Hagrid looked at Sunny Finch and Fleur's delighted expressions and couldn't help but smile. "It's great that so many of you like Fluffy!"
"Fluffy is actually quite well-behaved," Erwin added. "Most people are just frightened by his appearance. And he is still dangerous—he's young by his species' standards. But once you get to know him, the fear fades."
He watched as Sunny Finch and Fleur happily interacted with the three-headed dog. Sunny Finch was brave—she'd somehow managed to climb onto Fluffy's back and was grooming the fur on his neck. Fluffy seemed to enjoy it, staying perfectly still.
Hagrid nodded. "Aye, that's true. Speaking of, how's Norbert? I miss that little guy."
"He's doing well," Erwin said. "Didn't you visit him during the holidays?"
"I did," Hagrid sighed. "But the Reserve staff said he'd gone exploring! Since you're the one who brought him there, they let me through, but he wasn't around."
"Dragons are curious at his age," Erwin reassured him. "Don't worry—he's growing fast. Even though he's not fully grown, he's already quite strong. Ordinary creatures aren't a threat to him. He's also wearing the Cavendish crest, so even poachers won't touch him."
Hagrid nodded. "With you looking out for him, I'm not worried about his safety. I just wonder if he still remembers me. After all, I raised him!"
Erwin's lips twitched slightly. He was fairly certain Norbert didn't remember Hagrid. The young dragon was only four years old—a mischievous age. Not only did he sometimes argue with Erwin, but it took stern words to get him to calm down.
"By the way," Hagrid said, "what brings you to the Forbidden Forest?"
"Just giving them a tour," Erwin replied. "You know the Forbidden Forest at Hogwarts is truly unique."
Hagrid nodded vigorously. "That it is! In the entire wizarding world, it's one of a kind."
After chatting a bit longer, Erwin declined Fluffy's request to join them and left with the others. Fluffy was disappointed, but Erwin couldn't accommodate him—where would he bring such a massive creature? Besides, that would definitely cause a panic. Still, Fluffy would be useful in the future; he was formidable, and ordinary wizards were no match for him.
Erwin took Sunny Finch and Fleur for a walk around the Black Lake. It was nearly time for the evening feast, and the two prepared to leave. They had to return to their schools for the opening ceremony tonight—their official debut, as it were.
At precisely 7:00 PM, the Hogwarts dinner began. The Great Hall was brilliantly lit, and the teachers and students were already seated. At the Slytherin table, Draco—who now looked noticeably worse for wear—curiously looked around.
"Wait, where are the visiting headmasters? And Charlotte, Pansy, and the others? Why aren't they here?"
The other Slytherin students were just as curious. None of the Slytherin prefects were present, and neither were the visiting headmasters.
Dumbledore stood up from the staff table and tapped his spoon lightly against his goblet. A crisp clinking sound echoed.
"Alright, children, quiet down! As you've likely noticed with our visiting students, I have an announcement to make. The Triwizard Tournament, which has been discontinued for many years, will be held again this year! Hogwarts will serve as the host. Since we also have students visiting from the Eastern magical community, the tournament will now be a four-school competition. Let us formally welcome our guests: the talented students from Beauxbatons Academy of Magic and their Headmistress, Madame Olympe Maxime!"
The doors of the Great Hall opened. A group of Beauxbatons students filed in, moving in perfect formation. With a graceful sweep of their arms, they released wisps of blue butterflies that fluttered around them like dancers in a performance. The blue butterflies swirled through the air.
Leave it to them to make an entrance, Erwin thought with amusement. Finally, Fleur's younger sister, dressed elegantly, executed several graceful movements. The Beauxbatons students bowed, signaling the end of their performance.
The young wizards of Hogwarts stared, captivated. A moment later, thunderous applause nearly lifted the ceiling.
Hermione and Pansy stared at Fleur, their expressions tense. They gritted their teeth, filled with frustration. Yet they had to admit—the performance was impeccable.
Dumbledore invited Olympe to the staff table and continued, "Now, let us welcome the students from Durmstrang Institute and their Headmaster, Igor Karkaroff!"
All eyes turned to the Great Hall doors. Several sharp sounds rang out as objects struck the floor. One by one, robust Durmstrang students entered. Their wands slammed heavily against the ground, sending sparks flying. Their appearance was remarkably uniform.
They twirled their wands, passing them to their fellow students in a coordinated display. The leaders let out shouts, startling the young Hogwarts wizards, and then they began performing acrobatic movements—rolling forward all the way until they reached Dumbledore. Finally, Viktor Krum and Igor Karkaroff strode in.
Krum's expression was serious. The young wizards gasped.
"It's Krum!"
"The Quidditch star!"
Krum was a legend in the Quidditch world—young, highly skilled, once hailed as the future of the sport. His serious expression seemed intentional, though right now, he was genuinely in a poor mood. He harbored resentment toward Erwin, but his headmaster had warned him repeatedly: never provoke Erwin. Erwin's capabilities were far beyond his comprehension. In fact, he didn't even need the warning—Erwin's reputation was already considerable.
One of the Durmstrang students conjured a fire serpent, which transformed into a phoenix and spread its wings before Dumbledore as a sign of respect. Dumbledore embraced Igor Karkaroff and invited him to the staff table.