Friday evening, in the Great Hall.
The second "Clue Blind Box Superstore" opened on schedule.
A week of frenzied competition had only heightened the students' enthusiasm, but their pure fervor had given way to cooler, more pragmatic calculation.
They were no longer mere spectators cheering on the Champions, but "shareholders" anxiously watching over their teams' efforts of the past week.
Every point was a precious asset earned through sweat, ingenuity, and even battles of wits with Professor Snape.
Onstage, Fred and George appeared in dress robes even more extravagant than last time, covered in glittering magical sequins, looking like two turkeys about to spread their tails.
"Good evening, future investment legends of Hogwarts!"
"Welcome back to an evening that will leave both your wallets and your overworked bodies aching!"
The Twins' opening remarks were as irreverent as ever, but they soon announced a new rule that sent the atmosphere soaring once again.
"To make tonight more engaging and exciting," Fred said with a sly wink, "we proudly introduce-live betting!"
"That's right!"
George waved his wand, and a huge table of betting odds appeared on the magical screen.
"Starting now, you can place bets on the three Champions' choices tonight! Guess correctly, and you'll receive a small point reward!"
The crowd instantly erupted. This exploited the gambler's mindset to the fullest.
Then the magical screen refreshed, displaying the three teams' latest point totals for everyone to see.
Cedric's team still had a clear lead, but it was no longer out of reach.
With the tremendous boost of triple weighting, Pheobe's and Krum's teams had fought to catch up, drastically narrowing the gap. A three-way balance had taken shape.
Before the event began, the atmosphere in the Hufflepuff camp was as solemn as a prebattle briefing.
"Keep abandoning any fantasies about high-tier