559 Chapter 559 "Triwizard Tournament"

"Jerry, thank you for picking us up; now we don't have to worry about being late," Harry expressed his gratitude with relief as he observed Jerry and Hermione emerging from the fireplace ring in front of the Burrow.

He'd experienced the Weasley family's habitual tardiness over the past years, often making it a close call to catch the train on time.

Following their decision to go shopping at Diagon Alley two days prior, Harry had been staying at the Burrow.

Mrs. Weasley's warm invitation was a significant factor, but also because his godfather, Sirius Black, recently appointed as an Auror by the Ministry of Magic, was swamped with work.

Since the disturbing events at the Quidditch World Cup, the Ministry of Magic had been in disarray.

Few doubted Sirius's capabilities because of his heroic status from the First Wizarding War.

In fact, most of the Aurors at the Ministry couldn't match his skills.

Consequently, the Ministry had been persistently pursuing him to join their ranks, hoping his presence would somewhat restore their tarnished reputation.

Sirius's unjust imprisonment in Azkaban as a Death Eater for over a decade had seriously marred the Ministry's image.

Initially, Sirius had been reluctant, but the recent reappearance of suspected Death Eater remnants at the Quidditch World Cup had intensified his loathing of Death Eaters.

Fueled by his desire for vengeance, he'd ultimately accepted the Ministry's offer.

"It's not a problem for me," Jerry assured with a smile, acknowledging Mrs. Molly's upstairs activities of helping Ginny with her things.

As Ron appeared with his suitcase, Jerry inquired, "Good morning, Ron. By the way, where's Mr. Arthur?"

Jerry had noticed Arthur's absence in the house, which was quite unusual.

"He's incredibly busy. His colleagues from the Ministry of Magic summoned him early this morning. It seems they need to establish regulations related to your portal magic. You know how my dad excels at that," Ron explained nonchalantly.

Jerry grasped the significance of Arthur Weasley's early summons by the Ministry when he heard Ron's words.

Ever since that eventful night when he had transported the wizards at the camp to Diagon Alley via an oversized portal, it was clear that the magic of portals was more than just theoretical.

Everyone had seen its practicality, which had resulted in a sudden sellout of his magic book on portal theory.

During this period, some knowledgeable and skilled old wizards had used Jerry's book to understand the mechanics of portal magic and replicate his feat.

This prompted the British Ministry of Magic, and indeed the entire International Confederation of Wizards, to treat the situation with great seriousness.

The implications of more wizards learning teleportation magic were far-reaching, and therefore, they needed to expedite discussions and the formulation of relevant regulations.

Jerry, however, wasn't overly concerned about these regulations.

Regardless of their content, he knew it was highly unlikely that they would prevent the inventor of this magic from using his own creation.

"Let's get going!" Jerry ushered Ginny, Mrs. Molly, Charlie, and Bill as they gathered at the door.

He opened a portal that led to platform nine and three-quarters at King's Cross Station.

While he could have easily created a portal directly to Hogwarts Castle, the school's rules dictated that students ride the Hogwarts Express.

His choice to take the train with everyone was, in his view, an exciting and fun way to start the school year.

"I'll see you all soon!"

As they prepared to depart, Charlie hugged Ginny, offering Jerry and the others a wink.

With the portal leading directly to the platform, there was no need for Mrs. Molly, Charlie, or Bill to accompany them to the station.

The farewells took place at the Burrow's doorstep.

"Why?" Fred and George asked, puzzled by the cryptic exchange.

Charlie had mentioned returning to Romania for dragon hunting in just two days. Why this sudden enigmatic comment?

Charlie replied with a mysterious smile, "You'll find out. Don't mention this to Percy. It's top-secret information, and the Ministry will reveal it when they see fit. I just wish I could be heading back to Hogwarts this year."

With his hands in his pockets, Bill stood gazing at the train on the other side of the portal.

His initial expression appeared somewhat melancholic, but it shifted as if a thought had struck him.

A glint of excitement flashed in his eyes.

"You're all in for an exciting year. I might even take some time off to come and watch part of it," Bill remarked cryptically.

Charlie shared similar sentiments without offering any further explanation.

The cryptic dialogue left everyone but Jerry feeling perplexed, their curiosity gnawing at them like persistent cats.

"Trust me, you'll find out soon enough at school. You might not be back for Christmas this year for... various reasons."

Mrs. Molly, choosing her words carefully, added a hint of mystique to the conversation.

Her words only fueled the curiosity of the Weasley brothers, but their inquiries yielded no additional information.

With a gentle smile, Mrs. Molly, Charlie, and Bill ushered them through the portal to the other side.

As Jerry closed the portal, they remained in the dark, and the mystery continued to elude them.

Arriving at the platform an hour ahead of the departure time courtesy of the portal, they found the place relatively empty.

This situation had its benefits, as they could choose their seats without the usual hassle.

However, due to Jerry's recognizable face, they decided to minimize the likelihood of disturbance on the train by selecting the rearmost compartment.

Once they had stowed their luggage and settled into their seats, Hermione turned to Jerry with a question. "Jerry, do you already know what's going on?"

Both Harry and Ron's eyes locked onto Jerry in anticipation. Jerry replied with a knowing smile, "Why do you think I would know?"

He did not deny having knowledge about the topic at hand and looked at Hermione beside him.

With a proud posture, Hermione pointed out, "Because you were the only one who didn't react to what Mrs. Molly and the others said, you know people from the Ministry of Magic, and you've been staying at the Leaky Cauldron. I assume you must have some idea already."

Jerry responded with a smirk, "A great observation! What an astute answer!"

He ruffled Hermione's hair and, unlike Bill, chose to quench their curiosity directly, revealing, "That's right, because this year, Hogwarts will be hosting the Triwizard Tournament!"

The revelation left Harry, Ron, and Hermione wide-eyed and brimming with a mix of excitement and apprehension.

The Triwizard Tournament had a storied history, often involving perilous tasks and magical creatures, making it both exhilarating and dangerous.