Chapter 806
Contestants and Judges
Chapter 806 Contestants and Judges
Stern's expression changed drastically: "Sera...Abigail? She's coming back? Didn't you say...her loyalty still needed to be tested?"
“That’s right. Her guardian has changed, which has made me a little uneasy. It might be safer to leave her at the base.”
Thorne frowned and said, "But... the longer someone like Wade Gray grows, the greater the threat he poses to us!"
"This is a rare opportunity—no puppets, no Dumbledore, and we're even trapped in the natural cage of an airplane! If we wait until we're halfway through the flight to make our move, even if they Apparate, they'll just fall into the sea!"
"If we fail even this time, then we may have no choice but to risk sacrificing Abigail by having her infiltrate England and personally kill her former student!"
At this point, he couldn't help but sigh:
"It's my fault! If I had seen the threat that kid posed back then, and hadn't harbored the unrealistic hope of winning him over... then perhaps we could have solved this problem two years ago!"
……
The airport terminal was spacious and bright, bustling with people from all over the world conversing in various languages, among whom were countless wizards.
With the alchemy competition over, the wizards who had come to participate or watch began their journeys home. Considering the difficulty of obtaining Portkeys in a foreign land, most wizards opted for Muggle transportation.
This choice is partly due to the influence of the flow mirror.
In the past, many reclusive wizards knew nothing about Muggles and would even make jokes like wearing their underwear on the outside. When they appeared in the world of ordinary people, they were as conspicuous as searchlights.
Wizards loathe being pointed at and laughed at by Muggles; those gazes are as unbearable to them as a vomiting curse.
However, after the popularity of the mirror, even the most conservative and traditional wizards couldn't resist buying one for themselves.
Through the Streamer, they not only made their own lives more interesting, but also saw what Muggle life was really like, how they took taxis, flew, booked hotels, what they wore, what they ate, and how they joked with their friends.
Of course, some wizards can't distinguish between fictional plots and reality, nor do they know that TV dramas often use exaggerated techniques to portray conflicts...
But at least nowadays, very few wizards make mistakes in their attire, and they are also familiar with popular Muggle topics and fashion trends when chatting.
This makes it easier for them to integrate into ordinary society and avoid being seen as oddballs by others, which greatly increases the likelihood of wizards going out and experiencing Muggle life—such as taking an airplane.
At the airport, whether they are wizards or ordinary people, they must abide by the airport rules, complete the check-in procedures, and wait for boarding in the designated area.
As Wade sat in his chair, reviewing the events of his trip to the United States in his mind, a figure suddenly stopped nearby, blocking part of the light.
Moody asked menacingly, "Kid, what do you want?"
Ved looked up and saw a tall Russian youth in a travel robe. The youth looked directly at Ved and said:
“I’m here to see Mr. Gray… Hello, Mr. Gray, you may not remember me—I’m also one of the contestants in the Alchemy Tournament.”
said the young man.
Wade recalled his interactions with the other party—
Lev Zakharov.
They both stayed at the White Bridge Hotel, but they hardly ever met.
During the alchemy competition, Lev Zakharov's creation was a spherical shield that could withstand both extreme cold and heat, performing admirably. However, since it wasn't a puppet, Vader didn't participate in the evaluation.
Wade was somewhat surprised that the other party took the initiative to greet him. He stood up, nodded, and said, "Hello, Mr. Zakharov."
Lev Zakharov nodded. His voice, like his personality, had a cold, hard quality, but his tone was relatively calm: "It seems we're on the same flight. Do you mind if I sit here?"
He pointed to the empty seat diagonally opposite.
“…Of course not.” Wade was a little confused, but he smiled and said, “Please go ahead.”
Moody gave Zakharov a dangerous look, but didn't say anything.
Even though he was responsible for protecting Vader, it didn't mean he could occupy nearby empty seats and prevent other passengers from sitting down. That's why Vader was surprised when Zakharov specifically asked him that question.
After sitting down, Zakharov didn't say much, but took out a book from his backpack and began to read.
However, Vader could occasionally sense a gaze drifting over from the opposite side and sweeping over him.
Shortly afterward, Lupin returned. He was slightly surprised to see Zakharov—he remembered what the athlete looked like.
Lupin looked at Vader inquiringly, but Vader gently shook his head, so Lupin sat down on Vader's other side.
Soon after, two familiar figures walked over one after the other. The person in front was looking around with the plane ticket in hand, as if searching for something. Suddenly, he locked onto his target and smiled.
"Hey! Zakharov, so you're here! Ah... Judge Gray, what a coincidence, you're on this flight too?"
Viktor Kravchuk, who had just finished building a half-finished plate armor during the match, strode over and greeted everyone in a loud voice.
Walking behind, Mordis Graves heard a familiar name. He quietly approached, a smile on his face, and said:
"What a coincidence! I never expected to meet you all at the airport. It seems fate has brought us together again."
"It's both accidental and inevitable!"
Viktor sat down next to Zakharov with an air of authority, patted the Russian youth on the back, and said:
"We're planning to go to England! I've heard there are a lot of good things hidden in Diagon Alley, and English alchemy is more advanced than back home!"
He looked at Wade, giving him a fawning smile that was quite out of character for him:
"Mr. Gray, may we ask you a few questions on our way to England?"
Moody raised his eyelids and said coldly, "The secrecy law!"
“Oh, right!” Victor scratched his head and laughed, “We really shouldn’t be discussing these things in Muggle territory!”
"Weren't you still talking?"
Zakharov said helplessly, his new friend's carefree attitude made him wonder—why wasn't this guy imprisoned by their country's Ministry of Magic?
"Ancient Europe has always contained endless wisdom, which the United States cannot match, so I also want to broaden my horizons," Mordis said softly and slowly.
"Yes, yes, especially that Lilliput adventure, I absolutely have to experience it!" Victor said, giving a thumbs up and sounding longing.
Mordis chuckled: "To weaken yourself and then compete with insects that you could normally crush with a single step? To be honest, I don't see the fun in that game."
Upon hearing this, Victor didn't refute it, but just smiled and said, "Of course, you're the kind of person who uses puppets as tools!"
"What do you mean?" Mordisi raised an eyebrow.
“It’s nothing special.” Victor grinned. “I’m praising you as a pragmatist!”
Moody raised an eyebrow and said, "What, the three of you aren't together?"
“Of course!” Victor pointed at Zakharov: “I arranged to travel with this guy, and I happened to run into Mr. Mordis Graves when I was checking in.”
Moody was about to say something when he suddenly heard a familiar voice:
"Merlin's beard! Every time I see so many people and things crammed together, waiting to be stuffed into the belly of an airplane, I feel a little dizzy!"
"Haha, this time I'm going to take a good look at that... um... that conveyor belt! And the boarding car, how exactly do they work?"
Wade and the others turned around and couldn't help but smile slightly.
The Weasleys and Harry and others arrived.
(End of this chapter)