Hogwarts doesn't need a savior

"I think so too. Let's go, it's time to find Gellert to study our loot today. It's a good thing that can't be wasted. Anyway, you have been kicked out of the office by Rowena and Helga, why don't you join us?"

“Of course, I am curious about it.”

The two smiled at each other, then disappeared into the forbidden forest, unnoticed by the patrols coming and going.

No matter how strict the defense is, it will not have much effect on them.

-----------------

"Horcruxes...are really strange things."

In Dumbledore's secret base, Grindelwald sat alone in the empty laboratory with a silver-white metal bottle on the table in front of him.

If you look closely, you will find that the surface of the bottle is covered with countless tiny lines, as if it has life, extending in all directions, and constantly disappearing under the effect of magic, forming a kind of dynamic balance.

The scent of dark magic was faint but clear.

"Let me see what secrets you have hidden, little brat." Grindelwald sneered and raised his wand, "We can't let that kid Lin En steal all the limelight."

The deep darkness swallowed up the dim light, and blood-red threads wrapped around the metal bottle like a dense fishing net and slowly seeped into it.

That was the breath of a curse, more evil and more sophisticated than the South American curse that Inès was good at. It was Grindelwald's original creation.

Even Voldemort's soul was like a piece of meat on a chopping board in his eyes, with no room for struggle.

Concentrating on research and excavation, he felt the approach of Linn and Dumbledore, but he did not raise his head and continued to perform the most profound dark magic. He said impatiently: "You two, stop messing with me and go outside for a while."

Before he could finish his words, the rough magic force pushed them both back repeatedly, and they were pushed out again just as they entered the house.

With a bang, the door closed tightly, leaving an old man and a young boy looking at each other, not knowing what to say.

"I really don't know how you two got together back then. How can you tolerate this bull's temper?"

The corners of Lin En's mouth twitched slightly, "And Rozier and his gang, I really don't know how they tolerated him for so many years."

"Ahem..." Dumbledore was a little embarrassed. "It's understandable. After all, Horcruxes are very advanced dark magic. It's normal for Gellert to be interested in them, just like you also want to move forward to a higher level. Moreover, the soul fragment in Harry's body is probably more special than other Horcruxes and is worth studying."

"Tsk... I can't stand you guys."

Lin En took two steps to the side in disgust.

"If I had known earlier, I should have used the World Tree to purify it directly. Why did I have to cut it out?"

Dumbledore smiled happily.

Hundreds of kilometers away at Hogwarts, Rowena and Helga were chatting happily in the principal's office with similar smiles on their faces.

But no one knows what the two of them talked about - for the headmaster's portrait, the sorting hat and the phoenix Fawkes, tonight will probably be a long sleep.

Two sparkling rubies were placed on the desk, and magical power rose like mist, making the souls of the two ladies more solid.

Chapter 486: Dumbledore the Decent Man

Harry just took a nap in the infirmary, and his mental damage and injuries were mostly recovered under the dual effects of drugs and magic. Although he was a little listless, it did not affect his normal schooling and magic practice.

As a Hogwarts warrior, his pressure increased day by day as various reports and publicity spread.

Especially after learning from Dumbledore about the subtle but severed connection between Voldemort and him, he felt both fear and relief. After writing a letter to Sirius, he devoted himself to preparing for war.

It is not easy to simply summarize in one sentence whether Voldemort's soul fragments help or hinder his magical talent - in Kingsley's words, he should have lost his keen sense of smell for dark magic.

But on the other hand, his soul was complete again and he was no longer broken and riddled with holes. It became easier for him to learn many other spells, including the resistance and fight against the Imperius Curse.

His mother's talent was revealed in him, and even the strict Mag noticed his growth.

Dumbledore's individual instruction accelerated the realization of this talent, allowing Harry, who calmed down and practiced hard, to see the hope of not falling behind.

A dangerous behemoth loomed ahead of him, blocking the road but not quite so irresistible.

Harry felt nervous and anxious, yet he also had confidence in himself.

Because he knew that someone had been silently watching over and helping him from behind, Voldemort's conspiracy had not succeeded, let alone a game.

Two weeks passed in a flash, and the competition time for the first event was approaching.

Campus life in the castle has become more and more lively and noisy in the past half month.

Let’s not talk about the outside world for now. At least here, the students’ enthusiasm is higher than during the Quidditch World Cup.

Interviews and analysis articles were published in major media and newspapers in large numbers. Reporters and columnists represented by Rita Skeeter used all channels inside and outside the school to fully grasp the backgrounds, past experiences, and even strengths and weaknesses of the six warriors.

A series of meticulous and angled articles were published on major platforms. The Daily Prophet even designed a temporary magazine called “The Afterglow of the Five-School Championships”, which was said to be selling very well - as can be seen from the density of copies in Hogwarts Castle.

Harry's article was not very noticeable, but because he was the youngest, he also received a lot of attention, just not as prominent as Cedric's.

But this had little impact on Harry himself, because his biggest rival, Draco Malfoy, had become quite low-key since the beginning of this semester, and those pure-blooded little wizards who had followed him and now parted ways with him could not make much waves either.

He stayed in school until the Saturday before the first project, and went to the Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade with two good friends - after a long and hard training, he could have a morning off.

This was a rare break and a long-lost kindness from Dumbledore and Professor Shacklebolt.

There are still three days until the competition starts.

-----------------

Just as Harry and his three friends were enjoying butterbeer and Honeydukes' candy, Lynn, who had just returned from Beauxbatons, rushed to Dumbledore's office.

"What? Has that stinky old man Gellert finally produced any results from his research?" He asked anxiously as soon as he entered the door.

"No, Lynn, it's not because of that." Dumbledore leaned back in his chair leisurely and took a big sip of honey water with a high sugar content. "The dragon will arrive tonight."

"Huh? I know." Lin En raised his eyebrows, "What does this have to do with you calling me back? I was discussing the mass production of the Space-Time Gap with Nico. You've wasted at least two hours of my precious time."

"I think... you know, every school will try to let its champions know some information about this project as early as possible." Dumbledore chose his words carefully. "For Harry and Cedric, I hope you can do it."

"In other schools, the principal personally brings people there. Now it's your turn to ask me to help you cheat, right?" Lin En glanced at him unhappily, "Why don't you let me be the principal?"

"It's not impossible." Dumbledore said this without any stuttering.

"Minerva would hit your crooked nose straight if she heard that."

"Well... Anyway, this kind of situation is not very convenient for me. Do you want me to be like other principals?"

"You are a respectable person, am I not?" Lin En retorted, "What do you think I am--"

"I can give your Stargazer Club a private Transfiguration tutorial," said Dumbledore.

"Deal, the date is set for this Sunday."

Lin En agreed without saying a word, turned around and left, not giving the old man any chance to regret.

There was a loud bang, and the wooden door was slammed shut, scaring the dozing Sorting Hat so much that it almost fell out of the cabinet.

Fox, who was eating, also raised his head from the shelf in the inner room and looked outside curiously.

Its little brain was working rapidly, wondering why it didn't get the delicious and magical herbs this time - thinking carefully, the snacks in its mouth didn't taste so good anymore.

-----------------

Evening, outside Sofia, Bulgaria.

Sirius was pacing back and forth in the wooden house of the base, his eyes drifting towards the fireplace and out the window from time to time, as if he was waiting for someone or news.

The sound of leather shoes landing on the wooden floor was loud and slightly harsh, startling Newt who was writing a letter.

"Sirius," he said softly, "Be patient. Nothing will go wrong with Alastor. Besides, doesn't he have the badge Lynn gave him?"

"I know, but the time is almost up. He usually arrives a little earlier." Sirius stared at the watch on his wrist, "Five more minutes."

His worries were normal because he had been working with Moody for quite some time until the other side captured the man named Dorje and replaced him.

Now Moody is lurking alone, with only a few Stargazers supporting and covering him from the outside.

"Let's find a place to sit and rest for a while." Newt smiled helplessly. "I often encountered this kind of thing when I was dealing with Grindelwald. Not all plans go perfectly, and there are always some episodes. But it doesn't matter. Alastor is very experienced in dealing with this kind of thing."

He put away the half-written letter from home and said, "Tell me about your godson. I heard that he was chosen as the champion of Hogwarts not long ago? This is something to be proud of."

Speaking of Harry, Sirius's anxiety was partially relieved. He sat heavily on the sofa, his expression slightly relaxed.

"Yeah, the first task is next Tuesday, it's a pity I can't be there," he said regretfully, "but I know the kid is fine, especially after Dumbledore and... and Eric helped him solve the problem."

“Young people need more experience,” Newt said with a grin. “When I was in America—ah, you see, I told you there would be no problem with Alastor.” He stopped mid-sentence and pointed to the fireplace.

A cluster of green flames appeared from nothing and gradually grew larger.

A wizard dressed in black walked out.

"It's best if you're all here." Moody, who had used Polyjuice Potion to transform into Dodgers's appearance, continued to imitate the other party's tone. "Tell Dumbledore and the others as soon as possible. I just got the information that the reward for Lester and Dodgers will be held next Wednesday. The location will be notified separately. Tell them to be prepared. There may be special missions after the reward, and some important people will come."

Sirius quickly took out a pen and paper, and Dobby, who had been staying in another room, also came out.

"Big shots...special missions..." Newt smiled slightly, "It looks like they are planning something big."

"That's possible." Moody nodded. "I have to go back immediately. You can deliver the letter directly to Dumbledore and Lynn. We can contact each other in the old way."

Chapter 487 Fire Dragon

8pm, Hogwarts Castle.

In Lynn's office, Cedric and Harry, who arrived one after another, sat side by side on the sofa.

Lin En was tidying up the letters and books on the table. This time he didn't use magic and his hands and feet were nimble.

"Professor, is there something you want to talk about that has brought us here at this hour?" Harry asked tentatively. "Is it about the tournament?"

"That's true." Lin En carefully put the last piece of letter back into the envelope, then tucked a book in. Then he stood up with confidence, "According to the commission of someone who does not want to reveal his name, I will take you to the Forbidden Forest."

"Forbidden Forest? You mean..." Cedric lowered his voice, "But we're not supposed to know—"

"That's the rule, but all contestants will know the first event by midnight tonight at the latest." Lin En smiled meaningfully, "And it's driven by their respective principals, except for our principal, who is a decent man."

A mixture of excitement and uneasiness flashed frequently in Cedric's gray eyes.

"Let's go. Thanks to the help of a good friend, you can observe up close." Lynn said happily, "Harry, did you bring the Invisibility Cloak? Considering that you are not very proficient in the Disillusionment Charm, I think this will be a good idea."

"I brought it, Professor." Harry waved his heirloom, put it on, and immediately disappeared from Lynn and Cedric's sight.

"Very good, Seth, just use the Disillusionment Charm. Remember to follow me closely and don't talk the whole time. No matter what you see, you must wait until you come back to find a solution." Lynn reminded softly, then walked out of the room first.

Liquid magic fell from Cedric's head, allowing him to blend into the surrounding environment. Although it was still not as good as Harry's invisibility cloak that was said to be enough to deceive the god of death, it was basically enough for this occasion.

They didn't say anything, but hurriedly followed, leaving the castle with Lynn, walking towards the Forbidden Forest, and then entering the enclosure that had been closed and managed for a long time - its area was one tenth the size of the Forbidden Forest.

They walked for half an hour until the castle and the lake disappeared from their sight. Harry, wearing the invisibility cloak, was even more hesitant and almost got scratched by tree branches several times. Thanks to Cedric's help, he was not hurt.

But this still made him feel somewhat frightened - after all, this was the only relic left by his parents.

Just as he was muttering to himself, a loud noise sounded not far away, and a not-so-pleasant smell drifted in with the wind.

After passing through a dense bush, Lin En finally stopped, and the two people following him hurriedly trotted over and stood behind him - then they saw the real purpose of this trip.

In a venue made of thick wooden boards and hard alloy, six huge containers are being slowly opened, revealing the huge monsters sleeping inside.

Those were fire dragons, six adult fire dragons sleeping soundly.

Even when they are fast asleep, they still look so ferocious that it makes one's hair stand on end, like a sleeping volcano.

There were at least forty or fifty wizards scattered around the venue, methodically tying huge chains around these dangerous creatures, then transporting them out of the containers and locking them up in pre-prepared venues.

This is no easy task, as a dragon's scales are resistant to most magic, including simple spells that allow heavy objects to be lifted.

It would take seven or eight well-trained dragon trainers all their strength to deal with a fire dragon, otherwise they would wake it up.

"Lynn! You're finally here!" A sturdy wizard shouted happily at the fence, handed his chain to his colleague who had just rested, and ran to Lin.

Harry recognized him; it was Charlie, the second son of the Weasley family.

"It's not easy to transport these big guys from Romania!" he gasped.

"You are the only one who can find so many female dragons incubating eggs at once." Lin En said, "Can you introduce the dragons this time?"

"No problem at all."

Charlie smiled mischievously and then spoke seriously.

"The one closest to us is a Peruvian Venomtooth Dragon. Even though it's small, it's the most difficult to deal with. It flies much faster than any other dragon, and its teeth and claws are extremely poisonous."

He pointed at the brass-colored fire dragon that had just been moved out of the container. Its physique was incomparable to other fire dragons. It was less than twenty feet long, with short horns, smooth scales that looked very hard, and a streamlined body.

"This is a Swedish short-nosed dragon. It can spit fire from its nostrils and mouth. It is the fire dragon with the highest flame temperature known. Its skin is also very tough. Most conventional magic cannot do anything to it. Its only weak spot is its abdomen."