After a short break, Cedric Diggory and Fleur Delacour returned to the arena to compete for the runner-up position.
The two went back and forth, and after a fierce exchange, they both simultaneously used Expelliarmus on each other. Two dazzling red lights struck their targets precisely, and their wands flew from their hands.
This dramatic scene brought the competition to a close.
Professor McGonagall imdiately announced a tie, and Cedric and Fleur jointly shared the runner-up honor of this Triwizard Duelling Competition.
...
...
The Great Hall had never been so lively and warm.
The long tables had been cleared away, replaced by a lavish buffet and round tables for more casual conversation.
The air was filled with the aroma of food, the sweetness of pumpkin juice, and the excited, reluctant chatter of hundreds of students.
Fleur Delacour was surrounded by a group of Hogwarts and Beauxbatons girls, her bell-like laughter particularly pleasant to the ear.
She was gracefully demonstrating how to conjure a shimring ice rose from the tip of her wand.
"It's so beautiful!"
Astoria, a first-year from Hogwarts, exclaid earnestly. Fleur smiled and gently handed the ice rose to her.
"Oh, ladies, we can do that trick too!" George Weasley saw the scene and imdiately grinned as he walked over.
With a wave of his wand, he conjured a sunflower with golden petals that bobbed its head and, even more ridiculously, sang loudly in a comical tone.
"Hey, George! Why are you hogging all the lilight by yourself?" Fred's voice followed closely behind as he slung an arm around his brother's shoulder, a mischievous grin on his face. "Just singing is boring—watch this!"
Fred lightly tapped the singing sunflower with his wand.
Instantly, the sunflower seed to co alive, continuing its off-key song while wildly wiggling its stem and petals, performing a clumsy, hilarious dance that made the surrounding girls burst into laughter.
"By the way," George suddenly rembered sothing and turned to an older girl from the Beauxbatons team, "Where did Professor Nixia from your school go? We wanted to give her this 'passionate' sunflower as a farewell gift!"
Fred nodded enthusiastically beside him, his expression full of "sincerity."
The girl glanced around with a smile. "I'm not sure. She was just here a mont ago—I saw her when dinner started... maybe she went to talk to the Headmasters?"
"Alright!" the twins said in unison, then stuffed the still-singing, wildly dancing sunflower into George's pocket with a touch of regret.
...
At a nearby round table, Hermione Granger was quietly telling Harry and Ron, "Did you hear? This competition has been officially renad the 'Inter-School Duelling Championship,' and it's going to be held every year from now on!"
"Really? Who told you?" Ron asked through a mouthful of chicken leg, eyes wide.
"Rumor, but a very reliable one," Hermione said as she picked up a glass of pumpkin juice. "It's said to be the result of a discussion just held by the three Headmasters."
"Is that so?" Harry frowned, his eyes scanning the Great Hall. "But ever since the finals started this afternoon, I haven't seen Professor Dumbledore. And... Professor Greengrass seems to have disappeared too. You don't think he's in trouble, do you?"
"Why would you say that?" Ron asked, swallowing his food, puzzled.
"Umbridge," Hermione lowered her voice, a hint of worry in her tone. "We all saw what happened—she had her finger cut off by Professor Greengrass..."
"She deserved it!" Ron stabbed a piece of roasted sausage and said indignantly, "I've never seen such a disgusting woman! She wanted to ruin the competition from the start!"
"But..." Harry still looked uneasy. "She is from the Ministry of Magic, and not in a low position. She's... what was it again?"
"Senior Undersecretary to the Minister for Magic Law Enforcent. Fudge's favorite arse licker," Hermione quickly added. "Professor Greengrass did that to her in public... The Ministry definitely won't let it go. He's likely to get into trouble over this..."
"They'd better behave if they know what's good for them!"
Ron was unfazed, full of blind confidence in Sagres. "Professor Greengrass isn't soone to ss with. Didn't you see? He's easily the most powerful professor at Hogwarts..."
"I'm not denying his strength, Ron," Hermione explained patiently, "But the problem is, he's facing the entire bureaucratic machine of the Ministry of Magic. And Fudge, that—"
"Don't worry, Hermione," Ron said confidently, "Have you forgotten? In the past, there were already complaints that Professor Greengrass's teaching thods were too radical—cursing students and so on—and in the end, nothing ever ca of it. He knows how to handle these things! And..."
He lowered his voice, with a hint of gossip. "Professor Greengrass and Professor Nixia are friends in private too, right? I an, besides her, he must have other influential... er... connections."
Harry nodded. "Exactly. They might be dealing with it right now. Look—Professor isn't even in the Great Hall tonight..."
He pointed toward the staff table, where all the seats were empty.
"Ohoho! What do I hear? The Professors aren't here?"
A high-pitched voice suddenly rang out from under the table, followed by Peeves's head, wearing a jingling bell-hat, eerily popping up above the tabletop with a mischievous grin.
The three young wizards were stunned.
"You... what are you trying to do?" Ron was the first to react, swallowing hard, his voice slightly strained. "I'm warning you, Peeves—you… you shouldn't be here! This is a dinner party!"
"It's not your place to tell Lord Peeves where he can go!"
Peeves shot up in front of Ron, his nose almost touching Ron's, and sneered, "Lord Peeves does whatever he pleases! Lord Peeves goes wherever he likes! Especially—when the great Professor Greengrass isn't around! Wahahahahaha!"
Before he finished laughing, under the horrified gaze of the trio, Peeves suddenly pulled out a massive pile of items from his seemingly bottomless, oversized trousers pocket—not just a pile, but an entire mountain of prank gear!
Tickling powder, crackling dungbombs, self-inking quills, super-sticky bubblegum bombs, fake cockroaches that bit fingers, and countless colorful fireworks that practically scread disaster...
The pile tumbled down like a miniature mudslide onto the dining table in front of them, instantly burying Hermione's pumpkin juice and Ron's half-eaten chicken leg.
"Tonight is Lord Peeves's night of revelry!"
Peeves flipped through the air with glee, grabbing a huge stink bomb that emitted thick green smoke. "No one can stop ! Let's begin with... Oh! Look who it is? The annoying Gryffindor brats! Let's start with you! Taste Lord Peeves's 'Midnight Fright Gift Pack'! Take this—"
He raised the ominous green stink bomb high above his head, ready to smash it down on the trio and the table full of food.
"No—!" Hermione shrieked.
"Run!" Harry shouted, grabbing Hermione's arm.
Ron, anwhile, stared in despair as his beloved chicken leg vanished beneath the avalanche of prank items.
__________
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