HP: For a better world

Everyone was very happy when the people from Beauxbatons and German Shepherd Strong arrived that night.

Not only because of the cancelled homework and the early end of classes, but also because of the joyful antics of the Weasley twins brought joy to everyone - although they were quickly dealt with by Professor McGonagall.

"Take off those fancy hair accessories on your heads, be dignified! Serious! This is a very important occasion... Don't let other schools laugh at you... Put on your school uniform, Mr. Creevy." Professor McGonagall's voice came to Winster through the bustling hall.

They were watching Mike perform some simple street tricks with boredom, while Professor Snape walked back and forth among the teams with a menacing look, trying to kill every student who tried to disrupt the order with his eyes.

Obviously, he was already very impatient with managing a group of "trolls", his face was getting darker and darker, and he began to look towards Gryffindor frequently.

"...Then I guess Nat is in this cup," Loial said.

"Then I guess it's the cup in the middle." Winster said, looking at the smiling Mike.

They gathered around a small table with three crude ceramic cups on it - all of them had been transformed by Transfiguration, and they used the cups to bet on which cup Michael would hide the coin in.

"Haha!" Mike proudly revealed the cup on the far right and said, "You all guessed wrong!"

He took the Nat out of the third cup and flipped it in the air triumphantly. "Do you want more? You've already lost three days of homework to me. I still lack an assignment for Potions class—"

Luo Ou reviewed Mike's homework for herbology and astronomy: "--Honestly, Mike, did you cheat?" He wrinkled his nose unhappily and looked at Mike's hand suspiciously.

"You can't say I cheated just because I didn't guess correctly," Mike said, pretending to be angry, "because I did."

He laughed loudly, dodged Loio's angry pursuit, and circled around Carl.

"Admit defeat, Luo! Look, Winster doesn't even have any reaction!"

Luo Ou couldn't help but roar.

"Nonsense! He must have guessed you were cheating a long time ago - I was wondering why he was staring at you the whole time - you two teamed up to deceive me!"

Winster flatly denied it. "Who said that? I didn't. I just guessed based on the routines of those street magic tricks..."

"...You guys seem to be having a lot of fun?"

Snape appeared from behind Carl and spoke grimly behind them.

"Or how long do you want to stay here?" Snape's gloomy eyes turned over them, as if he was considering leaving all five of them here. It would be best to punish them by making them clean the hallway tonight.

"! Unhappy, unhappy!" They were startled and said hurriedly, then canceled the transformation together with Colen who was watching the game nearby.

Snape stared at them for a while until they had packed up their things, then he threw his robes and left.

Soon after Snape left, the team moved.

Luo Ou breathed a sigh of relief and muttered quietly, "I always feel like the professor is acting strange lately...?"

"What's strange?" Winston asked. He had a tendency to catch a cold recently. As soon as Snape left, he sneezed and had to take out a handkerchief to cover his nose. He said in a muffled voice, "Evanescent? Isn't that always his style? Hiding in the dark and scaring those Gryffindors -"

As they followed the team out of the hallway, they chatted, "—I mean, I've been looking forward to his reaction to the prophecy, but in the end, the professor didn't say anything to you? You didn't seem to take the prophecy seriously."

"What is there to say?" Winster rolled his eyes, looked at the darkening sky, and said nonchalantly:

"...I'm not a fragile glass bottle in his arms, and I have to be scared of everything...After all, I'm just a Potions apprentice temporarily staying in his house...What reason do I have to interfere with his opinion? I said I was just looking for Harry Potter, but he stared at me for a long time...For him, I'd rather do hard labor and help make potions than worry about the prophecy."

"Looking for Potter?" Loial asked curiously, "What do you want to do with him?"

Winster's eyes immediately turned away. "...It's just a small matter," he said vaguely, "Go ask him about the situation."

Luoou always felt that he smelled a lie. He glanced at Winster worriedly, but seeing that he was unwilling to say anything, he had to raise his head and wait for the guests to arrive.

After a while, someone pointed at a small dot on the moon in the distant sky and shouted:

"——Look, is that Beauxbatons?"

The crowd waiting in front of the castle became lively almost immediately, with many students looking around eagerly. Soon everyone saw the huge building.

Beauxbatons' carriage circled in the night sky and descended to the ground.

A group of golden horses with fiery red eyes shook their manes and stopped with kicks - their manes were as shiny as silver-white stars and hung softly on both sides of their slender necks.

They were perched on the lawn, each one as big as an elephant, with gold and silver all over their bodies, and their wings folded peacefully on both sides of their bodies, which made them eye-catching even in the dark.

Not to mention there was a row of candles set up in front of the castle.

The warm candlelight reflected on the gilded coats of these giant Pegasus, adding countless faint patterns. Each giant Pegasus is a symbol of wealth.

"It's a Panomino horse." Carl exclaimed unconsciously, "The hair is all the color of newly minted gold coins, the tail and the mane must be silver, and there can be no other colors - it symbolizes luck and wealth - among Muggles, horses of this color are praised as God's promise."

He lowered his voice and said, "These horses are very expensive—ceremonial horses used in competitions."

Ms. Maxime, the headmistress of Beauxbatons, got off the carriage - although she was the same size as Hagrid, which made people who saw her deeply doubt her bloodline - her elegant manners and dress always made people forget such thoughts.

Dumbledore led the applause.

Carl clapped his hands and said in a breath, "...I have never seen such a huge Pegasus...it must have been specially bred...they are really rich--"

He stared at these beautiful animals until they were taken to Hagrid's hunting grounds.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Dumbledore, kissing his hand.

"Thank you, Dumbledore, and I hope all is well with you," Madam Maxime said in a low voice.

Then they chatted a few words in French and introduced the students she had brought with her.

"Where's Karkaroff?" asked Madam Maxime.

"I'm afraid it will take them a while," Dumbledore replied. "They say they start from the Baltic Sea and sail all the way to the other side, spending a month at sea, stopping in Germany to select the best warriors before crossing the North Sea to arrive."

"It sounds like they are determined to win the championship this time." Madam Maxime said, "It's a pity that Hogwarts is not in the water. I don't think there will be any use for 'sailors' in this competition... I remember there is a Black Lake in Hogwarts?" She glanced at the moonlit lake behind the carriage.

Dumbledore smiled and replied, "Yes, there is one... But I think the events will be decided by the organizing committee. If necessary, I will be happy to donate the open space in Hogwarts and transform it into a suitable competition venue."

There was a sudden commotion in Gryffindor, causing everyone to look.

Maxime's attention was also drawn to it. She told Dumbledore everything that needed to be taken care of for the Pegasus and asked, "Is this the welcome ceremony for Hogwarts?"

She thought for a while and praised, "Their dancing skills are superb. Are they all students who can participate in the dance? I am beginning to worry that my students will step on their feet at the Christmas dance."

"Oh," Dumbledore seemed a little surprised, but he smiled and was not worried at all, "I think it was a spontaneous welcoming ceremony by some students."

He smiled and said, "Let's take a closer look, ma'am - we can't waste the students' kindness."

As the two headmasters approached, the angry look on Professor McGonagall's face disappeared. Only Professor Moody was coughing and drinking the wine in his gourd.

The students who had been approached by the twins while queuing began tap dancing on the lawn, dancing to the sound of flutes coming from somewhere in the crowd.

Dumbledore enjoyed the cheerful tune of the Hogwarts school song for a while, then seeing that Professor McGonagall's smile was about to fade, he turned to Madam Maxime with regret and said, "I think the students are tired after dancing for a while. Please let them rest for a while. I think you have felt the enthusiasm of Hogwarts. The weather is getting colder. Hogwarts has prepared a grand dinner for your arrival. Please go in and warm up first, Madam Maxime."

“Okay,” Ms. Maxime seemed very interested in the cheerful dance, perhaps because it was difficult for her to find a suitable dance partner.

She majestically called upon the students behind her to walk up the stone steps.

The Weasley twins ran as fast as they could the moment the students of Beauxbatons entered the castle, but they still couldn't escape the clutches of Professor McGonagall.

"This is too much... Such an important moment... Detention! It must be two months - you all go and help Filch clean the medal room... Understand how hard it is to win the honor of Hogwarts..."

Professor McGonagall's roar was so loud that it was doubtful whether anyone in the castle could hear it.

Dumbledore pretended nothing had happened and turned his back to look at his toes.

After waiting for a while, the Durmstrang students still didn't come.

Everyone started to sit on the ground out of boredom, with everyone talking about their own things, it was quite lively.

Dumbledore raised his wand to check the time. "It looks like our guests from Durmstrang won't be arriving today. Perhaps they won't arrive until tomorrow... It seems we should enjoy our dinner first."

He informed them regretfully and announced that everyone could return to the castle for dinner without waiting any longer.

Although no one said it, everyone was already impatient.

The students poured into the castle. It was already nine o'clock in the evening and it was completely dark. It was quiet outside the castle, only inside the castle was brightly lit. People were talking and discussing everywhere.

Three extra seats had been added to the professorial chair, and Madam Maxime was already sitting there. Ludo Bagman and Percy's boss, Mr. Crouch, were also sitting there, and they looked like they had been waiting for a while.

Seeing Dumbledore coming in, they all asked in surprise. After Dumbledore explained, the impatience on their faces disappeared.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen," Dumbledore said slowly, "Although it is a little late - and ghosts," he smiled at the ghosts sitting in the four colleges, "but I still want to say - welcome to our distinguished guests." He looked at the foreign students with a smile.

Once inside, they all took off the scarves they had wrapped around their heads to keep warm.

"Although there is a guest from another school who is unfortunately absent, I believe they will not miss this grand event." Dumbledore said, "Don't be shy, don't be nervous! Just like you are at home - the competition will officially begin at the end of the banquet!"

He sat down, and the table was immediately piled with British specialties as usual, but today there were several exotic dishes that looked particularly delicious. Dumbledore kindly pushed one of the dishes, which looked like fish soup, to Ms. Maxime, suggesting that she try the Hogwarts cuisine.