Last came Dumbledore.
His magic was neither as overbearing as Karkaroff's nor as delicate as Madame Maxime's.
It was ancient and profound, carrying the scent of earth and flame.
The candle flame at the tip of his wand suddenly surged, stretching and transforming in midair until it emblazoned a burning coat of arms.
It was no motionless image.
It was alive.
Gryffindor's lion, its mane like flowing lava, leaped out of the shield and raised its head, unleashing a roar that shook the vaulted ceiling, a sound filled with fearless courage and a burning resolve to protect.
Slytherin's silver serpent slipped out silently, its body covered in emerald scales winding around the lion's legs, its tongue flickering, its hisses whispers of ancient ambition and wisdom.
Hufflepuff's faithful badger dug its powerful forepaws deep into the empty air, as though guarding an unseen stretch of land, and let out a low roar of resilience and loyalty.
Ravenclaw's bronze eagle spiraled upward, its wings cleaving the sky, its clear, ringing cry like a bolt of lightning, filled with wisdom and truth that pierced the mist.
Four utterly different powers, four utterly different wills roared, hissed, and circled, not attacking one another but instead forming a chaotic yet perfectly harmonious symbiosis.
This was Hogwarts.
A noisy, contradictory, yet immensely powerful home.
The black double-headed eagle, the golden crossed wands, the burning Hogwarts coat of arms.
Three totems representing different magical civilizations began their final contest of strength in the center of the Great Hall.
Durmstrang's double-headed eagle launched a fierce assault, attempting to devour everything with its darkness and discipline.
Beauxbatons' golden stars spun at high speed, forming a magnificent, impenetrable vortex of light that elegantly deflected every intrusion.
Meanwhile, Hogwarts' four sacred beasts launched a dazzling coordinated attack. The lion charged head-on,