After Dumbledore's speech, the plates on the students' and professors' tables filled with food, far more lavish than usual. There were delicacies from various countries, clearly prepared to make the guests feel at home.
Einar began eating calmly when Hagrid entered through a side door and took a seat beside him. However, it was evident that, from time to time, he cast furtive glances toward where Madame Maxime was sitting.
"Hagrid, behave yourself," murmured Professor Flitwick from the other side of Einar, a barely contained smile on his face.
As he savored his food, Einar lifted his gaze and noticed a young Ravenclaw girl"the same one who had scoffed when Dumbledore gave his speech. She was approaching Harry's table as if she was about to ask them something. With a slow movement, she removed a massive scarf that had been hiding her face until that moment.
A murmur rippled through the Great Hall.
Einar curiously observed as Ron and several other students became entranced, their food slipping from their open mouths. It was as if time had stopped for them.
The young woman, with platinum hair and dazzling blue eyes, possessed an overwhelming beauty. But there was something more"something that made even the most steadfast succumb to her presence.
"Hm… just like those pets," Einar muttered with interest.
"What did you say, Einar?" Hagrid asked, having caught his murmur.
"Nothing," he replied indifferently, watching as the students, completely hypnotized, stopped eating.
With a slight motion of his hand, Einar cast a calming spell over the dazed students. In the blink of an eye, they all blinked multiple times and returned to normal, resuming their meals as if nothing had happened.
"I'm going to have to train my students to strengthen their mental defenses…" Einar sighed with mild exhaustion.
The moment he did, the ground trembled.
The entire Great Hall shook, goblets clinked, and the visiting students jumped in panic. Their headmasters also became alert. However, Hogwarts students merely exchanged glances, already accustomed to such occurrences.
"Professor, your mask!" several students exclaimed in unison.
"Oh, right…" Einar brought a hand to his face and, with calm precision, put his Otar mask back on.
But the damage was already done.
The students from Durmstrang and Beauxbatons, who had not paid much attention to Einar until now, finally noticed him. And those who had managed to glimpse his face before he put the mask back on were utterly stunned. His silver-gray hair and sharp features were as mesmerizing as they were intimidating.
Even the young woman who had captivated everyone earlier now looked at him with renewed interest.
It was no coincidence that they hadn't noticed him until now. Einar, almost unconsciously, employed stealth when he wasn't wearing his mask"a defense mechanism learned in Skyrim, where his "delicate" appearance often attracted trouble from tough types looking for a fight.
Meanwhile, the Hogwarts students observed the Beauxbatons and Durmstrang students with a mix of pride and amusement. Their gazes seemed to say: You have class and Viktor Krum. We have a professor who makes the castle tremble with a sigh and can send a giant flying with brute strength.
Karkaroff and Madame Maxime had also taken notice of Einar. Their eyes were fixed on him, though while Madame Maxime's gaze was analytical, Karkaroff's concealed something else.
"He is our professor, Einar Dovahkiin," Dumbledore quickly intervened, addressing the headmasters. "He teaches Defense Against the Dark Arts and was born with a special power."
"And I see he is quite special…" commented Madame Maxime, not taking her eyes off him.
"He looks rather powerful…" Karkaroff murmured, his expression difficult to decipher.
Einar felt several gazes on him but ignored them without giving them much thought… until he noticed one in particular.
A gaze tinged with darkness.
Immediately, he turned his head and met Karkaroff's cold eyes, locked onto him.
Einar did not hesitate.
His pupils gleamed with an icy glint, and without uttering a single word, he projected a fear spell through his gaze.
Karkaroff paled.
The Durmstrang headmaster averted his eyes at once, turning away swiftly as a bead of sweat slid down his forehead.
Einar's message was clear: Don't even think about doing something stupid.
As the dinner continued and the murmurs about the tremor subsided, two figures entered the Great Hall.
Ludo Bagman and Barty Crouch.
The latter wasted no time in fixing his gaze on Einar, filled with barely contained rage.
Einar returned the same look he had given Karkaroff.
Barty Crouch nearly collapsed.
His legs trembled, but his pride prevented him from showing weakness. With his face completely pale, he dropped into his seat, pretending nothing had happened.
Einar, unfazed, focused back on his dessert, enjoying it with absolute tranquility.
When the dinner ended, Dumbledore stood up. In that instant, the students from all schools held their breath.
Excitement and nerves filled the air.
The Triwizard Tournament was about to begin.
.....
"The time has come," announced Dumbledore, his voice echoing with authority in the Great Hall. The students could barely contain their excitement.
"Before bringing in the chest, I would like to say a few words to clarify some details about the procedure we will follow."
The headmaster's words did little to calm the students' impatience, as they held their breath, awaiting the inevitable.
"But before we continue, allow me to introduce two distinguished guests. For those who have yet to meet them, Mr. Barty Crouch, head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation, and Mr. Ludo Bagman, head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports."
Crouch's introduction was met with moderate, polite applause, whereas the mention of Bagman sparked enthusiastic cheers from the students.
"That's the guy Einar shot with an arrow," Harry murmured quietly.
"Well, both of them..." he added upon seeing Ludo among the introduced.
Hermione frowned.
"Isn't he also the one who fired Winky, the house-elf?"
"Yeah," Harry replied without taking his eyes off the professors' table, where Einar remained calm, almost indifferent, as if everything happening around him was irrelevant.
Hermione also observed him and muttered thoughtfully,
"Maybe this tournament is too basic for him… after all, his friend…"
She stopped before completing the sentence, realizing Ron was listening.
"His friend what?" Ron asked curiously.
"Hagrid," Harry quickly answered. "Remember, he got into a fistfight that destroyed much of the grounds and the castle. And as a professor, he probably already knows about the tasks."
"Of course," Ron scoffed disdainfully. "We're wizards. Who still fights with their fists these days? Only barbarians."
However, his interest in the conversation quickly faded when his attention returned to the blonde girl from Beauxbatons. She had come earlier to ask for food, and now Ron hoped she would return for the dessert he had strategically left in plain sight.
Meanwhile, on the platform, Dumbledore resumed his speech.
"The two of them will join me, along with Professor Karkarov and Madame Maxime, in the panel that will judge the champions' efforts."
A murmur of anticipation turned into a restrained ovation when Dumbledore uttered the word "champions."
"Mr. Filch, if you would be so kind…"
The old caretaker trudged forward, carrying a wooden chest encrusted with gemstones. At a glance, its antiquity was undeniable.
"Throughout the year, the champions will face three tasks, each designed to test different aspects of their abilities: magical skill, courage, ingenuity, and, of course, their capacity to face danger."
Einar, who had until then remained in his own world, lifted his gaze slightly, showing a sudden interest.
"As you know, the tournament will feature three champions, one from each participating school. Each task will be scored, and at the end of the third, the one with the highest score will claim the Triwizard Cup."
Dumbledore tapped his wand against the lid of the chest, which opened to reveal a carved wooden goblet. It bore no ostentatious decorations, yet blue flames emerged from within, dancing hypnotically.
Even Einar focused his gaze on it, studying the fire intently.
"Those who wish to participate must write their name and school on a parchment and place it into the goblet. They will have twenty-four hours to do so. Tomorrow, on Halloween, the goblet will choose the worthy representatives of their schools."
There was a slight stir among the students, but Dumbledore was not finished.
"To prevent underage students from succumbing to temptation, I will draw an Age Line around the goblet. No one under seventeen will be able to cross it."
Upon hearing this, several students groaned in frustration at the restriction.
Dumbledore smiled indulgently and added,
"I want to emphasize that those considering participation should think carefully. Once the goblet selects a champion, they cannot withdraw. Their name will be bound by an unbreakable magical contract."
The headmaster's words resonated throughout the Great Hall. The Triwizard Tournament was no mere game.
"Now, it's time for bed."
The students eagerly stood up, chatting excitedly as they made their way to their dormitories. Amid the commotion, the Weasley twins intercepted the golden trio.
"An Age Line," said George with a conspiratorial grin. "Well, we can use an Aging Potion."
"Exactly," Fred agreed. "Once our name is inside, the goblet won't be able to do anything about it."
"That's ridiculous," Hermione interjected. "We're not skilled enough to compete."
"Speak for yourself," George replied proudly. "We are Professor Einar's best students."
"That's right," Fred nodded, pulling out his star-tipped dagger. The cold it radiated was palpable even from a distance.
"What do you say, Harry? Want to give it a shot?"
Harry hesitated for a moment, feeling a spark of interest, but before he could respond, Ron interrupted, pushing through the crowd as if searching for someone.
"Where are they?" he asked, scanning the sea of students. "Dumbledore didn't say where Durmstrang's students would sleep, did he?"
The answer became clear as they saw Karkarov hurriedly leading his students back toward the ship, offering a servile smile to Viktor Krum.
"Viktor, have you eaten enough?" the Durmstrang headmaster asked in a fawning tone. "If you'd like, I can have them bring you some punch."
But Krum simply shook his head in refusal, while another student quickly spoke up.
"I'd like some, Professor."
"I wasn't asking you, Poliacov," Karkarov snapped with disdain as he strode ahead of the others, right as he crossed paths with Harry and his friends.
As he passed them, he cast a glance at Harry, then suddenly stopped. He turned back to look at him again, this time with surprise, his gaze quickly moving up to Harry's forehead, staring at his scar. It was now nearly imperceptible unless closely examined. In just one more season, it would disappear entirely.
"Do you need something from my students, Headmaster…?"
Einar suddenly appeared at Harry's side, startling the Durmstrang students, who hadn't even noticed his arrival. However, he seemed to trail off at the end, as if forgetting the headmaster's name.
"Karkarov," Hermione quickly supplied to help.
"You're blocking the way, Karkarov," Einar said flatly, looking at him with calm indifference. His words seemed to irritate the Durmstrang students.
"The professor with a special power… Don't think your little show intimidates me in the slightest. I am the headmaster of a""
Before he could finish, Einar's voice rang out with force.
"FUS RO DAH!"
Everyone watched as the Durmstrang headmaster was sent flying, disappearing from view. Then, they turned their gaze back to Einar, who maintained his impassive expression.
"I don't like threats. And as I said, you were blocking the way," he declared calmly.
"But, Professor… I don't think he actually said any threat," Fred commented, trying to stifle his laughter.
"Just in case," Einar replied.
The Durmstrang students quickly ran off to retrieve their headmaster, fear evident in their eyes as they glanced at Einar. Without wasting time, they carried him toward the infirmary on their ship.
"By the way…" Einar said, casting a glance at the students, who froze in place. "If you want to compete, just break the Age Line by force. Why make it so complicated?"
With that, he walked away calmly, under the watchful eyes of everyone.
"I think if anyone could do it, it would be him," George said quickly.
"That means we have his permission, right?" Fred added with a grin.