In the Slytherin dormitory, Ino was lounging on a chair, casually eating candy while chatting with Hermione.
There wasn't anything particularly important being discussed, but the atmosphere of the conversation was pleasant.
As for the reason behind their chat, according to Hermione, it stemmed from the argument between Ron and Draco in the Great Hall.
However, Ino understood that even without that argument, there would have been some other excuse for them to talk.
He didn't mind, though. Since he couldn't be a mere observer, he might as well go with the flow and immerse himself in life.
---
At the same time that the double-sided mirror was being put to use, Draco was quietly wallowing in guilt in the castle's underground corridor.
What had originally been a trap for Weasley had backfired. Although Weasley fell into the trap, Draco ended up getting dragged down with him.
"I should have been more rational..."
Draco sighed as he looked at the torches on the corridor walls.
Ten minutes ago, during the argument in the Great Hall, perhaps out of consideration for the foreign guests present, everyone had restrained themselves to a battle of words.
Initially, the argument was only aimed at Weasley, but somehow it escalated into a competition of courage between the students.
Thinking about it now, Draco felt a wave of regret. He had instigated the whole thing. If a Slytherin ended up as a champion, it wouldn't be so bad, but if the Hogwarts champion turned out to be from Gryffindor…
There was no doubt that he would become the target of criticism. Even if he wouldn't be constantly reprimanded, there would definitely be no shortage of gossip and negative opinions.
As he pondered over how to deal with the situation, Draco headed towards the common room.
---
Knock knock! Bang!
First came two knocks on the door, then the dormitory door was opened from the outside.
Ino didn't bother to react much to the door being opened.
As previously mentioned, there were only three people in all of Hogwarts who could open that door—dormitory students and the Slytherin Head of House. Even the Headmaster didn't have that right.
"We can continue chatting later," Ino said as he ended the call on the double-sided mirror and turned to look at the doorway.
Standing there was a figure with messy platinum-blond hair, head lowered, and a troubled expression. He looked just like a dejected golden retriever coming home after losing a fight.
"What happened? Did someone bully the young master of the Malfoy family?" Ino asked teasingly.
Although his conversation with Hermione had started because of the dispute between Draco and Ron, they hadn't continued to discuss others' affairs after that.
At the same time, upon hearing Ino's voice, Draco raised his head with a hopeful expression:
"Ino, could you avoid this for a while? Or…"
But halfway through the sentence, his voice trailed off, becoming almost inaudible.
At that moment, Draco's expression was like that of a stage actor. The hope on his face gradually faded, replaced by a look of conflict.
"Or… do you have a way to make me a safe champion? Yes! A safe champion."
He emphasized the word "safe," repeating it twice.
"Tell me what happened," Ino said, sitting up straight.
"It's nothing major, just… just that I made a bet with Scarhead's sidekick…"
In less than fifteen minutes, Draco awkwardly explained everything that had happened.
"You really…" Ino shook his head in exasperation. It seemed that Draco's intelligence dropped significantly whenever he encountered Harry and Ron.
"I have a way to make you a champion and ensure your safety, but you have to promise me that from now on, whenever you see Harry, you'll steer clear of him!"
People aren't made of stone. After four years of sharing a dormitory, Ino genuinely considered Draco a friend, which was why he made this final request—stay away from Harry.
---
Voldemort had seven Horcruxes; three had been destroyed, and two had been confiscated.
Although Harry had been learning Occlumency from Snape, it wasn't a foolproof magic. Besides, in such a short time, it was impossible for Harry to master the more advanced techniques.
With this in mind, future Harry could very well turn into a ticking time bomb. Ino hadn't forgotten Trelawney's prophecy.
"Alright! I promise you!" After a brief moment of thought, Draco agreed without hesitation, even adding:
"I guarantee it, from now on, whenever I see Scarhead and his sidekicks, I'll take a detour."
---
Time, like the leaves of the Whomping Willow in autumn, often slips away unnoticed.
The next evening, the long-awaited welcoming feast at Hogwarts finally commenced.
In the Great Hall, the usual banners representing the four Houses had disappeared, replaced by the symbols of the Triwizard Tournament and the three magical schools: the Hogwarts shield, the crossed wands emblem of Beauxbatons, and the double-headed eagle and stag crest of Durmstrang.
At the Slytherin table, Draco was confidently enjoying his meal, occasionally sipping pumpkin juice with practiced elegance.
In contrast, Ron appeared rather uneasy. He wasn't sure how the champion selection would be conducted, nor whether Gryffindor would even have a champion.
After a day of investigating, his confidence had waned. The only real contenders seemed to be Ino from Slytherin and Cedric from Hufflepuff.
"Why didn't Percy stay back a year…" Ron muttered in frustration, scratching his head. Although he was reluctant to admit it, Percy's excellence was undeniable.
Twelve certificates from the final exams had already proven that point.
---
The feast lasted about an hour.
As the food on the tables disappeared, Dumbledore slowly stood up.
At the same time, all the young witches and wizards turned their heads in unison, their gazes fixed on the head table.
Today, the head table was noticeably crowded, not only with the heads of the other two schools but also with two high-ranking officials from the Ministry of Magic: Ludo Bagman, Head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports, and Bartemius Crouch, Head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation.
"It seems the time has come!" Dumbledore said slowly. "First, allow me to introduce our guests…"
As Dumbledore introduced the guests, polite applause echoed through the hall.
"Next, I will discuss the arrangements for the Triwizard Tournament!"
Dumbledore's words caused everyone to sit up straight, and a mix of excitement and nervousness began to spread through the hall.
Fortunately, the old Headmaster wasn't one to keep people in suspense. After a quick glance around, he gently clapped his hands.
At that moment, Filch, who had been waiting in the wings, slowly entered, struggling with a large chest.
Perhaps due to the importance of the occasion, the usually disheveled Filch had surprisingly dressed up, neatly combing his unruly hair and donning a brand-new robe.
However, his efforts were in vain, as all eyes in the hall were focused on the ornate, jewel-encrusted chest he was carrying.
Ino was equally intrigued. According to the original story, the Goblet of Fire was undoubtedly a powerful magical artifact.
His curiosity was piqued by a casual remark from Dumbledore: The Goblet of Fire's decision couldn't be overturned, and the chosen champions had to compete, or they would suffer the consequences of a magical contract.
So, what really intrigued him was the nature of those consequences. If the old Headmaster took it seriously, it probably wasn't a simple punishment like a slap on the wrist.
If it weren't for certain reservations, Ino might have been tempted to use the Confundus Charm to add another school to the mix and throw Voldemort's name into the Goblet.
But some things were best left as mere thoughts.
However, Ino had already made up his mind about the Goblet of Fire. Tonight, under the cover of darkness, he would inspect it, and while he was at it, he might as well enter Draco's name too.