They knew who had pilfered the potion ingredients, but knowing and proving were two very different things.
So…
"Perhaps Severus got a bit overzealous while brewing and accidentally drank some potion?" Tom mused aloud. "Transformed himself and took advantage of the situation, perhaps."
"..."
Tom's words painted Snape as a "greasy-haired bat" in everyone's mind.
Snape, however, remained silent.
Dumbledore couldn't suppress a chuckle, earning him a murderous glare from Snape.
"..."
That greasy-haired brat from Slytherin is bullying an old man…
Dumbledore felt a pang of injustice; only snuggling up to his body-sized Gellert Grindelwald pillow later could soothe his wounded pride.
After Tom's little speech, the three understood that Tom knew, and Tom knew that they knew he knew.
And so, the four of them tacitly agreed to drop the subject.
Tom plucked a lemon drop from Dumbledore's desk and popped it into his mouth. "As for the missing potions, deduct the cost from Snape's salary. Consider it a penalty for negligence."
"..."
Damn it! Steal my potions and dock my pay? Does he really think of me as some house-elf?!
Snape thought fate had dealt him a cruel hand, saddling him with such a boss.
But luckily, he had another one. "Professor Dumbledore…"
The meaning was clear… Old Dumbledore! Fork it over!
"..."
Now it was Dumbledore's turn to be unhappy. Those ingredients didn't come cheap.
Tom, watching nearby, reveled in the unfolding drama. He had anticipated this reaction. Dumbledore would inevitably petition the Board of Governors for funds, a board conveniently packed with Tom's allies. He could then leverage the situation to subtly undermine the old wizard.
This was the dynamic Tom and Dumbledore had cultivated over the years—a game of calculated maneuvers, devoid of genuine malice, purely for entertainment.
Grindelwald found the scene amusing. He refrained from defending Dumbledore, content to smile silently.
"Alright, alright… you win," Dumbledore conceded, closing his eyes in mock exasperation. "I'll petition the Board of Governors for the funds, understood?"
"In that case, Professor, I shall take my leave."
"Don't walk, run!"
"..."
...
Days turned into nights, and the eagerly awaited day finally dawned.
The final trial of the Triwizard Tournament, the climactic event, was to be held on the Quidditch pitch.
To ensure a fair and spectacular competition, the Quidditch pitch had been transformed into a sprawling maze.
The professors had populated the maze with traps and enchantments; navigating them successfully was necessary to avoid elimination.
The rules were simple: the first to reach the center of the maze and grasp the Triwizard Cup would be crowned the victor.
The scores from the previous two tasks would factor into the starting order. Those with more points would enter the maze first, giving them a slight advantage.
It was worth mentioning that winning the Triwizard Tournament brought not only glory but also a thousand Galleons—essentially a small fortune.
...
Before the tournament began, the contestants, escorted by a marching band, entered the arena and assembled at the starting point outside the maze.
The stands buzzed with anticipation. Fred and George Weasley, having profited handsomely from the previous two tasks, decided against pressing their luck.
Based on the previous competitions, almost everyone considered Cassandra Volle the likely champion.
Another betting pool would yield little profit, and any mishap could wipe them out, leaving them penniless and possibly homeless.
Ron Weasley's broken wand could be patched up and passed down for another two generations.
They'd already lined their pockets; there was no need to tempt fate.
Back on the playing field, Harry Potter and the other contestants prepared themselves, while the professors conducted a final inspection of the maze.
Cassandra Volle had been briefly summoned by Tom Riddle earlier but was expected to return shortly before the competition commenced.
After a tense wait, the last professor, "Moody," emerged from the maze.
He informed Dumbledore that the Triwizard Cup had been placed in its designated location.
Dumbledore nodded in acknowledgment. When Tom Riddle returned with Cassandra Volle, he immediately announced the commencement of the final task.
Cassandra Volle was the first to enter the maze, casting a fleeting glance at Harry Potter before disappearing within.
The gesture puzzled Harry Potter, but he brushed it off, assuming it was unintentional.
Shortly after Cassandra Volle's departure, Cedric Diggory followed.
Then came Harry Potter, Fleur Delacour, and Viktor Krum, each entering the maze at short intervals.
"Who do you fancy to win among these youngsters?"
Gellert Grindelwald asked Tom Riddle and sat at his side, holding a bag of Muggle sweets.
"Who will win?"
Tom Riddle snatched the bag from Gellert Grindelwald, popping a sweet into his mouth. It had a satisfying crunch "Harry Potter."
"Oh? You want him to seize the trophy?"
Gellert Grindelwald reached for a treat from Tom Riddle's stash. "Won't your star pupil be furious? After all, everyone knows you are so biased toward her."
"She has already proven her worth, and everyone acknowledges it. She hardly needs a cheap trophy to validate her."
"And, truly?"
"It took some considerable persuasion to convince her of that."
...
Inside the maze, Viktor Krum, fueled by his powerful physique, charged forward. His earlier failures had left him far behind, but there was still a chance to redeem himself. If he could reach the Triwizard Cup first, he would emerge victorious!
During his mad dash, he stumbled over a cluster of strange plants but quickly dealt with them using his wand.
Continuing on, he narrowly avoided a couple more traps, allowing him to finally spot a figure ahead.
He immediately recognized the individual; it was Cedric Diggory, the second contestant to enter the maze.
"..."
After a brief internal struggle, Viktor Krum, consumed by his burning desire for victory, gritted his teeth and drew his wand. He would eliminate Cedric Diggory here and now, ridding himself of the competition and claiming the Triwizard Cup before anyone else could!
"Stun!"
Startled by the voice behind him, Cedric Diggory, who was sprinting towards the maze's center, instinctively dove to the side, narrowly evading the spell.
Turning around, he saw that his attacker was none other than Viktor Krum.
Reacting in a split second, Cedric Diggory also drew his wand, employing the maze's foliage as cover as he faced down Krum. "Expelliarmus!"
---
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