Chapter 723: The Golden Crucible
Chapter 723: The Golden Crucible
The moment the house-elf appeared, it immediately caught everyone's attention.
Most of the audience was confused, unsure why the organizers had brought a house-elf to the event. Only a handful of quick-witted individuals had guessed the reason for its presence.
Daniela, who had been on the brink of victory, stiffly turned her head towards Albert, the calm and collected boy who seemed to have anticipated this turn of events.
As expected, the judges intended to have the house-elf drink the Baruffio's Brain Elixir in front of everyone to test its effects.
If they couldn't test it on a wizard, a house-elf would have to do; it was essentially the same.
Albert frowned slightly as he watched the house-elf tremblingly take the vial, down its contents, and swallow with difficulty.
He would swear that the house-elf had no idea what it had just ingested.
It was simply obeying its master's orders, nothing more.
A judge asked anxiously, "How do you feel?"
Everyone held their breath, their eyes fixed on the pitiful house-elf.
Many were maliciously expecting it to clutch its head, fall to the ground, and wail in pain, but their "hopes" were not realized.
Nothing happened.
"Are you feeling any discomfort? Be honest."
"Kasa is fine, no discomfort," the house-elf replied anxiously.
"How do you feel after drinking the Brain Elixir? Do you notice any changes?" another judge asked, his brow furrowed as he doubted the potion's ineffectiveness.
"How do I feel? Kasa feels invigorated, my mind is sharp, and I've never felt better. It's incredible," the house-elf said, closing its eyes to sense the changes in its body.
It was over. It was truly over! At that moment, Daniela felt as if her vision had gone dark, as if the golden crucible she had believed to be within her grasp was now slipping away.
If the judges had announced Albert as the champion from the start, she wouldn't have felt this way. But to have victory snatched away like this was unbearable.
Not only her, but even Headmaster Castro-Bush's expression turned ugly.
Revenge! Bernard must have done this on purpose!
[Bernard, the president of the Extraordinary Potioneers' Association: It wasn't me. Don't spread baseless accusations, or I'll sue you for defamation.]
Not only did Daniela look upset, but Williams' face was as dark as the bottom of a pot. He would have preferred if Daniela had been declared the winner instead of that detestable British boy.
However, things did not bend to their will.
As for Fujii Hiroki, he seemed to be enjoying the show, having already missed his chance at the championship. He wasn't too concerned, just a little annoyed, and mentally blaming the judges for dragging things out.
As if to test everyone's patience, the judges did not immediately announce the results but waited quietly for a quarter of an hour to ensure that there were no side effects on the house-elf before declaring Albert the winner.
"Alright, without a doubt, our champion has been decided. Congratulations to Mr. Albert Anderson for winning the 99th Magic School Potions Championship."
The judges decided not to bother with giving Albert a score, lest another issue arise during the scoring process. Since the Brain Elixir had no side effects, it meant Albert had successfully brewed a perfect potion, and thus, the championship was rightfully his. This was the consensus among all the judges.
The sudden turn of events left everyone stunned.
Wasn't Albert supposed to have been eliminated?
How did he become the champion?
At that moment, many were bewildered.
Those who had been speaking ill of Albert moments ago now tightly pressed their lips together, pretending they hadn't been the ones badmouthing him earlier.
The person presenting the award to Albert was not President Bernard, as the president of the Extraordinary Potioneers' Association, who had been rebuked by Albert before, would not put himself in an embarrassing situation like this. Instead, the elderly gardener from the Magic Garden happily took on the task.
"Mr. Anderson, please come up here," the old gardener waved at Albert, signaling him to come up and receive his award.
By the way, the award stage was temporarily set up and looked very simple, but neither Albert nor the organizers minded.
Amidst the applause, Albert approached the judges, and the elderly gardener presented him with the golden crucible that symbolized his championship win, offering his congratulations.
Albert took the crucible and held it high for all to see, relishing in the cheers and blessings that followed.
To be honest, not many were sincere in their well-wishes.
But who cared? Certainly not Albert.
He was a little disappointed, though, as the crucible felt lighter than expected. It was clearly gold-plated, and he had been looking forward to experiencing the feel of a solid gold crucible for his potions.
"By the way, I've converted your prize money from the Magic School Potions Championship into Galleons," the old gardener said, handing Albert a heavy bag of coins.
Only then did Albert's mood truly brighten.
Under the complex gazes of those around him, Albert stepped down from the stage and approached Isabelle, handing her the golden crucible. With a smile, he said, "You deserve a share of this."
Isabelle seemed uninterested in the crucible and immediately passed it to Professor Slughorn standing beside her.
Then, in full view of everyone, she stepped forward and gave Albert a hug, sealing their victory with a passionate kiss, claiming her champion in front of the entire assembly.
The room fell into an unexpected silence, followed by a few wolf whistles and some nervous laughter.
After the conclusion of the Magic Potions Championship, many people approached Albert to offer their congratulations, conveniently forgetting their mocking words from just a quarter of an hour ago.
Several enthusiastic judges also struck up conversations with Albert, expressing their desire to stay in touch and exchange knowledge in the field of potions. They even left their names and addresses, adding to Albert's growing list of pen pals.
"Congratulations! I'm sure Headmaster Hoktok will be delighted," Damocles said with a smile. "And if you ever decide to get married, I'd be happy to officiate the ceremony."
"I'd be a more suitable choice, given my age," joked Professor Slughorn.
"No need," Albert replied softly. "We already have someone in mind."
The two men were left stunned, mouths agape. Their previous comments had been in jest, but they hadn't expected... For some reason, Damocles felt like he had been struck by a million tons of bricks.
"Headmaster Hoktok?"
"Or Dumbledore?"
Albert shook his head. "Neither."
"Then who?" Damocles asked, his curiosity piqued. "You're not just teasing us, are you?"
"It's Professor Nicolas Flamel," Albert whispered so that only they could hear. "He's like a mentor to me."
Their mouths hung open even wider, wide enough to fit their fists.
That evening, the Magic Garden hosted a farewell dinner at the pub, a grand celebration before everyone parted ways.
Attendees included representatives from all eight magic schools, and the spread was lavish, with a variety of delicious foods, snacks, desserts, and ample drinks. There was even space cleared for dancing.
Albert enjoyed himself immensely, not only because he had won the Magic Potions Championship but also because he had nearly completed all the tasks triggered by his visit to the Magic Garden.
Among them was the "Zygmunt Bach's Last Wish" task, which offered rewards almost comparable to the adventure of facing the Basilisk last semester.
The next day, after bidding each other farewell, everyone went their separate ways.
In the back of Albert's luggage, on the last page of the Book of Potions, was an inscription:
"The Book of Potions is a valuable legacy, having accompanied and witnessed an underage potioneer's journey to becoming the champion of the 99th Magic School Potions Championship. — Albert Anderson, Champion of the 99th Magic School Potions Championship."
Tucked within its pages was a photograph of Albert and Isabelle holding the golden crucible, with the closed Book of Potions on a table beside them.
(End of Chapter)
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