Chapter 190
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Time passed quickly, and before long it was the day when the other two magic schools would arrive at Hogwarts.
During Snape's Potions class, almost every student looked unusually cheerful.
That evening, the delegations from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang were scheduled to arrive.
Which meant that Potions homework suddenly felt much less important.
Snape, however, was in a terrible mood.
His pale, waxy face looked darker than ever.
He assigned an enormous amount of homework, but even that could not ruin the students' excitement.
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Earlier that week, the entire castle had begun preparations to welcome the foreign guests.
Hogwarts received a thorough cleaning.
Dusty portraits were scrubbed until they looked almost new.
Unfortunately, the portraits themselves were very unhappy about this treatment.
Many of them curled up in their frames and grumbled angrily.
Their newly cleaned faces stung whenever they touched them.
The suits of armor lining the corridors were polished until they shone brilliantly.
They no longer creaked when they moved.
The caretaker Argus Filch became extremely strict.
If he saw a student forget to wipe their shoes, he would explode in anger.
Two terrified first-year girls nearly burst into hysterics after being scolded by him.
Even the teachers seemed unusually nervous.
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"Longbottom!"
Professor McGonagall shouted during Transfiguration class.
"Please do not embarrass Hogwarts in front of the Durmstrang students!"
"I would prefer it if they did not witness you failing to perform a simple switching spell!"
That lesson had not gone well.
Neville had accidentally attached his own ear to a cactus.
Although his personality had begun to change over the past year, real improvement would still take time.
All of this clearly showed how important Hogwarts considered the upcoming event.
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Outside the castle, students gathered in long lines to welcome the arriving guests.
"Hermione, please don't try to promote your… 'vomit badge' to the students from the other schools," Ron whispered urgently.
"They definitely won't like it."
"And if Professor McGonagall finds out, she'll be furious."
"Don't embarrass us in front of foreigners."
Hermione immediately exploded.
"How is defending the rights of the oppressed something shameful?"
"This is a noble cause!"
Recently she had been passionately campaigning for the rights of house-elves.
She had even created badges labeled S.P.E.W. and tried to distribute them everywhere.
Unfortunately, almost nobody understood—or supported—her ideas.
Even Harry and Ron had only bought badges in order to stop her from lecturing them.
Neville, however, showed some interest.
After hearing Hermione's arguments, he felt a strange sense of sympathy and bought a badge to support her.
He even considered joining her organization.
Aside from him, however, nobody else cared.
Even though Hermione tried every night to persuade people in the Gryffindor common room, most students simply ignored her.
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"Quiet!"
Professor McGonagall suddenly barked.
Her stern voice silenced the entire group.
The wrinkles around her eyes deepened as she frowned.
The students had rarely seen her look so serious.
Immediately everyone fell silent.
Still, they could not stop themselves from staring excitedly across the darkening grounds.
Time passed.
Nothing happened.
The field remained quiet.
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Then suddenly—
Something appeared in the sky.
At first it was only a distant shape.
But it grew larger and larger.
It was far bigger than a broomstick.
In fact, it looked larger than a hundred broomsticks combined.
The enormous object flew rapidly through the dark blue evening sky toward the castle.
Soon the lights from Hogwarts illuminated it.
It was a gigantic carriage.
It shimmered with a pinkish-blue glow.
Twelve enormous winged horses pulled the carriage through the air.
Their silver manes flashed in the light.
Each horse was nearly the size of an elephant.
Only creatures that powerful could pull such a massive vehicle.
Compared to them, Hogwarts' Thestrals looked tiny.
Why aren't they called "drunken horses"? Malfoy thought silently.
After all, these creatures famously survived on strong liquor.
In that case, the driver wasn't drunk.
The horses themselves were.
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The carriage descended rapidly.
Students standing in the front rows hurriedly stepped backward.
A thunderous crash echoed across the grounds as the carriage landed.
Some younger students stumbled in fright.
Older students quickly grabbed them to prevent embarrassment.
The gigantic horses stamped their hooves.
Each hoof was as large as a dinner plate.
Hot breath burst from their nostrils as their fiery red eyes rolled wildly.
On the carriage door was a golden crest:
Two crossed wands surrounded by three stars.
The emblem of Beauxbatons Academy.
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A boy wearing pale blue robes jumped down from the carriage.
He bent over, searching for something inside.
Soon he pulled out a golden staircase, which unfolded elegantly to the ground.
Then he stepped aside respectfully.
From inside the carriage emerged a black high-heeled shoe.
The shoe alone was the size of a child's sled.
Behind it appeared an enormous woman.
Her size was almost impossible to describe.
"She must have giant blood," Ron whispered.
Hermione immediately slapped her hand over his mouth.
"Shut up!"
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As the woman approached the welcoming group, she seemed even more extraordinary.
When she stepped into the light from the castle entrance, everyone saw her clearly.
She had a handsome olive-colored face.
Large dark eyes filled with moisture.
A sharply defined nose.
Her hair was tied into a shining bun at the back of her neck.
She wore flowing black silk robes decorated with glittering opal jewelry.
This was Madame Olympe Maxime, Headmistress of Beauxbatons.
Dumbledore began clapping politely.
The students followed his lead.
Many stood on tiptoe to see her better.
Madame Maxime smiled gracefully.
She extended her large hand toward Dumbledore.
Even though Dumbledore himself was tall, he still had to reach slightly upward to kiss it politely.
At least he doesn't have to jump just to reach her knee, Malfoy thought with amusement.