Link actually had quite a bad impression of Mad-Eye Moody.
This wasn't entirely because of that man's unpleasant appearance, but more because in the original story he was impersonated by little Barty, using it to plan Voldemort's resurrection.
Of course, in the original story, little Barty had not been attacked by Link on the night of the Quidditch World Cup, nor had he been rescued by that group of mysterious shadowy figures.
So right now, Link couldn't be sure whether the Moody before him was still little Barty in disguise.
But that didn't stop him from remaining cautious.
Thinking this, Link cast his gaze toward Mad-Eye Moody in the staff seats, his eyes deepening.
Moody's magical eye seemed to sense Link's prying, and it spun around quickly, locking eyes with him.
Only after quite a while did the two finally look away.
Just then, perhaps unable to endure the awkward atmosphere in the hall any longer, Dumbledore cleared his throat and once again spoke, "Where was I just now?"
"Oh! Right! In the coming months, we shall have the great honor of hosting a truly marvelous event, one that has not been held for over a century."
"I am most delighted to announce to you all that the Triwizard Tournament will this year be held at Hogwarts!"
"Merlin's beard, they really are going to do it, this is… completely insane!" Cedric, who only moments ago had still been angry over the cancellation of the Quidditch House Cup, was now dumbfounded. He mumbled as he slumped into his seat.
And he was not alone. Many others reacted similarly. The gloom that had hung over the hall ever since Moody's sudden intrusion was swept away, and almost everyone was now excitedly discussing it.
"Wait! What's this Triwizard Tournament all about? Why does it seem like all of you know, but I'm the only one who doesn't! Someone hurry up and explain it to me!"
John was nearly going mad.
Shaking Cedric's and Link's arms, he shouted anxiously.
Helpless, Link had to forcefully press him back down into his seat, then pointed at Dumbledore, signaling that the headmaster would surely explain.
And sure enough, once the excitement in the hall had risen to its peak, Dumbledore said, "I imagine some of you don't yet know what this tournament is about. So I ask those of you who do to forgive me while I explain briefly."
"The Triwizard Tournament was founded over seven hundred years ago. It was a friendly competition between the three largest wizarding schools of Europe, Hogwarts, Beauxbatons, and Durmstrang."
"Each school would select one champion, and the three champions would compete in three magical tasks."
"Generally, the tournament was held every five years, hosted in turn by each school, and it was considered the perfect way for young wizards of different nations to build friendships."
"But later the tournament was discontinued, because the number of deaths was simply too high."
"Deaths?" John lowered his voice uneasily beside Link. "Why would people die in a competition?"
"Because in truth, it was a war. A war for the title of Europe's number one magical school," Link said flatly without looking up.
"Each school would select its strongest student, and then those three would be thrown into carefully designed arenas to fight each other to the death."
"The sole winner would grant their school the glory of being Europe's number one wizarding academy for the next five years. That's the real truth of the Triwizard Tournament."
"Such gladiatorial battles inevitably led to the deaths of many elite students, and in this era where the wizarding population is already declining, the International Confederation of Wizards putting a stop to it was inevitable."
Hearing this, John shivered, as though he really could see those brilliant, dazzling young wizards locked into an arena, fighting to the death for an empty title.
Even Cedric beside him couldn't help glancing at Link.
But he did not object.
Because what Link said was indeed the truth.
"For centuries, people have tried to revive the Triwizard Tournament,"
Dumbledore continued, "but all have failed. However, our Ministry of Magic's Department of International Magical Cooperation and Department of Magical Games and Sports believe the time is finally ripe for another attempt."
"This summer we have taken many precautions to ensure that no champion will face mortal danger."
"In October, the heads of Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will arrive with their carefully chosen candidates."
"The ceremony to select the champions will be held on Halloween night. An impartial judge will determine which students are most worthy of becoming champions, to bring honor to their school. The final winner will also receive a prize of one thousand Galleons."
At this, the atmosphere in the hall immediately grew even more fevered.
Everyone was excited at the thought of becoming a champion and entering the Triwizard Tournament. Of course, this was not only for Hogwarts' glory, but even more for the thousand Galleons.
That was a fortune.
The Weasley twins, George and Fred, were already so excited they could barely contain themselves.
In the entire hall, only the little group around Link remained somewhat subdued.
They couldn't help it, Link had just made the tournament sound far too terrifying.
"I know you all long to become Hogwarts' champion," said Dumbledore.
"but the Ministry of Magic and the participating schools have agreed to impose an age restriction this year. Only students who are seventeen or older may enter their names."
"This rule is necessary, because the tasks are still both arduous and dangerous. No matter what precautions we take, students younger than seventh year would simply be incapable of coping."
"I personally will guarantee that no underage student will be able to deceive our impartial judge into making them Hogwarts' champion."
As he spoke, Dumbledore glanced toward Harry, his blue eyes glinting with hidden meaning.
"The delegations from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will arrive in October, and will share most of this school year with us."
"I know that while our foreign guests are here, you will all show them warm friendliness. And once our champion is finally chosen, you will wholeheartedly support him, or her."
"Well then, it grows late. For you to step into your classrooms tomorrow morning refreshed and clear-headed is very important. Off to bed! Quickly!"
With that, Dumbledore ignored the rising protests from around the hall, sat down, and began speaking with Moody about something.
The students, meanwhile, rose under the guidance of their prefects and began leaving the hall.
"Phew! I'm really glad I'm not yet seventeen!" John said behind Link with some relief.
"Otherwise, who knows, they might have picked me as champion, and I don't want to be locked in a cage fighting people!"
Many Hufflepuffs nodded in agreement.
Though Dumbledore had given reassurance again and again, the honest Hufflepuffs still couldn't completely believe the Triwizard Tournament was safe.
To Hufflepuffs, stability was what mattered most.
As for the tournament, they were happy enough just to watch the spectacle.
Link, leading at the front as new prefect, couldn't help finding John's words both funny and exasperating.
Truth be told, he really wanted to tease John for his overconfidence, because in fact the only standard for selecting champions was fighting strength.
By that rule, higher-year students naturally had an advantage over lower-years.
So even without any age restriction, a fifth-year like John could never possibly become a champion.
Smacking his lips, Link swallowed the words back down in the end.
But just because he held back didn't mean others would.
The Slytherin group was walking not far from Hufflepuff, and many of them had heard John's words.
Draco immediately burst out laughing.
Still laughing, he deliberately raised his voice and said, "Look here! We've got a conceited fool who actually thinks he could be picked as Hogwarts' champion, and now he's thankful for the age limit! What a joke! He should take a good hard look at himself first!"
The whole Slytherin crowd roared with laughter.
John's face flushed crimson. He broke from the line, glaring at Draco as though he might charge him the next instant.
Many Hufflepuffs lowered their heads in shame. Perhaps they had shared the same thought as John just moments before, or perhaps they were only relieved they hadn't said it out loud like he had.
Either way, almost no one stood with John, only a few Quidditch teammates did.
"Dare you say that again?"
John snarled through clenched teeth, fists tightly balled.
"You're just a conceited fool! What if I do say it again? What can you..."
Draco's voice cut off, because John had already lunged at him.
But Crabbe and Goyle had been prepared. They stepped forward and seized John's arms.
Seeing this, John's Quidditch teammates also rushed in.
A brawl was about to break out.
"STOP RIGHT NOW!"
At that instant, a roar froze everyone in place.
Striding forward, Link flicked his wand, and Crabbe, Goyle, and the other Slytherins were flung back into their group, crashing down in a heap with cries of pain.
John and his teammates were frozen where they stood.
Link gave John a reassuring look, then slowly stepped up to Draco.
Now Link stood a full head taller than Draco, looming over him at close range with a cold stare that made Draco feel crushing pressure, his body trembled uncontrollably.
"Seems you've forgotten the lessons I taught you before. Looks like it's time I reminded you again!"
A faint blue glow flickered in Link's eyes.
The instant Draco saw that glow, he recalled being pinned down in front of the Slytherin common room, tortured by the Bladder Explosion curse.
His lower abdomen twinged with phantom pain, and he clutched it instinctively, stammering,
"N-no! Don't! You can't, my father, he's..."
Link didn't speak. He only stepped aside, revealing John behind him.
"I... I was wrong, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said those things! It just slipped out, please forgive me."
Draco stammered out an apology to John, his change of tone so sudden it left John stunned.
And not only him, the Slytherin crowd that had been cheering moments ago was now dead silent, watching coldly.
When Link's gaze swept across them, many even put on fawning smiles.
Link almost laughed.
Slytherin's glory had once been brilliant, symbolizing the qualities of a true noble, nobility, broad-mindedness, wisdom, freedom from pedantry, the courage to draw swords against the stronger…
But under Voldemort's guidance and the Ministry's oppression, that so-called noble glory had degenerated into discriminatory arrogance against Muggle-borns and half-bloods.
Ambition, cunning, prudence, self-preservation, victory-at-all-costs, all these had been twisted into shameless, base opportunism and bullying of the weak.
The Slytherins of today had long abandoned their past glory. Their house had become a breeding ground for refined selfishness.
People like Draco, fools, were still idolized by some, which proved the point.
Those followers only clung to him because of the Malfoy name, hoping to reap benefits.
Now, with Link standing before them as the heir of the far more powerful Flamel family, they naturally abandoned Draco and turned flattering smiles on him.
In truth, wasn't Slytherin's treasure nothing more than Slytherin's own legacy?
And weren't all these students the heirs of that legacy?
If Salazar Slytherin himself could see what his heirs had become today, he might be angry enough to rise from the grave.
Link shook his head with some melancholy, then turned his cold gaze back on Draco, "For insulting a fellow student with discriminatory language, Slytherin, minus twenty points!"
At once, the sound of gems trickling down came from the Slytherin hourglass.
Deducting house points, this was the new authority given to Link as prefect.
John's anger had already cooled, while Draco drooped his head and began slinking back toward his housemates.
But then, a harsh voice suddenly rang out.
"I think only twenty points is far from enough."
Moody limped forward, pointing at Draco. "Slytherin, another thirty points gone! And you, boy, will spend tomorrow night in detention!"
Draco feared Link, but that didn't mean he would submit to Moody, the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.
His eyes red with fury, he snapped, "You'll regret this, my father is Lucius Malfoy!"
"Ah! Malfoy! I remember him!" Moody sneered.
"Back when he was a Death Eater, I had him running scared and begging for mercy! Of course, I didn't let him off in the end!"
"He's an old friend of mine. Boy, you tell your father I'm still watching him, he'd better not slip up in the slightest. Understand?"
Draco was shaking like a leaf, speechless.
Perhaps bored, Moody then turned to Link and said gravely, "Your father is an old friend of mine too. I'll be watching you as well, so you'd best behave yourself, Link Flamel!"
With that, Moody swept away, leaving only the Slytherin hourglass still hissing as more gems vanished.
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