Harry Potter: The Golden Viper
0772 Meeting Concluded

The longest weirdest silence since the meeting had begun fell upon the room. Every single person present was staring at Bryan Watson with expressions ranging from stunned amazement to fascination, their eyes wide and unblinking as they processed what they had just heard.

Yet despite the collective astonishment that filled the room, no one made even the slightest sound.

Bryan's proposal had gone far beyond the land of wild fantasy or creative problem-solving—it could only be described as absolutely unthinkable, and audaciously brilliant in its calculated revenge!

"Aha!" The sudden exclamation shattered the silence like a crystal goblet hitting stone floor.

From high above in the portrait frames on the walls, Sirius's great-grandfather, Phineas Nigellus Black, erupted into energetic enthusiasm. His body leaned forward in his frame looking absolutely delighted as he shouted with unrestrained pleasure,

"Excellent, Bryan! Absolutely brilliant idea! There's no more suitable candidate than this scheming fool! I completely and wholeheartedly agree!"

His declaration seemed to break the spell of silence that had held the other portraits in bondage.

A booming wave of support arose one after another. Former headmaster Armando Dippet, who had maintained decades of long rivalry with Phineas Black and had disagreed with almost every opinion the man had ever expressed, was also nodding vigorously in agreement with Phineas's view for the first time in their quarrelsome relationship.

He applauded Bryan's ingenious idea with such enthusiasm that his hands seemed to blur with motion, his voice joining the growing chorus of his colleagues as they voiced their undisputed approval with increasing eagerness.

Dumbledore at the head of the conference table didn't seem particularly surprised by Bryan's proposal. His face remained composed, though those who knew him well might have detected the slightest twitch at the corners of his mouth.

However, when Bryan actually said this shocking suggestion, the soft light in his blue eyes behind his half-moon spectacles flickered momentarily, as if hiding some internal hesitation or moral concern.

However, upon glimpsing Bryan's unwavering expression, Dumbledore ultimately chose not to voice any objection or moral concern that might have been brewing in his heart.

Professor McGonagall's tense expression finally began to relax somewhat. She glanced sideways at Karkaroff, observing with satisfaction how his sallow cheeks were gradually reddening with a mixture of rage, embarrassment, and horror.

The corners of her mouth curved upward in what might have been the first genuine smile she had displayed all evening.

Moody was the only other person at this conference table who truly understood what Bryan's proposal represented. He didn't speak out against it, and his eyes were drifting with a layer of indifference.

Ludo Bagman's hesitation was completely understandable to everyone present, and as the sole Ministry of Magic official attending this high-stakes meeting, Ludo felt the weight of responsibility pressing down upon his shoulders.

His face flushed with nervous sweat as he realized he should probably raise concerns about the legality and propriety of such an unprecedented arrangement. His mouth opened and closed several times as he struggled to find the right words.

However, this proposal had come from Bryan Watson, the person who held considerable leverage over him through various professional and personal connections, so after several moments of internal debate, Ludo wisely chose to remain silent.

Even Madame Maxime, whom Karkaroff had desperately hoped would support him in this moment of crisis, maintained her tactful silence and didn't say a single word on his behalf.

She saw Bryan's proposal clearly for what it truly was: a punishment for Karkaroff's brazen interference with Hogwarts' young champion.

This was no longer simply about selecting the most important person for the champions to rescue during the second task—it had escalated into a far more complex struggle.

Madame Maxime had no desire to wade into these murky waters, lest Beauxbatons' champion get caught in the crossfire of a conflict that had nothing to do with her school's interests.

Besides, provoking Watson in the first place had been somewhat Karkaroff's own doing.

The portraits continued their enthusiastic clamoring, their voices creating a backdrop of approval and vindication, while the conspicuous silence from the living attendees around the conference table finally made Karkaroff realize that no one, absolutely no one would speak up for him in this moment of desperate need.

He would have to fight for himself, using whatever weapons he could muster from his rapidly dwindling arsenal of options.

"Ridiculous!" Karkaroff exploded.

He clenched his pale fists tightly, his chest rose and fall rapidly in desperate breaths that revealed the full extent of his anger and rising panic. His appearance began to show signs of dishevelment as sweat appeared on his forehead and his goatee seemed to tremble with the intensity of his emotions.

"If you haven't forgotten, Watson," He continued, his voice taking on a shrill tone that showed his desperation, "I am the headmaster of Durmstrang Institute and I serve as one of the official judges for this tournament! I need to supervise whether the competition is conducted fairly and justly, and I have the crucial responsibility of scoring the champions' performances!"

His words tumbled out in a rush, as if he believed that by speaking quickly enough, he could somehow convince the gathered company of the impossibility of Bryan's suggestion.

"That's not really a problem, is it?" Bryan replied with a smile that was gentle.

His pale purple eyes look at Karkaroff with the interest of a scientist observing a particularly fascinating specimen—like a fish pressed flat on a cutting board, still struggling with desperate futility even though its fate had already been sealed by forces beyond its control.

"The second task is different from the first in its execution and requirements," Bryan continued, his voice taking on the patient tone of someone explaining something to a slow student.

"My surveillance mirrors cannot broadcast live footage underwater throughout the entire duration of the event. Therefore, the champions' scores will depend mostly on whether they can successfully complete their assigned tasks and how long it takes them to do so.

Their underwater performance and the specific methods they use will be reported to us by the merpeople after the competition concludes, based on their observations."

Bryan paused, allowing his words to sink in before delivering the devastating conclusion.

"This means you can perfectly fulfill your duties as a judge while also appearing in the competition as Mr. Krum's most important person'!"

Bryan's pale purple eyes sparkled with what might have been genuine amusement, and his voice became lighter.

"I'm almost envious, Professor Karkaroff. What an extraordinary experience this will be for you—truly unprecedented in the history of the Triwizard Tournament!"

Karkaroff's expression transformed into something approaching ferocity as he realized the trap was closing around him. His yellow eyes darted frantically around the room, searching for any sign of support or sympathy, before he tried to remove himself with what he knew was a pale and unconvincing excuse,

"I'm hardly Viktor's most important person, Watson," He said, his voice tinging with a tone of false reasonableness. "He has real close friends—his teammates from the Bulgarian National Quidditch team, people who have shared victories and defeats with him, and... and his parents, who raised him and shaped him into the man he is today."

"But we don't have time to travel all the way to Bulgaria to 'kidnap' Mr. Krum's teammates and parents, do we?" Bryan chuckled,

"Please don't be so modest, Professor Karkaroff. We all know that Mr. Krum is your most prized student, the crown jewel of your educational achievements, and you are equally a respected professor and elder to him. Under the current circumstances, with the constraints of time and availability, you are unquestionably the most suitable candidate."

Seeing that Karkaroff was preparing to launch into another desperate argument, Bryan's expression suddenly darkened. He sighed with what appeared to be disappointment.

"I don't understand why you're so reluctant, Professor Karkaroff, this is undoubtedly a very rare and precious experience, isn't it? A student rescuing his own professor—this would surely become a wonderful story that would be told and retold for generations!

You and Mr. Krum would be the most eye-catching combination in the tournament's history, and at the same time, this extraordinary shared experience would deepen the bond between you as teacher and student. It's truly a win-win situation!"

Just like the manipulative excuse Karkaroff had used earlier to cause trouble for Hermione, Bryan's reasoning was perfectly logical and reasonable, presented with such compelling clarity that it left even Karkaroff speechless and genuinely wondering if it might indeed be the case!

The argument was so well-crafted that it seemed to make perfect sense, even to the man who was being manipulated by it.

However, Karkaroff's survival instincts caused him to look suspiciously at the composed Bryan. His eyes narrowed as he tried to peer beneath the surface of Watson's calm face.

Would Watson really be so kind-hearted and generous? Especially after he had just caused significant trouble for Hogwarts and attempted to sabotage their champion?

"Is this kind of situation actually allowed according to the official rules, Mr. Bagman?" Madame Maxime inquired her concerns, looking toward Ludo.

"Oh, I think—how should I put it—" Ludo stammered, his face flushing with embarrassment as he realized he was being put on the spot.

His hands fidgeted with the papers in front of him as he searched his memory for any relevant precedents or regulations that might apply to this unprecedented situation.

The truth was that the tournament rules had been written centuries ago, and nobody had ever anticipated such a creative interpretation of the requirements.

"At least from the perspective of the written rules and regulations," He continued hesitantly, "there's no explicit prohibition against it. The rules simply state that the person selected must be someone important to the champion, and they specify that those selected as the most important people will be placed in a magical comatose state awaiting rescue, rendering them unable to provide the champions with any additional help or guidance during the task itself."

He paused, gathering his courage before continuing, "Of course, as Bryan pointed out, this would indeed be an absolutely fascinating topic that the reporters from the Daily Prophet would absolutely love to cover!"

"Unless you can propose more convincing personnel, Professor Karkaroff," Bryan said with an air of finality.

"Otherwise, you are unquestionably the most suitable candidate available to us under these circumstances."

Karkaroff remained silent, his mind racing as he continued calculating the potential pros and cons of this situation. His eyes darted back and forth as he weighed his limited options, desperately searching for some escape route that didn't seem to exist.

Meanwhile, Bryan had already begun the process of consulting each person present who had the right to express opinions about whether they had any different views or objections to the proposed arrangement.

The result was predictable, everyone present agreed to this proposal.

"Well then, that's decided!" Bryan announced with satisfaction.

After exchanging a meaningful glance with Dumbledore, Bryan rose from his chair, placing both palms firmly on the edge of the conference table. His expression was cheerful and businesslike as he looked toward Ludo.

"We don't have much time left before dawn, and there's still considerable preparation to be done," He continued briskly. "Next, I'll need Mr. Bagman, as the official Ministry representative, to accompany everyone throughout the entire process as we bring each champion's most important person to the small preparation room behind the Great Hall.

We'll still need some time to explain the situation to them and ensure they understand what's happening, then after casting the appropriate spells to put these people into the required magical sleep, I'll personally hand them over to the merpeople, who will escort them to the competition's underwater endpoint."

"Wait!" Karkaroff's voice cracked.

His brow twitched violently, and facing the inquiring gazes of everyone present, he forced his face into a facade of his earlier fake smile. With as much dignity as he could muster, he said to Dumbledore directly,

"My dear old friend, Dumbledore, I would greatly prefer if you would personally ensure my safety underwater by casting the protective spell yourself!"

The portraits of past headmasters hanging on the walls still hadn't calmed down from their earlier excitement. Many of them were now openly accusing Karkaroff of cowardice, their voices rising in a chorus of mockery and disdain.

Among the living meeting attendees, several cast covert looks of contempt toward Karkaroff.

"I have complete and absolute confidence that Bryan's magic won't go wrong," Dumbledore replied tactfully. "But if you insist on this arrangement, Professor Karkaroff, I am certainly willing to accommodate your request."

Dumbledore nodded graciously.

"I can personally cast the protective spell on you, if that would make you feel more comfortable about the entire situation."

Dumbledore's generous assurance finally made Karkaroff's relax somewhat, though his face remained pale and haggard with anxiety.

However, when he finally walked out of Dumbledore's office and stood in the corridor, looking through the ancient gothic archway toward the distant horizon. Dawn was breaking in the eastern horizon.

The dim stars flickered faintly in the lightening sky like dying embers, and the Black Lake, where he had lived for half a year, now seemed like a terrifying giant beast of legend with its fierce mouth gaping open wide. The dark waters seemed to expose the throat of an abyss while emanating a thick aura of death.

An indescribable yet genuinely present sense of impending doom lingered in his heart.

Bryan Watson was conversing with Madame Maxime, with the others following behind them. Dumbledore brought up the rear of the group, and noticing that Karkaroff had fallen behind and was standing motionless in the corridor, he stopped and turned around to look at him.

"Professor Karkaroff?" Dumbledore inquired gently.

"Coming, Professor Dumbledore," Karkaroff replied, shaking his head, driving the illusion from his mind, and strode to catch up.

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