Increasing the Study Load, Keeping Up Appearances
Indeed, the method of the Thought Form proved to be correct. Professor Trelawney praised his homework in front of everyone in his Divination, and most of the Prophecy in it were correct.
To his surprise, Harry and Ron were also praised, but their Prophecy were rather intriguing.
Their homework descriptions for the coming month were practically cursed with bad luck: getting burned today, losing money tomorrow, getting into a fight the day after...
"Are your Prophecy reliable?" Aaron asked incredulously. "A month of bad luck, with no two days the same. How did you manage that?"
"It's all made up," Ron said smugly. "We discovered that she just loves to see us suffer. Whether the Prophecy is reliable or not doesn't matter, as long as the professor thinks it's passable, it's fine."
"But the problem is, what about the fortune telling for the month after next?" Harry said with a frown. "It's not easy to come up with dozens more curses to myself!"
Aaron's lips twitched slightly. He finished his homework by defeating Divination with Divination, but these two were just playing for the thrill. How could they curse themselves?
"By the way, you also joined Hermione's Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare?" Ron looked at Aaron with some doubt. "She told us you were the vice president."
Aaron:...
"Don't listen to her nonsense, it's just a simple trick."
Out of consideration for my friend, I bought a cheap badge from her, that's all.
For the next few weeks, Moody kept his word and cast the Imperius Curse on everyone in class to train the students' resistance to this Unforgivable Curses. He wasn't worried at all about being reported, since Dumbledore had his back, and the Ministry of Magic wouldn't send anyone to arrest him for such a thing.
Because Warlock need to take the OWLs exam (the Ordinary Wizarding Level exam) at level 5, Triwizard Tournament also takes up students' study time, each professor tacitly adds some study pressure to level 4 students.
Professor McGonagall and Professor Binns assigned more homework, Professor Snape forced students to study Potions, Professor Flitwick required students to read three more spellbooks this semester, and even Hagrid was no exception, suggesting that students come to his hut every other day to observe the Blast-Ended Skrewt and record their daily behavior.
This pressure only eased a few days before Halloween, when a notice was posted in the Entrance Hall:
Triwizard Tournament
Representatives from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will arrive at 10 p. m. on October 30, and the afternoon session will end half an hour earlier.
Please return your schoolbags and textbooks to your dormitories and gather in front of the castle to welcome our guests. Afterwards, you will attend a welcome banquet.
"There's less than a week left." Aaron stroked his chin and looked at Draco, asking, "Are you still sure you want to sign up? We're only at the fourth level, so we don't have much of an advantage."
"I'm ready." Draco said confidently, while giving Harry and his two friends a provocative look. "I'm sure I'll sign up, but I don't know if some people have the guts."
"Hmph! We'll sign up too," Ron said nonchalantly.
"Fine, I won't stop you." Aaron sighed, somewhat speechless. "Fortunately, this is just the right to register. Do as you see fit!"
"Aren't you going to sign up?" Hermione asked, somewhat surprised. "It's Eternity Glory!"
"I have no interest in Glory."
Aaron waved his hand and carried Abei back to the Common Room.
With the appearance of this notice, the Triwizard Tournament became the biggest topic of conversation among the students in the following days.
Who will become the Champion of Hogwarts? What are the events in the Triwizard Tournament? How are the students of Beauxbatons and Durmstrang different from them?
In addition, the castle underwent a thorough cleaning. The portraits in the hanging hallways and corridors were wiped clean, and the armor and statues were polished to a shine.
Filch repeatedly asked students to pay attention to their appearance, and the other faculty members also seemed particularly nervous.
As the organizer of the Triwizard Tournament, they absolutely had to put on a good show, and even Professor McGonagall's attitude was much stricter than usual.
October 29th, night.
Aaron briefly sparred with the Thought Form at the Divine Thunder Hall, and then began practicing the Ultimate Elemental Magic circle on paper.
"Beauxbatons and Durmstrang are arriving tomorrow. Any thoughts?"
"That's none of my business," Aaron said calmly. "By the way, have you named the gun yet? My gut tells me I'll need it soon."
"Hmm..." The Thought Form chuckled awkwardly, "I've thought about it for a long time, but I think the most suitable one is still Shore Flower."
Aaron paused for a moment, looking at the ridge pattern on the Flintlock Pistol, and his face twitched slightly.
"As expected of me, could I be any lazier?"
The Thought Form innocently shrugged, "You know yourself well. This is the worst it's ever been. If you don't believe me, you can look at my memories."
"Fine, Shore Flower Shore Flower then!"
"I hope the other four guns made by our Argus Ancestor will have different patterns, but..."
"Number one, number two, number three, number four, number five, simple and clear," the Thought Form said, but seeing the few black lines appearing on Aaron's forehead, he immediately changed his words, "Just kidding, just kidding."
However, I am somewhat curious about what could possibly make my true form look so worried.
"It's nothing, maybe I'm overthinking it."
Beauxbatons and Durmstrang are coming to Hogwarts tomorrow, but Halloween is the day after tomorrow.
The Thought Form Ti's face also calmed down a bit. Halloween Eve was definitely a cursed holiday for Hogwarts. Although she didn't know what would happen, it was still good to be mentally prepared.
Back in his dorm, Aaron lay down on his bed and began reviewing his annual tasks.
Participate in the Triwizard Tournament;
The reward for completing the task is 2000 Magic Points. There is no penalty for failure. Do you accept this offer?
"President, you're forcing me!"
"The host has the right to choose; you can choose not to accept it."
Aaron chuckled. The task was to post the notice on the day it was posted.
His first reaction was to give up, but the reward for completing the task completely overwhelmed him.
That's two thousand Magic Points. He would have to Sign-in at Hogwarts for two hundred days to accumulate that many. It's rare to see the system being this generous!
More importantly, he really needs this reward right now because he is so poor.
He has been diligently Sign-in every day since the start of the semester, but he can't help it because he has to spend money so often!
He didn't miss out on any of the Costume Change Spell, the Undetectable Extension Charm, the Mermaid's Tears, or the Thunderbird's Tail Feathers, plus the cost of refreshing the shop...
After nearly two months at school, I still only have double-digit Magic Points, less than fifty.
The saying "You only realize how little money you have when you need it" is no longer enough to describe his current predicament. It proves that money is never enough.
"I'll think about it some more!" Aaron said helplessly. "Aren't there any other missions?"
"You've at least upgraded your system, why are you being so stingy?"
"It depends on the actual situation," the leader explained seriously. "I also have professional ethics. Missions that are not up to standard do not deserve to appear on the mission panel."
Aaron:...
Damn! He's so self-righteous, he won't accept any rebuttal.
The following day, the last Potions Class ended half an hour early.
After the bell rang, the Gryffindor and Slytherin returned to the common room to change into clean and tidy clothes to welcome the upcoming guests.
"Gaius," Snape reminded him helplessly, "Have you forgotten what was written on that notice? Put your bag and textbooks back in the dormitory, change your clothes, and gather in front of the castle."
Aaron snapped his fingers, and his Warlock robes automatically changed.
"This is Costume Change Spell, not Transfiguration. This body is real."
Snape's lips twitched slightly. "What about the schoolbag and textbooks?"
Abei jumped onto the table and stuffed the two items into his pocket right in front of Snape.
"Go and join the queue!"
"Hey!"
Aaron followed Snape out of the Potions Classroom and into the Entrance Hall where he met up with the other Slytherin from the other years.
Once everyone had arrived, the headmasters began organizing the students into lines and checking everyone's attire to ensure it was appropriate. After all, they were going to be presenting themselves in front of the other two magic schools, and if someone stood out from the crowd, it would be a disgrace to the entire Hogwarts.
At 5:30, the students had already lined up in front of the castle.
Each grade stood in a row, forming seven rows of squares, quietly waiting in the evening.
As time passed, a half-moon appeared in the sky, and the temperature began to slowly drop.
"Why aren't they here yet?" Goyle said irritably from the middle of the group. "They're even more arrogant Moody."
"It's not even 10 o'clock yet!" Crabbe reminded him.
"They'll definitely arrive on time, the question is how," Aaron said calmly. "Hogwarts is taking this so seriously, their entrance can't be anything more than ordinary."
"Maybe it's Flying Broomstick?" Draco guessed, but then he looked at Abei, "Or perhaps it's riding Fantastic Beasts."
"For example, Hippogriff?"
"Don't mention those beasts to me, okay?" Draco said irritably, his arm throbbing at the thought of the Hippogriff.
At this moment, Dumbledore, who was standing in the back row, suddenly shouted, "If I'm not mistaken, Representative Beauxbatons has arrived."
"Where is it?" many students asked.
"There!" Someone excitedly pointed above the Forbidden Forest, where a colossal creature Accio towards Hogwarts Castle in the night.
It was a huge, light blue carriage, about the size of a public rest room, pulled by twelve Abraxan with long, colorful wings.