When the sun rose on the horizon on the third day, the entire Arena, where the Game of Kings was taking place, began to tremble. From the trees to the mountains, everything started to shake.
At the highest peak, Luna, who was sitting on the throne, looked up, prompting everyone else to follow her gaze towards the sky.
The lion roared in the sky, the eagle let out its sharp cry, the badger stood proudly on its hind legs, and the serpent coiled and hissed. A series of words appeared beneath the animals:
[Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus.]
Asterion, Rose, Cedric, and Luna gazed at the Hogwarts crest with different emotions.
Asterion, in particular, knew that his participation in this tournament was part of a vicious conspiracy plotted by others, although he had yet to discover the purpose. But at that moment, seeing the Hogwarts crest rising in the sky, he felt a sense of belonging.
"It's not over yet; we still have two more tasks to win," Cedric murmured, but they all heard him, making Rose and Luna smile.
"In the next task, I'll have a bigger role than just sleeping on a throne," Luna grumbled, feeling relaxed, her expression adorably capable of making anyone want to pinch her cheeks.
Asterion and Cedric, being boys, couldn't do something as impolite as touching a girl without her permission, but Rose had no such reservations. She grabbed Luna's cheeks with a cruel smile and stretched them in different directions.
Luna couldn't escape Rose's grasp and looked pitifully at Asterion and Cedric, silently pleading for help, but all she received were amused looks. Apparently, both boys were more than satisfied to see Luna suffering at Rose's hands.
Suddenly, the entire Highest Mountain began to shake. The last thing they saw was the entire Arena collapsing before their eyes. All the transfiguration placed on the site completely unraveled.
All participants were apparated back to Hogwarts.
Asterion sighed in relief, feeling solid ground beneath his feet, and closed his eyes as an avalanche of blinding flashes overwhelmed his vision. Thunderous cheers filled the air, making the entire Quidditch stadium feel like it was shaking.
Getting used to the flashes of light, he opened his eyes and saw the entire stadium roaring. He recognized his name, as well as Rose's, Cedric's, and Luna's. There were others, but the stadium was so loud that he wasn't sure if he heard them correctly.
"Let's give a round of applause for all the competitors of the Game of Kings," Asterion heard Dumbledore's voice echoing throughout the stadium, and he looked towards the VIP seats.
He saw the old wizard standing in front of the microphone, his blue eyes behind the lenses fixed on him with an intrigued smile. It was obvious that the shocking discovery of the second innate technique had piqued the interest of the most powerful wizard in the world.
Dumbledore's voice continued to echo.
"What we witnessed today was a spectacle of camaraderie, strength, strategy, and the effort of all our participants. Every competitor gave their all in a truly glorious battle that will be recorded in the history of all our beautiful countries. I am proud to say that together, we have created something truly spectacular."
A barrage of enthusiastic and euphoric applause followed Dumbledore's words. The man had a way of captivating people that would make any politician envious.
Asterion, who wasn't particularly interested in Dumbledore's speech, noticed Grindelwald sitting next to Dumbledore's seat.
The Black Heir blinked a few times, trying to understand if he had really seen Grindelwald. After taking a closer look, he confirmed that the most wanted man in the world was indeed sitting in the middle of a stadium filled with hundreds of thousands of wizards and witches.
This left Asterion speechless. Although he knew that the man would come to the show that they themselves had orchestrated, seeing him so relaxed gave the impression that Grindelwald was completely at ease at that moment.
As if sensing his gaze, Grindelwald turned to him, his silver eyes like two pale moons in the sky, and smiled gently at him.
"Congratulations on winning the Game of Kings, young Asterion," the Black Heir heard the Dark Wizard's voice in his ear, even from this distance.
Asterion nodded to him, silently thanking him for the kind words, and began clapping as Dumbledore finished his speech.
When the speech ended, the medical team began urgently taking the competitors away, especially Fleur and Alexei, both of whom were in critical condition. But with some rare potions and magic, they would probably recover before the Second Task officially began.
Hopefully so…
Approaching Rose, Asterion crouched down and whispered calmly in her ear, "Rose, take control of the crowd when you're interviewed. I have to speak with the Dark Lord."
Rose nodded and looked at Grindelwald with a frown. It was more than obvious that she did not like the mass murderer known as Gellert Grindelwald.
Sensing her gaze, his silver eyes, which reminded them of Luna, met hers with a gentle look, like a grandfather gazing at his granddaughter. If she didn't know any better, it would have been hard to believe that such an elegant and kind-looking old man was one of the worst Dark Lords ever to walk this planet.
The man who had caused the death of twenty-five million Muggles and countless wizards and witches.
"Be careful with him. He's like a snake hiding its fangs," Rose warned cautiously, seeing the gentle smile on the Dark Lord's face.
Seeing Rose so full of concern for him, Asterion stepped closer and kissed her cheek tenderly.
"Thank you for your concern, but I'm more than capable of protecting myself," he said, and without waiting for her response, he walked away with firm steps, leaving the fourteen-year-old girl with flushed cheeks.
"I wasn't worried about you, idiot. I just don't want to see him kicking your arrogant butt," Rose muttered, still blushing, refusing to show any weakness.
Asterion had no idea what Rose had said; otherwise, he would have turned back and smacked her on the head in frustration.
In a corridor beneath the stadium, Asterion leaned against the wall with his arms crossed, looking up with a calm expression.
Suddenly, footsteps echoed, and a figure emerged from the shadows—it was Grindelwald, dressed in a simple yet elegant German suit, devoid of any opulence.
"Apologies for the delay. I have many eyes watching me," Grindelwald said.
"Get to the point, Lord Grindelwald," Asterion replied, not in the mood for riddles.
Grindelwald wasn't offended by Asterion's abrupt interruption. He looked at the young man and spoke.
"I want you to succeed me in case I die," he said in a simple tone, as if death was no big deal to him.
Asterion looked at the man in surprise and frowned. "You can see the future, you can escape any assassination. How could you die so easily?"
"That's because I can't see the future I'm about to create," Grindelwald replied, his voice filled with joy and gentleness, seemingly at peace with the fact that he couldn't foresee the outcome of his own actions.
"So, what do you say, young Asterion? Will you succeed me?" Grindelwald asked, gazing at Asterion with a genuinely kind look, like a grandfather passing on his legacy to his grandson.
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Next Chapter Second Volume: Chapter 159 - Death of Arcturus (1), Chapter 160 - Death of Arcturus (2), Chapter 161 - First Phase of God's Creation Plan (1), Chapter 162 - First Phase of God's Creation Plan (2), Chapter 163 - First Phase of God's Creation Plan (3), Chapter 164 - First Phase of God's Creation Plan (4), Chapter 165 - Vellory of Arcuturus Black (1), Chapter 166 - Vellory of Arcuturus Black (2), Chapter 167 - Vellory of Arcuturus Black (3), Chapter 168 - Vellory of Arcuturus Black (4), Chapter 169 - Torture and Secrets (1), Chapter 170 - Torture and Secrets (2), Chapter 171 - Conspiracies and Secrets (1), 172 - Conspiracies and Secrets (2).