Harry Potter: The Golden Viper
0773 Notification

More than an hour had passed since the meeting in Dumbledore's office had concluded, and the castle of Hogwarts had settled into that peculiar stillness that comes in the hours before dawn.

When Harry and Ron from Gryffindor Tower, Cho Chang from Ravenclaw, and little Gabrielle Delacour, Fleur's younger sister were finally brought to the Great Hall, the sky had already begun to display that distinctive dark green glow. Outside the windows, the world was gradually awakening to the crisp, melodic sounds of birdsong.

As the small group descended the steps from the entrance hall, Harry was still wrapped in the fuzzy cocoon of drowsiness that comes from being awakened far too early from deep sleep.

However, when his vision finally cleared enough to take in the scene in front of him, the impressive gathering of people gathered in the hall, including the figure of the headmaster of Durmstrang, Professor Dumbledore, Professor Watson and various other adults—Harry felt a violent shiver run through his entire body.

The cold seemed to penetrate straight through his hastily thrown-on clothes and into his very bones, and the comfortable fog of fatigue that had been clouding his thoughts dissipated quickly.

Beside him, Ron's shoulders were hunched defensively against both the cold and the intimidating atmosphere, while his blue eyes had widened as he took in the solemn faces of the adults.

"What do you think happened?" Ron whispered urgently.

However, before Harry could give any kind of response to his friend's anxious inquiry, Professor McGonagall, who was in a foul mood, immediately turned to glare at them both, successfully silencing the two boys.

"I've brought them, Albus, Bryan," Professor McGonagall said, stepping aside at the staff table and pushing Harry and Ron forward. But judging by their expressions of impending doom on their faces, they clearly thought they had gotten into serious trouble.

"To avoid the necessity of repeating explanations multiple times, please wait just a moment—" Harry heard Professor Watson say, his voice sounding amused that seemed oddly out of place given the serious atmosphere.

Meanwhile, Professor Dumbledore also gave them a smile that was clearly meant to be encouraging.

The encouraging expressions from both professors helped to ease some of the tension that had been building in Harry.

'It didn't seem to be anything particularly bad,' He thought to himself, allowing his shoulders to relax slightly.

As his initial panic began to subside, Harry glanced around secretly and was surprised to discover that Cho Chang was also there.

She stood in the shadow casted by one of the massive stone pillars that supported the hall's ceiling. One of her hands was wrapped around her other arm, which hung at her side. The pose made her appear fragile and ethereal. In the dim lighting of the hall, Harry hadn't noticed her presence instantly.

Cho Chang appeared to be just as confused and uncertain about the situation as Harry and Ron were. Her eyes showed a mixture of confusion and fear. When she noticed Harry looking in her direction, her feet shifted slightly.

For a moment, it seemed as if she wanted to move closer to Harry, perhaps seeking the comfort that comes from nearness to someone familiar in an uncertain situation. However, ultimately, reason and social propriety combined to stop this impulse before it could be acted upon.

Her gaze flickered uncertainly between Harry's face and various other points in the room, before she made the decision to turn her face away.

Harry pressed his lips together in a thin line, feeling somewhat dejected by the small rejection.

About ten minutes later, three dark figures appeared in the entrance hall. Although their faces were too blurry to make out clearly, Harry and Ron both immediately recognized one of them as the headmistress of Beauxbatons—at Hogwarts, only Hagrid could match her in size, though Hagrid was more robust.

The little girl walking beside her was unmistakably Gabrielle Delacour, Fleur's younger sister. The third figure in the group was Ludo Bagman, the Head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports at the Ministry of Magic, and a retired Quidditch star.

Harry and Ron exchanged glances, both vaguely sensing what was coming.

"Now that everyone is here—" Bryan clapped his hands, drawing the attention of the frightened young people to himself. "Let me explain the situation to you all,"

Upon hearing Bryan's invitation for attention, Cho Chang finally emerged from her position beside the pillar. Harry and Ron both straightened slightly, their earlier drowsiness completely forgotten now that events were clearly about to unfold. However, little Gabrielle, who was still being gently supported by Madame Maxime remained drowsy and disoriented.

"I believe you are all aware that today is the scheduled day for the second task of the Triwizard Tournament," Bryan began gently. "And as you may have heard, the second task will take place beneath the waters of the Black Lake."

His gaze swept over the gathered young people. He observed that none of them appeared particularly surprised by this information, which was entirely normal and expected as the champions' most important people, it was reasonable for them to have been informed of the basic situation of the competition in advance.

"The champions will need to dive into the Black Lake and retrieve their most precious treasure within the span of one hour," Bryan continued, his voice taking on a more serious tone as he approached the heart of the matter. "And you—each and every one of you—are the treasures that the champions will need to find and rescue."

A gust of cold wind swept through, and the ancient chandeliers above the Great Hall creaked and groaned, their harsh sounds adding an eerie atmosphere to the already dim hall.

None of the summoned people wasn't stunned by this revelation. Ron's eyes widened with what could only be described as pure terror, his face draining of all color until he appeared almost ghostly in the dim lighting.

Harry felt his stomach drop as if he had just stepped off a cliff, while Cho Chang's hands flew to her mouth in a gesture of horrified surprise. Even little Gabrielle, despite her drowsiness, seemed to sense the seriousness of the situation and pressed herself more closely against Madame Maxime.

"Of course, you don't need to worry about the practical matter of surviving underwater," Bryan continued, his voice taking on a reassuring tone. "Professor Dumbledore and I will personally ensure your complete safety during your time beneath the water. We have developed magical protections that will allow you to breathe and remain comfortable throughout the entire duration of the task."

He paused, allowing this information to be registered before adding with a gentle smile, "Now, are there any questions or concerns that you would like to ask before we proceed?"

The response was dead silence. The summoned individuals were still processing the horror of what they had just been told.

Gabrielle, finally beginning to understand the situation despite her young age, clutched Madame Maxime's large hand with both of her small ones, her tiny body was trembling slightly with a combination of fear and cold. The sight of the child's distress caused Madame Maxime to feel a sharp pang of guilt, and she immediately knelt down to bring herself closer to Gabrielle's eye level.

"Ne t'inquiète pas, ma petite," Madame Maxime whispered in gentle French. "Tout va bien se passer. Your sister, she will come for you, and everything will be perfectly safe."

Only when Bryan repeated his question about whether there were any concerns or questions that needed to be addressed did Ron finally find his voice. However, when he spoke, his words came out in a shrill tone that was almost unrecognizable as his normal speaking voice.

"After an hour passes, will all hope be lost?!" His voice cracked on the last word.

"Oh, don't worry at all, Mr. Weasley," Bryan replied. "The one-hour time limit is just designed to create a sense of urgency and pressure that will encourage the champions to face their challenge with appropriate courage and determination. You personally will not suffer any misfortune or harm."

This explanation seemed to ease some of the terrible paleness from Ron's face, though he still looked far from comfortable with the situation.

Harry glanced around the group, his mind working quickly to process what they had been told. Undoubtedly, Cho Chang was present because she had been selected as Cedric Diggory's most important person. Similarly, little Gabrielle was certainly connected to her sister Fleur.

However, the presence of both himself and Ron raised questions that made Harry's mind race with possibilities. Had one of them—either himself or Ron—been chosen by Viktor Krum as his most important person?

The thought sent a chill down Harry's spine.

Unable to contain his curiosity and growing anxiety any longer, Harry quickly voiced his question: "Excuse me, but could you explain exactly who has been selected for which champion?"

"Oh, it's not quite what you might be thinking, Mr. Potter," Ludo Bagman interjected.

"After thorough discussion and careful consideration of all the relevant factors, we determined that Viktor Krum's most important person is Professor Karkaroff, his headmaster and mentor,"

Ludo explained. "As for you, Mr. Potter, and you, Mr. Weasley, you have both been selected as Miss Granger's most important people."

Silence fell again. Both Harry and Ron stared with their mouths wide open, overwhelmed by so many issues that they didn't know how to begin complaining.

The fact that they were both considered to be Hermione's most important people was something that Harry didn't find particularly problematic. However, this meant that during the second task, Hermione would need to somehow locate and rescue not just one person, but two.

Harry opened his mouth to voice his concerns about this obvious unfairness, but before he could transform his protest into words, Professor Watson smiled and spoke first.

"I've prepared several sets of specialized competition suits that are identical to those worn by the champions, these suits are designed to provide you with additional protection underwater... just in case there are any unexpected accidents or complications during the competition."

Bryan paused in his explanation, his gaze shifting toward Professor Karkaroff and said in an apologetic tone. "I'm terribly sorry, Professor Karkaroff, those protective suits were all specifically prepared with young wizards in mind, and I'm afraid there isn't one available in your size."

Karkaroff's mouth twitched in what might have been suppressed anger or frustration. He didn't respond directly to Bryan's apology. Instead, he turned his attention toward Professor Dumbledore, his voice dropping to a low tone.

"When do we begin this process, Dumbledore?"

"If you are willing to proceed, Professor Karkaroff," Dumbledore replied with polite composure, "I can cast the necessary spells on you right now."

Maintaining life underwater while in a state of magical unconsciousness was no simple feat of magic, requiring a complex combination of charms, transfigurations, and protective spells that needed to work in perfect harmony for long periods. However, for a wizard of Dumbledore's extraordinary skill and experience, such magic, while certainly challenging, was well within his capabilities.

Harry watched in fascination as Professor Dumbledore's wand slipped from his robes and pointed at Karkaroff and then this wizard, who was also a headmaster of a magical school, silently collapsed and lay flat, floating in mid-air.

A layer of bubbles enveloped Karkaroff and quickly contracted until they merged with his pale skin.

Harry watched in fascination, while Professor Watson spoke again, "Please follow me, everyone, the specialized clothing I've prepared for you is located in the room just over there, which has changing rooms. After you've changed into the protective suits, I'll cast the same type of spell on each of you that Professor Dumbledore just used on Professor Karkaroff."

With that explanation, Bryan began to move toward a small room that was at the back of the Great Hall.

"Go on, Potter, Weasley," Professor McGonagall commanded. Throughout the entire morning's events, she had maintained an expression of stern disapproval that showed she was deeply unhappy with the entire situation, but wasn't in a position to voice her objections effectively.

However, as she looked at Harry and Ron, her expression finally softened slightly.

Harry desperately wanted to take advantage of this moment to discuss the situation with Ron, particularly the obvious disadvantage that Hermione would be facing in the competition.

However, Professor McGonagall came over and gave both boys a gentle push toward the designated room.

Forced to jog forward by the gentle pressure of Professor McGonagall's guidance, Harry moved toward the preparation room whether he wanted to or not. As they entered the room, he managed to glance back over his shoulder to observe the others.

Cho Chang was walking forward timidly. Her face was pale with anxiety, and her hands trembled slightly as she moved toward the room. Meanwhile, Gabrielle had finally been encouraged by Madame Maxime's gentle words to begin moving toward the preparation room, but her progress was slow and she would give frequent backward glances almost every three steps.

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