The Admiral of Hogwarts

The impending arrival of the Beauxbatons and Durmstrang teams had a direct impact on Hogwarts, most notably in the increased cleanliness of the entire school.

It wasn't that Hogwarts was unclean before, but the previous cleanliness was merely a matter of tidiness, whereas now it was a thorough renovation from the inside out.

For example, the patina on several old portraits had been scrubbed away, causing the figures in the paintings to wince in pain whenever they touched their newly exposed pink skin.

At the same time, the suits of armor placed throughout the school had been refurbished, their surfaces polished to a shine, and the joints repaired to eliminate any squeaking during movement.

Even the school's ghosts held a meeting, where the Bloody Baron volunteered to keep Peeves under control when the guests arrived, preventing Hogwarts from embarrassing itself in front of the other two schools.

Argus Filch, the caretaker, also became somewhat neurotic, erupting in fury at any student who forgot to clean their shoes, frightening two first-year girls into hysterics.

The other professors also displayed nervousness. Aside from Snape, whose disposition was perpetually sour, even the usually amiable Professor Flitwick unprecedentedly reprimanded several students for making basic errors in class.

In contrast to the professors' anxiety, the students became more lively, viewing it as a prime opportunity to meet foreign friends.

Consequently, during this period, students of all years, both boys and girls, paid more attention to their appearance, as if the upcoming Triwizard Tournament were a grand social ball.

On the morning of October 30th, the Great Hall, designated as the reception area, had been completely transformed overnight. Giant silk banners hung on the walls, the flags of the four houses fluttering high above, and magical enhancements were evident everywhere.

In the morning, as Hugo, his sister, and Veneto arrived at the table for breakfast, they noticed the Weasley twins conferring in the distance, then beckoning Hugo over with a secretive gesture.

"We've made a decision to partner with the Golden Hogsmeade Emporium," Fred said quietly, glancing around after Hugo approached them in the corner of the hall.

"Because we wrote to several friends, older students, and relatives, and they all expressed a positive opinion of the shop," George continued. "So now it's just a matter of contacting them."

"That's easy; just write to Aunt Nonie," Hugo said with a shrug. "They're not averse to investing in promising ventures."

After discussing the investment, Hugo inquired about the twins' plans to circumvent Dumbledore's age limit.

"We've decided to use Aging Potions," Fred said, raising his eyebrows. "Since we're only a few months short, a well-made potion should be undetectable."

"I'm not so sure about that," Hugo replied, shaking his head. "Aging Potions are common in the wizarding world, and they'll definitely be watching for that in an international competition like this."

"But the problem is, we don't have access to anything else right now," George said, grimacing. "So we can only hope for good luck."

Throughout the day, the air was filled with an expectant excitement. In class, no one paid attention, everyone anticipating the arrival of the Beauxbatons and Durmstrang students that evening.

The last Ravenclaw class was Charms. Professor Flitwick condensed the lesson, covering the day's material in half the time, then spent the remaining minutes sharing details about the Triwizard Tournament.

"Therefore, while this competition can bring honor to the participants, it also carries significant risks. I urge you to consider this carefully before entering, to ensure it's truly what you desire."

As the bell rang, Professor Flitwick delivered his final words, then waved, signaling everyone to return to their dormitories, tidy themselves, and come down for the welcoming ceremony.

When Hugo and his companions arrived at the entrance hall, many people were already there. The heads of the various houses, aided by the prefects, were directing the students into lines.

"Weasley, straighten your hat. Miss Pettigrew, remove that ridiculous thing from your hair," Hugo heard Professor McGonagall's stern voice as he joined the ranks.

Once the lines were mostly arranged, Professor McGonagall, as Deputy Headmistress, instructed everyone to form up and follow her onto the lawn in front of the castle.

It was late October, and as evening approached, the weather turned cold, with occasional gusts of wind. Several young wizards, prioritizing style over warmth, shivered.

Nevertheless, the crowd remained enthusiastic, looking around and whispering amongst themselves, despite the prefects' repeated attempts to quiet them.

"They're here," Veneto suddenly whispered as Hugo glanced at his watch, noticing it was a little past six o'clock, while pointing to a distant spot.

After several minutes of gazing in the direction she indicated, others finally spotted a few dark shapes appearing in the night sky, growing closer.

Just then, Dumbledore, standing with the other teachers in the back row, called out, "Ah! If I'm not mistaken, the Beauxbatons delegation has arrived!"

Upon hearing Headmaster Dumbledore's voice, nearly all the students looked up and saw the black dot growing larger. Soon, everyone clearly saw a behemoth emerge from the clouds, soaring over the Forbidden Forest and descending towards them!

"A flying house—no, a flying carriage!" a sixth-year Hufflepuff girl exclaimed. As everyone watched, the massive object flew overhead.

As the dark behemoth swept over the treetops of the Forbidden Forest, illuminated by the lights from the castle windows, they saw a giant, powder-blue carriage flying towards them.

It was the size of a house, drawn by twelve winged horses, all silver-manes, each about the size of an elephant.

The carriage flew lower, descending rapidly. The students in the first three rows quickly retreated—then, with a deafening crash, the silver-manes landed one after another close to the crowd.

In an instant, the carriage landed, shuddering on its massive wheels, while the golden horses shook their enormous heads, their fiery red eyes darting about.

Then, the door, emblazoned with a coat of arms depicting two crossed golden wands, opened, and a boy in a pale-blue uniform jumped down.

He fumbled at the bottom of the carriage, unlocking a golden spiral staircase, and a high-ranking witch with ornate makeup stepped out.

Upon seeing her, the students present couldn't help but gasp, even Hugo, who knew beforehand that the Beauxbatons headmistress was a half-giant.

Although he had even encountered the rarest and most human-like of giants, the impact of seeing such a large figure standing among a crowd of people was still profound.

Soon, Dumbledore began to applaud, and the students followed suit, many standing on tiptoe, trying to get a better look at the woman, as the two headmasters greeted each other.