The Wind and the Wings of Hogwarts

Is it an alchemical artifact?

He began to think about ways to overcome the limitations.

"Thinking about how to break through?" Lucio said in a barely audible whisper. "Let me tell you, I also participated in the construction of that stone platform. Of course, I won't help you cheat."

Scott turned his head and looked at him in surprise.

Lucio smiled slightly. "I know what you're thinking. Yes, I won't sign up. It's not just for fairness, but also because I, who am only good at alchemy, can't guarantee my combat strength."

Scott nodded to indicate that he understood.

At this moment, Mrs. Maxim was still speaking.

"Finally, I would like to solemnly remind every student who is going to run for office."

"Please note that once selected by the [Goblet of Fire], you must persevere in the competition to the very end."

"Putting your name into the cup actually creates a magical contract that must be followed; once you become a warrior, you are not allowed to change your mind."

"Therefore, please think carefully before deciding whether or not to put your name into the Goblet of Fire."

"Alright, that concludes the explanation of the Triwizard Tournament."

Good night, everyone.

After Mrs. Maxim finished speaking, the others were finally able to speak freely.

“Oh, Lucio.” Fred, in a very familiar manner, put his arm around Lucio’s shoulder. “I just heard you involved…”

"Don't even think about it, I won't say anything." Lucio shook his head repeatedly.

Even just a tiny hint?

Fred used two fingers to indicate a "tiny" distance.

Lucio shook his head again.

Fred's eyes lit up. "In exchange, I can secretly take you on a tour of our Flying Tower."

"Really?" Lucio was initially excited, but then he gritted his teeth and shook his head. "No, if I say anything, the professors will expel me."

Fred could only purse his lips in disbelief and let go of her hand.

At that moment, Dumbledore walked towards them.

“I think you should all go back to the tower and sleep, kids.”

“I’d like to study how to put my name in the cup, Professor,” Fred said. “Scott too.”

Scott smiled helplessly.

Dumbledore laughed and said, "Oh, you two aren't old enough, are you? But it seems you haven't given up."

Scott said, "Mrs. Maxim has already told us that if you're not old enough, you can still register to compete as long as you overcome the obstacles they set."

Everyone looked at him.

"'A formidable barrier has been erected between underage students and the Goblet of Fire,' 'preventing young wizards under the age of seventeen from climbing the steps,' these are Mrs. Maxime's own words."

Scott explained.

“Note her wording: it’s ‘difficult to break through’ not ‘impossible to break through’, and it’s ‘obstruction’ rather than ‘prohibition’. Also, if it’s not for our convenience, there’s no need to set the registration period for 24 hours.”

Just then, Mrs. Maxim walked over, casting a large shadow over everyone's heads.

She glanced at Scott with some surprise.

"It seems your student has deciphered the unspoken rules of selecting warriors, Dumbledore."

Dumbledore looked at Scott with a smile.

Mrs. Maxim told Scott, "Smart boy, we believe that if a student can overcome that hurdle on his own within 24 hours, he is qualified to be a warrior, even if he is not old enough."

After saying that, she smiled slightly.

"Lucio, come with me, everyone, goodnight."

Lucio quickly stood up and walked to her side.

His expression looked somewhat frightened, completely unlike the tough demeanor he had shown in front of Furong just moments before.

As Mrs. Maxim and Lucio turned and left, the glittering light of the crystal chandelier once again illuminated Scott and his companions.

Dumbledore then did not stop Scott and his group, but instead returned to the tower on his own.

Because Scott wanted to try to study the platform, none of the Hogwarts students left, including several Slytherin students.

Although their relationships within Hogwarts were generally strained, everyone here subconsciously came together.

The group walked together to the stone platform and looked up at the goblet that was spitting out blue and white flames.

By this time, the Durmstrang delegation had already returned to their ship, and the students of Beauxbatons were watching them with curiosity.

Many people have heard what Scott just said, and they all seem to want to know if he can successfully overcome the obstacle.

"Are you starting now?" asked one of the boys who had just chatted with them. "I thought everyone would start tomorrow morning."

“We’d like to give it a try,” Scott said politely.

“Let me go up and try first,” Cedric said, “to see how registration goes under normal circumstances.”

“Alright, then I’ll leave it to you,” Scott said gratefully.

He took two steps forward, placed his hand on the stone platform, and extended his magical perception.

Cedric found a pen and paper, wrote down his name, and then climbed one step.

“I don’t feel anything,” he said.

Then, he climbed the steps to the platform and threw the parchment into the Goblet of Fire.

Bang.

The blue-white flame in the cup instantly turned red, bursting into sparks.

“It seems I have succeeded,” Cedric said happily.

At this moment, the red flames turned blue-white again.

Cedric strode down from the platform and went to Scott's side, asking, "So, have you figured it out?"

“It’s not that easy.” Scott shook his head. “This thing is very complex…no wonder it’s the work of several alchemists…In short, it’s not so easy to bypass its limitations…”

"So what are you going to do?" Fred asked.

“I need time,” Scott said. “Please, all of you who are old enough, go up and vote again.”

He needs to try many times to figure out how the stone platform works.

Everyone else agreed to his request.

"Let me go first, I just turned 17 last week."

Angelina went up first.

Next, all the Hogwarts delegates who were 17 years of age or older went up and dropped off slips of paper with their names on them.

“I think I understand,” Scott said.

"Oh! Is there a way?" Fred asked excitedly.

Scott didn't speak, but simply turned to look at him.

“What?” Fred asked.

“Go ahead and give it a try, Fred,” Scott said with a laugh. “I’d like to see how it stops you.”

"I suspect you're deliberately trying to embarrass me."

Fred glanced at the Beauxbatons students watching from all around.

"This is not Hogwarts."

“How could that be?” Scott smiled broadly. “This is an essential step in research breakthroughs.”

"Okay, let's give it a try."

Fred straightened up, quickly wrote the note, and then pretended to straighten his clothes.

"Uh, I'm going now."

Before taking that step, he said to Angelina.

"Go."

Angelina looked at him with a grin.

“I really went.”

Fred lifted one foot and stepped onto a stone step.

"Huh?" His eyes widened in surprise. "No one stopped you?"

As he spoke, he instinctively tried to lift his other foot.

"No."

He remained motionless, unchanged.

"When I tried to lift my second foot, it felt like two hands were desperately pressing down on my shoulders!"

But when he tried to pull his foot back from the stone steps, he did it with ease.

"I'll try again."

He crumpled the paper in his hand into a ball and threw it toward the Goblet of Fire.

But when the paper ball flew over the stone steps, it seemed as if it was being pulled by a string, and it fell straight down.

"It seems there aren't any easy loopholes," Roger commented from the side.

Just then, Scott reached into the shape-shifting lizard skin pouch at his waist, pulled out the [Magic Mirror], and handed it to Fred. "Oh, it must be a communication from George and the others."

Fred quickly took the [Magic Mirror] and tapped it. George's face immediately appeared in the mirror, along with the faces of countless other people behind him.

"Hey, how are you guys? How's Beauxbatton?" George asked eagerly on the other end of the line.

“Oh, we’re doing well, Beauxbatons is like a king’s palace…”