This time, absolutely everyone present understood the communication perfectly.
"So you can only provide us with a general area rather than precise locations?" Charlotte asked the Bowtruckle with analytical interest. "Does this region contain just a few Cavendish family members, or are all deployed operatives concentrated here?"
The Bowtruckle shook its wooden head negatively in clear response, then pointed meaningfully to the Cavendish family crest branded distinctively on its neck.
Charlotte translated the gesture's meaning. "You're indicating the adult operatives placed specific restrictions on the information you can reveal?"
The Bowtruckle nodded vigorously with obvious confirmation.
With its assigned task apparently complete, the creature hopped energetically to Penelope's feet, efficiently snatched the broken plaque fragments from the ground, and scurried away with visible happiness.
Erwin had specifically promised to take the Bowtruckle out exploring and playing once it successfully delivered the plaque remnants to demonstrate completion. This represented its well-earned payment for services rendered.
Watching the Bowtruckle vanish cheerfully into the forest shadows, the Hogwarts group stood in prolonged stunned silence.
Penelope finally broke the contemplative quiet. "So all that considerable effort merely established a general search range? That's the extent of the advantage?"
"Having a defined range proves infinitely superior to possessing nothing!" Charlotte countered immediately, her eyes gleaming with strategic satisfaction. "It's genuinely sufficient for our purposes. This geographical parameter will assist us tremendously."
Cedric chuckled, though the sound carried noticeable nervous tension. "Erwin must command absolutely serious resources and influence to successfully utilize a Bowtruckle as an operational intelligence tool. We're extremely fortunate he encountered us specifically. If he'd met a competing group without access to this particular map, wouldn't the Bowtruckle have been completely useless to them?"
He'd intended the observation as a somewhat joking remark, but Charlotte suddenly froze with dawning realization.
Exactly right. How could my master have been so absolutely certain we'd successfully obtain and utilize the Bowtruckle's assistance? Only our team possessed the detailed map required.
A distinct chill crawled up her spine at the implication. It genuinely seemed her master controlled and anticipated virtually everything happening in this competition.
In reality, the explanation was considerably simpler and less omniscient than Charlotte imagined.
The Bowtruckle knew Charlotte's specific group possessed the Marauder's Map because Erwin had originally created that artifact within the Forbidden Forest itself using distinctive materials the Bowtruckle could naturally sense and recognize.
He wasn't actually omniscient—he simply leveraged available information extremely effectively.
"Now that we've successfully established the target area, let's move immediately," Charlotte ordered with renewed purpose.
Everyone agreed enthusiastically. They were genuinely eager to discover exactly what sophisticated equipment the Cavendish family operatives had brought into play.
Without wasting another moment on discussion, the Hogwarts group activated a shared acceleration charm, casting the enhancement over their entire team, and set off purposefully toward the marked zone at enhanced speed.
Meanwhile, another delegation was simultaneously heading in precisely the same general direction through different forest paths.
Durmstrang.
Yet again, fate seemed determined to test them.
Once inside the Forbidden Forest proper, the athletically-inclined students from Durmstrang's academy hadn't performed particularly badly overall.
Locating scattered supply items represented pure fortune rather than skill, and while these predominantly athletic types weren't necessarily the sharpest tactical minds, their luck had held reasonably well throughout.
The ten-member team had now equipped themselves with both offensive capabilities and defensive contingencies. Though they absolutely couldn't match the extensive luxury enjoyed by Kunlun or Hogwarts delegations, they weren't entirely defenseless either.
Still, they fundamentally hadn't grasped the underlying strategic purpose of Erwin's deliberate setup and game design.
As experienced observers kept emphasizing... the Cavendish family operatives themselves represented the genuine key to ultimate victory. The specialized items they carried could single-handedly determine the match outcome.
Fate appeared to harbor particular malice toward Durmstrang specifically. Their current trajectory led them directly into confrontation with a deployed Cavendish operative.
Normally, ten-on-one odds would represent trivially easy victory. But the pursuing Hogwarts group was rapidly closing in from another direction as well.
Durmstrang's team reached the isolated Cavendish operative's position first through sheer geographical luck.
Before Viktor Krum could properly organize a coordinated response, the Cavendish operative immediately attacked with professional efficiency.
With a single decisive gesture, he unleashed multiple prepared spell items simultaneously. Concentrated magical attacks rained down heavily on the Durmstrang formation.
Krum startled visibly at the aggressive opening. He frantically attempted organizing an effective counterattack, but the athletically-focused students had already catastrophically lost the crucial tactical initiative.
Ordered to engage with maximum force without restraint, the Cavendish operative deployed everything he carried. He'd brought genuinely abundant items into the field—otherwise he couldn't possibly afford wasting them so freely in sustained assault.
Though the sports-academy students generally lacked sophisticated tactical finesse, they remained Durmstrang-trained combatants nonetheless.
After recovering from brief initial panic, Krum successfully organized a reasonably effective defensive formation.
They wasted numerous valuable items through lack of practiced teamwork coordination, but sheer numerical advantage still mattered—even ants can eventually kill an elephant through persistence.
Soon enough, the outnumbered Cavendish operative was struck by several concentrated spell effects simultaneously.
A distinctive purple barrier flared dramatically from his enchanted clothing, and he immediately ceased all aggressive action. He calmly dropped all his carried items onto the forest floor and walked away without speaking a single word.
Defeated according to established rules.
Krum's eyes lit up with triumphant excitement. He knew from intelligence that Cavendish operatives carried genuinely valuable strategic equipment. He'd been fortunate enough to locate one first!
He reached eagerly for the dropped supplies.
But then—
"Hey there, Durmstrang! What a remarkable coincidence!"
Krum's elated expression fell dramatically into dismay.
"Stop them immediately!" he shouted desperately to his team. "I'm grabbing the equipment!"
The athletic students immediately attacked the rapidly approaching Hogwarts group with everything available.
Krum sprinted desperately for the scattered items on the ground.
He didn't even get remotely close to reaching them.
Charlotte smoothly tore a prepared playing card cleanly in half. In the very next instant, her entire figure was consumed by a swirling purple vortex of magical energy, reappearing instantaneously right beside the coveted supplies.
She casually tossed the spent card fragments aside, efficiently collected all the dropped items with practiced speed, and smiled directly at Krum's absolutely furious glare.
"One-time Apparition charm," she explained almost cheerfully. "I honestly don't know how Erwin originally conceived this particular application, but it's proving incredibly tactically useful."
Charlotte already possessed complete control of the valuable items. Krum stood frozen with rage, clearly prepared to attack despite the tactical disadvantage.
"Think it through carefully," Charlotte warned with cold pragmatism. "You just expended substantial combat supplies engaging the Cavendish operative. Attack us now in your depleted state, and you understand exactly what will happen to your chances."
Krum's weathered face remained grimly set. He glared at Charlotte with barely restrained fury, then abruptly turned and departed with his team.
The Hogwarts delegation was demonstrably low on immediately available supplies—they'd consumed considerable resources during their own approach. If Durmstrang attacked aggressively now, Hogwarts faced genuine risk of elimination.
But Krum recognized mutual destruction benefited no one.
The Hogwarts group pragmatically permitted their retreat without pursuit.
Penelope watched the Durmstrang students withdraw with obvious frustration. "We absolutely could have eliminated their entire team right there if we'd committed."
"We certainly could have," Charlotte agreed readily, examining the acquired Cavendish equipment in her hands with satisfaction. "But we genuinely don't need to take that risk. We have exactly what we came for."