“My sister said that she would go swimming in the lake recently,” said Gabrielle, looking at Krum who had dived into the lake.”It’s strange … she had never been used to it before … is there anything in the lake?”
Hearing Gabrielle’s words, Hermione looked thoughtfully at Krum and felt as though she’d grasped something.
It sounded strange that two champions successively ran to the lake to practice winter swimming.
“Do you think the second task will have something to do with the lake … make the champions dive into the lake?” she said.
“Absolutely impossible!” said Ron directly. “They won’t let us go in there … unless they’re crazy!”
“Cold is nothing, but there’s still the giant squid in the lake!”
Evan helped Hermione to persuade him. Harry and Ron didn’t even think about that place.
They shrugged off Hermione’s speculation and everyone’s attention quickly shifted elsewhere.
Evan was going to meet Sirius who would help him practice Apparition. Although Evan trusted all of them, this matter was illegal in itself, and the fewer people knew about it the better.
Therefore, when they got to Hogsmeade, they separated!
Colin accompanied Gabrielle and Ginny to Honeydukes sweet shop. Gabrielle had recently given these candies as Christmas presents to her classmates from Beauxbatons, and they liked them so much. This time, she was going to buy a lot of candies to take home with them. Nᴇw ɴovel chaptᴇrs are published on novel·fire.net
As for Ron, he had a date with Lavender for lunch, but it was not yet time.
Half an hour before the appointment with Sirius, Harry suggested a visit to the Three Broomsticks.
The pub was as crowded as ever, and they ordered four butter-beers from Madam Rosmerta and found a corner.
“Look … doesn’t he ever go into the office?” Hermione whispered, pushing Evan.
She pointed into the mirror behind the bar, and Evan saw Ludo Bagman reflected there, sitting in a shadowy corner with a bunch of goblins. Bagman was talking very fast in a low voice to the goblins, all of whom had their arms crossed and were looking rather menacing, shaking their heads from time to time.
Every time the goblins shook their heads, Bagman’s face turned ugly.
“It’s a bit odd,” said Harry, watching Bagman in the mirror. “Think about it, today is the weekend. There’s no Triwizard event, and therefore no judging to be done. Why is he here?”
Bagman was looking strained again, and he kept looking around, as though searching for a way to escape.
Then, his eyes lit up as he saw Ron sitting in the corner.
He approached, whispered a few words to the goblins, and quietly pointed at the four of them.
The goblins squinted with their dark eyes and looked at Ron silently, then nodded.
“Deal, wait a moment. I’ll go and talk to the kid!” said Bagman, his boyish grin back again. He stood up and hurried toward Ron.
“Children, I didn’t expect to meet you here. What a coincidence! How have you been recently?!” he said, walking to Ron’s side. “Ron, could I have a quick, private word?”
“Well, of course!” Ron looked at Bagman puzzled, and followed him along the bar to the end furthest from Madam Rosmerta.
They stayed there for more than a minute, and Ron’s expression seemed a little surprised, and then there was a glimmer of joy.
Evan took a sip of butter-beer. It seemed that Bagman must have bet with the goblins to pay back the money. He put all his chips on Ron and bet that he could win the Triwizard Tournament. Then all his gambling debts would be written off.
Bagman was telling Ron about the secret of the Golden Egg, and Ron had accepted his help.
As a judge and Head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports, he actually violated the rules.
Cheating was really a tradition in the Triwizard Tournament.
“What are they talking about?” said Hermione, sipping butter-beer. “Those goblins don’t look very friendly?!”
“Probably about the task,” said Evan, taking out a densely packed piece of parchment from his arm.
He didn’t care about this, and he was going to use this time to review the main points of Apparition.
“Apparition looks cool and easy to use!” said Harry, staring at Evan’s parchment. “I also want Sirius to help me pass the exam, so that I don’t have to wait until adulthood.”
“No, Harry!” Hermione was shocked. “It’s illegal and very dangerous to do so. Because of Apparition failure, many people lose their lives every year. You don’t have as much power as Evan. You can’t fully master this spell…”
“I know … I’m just talking!” said Harry.
As Hermione said, Apparition was not a joke.
Failure to use often led to splinching and even death. That’s why there was a test to Apparate at the Ministry of Magic.
Evan had experienced Apparition many times, but he was still nervous about using this spell himself for the first time.
The quill in his hand kept writing and drawing on the parchment, marking the relevant points.
There are two modes of using Apparition: one is for long-distance fast transportation, and the other is for fast shifting position in duel. Although the spells are the same, the magic power consumed and the skill used are not the same.
Harry and Hermione leaned together and looked at what Evan had written to know more details.
On the other hand, Ron’s conversation with Bagman was quickly interrupted because Fred and George happened to show up at this time.
Just as they entered the pub, they saw Bagman in front of the bar.
“Hello, Mr. Bagman,” said Fred brightly. “Can we buy you a drink?”
“Well … no,” said Bagman, patting Ron on the shoulder. “No, thank you, boys…”
Fred and George looked quite as disappointed as Bagman, ready to say something more to get their money back.
“Well, I must dash,” he said. “Nice seeing you all. Good luck, Ron, and don’t forget what I said.”
He hurried out of the pub. The goblins all slid off their chairs and exited after him. Fred and George hesitated and followed.
“What did he want?” Harry said, the moment Ron had sat down.
“Nothing!” Ron shook his head and didn’t say what Bagman had told him.
He was hesitating to try this method, although it sounded ridiculous, he had no other way!
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