bioinnovel Chapter 328 Darkening
Chapter 328 Darkening
Chapter 328 Darkening
Belvina's choice to meet the two warriors on the shore of Black Lake was not random; she came prepared.
Firstly, it was a subtle reminder to Harry and Cedric that the second project was related to Black Lake, and the competition venue was located there.
Secondly, it was to lure Igor Karkaroff out so that he could extract information about his conversation with Snape the previous night and uncover their little secret.
Belvina had thought she would have to waste a lot of time getting the secret out of her, and she was even prepared to reveal all the details of the second project.
To everyone's surprise, Karkaroff was in such a hurry that he didn't even try to bargain and revealed his true intentions in just a few words.
In that case, don't blame Belvina for being perfunctory. Anyway, Karkaroff won't keep his promise, so let's just deceive each other.
As Christmas passed and the Christmas holidays began to countdown, the students' excitement over the Christmas dance gradually cooled down.
During the first week of their vacation, they were busy inviting dance partners and preparing for the dance. Now they should also think about the mountain of holiday homework.
For the next few days, the library was packed with people, all of whom were overwhelmed by the sheer volume of assignments.
Even the number of female fans of Viktor Krum decreased sharply. In the freezing cold, only a few girls who were also warriors of the Triwizard Tournament came to watch him winter swim at Black Lake. Viktor Krum had already begun to adapt to the cold Black Lake, while Harry and Cedric were still holding the golden egg and knew nothing about the second project.
Now, Harry and Cedric have returned to their habit of always having the egg with them, turning it on every now and then to listen, hoping to find a glimmer of inspiration from the horrific screams.
However, the sound emitted by the golden egg was so shrill that it gave people a headache, and it was wishful thinking to try to find inspiration from the sound of the golden egg.
Time flew by, and the appointed time with Belvina arrived. Having gained nothing, the two warriors, resigned to their fate of being scolded, dejectedly headed towards the Muggle Studies classroom.
"So, neither of you found anything?" Belvina rubbed her temples, barely suppressing the urge to yell.
Harry and Cedric nodded in unison.
Just like that day by the Black Lake, Harry still tried to stay as far away from Cedric as possible, wishing he could sit outside the window.
"I've probably opened the golden egg hundreds or thousands of times, and apart from some tinnitus now, I haven't gotten any useful information," Cedric said dejectedly.
If Cedric continued to listen intently to the golden egg's cries, he felt he would eventually become deaf.
Belvina was exasperated; it would be a miracle if Cedric could understand the golden egg's cries.
If opening the golden egg provides the clues, it would be better to simply tell the warriors the clues after the first task, saving them from being tortured.
"I've tried talking to the golden egg," Harry said slowly. "The closed golden egg, the opened golden egg, I've tried both."
"Didn't you try wiping the golden egg?" Belvina rubbed her forehead, unwilling to face reality. She truly hadn't expected Harry to do something like this.
Cedric, feeling very guilty, quietly raised his arm and said embarrassedly, "I tried, but it didn't work."
Belvina turned her head away and looked out the window.
The ground was still covered with a thick layer of snow, and water droplets condensed on the windows.
"Where did we meet last time?" Belvina asked. "The day after Christmas."
"It's on the shore of Black Lake," Cedric replied, "not too far from Durmstrang's big ship."
"Very good." Belvina then asked, "Why did I choose to discuss the second project with you by the Black Lake?"
Harry paused for a moment, he hadn't thought of that question, and assumed that Belvina just wanted to take a walk by the Black Lake or watch the Durmstrang Men.
Feeling a pang of guilt, Harry glanced at Cedric, who also looked bewildered. Harry's guilt gradually subsided.
Then, Harry abruptly turned his head away from Cedric.
Harry felt a pang of heartache whenever he thought of Cedric and Cho Chang together, or of them holding hands at the Christmas ball.
"If I told you that the second project is related to Black Lake, what would come to mind?" Belvina continued to ask.
"It's water!" Cedric blurted out.
When you mention Black Lake, the first thing that comes to mind is water.
"And giant squid," Harry said quietly.
Harry, a step behind, seemed particularly childish. He was unwilling to give the same answer as Cedric, so he chose the giant squid, the iconic creature of the Black Lake.
"Now that you know about the Black Lake and the water, what are you still doing sitting here!" Belvina said. "Disappear from my sight within three counts!"
As she spoke, Belvina held up three fingers.
Harry and Cedric jumped up almost simultaneously.
"Three!" Belvina bent her first finger.
Cedric dashed to the doorway, Harry following closely behind.
"Two!" The second finger bends down.
Cedric flung the door open.
"One!" Belvina bent her last finger.
Cedric and Harry fled through the door, their footsteps quickly fading away.
After the two warriors had walked away, Belvina sighed. As the person in charge of the Triwizard Tournament, she knew very well how inhumane the first two events were.
The warriors' first challenge was to face a fire dragon, which required seven or eight dragon tamers to subdue simultaneously.
If the warriors hadn't cheated and hadn't known beforehand that they would be facing a fire dragon, the chances of successfully obtaining the golden egg would have been extremely low.
After all, they had to figure out a way to cross the fire dragon in a very short time, while also dodging the fire dragon's deadly attacks time and time again.
The second project itself wasn't that dangerous, and it even kindly offered the warriors golden eggs as clues.
However, if no one had reminded them, who would have thought to sink the golden egg into the water?
Once the secret hidden in the golden egg is solved, the difficulty of the second project drops dramatically. But if the secret cannot be solved, then you'll have to come up with a quick solution.
Just as Belvina was pondering whether to add more lifeguards, a knock came at the door.
Cedric, who had returned, stood at the door and knocked.
"Come in, is there anything else?" Belvina greeted.
"Professor, there's something I don't understand," Cedric said as he walked in.
Although Cedric hadn't spoken yet, Belvina had already guessed why he had returned, but it didn't seem appropriate for the professor to say it.
Cedric sat back down in his armchair, his eyes fixed intently on Belvina sitting opposite him.
After a while, Cedric tentatively said, "Professor, have you noticed that Harry's attitude towards me is strange, especially lately?"
"I've found out," Belvina said, neither denying nor feigning ignorance.
Harry's attitude toward Cedric has changed so drastically lately that anyone who isn't deaf and blind can see it.
"I don't think I've offended him, have I?" Cedric seemed to be talking to himself, or perhaps asking Belvina.
He continued, "It can't be because of those insulting badges, that happened so long ago."
Belvina raised her hand and touched her face. She still felt that this was something the professor shouldn't point out; Cedric should figure it out for himself.
"Professor, your relationship with Harry is rather special—I mean, quite close personally—." Cedric scratched his head. "So—Professor, do you know why?"
Belvina nodded as if at eight times slower speed.
At this moment, Belvina was filled with regret. She should have left the office earlier instead of staying in the room thinking about all sorts of things.
Now, one of the protagonists of the "three-person story" comes knocking on her door. Should she tell the truth or hint at it indirectly?
"That's wonderful!" Cedric feigned excitement, but there was no trace of it in his eyes. He continued, "Professor, can you tell me why?"
Belvina shook her head as she watched the video played at eight times slower speed.
The room fell silent instantly, and Cedric's face visibly fell.
"Is it because of Cho Chang?" he said. "Harry likes Cho Chang, doesn't he?"
Belvina's lips immediately pressed into a line, and after hesitating for a moment, she nodded.
"Just as I thought." Cedric slowly exhaled. "I should have thought of it long ago, even before the first project."
Belvina tilted her head in confusion, looking at Cedric who seemed relieved, and felt that something was wrong.
At this moment, having confirmed that Harry likes Cho Chang, shouldn't Cedric feel angry or aggrieved?
At the very least, they should have made a huge scene, what's with this relieved expression?
The more relaxed Cedric seemed, the stranger it felt to Belvina; she had a feeling he was about to pull a big one.
Fortunately, things did not go as Belvina had anticipated.
"No wonder, no wonder Harry's reaction was a bit strange when we mentioned Autumn here that day," Cedric muttered to himself. "So that's it, so the person he likes is Autumn!"
As he spoke, Cedric actually laughed.
Belvina frowned at the sight of the radiant smile. Had the child been traumatized?
"Harry likes Cho, but Cho likes me, and she even went to the Christmas ball with me!"
Cedric became more and more excited as he spoke, and finally he simply stood up.
He continued, "Doesn't this mean that in Qiu's heart, I'm the better one, the more suitable person for her?"
Belvina stared in shock. She had prepared herself for Cedric's dark turn, but it turned out that the young Mr. Diggory was also love-struck!
Tired, destroy it.
Belvina put her hand to her forehead, speechless.
"That's Harry Potter! Harry Potter, the boy who lived and died, whom I've heard about since I was a kid!"
Cedric paced back and forth in the room, talking to himself as he went.
Tired, let's destroy it, hurry up.
Belvina looked out the window, gazing at the distant Black Lake.