As Pansy and her friends drew closer, Draco and his group started attracting attention, but when nothing else happened, the curiosity around them gradually died down.
It was around this time that Cedric Diggory finished signing up.
But things still weren't over, because the Weasley twins seemed to be up to something...
"Are you really going to do this?"
"I don't think this is a good idea, Fred."
"Relax, Anna. George and I are sure this will work."
"Just let them go. They're not listening to anyone right now."
Just as Ginny, who knew her brothers better than anyone, had said, Fred and George weren't going to be stopped that easily. At the very least, the Weasley twins wouldn't give up until they found out the result for themselves.
And besides, most Gryffindors were secretly hoping the twins' plan would work, because then even the underage ones could enter their names.
Of all of them, Harry Potter wanted this method to work the most.
So when Ginny looked at him for help, Harry Potter pretended he hadn't seen it.
Compared to everyone else, Harry Potter was the wizard who most wanted to become a Champion...
"Alright, then we just need a few drops."
"Since we only need to age a few more months."
"If one of us wins, we split the thousand Galleons three ways!"
Besides the Weasley twins, their good friend Lee Jordan was joining in as well—and the moment prize money was mentioned, all three of their eyes lit up.
Clearly, the lure of Galleons might be far stronger than the honor of Hogwarts.
After all, not every wizard lived surrounded by wealth...
"Let's do it!"
"Go!"
"We've got this!"
The three of them stood up, threw their hands into the air, and shouted, instantly drawing attention from students of every house.
Startled, everyone noticed the parchments in their hands. The Weasley twins, who never missed a chance to show off, didn't even try to hide anything, boldly letting every wizard see the names written on them.
Fred Weasley and George Weasley—followed by the name of the school they represented.
Hogwarts!
...
"What are they doing?"
"Signing up? But I thought the Weasley twins were still a few months away from turning seventeen."
"Looks like they've found some kind of workaround."
Pansy and Hermione shifted their gaze from Draco to the Weasley twins, who looked impossibly confident.
Anyone could see they fully believed they could beat the age restriction Dumbledore had set.
Even Draco, who had been absorbed in the runes, couldn't stop himself from glancing over...
"Ready?"
"Yeah, of course! I've been waiting for this!"
"Alright... I'll go first, then..."
Fred Weasley, having reached the Goblet of Fire before the other two, now stood at the very edge of the golden line. He rocked forward on his toes, swaying as if about to dive from a great height, making everyone watching tense up.
Then, under dozens of watchful eyes, Fred Weasley took a deep breath and stepped across the golden line.
"..."
"..."
"Success! Hahaha! We—"
For a split second, everyone thought Fred Weasley had really done it. Behind him, George Weasley and Lee Jordan couldn't hold back and stepped in as well.
But only Draco noticed that the runes under his fingertips shifted at that exact moment, glowing as brilliantly as his own eyes.
Bang!
Fred and the others barely made it halfway through their laughter before a loud crack cut them off.
The moment they jumped forward, a sharp hiss hit their ears. Their vision flashed, their bodies jolted, and when they came to, they realized they'd been thrown backward.
The physical pain didn't bother them half as much as the crushing disappointment of their plan failing.
To everyone else, it looked as though an invisible giant hand had simply grabbed the Weasley family and hurled them away.
After the initial shock came an eruption of laughter, because when the three of them picked themselves up off the floor, identical long white beards hung from their chins.
But a few people, including Harry Potter, didn't find it funny at all.
This was clearly a warning and a punishment. It also proved Fred and George's method didn't work. They couldn't even get close to the Goblet of Fire, let alone drop their parchments inside...
"That was an Aging Potion, wasn't it?"
"Mm... Looks like potions won't cut it." At some point, Astoria had appeared beside Draco.
Astoria, who had spent countless hours mastering potions, immediately identified the method the Weasley twins had used.
Draco wasn't surprised by her comment and withdrew his gaze.
"Obviously, as you said, potions alone can't fool this spell."
"So? What are you planning?"
"I'll need some time."
Pansy and the others, who hadn't held out much hope, froze for several seconds at Draco's words.
They seemed unable to process what he was implying.
It wasn't that it couldn't be done. It wasn't impossible.
It was the depth in his eyes and the certainty in his voice...
...
Hogwarts Library.
Thud.
"These books seem related to Ancient Runes. If they end up being useless, I'll look for more."
"Mm..."
Hermione glanced at Draco, who kept reading without even lifting his head. Instead of feeling annoyed at being ignored, she quietly pulled out a chair beside him and began straightening the scattered books on the table.
Looking closely, every book dealt with Ancient Runes.
Hermione rarely looked confused, but now she did.
In truth, by third year, every young wizard had studied Ancient Runes. She just hadn't expected Draco to dive into them now, of all times.
To Hermione, Ancient Runes weren't anything particularly extraordinary. Weren't they simply an old writing system?
At best, something with historical research value...
"I can see the confusion in your eyes. Go on, say it."
Draco didn't have much time, but when he noticed Hermione hesitating, he didn't mind dividing his attention. Besides, he was already forming an idea.
Rustle, rustle~
With only the two of them in the library, the sound of pages turning made the space feel even quieter.
Hermione blinked.
"Why..."
"First of all, its real name isn't just Ancient Runes."
"Huh?"
"Ancient Magic Runes."
"Ancient Magic Runes?"
"Yeah. To me, that's the subject that actually fascinates people—once you understand what it truly means."
"Meaning?"
"Depth, mystery, and power."
Hermione stared at Draco's eyes, which practically glowed.
So that was why they had snuck into the Restricted Section...
...
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