There wasn't much left to do once the truth was clarified.
Following that, Barty Crouch announced some details about the tournament.
The first task of the Triwizard Tournament would take place on November 24th, in front of other students and the panel of judges.
During the tasks, champions were not allowed to request or accept any help from their teachers. Armed only with their wands, they faced the first challenge.
Details about the second task would be revealed after the conclusion of the first.
Afterward, the judges, the three headmasters, and the champions all left the room.
It was clear that Madam Maxime, Professor Karkaroff, and the other champions accepted the results but were clearly displeased.
For Hogwarts' two champions, Harry and Hermione, the next few days were the most difficult at Hogwarts.
Harry began to face sneers and taunts from Ravenclaw and some other students in the school.
Even though Ravenclaws had always gotten along well with Gryffindors, they now distanced themselves from Harry.
This change in attitude from Ravenclaws was understandable; they were supporting their own champion.
As for Slytherins, they insulted him viciously—Harry was unpopular among them because he had repeatedly defeated Slytherin in Quidditch matches and House Cup competitions.
However, to Harry's surprise, he had hoped that Hufflepuffs would support him as they supported Hermione, but he was wrong.
Most of the Hufflepuffs seemed to believe he had manipulated the Goblet of Fire to get fame for himself.
In addition, there was the fact that Hermione seemed more like a true champion than him.
She had consistently achieved top grades in all subjects every year, demonstrated the Patronus Charm in front of everyone last semester, protected the entire school from Dementors, defeated many adult wizards during the summer, won the International Wizard Duelling Championship, and even caught a Dark Wizard during the competition.
Although Hermione was young, these achievements were enough to prove her abilities.
These prejudices weren't enough to break Harry.
He remembered how in his second year, many students suspected him of attacking his classmates, and those days were almost as difficult as they were now.
However, at that time, Ron stood by his side.
Harry thought that as long as Ron remained his good friend, he could handle whatever the rest of the school threw at him.
But now, even Ron didn't believe him; he thought Harry had used some trickery and treated him like a fool, almost breaking off their friendship.
In the original book, they also had Hermione as a friend to mediate, but because of Alaric's influence, Hermione joined Ravenclaw, and their relationship was just that of ordinary classmates, which endangered their friendship.
Meanwhile, Hermione wasn't doing much better.
Of course, unlike Harry, Hermione was considered a legitimate champion by everyone, enjoying the support and adoration of the entire Hogwarts, even the Slytherins who disliked her Muggle background supported her to suppress Potter.
However, Hermione herself didn't like being in the limelight.
After the initial excitement, she began to feel bored because the worship disrupted her normal study and life.
It wasn't the first time someone had begged Hermione to sign their book bag at breakfast.
In addition, after becoming a champion, she immediately became the most popular girl in Hogwarts.
Boys appeared around her like bees and butterflies, which annoyed her.
Alaric had hung some of the more annoying pursuers upside down on the corridor, but that did not stop this tide.
"They're not really trying to pursue other girls," Hermione complained to Alaric. "They just think it's cool to have a girlfriend who is a champion."
"In fact, I think so too," Alaric teased her in response.
After lunch one day, Hermione and Alaric found a farce in the corridor, where Slytherin students surrounded Harry Potter outside the hall, with large badges pinned to the fronts of their robes.
All the badges bore the same inscription, bright red letters shining in the dim corridor like fire:
Support Hermione Granger—
Hogwarts' True Champion
"Who made these?" Hermione exclaimed excitedly when she saw the badge.
"Well, I don't know yet. You seem to like it," Alaric said, stroking his chin.
"But the design of this badge isn't great. How about I design a new one for you as the ''Hermione Granger Fan Club' logo?"
"Who would like this thing!" Hermione loudly complained, "This badge is so embarrassing, and what's with the 'Hermione Granger Fan Club'? What a mess!"
"It's just been established. Don't you like it?"
"Stop joining in!"
In the corridor, seeing Harry approaching, Malfoy, the leader of Slytherin, shouted loudly, "Do you like it, Potter? They have other tricks—look!"
He pressed the badge hard against his chest. The words disappeared, replaced by another line of glowing green letters:
Potter is a Loser
The Slytherins burst into weird laughter. Each of them pressed their badges, and soon, the glaring words "Potter is a Loser" were everywhere around Harry.
"Oh, very clever," Hermione mocked the Slytherins, evaluating them. "Really witty..."
Halfway through, she amused herself.
Immediately afterward, right in front of them, Harry and the Slytherin snakes started fighting.
Harry's spell hit Goyle's face, and Malfoy's hit Harry.
Goyle screamed loudly, covering his nose with his hand. Ugly pimples were popping out of his nose—Harry nervously groaned, tightly covering his mouth.
The farce attracted Snape, and to avoid trouble, Hermione immediately pulled Alaric away from there.
"Oh, I think all this might be unfair to Harry," she said awkwardly on the way back to Ravenclaw Tower.
"Clearly, Harry didn't put his own name in the Goblet of Fire on purpose to become a champion, but everyone is bullying him like this..."
"Don't be silly," Alaric glanced at her, reminding her.
"This competition itself won't be fair. In fact, the champions from three different houses, each house's teachers, will help their students cheat. This is also a tradition of the Triwizard Tournament.
In fact, due to the help of the Ministry of Magic for the competition project, some people are sure to know about the project in advance.
I can guarantee that within a week, Fleur and Krum will definitely know about the project in advance."
Alaric's words once again shook the girl's worldview. She finally understood that this world was not as simple as she thought.
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