Archaeologists at Hogwarts

Chapter 396 Competition

395 games

Now, the nervousness he had felt was back in Harry's mind.

In the first round of the competition, he and Cedric both received hints from Professor Heimer in advance in order to find the person who threw their names into the Goblet of Fire. Although this plan was later interrupted due to Harry's strange behavior

, but this at least allowed Harry to know the result of the game in advance.

And he does feel that his life is more important than his scores.

But this time it's different.

Not only did they know in advance that the content of the second stage of the competition was to find treasures in the Black Lake, but Professor Heimer was actually in charge of the rest of the competition - how could this be possible?

Harry felt deeply uneasy about this. This may be due to James' instructions to him, or it may be because of Professor Hemmer's consistent style - he has always been unscrupulous.

Unfortunately, no matter what Harry thinks, time will never stop like this.

Finally the day came when the game started.

Harry didn't expect that he could sleep so deeply at the end. If Ron hadn't woken him up, he probably would have stayed asleep - missing the game time might have been the best thing.

"time to go."

Ron's eyes seemed to say, "If you don't get up, I will have to force you out of bed."

When they packed up and came to the common room, Hermione was waiting for them.

"It won't be a problem, right?" She didn't feel the tension in her tone at all: "After all, you have already practiced secretly once, it's very simple, right? If it doesn't work, just use that

The magic is done."

"I have made this plan a long time ago." Harry said while taking a deep breath: "Unless Professor Hemmer holds back, but I think this is impossible."

"Oh?" Hermione was surprised by Harry's realization. She seemed to want to say something more, probably some advice, but when her words came to her lips, she turned into: "That's great, you learned how to do it."

It’s earlier than me, I’m the only one who hasn’t—”

"Hey!" Ron interrupted immediately: "Don't mention it, okay, Hermione? We have to get him to the Great Hall for breakfast quickly. If he can't eat, we have to help feed him one by one.

Come on, let’s go.”

"I don't need anyone to feed me." Harry refused, but his body was pushed out of the passage by the two of them.

After they finished breakfast, they walked out of the castle. It was obvious that the seats that surrounded the Quidditch pitch in November last year were now arranged on the other side of the lake. The crowd began to disperse little by little as they arrived nearby, forming three groups and two groups.

Find the right seat so you don't miss a scene.

"This way they won't be able to see what's going on under the lake." Hermione said happily, she even forgot that she already knew this good news.

"See you later." Harry hugged the two of them respectively, then separated and walked towards the judges. They sat at another table by the water covered with a golden tablecloth. Cedric, Fleur and

Krum stood by the referee's table and watched Harry running towards them at full speed.

"The referees haven't arrived yet."

Cedric pointed to the empty seats and said: "I guess it will take a while, after all, it's not time to start the game yet."

Harry nodded. He looked at each other with Fleur and Krum, and actually saw a lot of sympathy in their eyes - now they were all from the same starting point, and the only thing they had to deal with was that Professor Heimer didn't know.

Since when did we set the difficulties?

The waiting time is a bit unbearable, especially when there are so many spectators looking at it, which makes it even more unbearable.

Harry did not ask these people if they had found a way to breathe underwater. If they had not found it, they would definitely not be here. And he was not in the mood to chat. Instead, he took the time to think about how to summon in his mind.

Melody of the Niven Serpent - Even though it only has one head left, it should still be useful.

After I don’t know how much time passed.

"They're coming!"

Cedric accidentally caught a glimpse of him in the distance and exclaimed: "Look who that person is - Minister Dumbledore is here too!"

Dumbledore walked at the front of the crowd, standing next to him were Madame Maxime and Principal McGonagall, with Scrimgeour following behind them.

Then on the other side, Lockhart and Toby, who looked a bit unnatural, were walking together. The ancient magic professor of Hogwarts once again let his hair fall in front of his eyes, covering all his emotions, making it impossible to see what was going on in his heart.

Thinking about something.

Lockhart glanced at Dumbledore in front of him, and asked quietly: "You should know that I have a lot of questions to ask you now, right? Can you explain them one by one? For example - forget it, I'll just ask

Okay, have you completely lost your skin?"

Toby's tone was calm.

"It's not that time yet, but it will be soon."

Dumbledore, who was walking in front, paused slightly, but soon returned to normal.

He came to the four warriors and greeted them gently.

Especially when facing Harry, he said more.

"How about it? Do you have the confidence to face this test?"

Harry always felt that Dumbledore seemed to mean something in his words, and that he was not just asking about the second item, but perhaps more.

He glanced at Professor Heimer, who was expressionless, and finally did not respond, but nodded silently.

"That's good." Dumbledore said still kindly.

This seems to be the announcement that the game is about to begin.

Scrimgeour pointed his wand at his throat and said "loudly."

"Listen, everyone, our warriors are already at their posts. But before that, please allow me to introduce the new Minister of the British Ministry of Magic. You should all be familiar with him - Albus Dumbledore."

The students in the stands applauded enthusiastically, but Dumbledore just waved to them and did not preach like he used to in school.

After receiving instructions from Dumbledore's gaze, Scrimgeour continued to announce: "As soon as I blow the whistle, the second project will begin. They have a full hour to find the treasure hidden in the Black Lake. I count.

Three. One, two, three!”

Sharp whistles echoed in the cold and still air. A burst of cheers and applause erupted from the stands. Harry didn't look at what the other warriors were doing. He just took off his shoes and socks and took out the handful from his pocket.

gilly grass, stuffed it into his mouth, and then waded into the lake.

A familiar cold feeling came to Harry. Even though he had secretly used it once, Harry still felt that the time before the herb took effect was very difficult.

There was a burst of laughter in the stands, and Harry knew that he would look stupid at this time, but what could he do.

Fortunately, this period of time passed quickly.

Suddenly, Harry felt as if an invisible pillow was pressing down on his mouth and nose. As soon as he inhaled, he felt that his mind was spinning. His lungs were empty, and there was a sudden sharp pain like a knife on both sides of his neck.

pain--

it's time.

Harry dove into the lake water, swimming as smoothly as a fish, and in the blink of an eye he was submerged in the bottomless ripples.

The four warriors quickly disappeared into the lake in their own way, and there was a lot of discussion in the stands about who could come out first.

The people sitting on the referee's bench were also chatting away, but the atmosphere didn't seem so good.

Mrs. Maxim ignored Principal McGonagall's glare and said: "You are finally here, Dumbledore. I want to ask why there are two warriors in Hogwarts? And these two children said there are not.

Throwing your name into the Goblet of Fire - do you have any explanation for that? Don't tell me the Ministry of Magic hasn't started investigating yet."

"This is indeed worthy of attention." Dumbledore easily raised the topic to Principal Durmstrang who was sitting on the other side: "Gilderoy, can I hear your opinion?"

Lockhart acted as if he had been suddenly pricked by a needle. He almost jumped out of his seat, but Toby on the side pressed his shoulder with his palm in time and forced him back.

"My opinion?" Lockhart smiled awkwardly: "What can I say? Accidents, this will always happen, no one can avoid accidents, right? I believe everyone will understand, anyway, Germany

Armstrong has no objections, especially their principal."

Maxim stared at Lockhart with an extremely unfamiliar look - now even if someone said that he was Dumbledore's lackey, it would not arouse any suspicion.

"Is that so?"

Dumbledore said calmly, then changed the topic: "What about you, Toby? You have been at Hogwarts for such a long time, have you made any new discoveries?"

Lockhart didn't even dare to look at Toby. He sat upright and stared straight ahead, as if a restraining spell had been cast.

"New discovery?"

Toby had a puzzled tone at first, and then suddenly realized: "Oh, I really do have one. Just a few days ago, someone seemed to want to poach my assistant, which is Angela. You all know her.

During that time, I had some unpleasantness with her, and it was indeed a good time to be poached. But unfortunately, that person didn't know what Angela wanted at all, and just used his usual - how should I say - ridiculous

Okay. He tried to move her in his usual ridiculous way, but he had no idea what Angela wanted."

"It turned out that it was because of that person that Angela not only immediately returned to Hogwarts willingly, but also complained in my ears all day about why I should be afraid of that person. I had no choice but to explain that it was because he was powerful and had a decisive attitude.

You look like you will use all your strength against me if I don't agree - what can I do, Minister? I want to hear what you think."

The referee's bench was so quiet that even if a pin dropped, people could hear it clearly.

Under the gaze of a bunch of people, Dumbledore said calmly: "What is my suggestion? Before I tell you what I think, I want to ask you a question, Toby. Even if I say it, will you follow it?"

Do you do what I said?"

"About this." Toby said perfunctorily: "I used to be an archaeologist. I couldn't do things based on existing experience. I have long been accustomed to thinking alone - so it is probably impossible, Minister, it's really

Feel sorry."

"No." Dumbledore turned his head and stared at Toby with his light blue eyes. "You don't have to be sorry for this at all. This is your own decision and your freedom. No one can do it."

Blame you for this, unless—"

No one knows what Dumbledore said next, and no one knows what conditions followed his "unless".

Suddenly, there was a loud cheer in the stands. A warrior had already swam out of the water, and in his hand was still - it was definitely not an object, but a human shape. When Krum crawled to the ground in confusion,

Only when they reached the shore did people see that it was a living person.

"Krum is the first warrior to accomplish his goal." Scrimgeour glanced in Lockhart's direction and said, "I think their headmaster will be pleased with this."

Lockhart twitched the corner of his mouth twice in embarrassment. He glanced at Dumbledore with a solemn expression, then immediately looked back, jumped up from his seat and said, "I have to take care of my students. See you later."

, everyone."

He simply took the opportunity to slip away.

Dumbledore took in all that man's appearance, and also noticed the stunned Slughorn in the stands.

That man was Old Tom, who looked exactly like the young Voldemort, and he would definitely recognize him.

"Poor old dean." Toby said regretfully, smacking his mouth twice.

Before Dumbledore could question Toby, another cheer rang out.

The second warrior to surface was Cedric, and the treasure he found this time was even more exaggerated—it turned out to be the mysterious armor in the school.

"You should still remember it, Minister." Toby said slowly: "You were the one who lifted the curse on it. How about I let it come to thank you in person later."

Dumbledore hadn't moved his eyes since the armor surfaced.

"What have you done, Toby." He had seen the man imprisoned in the armor, the man who had been inflicted with unnamed horrors during the Wizarding War.

Voldemort, he's back again.

Toby said nothing, he looked at the lake quietly.

Soon, the third warrior appeared.

This time the cheers almost stopped abruptly, and everyone saw clearly the "treasure" who held Harry's arm tightly and had a cold face.

"It seems that Severus's popularity is indeed not very good." Toby said sadly: "I guess they won't welcome him back, but... let's wait and see."

After being stimulated by three treasures in succession, the entire venue became silent, and everyone wanted to know what the last treasure was.

As time passed slowly, the expression on Mrs. Maxim's face became more and more anxious.

However, the miracle did not happen.

Fleur swam out of the water only after the time expired, which meant that she would not receive any points in this competition and became the last place.

Everyone ran to the shore, except Dumbledore who was still sitting a few seats away from Toby.

"Looks like we're going to lose our Defense Against the Dark Arts professor."

Toby's words made Dumbledore turn around suddenly, and he continued: "But fortunately we have a new professor. What do you think of Snape? Oh, by the way, I have one more thing to remind you,

The devil in the armor is gone now, and I don't know how it disappeared, but it is probably staying with the missing professor - I can't control it, and I can't make any guarantees to you."

He slowly stood up and met Dumbledore's gaze condescendingly.

"I have never been used to passively accepting threats. I have always taken the initiative. I think this is one of Slytherin's outstanding qualities."

"So, it is now up to you, Minister Dumbledore, to make the decision."