Chapter 498: The Head of Department

Though Kanna and Fleur had only exchanged a few simple words, their relationship began to blossom at an astonishing rate. Within minutes, Kyle found himself, quite unceremoniously, nudged out of his seat—the very seat that every boy at the table had been envying. Now, he was relegated to sitting with Mikel instead.

As he watched Kanna chatting animatedly with Fleur, Kyle couldn't help but notice a slight shift in Kanna's usual demeanor, her expression subtly more…affected than usual. However, Kyle chose to ignore this and kept his head down, focusing on the freshly served steak and the aromatic French fish soup on his plate. He knew full well that if he dared to make even the faintest comment on the matter, he'd be in for a rather...unpleasant experience.

So, wisely, Kyle decided to simply enjoy the meal. The French-style dishes were, in fact, quite delicious, and the fish soup reminded him of the one he'd tasted at Nicolas Flamel's home. Perhaps there were French House-elves in the kitchen? He wondered if he might persuade them to add this dish to the regular menu—it would be a welcome replacement for the usual corn chowder.

Besides the fish soup, the desserts were also intriguing, with several he hadn't seen before. He had his eye on a delicate French vanilla almond milk pudding, but just as he was about to take it, Kanna slid the plate over to Fleur.

"This is for the guests… I thought you preferred Yorkshire pudding?"

Fleur only smiled, graciously accepting the offering without a hint of hesitation.

Alright…best not to argue. Kyle sighed and picked a different dessert at random.

About twenty minutes later, as the golden plates cleared themselves to a sparkling finish, Dumbledore rose once more, prompting a wave of anticipation and excitement to ripple through the Great Hall.

"The moment has finally arrived!" Dumbledore announced cheerfully. "The Triwizard Tournament is about to begin, and I would like to explain a few things before—"

Bang!

The doors to the Great Hall swung open abruptly, and two figures entered, one leading the other.

"I hope we're not late, Dumbledore," came a voice that Kyle immediately recognized.

He stared blankly as Chris Chopper, his father, walked in, and he couldn't quite wrap his mind around what was happening.

"What a pity you missed a marvelous feast," said Dumbledore with a slight smile. "The French cuisine was exceptional."

"Oh, I'm afraid I had no choice," Chris replied ruefully. "The Ministry's been in a bit of a frenzy lately. I was only informed ten minutes ago that I was expected here."

"I understand entirely," Dumbledore nodded. "But I'm glad you made it in time for the most important part." He then turned to address the hall. "Allow me to introduce our two guests, for those who may not know them. This is Mr. Chris Chopper, Director of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures at the Ministry of Magic…"

Applause erupted in the Great Hall, led enthusiastically by Fred and George. Ginny and Ron looked as though they might leap onto the table in excitement.

"He's Kyle's dad," Ron explained to Hermione and Harry beside him. "A really easygoing guy. He remembers everyone's birthday. He's the only one who ever got me a new set of robes."

Harry nodded, intrigued. He knew that Kyle's father worked at the Ministry, but he hadn't known he held the title of Director—a very high-ranking position indeed.

"This is Mr. Ludovic Bagman, the Director of the Department of Magical Games and Sports," Dumbledore continued.

Meanwhile, Kyle was bursting with questions. Director…? Had he been promoted? But that couldn't be right. Replacing a Director at the Ministry, especially in the Department of Magical Games and Sports, was a big deal—second only to electing a new Minister. The Daily Prophet would have covered it for sure. He'd been keeping up with the recent issues and hadn't seen any mention of such a change. Or maybe Dumbledore was simply introducing him this way to add a sense of dignity?

While Kyle puzzled over it, Dumbledore finished introducing the panel of judges: Chris, Ludo, and the three headmasters, including himself.

At that moment, the side door of the Great Hall opened, and Filch entered, carrying a large, jewel-encrusted wooden chest that looked ancient. Every eye was fixed on the box as Filch placed it on a table in front of the guest of honor.

"This year's Champion competition will consist of three tasks," Dumbledore explained, "to be held at different times throughout the school year. They will test our Champions in various areas… Magical skill, courage, reasoning ability, and, of course, the capacity to overcome danger…"

The Hall fell silent, everyone seemingly holding their breath.

Dumbledore continued, "The one responsible for selecting the Champions is an impartial judge… the Goblet of Fire!"

With three taps of his wand on the chest, Dumbledore summoned forth a rough-hewn wooden goblet, ablaze with flickering blue and white flames.

"Any student who wishes to be a Champion may submit their name to the Goblet of Fire, which will choose the Champion it deems most worthy of representing each of the three schools on All Hallows' Eve, tomorrow. Of course, I mean only those who meet the age requirements. I will be drawing an Age Line around the Goblet to prevent younger students from attempting to enter."

Dumbledore's tone grew serious. "Finally, let me remind you that the Triwizard Tournament is no laughing matter. It comes with deadly risks, and once a name is chosen by the Goblet, the decision is binding. The Champion must see the Tournament through to the end…"

But rather than dampening spirits, Dumbledore's warning only seemed to spark more excitement. The crowd grew more animated, with many students already itching to jot down their names and toss them into the Goblet. This energy persisted until the end of the banquet, when everyone dispersed to their common rooms.

Fleur, deciding to return to the Beauxbatons carriage for the night, parted ways with Kanna at the entrance to the Great Hall.

Kyle, on the other hand, slipped over to the side entrance of the Hall and waited. After about twenty minutes, Chris finally appeared.

"I knew you'd be here," he said, smiling. "Surprised?"

Kyle nodded. "Beauxbatons is in France, Durmstrang in Northern Europe… so this really seems like something for the International Magical Cooperation Department."

"Yes, it was supposed to be Barty…" Chris paused, "…but he's in a bit of trouble and couldn't come."

"Because of Sirius Black?" Kyle asked.

"Exactly," Chris replied. "After Black was acquitted, someone filed a complaint against Crouch, claiming he'd had Black sentenced without a trial twelve years ago. This was a serious oversight that affected a lot of people… So, now these individuals have to be investigated to ensure there were no ulterior motives back then. Until that's resolved, Barty has to remain at the Ministry."

Kyle thought it over. "A lot of people…? Then your role as a judge…"

"Oh, it's just temporary," Chris said, sounding dismissive. He clearly wasn't eager to discuss Ministry affairs and gave only a vague explanation. "Once everything's sorted, I'll hand judging responsibilities back to Barty."

He glanced at his watch. "Sorry, but I've got to get back to the Ministry."

"I just hope the investigation wraps up quickly. No one told me being a judge for the Triwizard Tournament would be so hectic… By Merlin's beard, I've got eight reports to write tonight alone!"

With a sigh, Chris hurried off toward the castle.