Everything changes; all things are in a constant state of flux.
Just as Draco was inquiring about the other two schools, a commotion arose from the crowd.
"Look at the sky..."
"What is it? A Pegasus?"
"Pegasus? That's a Beauxbatons Abraxan! You dunderhead, like a gnome..."
Amid the murmurs, more and more young wizards raised their heads.
In the distant sky, a black dot was rapidly approaching. Gradually, everyone could see a colossal figure weaving through the clouds.
It was an opulent carriage, as large as a house. The carriage was not only adorned with numerous exquisite decorations, but even the door was inlaid with gemstones. These gemstones, however, were not randomly placed.
Upon closer inspection, the gemstones were arranged in a specific pattern, forming a distinct emblem that resembled two crossed wands in the shape of a cross.
But regardless of how luxurious the decorations were, none of the young wizards present had any interest in admiring them. Their attention was solely focused on the enormous creatures in front of the carriage.
These were massive, winged horses, though to be more accurate, they resembled giant African elephants with the appearance of horses.
Standing nearly fifteen feet tall, these beasts appeared incredibly imposing. Their eyes, each the size of a teacup, were an eerie blood-red.
The twelve colossal creatures flew towards the young wizards by the Black Lake, causing some of the students in the front row to hastily retreat, as if this would prevent them from being crushed.
At this moment, Professor Rubeus Hagrid, the Care of Magical Creatures instructor, stepped forward. His massive frame, matching the size of the horses, stood in front of the young wizards.
The giant, often the subject of ridicule, now brought comfort to many.
Holding two signs the size of dining tables, Hagrid moved and waved them, looking just like a Muggle airport ground crew member.
Under Hagrid's guidance, the horses altered their flight path.
With a 'thud,' the ground shook violently as the carriage, as large as a house, landed smoothly, far from the crowd.
Under everyone's gaze, the carriage door was pushed open from within.
A student dressed in a blue robe jumped down from the carriage. Then, with a simple wave of his wand near the carriage shaft, a luxurious golden staircase slowly descended.
The spectacle was truly eye-opening for many young wizards. After all, not everyone could adorn their carriage doors with gemstones and create stairs out of gold...
Throughout Europe, only Beauxbatons could afford such extravagance, thanks to their distinguished alumni, the legendary alchemist — Nicolas Flamel.
At the same time, as the golden, luxurious staircase fully extended, a large foot, clad in diamond-encrusted high heels, appeared. Following it, a woman nearly as tall as Hagrid slowly emerged.
Standing at fifteen feet tall, approximately four and a half meters, this woman's appearance brought with it an overwhelming sense of presence.
Although she was as tall as Hagrid, no one would associate the two. Ino felt the same.
Because, unlike Hagrid, this woman was extraordinarily elegant — her impeccable attire, constant smile, and consistent stride.
No matter how one looked at her, there wasn't the slightest breach in etiquette.
Ino quietly surveyed the scene, his gaze sweeping over Hogwarts' female faculty:
The chubby Professor Pomona Sprout, the wild and unkempt Professor Trelawney, the scholarly-looking Ancient Runes Professor Babbling, the ethereal Astronomy Professor Sinistra, and even Madam Hooch...
It seemed that only Professor McGonagall was presentable.
While Ino was comparing the women, Dumbledore had already stepped forward with a smile. Though the old headmaster was relatively tall, standing next to the woman, he appeared exceptionally small.
Despite the significant height difference, Dumbledore still performed a perfectly courteous hand-kiss greeting.
Although his actions were flawless, the scene still appeared somewhat comical, mainly because her hand alone could almost cover half of Dumbledore's face.
Due to the distance, most people couldn't hear their conversation.
Soon, however, no one cared about their exchange. After Dumbledore finished the hand-kiss, and following a brief delay...
The large, ornate carriage door was once again pushed open from within.
This time, the figures emerging from the carriage were no longer gigantic but a group of students dressed in identical attire and of similar ages.
Interestingly, the majority of these ten or so students were girls.
They appeared to be around sixteen or seventeen years old, each one radiant and elegant.
Perhaps because they were from France, these girls from the land of perfumes left a trail of fragrance with every step.
When French ladies meet English gentlemen, Ron demonstrated the correct reaction for everyone.
Slightly flushed cheeks, hands awkwardly placed, and eyes that seemed indifferent but always managed to turn inadvertently.
Of course, Ron wasn't the only one reacting this way; many fourteen- and fifteen-year-old boys at Hogwarts were acting similarly.
...
Time quietly passed.
As dusk fell, Hogwarts welcomed its final guests — the Durmstrang contingent from Northern Europe.
Unlike Beauxbatons' earlier arrival, Durmstrang's entrance ignited everyone's enthusiasm.
It wasn't just because of their impressive arrival across the Black Lake, but also because their team included the famous Seeker: Viktor Krum.
Had it not been for Professor McGonagall's sharp gaze scanning the crowd, the area outside the castle would have turned into a small autograph session. After all, wizards truly loved Quidditch to their core.
Even so, Krum still brought plenty of attention to Durmstrang.
As the headmaster, Karkaroff also wore a proud expression, slightly tilting his head as he gazed haughtily at the surroundings.
...
"He looks rather arrogant!" Draco sneered in dissatisfaction.
It wasn't just Draco; many Slytherins were displeased.
Unlike students from other houses, Slytherins valued Quidditch more for the fame it brought.
"Let it be! What, do you want him to make a fool of himself?" Ino replied casually.
Though he didn't care much about such trivial matters, Karkaroff's behavior made him consider cheating.
Perhaps, even if Ron were selected as a champion, he would let him win the Goblet of Fire.
In the Triwizard Tournament, nothing is more humiliating than missing out on the championship — unless it's finishing last.
As Ino pondered cheating, he didn't notice the change in Draco's expression.
Especially after hearing about making Karkaroff look foolish, Draco's eyes gleamed with mischief.
Perhaps due to the influence of the Foe-Glass, after spending time with George and Fred, Draco's current expression was a spitting image of the twins.