Ch. 821Exchange and Learning Were Also the Meaning of the Five Champions Tournament

After the Goblet of Fire named Hogwarts’s Champions, Vizet urged the visiting schools to put the evening’s wrongs behind them and focus on exchange and the tournament. Once the other Champions left, Harry, Cedric, and Draco offered Vizet their support before they returned to celebrate.

  • Charles Graves apologized for Ilvermorny’s role in the incident, and Vizet urged him to focus on the trials and let the past stay in the past.
  • Fleur Delacour questioned whether Vizet intended to conceal what had happened, but Vizet said he valued the tournament’s opportunities for connection and magical exchange.
  • Charles Graves told Fitzgerald Smith and Harrison Johnson he trusted Vizet, then reminded them to prepare to represent Ilvermorny well.
  • Viktor Krum apologized to Vizet for the evening’s events and congratulated him on becoming a Champion.
  • Cedric, Harry, and Draco offered to help Vizet, who agreed and suggested they return to join their classmates’ celebration.

Ch. 822A Collective Night Out

After the Halloween Feast, students from Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff sneaked into the Hogwarts Kitchen to gather food and drink for celebrations. Vizet returned to a decorated Ravenclaw Common Room, where he explained that he would compete as a sixth contestant and have his score averaged with Harry and the other Champions' scores.

  • Fred and George led a Gryffindor group out at night to collect food, reassuring the Fat Lady that they would tell her about Gryffindor's Champion when they returned.
  • Luna led Ravenclaw students to meet the Gryffindors, and the groups made their way to the Hogwarts Kitchen while evading Filch.
  • The Hufflepuff students helped the others gather food, and Luna's group shared some with Gregory Goyle on their way back.
  • Draco asked Gregory Goyle where the food came from, and Goyle recalled that Luna said everyone was a Hogwarts Champion and should share.
  • The Ravenclaw students carried Vizet into their decorated Common Room and congratulated him on becoming a Champion.
  • Vizet told the students that he counted as the sixth contestant and that his score would be averaged with Harry and the other Champions' scores.

Ch. 823The Anxious Champions

Harry and Draco worried about the Triwizard Tournament’s first task until Vizet helped them identify a possible clue and plan how to prepare. The four Hogwarts Champions began organizing a search for information on dangerous creatures at the XXXXX Level.

  • Harry woke early, felt burdened by the Gryffindor flag, and worried he might let his classmates down during the first task.
  • Harry found Draco in the entrance hall and noticed his dark circles, though Draco claimed he had simply gotten up early.
  • Vizet suggested that the selection examination materials and Mr. Crouch’s remarks might hint that the first task involved dangerous creatures at the XXXXX Level.
  • Harry and Draco agreed with Vizet’s theory and proposed gathering information, including asking Cedric and Draco’s family for help.
  • Harry planned to inform Cedric, Draco offered to contact his family, and Vizet took responsibility for searching the library.

Ch. 824Durmstrang's Method of Succession

Vizet discussed Voldemort’s reunion with Barty Crouch Jr. and the possibility that they had gone to Durmstrang. Dumbledore explained that Durmstrang’s succession customs might let Voldemort gain influence there while forcing him to restrain his methods.

  • Vizet encountered Dumbledore leaving a secret passage with cakes and asked whether the referee panel had reached a decision.
  • Vizet told Dumbledore that he had found no sign of Voldemort, Barty Crouch Jr., or the listed Death Eaters on the Marauder's Map.
  • Dumbledore confirmed that Barty Crouch Jr. had reunited with Voldemort on the first day of school.
  • Vizet wondered whether Voldemort had gone to Durmstrang and asked if its Ministry of Magic should be warned.
  • Dumbledore explained that Durmstrang’s policies could make it receptive to Voldemort, but its role as a school might constrain him.
  • Vizet recalled rumors that Durmstrang chose its headmasters through duels and other dishonorable means.

Ch. 825Blood-Draining Curse

Vizet watched Barty Crouch Jr.’s memory of teaching the Blood-Draining Curse at Durmstrang and drafting a new vision of wizard families. He and Dumbledore concluded that Barty seemed to embrace his work for Voldemort, while Voldemort’s plan for him remained unclear.

  • Vizet wondered whether Voldemort intended to claim Durmstrang’s headmaster position through a duel, but Dumbledore said Voldemort had not yet reached that stage.
  • Dumbledore put a memory into the Pensieve, and Vizet entered Barty Crouch Jr.’s memory of teaching Dark Magic at Durmstrang.
  • Barty taught the Blood-Draining Curse, including how it could drain an enemy’s blood and affect the soul, and Vizet learned about its broader applications.
  • After dinner, Barty returned to his office and drafted a document about wizard families that rejected the concept of pure-blood status.
  • Vizet left the Pensieve and told Dumbledore that Barty appeared to enjoy his work and showed no fear or resistance while carrying out Voldemort’s orders.

Ch. 826The Target Was Harry

Vizet and Dumbledore discussed Voldemort’s cautious preparations for resurrection, and Vizet deduced that Voldemort intended to use Harry’s blood. The chapter ended with Dumbledore confirming that Voldemort had overlooked the love-based Magic Contract protecting Harry because he could not understand love.

  • Dumbledore told Vizet that Voldemort was likely preparing for resurrection and avoiding help from Death Eaters who had betrayed him.
  • Vizet connected clues about Harry’s protection, Bloodline Magic, and the Five Champions Tournament and asked whether Voldemort planned to use Harry’s blood to resurrect himself.
  • Dumbledore confirmed that Voldemort intended to use Harry’s blood and explained that the protection would end when Harry reached adulthood.
  • Vizet reasoned that taking Harry’s blood would make Voldemort part of the Magic Contract protecting him.
  • Dumbledore explained that Voldemort ignored the contract because he did not understand love, just as he had overlooked the danger of a Curse Order.

Ch. 827The Aftereffects of the Curse Order

Vizet and Dumbledore discussed how Voldemort’s rebirth through Harry’s blood affected Harry’s magical protection and Magic Contract. Vizet concluded that Voldemort’s involvement had extended the protection by at least seventeen years, and learned that Voldemort had also targeted him to gain strength.

  • Vizet understood that Voldemort had used Bloodline Magic to absorb Harry’s magical protection, but had only become part of the Magic Contract binding him.
  • Vizet reasoned that Voldemort could not touch Harry’s magical protection or kill him while the protection remained in effect.
  • Vizet concluded that Voldemort’s rebirth had reset the Magic Contract’s term, extending Harry’s protection by at least seventeen years.
  • Dumbledore revealed that Voldemort had also targeted Vizet to obtain his blood and strengthen himself.
  • Vizet and Dumbledore noted that they could not learn more from Barty Crouch Jr. because Voldemort was no longer at Durmstrang.

Ch. 828Hungarian Horntail

Harry, Draco, Cedric, and Vizet met to compare their research into dangerous creatures and prepare for the first task. They suspected they might face a Fire Dragon, perhaps a Hungarian Horntail, and agreed that flying broomsticks would be their best defense.

  • Harry, Ron, and Hermione discussed the pressure of representing Hogwarts and agreed that Harry had prepared as well as he could.
  • Cedric shared information about dangerous creatures and suggested narrowing the possibilities by the regions of the competing schools.
  • Harry, Draco, Cedric, and Vizet considered which Fire Dragons each school might contribute, including the Hungarian Horntail.
  • Harry, Draco, and Cedric agreed that flying broomsticks would be their best way to avoid a Fire Dragon, and Harry noted that their Quidditch experience could give them an advantage.

Ch. 829I'll Have Father Send One Over in a Couple of Days

Vizet, Harry, Draco, and Cedric considered which dangerous creature might appear in the first task and discussed ways to prepare for it. They focused on Fire Dragons and aggressive Magical Plants, while Draco volunteered to provide resources for their preparations.

  • Draco warned that Karkaroff and Seraphina Piqueri might know about the task, and Vizet described how large Fire Dragons could be.
  • Vizet conjured a misty Swedish Short-Snout to demonstrate its size, then gave Draco a Memory Thread containing his Fire Dragon memories for safekeeping.
  • Harry and Draco reviewed dangerous creatures associated with Ilvermorny and Uagadou, including the Cat Leopard and Nundu, while the group judged Fire Dragons the likeliest test.
  • Draco shared his research on Venomous Tentacula, Biting Cabbage, and another Venomous Tentacula, proposing that they use potions and magic to make the plants grow quickly.
  • Draco said the cost of the Magical Plants would not be a problem for him.

Ch. 830What Couldn't Be Done Alone

Draco, Harry, Cedric, and Vizet planned how to use spells and magical plants against the Triwizard Tournament’s dangers while working around restrictions on what Champions could bring into the arena. Vizet explained that their teamwork and mutual trust would be essential as they prepared to practice War Magic.

  • Draco explained that Champions could only carry a Wand into the arena, but could summon supplies such as seeds, and proposed using Venomous Tentacula against a Fire Dragon.
  • Harry pointed out that officials might ban Flying Broomsticks, while Cedric said he could not make an Animagus Second Form potion.
  • Vizet reminded them of the Five Principal Exceptions to Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration, and Cedric proposed Transfiguring a potion bottle to fly into a Fire Dragon’s stomach and release a sprouting Venomous Tentacula.
  • Harry shared a parchment listing useful spells, and Vizet demonstrated ways to apply them against creatures and obstacles.
  • Vizet urged the group to develop trust and coordination, noting that they could identify and solve problems together in ways they could not alone.

Ch. 831A Mere Pensieve

Harry met Sirius Black at the Three Broomsticks and explained the preparations he and the others had made for the Five Champions Tournament. Sirius offered to help obtain supplies, but Harry and Hermione persuaded him that cooperation with Malfoy mattered more than competing with him, leaving Sirius to review Harry’s detailed notes on fighting Fire Dragons.

  • Harry remembered his meeting with Sirius Black and reflected on Vizet’s advice to trust Cedric and Draco Malfoy during the tournament tasks.
  • Harry answered Sirius through the Two-Way Mirror and hurried to meet him in Hogsmeade with Hermione and Ron.
  • At the Three Broomsticks, Harry explained the tournament preparations while Sirius offered to buy anything they needed, including a Pensieve.
  • Harry and Hermione convinced Sirius that Harry should work peacefully with Malfoy rather than turn their preparations into a contest.
  • Harry showed Sirius his notes on Fire Dragons and mentioned the Eye Affliction Curse as a useful spell against them.

Ch. 832Mr. Ollivander's Visit

Harry, Ron, and Hermione discussed their tournament preparation before Sirius Black offered to teach Harry the Eye Affliction Curse at the Shrieking Shack. Meanwhile, Mr. Ollivander arrived at Hogwarts to inspect the champions’ wands, and Rita Skeeter tried to persuade Vizet to reveal private details about the tournament.

  • Harry gave Sirius Black Hermione’s parchment of spell notes, and Sirius said the notes were comprehensive but warned that practicing the Shield Charm while moving and protecting teammates would be difficult.
  • Ron wondered why there had been no new hint about the Five Champions Tournament, and Harry said the first task was expected at the end of the month.
  • Sirius Black offered to teach Harry the Eye Affliction Curse and chose the Shrieking Shack as a quiet place to practice, promising to tell them how he and his friends had studied there.
  • After Charms Class, Vizet met Mr. Ollivander, who explained that he had come to inspect the champions’ wands and took Vizet upstairs to join Dumbledore, the other headmasters, Ludo Bagman, and Old Barty Crouch.
  • Rita Skeeter told Vizet that Mr. Ollivander had postponed the inspection for him and pressed him to share details that might embarrass the tournament organizers.
  • Vizet refused to give Rita information, saying he would not damage normal exchanges between the Magic Schools.

Ch. 833The Commission About Durmstrang

Vizet commissioned Rita Skeeter to write a book about Durmstrang, offering her sources, written materials, and freedom to use her usual style. Rita accepted, though Vizet left the deadline uncertain until after the Five Champions Tournament and hinted that the school would soon attract widespread interest.

  • Rita Skeeter described what she knew about Durmstrang, including its study of Dark Magic, its exclusion of Muggle-born students, and rumors about how its headmaster was chosen.
  • Vizet praised Rita's writing and pointed out how quickly she had published Armando Dippet: Master or Moron? after Dippet's death.
  • Vizet offered Rita a commission to write a book about Durmstrang and promised to provide informed sources and written materials.
  • Rita agreed to write in her own style and accepted the commission, with payment to include an advance and royalties based on her biography rate.

Ch. 834Wand Inspection and New Guidance

After the Champions posed for a group photo, Barty Crouch announced that the first task would take place on December 1 and gave them guidance about courage and cooperation, while Dumbledore offered a riddle pointing to the task. After the wand inspections, Vizet shared his research on Uagadou’s Soul Stone wands with Ollivander, who found the notes valuable and began explaining why.

  • Rita Skeeter interviewed the Champions and noticed that they avoided discussing the unusual Champion selection, while the schools’ Champions made room for Vizet in the group photo.
  • Barty Crouch announced the first task’s date as December 1 and told the Champions that cooperation would be important alongside courage.
  • Dumbledore gave the Champions the riddle “A scorching breath turns to black smoke; soft whispers enter nightmares,” and Harry inferred that it referred to a Fire Dragon and a Cat Leopard.
  • Ollivander inspected the Champions’ wands, including Uagadou’s rough, club-like wands, which used a Soul Stone as a medium.
  • Vizet showed Ollivander his notes about Uagadou’s Soul Stone wands and explained that he had learned about the material during an academic exchange.
  • Ollivander praised Vizet’s notes and said their current form was more suitable, then began to explain why.

Ch. 835Ollivander's Research Results

Mr. Ollivander showed Vizet a wand that used Dementor Strand to touch and enhance its wielder’s mastered magic, then exchanged research notes with him. Later, Vizet brought Cedric, Draco, Harry, and Luna to the Whomping Willow, where Cedric guessed they were going to train.

  • Mr. Ollivander explained that he had made a wand from elder wood, Aspen Wood, and the Dementor Strand, drawing on knowledge from the Ollivander Family’s leather.
  • Vizet pressed the wand to his temple, recited the Runic spell P(Perthro), and used it to cast a Silent Summoning Charm and a Repelling Charm smoothly.
  • Mr. Ollivander said the wand could touch memories only once and had other limitations, then gave Vizet his research notes and took Vizet’s notes to study.
  • On another weekend, Vizet and Luna led Cedric, Draco, and Harry to the Whomping Willow.
  • Harry recognized the tree and recalled its secret passage to the Shrieking Shack, while Cedric asked Vizet if they had come to train.

Ch. 836Whomping Willow, the Little Cutie

Vizet and Luna demonstrated how they would use the Whomping Willow to train for the first event, with Vizet dodging its attacks and Luna protecting him with the Shield Charm. Cedric explained how the exercise trained reflexes and simulated the demands of the event.

  • Vizet explained that Professor Sprout had approved using the Whomping Willow for training, and the group discussed focusing on dodging, reaction speed, and the Shield Charm.
  • Vizet cast a Confundus Charm to keep others from noticing their training, and he and Luna prepared to demonstrate.
  • Vizet rode his Firebolt into the Whomping Willow’s attack range and dodged its swinging branches as Luna flew nearby.
  • Luna used the Shield Charm to halt branches whenever Vizet was about to be hit, giving him chances to escape and pass through the tree.
  • Cedric explained that the exercise trained both students’ reflexes and mimicked how they would need to act during the first event.

Ch. 837The First Round of Training

Vizet and Luna demonstrated an advanced Whomping Willow exercise, then Harry, Cedric, and Draco began their first training round. Their coordination faltered, and they returned battered and discouraged.

  • Vizet and Luna rode into the Whomping Willow's reach, dodging its attacks while coordinating their simulated strikes without speaking.
  • Vizet explained that trainees should take turns entering the tree's range while the others patrolled and cast Shield Charms.
  • Cedric entered the Whomping Willow's range and narrowly avoided its branches, with Vizet or Luna secretly blocking a strike when Harry and Draco failed to react.
  • Harry, Cedric, and Draco continued the exercise, but misplaced Shield Charms left Draco whipped by twigs and nearly trapped Harry between branches.
  • The three returned to the ground in poor condition and sighed as they approached Vizet and Luna.

Ch. 838Something Worth Celebrating

Vizet, Cedric, Harry, and Draco reflected on their failed attempt to pass the Whomping Willow and agreed that their willingness to learn from mistakes showed they were becoming a team. Later, the Champions gathered at the hunting grounds to see the Fire Dragons prepared for the tournament, leaving them face to face with several breeds.

  • Vizet told Harry and Draco that admitting their mistakes without blaming each other was worth celebrating, and Cedric agreed that they should keep training together.
  • At the end of November, Vizet and the other Champions received letters instructing them to answer Dumbledore’s riddle and attend the hunting grounds.
  • Harry and Draco reasoned that the Champions were being allowed to see the Fire Dragons early because the dragons would be difficult to hide from nearby schools.
  • Hagrid led the Champions along a path near the Forbidden Forest, and Charlie Weasley took over as their guide when they reached the clearing.
  • Charlie and Hagrid brought the Champions to see a Hungarian Horntail, Norwegian Ridgeback, Hebridean Black Dragon, Swedish Short-Snout, and Welsh Green Dragon.

Ch. 839Facing the Fire Dragon

Charlie Weasley introduced Hagrid and the Champions to the dragons gathered for the tournament, while the handlers stunned the furious beasts to control them. Vizet protected the group from the Hungarian Horntail’s fire, and Charlie led the Champions closer to inspect the unconscious dragons.

  • Charlie Weasley identified the Swedish Short-Snout, Common Welsh Green, Hebridean Black Dragon, and Norwegian Ridgeback as the dragons raged against their restraints.
  • Hagrid asked Charlie Weasley about Norberta, and Charlie said she was healthy but fierce.
  • The handlers stunned the Hebridean Black Dragon and Norwegian Ridgeback after they prepared to breathe fire.
  • The Hungarian Horntail blasted fire toward the Champions, and Charlie cast a Shield Charm while Vizet protected everyone with a Magical Energy Field.
  • The handlers stunned the Hungarian Horntail, Swedish Short-Snout, and Common Welsh Green, and Charlie led the Champions closer to examine the dragons.

Ch. 840Rita Skeeter's Five Champions Tournament Report

The Champions inspected the Fire Dragons, while Rita Skeeter’s restrained report revealed some of the competitors’ magical strengths without giving away their plans. As December first arrived, Harry, Draco, and Cedric continued secretly training to face the dragons.

  • Charlie Weasley gave the Champions brief answers about the Hungarian Horntail, and Hagrid led them away from the Fire Dragon Enclosure.
  • Rita Skeeter published a report describing several Champions’ abilities while leaving out details of their likely strategies.
  • Anthony Goldstein and the others discussed the report, and Vizet and Luna recognized that Rita had avoided investigating Uagadou because of its Animagus magic.
  • Students debated the Champions’ strengths as the task approached, while the Champions focused on preparing for the Fire Dragons.
  • Harry, Draco, and Cedric secretly practiced on their Flying Broomsticks at the Whomping Willow and endured Madam Pomfrey’s potions.
  • December first arrived amid rising anticipation for the first task.
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