Chapter 870: Astonishment
Chapter 870: Astonishment
Albert weaved through the bustling students and entered the Great Hall, taking a seat at the long Gryffindor table.
At this time, many seats in the Great Hall remained vacant as a large crowd of students jammed the entrance, awaiting Krum's autograph. Mr. Quidditch star was also feeling rather annoyed as he realized that the Hogwarts students seemed to know of his arrival in advance and had prepared quills and parchment for his signature.
Krum had actually wanted to refuse, but in the end, he signed autographs for the enthusiastic group of girls one by one until Demelza finally chose to sit down at the Slytherin table, freeing him from his fervent fans.
Unlike Durmstrang, the students from Beauxbatons did not face this problem. They chose to sit at the Ravenclaw table, and Albert thought this might have something to do with the banner hanging above the Ravenclaw long table. Undoubtedly, Beauxbatons favored the color blue, which was evident from their carriage and crest.
"Look at Professor McGonagall's expression!" Shan Na gestured for Albert to look at the staff table.
At that moment, Professor McGonagall's face was somewhat gloomy. The behavior of the Hogwarts students, clamoring for Krum's autograph, had put her in an awkward position, and the other professors' faces were also somewhat uncomfortable.
Only Headmaster Dumbledore remained unaffected, still smiling and chatting with Madame Maxime, who sat to his left.
"I got Krum's autograph!" Lee Jordan announced excitedly to everyone after taking a seat next to Albert.
"I'm surprised you managed to get Krum's autograph with all those girls crowding around him," Fred said irritably. Both he and George had been blocked by the group of girls and had missed their chance to get Krum's autograph right away.
"Don't worry, Krum will be staying at Hogwarts for a long time yet. You'll have plenty of opportunities to get his autograph," Albert reassured him casually.
After all the students were seated, the welcome feast officially began. Following tradition, Professor Dumbledore would give a brief speech.
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, ghosts, and—guests," Dumbledore stood up from his seat at the staff table, and the buzz of conversation in the Great Hall gradually quieted. "Welcome to Hogwarts. I hope and expect that you will all enjoy your stay here."
"The Triwizard Tournament will officially begin after this feast," Dumbledore said, raising his goblet to the students. "Now, let us eat and drink to our content, as if we were in our own homes!"
As he finished speaking, their plates were filled with food as usual, but there was a greater variety, including delicacies from other countries, mainly France and Italy. Ever since the house-elf, Dobby, had joined the Hogwarts kitchen, numerous new recipes had been added to the menu.
"If I were you, I'd try those new dishes," Albert said, pointing to the newly added dishes.
"Are they tasty?"
Fred poured himself a bowl of French bouillabaisse, imitating Albert. Most people had an aversion to unfamiliar food.
"The new dishes are undoubtedly prepared for our foreign guests. I dare say they must not be used to the food at Hogwarts," Albert said, and he wasn't wrong, especially when it came to the students from Beauxbatons. Some of the Hogwarts fare was simply indescribable.
"Why?" Aria asked, puzzled.
"There are several renowned culinary nations in the world, and France is one of them. Naturally, their standards for food will be higher if they come from such a country," Albert explained.
"Actually, I'm more curious about how the house-elves in Hogwarts know how to make Italian pizza?" Shan Na asked, reaching for a slice of cheese-laden Italian pizza after finishing her bouillabaisse.
"Hmm, I gave some recipes to the house-elves in the kitchen last time," Albert admitted.
Pizza was something you would never find at Hogwarts, and Albert suspected that his house-elf had shared the recipes he'd learned with the Hogwarts house-elves.
"I think it's because you wanted to eat pizza, so you gave the recipes to the house-elves in the kitchen as a Christmas gift," George interjected. In fact, they had tasted pizza and Italian seafood pasta made by the house-elves before—all courtesy of Albert's midnight snacks—and their weights had increased slightly as a result.
"That sounds like something you would do," Shan Na said, not finding it strange at all. Perhaps because they both came from Muggle families, their perspectives differed from those of wizards born into the magical world.
"I agree, these foreign dishes are quite delicious."
Before long, the foreign dishes were devoured, and even the last slice of pizza disappeared into Lee Jordan's stomach. In contrast, many of the usual Hogwarts dishes were left untouched.
"Look over there, that girl seems to be heading this way," Lee Jordan nudged Albert with his elbow, signaling him to look at the approaching beauty.
"She's really coming this way. I bet she knows Albert," Fred and George exclaimed, their eyes widening in astonishment.
As Albert looked up, he saw a beautiful silver-haired girl walking towards them from a short distance away. She stopped in front of him and spoke fluently in French, "Are you finished with this bouillabaisse?"
Albert glanced around and pushed the plate towards her, "Welcome to Hogwarts."
"She's so beautiful."
"There aren't any girls as beautiful as her at Hogwarts!"
The surrounding girls were clearly irritated by the previous comments, and they retorted unceremoniously, "You just stand there gawking like a bunch of idiots. It's ridiculous."
As the silver-haired girl walked by, many boys indeed turned their heads to stare at her dumbly. However, to the relief of the other girls, Albert seemed immune to her allure and was not attracted by her appearance.
"You know her," Aria asked curiously.
"I've seen her before, but we're not close," Albert replied, then added, "Her name is Furong Delacour. I heard she's an excellent witch, and I suspect she might be Beauxbatons' champion."
"I'm surprised you have such a high opinion of her," Angelina said, a little displeased. The girls did not take a liking to the beautiful woman.
"I think she was trying to seduce you just now," Shan Na suddenly said.
"You're overthinking it. She's met Isabelle before and knows I have a girlfriend," Albert shrugged. "Besides, even if she were trying to seduce me, it wouldn't work."
"Your social circle is certainly diverse." Fred said ruefully, "Those two American girls from the last Quidditch World Cup were also incredibly beautiful."
"I got to know them at the Potion Brewing Competition. One of them is Isabelle's pen pal, the kind with a good relationship." Albert noticed that the dessert had arrived.
"What's this?" George pointed at the white milk jelly and conveniently changed the topic for Albert.
"It should be Italian panna cotta." Albert noticed that there were quite a few sweets on the table.
"Which one tastes better?" The girls were all very interested in the foreign desserts.
"I personally recommend the French creme brulee." Albert served himself some creme brulee and took a bite before introducing it, "It tastes a bit like caramel pudding, but the texture is richer. Of course, the Italian panna cotta is also excellent."
After finishing the sweets, everyone turned their attention to Dumbledore, and a mix of excitement and tension filled the Great Hall.
When the food in the golden plates completely disappeared, the feast officially came to an end.
Dumbledore stood up again amidst everyone's expectant gazes. He first introduced the guests on the staff table, Barty Crouch, Head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation at the Ministry of Magic, and Ludo Bagman, Head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports, and announced that they, along with the three headmasters, would form the judging panel for the Triwizard Tournament.
Barty Crouch didn't look well, appearing weary and undoubtedly still suffering from the after-effects of long-term Imperius Curse control. Ludo Bagman also managed a forced smile, as the goblins had found his temporary residence last month when he failed to repay his debts on time, and the salary he had just received a few days ago was also taken by the goblins.
"I think this judging panel is unreliable. Dumbledore might be able to maintain fairness and impartiality, but the other school headmasters will definitely favor their own contestants," Shan Na expressed her doubts about the panel's ability to remain unbiased.
"That's also a tradition of the Triwizard Tournament." Albert was not surprised by this outcome.
Just as the two were chatting, Filch, who had been hiding somewhere, placed a large wooden box adorned with jewels in front of Dumbledore.
Everyone's gaze soon fell on the crude wooden goblet in Dumbledore's hands, and they held their breath, not wanting to miss a single word that Dumbledore would say next.
"Every student who wishes to compete as a champion must write his or her name and school on a piece of parchment and drop it into the Goblet of Fire." Dumbledore pointed to the goblet in front of him and explained how one could become a champion.
Staring at the wooden cup in front of them, which was burning with blue and white flames, the students began to whisper among themselves.
"Tonight, I will place the Goblet of Fire in the entrance hall. Any student who wishes to participate can drop their name into it. Remember, if you want to be a champion, you must submit your name within twenty-four hours." Dumbledore raised his hand to quieten the hall, "Tomorrow evening, on Halloween, the Goblet of Fire will select the three school champions."
Dumbledore waited for the Great Hall to quieten down before continuing, "Finally, there are two things you must note: First, I will set an age line that underage wizards cannot cross."
"Second, once you are chosen by the Goblet of Fire as a champion, you must see the competition through to the end." Dumbledore became very solemn, "You may consider that even if you lose a leg during the competition, you must still participate in all the events with a crutch. You are surely aware of why the Triwizard Tournament was discontinued in the past. Although we have taken safety measures, the events are challenging, and injuries may sometimes be unavoidable."
After Dumbledore finished speaking, Ludo Bagman beside him frowned, and Professor McGonagall glared at him.
"This is not a joke, everyone must think carefully and not participate rashly. Because when you drop your name into the Goblet of Fire, you will form a magical contract that must be obeyed, and breaking a magical contract comes at a cost. Don't ask me what the cost is, I can only say that no champion can afford to break a magical contract."
In fact, this statement was inspired by something Albert had said earlier, and he was well aware that sometimes, the more you forbid them, the more students would rack their brains to find a way to participate.
These words were indeed cruel to the students, but sometimes, it was better to lay things out clearly to avoid future troubles.
"Well, good night, everyone."
Everyone stared at Dumbledore in disbelief, finding it hard to imagine that their headmaster had just said those harsh words.
A buzz of discussion immediately filled the Great Hall, and Dumbledore's words made many adventurous students think twice.
"Are you going to sign up now?"
Fred took out a quill and a piece of parchment from his pocket and handed them to Albert.
"No need to rush." Albert glanced at Moody and smiled, "We can sign up during breakfast tomorrow."
He really wanted to sign up now and turn Barty Jr.'s previous preparations into a joke, but that would be too boring.
Noticing Fred's actions, Moody's heart sank.
If Albert were to sign up on the spot, he would have no way to stop him, and all his previous plans would become a laughing stock.
When Albert and his three roommates left the Great Hall, they saw Katrina waiting for him at the entrance.
"What's up?" Albert asked rhetorically.
"Yes, can you come with me for a moment? Isabelle has something for you." Katrina turned and walked towards a secluded area.
"You guys head back first." Albert knew that this was a trap set by Peter and Barty Jr., but he wouldn't let Katrina be controlled by the Imperius Curse, and he was curious about what kind of trap they had prepared for him.
Albert followed Katrina to a secluded area, where she took out a small, rectangular box from her pocket.
"What is this?" Albert asked suspiciously.
"I don't know." Katrina shook her head, "Isabelle asked me to give this to you. She said it's a surprise for you."
"A surprise?" Albert looked up at Katrina, who was bound by the Full Body-Bind Curse, and murmured, "Are you trying to use the Imperius Curse on me?"
He glanced at the box in his hand and opened it to find a small bottle inside, containing tea, but...
"Use the Imperius Curse on me, then have me drink tea laced with a Love Potion?" Albert thought Peter's plan was quite clever; if the Love Potion was strong enough, it could make him disappear for a whole day, perfectly missing the Triwizard Tournament selection.
"Now, what should I do?" Albert suddenly felt a headache coming on as he contemplated how to wrap things up. He knew he had to pretend to go missing, but where did Peter plan to hide them? So, Albert came up with a lousy idea—he would modify Katrina's memory using a Memory Charm, making her believe that she had already drunk the Love Potion.
To prevent any mishaps, Albert quietly confiscated Katrina's wand and replaced it with a fake one. Only then did he release her from the Full Body-Bind Curse.
"I like you; let's go on a date, okay?" Katrina hesitated for a few seconds, then reached out to hug Albert's arm and leaned her head on him.
"Sure, where do you want to go?" Albert said gently.
"There's a great place for couples to date on the eighth floor." Without hesitation, Katrina led Albert straight to the eighth floor, heading directly for the Room of Requirement.
"Did Peter sneak a peek at Katrina's memories?" Albert frowned, worried that Peter might be hiding in the Room of Requirement, and if they walked into an ambush, things would get tricky.
"I know how to use this room, let me try." Albert took the initiative and attempted to enter the Room of Requirement, only breathing a sigh of relief when he confirmed that no one was inside.
As soon as the two of them entered the room, Katrina started getting close to Albert again, and anyone who didn't know better would think that the one under the Love Potion's influence was her, not Albert.
However, one thing was certain: Peter and Barty Jr. had not only used the Imperius Curse on Katrina but had also modified some of her memories, causing her to be utterly infatuated with him. Otherwise, Katrina would never have acted the way she did.
"If Isabelle finds out, she'll go crazy." Albert had just raised his wand, preparing to try and help Katrina break free from the Imperius Curse, when the girl pounced on him, pinning him to the sofa and straddling him. "Break up with Isabelle, okay? I can be your girlfriend. Whatever Isabelle can do for you, I can do the same."
Albert quickly used the Full Body-Bind Curse to restrain Katrina again, preventing the situation from spiraling out of control. He struggled to get up and began searching through his bag for the potent Restorative Potion he had brewed some time ago. After releasing Katrina from the Full Body-Bind Curse, he forced her to drink a large cup of the potion and then cast several powerful dispelling charms on her.
Albert saw that his test had worked, and Katrina shook her head in confusion, seemingly trying to break free from the Imperius Curse's influence.
"Are you okay?"
Albert poured another cup of the Restorative Potion for Katrina and, after she drank it, tried several more potent dispelling charms. Finally, Katrina broke free from the Imperius Curse and returned to normal.
"I... what am I doing here?" Katrina was still a bit dazed as her memory returned, but she seemed to recall something, and her ears turned red as she curled up, burying her head in her knees, ashamed to face Albert.
"Looks like you've shaken off the Imperius Curse."
Albert breathed a sigh of relief, figuring that Peter hadn't intended to use the Imperius Curse to control Katrina long-term; otherwise, she wouldn't have broken free so easily.
"It's not your fault. I'm the one who should apologize." Albert reached out and gently stroked Katrina's head, comforting her.
"Don't tell Isabelle!" Katrina suddenly lifted her head, her eyes red and filled with tears.
"I'll keep it a secret, I promise." Albert assured her, "It's my fault for dragging you into this. That person used the Imperius Curse on you to keep me from participating in the Triwizard Tournament."
"To keep you from participating?" Katrina was confused and didn't understand what Albert was talking about.
"Using a Love Potion. That way, no one would find anything amiss. Obviously, they don't want to alert Dumbledore. To that end, they also modified some of your memories, making you fall madly in love with me, which would make it reasonable for you to use a Love Potion on me." Albert explained patiently.
"But... why stop you from competing, and also..." Katrina took the handkerchief Albert offered and wiped her eyes before asking, "Do you know who used the Imperius Curse on me?"
"Professor Moody, although there's no evidence, I believe it's him."
"Professor Moody, why would he do that? Doesn't he want you to win the Triwizard Tournament for Hogwarts?"
"His target is definitely not me; I think he wants someone else to win, probably Harry. We'll know for sure tomorrow if Harry becomes a champion." Albert poured another cup of potion for Katrina.
"What is this?"
"It's a calming draught to stabilize your emotions." Albert explained, "I need to check your memory and restore the parts that have been tampered with. Isabelle should do this, as she's an expert in this field. However, I think you probably don't want her to know about this."
"Is there really a way to make someone like another person more?" Katrina asked, perplexed.
"Yes, by implanting false memories." Albert nodded, "Later, I'll teach you the Mind-Closing Spell."
"What will you do if it turns out that Professor Moody did this?" Katrina asked through gritted teeth.
"First, we need to figure out what that guy's goal is. To be honest, I suspect that the current Professor Moody is an imposter, possibly a Death Eater in disguise. His motive for infiltrating Hogwarts is likely to harm Harry." Albert shared his suspicions with Katrina, "If you're willing, we can send him to Azkaban or modify his memory and turn him into a fool like Lockhart."
"I think a permanent bed at St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries would suit him better than a cell in Azkaban." Katrina's eyes flashed with hatred, and tears of resentment shone in them. If it weren't for Albert... she didn't know how she would have faced him or what she would have done.
(End of Chapter)
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