Directly asking a girl to become your most important person is straightforward and could easily lead to misunderstandings. Since arriving at Hogwarts, Fleur has received attention from many male students in various ways, but Ivan's approach is the most direct she has encountered.
Given the circumstances, Fleur is aware of Ivan's intentions, which might lead her to think he is pursuing her like many other male students.
"To be honest, your proposition is quite intriguing," Fleur says skeptically. "But why do you want to do this?"
"I'm genuinely concerned about Gabrielle," Ivan replies. He avoids being too explicit and gazes into Fleur's eyes. "The second task is far more dangerous than you imagine. There might be unforeseen complications underwater. Do you really want Gabrielle to take that risk?"
Fleur hesitates because she genuinely doesn't want Gabrielle in harm's way.
"If it's as dangerous as you say, you could substitute for Gabrielle in the lake..." Fleur suggests.
"Don't worry," Ivan reassures her. "You know my abilities. No matter what happens, I'll be fine."
After a brief silence, Fleur finally makes up her mind.
"Thank you, Ivan," she says in a hushed tone, raising her voice slightly. "But how will we make others believe this? As you know, everyone sees Gabrielle as my most important person. How do you plan to replace her?"
Indeed, Barty Jr. Crouch is not naive. If Ivan were to suddenly participate in the second task, it would raise suspicions.
"Regardless of the reason, it won't be easy given my status," Fleur adds, shaking her head. Then, as if struck by an idea, she asks, "Are you suggesting you become my boyfriend? Would that be the only way for Hermione to agree?"
Gabrielle had informed Ivan that Fleur had recently broken up with Roger Davies and was now single. More accurately, she had ended things with him before the Yule Ball. Ivan becoming Fleur's boyfriend and publicly announcing it could indeed be a feasible approach.
In matters of the heart, people naturally view their significant others as their most important people. Ivan also has a legitimate reason to participate in the competition, which would not raise too many questions. Even if Barty Jr. Crouch were to become suspicious, it would be challenging to prove anything.
Before his discussion with Dumbledore, the professor had proposed a similar idea.
However, starting a romantic relationship with Fleur suddenly and unexpectedly is quite unusual. Ivan needs a better plan.
The inspiration for using Polyjuice Potion came from Karkaroff and Barty Jr. Crouch posing as Moody. With the Polyjuice Potion, Ivan can replace Gabrielle in the competition without raising any suspicions. But for this plan to work, Fleur and Gabrielle need to cooperate.
The Polyjuice Potion lasts only an hour, so Ivan must time it perfectly. They must switch places before the second task begins, and it might be impossible to achieve if they don't coordinate well.
As for the real Gabrielle, they have two options: hide her or transform her into Ivan. Ivan prefers the latter to confuse Barty Jr. Crouch. He plans to discuss this with Hermione.
Ivan also contemplates switching places with Ron but realizes the risks are too great. Ron may not agree, and the champions' status is sensitive. Barty Jr. Crouch will be closely monitoring the champions during the second task.
Barty Jr. Crouch's primary target is capturing Harry, and his use value to Voldemort is fully realized when he personally kills Harry using Harry's blood. Ivan and the others handling these matters are crucial for the plan's success.
This is also why Dumbledore cannot appear for the time being. If, after Voldemort's return, Ivan suddenly changes his appearance from Ron to himself, it would be highly suspicious. Why would he rush to Voldemort's location without any apparent reason?
Moreover, the sudden transformation of a champion would be extremely unusual. Even if Voldemort were to investigate, nothing would seem out of the ordinary, and all appearances would be convincing.
The strong bond between Ivan, Fleur, and Gabrielle is well-known; many can vouch for it. It's all a series of coincidences, and Voldemort's plot has succeeded. Ivan and Dumbledore hope that Voldemort will understand this.
Only Snape and Sirius might partially understand the real plan, as they will be responsible for dealing with Barty Jr. Crouch.
Ivan also plans to inform Hermione to ensure her cooperation.
As for Fleur and Gabrielle, Ivan will leave it to them to figure out the reasons for his request. Harry and Ron are completely in the dark about these plans.
In short, Ivan tells Fleur his plan and, after about 20 minutes of discussion, successfully convinces her. Fleur's genuine concern for Gabrielle plays a significant role in her decision. The lake is dangerous, and Fleur doubts Gabrielle's ability to handle the second task. The lake is inhabited by various magical creatures, and Fleur is not particularly skilled in Defense Against the Dark Arts or combat. She doesn't want Gabrielle to risk her life in the lake.
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After Fleur leaves, Evan doesn't return to the castle but heads to Hagrid's small cabin. Inside, he finds Harry and Sirius, who has transformed into a large black dog. In the days leading up to the competition, Hagrid has allowed them to stay here under his name. Even if students see them, it's not an issue as they can claim to be looking for a new pet with Hagrid due to Evan's giant heritage.
Everyone at Hogwarts is used to Hagrid's peculiar habits, from his fierce demeanor to his affinity for dangerous creatures with sharp fangs. In fact, it would be unusual for Hagrid not to seek out new and potentially dangerous creatures. Compared to the three-headed dog, Acromantula, and Blast-Ended Skrewt, a big black dog doesn't raise eyebrows.
No one knows that Sirius is an Animagus, and his real identity remains hidden as Sirius Black. Evan doesn't mind as long as Sirius doesn't cause any trouble.
Time flies, and February has arrived, bringing excitement and tension within the castle. Everyone eagerly awaits the second task, which is scheduled for Saturday. Discussions about the nature of the competition are in full swing.
Evan has prepared extensively for the task, and the combined efforts of Harry, Ron, and Hermione have significantly improved their magical abilities. Over the past few days, they've been practicing spells in empty classrooms, with Professor McGonagall allowing them to use the Transfiguration classroom during lunchtime.
Evan has mastered the magic he needs, and he's delving into the study of several practical dark magic spells. He's put alchemy, ancient magical languages, and demonology on hold, planning to revisit them after the competition.
Among the trio of Harry, Ron, and Hermione, Hermione has the fastest learning curve. After a few practice sessions, she quickly grasps spells like Reductor Curse, Shield Charm, and Impediment Jinx. However, she struggles with the flexibility needed to effectively use various spells in combat, which is Harry's strong suit. Harry is agile and skilled in utilizing spells comprehensively, making him the most versatile of the three. Despite his slower learning pace, Ron eventually catches up, thanks to Hermione's strict supervision.
Now, they gather at Hagrid's cabin every night to receive special training from Sirius. This hands-on training is much more effective than simply studying from books and covers a wide range of magical knowledge and combat skills that Sirius possesses.
Around 8 o'clock in the evening, Sirius returns to the castle. After that, he has free rein to act as he wishes. While Sirius has reassured them repeatedly that he won't cause any trouble, Evan knows that he has ventured to the Durmstrang ship at night, specifically sneaking into Karkaroff's office. Thankfully, Sirius knows when to exercise discretion and avoids Barty Jr. Crouch.
A few days before the competition, Evan switches places with Gabrielle. Fudge and Bagman will be arriving at Hogwarts soon, and the preparations for the second task may begin at any moment. According to the rules, the champions shouldn't know the exact nature of the competition in advance. They'll be gathering their "most important person" a day early.
After breakfast, Evan leaves the castle with Hermione to meet Gabrielle. Hermione is worried about the plan but ultimately supports Evan. She helps Evan refine the plan and address some details. While Evan initially tried to withhold certain information from Hermione, fearing she might jump to conclusions, he realized that she was far more intelligent and wise than he anticipated. Even if she doesn't understand everything, she'll likely figure it out once the news of Voldemort's return spreads.
Conversely, Gabrielle is anxiously waiting in her room, feeling like a cat on a hot tin roof. Although she initially rejected the idea of swapping places with Evan, the combined persuasion of Evan and Fleur finally convinced her to agree. She doesn't want Evan to risk his life, but he has other reasons for this plan. Moreover, going underwater is terrifying, and switching places with Evan adds to her anxiety.
When they all finally meet, the atmosphere is a bit awkward. Fleur breaks the ice, urging them to move forward with the plan.
Evan explains that he has prepared Polyjuice Potion. Adding a strand of hair to it can transform into each other's appearance for about an hour. Evan hands a vial to Hermione and says, "This vial is prepared. It contains a strand of my hair. Gabrielle, please provide a few strands of your hair."
Gabrielle quickly pulls some hair from her head, slightly embarrassed. Evan takes the strands and pours them into the potion. As soon as the hair touches the liquid, it bubbles and emits smoke. In the blink of an eye, it turns into a clear, pale blue color, resembling the clear sky.