The End of the Goblet of Fire

A complex mix of resentment and fear welled up in Harry's heart.

"No, it can't be... I'm the champion... I must be..." Harry murmured, then suddenly looked up and reached out with both hands, gripping the handles of the Goblet of Fire tightly.

The Goblet of Fire remained unchanged in Harry's hands.

At this moment, Bagman realized what was happening. He raised his wand, aimed it at the Goblet of Fire, and whispered rapidly, "Extinguish, Goblet of Fire!"

The blue flames dancing on the Goblet of Fire gradually weakened at a visible rate, and were about to go out.

Sudden--

With a loud "bang," the rim of the Goblet of Goblet of Fire erupted, spewing forth a tongue of fire comparable to the breath of Dragon. A faint golden light flashed across the surface of the goblet. Harry felt a powerful force strike his chest, as if he had been struck by Troll's club. He was sent flying like a kite with a broken string, and then everything went black before he lost consciousness.

"Harry!" Mrs. Weasley and Ron screamed as they rushed to Harry's side to check on him.

Bagman stood there Dazed, looking completely bewildered.

Dumbledore's beard twitched slightly, and he sighed softly. Even someone as resourceful and strategic as him felt a bit weary, as if one problem after another was brewing. It seemed that he had never experienced this feeling when he devised his plan to fight against Grindelwald, who possessed the ability to foresee the Prophecy.

He pointed his wand at his throat again and shouted, "Quiet! Everyone, please be quiet!"

He walked to the podium, pressed his head close to the Goblet of Fire, and examined it carefully. After a long while, he looked up and continued, "Because of a slight mishap during the competition, the judges are unable to determine the winner tonight—according to the rules, Harry Potter, the first to return from the maze with the Goblet of Fire, is undoubtedly the best choice in our unanimous agreement..."

After all, it was the highly respected Dumbledore who was speaking, and even if the young wizards disagreed with him, most of them would choose to respect Dumbledore and listen to him quietly. Although, there were still some scattered boos from the Slytherin audience.

"However, it is regrettable that Harry does not seem to be the champion recognized by the Goblet of Fire, and he has suffered the magical backlash associated with the Goblet of Fire— " Dumbledore turned to the Gryffindor audience and said, "Don't worry, he is not truly injured and will recover after a night's rest—" Dumbledore paused before continuing, "Now, let's welcome the other Champion of tonight's match to the stage. Please give him a round of applause— Skylar Malfoy!"

It's hard to say what Skylar was feeling at that moment.

Although he was somewhat unwilling before, he was actually prepared to lose the championship honor. After all, his performance in the Triwizard Tournament was there for all to see. Anyone with eyes could see that among the four Champion, Skylar was the undisputed strongest. Losing a symbolic championship would probably only cause limited damage to his reputation.

He's recovered it so quickly that he's almost numb to it now.

Skylar straightened his wizard robes, a smile of his usual graciousness on his face, and strolled leisurely onto the stage—no excited roars, no thrilling screams, no ostentatious displays, as if this was simply what he deserved, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Cheers and shouts of joy erupted from the high stands, echoing across the deep sky.

Skylar strode to the Goblet of Fire, closed his eyes, and reached out to touch Goblet of Fire.

The Goblet of Fire emitted a clear, soft hum, and its rim immediately radiated a dazzling orange-red light. Two extremely beautiful, seven-colored feathers shot into the air from the rim, spraying out a continuous stream of light like a fountain.

Even though it was nighttime, the Goblet of Fire's magnificent and fantastical light enveloped the entire arena, instantly transforming the world into an ethereal and enchanting realm, like a fairyland.

Here we go again... Dumbledore's beard trembled. He wasn't quite broken, but he was close—couldn't this kid just stop showing off for a day?

Fudge, Madame Maxime, Karkaroff on the referee's stand stood up simultaneously, staring in disbelief at the brilliantly shining Goblet of Fire.

Is this even magic anymore?

The young wizards in the audience gasped in astonishment, mesmerized by the brilliance of the Goblet of Fire before them.

"So beautiful..." Astoria exclaimed, captivated, immediately receiving agreement from Cho Chang, Susan, Morrie beside her.

"This is the bond between Champion and the golden cup... it's legendary..." Luna murmured words that were difficult for others to understand, as if in a dream. But everyone was captivated by the seven-colored light, and no one paid attention to what she was saying.

The light from the Goblet of Fire suddenly turned a pale milky white and gradually dimmed.

The flame on the rim of the cup had vanished without a trace, without anyone noticing.

Dumbledore nodded to Bagman.

Bagman pointed his wand to his throat and shouted, "Let us once again congratulate Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry — Skylar Malfoy!"

Thunderous applause erupted once again.

"This year's Triwizard Tournament lasted eight months and, with the strong support of the Ministry of Magic and the International Confederation of Wizards, has come to a successful conclusion." Bagman, of course, didn't forget to promote the Ministry of Magic's achievements, "During the competition, the Champion from each magic school fully demonstrated the spirit of fearlessness, striving for excellence, and aiming for the best, achieving a double harvest of athletic achievements and spiritual civilization. Here, I extend my warmest congratulations to all the Champion!"

He then encouraged and praised the participating Champion: "The competition was filled with a tense, exciting, friendly, and festive atmosphere. Every Champion fought hard, fully demonstrating their high-level skills, showcasing their abilities and sportsmanship."

Elinor, who had recovered, beamed with admiration and was not upset that she hadn't won the trophy.

Katarina Monroe's expression was quite complicated. This trip, in which her family intervened for the agreement with the Knights of Walpurgis, not only failed but also offended the House of Malfoy, and ultimately yielded nothing. This made her feel somewhat frustrated, but at the same time, she was relieved that the event had finally come to an end.

The shrewd and diplomatic Bagman didn't forget the judges' contributions. "Besides the hard work of the Ministry of Magic, let's not forget Professor Dumbledore, Madame Maxime, and Professor Karkaroff, who represented the three schools respectively. Their meticulousness, dedication, and commitment fully demonstrate the spirit of unity, progress, and perseverance within the Wizarding World. Here, on behalf of all wizards who care about the Triwizard Cup, I extend my warmest greetings and sincere gratitude to the judges."

He concluded, "I now declare this year's Triwizard Tournament a resounding success! See you in five years!"

While listening to Bagman's impassioned speech, everyone's attention was focused solely on Skylar. The reporters completely ignored Bagman, pointing their camera spotlights at Skylar on the podium.

In the shadows of a corner unnoticed by anyone, Mrs. Weasley and Ron struggled to place Harry onto the conjured stretcher, and then Mrs. Weasley used Levitation Charm to carry the unconscious Harry as the three of them staggered step by step toward the Hospital Wing.

As for what happened to the famous Savior Harry Potter, for the first time ever, nobody cared...