Chapter 953: Inflated Ego
Chapter 953: Inflated Ego
There were only two weeks left until the third task of the Triwizard Tournament.
As one of the four champions, Harry Potter had yet to feel any pressure from the upcoming challenge.
After all, he wasn't vying for the tournament championship, his goal was simply to survive the third task. However, without sensing the crisis that Albert had mentioned, he naturally didn't feel any sense of urgency.
On the contrary, after undergoing rigorous training with Sirius and Professor Lupin, his abilities had improved at an astonishing rate, fueling his ego.
The growth in his powers made Harry increasingly confident. He felt more prepared for this task than he had for the previous two, and he was determined to successfully navigate the maze.
Having just bid Hagrid farewell, Harry stepped into the entrance hall and turned to Hermione and Ron by his side. "I've never felt as ready as I do now," he declared.
Despite knowing that the third task would undoubtedly be fraught with challenges, Harry had successfully navigated Professor Moody's tests involving large creatures and magical obstacles in the past two months. Moreover, he had received advance notice this time and was well-prepared.
"Harry," Hermione said, her brow furrowed as she sensed an impending disaster. "You promised Sirius you wouldn't do anything reckless."
"I won't," Harry assured her, almost patting his chest.
"Do you have the skills of Sirius and Professor Lupin?" Hermione asked suddenly.
"What?" Harry asked, his mouth agape.
"You should be thinking about how to safely get through the maze," Hermione advised, choosing to be concise to avoid sounding nagging.
It was undoubtedly a bad sign that Harry's strength had gradually increased over the past few months, causing him to selectively forget the hidden dangers.
Hermione intended to write a letter to Sirius in her spare time, asking him to remind Harry of the potential risks. That would be far more effective than her nagging him here.
If Harry's ego was left unchecked, Hermione had no doubt that he would try to compete for the championship of the Triwizard Tournament and even attempt to challenge Albert.
Men were creatures who rarely admitted defeat, especially when they possessed power. They would always strive to challenge and surpass others.
After all, what if they succeeded? How could they be convinced otherwise if they didn't even try? But would such an endeavor truly hold any meaning?
The vast gulf between the two competitors was something Harry might not have noticed, but Hermione certainly had.
She never believed that Albert would relinquish the championship in the Triwizard Tournament. Just like the previous two tasks, she expected him to emerge as the flawless and invincible winner.
To that end, Albert hadn't slackened in his preparations. She had seen the map of the maze in his possession not long ago.
Yes, a map of the maze.
Although she didn't know how he had obtained it, it certainly resembled the layout of the maze for the third task.
"Winning the championship isn't as important as staying alive," Albert had said, foreseeing the impending danger and preparing accordingly.
However, Harry had never taken this matter seriously.
"Harry Potter is a lucky guy," Albert had once remarked. "Consider all that he's been through, and you'll understand just how lucky he is. Even when the other champions died, he managed to survive. That's why I believe he's the savior. Without this luck, how could he possibly become the savior? Is it solely because of his bravery, wit, fearlessness, and hatred for Voldemort?"
Hermione sighed as she recalled Albert's assessment of Harry. She could only hope that Harry's luck would continue to hold.
After all, he was the one who had miraculously survived the effects of the Stunning Spell against the Killing Curse and the Disarming Charm against another Killing Curse.
Upon returning to the common room, Hermione immediately penned a letter to Sirius, alerting him to Harry's inflated ego.
Then, she headed to the library with her books and notes to revise for the upcoming end-of-term exams.
With the academic year drawing to a close, she should have been spending more time revising. However, a significant portion of her energy had been devoted to helping Harry prepare, leaving her with less time for her own studies.
Harry didn't have to worry about end-of-term exams, but Hermione and Ron certainly did.
"Aren't you coming to the library?" Hermione asked, looking puzzled as she stood in the dormitory doorway with her books and notes. Ron, who was sitting on the sofa chatting with Harry, shook his head. "Not today, I'm exhausted. I'll revise tomorrow; there's still some time left."
"If you want to become an Auror, you'll need to pass at least five N.E.W.T. subjects: Potions, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration, Herbology, and Charms, and you can't get a grade lower than 'E' in any of them," Hermione informed him. She believed that if Ron didn't start putting in the effort now, his dream of becoming an Auror alongside Harry was nothing but a pipe dream. They wouldn't even come close to meeting the requirements.
In the novel's conclusion, Harry and Ron became Aurors, most likely due to Kingsley, a member of the Order of the Phoenix, becoming the Minister of Magic and secretly pulling some strings for them. After all, both Harry and Ron had made significant contributions to the fight against Voldemort, and no one would question their qualifications.
One could even speculate maliciously that they didn't take the seventh-year exams out of concern for their poor grades.
A dismal performance on the exams would reflect badly on them, but by not taking the exams, there would be no record of their academic achievements. Harry's O.W.L.S. results weren't too terrible, so they could at least save face in that regard.
Ron's cheeks flushed with anger as he glared at Hermione's retreating figure. He had indeed harbored thoughts of becoming an Auror alongside Harry, but Hermione's harsh words stung deeply. Achieving a grade of 'E' or higher in five N.E.W.T. subjects was no easy feat, and Ron knew he shouldn't assume it would be as effortless as Percy had made it seem when he graduated from Hogwarts with outstanding grades.
"Now, what did we just hear?"
"Ronnie wants to be an Auror?"
The Weasley twins, Fred and George, stared at Ron, their grins wicked.
"Mind your own business," Ron snapped at the pair, who were notorious for their unpleasant personalities.
"Sorry, but we've seen the process and training requirements for becoming an Auror," Fred said, sizing Ron up. "It's pretty much impossible for you, so I suggest you give up and stop struggling in vain."
"Where did you see that?" Harry asked, curious.
"Albert got his hands on it; he said it's not that hard to get if you have some connections," Fred replied, impressed. "I must say, the Auror training is quite rigorous."
"Does Anderson also want to be an Auror?" Harry asked, finding it hard to believe that Anderson would aspire to such a path.
"No way!" the twins exclaimed in unison. "The probability of that happening is lower than Ron owning a spider pet."
"Shut up, and don't call me that!" Ron glared at Fred and George, irritated.
"What's wrong with being an Auror?" Harry asked, perplexed. He himself found the idea of becoming an Auror and fighting Dark Wizards appealing.
"It's not a bad profession, but it's dangerous," George said, glancing at Ron. "And it's extremely challenging to become an Auror. Ron's mediocre grades basically dash any hope of that, and if Harry wants to pursue that path, he'll need to work much harder, especially in Potions. Snape only accepts students with 'Outstanding' grades in their O.W.L.S."
Harry fell silent, thinking of his own dismal performance in Potions.
(End of Chapter)
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