[112] King of Ash

The room fell silent. Everyone turned to look at the speaker.

Sirius's expression was grave, his voice dripping with rage. "Someone wants him dead." He placed his hands on Harry's shoulders, then looked at Hall. "And Weasley. I think it's an overreaction, but honestly, his limitless potential might have been targeted by someone with ulterior motives."

Lupin stood calmly on the other side, his hand gripping Harry's arm tightly, as if encouraging him.

Dumbledore didn't respond immediately. His deep gaze shifted between Harry and Hall, as if genuinely considering the possibility.

Snape let out a sharp, cold laugh, annoyed by Sirius and Lupin. But his mind was racing, remembering what Hall had told him a few days ago. His gaze drifted to Karkaroff, who stood to the side.

Ludo Bagman reacted strongly, stamping his foot anxiously. "How could you — how dare you say such a thing... Oh, my Merlin! Everyone knows you, Mr. Black. Concern makes one lose focus, that's understandable, but please don't be so paranoid. This Triwizard Tournament has Dumbledore and the other two headmasters present, the Ministry of Magic official present —" he pointed to Barty Crouch, " — and I'm here! What could possibly happen?"

"Oh, this isn't entirely baseless. A very clever Confundus Charm could render the Goblet of Fire incapable of even the most basic judgment. It's not impossible." Sirius gritted his teeth, refusing to budge. He was Harry's guardian; if he resolutely refused to let Harry participate, Dumbledore couldn't do anything about it.

Ludo Bagman's face darkened.

"Ha." A cold laugh rang out. "The Goblet of Fire isn't like you, you stupid dog. It has incredibly strong resistance to magic." It was Snape, arms crossed, leaning against the wall.

Sirius gritted his teeth in anger, about to throw a punch, when Lupin grabbed him. There were outsiders present; they couldn't let them laugh at Hogwarts.

Karkaroff laughed. "That's quite a novel theory. And it's possible you couldn't bear to see your lovely godson pleading repeatedly, so you put his name in, and to confuse everyone, you put Mr. Weasley's parchment in along with it, didn't you?"

"How dare you say that!" Sirius's anger reignited. He roared, "I won't risk Harry's safety! I don't think he should participate."

Dumbledore hesitated for a moment, then finally said, "Alright, everyone. Things haven't gone as expected, but the result is what it is, and we should accept it. The Goblet of Fire has made its choice, and as with all previous selections, we must respect tradition."

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"But, Dumbledore, this shouldn't be —" Madame Maxime's brows were furrowed tightly.

"The choice of the Goblet of Fire cannot be changed. That's the rule," Ludo Bagman said, shrugging. "If you, Madame Maxime, have any other objections, you can raise them with the Ministry of Magic."

Ludo Bagman glanced at his watch. "But it will take a very long time — you know, it has to be done according to the rules. There are many procedures to go through." He looked at Fleur, his words trailing off.

Madame Maxime understood. This was a threat — if she objected, her school's champion would be disqualified. She had no choice but to swallow her anger and retreat, glaring at Dumbledore. She was certain he was behind this.

"Alright, does anyone have any objections?" Ludo Bagman clapped his hands, looking exceptionally excited. "Now let's continue. Barty, you'll guide our champions."

Barty Crouch stepped forward and began explaining the precautions for the first event.

Harry was too nervous. His face was slightly pale, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. His hands gripped Hall's robes tightly, trembling slightly as he leaned closer. "Hall, what do we do? Are we really going to have to compete?" His eyes were filled with unease. He understood what Sirius had just said — it was a conspiracy, and he might be in mortal danger. He was only a twelve-year-old student, barely knowing any spells.

"Isn't this what you've always wanted?" Hall teased. "You even wanted me to help you before."

"This isn't the time for jokes!" Harry said impatiently. "I just thought it would be fun. After all, how could the Goblet of Fire possibly choose me? I only got one A last term!"

"Since you don't have a choice, you might as well listen to the rules carefully," Hall advised calmly.

Harry took a deep breath, tried to calm himself, and began to listen.

"The first challenge will test your courage... It will take place in two weeks. The judging panel will score you based on your performance, and your classmates will be there to cheer you on." Barty Crouch added casually, as if just remembering, "Oh, and the competition is open to the public. People from outside the school will also be coming to watch."

Compared to Hall's composure, Harry was still forcing himself to listen, his eyes fixed on Barty Crouch, afraid of missing any crucial information.

Soon the rules were explained, and everyone left the room.

"My children, you all need to get a good night's sleep now," Dumbledore said with a kind smile. "Your classmates are waiting for you to come back."

They looked at each other. Cedric nodded first, straightened his back, turned, and left the room. Harry hesitated, fiddling with the hem of his clothes, then said nothing, waved goodbye to Sirius and Lupin, and followed Cedric.

Hall was about to leave when Snape called him back. "Hall, I'll be waiting for you in my office. You know I never like being late."

The Great Hall was empty. The white candles were nearing the end of their lifespan, the flames flickering eerily. Hall's gaze was drawn to them, a strange unease rising within him.

He paused before emerging. Cedric was gone, but Harry was still standing in the doorway. Seeing Hall, Harry rushed to meet him, his movements hurried and frantic.

"Hall!" His worry was palpable, his hair dishevelled. "Let's run!"

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