Hogwarts: I Am an Exemplary Wizard

Chapter 518: Chapter 516: Script, It’s All a Script

After spending some time in the locker room, Kael and a few others returned to the stands.

Professor McGonagall arranged for them to sit next to the judges’ stand.

”You’ll have to wait a little longer...” she said, ”The scoring will begin after all the champions have finished.”

Kael nodded in understanding.

After Professor McGonagall left, he watched the match like an ordinary spectator, feeling quite at ease.

The feeling wasn’t too bad.

On the field, Krum and Fleur had already reached the third task.

However, as he watched, Kael suddenly realized he had inadvertently made the competition more difficult.

Because he had already passed the third task, Krum and Fleur now faced two Fire Dragons.

In other words, they couldn’t use the simplest method of distracting the dragon and then having someone retrieve the stone. They had to confront the dragons directly to pass.

The problem was, after the first two tasks, their conditions were already at their worst. Fleur was panting heavily, pale-faced, and Krum, holding a Firebolt, had a bleeding arm.

To be honest, this was somewhat unexpected for Kael... he thought they would have consumed less energy, considering they really only needed to face one task.

”Impressive,” came a gruff voice from behind.

Kael turned around to see it was Professor Moody.

He appeared to be quite pleased, his magic eye darting around tirelessly in its socket.

”That Summoning Charm of yours was both clean and stylish... It would have been even better if you had used it in the first task, given that the Zouwu isn’t as fast as the Firebolt.”

He spoke as if commenting on Kael’s performance, talking incessantly: ”And the third task was what surprised me most, bold, decisive, confident... If you want to join the Aurors, based on this competition alone, I can ensure you’re brought into the Auror Office ahead of time.”

”How about it, interested?”

”Thank you, Professor.” Kael said, ”But I’m still a student now, let’s talk about it after graduation.”

He was well aware that all this boldness and decisiveness... was just part of the script, all planned in advance.

However, it seemed to work well now, since even Professor Moody with his magic eye didn’t see through it, others certainly wouldn’t... perhaps except for Dumbledore, but that didn’t matter much.

Professor Moody, seemingly acknowledging Kael’s refusal, nodded and said no more.

Kael turned back around and continued watching the match.

”Oh, just a little more... careful... oh my, I thought she had it.”

”That was close, oh... Krum’s move was really risky.”

...

About ten minutes later, the audience erupted in cheers and applause once again.

After all, these were the best students from two academies, and with earlier knowledge about the Fire Dragons, it was unlikely they would be stumped.

Fleur used a strange Hypnosis Magic to make the dragon drowsy... Kael figured that the Dragon Tamers might be interested in learning that, considering they usually needed five or six people using the Stunning Spell to put a dragon to sleep.

As for Krum, he used a method quite similar to Kael’s, first luring the dragon away, then turning to grab the stone.

However, he chose the wrong target and was swatted away by a Hungarian Horntail’s tail just as he succeeded. When he emerged, he couldn’t even stand, and had to be carried to Madam Pomfrey by others.

But ten minutes later, he returned, looking a bit exhausted, but at least able to walk.

”Now do you believe me, Karkaroff?” Dumbledore said, ”Our Madam Pomfrey will surely return you a lively champion.”

Karkaroff’s tension finally eased... although Krum’s current state was far from lively, it was much better than before.

”Hogwarts has an excellent Healer,” he said.

”Now that all the champions are here.” Bagman stood up and said loudly, ”Let’s move on to the most exciting part, scoring the champions’ performances... I trust you can’t wait.”

Everyone immediately turned to watch.

”Each score out of ten,” Bagman said. ”First up is Fleur Delacour, let me start...”

He raised his wand to the sky, from which a long, silvery ribbon-like thing emerged.

”7 points!”

Next was Chris, who also gave a 7.

”It’s probably because of the deduction from the second task,” Cedric whispered, ”She really didn’t do well then.”

Then Dumbledore gave an eight... Ms. Maxime a nine.

When it was Karkaroff’s turn...

”What?” George said incredulously, ”Two points, that’s too low, she passed all the tasks!”

But Bagman seemed not to hear him.

Next was Viktor Krum...

With two tens from Bagman and Karkaroff, he ended up scoring much higher than Fleur.

Ms. Maxime, however, couldn’t bring herself to give the same as Karkaroff, eventually giving a five.

Finally, it was Kael’s turn.

”Ah, there’s no doubt about it,” Bagman said, smiling, raising his wand, ”a perfect ten, without question!”

Then Chris also smiled and awarded the same score.

As if by prior agreement, all four judges gave tens.

Karkaroff was the last to go, agonizing for a long time as if recalling every possible mistake Kael might have made.

In the end, he raised his wand and conjured a number... 9.

”What?” Kael hadn’t said anything yet, but Fred yelled angrily, ”Nine points? You biased, partial judge! You’re not fit to be a judge...”

George also voiced his anger, ”You gave Krum a ten; did he do better than Kael?”

Others were equally outraged... honestly, although it wasn’t a full score, nine was still high, and they could accept it.

But the issue was, he just gave Krum a ten.

Anyone with a bit of intelligence and basic sense could see that Kael’s performance in all three tasks was far superior to Krum’s... yet he scored a point lower.

In comparison, people found it hard to accept... was favoritism so blatant, did he have no shame?

But Karkaroff paid no attention to the voices, not turning his head, acting as if he hadn’t heard a thing.

”Hey, catch this!”

At this moment, from the packed crowd, something resembling a crumpled parchment suddenly flew towards Karkaroff’s head.

”Throwing paper balls... tch, childish prank.”

Karkaroff disdainfully reached out to swat it aside.

However, the moment his hand touched the paper ball, it exploded... with a gush of black-gray, foul-smelling liquid splashing onto Karkaroff’s face.

Karkaroff was momentarily stunned, then his whole face quickly shifted from green to purple, and then to a ghastly white.

Ugh...

The stench was overwhelming; he almost fainted on the spot.

Around him, including Dumbledore and Maxime, everyone instinctively stepped back... some used the Bubble-Head Charm, others the Scouring Charm, covering their noses, each doing whatever they could to fend off the spreading stench.

Seeing this, Karkaroff’s face darkened even more.

Not because no one came to help, but because he just realized some of the foul liquid had splattered into his mouth.