Chapter 120: Chapter 119 "Goblet of Fire Ceremony"
Soon, every student took their seats in anticipation of the upcoming event. The faculty and staff followed suit, making their way to the main guest table where Professor Dumbledore, Professor Karkaroff, and Madame Maxime took their places at the end.
A moment of amusement filled the air as Beauxbaton's students promptly stood up upon the arrival of their principal. Some Hogwarts students couldn't help but chuckle at the display. However, the Beauxbaton students appeared unperturbed, only retaking their seats once Madame Maxime had settled on Dumbledore's left.
As the noise in the auditorium gradually subsided, Dumbledore stepped forward, casting a warm smile toward the foreign students. "Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, ghosts, and, especially, distinguished guests," he greeted. "I extend a warm welcome to you at Hogwarts. It is my sincere hope that you will find comfort and happiness during your time here."
A girl from Beauxbaton, still concealing her head with a tightly wrapped scarf, couldn't conceal a mocking sneer. Skyler observed her with a furrowed brow.
Eleanor, who had been attentively watching Skyler, couldn't resist commenting with a playful smile, "Mr. Malfoy, are you intrigued by her? She seems rather extraordinary!"
Skyler's discerning eyes detected unusual magical fluctuations emanating from the girl—the kind that felt non-human.
These fluctuations were frequent, giving off an air of restlessness and unpredictability. It was likely the magical signature of Fleur Delacour, the renowned beauty from the original book.
Yet, what truly perplexed Skyler was another female student seated beside Fleur.
When Skyler's gaze fell upon her, he was momentarily convinced that he had caught sight of a sword! The magical aura surrounding her seemed to embody a gleaming, cold, and razor-sharp blade. Even with just a passing glance, Skyler felt a subtle tingling in his eyeballs.
She appeared more akin to a warrior than a wizard!
Recollections of a similar description surfaced in Skyler's memory from the silver spear duel record provided by Sister Giuliana. The document chronicled a duel marked by an individual exuding an aura of sharpness throughout their body, wielding spells with exceptional penetrating power.
One instance recounted the use of a seemingly ordinary cutting spell that effortlessly pierced through a shield charm, a steel shield positioned behind the curse, and finally, the steel armor of the shield's bearer.
The victim, holding the steel shield, faced near-instantaneous demise, as if slashed by a keen blade, revealing even the beating heart.
"What manner of cutting spell is this?" Skyler pondered. It was unmistakably a manifestation of swordsmanship. The record author designated the distinctive ability of this unidentified duelist as the "Natural Born Duelist."
Skyler speculated that this was an exceedingly rare bloodline talent—one uniquely and inherently tailored for combat.
It was the essence of a born duelist!
Skyler couldn't help but let a smile play on his lips, though the warmth did not quite reach his eyes. From Mad-Eye Moody to Draco, and now Eleanor, coupled with this enigmatic duelist, he found it difficult to perceive their appearances as mere coincidences.
A glint of determination flickered in his eyes, signaling his intent to scrutinize these unexpected arrivals—be they monsters, ghosts, or serpents.
"The championship will officially commence at the conclusion of the banquet," Dumbledore announced with a warm smile. "I now invite everyone to indulge in the feast before us!"
As he took his seat, Karkaroff leaned in for a conversation.
Skyler, experiencing his first Hogwarts dinner, marveled at the array of dishes before him, some undoubtedly foreign.
"What's that?" Goyle inquired, pointing to an expansive seafood platter adjacent to the steak and kidney pudding.
"French fish soup," Draco proudly asserted. "My house-elf prepares it. Exquisite in taste, wouldn't you agree?"
Poliako, in an uncharacteristic display, seized a sizable chicken leg and, without any care for the people beside him, began to feast, inadvertently splattering soup on his robes. Unperturbed, he exclaimed, "It's delicious! Hogwarts fare surpasses ours; Durmstrang can't compete."
Amidst the lively dining scene, a voice interjected, "Excuse me, would anyone be interested in this plate of mixed fish soup?"
Skyler's head snapped up, a puzzled expression crossing his face. This narrative seemed out of place—wasn't this storyline reserved for Fleur and Ron?
Upon spotting the unexpected visitor, Skyler's bewilderment deepened. It wasn't Fleur; that much was certain. While Skyler had never encountered a genuine Veela in this life, he distinctly recalled Fleur possessing beautiful, silvery hair.
The girl before him, much like Lotus, removed the scarf concealing her head, revealing striking burgundy hair.
A clarification is warranted here—English first coined the term "redhead" in the 12th century. The use of "redhead" to describe the Weasley family's hair color actually denotes a shade akin to orange, not true red.
During that era, the term "orange" was primarily associated with fruit and didn't commonly describe a color until the late 15th century.
Genuine red hair, scientifically speaking, doesn't exist in the natural world. It's been considered extinct since at least 1991, as red hair is a recessive gene gradually diluted through generations.
While magical means of hair dyeing exist in the wizarding world, it's not a widespread practice. Wizards often prefer maintaining their natural hair color, considering it a symbol of status.
The girl before Skyler sported a burgundy hair color reminiscent of the Philosopher's Stone, cradled in Skyler's arms. In the wizarding realm, only one family boasts this unique hair hue—the Moreau family, one of the 12 Sacred Blood families in France.
Like the Malfoy family in Great Britain, the Moreau family holds significant aristocratic standing in France. Coincidentally, both families have experienced a thinning of direct descendants over the centuries, maintaining a singular bloodline.
Skyler, knowledgeable about French pure-blood families, was taken aback by the evident strength emanating from the girl before him. He had never heard of the Moreau family having a precedent for awakening blood powers, especially a rare talent like the natural-born duelist that he had witnessed before.
Observing Skyler's reaction, Daphne and Astoria misconstrued his fascination as admiration for the girl's beauty, expressing their discontent with subtle snorts.
Eleanor interjected with laughter, "Mr. Malfoy, when a lady addresses you, it's not quite a gentleman of you to stare at her in a daze!"
Skyler snapped back to reality, feeling a bit embarrassed. "I'm truly sorry for my momentary lapse—I've already finished the mixed fish soup. Let me take the plate for you."
"Sure, thank you," replied the girl, her voice carrying a low and magnetic tone, sounding remarkably pleasant.
Carefully, Skyler followed her to the Ravenclaw long table and handed her the plate.
Once she was seated, she offered a sweet smile. "Thank you again for your warm hospitality. I'm Catalina of the Moreau family. Just call me Catalina. By the way, I haven't asked for your name?"
Skyler gracefully inclined his head. "I am Malfoy, Skyler Malfoy."
"Oh, you're Skyler!" Catalina seemed a tad surprised. "Did you know you also have quite a few fans at our Beauxbatons? I didn't expect you to be so young! One of the reasons for my visit to Hogwarts this time is to meet you!"
Rather than responding with excessive modesty or arrogance, Skyler chose a more indifferent tone. "I appreciate your kind words. I've been fortunate, and I have much more to learn. Well, I'll leave you to enjoy your meal. Have a pleasant evening."
Returning to his seat, Draco smirked at Skyler. "You seem quite intriguing to others, don't you think?" He paused before continuing, "That girl is truly exceptional! I suspect she's the heir of the Monroe family. She'd make a fitting match for the Malfoy family!"
Skyler couldn't help but roll his eyes. "Brother, do you take me for a stud?" Skyler said inside his heart.
With a smile, Skyler replied to Draco, "You're overthinking, Draco. I find the girls at Hogwarts quite charming." As he spoke, he deliberately glanced in the direction of Daphne and Astoria, both of whom returned his smile.
Eleanor interjected with a playful smile, "It seems, Mr. Malfoy, you are quite the favorite among the girls!" Lowering her voice, she added pointedly, "With so many plates of French mixed fish soup on each long table, why do you think she chose the one in front of you?"
Skyler had already considered this possibility, but he opted to observe from the sidelines without jumping to conclusions.
As everyone continued to dine and converse, the plates on the tables were emptied before anyone noticed.
Dumbledore rose to his feet and introduced the two distinguished guests, Barty Crouch, the director of the International Cooperation Department, and Ludovic Bagman, the director of the Sports Department. The applause in the auditorium was sporadic.
"In the past months, Mr. Bagman and Mr. Crouch have devoted tremendous effort to organizing the Triwizard Tournament," Dumbledore explained. "They, along with myself, Professor Karkaroff, and Madame Maxime, will form a referee team to assess the endeavors of the champions."
Dumbledore instructed Filch to bring the Goblet of Fire to the podium and outlined the rules of the Triwizard Tournament: three champions, each representing a school, chosen by the Goblet of Fire; three challenging tasks, each task scored based on completion; the champion with the highest accumulated score will be awarded the Goblet of Fire.
"Every student aspiring to be a champion must write their name and school on a piece of parchment and toss it into this Goblet. The registration window is a mere 24 hours. Tomorrow night, on Halloween night, the Goblet will select the names of three students it deems the best representatives of the three schools. The Goblet will be placed in the hall tonight, and any willing student can touch it to signify their intent to participate in the selection."
"In order to deter underage participation, once the Goblet is positioned in the hall, I will enchant an age line around it. Crossing this age line is prohibited for anyone under the age of seventeen."
Every student aspiring to become a champion must inscribe their name and school on a parchment, depositing it into the Goblet of Fire within the 24-hour registration window.
The deadline is Halloween night, where the Goblet will then select the names of three students it deems the best representatives of the three schools.
Dumbledore placed the Goblet in the entrance hall to prevent underage students from attempting to participate and established an age line around it, restricting access for those under seventeen.
"Lastly, I'd like to remind all potential participants that this competition is no trivial matter, and one should not enter it impulsively. Once selected by the Goblet of Fire, a magical contract is formed that must be honored. Warriors are bound to see the competition through to the end; changing one's mind is not an option. Therefore, carefully consider your decision and ensure your commitment before placing your name in the cup again. Now, I believe it's time for everyone to retire for the night. Good night, everyone."
"Age line!" Draco exclaimed, his eyes gleaming as he turned to Skyler. "Skyler, you're signing up, right?"
Skyler shrugged and spread his hands, responding, "Who knows? Breaking the principal's age line is probably not as simple as it seems."
The two brothers exchanged glances, revealing a shared understanding.
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