Chapter 830: Chapter 201: Narrow Paths Cross

"Where’s the unfairness?"

Michael, taking advantage of being hidden within the crowd, shouted loudly: "There’s no rule against contestants using Alchemy!"

"But this is supposed to be the Champions’ match! Poppet is like an extra helper out of thin air, why should it be allowed?"

The Durmstrang contestant angrily shouted.

"Ha!" Fred blew a loud whistle, putting his arm around George’s shoulder: "If that’s the case, your contestants shouldn’t use Dark Magic, and Uagadou’s contestants shouldn’t use Transfiguration either, otherwise it won’t be fair, right?"

"What?"

A few students from Uagadou understood and immediately jumped up, shouting:

"Transfiguration technique is our principal form of Magic, how can it be banned?"

"Then it would be better to ban your Magic Wands! Casting with bare hands is the real skill!"

The Uagadou principal sat with a stern face at the judges’ table, feeling frustrated by his impatient students. However, his complexion was naturally dark, so no one noticed the change in his expression.

It’s understandable the Uagadou students reacted strongly because Jabari in the scene had transfigured into a mouse, and at that moment was stealthily tracking Vid Gray.

With his small size and swift movements, even in the complex environment of the forest, he moved easily and was able to hide without being discovered.

No matter how strong Vid Gray’s Poppet was, as long as Jabari could rush out at the last moment and touch the Goblet of Fire first, he would become the final victor.

In some sense, his chance of winning seemed even higher than Vid’s. Hence, upon hearing the possibility of banning Jabari’s transfiguration, the Uagadou students excitedly refuted loudly.

"Ahem ahem."

The Ilvermorny principal coughed twice in a conciliatory tone:

"Alright, alright, the items to be banned were announced before the match... Even though Vid Gray’s prowess in Alchemy is indeed formidable, don’t other contestants also possess one or two exclusive magical skills?"

"Exactly!" George immediately chimed in loudly: "Should we then list out all the usable spells?"

Their friend Lee Jordan shouted cooperatively: "Why not also regulate which hand to use to hold the Magic Wand?"

A round of deliberate laughter erupted from the stands, and at that moment, even the Slytherin students joined in the uproar.

At the judges’ table, Madam Maxime lifted her chin, ignoring the surrounding noise and the attitudes of the audience, turning only to Dumbledore: "Does this truly align with the spirit of the competition?"

Dumbledore didn’t yield as he usually might, but instead smiled subtly, tapping his fingers on the table: "If I’m not mistaken, the rules only prohibit external assistance? Alchemy is an expression of a contestant’s own ability, unless you consider Alchemy to not be Magic?" 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

Madam Maxime’s face turned grim, but she was at a loss for words in front of the camera.

Nicolas Flamel is still a director at Beauxbatons!

To this day, her school annually receives a substantial donation from Flamel, which allows Madam Maxime to indulge in her preferences, raising picky Divine Talisman Horses, lavishly decorating the school’s carriage, maintaining exquisite gardens and elegant castles...

How could she publicly deny and disparage Alchemists on camera?

In the silence of several judges, Ludo Bagman excitedly announced: "Magnificent! Vid Gray’s Alchemy artistry is impressive! And, of course — it’s completely within the rules!"

The Hogwarts students immediately erupted with deafening applause and cheers, as if they had already claimed victory.

Still, Fudge’s smile appeared somewhat forced, while Umbridge beside him let out an exaggerated cough, and Percy Weasley sitting at the back glanced at his boss’s face, sitting upright and stiff as he wrote something in his notebook.

Suddenly, the quill in his hand was snatched away, and Percy turned back angrily to see Fred sneaking behind him with a triumphant smile.

"Give it back—"

Before he finished speaking, his hand suddenly felt empty!

The notebook was also taken by George from the other side.

The twins glanced at the words Percy had written in the notebook and chuckled. Then George tossed the notebook back into Percy’s lap, crossing his arms and sizing him up, as if meeting for the first time.

Percy’s face turned redder, and the freckles seemed ready to jump off his face.

Fred feigned seriousness and whispered: "Dear Assistant sir, I think what you’ve written is incomplete; it should be—Banning the use of any magic smarter than the Minister of Ministry of Magic!"

"That’s bad news." George said frostily: "Contestants will weep... because even with the largest font size, the list of usable Magic won’t fill a page!"

"You—"

Percy’s voice got stuck in his throat, his mouth contorting uncontrollably, his reddening eyes looking on the verge of tears.

Fred was about to say something when suddenly, the entire stand gasped in unison. He quickly turned his head to look at the giant Flow Mirror screen.

It turned out that Victor Krum, choosing another route, had unknowingly approached Vid’s location under the guidance of the Compass.

And just less than twenty meters away, Vid’s Poppet was gradually taking shape. However, with the jungle obscuring the view, Krum hadn’t discovered anything.

In the dense, dark forest, Victor Krum’s Magic Wand tip flashed with light, his thick neck slightly leaning forward, resembling the posture when searching for the Golden Snitch in the Quidditch pitch.

Suddenly, the left-side bushes rustled, and a porcupine with spines charged at him; Krum swiftly dodged and simultaneously swung his wand!

"Stupefy!"

The Spell precisely hit the porcupine’s rear, causing it to crash into the undergrowth and lose consciousness.

Krum exhaled slowly, carefully refraining from approaching the porcupine, instead casting a Detection Spell first to ensure there were no other lurking predators nearby, then glanced at the Compass and continued forward.

"Don’t go!"

A chorus of lament rose from the audience stands, many tightly clenched their fists, unable to resist shouting: "There’s still time to turn back! Don’t go forward, Victor!"

Among the cries were voices predominantly from Hogwarts students...

They couldn’t help it; despite supporting their school, they were fond of Krum, the talented Quidditch star, not wanting to see him fall so soon.

But the voices from the stands were impossible to reach Krum’s ears. Therefore, he walked resolutely along the narrow path forward, pushing away the slender vines dangling in front of him, passing between several gnarled ancient oaks.

When he looked up, his breath instantly halted.

Vid Gray turned around in slight surprise, then smiled.

"The half-hour no-attacking rule... must be over, right?"

He gently raised his palm.