Cedric was utterly bewildered. He tried to brush the bubbles off himself, but they were slippery, and even gave satisfied "purrs" when stroked.
"We've been exposed! Retreat!"
Flustered and embarrassed, Cho Chang grabbed Cedric's hand, and the two fled back the way they had come in utter disarray, trailing a long tail of dozens of glowing bubbles, accompanied by off-key singing in surround sound.
In the Astronomy Tower's observation room, an irrepressible burst of laughter filled with mixed feelings erupted.
Professor Sprout wanted to laugh but also felt sorry for her student, her face turning red from holding it in.
Professor McGonagall simply covered her face with a hand, wearing an expression that said, "I don't know them."
"Hahahaha!"
Dumbledore laughed the most delightedly, merrily tapping the table with a silver spoon.
"Slow motion! Douglas, quick! Give me a slow-motion close-up of Cedric's panicked expression! I want to record it for my Hogwarts Goblet of Fire Movie."
Only Snape curled his lips in a cold sneer, adding another slice of mushroom to his clear-broth pot:
"I take back what I said earlier. This isn't an idiot. This is a walking disaster."
Douglas calmly sipped his tea, providing "academic commentary" for the other professors with their varying expressions.
"Professors, observe. This is a light-and-sound pollution trap developed by Marauders Power-the Rainbow Fart Bubble Generator. It causes zero damage, but can instantly destroy an infiltrator's psychological defenses."
He paused, then continued:
"It doesn't test the ability to counter spells, but willpower. When faced with a sudden, highly humiliating predicament, do you lash out in mortified anger, or swiftly accept reality and adjust your tactics? This is a preliminary screening of mental resilience."
"What sort of test is that?"
Headmaster Karkaroff finally found an outlet for his displeasure and gave a disdainful snort.