[HP] Comparative

Although the food for lunch was exquisite, Harry could hardly eat it.After the meal, Slughorn finally let them go, and the three hurriedly left the overly comfortably decorated box.Seeing them come back, Ron put on a forced smile.Fortunately, Neville immediately brought up the Triwizard Tournament, and everyone's attention was diverted.

"Oh, that sounds really good," Seamus opened his mouth, showing a longing expression, "If I can participate..."

"I don't think it would be better," Hermione snapped out of his fantasy. "Since they're going to be adult students, I guess we haven't learned enough spells yet."

Ron shook his head disapprovingly. "Maybe, but it's a given. I swear Fred and George won't pass up the chance—they've been trying to make money all summer."

"Aren't they underage?" Hermione couldn't help questioning, "And your mother would agree?"

The title of Mrs. Weasley made Ron shrug his shoulders. "Of course mom wouldn't agree, and she said she's glad they've finally changed the rules," he admits, unconvinced, "but the twins are just a few months away from becoming adults, and they really need the money  … "

"Need money for their crap?" Hermione shook her head disapprovingly.

While Harry thought it best not to let Fred and George try out those inventions on him, he also felt that the twins were really talented at mischief. "They might want to use a few drops of Aging Potion," he tried to smooth things over, "but I dare say Dumbledore would be wary of that."

"I think so, too," Neville joined in, adding to Harry's voice. "Thank goodness...otherwise my grandma would have asked me to attend, for the family honor or something."

"I don't think you need to worry about that." Harry pointed out immediately, "Obviously, our parents disagree." He felt the familiar disappointment when he said this, "otherwise you wouldn't be like me, and didn't know until just now It's over."

Neville felt exactly the opposite of what Harry felt, because the round-faced boy gave a look of congratulation. "You're right, Harry, I'm much more at ease now." He patted his chest, and asked curiously, "Does anyone know the students of Beauxbatons and Durmstrang? I mean, are there really any of them?" Can anyone be better than Riddle?"

Several people looked at each other, and then Dean said with a little gloom: "I don't think so. Although I hate the idea of ​​Slytherin representing Hogwarts, if Tom Riddle is our warrior, the champion is guaranteed. .”

"But he can't participate. He's only in the fifth grade, isn't he?" Seamus said, looking around at the others. "It takes at least the sixth grade to qualify for the age requirement, but the seventh grade is fine..."

Hearing this, Ron showed a sudden realization. "That reminds me," he said, not amusedly, "that Cedric Diggory is the likeliest one—although I've always thought of him as a creampie, he's quite popular in Hufflepuff. Taller."

Cedric Diggory's father, Amos Diggory, worked at the Ministry of Magic and Harry met him a few times.From what he had observed, Mr. Diggory and Mr. Weasley were not on good terms, and Ron could be forgiven for his reaction.In addition, he also agreed with Ron's speculation that Cedric is indeed the most promising warrior in the sixth and seventh grades.

The others started discussing whether anyone in Gryffindor could beat Cedric, and Harry couldn't help but lose his mind.Everyone believed that Tom Riddle would definitely win the championship, and Tom himself should be very aware of his own strength; but just now he didn't see the slightest hint of excitement from the other party...

Could it be that Tom didn't want to take part?

The idea was rejected by Harry as soon as it came up.How is it possible that there are still people who don't want to participate in such a once-in-a-lifetime event?

**

When the train arrived at Hogwarts, it was pouring rain outside.Even though it was possible to take a carriage to the castle, the students were still drenched.Ron was even more unlucky: he had just rushed near the castle foyer, and before he had time to pour out the water from his sneakers, he was thrown a water bomb|bomb in the head.

"Oops!" Ron staggered out of the way, falling onto Harry beside him.

Before Harry could steady him, a second water-filled red balloon fell and exploded at their feet.The students screamed and pushed each other, trying to avoid—

The trickster Peeves was floating twenty feet above their heads, clutching several homemade water bombs and giggling maniacally.

Harry didn't want to be doused in the face either.Just when he was trying to grab Ron and Hermione to leave this place of right and wrong, the screams around suddenly stopped, and more voices became a mixture of surprise and admiration——

"It's him!"

"The Vanishing Curse?"

"...I didn't hear it at all, the fifth grade hasn't taught silent spells yet, right?"

Harry looked up wonderingly.For some reason, all the red balloons that were still in Peeves' hands just now disappeared out of thin air.And Peeves no longer had a smile on his face, and was staring in the direction of the stairs angrily.He turned his head to follow the other's line of sight, and saw Tom parting the crowd towards him.

"Don't make trouble here, Peeves," said the tall boy, still holding his wand, "or I'll tell Bloody Barrow."

Peeves glared at him savagely, but Tom didn't flinch.After a while, Peeves spat hard at the corner, turned around and flew away.

Getting rid of Peeves was a great achievement, and all the students in the hall showed increasing admiration, and some even clapped their hands.

But Tom ignored it.He walked up to Harry and asked with concern, "Are you all right, Harry?"

"...Huh?" Harry couldn't react for a while.Although they'd just met at Slughorn's luncheon, nothing had progressed beyond a polite conversation - at least he didn't think so.Had Tom changed his mind again? "I'm fine," he said in a daze, but managed to find his own logic, "it's Ron—"

Following the direction of the finger, Tom looked at the drenched red-haired boy and waved his wand lightly. "I think he'll feel better now," he said, nodding at Harry, before turning to the other students. "Get in, everyone, and get out of here."

Now Harry saw clearly that Tom was definitely using a silent spell - Ron's hair and clothes became dry in an instant, and even Ron touched it several times in disbelief. "Thank you, thank you..." he stammered, his freckles were turning red.

But the crowd had started to move forward, and Harry, Ron, and Hermione were all being led in the direction of the oak gate, Tom didn't seem to hear.Besides, the students all around were talking excitedly about Tom's new hand, wondering how he could do in fifth grade what he couldn't do in seventh grade.

"Five points to Slytherin for Riddle's excellent performance."

Hearing the appreciative voice, Harry took a hard look.Professor McGonagall did not know when he came out of the auditorium, and probably happened to see the whole process.

Across the crowd, Tom greeted Professor McGonagall. "Thank you, Professor." After finishing speaking, he continued to maintain order.

It wasn't until he sat down at the Gryffindor table that Ron found his voice. "I didn't expect that..." He was both surprised and delighted, tugging at his dry cuffs to compare with Neville's tight-fitting robes, "I mean, I haven't seen anyone who can give a hand before the opening ceremony. The academy got the points!"

"Obviously Riddle can do it," Hermione said on the sidelines, her tone full of envy. "When do we start learning silent spells?"

"I seem to have heard a silent spell?" Fred appeared out of nowhere and squeezed between her and Ron. "Sixth graders, that's hard."

George followed suit. "That's right." He agreed, and then joked, "Why, do you already have ambitions to master our textbook knowledge, Hermione?"

Hermione gave him a blank stare, but still told what happened from beginning to end.

"Oh, you said Riddle." George said, with resignation written all over his face. "Actually, we all said in private that he can take the damn NEWTs right now, and maybe he can pass all the subjects with full marks."

Fred nodded sympathetically. "If it's him, it's not surprising that he can do anything." Immediately afterwards, he showed a mischievous smile, "But I suspect that girls should care more about other parts of him."

The faces of several nearby girls listening to them, including Hermione, blushed.She muttered twice, then turned her head pretending not to care, and looked at the teacher's seat. "All the teachers seem to be here," she changed the topic, and then noticed an empty seat, "except Professor Crouch."

"Who knows?" Fred interjected nonchalantly. "If my dad was the Minister for Magic, I could do whatever I wanted—" Ron nodded vigorously from the sidelines. "Being a teacher is so boring—ouch!"

It was Ginny who kicked Fred diagonally across the table, and she glared at him. "I think Dad's job is pretty good!"

"I don't mean what you think," Fred didn't want to offend Little Sister Mao, and hurriedly raised his hands in a gesture of surrender, "I'm just making a hypothesis!"

Ron, who escaped unharmed because of being farther away, was silently stunned and fell silent.

Harry suspected that all the Weasley children knew that the twins were desperately short of money, which made Ginny so sensitive.But then again, Barty Crouch Jr. taught Defense Against the Dark Arts well, regardless of having a Minister for Magic as a father.

Several people began to discuss other topics, waiting for dinner hungry.Perhaps it was because of the heavy rain that the first-year students hadn't appeared yet.Crossing a lake in this weather was not an enjoyable experience, and Harry sincerely hoped no one fell overboard.And Hagrid...

While casually scanning the Slytherin table, Harry suddenly noticed that Tom Riddle's place was still vacant.He instinctively looked towards the door of the auditorium, and happened to see a tall boy stepping in, with half of his head turned upright, as if he was shaking his head at the people behind him.Then, that person also walked into the auditorium.He looked disappointed, but quickly put away his expression——

Strangely, this person was none other than Professor Crouch, who was not on the faculty table.

Harry was getting more and more confused.Tom was just keeping order outside, and it looked like Professor Crouch was out looking for him... just started, what do professors do with students?And, Tom seems to be refusing?

As if sensing his gaze, Tom turned his head suddenly.The eyes of the two met across half of the auditorium. Tom tilted his head slightly and gave Harry a vague smile.

The author has something to say:

Reminder, Tom is playing a big game of chess~

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