Hogwarts: I Am an Exemplary Wizard-Chapter 543 - 541: The Second Task

After entering February, time seemed to move much faster than before, as if in the blink of an eye, only a week was left until February 27th.

However, Fred and George were quite disappointed. After being splattered in the face in the hall that day, Karkaroff never came to the castle again. Their long-prepared "Skiving Snackbox feeding plan" never had the opportunity to be implemented.

"There’s only one week left before the start of the second event. Aren’t you going to take some time to study that stone?"

Once in the common room, Fleur looked at Kael, who was playing chess with Cedric, and said impatiently.

She initially thought Kael was just joking, but it turned out he was serious... As for why she was sure Kael hadn’t secretly studied?

It’s simple: because those three stones were just thrown on the cabinet in the common room, where they had been for over a month.

If it weren’t for the diligent cleaning by the House-elves, a thick layer of dust would have settled on them by now.

She had previously thought of making Kael a bit anxious, so she secretly took the stones away one night.

As a result... for a whole half month, Kael didn’t notice anything amiss and went about his daily routine, never even asking about them.

Really, it was making Merlin laugh...

"I’m not planning to." Kael said casually.

If he had that thought, he would have done so when Nicolas Flamel visited. For Nicolas, the secrets hidden on the stone were almost as obvious as if they were written on it, he could see them with a glance.

Since he didn’t ask at the time, there was naturally no need to waste time on it now.

"Do whatever you want, but if I care about you any more, I’ll be a Leprechaun!" Fleur turned her head angrily and returned to the dormitory, pulling Conna along with her before leaving.

"I feel like I’ve heard this somewhere before..." Kael moved a knight, "I think she said the same thing two months ago."

Cedric shook his head and instinctively glanced at the shelf in the common room and the three shiny stones on it, then said:

"Actually, I also thought you were joking at the time, who knew you really wouldn’t be anxious at all."

"There’s really no need for it. The judges will naturally explain it when the time comes." Kael laughed, "And you should understand the previous Triwizard Tournaments too. Only the third event is the real tournament; the first two are just warm-ups, adding a bit of advantage.

Moreover, these advantages are fixed. As long as you’re first, whether it’s a hundred points or eighty, it makes no difference."

"Although there’s nothing wrong with saying that, probably only you can be so calm..." Cedric sighed, "I heard Fleur was beside herself with anxiety a few days ago, she was flipping through books in the common room at one in the morning."

"I didn’t notice that."

"I guessed as much." Cedric said, then changed the topic: "But have you noticed, Fleur seems to have changed a lot recently."

"Changed?" Kael thought for a moment and said, "Not really, hasn’t she always been like that?"

"To you, perhaps she hasn’t changed." Cedric shook his head, "I remember when she first came, she had an arrogant attitude towards everyone. But now... how should I put it, yesterday I saw her helping a third-year student correct the gesture for the Happy Spell, something that couldn’t have happened three months ago, right."

Fleur Delacour? Helping a third-year student correct gestures?

Kael thought he misheard, incredulously said, "Are you sure you didn’t see wrong?"

When the Beauxbatons students arrived here, quite a few tried to use asking for magic advice as an excuse to talk to Fleur. Faced with them, regardless of gender or age, Fleur would usually choose to directly ignore.

Cedric even once instinctively asked her a question about Transfiguration Technique, but similarly received no answer.

"I feel like when she looks at me, it’s as if she’s looking at a sprouted potato." Cedric said at the time.

It’s hard to imagine someone like Fleur would proactively teach others magical spell gestures.

"Of course not..." Cedric said confidently, "After all, only she at Hogwarts has that silver hair."

"Then she really has changed a lot." Kael muttered.

...

In the following days, the atmosphere in the castle grew increasingly intense. Banners originally stored away were taken out one after another and worn on people.

For those who lost their badges or didn’t have one, they could get one from Sirius for free.

He had made a big box of badges, placed them at the door of the Defence Against the Dark Arts office; anyone who wanted one could take one.

Originally, he put them in the office, but Professor Moody was too reactive to sudden knocks. After repairing the door three times in a row, Sirius simply placed the box at the door.

Fred and George were the most exaggerated, they hung about half a box of badges on their robes, making clanging sounds when they walked, like wearing a suit of armor.

Just one day left until the second event, and wherever Kael went, he heard various cheers and encouragements.

From students and professors alike.

During the second afternoon class of Care of Magical Creatures, Hagrid, under the pretense of checking homework, came over to Kael and quietly asked him how his preparations were going.

After getting a positive response, Hagrid excitedly patted him on the shoulder,

"Before you faced the Fire Dragon, I was indeed worried, but now I know, whatever you decide to do, there’s nothing you can’t achieve, I’m not worried at all, I can feel it, you’re definitely going to succeed."

"Thanks, Hagrid..."

Kael said, grinning, as he pulled his foot out of the soft mud.

Sirius was right, Hagrid did need to realize how strong he is.

By evening, the atmosphere in the Hufflepuff Common Room reached its peak because two of the three champions were there.

Snacks and drinks filled all the tables. As soon as Kael entered, people shoved various candies and dried beef into his pockets, as if they were afraid he wouldn’t have the mood to eat tomorrow and would be hungry during the competition.

Although Fleur was the Beauxbatons champion, she had lived there for quite a while, and people did not show favoritism, giving her some as well.

Of course, not as much as Kael.

And to ensure the champions rested well, everyone voluntarily returned to their dormitories before nine o’clock at night.

Soon, only Kael and Fleur were left in the common room.

Fleur was also preparing to return to the Beauxbatons carriage, Ms. Maxime seemed not to trust her staying in the castle overnight at this time.

But when she reached the door, she suddenly stopped and turned, saying, "If you don’t want to sleep so early tonight, go out for a walk.

"Remember to bring those stones, go to the lake in the field and place them in the water where the moonlight can reach them... uh, that’s it."

Upon hearing this, Kael instinctively turned around, but by then Fleur had already left the common room, leaving him facing a closed wooden door.

...