"HP: Too Late, System!"Chapter 347: Third—Absolutely Fair and Beautiful Judging!
Just as the students outside the pitch were hesitating—should they turn back to the castle or stay?—another startled cry erupted from within the Quidditch pitch.
"Merlin's beard… what on earth is that?"
"He's… he's flying!"
The students who'd been about to leave immediately turned their eyes to Dumbledore.
A gentle breeze swept through, ruffling Dumbledore's silver hair. He smiled serenely. "Curiosity is the spark of the wizarding world. It lights the path into the unknown, inspires new spells, and drives magical breakthroughs… In truth, I'm rather curious myself as to what's happening."
He adjusted his half-moon spectacles and looked toward the Quidditch pitch.
Minister Fudge fussed with his bowler hat, eager to make a statement and draw the students' attention.
But before he could utter a word, he was drowned out by a chorus of "Thank you, Headmaster!" and "Goodbye, Headmaster!"
Dumbledore glanced at him, eyes twinkling. "Cornelius, shall we go see for ourselves?"
On the platform, Sirius had just finished his speech. One hand in his pocket, a rakish grin flashing across his face, he strolled lazily toward the edge.
Scrimgeour, who had been watching him like a hawk, immediately sensed trouble. There he goes again, unable to let the Aurors enjoy even a moment in the spotlight. They'd barely basked in a bit of glory, and now he just had to stir things up…
As Sirius reached the platform's edge, something extraordinary happened—he simply lifted his foot and stepped right out onto thin air.
Every student below craned their necks, transfixed by the sight of a man striding across empty space.
The Aurors, too, watched every move with wary eyes.
Only Scrimgeour, close enough to see the details, noticed that with each step, Sirius paused, as if waiting for an invisible stair to form beneath him. His posture in midair was deceptively casual, yet perfectly upright, as if he stood on a single solid block. And if one looked closely, faint glimmers of light danced at the soles of his shoes…
"Everyone below, clear the area!" Sirius called, pulling a miniature octagonal arena from his robes.
He surveyed the open space at the center of the pitch, nodding in satisfaction.
With a sudden flourish, Sirius tossed the octagonal arena high into the air. Spreading his arms wide, he bellowed out the dueling incantation—taught to him by Douglas himself:
"First—absolutely no acting on impulse! Second—never let a single wrongdoing slip by! Third—absolutely fair and beautiful judging! The Hogwarts Administrative Director is here to preside! This magical duel—will be judged by me!"
The ancient octagonal arena exploded into golden light, blooming overhead like a firework. In the next instant, a massive arena descended, landing squarely in the center of the Quidditch pitch.
Devil's Snare swiftly coiled around the platform's edges, wrapping the perimeter in living vines.
Scrimgeour's cane nearly punched through the wooden boards; his yellow eyes, magnified behind gold-rimmed glasses, bulged in disbelief. Then his face darkened, lips pressed tight as he clenched his wand—his knuckles white with strain.
How many more magical items does this man have up his sleeve? And none of them are even Dark artifacts… It's infuriating!
Minister Fudge, just entering the scene, was so stunned his bowler hat slid askew. He stared at the spectacle, suddenly convinced the Ministry needed a whole new set of laws.
Dumbledore smiled at him. "Cornelius, don't you feel the wizarding world is moving in new directions? It no longer feels so… stagnant."
Fudge drew a deep breath and muttered, "I'd rather everything stayed calm and predictable, with nothing changing at all."
Then he called out loudly to Sirius—still floating in the air—and Scrimgeour on the platform: "Rufus! Sirius! I need an explanation!"
Scrimgeour had noticed the Minister's arrival, but hadn't expected Dumbledore to be with him. Apparently, the Minister intended to put a stop to this duel.
Sirius, on the other hand, was unfazed. He shrugged midair and called down to the students: "Hold on, everyone—the fair and impartial referee needs to give our Minister a proper explanation…"
Now that Fudge had arrived, the students—who'd spent the morning attending classes—finally realized things might not be as simple as Director Black had claimed. The Aurors weren't here just for a friendly match.
Many students began eyeing Scrimgeour on the stage with suspicion. They crowded around Lupin, who found their protectiveness both touching and amusing.
Before he could say a word, Ron piped up from the crowd: "Wait, is this duel going to decide whether Professor stays or goes?"
His words set off a flurry of whispers, like firecrackers going off in the stands.
The more they speculated, the more convinced they became. The more they discussed, the more fired up they grew.
Especially the sixth-years—it was as if Lupin's very future rested on their shoulders…
Sirius, having finished his announcement, strode down from the air directly toward Fudge.
For the first time, Fudge felt a pressure—a sense of awe and intimidation—that not even Dumbledore had ever given him. Here was a wizard—one with a notorious past—looking down on him, growing larger and more imposing with every step.
Dumbledore, standing beside him, simply watched Sirius's every move with keen interest.
Sirius himself felt a twinge of awkwardness. As he drew closer, he realized he'd misjudged the distance—one more step and he'd be standing on Fudge's head.
But Fudge didn't look like he'd be moving aside any time soon.
Jumping from two meters up would look undignified—hardly fitting for the Administrative Director.
So, thinking quickly, Sirius began a graceful spiral descent, circling down with Fudge at the center.
By now, Fudge wasn't just pale—he was visibly trembling.
What made him angriest of all was that Dumbledore, also being used as a "pillar," simply looked on in amusement. As for the Aurors—they just stared at Sirius's feet, as if the spectacle of his flashy magic was the most fascinating thing in the world.
At last, Sirius controlled his steps perfectly, landing right in front of Fudge.
At that moment, Scrimgeour also arrived at the Minister's side, as if on cue.
Author's Note:
Void-Walking Insoles: Developed by Professor Holmes, these insoles automatically adjust to fit any shoe size—a true "anti-gravity cheat device"! When activated, they conjure visible blocks of air beneath the user's feet, forming invisible stairs for walking on air.
The blocks are incredibly sturdy. In battle, they help a wizard seize the high ground or dodge attacks; when traveling, they let you cross chasms and cliffs in a single stride.
Pros: The air blocks vanish the instant your foot leaves, giving enemies no chance to use them for leverage—perfect for showing off, ambushing, or escaping!
Cons: They only work when your feet are perpendicular to the ground; the blocks are small and disappear as soon as you step off, so you must keep standing and can't move your feet too freely—or you risk plummeting from midair.
Octagonal Arena: Created by Professor Holmes to uphold the dignity of the Administrative Director and solve the problem of students dueling all over the place.
In Disciplinary Mode, it can pull misbehaving students into the arena until one side wins, then releases both.
It's reinforced with multiple protective enchantments and spatial magic, so the Administrative Director can observe duels while holding the miniaturized arena.
In Teaching Mode, it resizes itself to fit the venue, landing for voluntary duels between students.
This magical item is bound to the Hogwarts Administrative Director—only the person in that office can activate its functions by reciting Professor Holmes's incantation.
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