Nowadays, the wizarding village of Hogsmeade was livelier than ever on weekends. Whenever students were allowed to leave the castle, vendors from all over would flock to this tiny village.
Since it was an entirely wizard-inhabited area, Apparition wasn't restricted.
As Wade walked down the street, he occasionally saw peddlers with carts dropping straight out of the sky. Before they had even found their footing, the magical loudspeakers were already blaring out their sales pitches.
Just like at the Quidditch World Cup campsite, the open fields around the village were filled with tents. As the spring breeze drifted by, the wind chimes hanging from the tent flaps jingled softly.
On some of those tents, Wade saw slowly rotating "holographic projections" of Viktor Krum, Harry Potter, Natalia Petrov… and of course, himself.
In fact, "Wade Grey's" projections practically dominated half the campsite — and two-thirds of those were depictions of his mermaid form.
"Look at that," Michael elbowed Wade and grinned teasingly. "You're a big celebrity now, Wade!"
Wade rolled his eyes wordlessly and patted the badge on his chest to make sure it was still there before letting out a small sigh of relief.
Hogwarts was like a closed ivory tower, keeping all the conflicts, rivalries, and noisy ambitions outside its walls. Inside, students could study and live in peace.
Even with the ongoing Eleven-School Tournament and the influx of visiting students, things had quickly settled down after the initial curiosity and excitement faded.
None of Hogwarts' three champions were the showy type. After the second task ended, Harry and Cedric had been surrounded by their housemates for a while, but Wade — who made a point of coming and going early and late — managed to avoid attention for a week.
Eventually, those who wanted to talk to him about the task lost interest, and everything returned to normal, as if nothing had changed.
But once they stepped outside the school, the scale of the wave stirred up by the two matches became immediately clear.
The entire competition had been broadcast live; every detail played out before millions of spectators. Every flicker of magic, every perfectly timed spell — nothing was hidden from the world's eyes.
No pretense. No luck. Strength was the only language that mattered.
Naturally, the audience's enthusiasm for the tournament soared. After the first task, Christmas and the cold winter kept people indoors, so their passion hadn't fully shown.
But now, with the second task over and the weather warming, many people seized the opportunity of a Hogsmeade weekend to "chase stars."
Reporters from various tabloids roamed about with cameras, eyes sharp as hawks, tracking every young witch or wizard in the crowd.
Krum, apparently unaware of how much his fame had grown, had walked out carelessly and was now completely surrounded — unable to move an inch, his face began to grow darker by the second.
"Make way! I've got an appointment — move aside!"
He tried angrily to push the crowd back.
But that only excited the reporters more. "An appointment? Is it with a girl? Mr. Krum, did you perhaps meet someone special during the tournament? Would you like to tell us about her?"
Krum looked ready to explode — but his ears had quietly turned red.
"Hey! What are you lot doing crowding students like that? Dumbledore never gave you permission for this!"
Hagrid barreled through the crowd like a tank, scattering the reporters in seconds and rescuing the beleaguered Krum.
Even some of the eliminated champions drew attention — especially Fleur, who remained a favorite target for the cameras. Though she didn't look pleased, people were desperate to capture even her angry expression.
And of course, many others were single-mindedly searching for Wade — not just reporters, but also his freshly minted fans.
Compared to the other champions in the tournament, the audience seemed to recognize Wade's strength even more. He noticed that many foreign wizards had hung his portrait on their tents, or wore tiny figurines of him hanging from their belts.
Those little wooden carvings could even walk around and wave their wands gracefully.
— Who turned my image into a figurine?!
Just as anger and embarrassment welled up inside him, a faint voice seemed to echo by his ear:
"We might need to use your image later for some promotion… Don't worry, I won't short you a single Knut."
— Who said that again?
Who else could it be but Marchionne!
He remembered that after they'd finished discussing the construction details of the Lilliput world project, Marchionne had casually mentioned something like that.
At the time, Wade thought he just meant the usual — slapping on a "Invented and Certified by Wade Grey" label as a mark of product quality. He hadn't asked for details and just nodded — Marchionne always did that sort of thing, after all.
Thinking back, the recent financial reports had shown a strangely sharp increase, but since Remus had already reviewed them, Wade hadn't given it much thought.
Then, the night before this outing, Wade received a message from Antoine:
"If you don't want to be surrounded and stared at like a zoo exhibit the moment you step outside, I'd suggest a bit of facial disguise.
Of course, if you enjoy being the center of attention, make sure you dress nicely. By the way, that dress robe you wore to the ball last time wasn't bad at all."
Wade: …?
He didn't quite understand what was going on, but following the simple wisdom of "take advice and you'll benefit," he decided to listen.
There was no need to use Polyjuice Potion or human Transfiguration for something so small; Wade simply modified his Soft-Light Badge.
Proper lighting and filters could enhance a person's looks by several degrees — so, by reversing that principle, he could make himself look perfectly ordinary. Even his eye color seemed to change.
That morning, he'd agreed to meet his friends before heading out, but when he stood right beside them for several minutes, none of them recognized him. Instead, they whispered to each other:
"Where's Wade?"
"Don't tell me he got caught up in research again and lost track of time?"
...
Wade picked up one of the palm-sized "Mermaid Wade" figurines from a vendor's cart and examined it. Sure enough, he spotted the telltale magical imprint typical of Aslan's workshop.
He raised an eyebrow, inwardly confirming his suspicion — Marchionne really did know how to seize every chance to make money.
A vendor wearing a brown wool hat called out enthusiastically, "Would you like to buy a Mermaid Wade? It's our best-seller right now! Buy one figurine and I'll throw in a water-protection charm for free!"
Michael burst into laughter beside him, and Wade's face flushed hot as he tossed the figurine back as if it had burned him. "No, thanks."
"Wait, I'll buy one!" Theo quickly pulled out his wallet and cheerfully accepted the figurine under Wade's incredulous stare. "It's a rare collectible, after all…"
"Hey! Theo!" Wade protested loudly.
"These are actually pretty well-made," Ryan commented, picking up one "Mermaid Wade" and another "Wizard Wade" with a tiny scorpion familiar at his side. Nodding in approval, he said, "I'll take both. How much?"
Michael was laughing so hard his whole body shook. He couldn't get a word out — he just tossed a Galleon onto the counter and grabbed one of each version of "Wade" for himself.
The vendor beamed as he wrapped them up, giving a knowing wink.
"You lot have good taste — you're Hogwarts students, right? Wade Grey's the current favorite to win the championship! If you head over there to place a bet, you might earn yourself a nice little profit."
"Huh?" Theo, who was picking out a Fire-Dragon Wand at the next stall, froze and looked up. "Why just a little profit?"
"Oh, you don't know?" the vendor said quickly. "The higher a contestant's chances of winning, the lower the payout odds."
"If you want to take a long shot, bet on Hope Cruz from Salem. But honestly, Hogwarts' Cedric has decent odds too," he added in a rush.
After they left that stall, Michael said, "It's a pity about Cedric — his injury in the first task really hurt his ratings."
"So what?" said Theo, the more objective of the two Hufflepuffs. "The outcome isn't decided by public opinion. Besides…"
He glanced at Wade. "Cedric's chances of winning aren't very high."
Next, they went to check out the betting area. Rows of colorfully patterned tents covered the open field outside the village, forming a kind of maze. Michael had to ask several classmates for directions before finally finding the right one.
It was a round tent, with portraits of all the remaining champions hanging outside. Lifting the flap, they found a dozen or so students huddled inside, whispering and crowding around a table.
"This is all my pocket money… If I lose, I won't even be able to afford a quill…"
The student speaking looked torn between pain and bravado as he slapped his money pouch down on the table.
Others were quietly discussing different betting options, their hushed voices blending into a low buzzing sound, like a swarm of mosquitoes trapped inside.
The tent smelled strange — a mix of damp air and the same spicy incense used in Divination class.
Wade stopped at the entrance, unwilling to go in, while the other three eagerly squeezed their way inside.
A while later, they emerged again. Michael was grinning as he tucked his pouch of coins back into his robes.
"You guys placed bets?" Wade asked.
Michael and Theo both nodded. Ryan shook his head. "I promised my mum I wouldn't take part in that sort of thing."
He hadn't joined in, but he hadn't tried to stop his friends either.
Theo said confidently, "Anyway, you're bound to win — and I didn't bet much."
Michael skipped over cheerfully and laughed. "You know what? They've got all sorts of bets about you — just you alone have more than a dozen different options!"
"Some people are betting how long it'll take you to finish the final task; others are betting how many opponents you'll personally knock out; and there are even bets on whether you'll keep using your magic dolls!"
"Are you sure you don't want to place a bet yourself, Wade? You could literally control the outcome and get the best odds!"
Wade stared at them speechlessly. "Didn't any of you learn your lesson? Last time at the Quidditch World Cup, Bagman tried to pay out with leprechaun gold!"
Michael thought for a moment, then said, "Then I'll drag you along with me next time. I don't believe he could fool your eyes!"
…
Hogsmeade was more chaotic than ever before — but also far more interesting. The four of them wandered around for a while, bought some everyday necessities, and split up before lunch.
Michael had an appointment with Daphne, Theo's parents had apparently come to Hogsmeade for business, and Ryan had arranged to meet up with a few other Hufflepuffs.
As for Wade — he had an appointment of his own.
Following the magical guidance, Wade arrived at a tent on the edge of the campsite. It looked rather shabby — the canvas was old and faded, with several inconspicuous patches sewn along the edges.
A copper weather vane was tilted at the top with its rusty pointer turning slowly in the wind with a faint creak.
Wade studied the tent carefully for a few moments before lifting the flap and stepping inside.
The interior was the complete opposite of the outside — elegant and dazzling. The space was bright and spacious, with fine furniture and silver candlesticks floating midair, their flames burning eternally.
A stern-looking man sat at a desk, flipping through a thick stack of documents. Antoine lounged nearby with a kettle in his hand, lazily pouring hot water into a filter. The rising steam carried the rich aroma of coffee through the room.
Hearing the wind chime at the entrance, Antoine looked up and smiled. "Perfect timing. Do you want sugar and milk in your coffee?"
"Of course — thank you." Wade sat down in the only empty chair and turned toward the other man at the table with a small smile. "Long time no see, Delaine."
Günther Delaine — Grindelwald's right hand — set aside his papers, looked at Wade, and got straight to the point.
"Your last letter made Mr. Grindelwald think deeply. Since some things can't be clearly conveyed through correspondence, I came to speak with you in person."
Wade leaned back in his chair and said: "So, what is Mr. Grindelwald's opinion?"
Delaine leaned forward slightly and said with a low and measured voice.
"He appreciates your foresight — and your desire to bring peace and integration between the two worlds. But he also asked me to remind you—Wade— that history does not change its nature because of good intentions."
He straightened up again, picked up a small silver spoon, stirred the coffee Antoine had just prepared, and placed the cup in front of Wade. Then he continued:
"Muggles' fear of wizards runs deep — or perhaps it's better called greed. Honey may soften their vigilance, but it cannot erase their desire, nor can it change humanity's nature — its passion for killing and conquest."
Wade accepted the cup, blew gently on the steam, and looked at Delaine through the curling mist. "So… Mr. Grindelwald believes my idea is misguided, then?"
Delaine shook his head. "No. He believes your vision points in the right direction — but to reach that goal, blood and conflict will be unavoidable."
"He wants you to be mentally prepared, and not to hold onto naïve illusions. Muggles are driven by profit and emotion, yes — but sometimes, they can be foolish beyond comprehension."
"I know," Wade said with a small nod. "Out of billions of people, there are countless brilliant minds — and just as many fools. The Muggle world isn't a single entity; their web of interests is even more tangled than ours."
"Exactly." Delaine narrowed his eyes slightly. "As for the improved potion you proposed, Mr. Grindelwald has already set people to work on it. In any case, it's an excellent starting point…"
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