Chapter 692
Discussion Before the Goblet of Fire
Chapter 692 The Conversation Before the Goblet of Fire
When Antoine returned to the stands, he still carried the unique, potion-infused scent of the healing tent.
DeLaine gave him a disdainful look and asked, "Is it necessary? You're already planning to resign from Salem, why are you wasting time coaxing little girls?"
“How can this be a waste?” Antoine said with a grin. “Don’t tell me you didn’t think of making this child your companion when you saw her sticking her arm into the lizard’s mouth.”
De Laine did not refute, but calmly said, "The more determined a person is, the less likely they are to change their stance. Bringing her in here could turn her into a time bomb trying to detonate us."
“Haha,” Antoine laughed, “The people at Salem Academy don’t have such a clear sense of good and evil. For them, family, friends, and relationships are the most important things.”
He narrowed his eyes slightly and said, "Besides, Salem doesn't only have Hope... The students at that school are all a bit crazy, and they get along well with us."
“Suit yourself,” Derain said. “But if you bring danger in, don’t blame me for being ruthless towards you, the one who introduced us!”
"Don't worry, don't worry, I won't cause myself any trouble," Antoine said casually. "By the way, how's the match going?"
"That Porter is about to run into Wade..."
Beside the two, the "middle-aged wizard" Grindelwald kept a close eye on the progress of the game, remaining noncommittal to their discussion, as if he didn't care at all, or as if he had handed over the power of decision to them.
……
Harry struggled through the narrow, thorny path, where the concept of time became quite blurred.
It could be ten minutes, or it could be an hour—the quiet darkness made every second feel incredibly long.
Despite the illumination from the fluorescent spell, his face and body were still occasionally scratched by the thorns, but compared to the previous dangers, the pain was almost negligible.
When a sliver of light finally appeared before him, Harry instinctively squinted—
At the end of the passage, the space suddenly opened up to a circular clearing surrounded by ancient trees. The Goblet of Fire sat quietly on a moss-covered stone platform, bathed in moonlight, appearing serene and mysterious.
Harry smiled with delight and was about to run over when he suddenly stopped.
Just a step away from the trophy, Wade stood with his back to him, looking as if he hadn't experienced any danger at all, his clothes without a single extra wrinkle.
Unlike Harry, who rolled in the mud and crawled through the grass, getting filthy from head to toe, with several tears and bloodstains on his clothes.
His heart sank suddenly, but strangely, he wasn't particularly surprised; in fact, he felt it was only natural.
Harry noticed that Vader, who was ahead of him, had been there for quite some time, but he neither reached out to touch the trophy nor cast any protective magic. He simply observed the patterns on the trophy quietly, as if waiting for something.
The moonlight stretched his shadow long, and he didn't even hold his wand in his hand, but casually tucked it into his side pocket.
Harry's breathing suddenly became rapid, and he tried several times to raise his wand, but then hesitated and put it down.
Finally, the boy sighed deeply, and his mood strangely lightened.
He dragged his weary steps over and said in a hoarse voice, "Pick it up, Wade. You're here, what are you hesitating for?"
Wade didn't make a move; he simply turned around.
Harry was surprised to find that the gray eyes did not reflect the joy of victory, but rather a complex, almost pitying expression.
His heartstrings tightened suddenly, and a bad premonition surged in like a tidal wave.
Wade reached up and adjusted the badge on his chest, his voice surprisingly calm: "What do you think if we lift the trophy together and become champions at the same time?"
Harry frowned, his forehead throbbing, and he felt annoyed.
"Why should I be modest?" he said angrily. "You got here first, you're much better than me! The champion should definitely be you!"
A strange smile appeared on Wade's lips: "But what if I told you that this trophy doesn't lead to victory, but to danger?"
He looked directly at Harry and asked, "Do you still have the courage to touch him?" When he first arrived at the location of the Goblet of Fire, Wade had thought he would encounter an ambush or a trap—
According to Barty Crouch Jr., Voldemort is still trying to resurrect himself through Harry's blood, just like in the original storyline. He shouldn't tolerate anyone other than Harry touching the trophy first.
However, Wade did not encounter any unexpected interceptors.
He believed it was because he had taken a shortcut, and after waiting for a long time without seeing a similar character appear, he realized that the situation seemed to have changed this time.
Perhaps because there were too many powerful opponents, this time, Voldemort's men did not choose to secretly help Harry eliminate his opponents, but instead sent the chosen boy to the predetermined graveyard.
Vader then examined the Goblet of Fire and discovered the clue—
This time, the trophy wasn't designed as a regular door key that moves with the user, but rather like the ring Grindelwald used in Greyhold, it continuously teleports the person who touches it.
Therefore, they don't need to risk targeting all the warriors; they just need to make sure Harry makes it to the end, and when he sees the trophy, he will naturally pick it up without any suspicion.
Even if someone were teleported away right in front of Harry, he would only assume it was a way to send players out of the Forbidden Forest and wouldn't think much of it.
Even Wade couldn't help but applaud Voldemort's design; this method was indeed much safer than Barty Jr.'s escort.
Harry asked, puzzled, "What do you mean?"
With a wave of his wand, Wade caused the surrounding bluebirds to close their eyes. Harry watched this scene without stopping him, but his expression clearly became serious.
But on an ancient pine tree not far away, there was a bluebird that had been standing there from the beginning.
Its purpose was to capture the moment each warrior approached the Goblet of Fire, but at this moment, it provides everyone in the stands with the only view of the trophy's vicinity.
Wade pretended he didn't know this, and he even looked around carefully again before speaking.
The young wizard's voice was deep and clear, echoing in the moonlit clearing:
"I had the puppet eliminate the others not because I didn't want to give them a chance to compete, but because the end of this competition isn't about cheers and glory..."
He paused, then looked at the Goblet of Fire: "This is an elaborate trap; the victor will become someone's sacrifice."
Harry's pupils contracted sharply, and his scar suddenly throbbed with pain, as if someone had also heard Wade's analysis and was suddenly filled with immense rage.
He cried out in pain, clutching his forehead, a strange anger surging within him, his green eyes flashing with a faint red light.
Wade's gaze fell on him, and he said calmly, "I believe the target is either you or me, so I'm waiting for you here."
Wade's gaze passed over Harry, as if it could penetrate the dense jungle and reach Hogwarts Castle in the distance.
“Harry, we are able to live peacefully in the sunlight because people like Dumbledore have been carrying the burden. But when things become uncontrollable, someone has to step up and face them.”
Harry suddenly realized: "You mean... Voldemort?"
The name silenced the surrounding air, as if casting a silencing spell on the distant stands, instantly quieting the chattering audience.
The next moment, a tsunami-like uproar erupted from the stands.
"Dumbledore!" Fudge couldn't contain his emotions and shouted, "What are they talking about? These two players are talking nonsense, aren't they? Isn't this Wade Gray's strategy?"
He shouted things he himself didn't believe, and Dumbledore's face showed obvious astonishment.
In the silent forest, Wade nodded slightly: "Very likely."
His mind flashed back to what Dumbledore had said to him when they met in the headmaster's office before the match:
“Wade, what I’m about to say might be hard for you to understand—but this time, I hope you can help Voldemort be resurrected.”
(End of this chapter)