Infinite Horror: The Strongest Zhongzhou Team

“Severus and Lily were already acquainted before they entered Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry; you could say they grew up together.”

"And what you just saw was all his memories!"

"But these memories were too heavy, so he stayed here."

"After all, memories that are too clear will constantly torment those who can't let go."

Harry thought about everything he had just seen and couldn't help but recall his understanding of Professor Snape.

The conflict between the two caused Harry's brain to ache again.

A few minutes later, Harry covered his forehead.

“Dean Dumbledore, so what exactly is Professor Snape…”

Dumbledore turned around and interrupted Harry:

"Potter, don't ask me. Only you can answer this question!"

In the end, Harry didn't even know how he left the office.

I didn't fully wake up until I got back to my dorm and lay in bed.

However, by the time he had truly moved past that memory, it was already evening.

Harry immediately pulled Ron up and ran outside.

"Wait, wait! Harry finally gets a day off, let me sleep a bit! Please!"

Ron's face was contorted in pain:

"I haven't slept for days, and if I don't sleep soon I'll almost forget how to sleep!"

Harry said urgently:

"Ron, come with me to find Brother Cheng. I have something to ask him."

"A very important matter."

Ron could only nod with a bitter face as he watched Harry, put on his shoes, and followed.

In the dormitory, Cheng Xiao looked at the door, which was clearly empty, but suddenly opened and then closed automatically, and sat up helplessly.

The invisibility cloak was lifted, revealing Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

After Harry was rejected by Dumbledore, he thought he would just wait and let time prove him right.

Just as Dean Dumbledore said.

But then it suddenly dawned on him: why wait? Wasn't there someone who knew the future right beside him?

If everything Dean Dumbledore said is true, then what exactly is Professor Snape's identity?
After Harry has finished sharing the three scenes in the Pensieve.

Cheng Xiao nodded at the three people's puzzled looks.

"It's true, this is the story of Severus and your mother, Harry."

Harry's expression was urgent: "If Professor Snape and my mother were so close, then why did he...?"

Harry thought about Snape's difficult teaching methods and the high marks he was given over the years.

To put it bluntly, Snape deducted half the points from Harry and his two friends, which is equivalent to half of Gryffindor's total.

If it weren't for the fact that one of these three had a legendary background, one was a top student in their grade, and one had several older brothers, it would be a different story.

It's fair to say they've been bullied at school for a long time.

Cheng Xiao, sitting cross-legged on the table, interrupted:
"Harry, what do you want to know?"

Harry paused for a moment.

The deliberate harassment over the years contrasts sharply with the memory of the other party weeping while holding their mother's corpse.

The various contradictions left him unsure of how to proceed with his inquiries.

"I want to know if Professor Snape is a good person!"

Cheng Xiao looked at the other person:

"Good guy?"

What defines a good person?

Faced with this problem, Harry looked to Hermione and Ron for help.

Hermione asked, "In the very first future, what was Professor Snape's fate?"

Hermione, being intelligent, immediately jumped out of the concept Cheng Xiao had given her.

The question, simple and direct, gets to the heart of the matter: the outcome.

Cheng Xiao had nothing to hide:
"There are no exceptions to the end of a person; from birth, one is destined to wait for death."

Snape was no exception.

However, I can tell you that he was killed by Voldemort.

Before Harry and Ron could react, Hermione asked another question, a question that jumped around abruptly.

Is Professor Snape a Death Eater now?

Cheng Xiao nodded: "Yes!"

"So, Professor Snape was an undercover agent sent by Dean Dumbledore, right?"

Faced with Hermione's third question, not only Harry and Ron, but even Cheng Xiao was surprised this time.

He stared at this person with a look of utter astonishment.

He blurted out, "How did you know?"

Upon hearing this tacit admission, Hermione revealed an expression that said, "I knew it."

Seeing the three of them looking completely bewildered, Hermione nodded smugly.

Ron asked in confusion, "No, how do you know that Professor Snape is a Death Eater, or an undercover agent sent by Dean Dumbledore?"

Cheng Xiao was also curious about this question, so he looked at Hermione.

Hermione smiled slightly and said, "It's very simple. After seeing those scenes from Snape's memories, don't you find them familiar?"

Harry and Ron exchanged a bewildered glance and asked at the same time, "Familiar with what?"

“Harry, your parents, and Professor Snape.”

"In some ways, aren't the three of them just like the three of us right now?"

"Think about it, what would you do if Ron and I were killed by some bad guy?"

Harry stood there, stunned.

"You will definitely avenge us. Since Voldemort killed us, and you are a Death Eater, how will you avenge us?"

"So it's simple, you're actually an undercover agent!"

"Add my first question to that, and everything makes sense, doesn't it?"

Hermione, after eloquently stating her speculations, was met with three pairs of admiring gazes.

Cheng Xiao cooperated, and although the process was somewhat inconsistent, the final result was exactly the same.

It's even more reasonable.

Ron: "Then why did Professor Snape usually treat Harry... and I remember during the first Potions class in our first year, he even let Harry..."

"And during the first exam..."

Hermione replied, "It's simple. Because he's a Death Eater, the worse he treats Harry, the more successful he will be, and the safer Harry will be."

Upon hearing this, Cheng Xiao couldn't help but start clapping.

The process may not be entirely wrong, but the result is entirely correct.

Is this also the protagonist's halo?
Cheng Xiao could only say, "This is terrifying!!!"
What Cheng Xiao didn't know was...

Hermione had already conceived a million-word romance novel in her mind, and it was a love triangle version at that.

After all, the scenes Harry just described seemed suspicious no matter how you looked at them.

The three of them then began a lively discussion.

A dozen minutes later, seeing the conversation gradually shift towards a warm winter topic, Cheng Xiao quickly interrupted.

"Ahem, alright everyone, let's get down to business."

"Since you're all here, let's talk about it all at once."

Cheng Xiao finished speaking.

Harry and his two friends then stopped their playful mood.

Harry spoke:
"I'm sorry, I was originally planning to go to the dean's office to ask about the third level, but because of the Pensieve..."

Cheng Xiao waved his hand: "It doesn't matter, it's better if we have it, but it's okay if we don't."

"Because based on my experience."

Next, no matter what, things will definitely take the worst possible turn.

Hearing Cheng Xiao's words, the three of them felt a little strange and thought that there was no need to think of things as so bad.

But recalling their past experiences and the realities of life, it was as if they had been slapped in the face time and time again. Ron asked curiously, "Brother Cheng, so what exactly is the third challenge?"

Cheng Xiao stood up, hands behind his back, and said, "A maze!"

"The third level is a maze made of growing vines, a dangerous maze!"

"In this level, you will enter in the order of the second level."

"It now appears that Cedric was the first to enter, and Fleur was the last."

"The Goblet of Fire is inside the labyrinth; it tests both strength and luck."

"If you're incredibly lucky, you might find the Goblet of Fire as soon as you go in. If you're really unlucky, even if you've searched 99% of the area, the Goblet of Fire will still be in the last little area."

"Of course, this maze is also dangerous, just like the seaweed on the seabed."

"This is only what I know; there are definitely things I don't know."

Harry thought for a moment and, under the watchful eyes of Hermione and Ron, finally managed to utter a sentence:

"so what should I do?"

Cheng Xiao nodded in satisfaction. Not bad, it's better if you're stupid and don't try to think for yourself. Harry is getting more and more into it now.

“You have a part of Moss in you. I will find you and meet up with you as soon as we enter the maze.”

"Oh, right, you can have these small items too. The big ones aren't allowed because of the regulations, but these are fine."

Cheng Xiao is now acting like an old woman, explaining the usage methods and precautions one by one.

A stack of yellow talismans and a few hand grenades.

Cheng Xiao had initially taken out a few guns, but after looking at their size, he put them back.

Only some of the smaller handguns remained.

As for other high-tech weapons, they're useless to pull out and won't harm other characters in the story.

"By the way, Harry, if you see Cedric in the maze, tell him to be careful."

"Of course, you can do your best, since you probably can't change anything in the long run."

Due to various unforeseen circumstances, we will ultimately be teleported away by the Goblet of Fire.

Seeing Cheng Xiao's confident expression, Harry and his two friends felt that something was amiss.

"Ahem, what happens after touching the Goblet of Fire?"

"If we do as you say, Brother Cheng, we'll see Voldemort and Pettigrew?"

"Then what?"

Cheng Xiao's eyes were strange: "What else can we do?"

"Kill if you can, beg for mercy on your knees if you can't."

"Given Voldemort's level of madness, if you beg for mercy, he will most likely let you go."

The three:………

Cheng Xiao: ………

A week later.

Because of the final stage of the semi-finals.

Early in the morning, students from the three houses gathered on the grassy area where Hogwarts House met the Forbidden Forest.

However, the previously empty space now has a row of seats for spectators.

And they held a music festival opening ceremony under the guise of it.

Interspersed throughout were speeches by two key figures: the Director of the Department of Magical Things at the International Ministry of Magic and the Minister for Magic at the British Ministry of Magic.

In fact, Cheng Xiao never understood.

The first level is acceptable; having an audience is reasonable since there's a giant dragon, and the confrontations are something to see and watch.

But he couldn't understand the second and third levels.

The wooden fortress built with magic on the sea was impressive, but these students didn't have X-ray vision.

The lakebed is in complete chaos, and the surface will probably only see a few bubbles.

What's so interesting about this?

How could we possibly see what they are doing underwater?
And then there's this third level, which is even more outrageous.

The semi-circular stands on the lawn were packed with people, and every seat was occupied.

Opposite these students were five identical entrances to the bushes.

A structure made of intertwined emerald green vines connects the academy with the Forbidden Forest.

If Cheng Xiao remembered correctly, this direction and location seemed to be heading towards the depths of the Forbidden Forest.

The cheerful music came to an end once again.
-
Fudge, Minister of Magic of the United Kingdom.

Director of the International Ministry of Magic, Barty.

The deans of three academies and five warriors also made their appearances.

As with the previous procedure.

Cheng Xiao walked to the center of the lawn.

Curious, he turned around and looked at the lush, vine-covered entrance behind him.

Looking inside, all that could be seen was a thick white mist, filled with a sense of mystery.

"quiet!"

Cheng Xiao turned his head, and Dumbledore had once again placed his wand against his neck.

So much so that these two simple words completely drowned out the sounds of the drums and trumpets in the audience.

As all the music stopped, the students took their seats.

Dumbledore nodded to Fudge beside him, and only then did the British Minister for Magic speak again:
"Welcome everyone to the third stage of the semi-finals."

"That is, the final hurdle."

Earlier today, Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Orim Maxim, the headmaster of Beauxbatons School of Magic.

Igor Karkaroff, the headmaster of Durmstrang Academy of Magic.

"The three deans together placed the Goblet of Fire deep within the labyrinth behind them."

"Whoever touches the Goblet of Fire first in the maze will be the champion of this year's semi-final tournament."

Listening to the cheers from the audience, Fudge waited a moment before continuing:
"Since Mr. Diggory came in first place in the second round, he will be the first to enter after the start."

Mr. Potter came in second, Mr. Krum came in third, Mr. Cheng Xiao came in fourth, and Miss Furong came in fifth.

"Remember, warriors, the first to touch the trophy is the champion!"

"During the competition, the three heads of the house and all faculty and staff of Hogwarts will patrol around the maze."

"If any warrior chooses to withdraw, simply fire a red spark."

The minister turned around only after announcing the rules for the final stage.

"Come here, warriors!"

Fudge looked at the five people standing in front of him and said seriously:

"The third level of the maze, although it doesn't have powerful dragons or mermaids, is still dangerous, because the unknown can change people's hearts!"

"Alright, warriors, if you're ready, then wait for the cannon fire. Diggory, you're the first one in."

After Fudge finished speaking, he nodded to Batty next to him.

The director began the countdown:
"Three, bang!"

Both Cheng Xiao and Harry were speechless as they watched Mr. Filch once again fire his cannon out of time on the high platform.

There are only three levels in total, and this guy fired the cannons early all three times, as if urging them to start quickly.

Cheng Xiao felt that this person was rebelling against the bureaucracy of certain people.

Cedric looked around, and finally Dumbledore nodded to him.

He drew his wand and rushed into an entrance.

After Cedric entered, his figure was obscured by a thick white fog after only a few steps.

The lush green vines on both sides of the entrance seemed to come alive, growing and filling the space towards the center.

The entrance disappeared within seconds.

The entire maze looks as if it originally only had four entrances.

When the countdown timer resets.

The remaining four figures rushed in one after another amidst the cheers of the audience.

As the last hibiscus-blue silhouette was swallowed by the white mist, vines intertwined. (End of Chapter)