Chapter 543: Wisdom and Judgement

The next day, morning.

Kyle had just finished breakfast when Professor McGonagall summoned him. This time, the viewing area for the competition was even closer—directly across from the castle gates, encircling Black Lake.

By 9:50 a.m., just ten minutes before the competition's start, the seats were already packed with spectators. Despite the biting cold, the crowd seemed unbothered, energetically waving flags and eagerly awaiting the event.

The five referees were already in place, and after a month's absence, Dumbledore made his return to Hogwarts. His face looked slightly haggard, as though he hadn't had much rest, but his eyes remained sharp, and his expression brimmed with excitement.

As Kyle passed by, he caught Dumbledore cracking a joke to Professor McGonagall, who walked behind him. However, Professor McGonagall was far too tense to laugh. Her gaze was fixed nervously on Black Lake and occasionally darted to Kyle standing beside her.

As the start time approached, Ludo Bagman stepped forward, raising his wand to his throat. "Sonorus!" he declared, his voice instantly booming like thunder, echoing across the lake.

"The Champions have all arrived, and the competition is about to begin. Allow me to explain the rules for the benefit of our audience."

"This task tests both wisdom and judgment. The Champions will first venture into the Forbidden Forest to locate three keys, then use those keys to rescue their most precious treasures, which are trapped in Black Lake."

"I'm sure the Champions are already aware of this, so I won't go into further detail. However, let me remind you of one crucial point: make good use of the stones in your possession. Each stone can be traded with a Centaur in the Forbidden Forest for a clue to a key. Three stones, three keys. Your ability to decipher these clues swiftly will be pivotal to your success."

He paused, scanning the crowd before turning toward the judges' table. After receiving an approving nod from Chris, he continued, "There is one more thing. We've made some minor adjustments to the scoring criteria for the Second Task, dividing results into broader categories."

"Firstly, Champions who complete the task within one hour will receive a minimum of eight points."

"Secondly, those finishing within two hours will earn between five and eight points."

"And lastly, those who exceed two hours will receive fewer than five points."

"Time, therefore, is critical. Every decision counts."

Kyle, Fleur, and Krum listened attentively to Bagman's explanation. The clock ticked closer to ten.

Bagman checked his watch and raised his whistle. "All right, when I blow this whistle, you may begin. I'll count down. One... two... three!"

A sharp whistle pierced the frigid air, immediately followed by thunderous cheers and applause from the stands.

Without a moment's hesitation, Kyle sprinted toward the Forbidden Forest.

Waiting at the forest's edge were three Centaurs, standing in place as though anticipating their arrival. This spared the Champions from losing precious time. Each competitor instinctively chose the Centaur nearest them.

By a stroke of fortune—or perhaps coincidence—Kyle's Centaur was Firenze, with whom he was most familiar. They had met not long ago.

Kyle wasted no time. Handing over a stone, he said, "I need a clue to the key."

Firenze accepted the stone and began to chant softly, his voice almost melodic. "The thing you seek is hidden in the eyes of the constellation Ophiuchus. When the hour hand ticks ten times and the serpent swims five times, you will see it."

Kyle furrowed his brow, mulling over the riddle.

The hour hand likely referred to direction—ten o'clock. As for the serpent swimming five times... it must represent the distance.

"This direction…"

Firenze's calm, resonant voice came again as he pointed his tail diagonally to the side. He lowered his voice deliberately, adding, "Go five miles ahead."

Five miles?

Kyle was taken aback. He hadn't expected the Centaur to offer such a direct hint. Once he recovered, he gave a small nod in acknowledgment, but Firenze had already disappeared into the depths of the Forbidden Forest.

Without dwelling on it, Kyle raised his wand. "Accio Firebolt!"

He stood in place, waiting. A few minutes passed, but nothing stirred.

Kyle quickly deduced the issue. His Summoning Charm wasn't the problem—he was certain of that. The likely explanation was that this task either didn't require Champions to use their flying skills or that the judges had explicitly forbidden Broomsticks to increase the challenge.

Left with no other choice, Kyle set off running toward the Forbidden Forest.

The forest was dense, its towering trees forming a canopy that blocked out much of the daylight. The only visible path twisted and turned erratically, making navigation slow and laborious.

After ten minutes, Kyle stopped abruptly, a frown creasing his brow. Something was off.

It's too quiet.

Kyle had ventured into the Forbidden Forest multiple times before, so he was intimately familiar with its usual ambiance. Even near the outskirts, the forest was alive with sounds—chirping insects, rustling leaves, the occasional bird call. But now, apart from his own footsteps, there was nothing.

This level of silence wasn't natural.

Unless… this area is enchanted, like the Quidditch Pitch during the First Task.

He thought back to the clue Firenze had given. Five miles. On paper, it didn't seem far. Even without a Broomstick, a well-placed Charm could make the journey manageable in about ten minutes.

But that calculation didn't apply here. The Forbidden Forest's dense growth made it impossible to walk in a straight line. Twisting paths and obstacles meant the journey would likely take twice as long—twenty minutes, at minimum.

Kyle's frown deepened as he began to add up the time.

Twenty minutes to find a key. Three keys in total. Add the time needed to solve each Centaur's riddle, plus the journey back to Black Lake…

No matter how he calculated, it seemed impossible to complete the task within an hour. And yet, the judges wouldn't set an unachievable benchmark arbitrarily.

There's something I'm missing.

Kyle's mind raced as he recalled Bagman's earlier words:

"This event tests wisdom and judgment."

Wisdom—that was solving riddles. But what did judgment mean in this context?

He walked slowly forward, his thoughts churning. As he mulled over the challenge, Bagman's amplified voice rang out:

"Twenty minutes have passed already. Champions must hurry!"

No…

Kyle froze. His eyes widened as realization struck him. Without a moment's hesitation, he turned and sprinted back the way he had come.

I'm a wizard. Why am I fixating on physically finding the key?

The real challenge wasn't about running to fetch the key but about understanding how to save time. If the goal was to finish the task within an hour, the solution had to involve skipping unnecessary steps.

This is what judgment is about, Kyle concluded. It was a gamble, but one he was willing to take.

As he raced back, he encountered Fleur heading in the opposite direction. She slowed, her expression puzzled as she watched him run past.

"Listen..." Kyle said urgently, barely slowing his pace. "I don't think we need to find any keys. It's a waste of time. There's no way we can finish in an hour. I'm going straight to the Black Lake."

"What?" Fleur stared at him, incredulous. "But the rules say that only by finding the key—"

"Don't forget, we're wizards," Kyle interrupted.

Fleur still looked hesitant, her brow furrowed in uncertainty.

Kyle didn't press further. After all, his theory was just that—a theory—and there was no guarantee he was right. Without waiting for a response, he sprinted back toward the forest's edge.

Ten minutes later, he emerged from the Forbidden Forest, his breathing heavy but his resolve intact.

"Oh, a Champion has already come out!" Bagman's amplified voice boomed across the arena. "Has he already found the key?"

At the judges' table, Dumbledore and Chris exchanged subtle smiles, their expressions suggesting approval. In contrast, Karkaroff and Madame Maxime wore distinctly displeased looks.

Kyle didn't catch what Bagman said. But seeing the judges' reactions was all the confirmation he needed. He hadn't even reached the first key, yet returning halfway had already eaten up thirty minutes. Attempting to locate all three keys would have made completing the task within an hour impossible.

Without hesitation, Kyle made his way to the edge of the Black Lake.

There were various methods for navigating underwater. Gillyweed was a popular choice, and Kyle had some on hand. He had purchased it from an herb shop in Diagon Alley and had made sure to take it out of his suitcase the previous evening.

But Kyle wasn't planning to use it. Gillyweed's effects lasted only an hour, and with half of that time already gone, it wasn't the most efficient option.

Instead, he pulled out his wand, muttering the incantation for the Bubble-Head Charm. A large, clear bubble enveloped his head, allowing him to breathe freely. Without hesitation, he dove into the icy depths of the Black Lake.

Although the Bubble-Head Charm wasn't as agile underwater as Gillyweed, it was still a highly effective choice.

The stands erupted into loud cheers and applause as Kyle disappeared beneath the water's surface.

The spectators didn't care much about the mechanics of the task. All they knew was that Kyle had surged ahead while Fleur and Krum were still in the Forbidden Forest.