Chapter 508: The long-awaited return to Hogwarts Castle

"As you know, at the end of last semester, Dumbledore took me to Beauxbatons. He took some time to return to England with the headmistress of Beauxbatons, Madame Maxime, to discuss the matter." Ivan explained, "At that time I learned that Hogwarts was going to host the Triwizard Tournament, a traditional event organized by the three largest schools of magic in Europe.... "

"Wait, I remember!" Hermione said suddenly. "I saw it in the book An Evaluation of Magical Education in Europe. The Triwizard Tournament was established about 700 years ago as a friendly competition between the three largest schools in Europe: Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Beauxbatons Academy of Wizardry, and Durmstrang Institute. One champion was selected to represent each school, and then the three champions competed in three magical tasks. Held every five years, the competition would be held at each school in turn. It was agreed that it was an excellent way to build friendship between young witches and wizards from different countries. "

"Held every five years?" Ron said in amazement. "But I never knew that Bill, Charlie and Percy had ever seen such a game, nor had they ever been to the other two wizarding schools."

"Because the Triwizard Tournament was interrupted for centuries, I can't believe they're reinstating it..." said Hermione.

The four of them then began to discuss various details about the Triwizard Tournament.

The sudden excitement and joy diluted the unhappiness brought by Malfoy, and even Ron's mood improved.

Needless to say, both Harry and Ron wanted to be the Hogwarts champions; Hermione was the only one who thought it could be dangerous.

The rain got heavier and heavier as the train moved further north. The sky was so dark and the windows so steamy that the lanterns were lit at noon.

The food cart moved along the aisle and Ivan and Harry bought many cakes and sandwiches.

In the afternoon, people began to flood this compartment.

Most of them came to see Ivan, and everyone knew what he had done in the Quidditch World Cup.

For a while, the small compartment was filled with people. Ivan knew some of them and didn't know others. Almost all of the young witches and wizards gathered around him.

They were talking nonstop with Ivan about the magic he had done and the World Cup attacks. Hermione, tired of it, buried herself once again in the Standard Spellbook, Grade 4, and began trying to learn a Summoning Spell.

When Ivan finally managed to expel Colin, the train was on the edge of Hogwarts.

As soon as they changed into their school robes, the train doors opened, and there was a rumble of thunder overhead.

The young witches and wizards exited the train one after another, heads bowed and eyes narrowed in the downpour. The rain was now falling so hard and fast that it seemed as if buckets of icy water were being emptied repeatedly over their heads.

"Hagrid!" Harry shouted, seeing a giant silhouette at the end of the platform.

Behind Harry, Ivan, Ron and Hermione also rushed up to wave.

"Hello!" Hagrid shouted, waving. "See you at the feast if we don't drown!"

In first year, Hogwarts castle was traditionally reached by sailing across the lake with Hagrid.

Ivan saw Hagrid gather some very small children to his side and take them to the dark lake.

As in his first year, he, Harry and Ron arrived by car, he had not experienced this tradition.

"I wouldn't want to cross the lake in this weather," Hermione said fervently, shivering as they slowly made their way across the dark platform with the rest of the crowd.

A hundred horseless carriages were waiting for them outside the station.

Ivan, Harry, Ron, Hermione and Neville gratefully climbed into one of them and were relieved.

The door slammed shut, and a few moments later, with a great jolt, the long procession of carriages rumbled and splashed down the track toward Hogwarts Castle.

Through the gates, flanked by statues of winged boars, and up the uphill path the carriages swayed dangerously in what was becoming a gale.

Ten minutes later, the massive silhouette of Hogwarts Castle appeared in the darkness, its many windows lit up blurry and bright behind the thick curtain of rain.

Lightning flashed across the sky as their carriage stopped before the large oak doors, which stood at the top of a stone staircase.

The people who had occupied the carriages at the front were already hurrying up the stone steps of the castle.

Ivan, Harry, Ron, Hermione and Neville climbed down from their carriage and up the stairs as well, looking up only when they were safely inside the cavernous, torch-lit entrance hall with its magnificent marble staircase. It was all so familiar and warm.

"Blimey," Ron said, shaking his head and sending water everywhere, "if that keeps up, the lake's going to overflow. I'm soaking wet..."

A large red balloon filled with water fell from the ceiling onto Ron's head and exploded.

Soaking wet and sputtering, Ron staggered sideways towards Harry.

"Be careful!" Ivan said quickly, tugging at Hermione.

Hermione slipped and her whole body was on top of Ivan, just as a second water bomb fell, unnoticed by Hermione, exploding at her feet.

The people around them screamed and began pushing each other in their efforts to get out of the line of fire.

Ivan looked up and saw, hovering twenty feet above them, Peeves the Poltergeist, a little man in a bell-covered hat and orange bow tie.

He made a mean face at Ivan, aiming at him as a target, his wide, mischievous face contorted in the spotlight.

Before he could drop the balloon in his hand, Ivan pulled out his wand as fast as he could.

The water-filled balloon did not fall, but floated to Peeves' side.

The balloon burst and the icy water splashed the ghost and not a drop fell.

Then all the other balloons next to Peeves burst one after another.

The water soaked Peeves. He was the only Hogwarts ghost whose entity could be affected.

"Bloody brat Ivan!" Peeves screamed and disappeared into the depths of the corridor.

Behind them, young wizards were whispering and clapping for Ivan.

Ivan was very famous at Hogwarts before, but since the Quidditch World Cup, this reputation had clearly risen to a new level.

Everyone seemed to especially look forward to and admire his performances, in recognition that Ivan had become the most powerful young wizard at Hogwarts.