What does it mean to have strength with nowhere to use it, like punching cotton? The Delacour sisters were now experiencing it firsthand.
They had just been ready to put up a good fight, only to discover that these seemingly fierce mermen were actually cowards.
By the lakeside, the crowd burst into another round of exclamations. The sight of the mermaids in armor was simply stunning. Even though the two sets of armor looked somewhat menacing, the overall design and contours were far superior to the ugly armor of ancient times.
"Fleur! I love you! Gabrielle! I love you!"
The girls' fan club from Beauxbatons Academy of Magic cheered once again. They were the first to find the treasure chests, and it looked like they would also be the first to win this round.
"Fleur! I love you! Gabrielle! I love you!"
This time, several excited boys leapt over the railing, shouting the same slogan as they jumped into the water, eager to follow their goddesses.
"It looks like… they're from Hogwarts this time."
Regulus Black glanced over, then calmly resumed watching the projected images in the sky. As for the students who fell into the water, their professors would naturally deal with them.
"Gryffindor, one point off for each student."
Professor McGonagall was speechless at the group of kids. Their self-control was utterly lacking.
"Hufflepuff, one point off for each student as well."
Professor Sprout, seeing how McGonagall handled her own house, knew she couldn't play favorites either and had no choice but to follow suit.
Ravenclaw's students were mostly girls. Even if there were a few who still appreciated beauty, they had grown so used to the attractive girls around them that their immunity to feminine beauty was remarkably strong—practically at the level of a passive resistance.
As for Slytherin, they were the most disciplined of all. Power, wealth, strength—these were their true pursuits. Even marriage was often left to family arrangements, regardless of the partner. So what if a beauty appeared? Even a goddess… would stir only momentary emotion.
Without understanding someone's background, family, or character, these little snakes wouldn't make a move so easily.So, when the Ravenclaw girls walked off laughing, the Slytherins simply kept their smiles, watching the drenched fools in the water. At that moment, they weren't lions or badgers—just a bunch of wet dogs.
Underwater, Fleur and Gabrielle had each found their treasure chest. The keys' reaction left no doubt. However, inserting the keys now was clearly risky—the rules didn't specify that the chest had to be opened immediately.
Since opening it now wasn't required, the only option was to bring the chests to the surface. But when they tried to lift them, they discovered just how heavy they really were—exactly as the mermen's song described. The chest would match the weight of the person trying to lift it.
"Maybe if we switch, the curse won't apply anymore?"
Gabrielle gestured as she proposed a feasible idea.
Right! If the chest's weight only applied to the original owner, would switching solve the problem?
Regulus Black would've said, "Of course not."
If it were that easy to get around the curse by swapping chests, then what would be the point of placing the enchantment at all?Still, there is a way… it just depends on whether they can figure it out.
Regulus Black continued watching the Delacour sisters on the projection, waiting to see if they would come up with that simple solution.
The mermaid sisters swapped chests once, only to find that the curse's effect was based on the individual. No matter whose chest a champion picked up, it always weighed the same as their own body.
So it was clear: carrying someone else's chest, or helping someone else carry theirs, wouldn't work.
They also had to consider another issue—taking someone else's chest might even disqualify both parties from the competition.
"Looks like we still need to carry our own chests. But maybe there's another way. What if the curse only activates upon physical contact?"
Fleur Delacour shared her idea with her sister. Each of them removed a plank from the boat and placed their chests onto the wooden boards. Then, lifting the planks instead—sure enough, they didn't feel any weight at all.
The onlookers on the shore erupted in cheers. The champions from Beauxbatons had been the first to unravel the treasure chest's secret.
"Fleur! I love you! Gabrielle! I love you!"
The girls' support group from Beauxbatons Academy of Magic broke into cheers once again. Their champions had won.
Two mermaids, dressed in beautiful armor, emerged from the water carrying a wooden board with a treasure chest resting on top of it.
"Congratulations to the two champions from Beauxbatons Academy of Magic. Congratulations to the Delacour sisters, Fleur and Gabrielle."
Barty Crouch was visibly pleased. Two girls winning outright would put pressure on the other four boys. Pressure, after all, breeds motivation, which could increase their chances of success as well.
The two champions from Durmstrang Institute also found their treasure chest—or rather, Viktor Krum found his. It was hidden in a small underwater cave, guarded by several merpeople.
But there was no time for negotiation. The moment they saw Krum baring his shark-like teeth and preparing to eat, the merpeople were so terrified they vanished without a trace.
Viktor Krum retrieved the key from his shark mouth. Every time he swam too fast, the key seemed to lose its orientation, forcing him to slow down. This lack of consistent speed allowed the Beauxbatons girls to pull ahead.
Underwater, he saw how the Delacour sisters dealt with the weight curse on the treasure chest. But his surroundings were different—there was no shipwreck here, only an underwater cave. The only usable items nearby were strands of waterweed.
Weaving waterweed to tie up the chest was the only method Viktor Krum could think of.
By the time the other Durmstrang champion, Stanislav Ivaneski, arrived, Viktor had already secured two treasure chests.
There was no time to waste. Viktor Krum grabbed his chest and set off first, while the bulky Stanislav Ivaneski had no choice but to lag behind once again.
"Congratulations to the Durmstrang champion—congratulations to Viktor Krum!"
Barty Crouch announced the third victor.
Cedric finally located his treasure chest atop a merman altar made of pebbles. The merpeople around him were not afraid of his presence; in fact, they treated him like a prisoner under escort, guiding him to the chest. Their little spears occasionally pointed at Cedric's vital spots, but it was all for show. The merpeople's job was to prevent anyone other than the champions from tampering with or stealing the chests. If a champion came for their designated chest and didn't take the wrong one, the merpeople would allow it.
As for the hostility shown toward the Delacour sisters, it was rooted in racial tensions. Their fear of Viktor Krum was purely instinctive. But with Cedric, who had only cast a Bubble-Head Charm, they simply followed protocol.
Standing before the chest, the key guided him to the correct one. Though hesitant to open it, Cedric decided it was better to take it and deal with it later.
The Bubble-Head Charm could also be used on the chest. When Cedric cast it, the chest became encased in a bubble and, just as he expected, began to float toward the surface.
One Bubble-Head Charm after another propelled the chest toward the shore.
"Congratulations to the Hogwarts champion—congratulations to Cedric Diggory."
As always, Barty Crouch offered his congratulations. Everyone now waited to see… who would be last.
At this point, Stanislav Ivaneski had already retrieved his chest. But as a crocodile Animagus, he was an embarrassment to his kind—his speed was simply too slow. There was no doubt he'd face a scolding from Headmaster Igor Karkaroff upon returning.
Meanwhile, Harry Potter had only just arrived at the merpeople's pebble altar. He hadn't yet figured out what to do with the chest. Most critically, the effect of the gillyweed was about to wear off—the one-hour limit was almost up.
"There are just a few minutes left. As long as he surfaces with the chest, it will count as a pass."
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