Chapter 258: Harry Takes Flight

The performance of the Hogwarts students exceeded most expectations. Many of them handled various crises skillfully, some even tackling challenges that would stump experienced adult wizards.

After nearly 80% of the participants were eliminated, one team finally reached the ball python.

The python had been magically enlarged, with its head alone nearly as wide as an average person's height and its already bulky body appeared even more massive.

The first student to encounter it thought they had walked into a moving wall and froze in shock when they realized the "wall" was alive.

With a casual flick of its tail, the python sent the student flying. Although a Thestral caught the student mid-air, they were still disqualified.

One after another, teams charged into the central area in disarray and launched their assaults on the ball python.

Normally a shy and gentle creature, the ball python seemed to treat this as an amusing game. 

It didn't resort to its natural weapons like coiling or its inward-facing fangs, merely swiped its tail or shifted its massive body to drive the students away from its territory.

However, the participants' goal wasn't to defeat the snake but to leave their team's mark on its body.

Before long, clever students devised a strategy:

They split into groups, with some distracting the python while one or two agile members darted in to leave their team's signature.

The python's smooth, slippery scales made it difficult to climb. Some teams, aiming for minimal risk, signed their names far from the snake's head and treated the task as a simple participation exercise.

One student, who was kneeling in despair, shouted:

"Why did I name our team 'Boom Bang Blaster Fans, Down with Gobstones'? How am I supposed to finish writing that?"

Their remaining teammate stood nearby and looked utterly vacant, as though their soul had already left their body.

"Ha ha ha ha..."

The Weasley twins burst out laughing. They worked together seamlessly and made their way to the front.

Their team name was "Mischief Makers."

With their teammates' support, the twins not only managed to leave their mark but also cheekily erased the signatures of their competitors.

However, as soon as they jumped off the snake, a chaotic melee ensued.

It was at this moment that Harry's team charged into the core area.

They were the final team still in the game. Most other teams, trapped along the way or significantly depleted in numbers, had already chosen to withdraw.

The Umbrella team didn't have many members left either. Michael, Neville, Ryan, and Theo had all fallen along the way while covering for their teammates.

In the end, only Harry and Hermione remained.

Wade sat on the platform of the owlery. Although he couldn't hear the conversations below, he had a clear view of how things were unfolding.

Unintentionally, the twins' disruptive antics had greatly helped Harry and Hermione.

Most teams that had already signed their names quickly withdrew from the fray and stood by as spectators.

Under normal circumstances, when Harry and Hermione arrived, they would have had to face the ball python alone. 

Dealing with the agitated snake—already frustrated by the earlier "pests"—would mean avoiding its attacks and somehow getting close enough to sign their names.

But now, a chaotic brawl has broken out near the python. Several Gryffindors and Slytherins clashed right by its side, only to be swept away by its massive tail.

Meanwhile, teams whose signatures had been erased had no choice but to charge at the python again. This time, they had to not only sign their names but also fend off the python and protect their marks—all while trying to sabotage others.

In short, Fred and George had completely disrupted the original order. They made all the students realize that signing their team's name was just the first step. Protecting it until the very end was what truly mattered.

"Perfect opportunity! While that big guy's distracted, I can fly over there," Harry said as he pulled out his broom and prepared to mount it.

"Wait!"

Hermione grabbed his arm.

She glanced at the time and said, "It only takes a second to write 'SSC'... Wait until there are five minutes left before you go."

Harry immediately realized—Hermione is right.

He wasn't confident he could protect their signature amid the chaos. Moreover, the moment he mounted his broom, he'd become everyone's target.

Waiting nearby wasn't easy either.

The agony of being so close to completing their task but unable to finish was only a small part of the problem. More pressing were the stray spells flying everywhere, the giant tail occasionally sweeping through the area, and the constant threat of ambushes from other teams.

Fortunately, the other magical creatures in the maze seemed to have been scared off by the commotion and weren't suddenly leaping out of the bushes like before.

Wade, observing the chaotic scene from above, noted that all the professors, Thestrals, and most of the house-elves in the maze were stationed nearby to prevent any real accidents and to intervene if necessary.

From his vantage point, Harry and Hermione looked like tiny ants on the ground, constantly dodging and scrambling around.

Suddenly, Hermione's legs were bound together by a curse, causing her to topple toward the ground. At the same time, the ball python's massive body came crashing down toward her.

Harry's face contorted in a fierce snarl, and judging by his lip movements, he shouted, "Hermione!"

The ball python's massive body paused mid-motion, and a house-elf appeared instantly, whisking Hermione away.

Before leaving, Hermione managed to gesture an "OK" sign toward Harry.

Harry nodded vigorously, understanding her silent reminder: hold on for three more minutes before making the move.

He deftly dodged two intersecting spells and rolled on the ground in the process, leaving himself dusty and disheveled.

Perhaps because of his smaller size and young age—and the fact that he hadn't actively attacked—the python didn't consider him a threat. Even the other teams paid him little attention.

This allowed Harry to "survive" more easily.

The three minutes were up.

A broomstick shot into the sky like a swiftlet slicing through ocean waves, agile and light.

"Wow—!"

A collective gasp echoed from the stands.

The contestants were also taken aback. In the next instant, seven or eight spells were fired toward Harry, while the Weasley twins clapped, cheered, and laughed.

The boy flew as if born to it, effortlessly cutting through the air as though even the strongest winds posed no hindrance.

Moments later, the stands erupted into deafening cheers and applause, so loud that Wade could hear it clearly even from the owlery.

He lowered his binoculars, only to hear Professor Murray chuckling and asking:

"Regret it? If you'd participated, the one basking in all this applause might have been you."

"What's the point?"

Wade replied indifferently. "Human emotions are fickle. The affection of strangers can easily turn into disdain or even hatred over the smallest thing."

Professor Murray chuckled.

"That's… not something one would expect someone your age to say."

He shook his head and added, "Kids are more endearing when they're lively."

Wade turned to look at him and asked, "More endearing… or easier to fool?"

He didn't hear the professor's response.

A house-elf suddenly appeared with a "pop," and it trembled slightly as it said, "Mr. Wade Grey… something has happened in the maze…"

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