Erwin's intuition told him that while Sunny Finch's method of entry was unique—and quite effective—the Durmstrang students inside would certainly disagree.
The door burst open to reveal Sunny Finch holding a sledgehammer. The Durmstrang students froze, bread halfway to their mouths.
"Hello, everyone! Robbery!" Sunny Finch announced with a polite bow.
Erwin had to give her points for style.
Krum's face turned to stone. "Damn it! You think we're afraid of you? If you hadn't ambushed us, you wouldn't stand a chance!"
"Right, right," Sunny Finch nodded agreeably. "But we're here again. And we've brought company."
Charlotte stepped forward, smiling coolly. "Greetings. Why not hand over the fragments now? It saves us the trouble of taking them."
Krum stiffened. He knew Charlotte's reputation. He might be talented, but he was no match for her. "Does Hogwarts want to get involved in this?"
"We have our reasons," Charlotte said. "Hogwarts doesn't want to fight Beauxbatons, and our strength is too evenly matched with the exchange students to clash right now. So, we're bothering you instead."
Krum's eyes blazed. "Very well. We won't forget this. Hogwarts, exchange students... you'll regret it."
He signaled to a crew-cut student, who reluctantly produced two parchment fragments. Krum tossed his own two to Charlotte. Resistance was pointless against both factions.
Charlotte handed two to Sunny Finch. "Thanks for the cooperation. See you around."
Erwin watched the screen, frowning.
He had suspected Voldemort had disguised himself as Krum to infiltrate Hogwarts. But this display of restraint? Unthinkable for the Dark Lord.
Voldemort, especially in his current state, was incapable of such patience.
"Where is he?" Erwin muttered.
On the screen, the combined forces of Hogwarts and the exchange students looked like bandits, efficiently completing their objective. The exchange students now held ten fragments; Hogwarts had eight. Durmstrang was left with zero.
Erwin Disapparated, reappearing instantly in the Durmstrang lounge. The students jumped.
Krum glared at him. "What do you want?"
Erwin's gaze swept the room. Ten students. No Death Eaters. No Voldemort.
He had been looking in the wrong direction.
If Voldemort hadn't infiltrated via Durmstrang, how had Harry's name entered the Goblet of Fire? Charlotte's people were watching it. To Confund them and bypass Erwin's own backup wards would require power only Voldemort possessed.
So, the Dark Lord was here. But where?
Suddenly, the realization hit him. He'd been played.
The Death Eaters had gathered in Germany, drawing everyone's attention, then vanished. The Saints couldn't track them. What if they had simply used Germany as a feint?
He couldn't have infiltrated the exchange delegation; the cultural and language barriers were too great for a Polyjuice disguise to hold up against close scrutiny.
There was only one option left.
Beauxbatons.
Erwin blinked. "No way."
He couldn't seriously have slipped into an all-girls school, could he?
Erwin tried to rationalize it. Perhaps Voldemort's body wasn't fully restored? Maybe he was desperate? But an all-girls school?
"Impossible," Erwin muttered, a dry chuckle escaping him. "Even the Dark Lord wouldn't go that far."