious, the other school champions had healed and returned with their professors. As for Clementine, the one who’d touched the trophy later, she was found severely injured—but alive. She’d been rushed to St. Mungo’s the same day.
“Oh,” Fiona said softly, noticing Wade’s expression as he read that part. “That girl, Natalia… she left you a letter. She says you’re welcome to visit Kodostoriz anytime.”
“And Digory, Krum, Wiven—those kids… even though they were reluctant, they still said thanks for eliminating them.”
Wade frowned, puzzled. “But… nothing about how the Ministry plans to handle Voldemort from now on?” he asked. “No Defense strategy? No Safety Plan? No warning system for detecting Dark Magic? No instructions to report suspicious situations at home?”
Fiona blinked, confused. “Do we need to? The Death Eaters are all captured. The Dark Lord is dead again… your plan was risky, sure, but it worked. The Wizarding World’s peace is preserved. Life at home shouldn’t have to change, should it?”
Her voice trailed off. She looked at Wade, small and uncertain. “Did I say something wrong?”
“No,” Wade said softly, lowering his eyes. He folded the newspaper neatly. Then he smiled. “No, you’re right. But… any chance there’s something to eat? I’m starving.”
Fiona laughed, relief washing over her. “Of course! I’ve had it ready for ages. Sandwich or pizza?”
Before Wade could answer, the door burst open again.
Ferdinand stepped in, followed by Madam Pomfrey and Dumbledore—behind them, a crowd of people spilled into the room.
“Don’t panic, ladies and gentlemen,” Madam Pomfrey said, striding in with quick, purposeful steps. She turned back toward the entrance. “Don’t disturb the patient. Let me examine him first. And you, Albus—wait your turn!”
Dumbledore stopped mid-step, smiling warmly at Wade from a distance.
Wade couldn’t help but laugh. For the first time in days, his heart felt light.
(End of Chapter)
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