Chapter 68 - Confronting Moody (1/2)
Hearing Dumbledore's announcement made everyone under 17 angry and frustrated as they can't even participate much less win it. Malfoy growled, ”Dumbledore is too much. We can play neither Quidditch nor participate in Triwizard Tournament”. At the Gryffindor table, while George was protesting in anger, ”c'mon we'll be 17 in April. It's just a few months”, Fred whispered, ”don't worry, we can find a way to fool the judge as long as it isn't Dumbledore”.
Meanwhile, Dumbledore continued, ”This is a measure we feel is necessary, given that the tournament tasks will still be difficult and dangerous, whatever precautions we take, and it is highly unlikely that students below a sixth and seventh year will be able to cope with them. I will personally be ensuring that no underage student hoodwinks our impartial judge into making them Hogwarts champion”.
Then he turned especially towards the Twin Weasleys who were discussing a few things to fool the supposed impartial judge who they don't know, and said, ”I, therefore, beg you not to waste your time submitting yourself if you are under seventeen.
As I have told you before. The delegations from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be arriving in October and will remain as our guests throughout the year. I know that you will all extend every courtesy to our foreign guests while they are with us, and will give your whole-hearted support to the Hogwarts champion when he or she is selected”.
As Dumbledore said his final decision, everyone went to their dormitories to sleep. The next morning breakfast, while a few people from all the houses discussing the magical methods of aging themselves to enter the Triwizard Tournament, Prof. Moody who sat at the High table with the other staff looking at Harry through his magical eye and then turned towards the Slytherin table and looked at Neal briefly while gritting his teeth in anger for some reason.
The term started with Herbology class. Professor Sprout made everyone collect the pus from Bubotubers while warning them to wear dragon-hide gloves. After that, everyone went to the Care for Magical Creatures class which is conducted at the edge of the Forbidden Forest by Hagrid.
As Neal looked at the Blast-Ended Skrewts, he asked, ”Hagrid, you do know these are dangerous once they grew after a few months, don't you?”. Hagrid nodded, ”of course, I will release them int the forest, then”.
Neal shook his head and concentrated on the one which he was given and fed them according to Hagrid's instructions without correcting him at all. Because Neal knew that if he says the correct feed required for them to grow healthy, Hagrid will make sure they will grow up to ten feet for sure”.
In the evening, Neal is walking in the Dungeon corridor and took the Slughorn's stairs, a narrow stone staircase that connects the Dungeon corridor and the entrance hall which is connected to the Great Hall.
As he reached the entrance hall, Neal saw it was packed with students queuing to enter the Great Hall. Meanwhile, just near them, he heard Malfoy shouting, ”don't you dare insult my mother, Potter”. Harry replied, ”keep your fat mouth shut, then” and turned away to join the queue.
Malfoy turning scarlet in anger took out his wand and shot a spell while pointing at his back. Just when the spell missed him by an inch, everyone heard a loud BANG, and a roar echoed through the entrance hall. ”OH NO YOU DON'T, LADDIE!”.
While everyone gasped including Neal, Harry spun around to see a pure white ferret in place of Malfoy and Prof. Moody was limping down the marble staircase which is connected to the first floor. After reaching Harry, Moody asked, ”did he get you?”.
Harry replied, ”Nope, it missed”. Moody then suddenly said, ”oh, no, don't even try”. His magical eye saw the Ferret gave a terrified squeak and tried to run towards Neal when it saw him at the edge of the Stairs which lead to dungeons.
But before it escaped, Moody roared while turning around, ”I don't think so”, and pointed his wand at the ferret again which flew ten feet into the air, fell with a smack to the floor, and then bounced upward once more.