"What? The Triwizard Tournament?"
"That tournament with the incredibly high death rate?"
"What's the Triwizard Tournament? Is it that famous?"
"You don't even know that? Let me tell you..."
"Really? That sounds amazing..."
Although a major event like the Triwizard Tournament had been discontinued for many years, almost every young wizard had heard of it, apart from those from entirely Muggle backgrounds.
After all, the tournament made for irresistible conversation. It was so brutal and fantastical that its stories could practically be passed down as wizarding fairy tales.
The hall buzzed with discussion as the students expressed their disbelief and offered wildly exaggerated explanations.
Dumbledore announced in a booming voice.
"The schools participating in this year's Five-Wizard Tournament will include Hogwarts, Beauxbatons, and Durmstrang, the three traditional European magic academies.
They will be joined by Ilvermorny from the United States and Koldovstoretz from Russia.
The other four schools will arrive in October.
Given the dangers of the tournament, we have agreed that all selected Champions must be at least seventeen years old.
Our newly appointed professor, Sirius Black, will serve as the selected Champion's personal coach.
Before Hogwarts selects its Champion, students aged seventeen and over may receive instruction from him in advance."
Dumbledore knew what the students were like, so he delivered this announcement quickly, barely pausing.
And just as he had expected, the students erupted again.
"Why should there be an age limit? I want to be a Champion too!"
"Exactly! I want to bring glory to Hogwarts too!"
Many of the young lions in Gryffindor practically exploded on the spot.
"That's so unfair! There was never a rule like that before. This restriction is obviously aimed at the Chief!"
"Oh, right! The Chief isn't even fifteen yet. That's unfair!"
"Unfair!"
Some of the students who were too