Ch. 341A New Term and Blast-Ended Skrewts

Will avoided getting close to Hagrid’s Blast-Ended Skrewts by pretending Draco was frightened, but the class soon saw the strange, foul-smelling creatures up close. Hagrid proudly introduced them as hardy newborns, while Will considered whether they might someday be useful for Transfiguration.

  • Will noted that Lupin had improved his Defence Against the Dark Arts lessons after corresponding with Moody over the summer.
  • Will pretended to protect Draco from the Blast-Ended Skrewts, but Draco joined the students at the crate after Ron and Harry teased him.
  • Hagrid opened the crate and revealed headless, slime-covered Blast-Ended Skrewts whose tails popped and sparked when they collided.
  • Harry reluctantly praised the Skrewts as beautiful when Hagrid asked for his opinion.
  • Hagrid lifted a fat Skrewt and showed its budding black spikes, while Will considered whether such a creature might be useful if he could eventually create Fantastic Beasts through Transfiguration.

Ch. 342Visitors from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang

Hogwarts prepared to welcome Beauxbatons and Durmstrang, whose students arrived by flying carriage and a ship rising from the lake. With both delegations present, the Triwizard Tournament was about to begin.

  • Hagrid introduced the students to Blast-Ended Skrewts, and Harry and Ron volunteered to handle one after the class hesitated.
  • Hogwarts cleaned the Castle and practiced spells in preparation for the visiting schools.
  • Will waited outside the Castle with the other students and studied the Beauxbatons carriage when it arrived.
  • Madame Maxime arrived with the Beauxbatons delegation, and Will warmed Sylvia with magic as they waited in the cold.
  • A ship rose from the lake, and Karkaroff led the Durmstrang delegation ashore.

Ch. 343The Best Meal Yet

Hogwarts welcomed the visiting students with a lavish feast, while Will focused on the food and studied Fleur Delacour’s Veela ancestry. After dinner, Dumbledore introduced the Ministry officials and explained how the Goblet of Fire would select the Triwizard Champions.

  • The Durmstrang students sat at the Slytherin table, while the Beauxbatons students joined Ravenclaw.
  • Will and Sylvia enjoyed the feast, and Will sliced a roast pork knuckle with Sectumsempra.
  • Fleur Delacour drew the attention of the Great Hall, and Will recognized her as a Half-Veela.
  • Dumbledore introduced Barty Crouch and Ludo Bagman as Ministry officials who would oversee the tournament and judge its tasks.
  • Dumbledore explained that the Goblet of Fire would choose three Champions to compete in three tasks for the Triwizard Cup.

Ch. 344The Goblet of Fire

Karkaroff secretly tampered with the Goblet of Fire and entered two names, while Will submitted his own name for the Triwizard Tournament. Dumbledore remained calm as students entered, and an unidentified old man added several more slips to the Goblet during the night.

  • Dumbledore warned students that the Triwizard Tournament could be fatal and showed images of contestants who had died.
  • Students gathered around the Goblet of Fire, and Krum's arrival drew a stir.
  • Will entered his name in the Goblet after Warrington questioned whether he was suited to compete.
  • Snape asked Dumbledore whether he would let students enter freely, and Dumbledore told him not to worry.
  • Karkaroff secretly cast a charm on the Goblet and dropped in two slips of parchment.
  • An old man with white hair and a crooked nose entered the Great Hall and added several slips to the Goblet.

Ch. 345Triwizard Tournament Champions

As the Goblet of Fire prepared to choose the Triwizard Tournament Champions, Harry worried about the deadly tasks while Will remained calm, expecting Harry to be selected as a fourth contestant. The Goblet named Viktor Krum, Fleur Delacour, Cedric Diggory, and finally Harry Potter, leaving the Great Hall stunned.

  • Hermione read about past tournament deaths, frightening Ron and adding to Harry's anxiety about entering.
  • Ginny bluntly told Ron he had little chance of being chosen, which reassured him.
  • Will told Sylvia he was unconcerned because Harry was already destined to become a fourth contestant, and he did not want to create trouble by competing.
  • Dumbledore announced Viktor Krum as Durmstrang's Champion and Fleur Delacour as Beauxbatons' Champion.
  • The Goblet of Fire chose Cedric Diggory as Hogwarts' Champion, then produced another name.
  • Dumbledore read the unexpected fourth name aloud: Harry Potter.

Ch. 346An Uproar! Just How Many Champions Are There?!

The Goblet of Fire selected Harry Potter and Will Behrens as additional Hogwarts champions, sparking accusations of cheating from the visiting headmasters. It then chose champions from Durmstrang and Beauxbatons as well, leaving the Great Hall in chaos as selections continued.

  • Dumbledore read Harry Potter's name, and Harry walked to the teachers' table as students stared.
  • Karkaroff and Madame Maxime accused Hogwarts of cheating, but the Goblet of Fire produced Will Behrens's name.
  • Karkaroff and Madame Maxime threatened to withdraw their schools as the Goblet selected Ivan Petrov from Durmstrang.
  • The Goblet selected Marc Pierre and Sophie Robert from Beauxbatons, leaving Madame Maxime and the hall bewildered.
  • The Goblet selected Semyon Petrov from Durmstrang.

Ch. 347Nine Champions!

The Goblet of Fire selected nine Champions after someone placed it under a Confundus Charm, leaving the school heads to decide how to handle the tournament. They rejected invalidating the results and turned to Dumbledore’s second option, which remained undisclosed.

  • The Goblet of Fire produced nine names, prompting Karkaroff and Madame Maxime to argue over the unprecedented selection.
  • Dumbledore and the others examined the Goblet, and Dumbledore concluded that it had been placed under a Confundus Charm.
  • Strange told Harry that cheating had been accepted in many past Triwizard Tournaments, while Will and Draco discussed the historic selection.
  • Dumbledore warned that rejecting six Champions could break the Goblet’s magical contract and put them in danger.
  • Karkaroff and Madame Maxime opposed invalidating the results, so Dumbledore moved on to the second option.

Ch. 348The Debate! The Decision!

Dumbledore persuaded Karkaroff and Madame Maxime to accept the Goblet of Fire’s selection of nine Champions, and announced that the Triwizard Tournament would be adjusted. Will joined the other Champions for a briefing, where Mr. Crouch bluntly warned them that they had to compete and could die.

  • Dumbledore promised Madame Maxime a fair tournament, and Karkaroff and Madame Maxime agreed to accept the Goblet’s choices.
  • Dumbledore announced that all nine Champions would compete and that the tournament tasks would be adjusted.
  • Sylvia worried about Will, but he reassured her and went with the other newly chosen Champions to the adjoining room.
  • Will conjured a silver chair from an ornament on his robes and calmly told Harry not to be nervous.
  • Ludo Bagman welcomed the Champions, but Mr. Crouch said they had to compete and might die.

Ch. 349A Little Celebration

After the Tournament named Will Hogwarts champion, Sylvia surprised him with a celebration in the Room of Requirement. They discussed Hermione’s campaign for House-elf rights, and Sylvia offered to give Will one or two House-elves to help him.

  • Ludo Bagman explained that the nine champions meant the tasks needed to be reconsidered and said the First Task usually tested courage.
  • Dumbledore dismissed the champions to rest, and Will returned to the Room of Requirement.
  • Sylvia welcomed Will with food and grape juice, and he checked that the Felix Felicis he was brewing was fine.
  • Will and Sylvia shared a quiet celebration, and Will told her he appreciated how thoughtful she was.
  • Sylvia told Will that Hermione was trying to win rights for House-elves, and Will said Hermione should pursue her own goals.
  • Sylvia offered to give Will one or two House-elves to help with his work, and Will accepted.

Ch. 350A Gentle Kiss

Will and Sylvia discussed the dangers of the Triwizard Tournament before Sylvia kissed him good night. As celebrations erupted for Champions Harry and Cedric, Will was left quietly pleased by Sylvia’s gesture.

  • Sylvia asked Will how he felt about the Triwizard Tournament, and he admitted he was a little worried but would move forward if chosen.
  • Sylvia challenged Will to reveal how powerful his magic had become, and Will avoided giving her a clear answer.
  • Sylvia warned Will to be careful during the tournament, and Will walked her to the Slytherin Common Room.
  • Sylvia kissed Will on the cheek before disappearing into the girls’ dormitory, leaving him dazed and happy.
  • Gryffindors celebrated Harry’s championship by tossing him into the air, while Hufflepuffs celebrated Cedric by feeding him.

Ch. 351Stamina LV4 (Happy Lunar New Year's Eve)

Will chose Magic Body Tempering as his Stamina LV4 bonus ability, transformed into a Phoenix, and collapsed before reaching the Room of Requirement. After waking and being examined, he discovered that he had grown taller and stronger, then received a Paper Crane as he finished a huge meal.

  • Will reached Stamina LV4 and chose the transformed ability Magic Body Tempering.
  • Will's body changed into a silver-and-black Phoenix, and he collapsed after stumbling into the Room of Requirement.
  • Sylvia found Will unconscious, and Snape told him he had checked on the Felix Felicis while Will was out.
  • Madam Pomfrey examined Will and found him healthy, while friends and professors gathered outside the ward to check on him.
  • Will noticed that he had grown taller and stronger, ate a large meal, and received a Paper Crane.

Ch. 352Dumbledore's apology

Will met Dumbledore for tea to discuss the Triwizard Tournament and the plan to protect Harry from Voldemort. Dumbledore agreed not to make Will display his abilities publicly and ended the meeting by apologizing to him.

  • Dumbledore invited Will to the Headmaster’s Office, where they discussed Will’s fainting and his decision not to use a Time-Turner.
  • Dumbledore explained that the judges were considering an elimination format for the nine Triwizard Tournament champions to reduce the danger and keep Voldemort and Harry from facing other champions.
  • Dumbledore asked Will to demonstrate enough ability to eliminate the other champions and ensure the right people reached the final.
  • Will refused to attract public attention, explaining that it could compromise his role as Voldemort’s spy, and offered to help secretly instead.
  • Dumbledore accepted Will’s conditions and said he would contact him if he needed covert help during the tournament.
  • Dumbledore looked out at the night sky and apologized to Will.

Ch. 353Ollivander's Arrival (Happy New Year, Everyone!)

Dumbledore apologized to Will for making him a double agent, but Will said the choice had been his and asked only for Dumbledore’s support. After several quiet days at Hogwarts, Will and Harry were summoned to the Wand Inspection, where the Champions, judges, Ollivander, and Rita Skeeter gathered.

  • Dumbledore apologized for asking Will to face Voldemort as a double agent, and Will told him he had chosen that path himself.
  • Dumbledore warned Will not to rely too much on Felix Felicis, and Will returned to his usual classes, library study, and lessons with Sylvia.
  • Students celebrated Harry as Gryffindor’s Champion and spread a rumor that Will represented both Slytherin and Ravenclaw.
  • Will and Harry left Potions class for the Champions’ Wand Inspection, where they found the other Champions, Ollivander, Bagman, and Rita Skeeter waiting.
  • Bagman refused Rita’s request to interview the Champions before the inspection, and Dumbledore later asked her to step aside as the judges arrived.

Ch. 354Wand Inspection and Interviews

Ollivander inspected the champions’ wands, then Rita Skeeter began interviewing them for the press and twisting their answers into sensational stories. After more than an hour, it was finally Will’s turn to be interviewed.

  • Ollivander inspected Will’s wand, identified its rare acacia-and-phoenix-feather combination, and praised Will’s care for it after failing to cast a spell with it himself.
  • Ollivander examined Cedric’s, Harry’s, and the Beauxbatons and Durmstrang champions’ wands, noting their materials and unusual cores.
  • Bagman announced that Rita Skeeter would interview each champion, and Rita immediately pulled Harry aside.
  • Rita distorted Harry’s answers into a story about jealousy and loneliness, then recast Cedric’s polite responses as signs of rivalry.
  • Rita questioned Fleur about her Veela ancestry and beauty, asked Marc Pierre and Sophie Robert about living in her shadow, and portrayed Krum as a proud, hot-tempered tough guy.
  • After more than an hour of interviews, Rita’s turn with Will finally came.

Ch. 355Biased reporting

Rita Skeeter twisted her interviews with the Triwizard champions into a sensational Daily Prophet supplement, while Will Behrens had warned her to report his answers accurately. Harry was furious at the fabricated account of him, and Ron began reading the article about Will.

  • Rita Skeeter interviewed Will Behrens, who gave concise answers and reminded her to publish them accurately.
  • Will hinted that he knew Rita was an unregistered Animagus, and she agreed to respect the facts.
  • Three days later, the Daily Prophet published Rita's sensationalized stories about all nine champions.
  • Harry read the article, which falsely suggested he had staged his selection and felt threatened by Will, and angrily crumpled the newspaper.
  • Ron read the distorted accounts of Cedric Diggory, Fleur Delacour, and the Durmstrang champions before spotting Will's section.

Ch. 356Dark Magic LV5: Mastering Avada Kedavra

Will Behrens’s reputation contrasted with Rita Skeeter’s fabricated portrayals of the other Triwizard Champions, while he spent nearly half a month studying Dark Magic and mastering the three Unforgivable Curses. His Dark Magic reached LV5, and he considered which of four soul-related abilities to choose.

  • Harry, Ron, and Hermione read Rita Skeeter’s unusually accurate article about Will and wondered why she had treated him differently from the other Champions.
  • Will spent nearly half a month studying Dark Magic with Voldemort’s notes and the Black family’s records, raising his skill to just below LV5.
  • Will repeatedly cast Avada Kedavra in the Room of Requirement and completed his mastery of all three Unforgivable Curses.
  • Will studied how the Unforgivable Curses damaged the soul and reflected on the soul’s importance to a wizard.
  • Will’s Dark Magic advanced to LV5, offering him four bonus abilities, and he began considering which one to select.

Ch. 357Dispute Over the Rules

Will chose Soul Annihilation as his level 5 Dark Magic Bonus Ability, gaining the ability to add soul damage to Dark Magic spells at the cost of more Magic. Meanwhile, the headmasters debated how to run the Goblet of Fire tournament, and Madame Maxime proposed a compromise that left Dumbledore looking increasingly uneasy.

  • Will selected Soul Annihilation and learned he could freely choose whether to add soul damage to his Dark Magic spells.
  • Ludo Bagman told Barty Crouch that the headmasters were arguing over the tournament format after nine Champions had been chosen.
  • Karkaroff pushed for an elimination format, hoping Will and Harry would be knocked out early, while Dumbledore defended the traditional points system.
  • Madame Maxime suggested replacing eliminations with a disadvantage for a Champion's school, and Dumbledore's expression grew strange as she explained her proposal.

Ch. 358The Triwizard Tournament Begins

Two days before the Triwizard Tournament began, Harry told Will that the First Task involved dragons, but Will stayed calm and declined special training with Harry and Cedric. On November 24, the nine Champions gathered before a huge crowd as the First Task was announced: each would be sent to a different location in the Forbidden Forest to seize a Golden Egg.

  • Harry told Will that dragons would feature in the First Task and described the professors’ special training for him and Cedric.
  • Will declined to join Harry’s training, said he had his own way to prepare, and urged Harry to learn from Mr. Strange.
  • Fred and George started a betting pool about how many tasks each Champion would survive, and Professor McGonagall gave them a week of Detention.
  • On November 24, crowds gathered at Hogwarts as Ludo Bagman introduced the judges and announced that nine Champions would compete.
  • Will entered the arena with Harry, Cedric, and the other Champions, and Bagman explained that they would seek Golden Eggs at separate locations in the Forbidden Forest.

Ch. 359Champions Enter the Arena

The champions began the first task, searching the Forbidden Forest for golden eggs guarded by dragons. Will Behrens handled a Big-Headed Hairy Monster with Transfiguration, while Cedric Diggory found a Swedish Short-Snout guarding an egg.

  • Bagman announced that the champions had to retrieve golden eggs from dragons in the Forbidden Forest before sunset.
  • The champions were transported to separate locations, and Will Behrens began exploring the forest.
  • A Big-Headed Hairy Monster followed Will, but he transformed nearby grass into venomous snakes that overwhelmed it.
  • Cedric Diggory cautiously entered a clearing and discovered a Swedish Short-Snout beside a golden egg.

Ch. 360The Champions' Performances

The champions faced dragons and dangerous creatures throughout the Forbidden Forest. Viktor Krum claimed the first golden egg, while Ivan Petrov fled a Hungarian Horntail and Fleur Delacour and Sophie Robert confronted a Ukrainian Ironbelly; the chapter ended with the audience wondering what Harry was doing.

  • Viktor Krum fought a Welsh Green, struck its eye, and seized the golden egg despite being injured.
  • Ivan Petrov fled a Hungarian Horntail and used Mist Lock to obscure its view as rescue staff took to the air.
  • Semyon Petrov escaped Blast-Ended Skrewts and learned that Hagrid had placed them in the forest at Dumbledore's request.
  • Fleur Delacour and Sophie Robert found a Ukrainian Ironbelly together.
  • The audience wondered where Harry was and what he was doing.
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