Tri-Wizard Tournament Warriors
"Sorry, Jon... I acted a bit rashly," Astoria apologized after their conversation with the trio. They had a heated argument, and if the boys hadn't intervened, it might have escalated into a fight.
"It's okay!" Jon reassured her. "Differences in opinion are inevitable... We can seek common ground while respecting our differences."
"I'm sorry," Astoria said in a low voice, pretending to focus her attention on a tree-guarding pot.
Meanwhile, Jon was feeding the tree-guarding pot and reflecting on Hermione's words.
To be honest, her perspective seemed too idealistic, or perhaps too naive.
The mistreatment of house-elves by both wizards and their enslavement was apparent to discerning individuals. However, expecting the establishment of a wizarding organization to improve their situation seemed like wishful thinking.
Some things couldn't be resolved over dinner or through artistic pursuits.
How could true liberation for house-elves be achieved?
Jon, who had studied "The Outline of Dragon Slaying" in his youth, was not oblivious to this.
First, a revolutionary idea needed to be introduced among house-elves. At least a group of elves receptive to progressive notions should receive theoretical guidance and foster communication.
Then, the house-elves needed an army and had to wage war against the wizards. They might even need to send a Minister of Magic to the guillotine.
Only through these means could the elves be qualified to speak of their "rights," even if they failed.
Instead of relying on well-meaning wizards to reform themselves, it was better to empower the house-elves themselves. They were more reliable than the pure-blood wizards who had either taken refuge with or would take refuge in Voldemort.
...
They spent over an hour in the Forbidden Forest, feeding the tree-guarding pots and filling the air with song.
Astoria's enthusiasm seemed to have waned a bit, and they bid each other farewell upon entering the castle.
Jon stayed in the Common Room for a few hours, and as evening approached, he hurried to Severus Snape's office.
Professor Snape had donned a new black robe and gave Jon a cold glance.
"The Halloween party is about to start in a few minutes!" Snape stated.
"I'm aware, Professor!" Jon nodded. "That's why I had a meal beforehand... After all, I'm confined here, right?"
"Suit yourself!" Snape strode out of the office but paused to say, "Don't let anyone break in and steal my belongings!"
"Understood!" Jon nodded, then watched Snape close the door.
He had little interest in what would transpire at the Halloween party. After all, he could recite the names of all four participants in the Triwizard Tournament.
Being alone in Snape's office was far more enticing. He could glimpse Snape's collection of potions and medicinal ingredients, and with some luck, he might learn a great deal.
But first, he had to complete tonight's task.
Jon shifted his gaze to the large jars in the room.
Indian black eels were large herbivorous eels, measuring 1 to 2 meters in length. Their blood, once filtered, yielded a potion with numerous uses.
Hence, the workload for tonight was rather substantial.
...
The Halloween dinner seemed to drag on longer than usual. Perhaps due to the consecutive banquets, many students didn't show their usual enthusiasm for the carefully prepared and sumptuous dishes.
The auditorium was abuzz with anticipation, and anxious expressions were etched on every face. Restless, people frequently stood up and cast glances toward the podium.
Finally, the banquet concluded, and the volume in the auditorium suddenly rose. Dumbledore stood up, and silence descended once more.
Karkaroff and Madame Maxime, flanking Dumbledore, appeared as nervous and expectant as the rest. Ludo Bagman smiled and winked at students from various schools, while Mr. Crouch wore a stoic expression.
"I am honored to announce that the Goblet of Fire is ready to make its decision!" Dumbledore announced with a smile.
He waved his hand, and most of the lights in the auditorium dimmed, leaving it in a half-bright, half-dark state.
The Goblet of Fire, positioned on the podium, emitted a brilliant light, surpassing everything else in the auditorium. Its blue and white flames sparked enchantingly.
Almost everyone nervously watched Dumbledore.
The flames inside the goblet suddenly turned red, accompanied by crackling sparks.
Then, a tongue of flame shot into the air, carrying a nearly charred piece of parchment.
Dumbledore caught the parchment, and the flames within the goblet returned to blue and white.
"The champion from Durmstrang—" Dumbledore's voice resounded throughout the auditorium. "It is Victor Krum."
Applause and cheers erupted, sweeping through the entire auditorium.
Victor Krum rose from the Slytherin table and made his way listlessly toward Dumbledore. Following Professor McGonagall's instructions, he turned to the right, walked along the podium, and entered the adjoining room.
"Incredible, Viktor!" Karkaroff bellowed in a bear-like voice. "I always knew you were destined to be a champion!"
Silence settled upon the auditorium once more as the second parchment made its appearance.
"The champion from Beauxbatons—Fleur Delacour!"
Gracefully, the girl who resembled a Veela stood up, flicking her silver hair, and glided between the tables of Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff toward the podium.
She graciously bowed to Dumbledore and entered the room Krum had just vacated.
The entire auditorium fell silent, with almost all Hogwarts students holding their breath. They knew that the next name to be revealed would be the Hogwarts champion.
As scheduled, the third parchment arrived.
"The Hogwarts champion—"
Dumbledore grabbed it but froze, staring at the note in his hand with a bewildered expression.