Harry Potter: The Golden Viper

0558 Extra Task

In the end, despite their best efforts and hours of discussion, neither Harry nor Hermione could figure out why Krum had revealed the first task of the Triwizard Tournament to Hermione. This was no ordinary piece of information - it was a crucial advantage that whoever possessed would surely gain a significant edge in the competition, potentially even securing the championship title for themselves. 

Even Hermione herself had never once considered divulging the fact that the champions would have to face dragons to any of the other three competitors.

That being said, one burning question remained unanswered - did Krum generously share this information with everyone, or just Hermione alone? And perhaps even more intriguingly, where and from whom did he manage to learn this top-secret in the first place?

That night in the Forbidden Forest, Hagrid had only brought her and Madame Maxime. Professor Karkaroff hadn't tagged along. Harry and Hermione discussed this issue for a long time, and the only possibility they could think of was that Snape, by virtue of his relationship with Professor Watson, had helped Karkaroff find out about this matter.

This speculative guess immediately caused Harry's already low opinion of Snape to plummet to new deep depths. During the Potions class on Friday morning, Harry found himself unable to tear his eyes away from Snape, his stare was filled with undisguised hatred and loathing.

And Snape undoubtedly sensed the waves of disgust radiating off him.

In the span of just one short, miserable hour, Gryffindor's hourglass, which recorded the House points, suffered a catastrophic blow.

Snape, his face twisted in a vindictive sneer, racked his mind to find any excuse to viciously deduct points from Harry. By the end of the class, Gryffindor had lost nearly forty precious points, causing the gryffindor students to groan in despair.

Harry left, kicking over his stool as soon as the class ended, before Snape could deduct more points.

"I'm going to find Professor Moody!" When he met Hermione in the Entrance Hall, he said grumpily, "I'll tell him everything - how the Durmstrang champion cheated and peeked at the tournament task. Moody will finally have the clear evidence he needs to kick that greasy git Snape out of this school for good!"

"No, Harry, you can't!" Hermione cried out nervously, her bushy hair flying as she shook her head fervently. "Think about it - if Snape is expelled from Hogwarts because of this, Hagrid will likely be punished severely as well for his role in showing us the dragons!"

Harry froze, the realization hitting him like a bolt of lightning. He exhaled sharply, his breath catching in his throat, before hurrying up the staircase with his head bowed.

The final class of the morning was Professor Watson's Physical Education class. This class time originally belonged to Snape, but Professor Watson had fought for it from him(according to the students).

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However, due to the complex coordinating of schedules, the participating students did not always arrive in an orderly manner. By the time Harry and the others reached the classroom, panting slightly from their rapid ascent, only about half of their classmates had managed to trickle in.

At this point in the term, the eager young wizards were well-versed in the unique routines of this particular class. Before the lesson began, everyone hastily removed their cumbersome schoolbags and robes into a haphazard pile in the corner of the room. They then began to enthusiastically stretch out their stiff limbs, preparing their bodies for the inevitable dodging and quick movements to come.

Harry and Hermione rapidly joined their classmates, their worries temporarily forgotten as they focused on the task at hand.

Meanwhile, Bryan was still busy writing back to those who had applied to watch the competition. He had to finalize the spectators list today.

Many people, caught up in the infectious excitement, may focus solely on the champions' awe-inspiring performances in the tournament. However, for dedicated individuals like Bryan who worked tirelessly behind the scenes, the Triwizard Tournament is far more complex than it may initially appear.

It is a grand, glorious affair, like a lavish banquet, providing a rare and valuable platform for exchange and communication among the members of the European wizarding world.

About ten minutes later, the students finally all arrived. Bryan stuffed the letter into an envelope and handed it to a school owl perched on the windowsill. Turning around, he found the students observing him with slightly awed eyes.

"What's the matter?" Bryan asked in surprise, raising his eyebrows and asking Astoria, who was closest to him.

The girl hesitated for a brief moment, carefully considering her words before responding cautiously, "Forgive me for asking, Professor, but did you perhaps encounter some trouble earlier? It's just that you seem to be in a rather serious mood today..."

"Ah, I see," Bryan chuckled good-naturedly as the other students nodded in agreement, their curiosity piqued. "Well, if you must know, the Board of Governors rejected my perfectly reasonable request for a pay raise. I'm half-tempted to tell them to sod off so I can just pay myself what I'm worth!"

A wave of laughter rippled through the classroom. Even Harry, who had been trying to hold back his lingering anger towards Snape, couldn't help but allow the corners of his mouth to twitch upwards in a small smile.

Bryan, still grinning, circled out from behind his desk and perched himself casually on the polished edge of the sturdy table, and began to take attendance. After confirming everyone was present, he looked at them all with a smile.

"Now then, before we begin today's lesson, I have an important announcement to make. Due to the significant impact of the upcoming Triwizard Tournament, I must regrettably inform you that our Physical Education classes will be temporarily suspended next week. But we will resume our regular schedule the following week."

The students were not particularly surprised by this. The first task of the tournament was scheduled for Wednesday afternoon, and P.E. class was on Wednesday evening. As long as Professor Watson had a conscience, he shouldn't make them come to class at a time when they should be eagerly discussing or celebrating with their classmates.

"--Also, all P.E. students, except for Cedric Diggory and Hermione Granger, will have their Wednesday morning classes cancelled. I've already notified your respective Heads of Houses--"

Bryan said with a grin, getting the surprised looks he wanted on the young wizards' faces. "I have an extra task for you--"

"What is it, Professor?" Ernie Macmillan blurted out, his eyes shining with barely contained eagerness.

"Well--" Bryan clapped his hands, beckoning all the students to him. Facing the excited and curious faces, he said with a smile:

"I think there's hardly anyone who doesn't know about the terrorist attack at the Quidditch World Cup this summer. That attack had far-reaching and devastating consequences, with countless innocent lives tragically lost in the chaos.

Now, as I'm sure you're all keenly aware, the Triwizard Tournament is another grand event that attracts immense attention from the wizarding world at large. I've discussed with Headmaster Dumbledore before - if some daring dark wizards really try to attack the spectators who come to watch--"

The sharper students, their minds racing to connect the dots, had already begun to piece together where Professor Watson's train of thought was leading. They leaned forward in their seats, hanging on his every word, their hearts pounding with anticipation.

"Normally, we should request some support from the Ministry of Magic and have them send some Hit Wizards for guard duty, but I think this is a rare opportunity--"

Bryan cleared his throat and finally stopped tantalizing them.

"I need a dedicated and capable group of volunteers to arrive early at Hogsmeade Station next Wednesday morning. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, will be to warmly welcome the distinguished guests arriving via the Hogwarts Express. You will then escort them to the castle grounds according to your dueling practice teams. After everyone arrives, from the start of the competition until the end, you'll also need to perform the task of maintaining order on-site."

The room was silent, with no students speaking. Bryan could only see pairs of eyes brewing with excitement.

"What?" Bryan deliberately frowned. "And here I thought this would be a grand opportunity for you all to showcase your skills and represent Hogwarts on the international stage. But if you're unwilling--"

"No, Professor! We're absolutely willing!" Fred and George chorused in unison.

Carrying out a mission, my god, how cool that sounded!

Angelina Johnson raised her hand tentatively, her voice trembling with a mixture of excitement and nervousness as she asked, "Professor Watson, do you truly believe that we possess the necessary skills to handle a potential terrorist attack? I mean, are we really prepared for such a task?"

"Oh, of course, I've seen your rapid progress with my own eyes--" Bryan said with a grin.

"That being said," He continued, holding up a hand to stop any further questions, "I must stress that I personally believe the likelihood of an actual terrorist attack occurring during the tournament is quite low. In all honesty, the most significant challenges you may face are likely to be the early morning wake-up call and the brisk autumn chill.

However, this does not diminish the importance of your role in the slightest. By taking on this responsibility, you are demonstrating to the entire European wizarding community that Hogwarts stands united, that we are fully committed to ensuring the success and safety of this historic event."

As Professor Watson's words washed over them, the students began to sit up straighter in their seats, their chests swelling with pride at the thought of representing their school on such a grand stage.

'This sounded much more interesting than wrestling with dragons, and more meaningful too--' Hermione pressed her lips together, looking resentful.

"Now, I must warn you," Bryan continued, his tone growing more serious, "that this job will require a great deal of preparation and training. I mean, you can't appear amateurish or undisciplined in the eyes of our guests. Loose postures, nervous giggles, and sloppy wandwork simply will not do.

From this moment onward, including the upcoming weekend, we will be having an intensive emergency training sessions. You will learn about crowd control, basic security protocols, and how to maintain a vigilant watch without appearing blatantly aggressive. I trust that none of you have any objections to this additional commitment?"

'How could anyone possibly object?' The students' eyes sparkled with unrestrained eagerness, their hearts racing at the thought of playing such a vital role in the tournament. Even those who had initially harbored doubts found themselves swept up in the infectious wave of enthusiasm that had gripped the classroom.

And this was such an interesting thing. Although they weren't champions, maybe they could also make an appearance at the Triwizard Tournament!

"Excellent!" Bryan clapped his hands together. "Time is of the essence, so let us begin our training!"

With a knowing smile, Bryan turned his attention to Cedric and Hermione, who stood somewhat awkwardly at the edge of the group, their expressions a mixture of disappointment and resignation.

"As for you, Mr. Diggory and Miss Granger," Bryan said, his voice tinged with sympathy, "I'm afraid there is little for you to contribute. Your focus must remain solely on preparing for the challenges that await you in the tournament. You have my permission to take your leave and attend to your own affairs."

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