Rita Skeeter, having finished grilling the Hogwarts champions, reverted to her usual sharp-tongued self, reminiscent of her arrival at Beauxbatons. The two Beauxbatons girls were practically in tears, and Rita openly wondered if they'd secured their spots based on looks alone. It wasn't until Fleur, startled, blurted out, "I know Tom Riddle," that Rita calmed down, somewhat. Whether Fleur was telling the truth or not, Rita didn't know, but she chose to believe it, just in case. Did these girls think the Dark Lord's name was something they could just bandy about? If it were a lie, Rita was sure the girl wouldn't survive the week; Death Eaters would come knocking, enraged that their master's name had been invoked in vain. Given the sheer number of competitors to interview, the process dragged on.
...
Meanwhile, elsewhere...
In the Headmaster's Office on the eighth floor of Hogwarts, Sirius Black appeared, seeking out Dumbledore.
"Oh, look who it is, my good-for-nothing great-great-grandson!" The portrait of Phineas Nigellus Black on the wall sneered the moment Sirius entered. The fact that a Black had ended up in Gryffindor was, in his eyes, a disgrace of the highest order!
Fortunately, Dumbledore was present. "Now, now, Phineas. Sirius is far more than you give him credit for. He is a hero."
"A hero? A hero who was kicked out of his family like a stray dog for over a decade? Preposterous…"
Before Phineas could finish his tirade, the other headmasters in their portraits, including Armando Dippet, surged forward and launched a "righteous beating" upon him.
Silence, at last, descended.
Sirius's face darkened as he glanced at Phineas's portrait. He'd never liked his family, and that sentiment remained unchanged.
"Alright, Sirius, what brings you here today? Is there something I can help you with?" Dumbledore's voice, as always, possessed a calming quality.
Sirius's expression softened slightly, and he quickly explained his reason for coming. "Professor Dumbledore, I heard Harry is also participating in the Triwizard Tournament?"
"Yes, that's quite right."
Dumbledore understood Sirius's concerns – he was worried about Harry. "But don't fret, Harry will be fine."
"But..."
"I vouch for him, in my own name."
"..."
Since Dumbledore had said that, Sirius didn't press further. "Alright, but please, at least let me see Harry."
"Of course, that's your right." Dumbledore didn't stop him.
After chatting for a while longer, Sirius turned and left the Headmaster's Office.
...
That evening...
On the fourth floor of the castle, in Tom's office...
"Teacher, did you need something from me?" Cassandra Volle closed the wooden door to his office, walked to Tom's desk, and sat down.
Tom set aside the black dragon scale he'd been toying with; it was palm-sized, almost identical to one from an adult fire dragon. "This is the opponent I've prepared for your first task."
Cassandra was somewhat puzzled. "But..."
"Don't worry, they'll all know about this first challenge of the tournament." Tom seemed to have anticipated her question. "You will compete fairly. Cheating would only embarrass me."
Hearing this, Cassandra remained silent; she disdained winning through deceit.
"You'll all face your own opponents. Harry has his own trials to overcome, though he need only avoid dragons. But you..." Tom's emerald eyes met Cassandra's. "I expect you to defeat the dragons."
"..."
Each dragon was immensely powerful, wielding flames capable of melting steel, claws that could tear apart buildings, and scales resistant to most magic. It typically took a dozen adult wizards to bring one down.
And Cassandra didn't yet possess the strength to defeat one alone.
However, if Tom wanted her to...
"I won't let you down, teacher."
Seeing Cassandra's earnest gaze, Tom's lips tugged into a slight smile. "Don't worry; it's not as hopeless as it seems."
Tom tossed the black dragon scale to Cassandra. "That little Annie is growing very fast; she's almost the size of an adult fire dragon, but not quite. Her claws aren't fully sharpened, and her scales are still a bit immature..."
A sub-adult Norwegian Ridgeback, while still far stronger than a typical adult wizard, didn't preclude Cassandra's chance of prevailing.
Tom didn't care about winning the Triwizard Tournament. Whether Cassandra won or lost was irrelevant; for him, this competition was merely a worthwhile training exercise.
So, even if Cassandra failed...
"I will win!" Cassandra's expression was resolute. "I will definitely win."
At this, Tom paused, then stood up, smiling, and stroked Cassandra's smooth blonde hair. "Then I shall eagerly await the spectacle."
...
Meanwhile, elsewhere...
"What?! A dragon?!" Sirius was incredulous. They actually expected underage kids to deal with those dangerous dragons?!
Hiding in the bushes, Hagrid quickly reassured Sirius, who was beside him. Sirius had come to see Harry that day, and the two had spent a long time together. Later, Hagrid came along to show Harry some things when Sirius tagged along.
Namely, now.
Hagrid had intended to show Harry the dragons intended for the first task, but he hadn't expected to find Sirius there. Fortunately, the two were old acquaintances and on good terms, so Hagrid agreed to bring him along as well.
Despite Hagrid's reassurance, Sirius remained worried; he didn't believe Harry could handle a dragon.
Upon reflection, he reasoned that even if Dumbledore was senile, he wouldn't genuinely expect an ungraduated wizard to defeat a dragon. Therefore… the task wasn't about defeating the dragon, but something else entirely.
Unlike Sirius's pensive consideration, Harry, staring blankly at the raging flames now erupting from the massive iron cage containing the dragon, seemed lost in thought.
Sirius could not discern what Harry was thinking, but he could tell Harry was not afraid.
Seeing this, Sirius Black stopped hesitating and decided to let Harry face the challenge.
Although the Triwizard Tournament was fraught with danger, Sirius Black chose to trust Harry.
With this in mind, after offering Harry a few more words of advice, Sirius Black got up to leave Hogwarts.
---
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