Seeing the great blue flame, Rose smiled at Dumbledore and walked back to the Gryffindor table. She was more than confident that Hogwarts would win even if she didn't participate in the end.
At the same moment, Asterion walked up to the Goblet of Fire. He passed by Rose, who winked at him and made a V-sign with her fingers as she sat at the Gryffindor table.
Asterion rolled his eyes at his cousin's antics and approached the Goblet of Fire.
While staring intently at Dumbledore, Asterion threw his ticket into the fire, which flared up even more, burning furiously with its blue flames.
Seeing this, Dumbledore's eyes narrowed. He noticed something unusual about the boy.
Strong.
That was the feeling Dumbledore had about Asterion. He was strong; after all, he was a Special Grade Wizard, but he had become even stronger at that moment. This was something impossible according to the logic of this world. People didn't suddenly become stronger. This meant that Asterion had done something unnatural to increase his magical reserves so significantly in such a short time.
Looking deeply at the fourteen-year-old boy, Dumbledore smiled gently and stroked his long white beard, although his eyes indicated he was thinking more deeply than usual.
Returning to the Slytherin table, Asterion crossed his legs and looked at Dumbledore. He knew the man had noticed something, which was normal. His magical energy had more than tripled compared to the beginning of the first year.
But in the end, it didn't matter if Albus Dumbledore knew about his strength. He was strong, and Dumbledore was equally strong. Both were like two great walls, preventing each other from acting against their interests. The only problem was Rose; the teenager was capable of breaking both walls if she wanted to, thus disrupting the delicate balance between them.
While Asterion reflected, the entire voting ceremony ended, and Dumbledore approached the Goblet of Fire.
Clearing his throat, Dumbledore waved his wand, and the fire in the goblet began to swirl, creating a large name made of blue flames.
"Representing the House of Hufflepuff!" Dumbledore announced excitedly, pausing dramatically before continuing as he saw the students couldn't bear the wait any longer.
"Cedric Diggory!"
A flood of applause and cheers erupted from the Hufflepuff table the moment Dumbledore's voice ceased. A very handsome boy with light brown hair and green eyes stood up with his fist raised high.
Smiling gently at the young man who would represent Hufflepuff, Dumbledore looked once more at the Goblet of Fire.
With the same wand movement, another name appeared, formed by blue flames, but the name that appeared made Dumbledore surprised for a moment.
"Representing the House of Ravenclaw." Dumbledore spoke in a strange tone. "Luna Lovegood!"
Unlike the expected barrage of applause, silence fell when the small figure of the girl stood up at the Ravenclaw table. Her hair was blonde, almost white, and her eyes were ethereal blue. She wore two earrings shaped like carrots and had an amused smile on her lips.
Unperturbed by the silence from her housemates, Luna waved amiably at Cedric, who was genuinely surprised to have a second-year teammate but still waved back.
Looking into the girl's almost silver-blue eyes, Dumbledore smiled, unfazed. Surprises were always the most fun.
Turning to face the Goblet of Fire once more and repeating the same wand movement, an enormous name formed of blue flames large enough for all to see appeared, making the silent room fall into an even deeper hush.
"Representing the House of Gryffindor."
"Rose Potter!!!"
Dumbledore's voice woke everyone from their stupor.
Not only were the students stunned, but the ministers and presidents of magic were alarmed. Though they didn't know the true extent of Rose Potter's power, after the reports of the Invasion of Hogwarts, it was clear that the girl was one of the seven Special Grade Wizards fighting that day.
"What is the meaning of this, Dumbledore!" The Russian Minister of Magic, Dmitri Ivanov, rose from his seat, demanding with a deeply irritated voice. An aura of magic that belonged only to a Special Grade Wizard emanated from him, making the atmosphere extremely heavy.
Coldly huffing, Dumbledore released his magical aura, a warm but undeniably powerful force colliding with Ivanov's. In the clash of auras, the result was decided in an instant; the Russian minister was forced to retreat during the brief confrontation.
"Minister Ivanov, have patience. We will resolve this with a dialogue after the ceremony." Unconcerned with the almost murderous look from the Russian Minister of Magic, Dumbledore spoke, his voice tinged with authority and power.
Grinding his teeth, Ivanov glared at Dumbledore with some resentment and sat down again, filling his wine glass and drinking it in one gulp.
The other ministers and presidents did not rise or start a fight like Ivanov. As Dumbledore had said earlier, they would talk later.
Seeing that no one else stood up, Dumbledore turned back to the Goblet with a mysterious smile. He waved his wand, and the last name appeared for all in the hall to see.
Seeing the name that appeared in the goblet, Asterion's face turned extremely grim.
"Representing the House of Slytherin."
"Asterion Black!!!"
Dumbledore's voice once again plunged the hall into silence. If the ministers of magic and the president of MACUSA had been indifferent to Rose's selection, they now wore cold and grim expressions.
What is this Tournament? You want two Special Grade Wizards to compete against Grade 1 and 2 wizards? If there wasn't a conspiracy unfolding before them, they didn't believe it. Do you think we're fools, Albus Dumbledore?
"You have to expect some unusual surprises," Dumbledore quipped, ignoring the powerful individuals at the staff table, but no one laughed at his joke.
Shrugging, the world's most powerful wizard didn't care and spoke again. "Asterion and Rose Potter need to come with me to my office."
Turning to the ministers of magic and the president, Dumbledore continued, "I presume you would like to join us."
They all huffed coldly at the man's cheerful tone and rose from their seats, leaving the hall in a heavy atmosphere.
"Take care." Looking at her fiancé's terribly cold face, Daphne whispered to him with concern.
Asterion was somewhat moved by her concern and nodded, giving her a kiss on the cheek before heading towards Dumbledore. Rose was not far behind him, smiling with her hands behind her back, unfazed by the accusatory looks she was receiving from everyone at the Gryffindor table.
"Things are getting interesting, Littestar~" Rose leaned forward a bit, smiling, apparently very happy with the current situation.
Asterion merely rolled his eyes at her comments, and they both reached Dumbledore.
"Dumbledore," Asterion greeted the man with a cold tone. Looking at his smiling face, similar to Rose's, he believed that everything happening was due to the man before him.
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Next Chapter Second Volume: Chapter 130 - The Four Hogwarts Representatives (3), Chapter 131 - The First Trial (1), Chapter 132 - The First Trial (2), Chapter 133 - King's Game (1), Chapter 134 - King's Game (2), Chapter 135 - King's Game (3), Chapter 136 - King's Game (4), Chapter 137 - King's Game (5), Chapter 138 - King's Game (6), 139 - King's Game (7), 140 - King's Game (8), 141 - King's Game (9), 142 - King's Game (10), 143 - King's Game (11), 144 - King's Game (12), 145 - King's Game (13), Chapter 146 - Second Phase of the King's Game (1).