Chapter 353: Increased study pressure, face-saving project
It turned out that the thought form's method was indeed flawless; Professor Trelawney publicly praised his homework in Divination Class, and most of his predictions were correct.
What surprised him was that Harry and Ron also received praise, though their predictions were somewhat intriguing.
In their homework, their descriptions of next month's fate were almost as if they were cursed with bad luck: burned by fire today, losing money tomorrow, fighting someone the day after… "Are your predictions reliable?" Aaron asked incredulously, "A whole month of bad luck, with no two days alike, how did you manage that?"
"We just made it up," Ron said smugly, "We found that she just likes to see us unlucky. Whether the predictions are reliable or not doesn't matter, as long as the Professor thinks they're passable."
"But what about the predictions for the month after next?" Harry frowned, "It's not easy to come up with dozens more self-cursing misfortunes!"
Aaron's mouth twitched slightly. He completed his homework by defeating divination with divination, but these two were playing with fire—cursing themselves, really?
"Oh, by the way, did you also join Hermione's House-elfWelfare Association?" Ron looked at Aaron with some confusion, "She told us you're the vice-president."
Aaron:... "Don't listen to her nonsense, it was just a simple transaction."
"As a favor to a friend, I bought a shoddy badge from her; that's all."
In the following weeks, Moody made good on his word, casting the Imperio on everyone in Class to train students' resistance to this Unforgivable Curse. As for whether he would be reported, he wasn't worried in the slightest; Dumbledore was backing him, and the Ministry of Magicwouldn't send people to arrest him for such a thing.
Because Wizards would take the O.W.L.s in their fifth year, and the Triwizard Tournament would also take up students' study time, every Professor tacitly increased the study pressure on fourth-year students.
Professor McGonagall and Professor Binns assigned more homework, Professor Snape forced students to research Potions, Professor Flitwick required them to read three more magic books this semester, and even Hagrid was no exception, suggesting that students come to his hut every other day to observe the Blast-Ended Skrewts and record their daily behavior.
This pressure only began to ease a few days before Halloween. On this day, a notice was posted in the entrance hall:
Triwizard Tournament
Representatives from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will arrive at 6 PM on October 30th. Afternoon classes will end half an hour early.
At that time, students are requested to return their schoolbags and textbooks to their dormitories, then gather in front of the Castle to welcome our guests, and afterwards attend the welcoming feast.
"Less than a week left," Aaron stroked his chin and looked at Draco, asking, "Are you still sure you want to sign up? We fourth-year students don't have much of an advantage."
"Of course," Draco said confidently, not forgetting to give Harry and his two friends a provocative look in the distance, "I certainly dare to sign up; I just don't know if certain people have the guts."
"Hmph! We'll sign up too," Ron said carelessly.
"Forget it, I won't stop you," Aaron sighed, somewhat speechless, "Fortunately, this is just the right to sign up. Good luck!"
"You're not signing up?" Hermione asked, somewhat surprised, "This is eternal glory!"
"I'm not interested in glory."
Aaron waved his hand and returned to the common room with Abey in his arms.
With the appearance of this notice, the Triwizard Tournament became the biggest topic of conversation among students in the following days.
Who would be Hogwarts' champion? What events would the Triwizard Tournament have? How were the students from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang different from them?
Besides this, the Castle also underwent a thorough cleaning. The portraits hanging in the stairwells and corridors were wiped clean, and the armor and statues were polished to a shine.
Filch repeatedly asked students to pay attention to their appearance, and the other faculty members also seemed particularly nervous.
As the hosts of the Triwizard Tournament, the facade was absolutely crucial, and even Professor McGonagall's attitude was much stricter than usual.
October 29th, night.
Aaron had a quick spar with the thought form in Shenming Hall, then began practicing the ultimate elemental magiccircle on paper.
"Tomorrow, Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will arrive. Any thoughts?"
"It has nothing to do with me," Aaron said indifferently, "Speaking of which, have you named the gun yet? My intuition tells me I'll be using it very soon."
"Hmm…" The thought form chuckled awkwardly, "I thought about it for a long time, but I think the most suitable name is still other shore flower."
Aaron froze for a moment, looking at the patterns on the flintlock pistol, and couldn't help but twitch his lips.
"Truly worthy of me. Can we be any lazier?"
The thought form shrugged innocently, "You know yourself. This is already the best. If you don't believe me, you can look at my memories."
"Forget it, other shore flower it is!
I just hope the other four firearms made by Ancestor Algol have different patterns, otherwise…"
"Number one, number two, number three, number four, number five, simple and clear," the thought form said directly, but seeing the few black lines appearing on Aaron's forehead, he immediately changed his tune, "Just kidding, just kidding."
"But I am a little curious about what exactly could make my main body look so worried."
"Nothing, perhaps I'm overthinking it.
Beauxbatons and Durmstrang are coming to Hogwartstomorrow, but the day after tomorrow is Halloween Eve."
The thought form's expression also sobered a little. Halloween Eve was definitely a cursed holiday at Hogwarts. Although he didn't know what would happen, it was right to be somewhat prepared.
Back in the dormitory, Aaron lay on his bed and checked his system tasks for the year.
[Participate in the Triwizard Tournament;
Completing the task rewards 2000 magic points. There is no penalty for failing the task. Does the host accept?]
"System, you're forcing my hand!"
"The host has the right to choose; you can refuse."
Aaron chuckled. This task was released the day the notice was posted.
His first reaction at the time was to give up, but that decision was firmly suppressed by the reward for completing the task.
That was two thousand magic points; he would have to sign in at Hogwarts for two hundred days to accumulate that much. It wasn't often the system was so generous!
More importantly, he really needed this reward now because he was truly too poor.
From the start of school until now, he had diligently signed in every day, but he couldn't help but spend frequently!
Changing Clothes magic, Undetectable Extension Charm, Mermaid's Tears, Thunderbird tail feathers—he hadn't missed any of these, plus the consumption of refreshing the mall… After nearly two months at school, his magic points were still only in the double digits, not even half a hundred.
The saying "you only regret not having enough money when you need it" was no longer sufficient to describe his current predicament. The truth was, money was never enough.
"I'll think about this one," Aaron said helplessly, "Are there no other tasks?
You're a system that's been upgraded, after all. Do you have to be so stingy?"
"This is decided based on the actual situation," the System explained solemnly, "This system also has professional integrity; tasks that are not presentable are not worthy of appearing on the task panel."
Aaron:... Damn it! He said that with such righteous indignation, accepting no rebuttals.
The next day, the last Potion Class ended half an hour early.
After the bell rang, the Gryffindor and Slytherin students in the classroom returned to their common rooms, preparing to change into clean and tidy clothes to welcome the upcoming guests.
"Gaius," Snape reminded him helplessly, "Did you forget what was on that notice? Put your schoolbag and textbooks back in your dormitory, change your clothes, and gather in front of the Castle."
Snap!
Aaron snapped his fingers, and his Wizard robes automatically changed.
"This is Changing Clothes magic, not Transfiguration. This luggage is real."
Snape's mouth twitched slightly, "What about your schoolbag and textbooks?"
Abey jumped directly onto the desk and, in front of Snape, stuffed both items into his pocket.
"Go get in line!"
"Alright!"
Aaron followed Snape out of the Potion Class classroom and met up with the other Classes of Slytherin in the entrance hall.
Once everyone had arrived, the Deans began to organize the students into lines and check if everyone's attire was up to par. After all, they were going to appear in front of two other magic schools, and if someone stood out as too unconventional, it would be an embarrassment for all of Hogwarts.
At 5:30, the students were already lined up in front of the Castle.
Each Class stood in a row, forming seven ranks, waiting quietly in the evening.
As time passed minute by minute, a half-moon appeared in the sky, and the temperature began to slowly drop.
"Why aren't they here yet?" Goyle grumbled from the middle of the line, "They're putting on a bigger show than Moody."
"It's not even six yet!" Crabbe reminded him.
"They'll definitely arrive on time, but the question is how," Aaron said calmly, "Hogwarts has shown such solemnity, their entrance can't be ordinary."
"Maybe flying brooms?" Draco speculated, but then he looked at Abey, "Or riding magical creatures."
"Like a Hippogriff?"
"Please don't mention those beasts to me, okay?" Draco said gloomily, feeling a phantom ache in his arm at the thought of a Hippogriff.
Just then, Dumbledore, standing in the back row, suddenly called out, "If I'm not mistaken, the Beauxbatonsrepresentatives have arrived."
"Where?" many students asked.
"There," someone excitedly pointed above the Forbidden Forest, where a colossal object flew through the night towards Hogwarts Castle.
It was a huge powder-blue carriage, as large as a common room, pulled by twelve elephant-sized silver-maned horses with white wings.