bacchusnovels Chapter 462 Her Power
Chapter 462 Her Power
Chapter 462 Her Power
Just then, there was a knock on the door of the underground classroom. The echo from the door reverberated in the silent classroom, and everyone's eyes turned to look.
Colin Creevey squeezed through the crack in the door, his face bearing his usual eager smile, his gaze fixed on Harry, before he strode quickly toward Snape.
Snape's eyes darkened, and he demanded, "What is it?"
"Excuse me, sir," Colin said curtly, stopping abruptly, "I need to take Harry Potter upstairs."
Snape narrowed his dark eyes slightly, his gaze falling from his hooked nose to Colin's face.
The smile froze on the boy's face, gradually fading, replaced by a hint of unease.
"Potter still has an hour of Potions class left," Snape said curtly. "He can leave after class."
Colin's face flushed slightly, and he swallowed unconsciously, but still insisted, "Sir—Sir, Mr. Bagman wants to see him." His voice was a little tense, "All the warriors are going, I think—they want to take pictures—"
Harry breathed a sigh of relief.
This is the second time he has enjoyed the "Warrior" perk, aside from the fact that he doesn't have to take exams during the school year.
Snape's lips curled into a cold smile. "Very well, very well." His voice was mocking. "Potter, leave your things here. I want you to come back later and test your potions yourself."
Harry unconsciously tightened the strap of his schoolbag, but before he could speak, Colin interrupted urgently, "Excuse me, sir—he must take his things with him," his voice high-pitched with tension, "all the heroes—"
"Very well!" Snape's voice suddenly rose, his eyes growing even colder. "Potter, take your schoolbag and get out of my sight immediately!"
Without a word, Harry grabbed his backpack, slung it over his shoulder, stood up, and strode towards the door.
As soon as he stepped out of the underground classroom, and the door behind him had barely closed, Colin Creevey rushed forward, his eyes shining with excitement: "That's amazing, isn't it, Harry? You've become a champion!"
“Yes, that’s fantastic,” Harry said casually, continuing on his way to the foyer alongside Colin. “Why are they taking pictures, Colin?”
"It'll probably be in the Daily Prophet!" Colin replied quickly. They went outside, and Colin smiled at him, "Good luck!"
Harry took a deep breath, raised his hand to knock on the door, and then pushed it open and went inside.
The room was small, and most of the desks had been pushed to the back of the classroom, leaving an open space in the center.
In front of the blackboard, three desks were joined together and covered with a velvet cloth, with five chairs placed on them.
On one of the chairs, Ludo Bagman was having an enthusiastic conversation with a witch Harry had never seen before. The witch was wearing a magenta robe and looked quite confident.
In a corner of the classroom, Viktor Krum was chatting happily with a witch named Irene.
Cedric was talking to Fleur, who was clearly in a great mood. She was smiling and occasionally tossing her long silver hair, looking incredibly carefree.
As for Cho Chang, he was talking with Selena and two other wizards from Beauxbatons.
like--
Reconciling accounts.
Compare the advantages and disadvantages of each school.
The reconciliation process began the very day Durmstrang and Beauxbatons' students arrived.
Initially, this reconciliation was sporadic and casual, more of a way to quickly build social relationships and exchange novel experiences.
But as time went on, the longer Durmstrang and Beauxbatons students stayed at Hogwarts, the more they discussed the strengths and weaknesses of their respective schools, and the atmosphere became more targeted.
Durmstrang students often talk about their school's "unique" teaching methods—an extreme emphasis on practical combat, with dueling being just a part of the daily curriculum.
"But there are also drawbacks," Selena shrugged and said to Cho Chang, "Our courses don't have as much academic research, the library's collection is far less than Hogwarts', and the basic theory is relatively weak."
"And the environment," another Beauxbatons student interjected, frowning. "How do you guys get used to that kind of cold weather?"
Hogwarts is cold enough; I don't want to imagine living any further north.
"You'll get used to it," Selena said calmly.
To be honest, she didn't think being cold was a real flaw.
Students at Beauxbatons spoke of the elegance and sophistication of their college.
The Beauxbatons student raised an eyebrow. “Our school building itself is a work of art. Every classroom is meticulously decorated, the food is delicious, and the environment is comfortable.” She looked at Cho Chang. “Unlike here, the castle is cold and damp, and the stairs move by themselves.”
"But your curriculum focuses more on traditional magic and etiquette." Cho Chang frowned slightly. "Beauxbatons' Charms class is very strong, but in terms of the depth of Potions and Transfiguration, it still can't compare to Hogwarts."
"However, our practical magic courses are more comprehensive," another Beauxbatons student countered. "Besides the magic itself, we also learn how to cast it gracefully and how to use it appropriately in social situations."
Selena shrugged. "Of course, there's also dancing," she added.
Besides.
There was another person in the room—a portly man holding a large black camera, the lens of which was slightly steaming.
His gaze was fixed on Furong, as if searching for the best angle.
Bagman looked up sharply, saw Harry, and immediately stood up excitedly, taking a step forward and saying in a light tone, "Ah, he's here! Our youngest hero! Come in, Harry, don't be nervous, it's just the routine wand testing ceremony, the other referees will be here soon—"
"Detection wand?" Harry asked anxiously.
“Yes, we need to check your wands to make sure they’re fully functional and in good condition,” Bagman explained, his tone as relaxed as if he were discussing an upcoming party. “After all, wands are your most important tool in the upcoming competition. The experts are upstairs with Dumbledore. We’ll take some pictures after the checks are done.”
He pointed to the witch in the magenta robe and introduced her with a smile: "This is Rita Skeeter, she's writing a report for the Daily Prophet about the Triwizard Tournament—"
Harry's brow furrowed involuntarily.
He vaguely recognized the name Rita Skeeter, and now she was smiling at him with a predatory interest in her eyes.
"Before we begin, may I speak a few words with a few of the representatives, including Harry, Cho Chang, Fleur, and Selena?" she asked Bagman. "You know—to add some color to the article."
She paused for a moment, then continued, "Harry is the youngest warrior and deserves to be interviewed. As for the other three girls, they represent the three major universities. I've already decided on the title for this issue of the Daily Prophet—'Her Power.'"
"No problem!" Bagman said loudly, "but—I don't know if they'll object?"
Rita grew increasingly confident, lightly brushing away the wrinkles on her magenta robe with her fingers, seemingly acknowledging that they wouldn't refuse.
Her gaze swept over Harry, Cho Chang, Fleur, and Selena one by one.
Qiu Zhang hesitated slightly for a moment, then nodded: "If it's just a simple interview, I have no problem with that."
Hibiscus seemed quite interested when she arrived. She elegantly smoothed her hair and chuckled, "Since it's to demonstrate the power of female wizards, I don't mind cooperating."
Selena shrugged, seemingly unconcerned about the interview itself: "As long as it's not too boring."
Rita's smile deepened as she looked back at Harry: "And you, Harry?"
Harry was somewhat reluctant, but faced with everyone's gaze, especially Bagman's expectant look, he knew he had virtually no room to refuse. Besides, if he did refuse, tomorrow's Daily Prophet would likely be a completely different story, perhaps titled—"Harry Potter Refuses Interview: Afraid of Being Asked About Champion Qualifications?"
He sighed and nodded helplessly: "Okay."
"Great!" Rita clapped her hands lightly. "Well then, let's talk somewhere else." Her gaze swept across the room, finally landing on a door in the corner. "Oh, there should be a small lounge here, right?"
"You can conduct your interview here," Bagman waved dismissively. "We won't bother you."
Rita nodded in satisfaction, then looked down and took out a green quill pen and a shorthand notebook from her handbag, saying slowly, "An interview certainly needs a quiet environment to show the most authentic side."
As she spoke, she walked straight to the door and pushed it open.
"Come on, Mr. Potter, you're first."
This is a small lounge with a few old chairs, and the air is filled with the smell of ink and paper.
Harry stood in the doorway, the space in front of him so small it was suffocating.
Rita gently closed the door, and the room instantly felt even more enclosed, as if the surrounding walls were closing in.
This made him feel uneasy.
Rita walked to one of the chairs, sat down gracefully, and tapped her quill lightly on the notebook, as if waiting for a certain rhythm. She looked up, a shrewd glint in her eyes: "Well then, Harry, let's start with you."
Harry frowned slightly, knowing he couldn't refuse outright, but a sense of resistance lingered within him. He paused briefly before walking over and sitting down in the seat opposite him.
"First of all," Rita began her interview, her tone gentle and guiding, "you're the youngest Warriors player in this year's Triwizard Tournament. Everyone's curious about what gave you this opportunity at such a young age."
Harry thought about it, but didn't have a particular answer in mind.
His experiences may seem incredible to outsiders, but to him, everything was just ordinary.
"Luck," Harry replied curtly, his tone somewhat detached. "Perhaps it was fate."
Rita chuckled, not satisfied with the answer.
She lowered her head slightly, wrote a few lines, then looked up, her gaze sharp: "Luck? You seem like a humble person, but in that case, let's talk about something more personal." She paused, seemingly considering what to ask, "Do you feel you're carrying a lot of expectations? When you first entered Hogwarts, you probably didn't expect to get to where you are today. Everyone is watching you, everyone is judging you. Has that pressure ever felt overwhelming?"
Harry took a deep breath, a surge of emotions welling up inside him.
He never wanted to talk about these things in public, but Rita's gaze was too sharp, and the enclosed space made him feel out of place.
"I don't know," Harry said in a low voice. "Sometimes, I also wish I had more time to do the things I want to do."
Rita's pen traced across the paper, as if she understood the implication in his words: "Do you regret becoming a figure in this spotlight, a hero in everyone's eyes?"
Harry was startled, suddenly remembering the days he had spent at Hogwarts with his friends.
For the first eleven years at Aunt Petunia's house, he was ignored; but when he came to Hogwarts and entered the wizarding world, attention sprang up like mushrooms after rain.
This sudden change only brought him confusion.
Perhaps only a few people see him as Harry Potter, but in the eyes of most people he will always be that boy.
So Harry lowered his head and said in a low voice, "I just wish I had more choices, instead of always living up to other people's expectations."
Rita's smile froze instantly, seemingly not expecting Harry to give her such a straightforward answer.
She paused for a moment, then quickly composed herself and continued softly, "So, Mr. Potter, aside from the aura of a hero, have you considered what life will be like after the Triwizard Tournament ends? What are your plans for the future?"
Suddenly, Harry felt as if all the light was focused on him, making it hard for him to breathe. He paused, then felt a sudden, intense urge to leave the room and escape Rita's scrutinizing gaze.
"I think," Harry said softly, his voice tinged with helplessness, "I just wish I could live a simpler life."
A flicker of disappointment crossed Rita's eyes, but she quickly regained her usual professional smile. "Simple, indeed a good target. Okay, Harry, thank you for your cooperation." She put down her pen, stood up, and said, "We can finish now."
Compared to the sharp questions originally prepared, Sean's intervention softened them considerably. (PS: Even though this softening was seen as extremely sharp-tongued by Harry.)
Harry breathed a sigh of relief and was about to turn and leave when Rita suddenly called out to him.
"Wait a minute, Mr. Potter, would you mind doing me another favor and calling Miss Cho Chang in for me?"