The suburbs were eerily quiet at night, as though everything had fallen silent. Even the houses lining both sides of the street had turned out their lights.
Yet vague figures could be seen moving along the roadside.
A closer look revealed that they were several Spanish Police officers. Any unsuspecting Muggle passing by would have thought something had happened here.
However, the wooden sticks in the hands of those "police officers" had already exposed their identities.
Employees of the Spanish Ministry of Magic were carrying out patrol duties. Although the area had been placed under a Muggle-Repelling Charm, accidents could still happen.
The moment Albert Apparated onto the open ground near the stadium, he saw someone approaching him: a male employee of the Spanish Ministry of Magic, there to register his identity.
He directly stated that he was a contestant and produced his contestant pass. The male wizard then said mechanically, "Contestants, please proceed to Entrance Nine. Go through there to the contestants' waiting hall. There are staff at the entrance specifically responsible for registration."
Albert headed in the direction the male wizard pointed and soon spotted a sign written in many different languages, showing contestants where the passage to Entrance Nine was.
The moment he reached the entrance, a wave of noise rushed over him.
A table stood by the entrance, with a lottery-like box on top. Four slots sat beside it, marked 1, 2, 3, and 4, dividing the contestants' waiting hall into four areas.
The male wizard drew a card from the box. It bore the number 1. He tossed it back inside and gestured for Albert to draw one himself.
Albert casually took a card from the box. It was marked "3." The card was placed in Area Three, and Albert was directed there as well.