The Inter-School League actually had a hidden rule.
Every host school would admit students from other schools to its classes.
It was a chance to exchange knowledge, but also a form of invisible competition.
They could undermine other schools' students by excelling in class.
They could also study the professors' lectures to work out what questions might appear in the knowledge competition.
The best at this was Beauxbatons Academy of Magic.
The school was renowned for its rigorous approach to potions and ancient languages, and its headmaster had a fierce competitive streak.
More than once, the headmaster had raised concerns with the Department of Magical Education about the choice of venue and the fairness of the judges.
To date, their school had neither won a championship nor hosted the Inter-School League.
Headmaster Beauxbatons had lodged vehement protests, even questioning the department's impartiality.
In response, other schools that had neither hosted nor won the league said, "He's the sort who'd find fault with a gnome's fart."
When Hogwarts received the right to host the Inter-School League for the second time, Beauxbatons Academy was the most dissatisfied.
Unfortunately, however much its headmaster kicked up a fuss, it meant nothing to these wizards who did as they pleased.
The headmaster of Ta Lo Magic Vocational and Technical School, whose surname was Zhang, suggested looking inward for the problem. If you were bad, practice more.
Though Ta Lo Magic Vocational and Technical School had never won either, it had never dropped out of the top four.
Beauxbatons was not the only school determined to redeem itself this year. Beauxbatons Academy of Magic was, too.
Its headmaster was very confident, because this year's lineup was the strongest in its history.
The establishment of the Wizarding Kingdom had given more wizards access to an equitable education,