"Wow!!!"
"Whoosh!!!"
Damn it, the Dark Lord's apprentice, and the Dark Lord himself has spoken. Who dares disrespect them?! He's just lovesick, isn't he?!
Unlike the reaction for Harry, this time there were no doubts, only cheers that shook the entire Great Hall!
Looking at the cheering students, Albus Dumbledore smiled faintly, then raised his hands for silence. "Very well, the champions selected by the Goblet of Fire are now in place. But in the end, only one shall be immortalized, only one shall lift this championship trophy..."
As Dumbledore finished speaking, Argus Filch shuffled forward, bearing something draped in black cloth.
"The Triwizard Cup!"
Dumbledore gestured, and the black cloth levitated away, revealing an ornate silver crystal cup, engraved with the word "win," signifying its singular ownership!
...
Once the Great Hall had emptied...
Dumbledore sat perched on his throne, his gaze fixed on the now dormant Goblet of Fire.
He knew, of course, that something was amiss.
Many aspects of the Triwizard Tournament were dictated by the Ministry of Magic, like the binding rule that those chosen by the Goblet could not withdraw.
But that was hardly his primary concern. The Ministry's demands were, in essence, Tom Riddle's demands, so it was of little consequence.
He suspected Tom intended to use the Triwizard Tournament to his advantage, but he remained certain that Hogwarts would be unaffected; after all, more than two-thirds of the school leaned toward Tom's cause.
The real question was: if Tom Riddle hadn't orchestrated Harry Potter's selection, then who had? And were they acting under Tom's orders, or on their own? Regardless, Tom Riddle had not intervened to prevent Harry Potter's participation.
Or perhaps he had used his influence in the Ministry to enforce the no-withdrawal rule precisely because of Harry Potter?
So… even if Tom Riddle hadn't engineered Harry Potter's entry, was it still part of his design?
Was he using Harry Potter as bait?
That tactic was certainly reminiscent of his own.
Thinking this, Dumbledore chuckled softly to himself, then rose and left the Great Hall.
He trusted Tom Riddle would not allow any harm to befall Harry Potter, nor to jeopardize Hogwarts; that was enough.
As for Tom's ultimate goal, and whom he intended to target, he had a reasonable idea, or rather, it matched his expectations.
And so, he pondered no further. An old man nearing retirement lacked the energy for such convoluted affairs.
...
Click!
"Hello, I'm Rita Skeeter, reporter for the Daily Prophet."
After glancing at the photos, Rita tucked them away and extended her hand to shake those of the assembled contestants.
Madame Maxime and Igor Karkaroff had chosen additional students to participate, resulting in three champions from each school, totaling nine.
They had just posed for photographs destined for the Daily Prophet.
Following a brief introduction, Rita prepared to delve into her interrogation of the 'heroes.'
"So... judging by your physique, am I right in assuming you often engage in the kind of... extracurricular activities that were popular back in the 80s?"
Rita smiled as she questioned Viktor Krum, her gaze scrutinizing him. Beside her, a Quick-Quotes Quill automatically scribbled on a piece of parchment.
"What?!"
Krum looked genuinely stunned. "That's impossible! I mean…"
However, his agitated expression was misinterpreted by Rita. "Alright, alright, Krum displays a hint of violent tendencies."
"..."
Krum was dumbfounded, rendered speechless.
But that didn't deter Rita. "His silence? Disrespect for a reporter! Krum believes his warrior status grants him this entitlement!"
???
Holy crap…
Krum's face paled, but reluctant to be branded an outcast, he forced a smile and attempted to answer Rita's questions as best he could.
The other two Durmstrang contestants, similarly burly, suffered the same fate at Rita's hands.
Then came the Hogwarts champions' turn. Rita's gaze landed on the beautiful blonde, blue-eyed girl seated in a chair. "Miss Volle, how does it feel to participate in the Triwizard Tournament?"
Hearing Rita's voice, Cassandra Volle tore her gaze from the window and turned to face Rita Skeeter, who wore a fawning smile. "You talk too much nonsense."
Clearly, she found the interview unpleasant, and she disliked the cunning woman before her.
"Oh~ Miss Volle doesn't display the arrogance found in many champions. Confident but not presumptuous, calm yet composed… In my conversation with her, I could clearly feel all these wonderful qualities. What impressed me most was her wisdom, comparable to that of the legendary Rowena Ravenclaw. Even her few words were incredibly enlightening."
As Rita spoke, the Quick-Quotes Quill continued to jot down notes. "I believe Miss Volle's excellence will lead her to a favorable outcome in the Triwizard Tournament, perhaps even winning the crown."
The other contestants stared in disbelief, especially the three Durmstrang students. Rita, you weren't like this with us!
"..."
Cassandra Volle had never encountered such an... "eloquent" individual before. "What's going on? What's wrong with you?"
"How touching! Miss Volle's heart is so pure and kind! While the other contestants are preoccupied with their own performance, she's concerned about the reporter's well-being!!"
Rita's skill was truly impressive. "The reporter sincerely expresses her gratitude, and at this moment, the reporter has had a change of heart. Perhaps Miss Volle isn't the champion yet, but in the reporter's heart, the championship already belongs to her. After all, shouldn't a true champion exemplify the qualities of Miss Volle?"
"..."
Rita's blatant double standards shocked everyone, but they dared not reveal their feelings, lest they be branded 'violent.'
However, Rita could roughly guess the contestants' inner thoughts, but she didn't care.
Because she knew that if she misspelled even a single word, she would be torn to shreds by the Death Eaters the instant she left the castle.
And even if she survived that, she would be fired.
Therefore, not only with Cassandra Volle, but also with Harry Potter, Rita did her best to write only positive things.
Even with Cedric Diggory, who wasn't a Death Eater but still a Hogwarts student, Rita's questions were far more gentle.