Chapter 886: The Boastful One
Chapter 886: The Boastful One
Albert and Isabel turned their heads towards the source of the voice and saw a group of uniquely dressed young men and women approaching them.
Yanira's gaze fell on Albert and Isabel's intertwined hands, and she looked the red-haired girl up and down, who, though not as beautiful as herself, was still a remarkable-looking young woman.
"Your friend?" Yanira asked, noticing the way Isabel was looking at her.
Isabel, instead of being annoyed, gently tilted her head towards her boyfriend, asking casually as if inquiring about a neighbor.
"A friend I met during the summer in Spain," Albert replied, sensing the strange atmosphere around them.
"Welcome to Hogwarts. I hope you'll make wonderful memories here," Isabel said, fixing her eyes on Yanira with a smile.
Yanira frowned slightly, feeling something amiss about the girl before her. Despite her smile, there was an unsettling sense of being seen through.
"Let's not block the way here. We might disturb other customers. It's a bit chilly, would you like to come inside for a drink?" Albert invited them into the pub.
Yanira readily followed Albert and Isabel into the bar, curious about the appearance of pubs in the UK, as her family owned a bar themselves.
"Let's go in as well," said Furong, displeased with Yanira's presumptuous behavior. However, she was curious to see Yanira in an awkward situation, so she signaled for the others to follow them into the pub.
Once inside the Three Broomsticks, Albert spotted several familiar faces—Fred, George, and Lee Jordan huddled together, whispering amongst themselves.
Cedric, upon noticing Albert, raised his drink in greeting.
The initially bustling pub gradually quieted down as the low murmurs of the girls ceased when they spotted Albert. Their gazes shifted to Isabel by Albert's side, and disappointment soon clouded their faces.
The attention of the crowd, however, was quickly drawn to the students of Beauxbatons who had just entered, especially Furong, whose arrival caused quite a stir. The boys in the pub began unconsciously straightening their appearances, and some even clumsily knocked over their drinks but continued to beam foolishly at Furong.
Yanira sat down next to Albert, while Furong pulled her sister, Gabrielle, to sit at Albert's table as well. The other Beauxbatons students could only stare from a distance, forced to sit at a table further away.
"What would you like to drink?" Albert asked, sensing the eerie atmosphere in the bar, feeling as if all eyes were on them.
"I'll have what you're having," Yanira said with a smile.
"And what about you two?" Albert asked the Delacour sisters.
Gabrielle, who had been curiously examining the pub, replied in a sweet voice, "I'll have the same as my sister and big brother here."
"Then, butterbeer it is," Albert confirmed.
As he stood up to head to the bar, he caught a glimpse of Fred, George, and Lee Jordan grinning mischievously at him.
"Are they all VIPs?" asked Madam Rosmerta, equally intrigued by the new faces.
"They are students from Beauxbatons Academy of Magic," Albert introduced them briefly.
Madam Rosmerta eyed the enchanting sisters and winked at Albert. "You sure have a wide range of friends."
"Five butterbeers, please," Albert said, ignoring her comment.
Suddenly, the sound of something dropping to the floor echoed through the bar, and it seemed someone had accidentally knocked over a glass.
Madam Rosmerta placed the five cups of warm butterbeer in front of Albert, her eyes scanning the mess on the floor. "Your charming friends have given me extra work."
"I apologize, Madam," Albert said helplessly. He paid for the drinks and, with a slight wave of his wand, made the five cups of butterbeer float alongside him.
"This is a sweet beer with a butterscotch flavor. I think you'll like it," Albert said, placing a cup in front of Gabrielle. He then distributed the remaining butterbeers to the others.
Gabrielle held the cup with both hands and took a small sip, smiling as she said, "It's delicious. Thank you, big brother."
"It's not bad, but I prefer fruit wine," Yanira commented after a small sip. "However, this is indeed more suitable for winter."
Furong, on the other hand, didn't touch her drink. She surveyed the Three Broomsticks with a critical eye and remarked, "I don't like small pubs like this. They're too cramped and the drinks are mediocre."
"You don't dislike small pubs; you dislike all pubs. Bars are more or less the same everywhere, with the only difference being their size. I'd wager that the Leaky Cauldron is one of the best in all of Europe, yet you still look down on it," Yanira retorted without holding back. "As far as I know, the wizarding streets of France don't boast any luxurious bars."
Furong huffed in displeasure, as she indeed disliked bars and the leering gazes that came with them.
A loud "click" sounded from a camera nearby, and everyone turned to see Rita Skeeter and her photographer companion, who was holding a large, expensive-looking black camera that was emitting a slight smoke.
Rita Skeeter scanned the pub and fixed her interested gaze on Albert's group, seemingly plotting to write another sensational article.
Before the plump photographer could snap another photo, he seemed to trip over something and fell to the ground with a cry, along with the camera, which now lay on the floor, its condition uncertain.
Scattered laughter filled the room, and it was clear that Rita Skeeter and her photographer, Bozo, were not well-liked here. The girls made no attempt to hide their schadenfreude.
"Journalists are always detestable. They often fabricate stories without a shred of decency," Yanira said, making no effort to hide her disdain. "I read her article, and it was mostly about that 'Boy-Who-Lived', Harry Potter, barely mentioning Albert's name and even misspelling Furong's."
Furong hmphed in agreement, expressing her dissatisfaction.
A commotion arose at the entrance as Rita Skeeter, who had been about to leave, bumped into someone she had been looking for.
Rita Skeeter reached out to grab Harry, hoping to interview him once more, but he skillfully dodged her, and in a strange turn of events, Rita Skeeter herself ended up on the floor in an undignified position.
The pub fell into an eerie silence before bursting into raucous laughter. The girls, who despised Rita Skeeter, openly mocked the woman they loathed.
"Be careful, the floor here seems slippery." Harry muttered, feigning ignorance of Rita Skeeter's fall as he stepped into the pub.
Some people, like Rita Skeeter, were best left ignored.
Hermione stole a glance at Harry from the corner of her eye, her eyebrows raised slightly, and a faint smile playing on her lips. She, too, disliked Rita Skeeter, a woman who had caused her no small amount of trouble with her recent fabrications in the newspaper.
It was clear that Rita Skeeter's intentions toward Harry were not benign.
However, Hermione wished Harry had handled the situation differently.
Albert, too, was surprised by Harry's actions, as he could tell that Rita Skeeter's fall was no accident but the result of a discreet spell cast by someone.
Albert never imagined that his earlier words would cause Harry Potter to let loose like this.
"Albert, are you ready?" Yanira's voice brought Albert's attention back to the present, "I remember your first event is on the 24th."
"I'm actually looking forward to what the first task will be." Albert said with a smile, "I wonder what surprises the Ministry of Magic has in store for us."
"Surprises?" Furong's voice rose slightly, "People have died in the Triwizard Tournament throughout history."
"That's normal, isn't it?"
"Normal?"
"No, I think you're the abnormal one." Furong looked at Albert with a strange gaze.
"The Triwizard Tournament tests the champions in various aspects, including magical ability, strengths, courage, theory, reasoning, and the ability to overcome dangers." Albert's tone suddenly paused, and he continued, "These are just nice-sounding words. Historically, this competition has been notorious, with each task said to be extremely challenging. If proper safety measures aren't in place, it's only natural for champions to lose their lives. Take the 1792 Triwizard Tournament, for instance, where the champions were tasked with capturing a Cockatrice. Do you think you could really capture and subdue such a creature without any preparation?"
"If there is any danger," Isabel said, holding Albert's hand, "I hope you will prioritize your safety above all else. Nothing else is more important."
"I think your worries are unnecessary. With Albert's abilities, he should be able to breeze through the first task." Yanira glanced at Furong and continued, "Everyone is predicting Albert will win, even Maxime thinks so."
"Isabel is referring to the risks inherent in this competition." Albert explained on Isabel's behalf. "What risks?" Furong asked, her tone odd, "Are there things about this competition that we don't know?"
"He's obviously referring to the fact that there are four champions." Yanira's mind was sharp, "I find it problematic that 'Harry Potter' is hailed as the Boy-Who-Lived. That title, I believe, implies something you all should be aware of."
Furong lifted her head to glance at Harry's seat, her eyes meeting Ron's, causing him to panic and knock over the butterbeer on the table.
"Potter is a fascinating person. Every year, he stirs up some trouble, and it's never a small matter. As for this year, I think you can guess what it is. He somehow ended up becoming the fourth champion."
"Isn't this all just a ploy by Hogwarts?" Furong sneered, "To increase their chances of winning?"
"And you actually believe that." Yanira looked at Furong as if she were an idiot.
"Cheating is quite common in competitions between schools, and it's a long-standing tradition in the Triwizard Tournament." Isabel took a sip of her butterbeer and lowered her voice, "So, don't take it too seriously. I'm sure Headmistress Maxime will find a way to help you cheat, and the Durmstrang Headmaster will do the same for their champion."
Furong was surprised to hear such words from someone else; she herself was reluctant to believe them as Headmistress Maxime had shown no intention of helping her cheat thus far.
"Don't be shocked. When I participated in the Magic School Potion Competition with Isabel, everyone was cheating. The whole competition was a joke." Albert didn't hide his contempt, "So, don't worry too much about the Triwizard Tournament. The so-called honor is a joke, and your safety is far more important, especially in this unusual tournament with Potter's involvement. I'm certain something will happen during the tasks."
"So, are you saying that no one stands a chance against you in the Triwizard Tournament?" Furong disliked the feeling this conversation evoked.
"I've never said that." Albert shrugged.
"Big brother, can you catch a fire dragon?" Gabelli asked curiously.
"I've never tried." Albert thought for a moment, "But if I seize the opportunity, it shouldn't be a problem. The only tricky part is that fire dragons can fly, and once they take to the skies, you'd have to bring them down."
"Can you really do it?" Gabelli asked, full of admiration.
"Don't be silly, Gabelli. He's just boasting." Furong knew how formidable fire dragons were, "As far as I know, ancient magic permeates their thick hides, and only the most powerful curses can pierce and harm them."
"Magic might be troublesome, but physical methods can be used." Albert said, "And they all have their weaknesses. If you target those weaknesses, it's quite easy to inflict severe damage."
"What's the weakness of a fire dragon?" Gabelli asked curiously.
"Their eyelids are fragile." Albert said.
"You're all talk." Furong scoffed, admitting that Albert was powerful but not convinced he could single-handedly fight a fire dragon, let alone subdue one. Even dragon tamers usually required a team of seven or eight wizards to take down a single dragon.
"I believe you're not boasting. I believe you can subdue a fire dragon." Yanira said softly.
"You always have a way with the ladies." Isabel smiled, "Looks like I'm quite the lucky girl."
"Ahem, it's not you who's lucky, it's me." Albert forcibly changed the topic, turning to the other girls at the table, "We have some things to take care of, so we'll take our leave. See you later."
"I hate that hypocritical woman." After Albert and Isabel left, Yanira muttered under her breath.
"You're one to talk." Furong retorted, "Give up. Their relationship has always been good, and you have no chance."
(End of Chapter)
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