bioinnovel Chapter 333 Pre-match Preparations
Chapter 333 Pre-match Preparations
Chapter 333 Pre-match Preparations
Time is like a pointer that has been casually turned, spinning rapidly forward, and in the blink of an eye it is already February.
In February, the weather at Hogwarts warmed up, and the remaining snow on the grounds gradually melted, forming muddy streams.
The ice on the large lake, as hard as quenched steel, is gradually melting, revealing the dark lake surface, which looks cold and oppressive from afar.
The students wished time could pass faster.
They hope the second project will come soon so they can see the warriors show their prowess again.
The four warriors wished time could slow down a little.
They hope to have more time to make more preparations to deal with the unknown dangers lurking underwater.
However, time waits for no one; it always slips away quietly when people are not paying attention.
When the warriors, who had been working hard to prepare, finally came to their senses, it was already evening the day before the competition.
That evening, as the sun began to set outside the window, Belvina was in her office as usual.
Unlike usual, she was accompanied by a little girl who looked no more than eight or nine years old.
"What's your name?" Belvina asked, leaning forward and speaking in fluent French.
"Gabrielle, Gabrielle Delacour," the little girl answered shyly, her eyelashes fluttering, making her exceptionally cute.
Gabrielle is Fleur Delacour's sister, and also has one-quarter Veela blood. She has radiant, waist-length silver hair.
"How old are you this year?" Belvina asked, her voice still high-pitched. "You're so beautiful!"
"I'm nine years old," Gabrielle replied, a bright smile spreading across her young face.
Unlike Hibiscus's haughtiness, Gabrielle looks very well-behaved, making people want to pinch her little cheeks.
Belvina even had criminal thoughts; she wanted to take Gabrielle back to her own home.
After all, natural childbirth is never as quick or easy as a natural birth.
Just as the eccentric woman, nearing thirty, was trying to coax the young girl from France, there was a knock on the wooden door of her office.
Belvina looked up and saw Hermione, Ron, and Cho Chang standing at the office door. She wondered how the three of them had ended up together.
"Professor, you wanted to see us?" Hermione asked.
With that, Hermione walked into the office first, followed by Cho Chang, and finally Ron.
Of the three, Ron should have been the one most familiar with Belvina, but in reality it was Hermione.
As for Cho Chang, she was not familiar with Belvina at all. The two were not in the same house, and Cho Chang had never taken any Muggle studies courses.
The three people who entered the office one after another all looked puzzled, unable to guess why they had been called in.
"Professor, is there something you need?" Hermione asked, "Is it related to the second project?"
She glanced at Cho Chang and swallowed back the "Harry" she was about to say.
Hermione had assumed that Belvina had called her over to talk about Harry, and that Ron had been called over along with her.
But after meeting Cho Chang of Ravenclaw on the way, Hermione was a little confused. If it was just to chat about Harry's recent situation, why did she have to invite Cho Chang along?
It wasn't until Hermione saw the silver-haired little girl in the office that she finally understood why they had been called there—it must be because of the second project starting tomorrow.
The silver-haired little girl is undoubtedly related to Fleur; Cho Chang is equally obvious, she is Cedric's dance partner and also his girlfriend; as for Ron, who at Hogwarts doesn't know about his relationship with Harry?
Wait a moment!!!
Hermione suddenly realized that something was wrong.
If Ron corresponds to Harry, then who does she correspond to? It can't be Krum, can it?
"Please sit down," Belvina said. "I called you all here today for the second project tomorrow."
As Belvina pulled Gabrielle onto her lap, she continued, "In the second challenge, the warriors must retrieve their stolen 'beloved treasures.' That means you."
Hermione and her two companions, all sitting in a row, had close ties with the heroes and naturally knew the secret hidden in the golden egg, as well as the lyrics of the Little Mermaid's Song.
The mermaid stole the warrior's most beloved treasure. The warrior had one hour to retrieve it, but after an hour, all hope was lost.
"I thought it would be a fire bolt, but it turned out to be me!" Ron seemed happy, but he quickly became unhappy again.
“That’s right, Harry’s most beloved possession isn’t Firebolt, it’s you, Ron,” Belvina said. “Cedric’s most beloved possession is naturally his girlfriend, Cho Chang.” Cho Chang lowered her head shyly.
Then, Belvina looked at Gabrielle in her arms and continued, "Miss Delacour's darling is, of course, another Miss Delacour."
"Harry is me, Diggory is Cho Chang, doesn't that mean—"
Ron was instantly distraught; he didn't want Hermione to have anything to do with Krum anymore.
Before the Christmas ball, Ron liked Viktor Krum as much as he did after the ball, and he even smashed a miniature statue of Krum.
"Yes, Mr. Krum needs to save Hermione," Belvina said. "Mr. Krum hasn't shown much of his preferences, so we have no choice but to choose his dance partner."
In an instant, Ron wilted like a frostbitten eggplant, and his mood plummeted at a visible speed.
"Any other questions?" Belvina asked. "If not, I'll continue."
Ron looked blank and unsteady, like a wooden sculpture; Cho Chang was shy and somewhat awkward and uneasy; only Hermione remained remarkably calm.
"According to the requirements of the second project, you will be taken away by mermaids and taken underwater," Belvina continued. "But don't worry, the mermaids won't harm you, and the school won't let you drown."
"Professor, what do we need to do?" Hermione asked. "It sounds like we don't need to do anything."
Belvina nodded and replied, "You don't need to do anything. Theoretically speaking, you are hostages in the hands of the mermaids."
She thought for a moment, then said, "From now on, none of the four of you can go anywhere. I will arrange your food and lodging. Tomorrow morning..."
I will hand you over to the mermaids.
"But how are we supposed to breathe underwater, Professor Black?" Qiu Zhang asked shyly, her head bowed. She seemed a little nervous, whether because she was a hostage or something else, it was hard to tell.
"There's no need to worry about that; you are absolutely safe," Belvina said. "I will cast a spell to put you into a special state of slumber to ensure your safety underwater. The spell will be lifted once you return to the surface."
Upon hearing this, Qiu Zhang breathed a sigh of relief. She wasn't very confident in her magical abilities and worried that she wouldn't last until Cedric came to her rescue.
With Belvina's assurance of safety, Qiu Zhang felt a weight lifted from her shoulders, and she was no longer as shy as before.
"Will it hurt a lot?"
Gabrielle's tender, childlike voice rang out, "I'm afraid of pain."
With just one simple sentence, Hermione and Cho Chang felt their hearts melt; they also wanted a little sister as lovely as Gabrielle.
In the office, only Ron hadn't succumbed to Gabrielle's charm offensive; his mind was now filled with the annoying Krum.
"It doesn't hurt, it doesn't hurt at all," Belvina said softly. "How could Auntie bear to hurt lovely Gabrielle!"
Hermione's eyes widened in surprise, and wrinkles appeared on her forehead.
Miss Know-It-All had known Belvina for a long time, and she had never seen her speak so softly, even in a high-pitched voice!
Qiu Zhang, standing to the side, was even more astonished, his mouth agape wide enough to fit a flaming egg!
In Cho Chang's memory, Professor Black was a seemingly amiable but actually very formidable character, and also the kind who was skilled in both literature and martial arts.
In terms of strategy, Belvina can hold her own against the sharp-tongued Snape; in terms of combat, she can hold her own against Professor McGonagall, and even gain the upper hand at times.
Yet this formidable character, skilled in both literature and martial arts, spoke softly to Gabrielle tonight, making Cho Chang wonder if Professor Black had taken the wrong medicine.
Without Snape secretly poisoning her, Belvina certainly wouldn't have taken the wrong medicine; she was simply overcome with a sudden surge of affection and wanted a daughter as lovely as Gabrielle.
After briefly explaining the situation, Belvina stood up and led the four "hostages" out of the office to an empty classroom next door that had been prepared in advance.
The industrious house-elves had already cleaned the classroom, which had been empty for a long time. The room was not only furnished with tents and sleeping bags, but also had a sumptuous dinner prepared.
From this moment on, the four hostages must remain in this classroom; they cannot leave or see anyone until the second project ends.
"The tents and sleeping bags are here, and there's food and water on the table. Just stay in this classroom and I'll come pick you up tomorrow morning," Belvina said.
Hermione and Cho Chang had no objections to Belvina's arrangement and readily accepted their fate as "hostages."
Even the youngest girl, Gabrielle, didn't say anything. The little girl just looked at everyone timidly, her fluttering eyelashes making her seem exceptionally well-behaved and sensible.
The only boy, Ron, seemed less obedient. He looked sullen and resembled a red-haired pufferfish, clearly recalling the Christmas ball.
Then, Belvina took out a handbell and placed it on the table. She continued, "If you need anything, just ring it, and the house-elves will appear immediately and do their best to fulfill your requests."
With that, Belvina released Gabrielle's hand and said, "Gabrielle, why don't you stay with your two older sisters tonight?"
Gabrielle nodded obediently, behaving in a way that belied her age of eight or nine.
"Hermione, I'm entrusting Gabrielle to you. Please look after her," Belvina said. "If you need anything, just ring the bell, or have a house-elf come to me."
"Don't worry, Professor, I'll take good care of Gabrielle," Hermione assured her, patting her chest.
After saying that, Hermione walked over to Gabrielle and bent down to talk to the child.
After Belvina left the classroom, Cho Chang also came over and surrounded Gabrielle, asking her what was wrong.
Soon, the well-behaved, sensible, beautiful and cute Gabrielle became the darling of the two older sisters, while Ron was left out in the cold, pitifully ignored by everyone.