Harry Potter: Glory Bows to Me

As the decorations on the Christmas tree were gradually taken down and several towering Christmas trees were moved out of the hall, the sky over Hogwarts gradually returned to its usual gloomy and calm state.

The winter holidays at Hogwarts are always as short as a daydream.

There are less than two months left until the second Triwizard Tournament begins.

2 month 24 day.

*

One morning, Amanta was about to leave the library.

Just as she pushed open the library door and prepared to walk down the stairs, she suddenly heard a soft voice: "Amanta."

She turned her head.

Julius stood at the end of the corridor, wearing his jet-black robe, his black hair slightly messy.

"You're still worried about the golden egg, aren't you?"

Amanta narrowed her eyes subconsciously.

She was always wary of him, especially when he came right to the point.

"what do you know?"

"I've already opened it."

Julius looked at her, his expression showing no hesitation. "And, I heard the mermaid's song."

He took two steps closer and stood in front of her, looking lazy and calm.

"You don't look surprised. Could it be that you already knew the answer, but just didn't know how to tell others?"

Amanta said nothing.

Of course she knew the answer.

She knew that the secret of the golden egg was hidden underwater. Only in the water would the shrill cry of the golden egg turn into a mermaid song with beautiful and recognizable lyrics.

The problem was, she couldn't explain to them why she knew that.

In the original timeline, Cedric would have opened the golden egg by soaking it in water as suggested and told Harry the secret.

But now, the representative of Hogwarts has changed. Cedric is no longer a warrior.

Then Harry would have no chance of knowing the truth.

However, at this moment, another "opportunity" was right in front of her.

She pursed her lips: "What do you want to exchange this information for?"

Julius chuckled, a hint of teasing in his eyes: "Amanta, when did I say I wanted to exchange?"

"You don't speak for no reason." She stared at him, her voice faint.

Julius smiled, his smile cold but full of appreciation. "Well, you're right. But this time, I don't intend to take anything from you."

Amanta raised an eyebrow.

"I just think," he paused, looking at her with dark eyes, "that we are the same kind of people."

This sentence is exactly the same as what he said on the Knight Bus: "We are just fellow travelers."

She simply asked, "What did you hear in the golden egg?"

"Song," he replied. "It's an ancient language, but I've managed to translate it. The mermaids used the song to tell us that the second race must be fought underwater. Someone 'vital' to us awaits rescue in the depths of the Black Lake. Only those who pass the test can bring them back to the surface."

Amanta frowned. "But there are twelve warriors. Do we have to kidnap twelve people? What if someone fails to complete the mission?"

"I don't think the rules are that simple," Julius analyzed calmly. "Perhaps we need to save not just one person, but a group. Perhaps we can do it in batches. Or—" he slowed his tone, "they'll let us make the decision."

"Choice?" Amanta repeated subconsciously.

"You will meet important people at the bottom of the lake. Of course, you can't save everyone. Maybe you can only save one person."

"If it were you, who would you save?"

Several faces appeared in Amanta's mind.

Harry, Hermione, Neville, Luna...Draco...

If several people appear at the same time and she can only save one, who should she save?

She couldn't answer it, thinking about this kind of question was unsolvable.

"How did you open the golden egg?" she tried to change the subject.

"I borrowed the prefect's bathroom," Julius said casually. "I soaked for an hour. The sight of the golden egg singing underwater was quite amusing. I hope you can experience it, too."

"You went alone?"

"Of course." He smiled. "Who do you think I'll take a shower with?"

Amanta rolled her eyes.

Her mind raced.

In that case, perhaps she could take this opportunity to convey the information to Harry, saying that it was Julius who told her, which would not be surprising.

"Okay." She nodded. "Thank you."

Julius blinked, as if he hadn't expected her to be so straightforward.

"You were unexpectedly cooperative today," he whispered.

"Because I don't have time to play around with you today." She glanced at him and said in a light tone, "If you plan to bother me again next time, remember to at least bring some candy."

Julius smiled softly, pulled something out of the inside pocket of his robe, and handed it to her.

"Do you like the peppermint candy canes for Christmas?"

"It's okay, just average."

Amanta turned and left.

She didn't see that the young man stood there, his eyes lingering on her back for a long time, thinking about something, as if he was trying to peel off some subtle emotions.

*

That evening, in the Slytherin common room, Amanda pulled Harry aside and told him in the most natural tone possible:

"I heard from Julius that...the golden egg must be opened underwater."

Harry frowned, "Underwater?"

"Yes, soak it in water. The sound of the golden egg will turn into the singing of mermaids."

"Are we supposed to jump into the Black Lake?" Harry's expression was as if he had swallowed a few booger-flavored Bibimbap beans. "Are you kidding me? We'll be ice sculptures if we get out."

Amanta rubbed her forehead.

"Who says only Black Lake is considered underwater?"

"Then what other lake is there? There is only this one lake around Hogwarts..." Harry looked a little confused.

Amanta couldn't help but flick his head.

"It's in the castle."

Harry seemed to suddenly realize something and said, "Amanta, you mean... in the bathroom?"

"Yes, but I suppose that's only possible in the prefects' bathroom."

"The prefects' bathroom..." Harry frowned, looking a little distressed. "We can't just go to the prefects' bathroom casually. But has Julius tried it? Isn't his strange little relationship pretty good?"

"He tried it and he knows what the second event is going to be, which is going to be done underwater and we might be doing some kind of rescue."

Amanta briefly explained what she knew and her speculations.

"Great, then let's tell Draco right away!" Harry shouted, but immediately covered his mouth and looked at Amanta's face cautiously.

Amanta's expression remained calm.

"Indeed, it's time to inform Draco. After all, he's also a Hogwarts warrior."

Her tone was light, but it made Harry's expression even more exciting. Blaise, who was passing by, leaned over and said, "Hey, Draco has been so absent-minded these past few days. I thought someone had cursed him~"