All three teams had been put through the wringer in their respective Secret Realms.
This time, none of them rushed in to seize the initiative. After warming themselves up, they came to rest near the ice blocks.
"Can anyone tell me what you encountered in there?"
Fleur, who had come ashore first, looked at the silent crowd, her curiosity practically bursting.
"It's hard to put into words, Fleur."
Viktor shook his head. His reaction was strange. He first glanced at Fleur, hesitation flickering in his eyes, but after a brief moment of thought, he lowered his head again.
For some subtle reason, no one shared what their group had experienced in the Secret Realm. Still, they could all tell that they had faced different challenges, and none of them were likely to be overcome easily.
Hermione sat on a stone near the ice block, her chin resting on one hand as she pondered deeply. As time passed, a light gradually appeared in her eyes.
"Come on, Harry, let's continue!"
Suddenly, Hermione rose from where she sat. Ignoring the curious looks from the others, she grabbed Harry and charged back into the Secret Realm.
After Viktor and Cedric exchanged glances, they too silently stood and strode toward the Secret Realms they had chosen.
It was once again that Ancient Greece-style dueling arena shrouded in snow and wind.
"Huh!"
Harry swept his gaze across the arena and immediately cried out in surprise.
The ice surface, which had been pockmarked by stone eggs, had returned to its smooth state, and the ground torn up by the Stone Monsters had also been restored.
"It seems that once challengers leave the Secret Realm, everything here returns to how it was originally."
Hermione said.
Harry nodded, then asked,
"You've thought of a way to deal with