Hamburg Carrow and Chips Flint looked in surprise toward the direction the sound had come from.
What was that?
It was as if an ancient giant beast, slumbering deep within the dense forest, had been disturbed.
First came several roars, layered over one another, shaking the heavens and the earth, making their hearts pound like drums!
Screams followed immediately.
Then, an even more terrifying silence descended.
Many dreadful thoughts couldn't help but arise in their minds.
The information hadn't mentioned such dangers in the Corrupted Great Swamp!
Moreover, hadn't Ludo Bagman, the event organizer, sworn that they had thoroughly checked everything?!
"What are you still standing around for? Hurry up and move!"
Ahead, Captain Gemma Farley whispered urgently.
She had also heard those screams, and her face was somewhat pale, but she still maintained her composure and calm demeanor.
"..."
Being reprimanded in front of the other team members, the expressions of the two men darkened.
But in the end, they said nothing more, merely lifting their feet to follow the team.
It's fine.
That monster was still far from them.
As long as they moved quickly, they wouldn't be caught!
...
Evening.
The group set up camp on a flat piece of ground and lit a fire.
It was as if the Goddess of Fortune had truly protected them.
Along the way, they hadn't encountered that unknown monster.
"Hamburg, Chips, you two go set up the protective barrier," Gemma said sternly, frowning. "Be quick about it."
For some reason, Gemma always had an ominous premonition.
It was as if in the shadows cast by the pine trees and bushes, a pair of eyes had been silently watching them.
Watching them flee in a hurry.
Watching them sigh in relief, mistakenly believing they were out of danger.
For a moment, Gemma felt as if she had become prey in this dense forest.
No matter how she ran, it would only delay the inevitable outcome of being hunted.
A chill rose from the bottom of her heart.
Gemma pursed her red lips, a hint of helpless fear appearing in her eyes, as she suppressed the unease within her heart.
Unlike her tension, Hamburg and Chips had completely relaxed.
"Alright, alright, alright~"
They drew out their words, lazily responding.
With arms around each other's shoulders, they left the campsite to set up the magic barrier around it.
"Peacekeeping Charm."
"Protego."
"Should we cast a Muggle-Repelling Charm too?"
The two men laughed foolishly together.
"I really don't know why Miss Farley is so nervous, as if the monster is about to jump out and eat us."
Hamburg sneered.
He casually waved his wand, weaving a translucent barrier.
After half a day of travel, he had long since forgotten about that monster.
This might even be a distraction tactic from another team.
Just to make their competitors uneasy and lead them to make wrong judgments.
Hamburg: "I didn't expect Miss Farley, of all people, to fall for it so easily... Perhaps it's because she's been hanging around with that Mudblood."
"That 'Great Painter,' Ethan Vincent."
"Heh, he's probably crying in a corner right now—oh! Or, he's already been sent to St. Mungo's!"
His companion, Chips, nodded in agreement, laughing:
"It's also possible—that Mudblood didn't even have the courage to enter the forest and just dropped out!"
The two mocked him to their hearts' content, thoroughly pleased.
Just then, Chips felt a swelling in his lower abdomen and said, "I'm going to relieve myself."
Hamburg joked, "Don't get it bitten off."
"That would have to be Merlin doing the biting, heh heh."
His companion's figure disappeared into the darkness.
Actually, according to Gemma's requirements, they should at least act in pairs.
But Gemma Farley didn't know a thing about the Challenge Cup!
He was just going to relieve himself—what could happen?
"It's just a pity that Ethan didn't fall into my hands."
Hamburg thought regretfully.
"If I met him, I'd let him know that Slytherin isn't someone he can provoke!"
Hamburg's mind was filled with various evil thoughts, imagining all sorts of scenarios.
He really wanted to personally injure Ethan severely...
Anyway, [In such a dangerous competition, anything could happen]...
His earlier thought surfaced in his mind.
All of this started when he met that hooded You-Know-Who in the Hog's Head Inn...
Just then, Hamburg suddenly came to his senses, realizing a problem:
Why hadn't Chips returned yet?
Was he constipated?
Hamburg swallowed, glanced back at the warmly orange-lit camp, and turned to walk into the shadows.
He was just going to find someone nearby—it was fine...
"Chips? Chips Flint—"
Hamburg called out in a low voice.
His voice echoed in the empty, dense forest.
The further he got from the camp, the more the warmth and light diminished.
Only the surrounding gloom remained, along with occasional whistling chirps from the treetops.
"Damn it, where did that guy go to the bathroom? He didn't really get dragged into the water by an alligator, did he..."
Hamburg muttered, unbuttoning his robe.
Perhaps it was due to his anxiety, but he felt somewhat flushed.
Suddenly, Hamburg stopped, his gaze fixed on a protruding cliff ahead.
On it were charred and messy marks.
A wave of intense heat washed over him, and deep claw marks ploughed into the ground, even shattering and melting the hard permafrost.
They crisscrossed, each one as thick as Hamburg's forearm.
—What kind of enormous monster left these?!
And what made Hamburg's whole body go cold was a wand at the edge of the cliff, illuminated by the moonlight.
Although the distance was far, Hamburg couldn't see clearly.
But he instinctively realized that it was left by his companion.
Step by step...
Hamburg walked to the edge of the cliff.
His mind was blank, moving only by instinct.
Then, he looked down.
And met the gaze of Chips, who was lying on his back.
!!!
In that instant, Hamburg felt his heart stop!
His blood froze, and a terrifying chill rapidly spread to his limbs and bones, making his hands and feet numb!
His companion, who had gone to relieve himself, now lay silently at the foot of the low cliff.
His face was as pale as paper, and there was a pool of dark red liquid beneath him.
His eyes were wide open, staring blankly upwards.
As if he had seen something incredibly terrifying before he fell!
Hamburg's breathing became increasingly rapid.
He recalled the roars and screams he had heard earlier.
The next second.
"Gurgle..."
The low growl of a beast sounded behind him.
Flame-like heat beat against his back.
[In such a dangerous competition, anything could happen]...
His earlier thought surfaced in his mind.
No, please don't...
Hamburg trembled like a sieve.
His upper and lower teeth clattered, gnashing, and tears welled up in his eyes.
No, please, I am a noble pureblood, not some lowly Mudblood...
You can't do this to me!!!
"Roar!"
A thunderous roar interrupted Hamburg's thoughts.
Like a starting gun.
Hamburg turned, not even looking in the direction of the roar, and scrambled toward the camp!
He tripped over a vine and fell to the ground.
Sharp gravel cut his face, and foul-smelling, dirty mud and dead leaves filled his mouth.
Yet even so, he dared not stop!
Like a cat playing with a mouse.
The unknown monster's breath sprayed behind him.
Occasionally, it would let out a low growl, urging him to ignore the pain.
He could only desperately run forward at full speed!
Ethan, the competition, everything vanished from his mind.
Now, he just wanted to live!!!
Hamburg looked at the hazy warmth of the camp ahead, tears streaming down his face.
—As long as, as long as he could reach that place!!!
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