When people focused on doing something, they always felt like time passed especially quickly!
When Alice and the others snapped out of Headmistress McGonagall's dueling theory lessons, they were delighted to discover that Durmstrang's once-unbearable winter had slipped away without a sound.
As the weather warmed, Alice's Combat Training was put back on the agenda. The vast forests around Durmstrang soon became the ideal training ground for the three Champions, though the occasional innocent tree suffered as a result.
Alice displayed astonishing talent in dueling. In just a few months, she had mastered many of the techniques Headmistress McGonagall had taught. Not only could she stroll calmly through a forest filled with flying spells, but she could always seize the right moment to take down sparring partners moving through the woods, putting immense pressure on Alvard, who had been fortunate enough to witness it.
The Durmstrang Champion knew full well that once Alice had mastered all kinds of dueling techniques, the few advantages he possessed would vanish as well.
Thus, Alvard had been forced to propose an alliance to Matthew, Beauxbatons' Champion. He hoped that, once the Third Task began, they could first eliminate Alice, the greatest threat, before deciding the victor between themselves. However, Matthew ruthlessly rejected the proposal.
For a time, Alvard wondered whether Matthew had something wrong with his head. Hadn't he realized the gap in strength between them?
After being bluntly turned down by Matthew, Alvard had no choice but to seek help from his own headmaster. He hoped to find a formidable Auror to train him and improve his odds in the Third Task.
As for other solutions?
It wasn't as though no one had entertained similar thoughts, but too many people were watching the Triwizard Tournament now. Once certain things were done, there was