svetikya Chapter 319 320: The End of Year Four: Mademoiselle Fleur’s “Farewell Gift”
Chapter 319 320: The End of Year Four: Mademoiselle Fleur’s “Farewell Gift”
For most students, this year had been unprecedented.
They had come to watch the Triwizard Tournament—the ultimate spectacle.
They had survived a major attack by Voldemort, but instead of being sent into battle, they were treated to a grand "magic show."
And, due to various reasons, the final exams had been cancelled.
"This has truly been the best year ever!" Ron said, his mouth full of roast chicken, speaking with muffled enthusiasm.
He earned a look of disdain from his little sister, but Ron had long since accepted his fate.
With the "school heartthrob" Ethan around, all the single blokes in his year stood no chance of finding girlfriends.
The end-of-year feast was as lavish as ever.
To bid farewell to the students from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang, the house-elves had prepared a feast with French and Bulgarian specialties.
But, as the Weasley twins put it, "We never really ate proper British food anyway."
Yet, despite the feast's abundance, the Durmstrang students sat huddled in the corners, their expressions dark and sullen.
Their tall, muscular forms stood like a row of sturdy chestnuts.
They were not only frustrated about missing the Triwizard Tournament trophy by a hair's breadth.
More importantly, their former Death Eater headmaster, Karkaroff, had fled.
At the moment the Dark Mark called, he vanished without a trace.
"I hope he doesn't get caught and killed," muttered a Slytherin student, a hint of smugness in his voice. "I say, if he'd crawled to Ethan sooner, he might have lived a bit longer."
After the Triwizard Tournament, a few spots at the Slytherin table remained empty.
But everyone instinctively pretended not to notice, avoiding the subject.
Even Goyle, Draco Malfoy's old sidekick, had vanished.
"They were lucky to leave the school at all," Malfoy sneered. "Ethan showed mercy."
A flicker of fear crossed his mind.
Their family had almost followed the same path.
"Thankfully, Father saw the writing on the wall and got close to Ethan early."
Malfoy thought, his eyes burning with ambition.
"Who says Ethan's punch in the first year was too hard? That punch was gentle! Give me a few more!"
"This incident has taught our family a lesson. We'll shower Ethan with gifts from now on."
"I hear Gemma Farley, the graduate, has already bought property in Ethan's wizarding village... Our family can't fall behind!"
Malfoy's eyes blazed with competitive fire.
He glanced at his Slytherin peers.
In that moment of silent exchange, the air was thick with rivalry.
Pure-blood families competing—so simple, so direct.
The massive attack naturally made the front page of the Daily Prophet.
"Barty Crouch Sr. has resigned for personal reasons, raising all sorts of speculation... Let us revisit this attack and consider the impact of You-Know-Who's return on the magical world..."
After Rita Skeeter became a lifetime member of St Mungo's, the report was written by MacArthur.
Although some parts were still exaggerated, at least it wasn't pure fabrication.
On the new Minister's orders, the paper officially announced Voldemort's return.
Accompanied by grotesque images of the Dark Lord's monstrous form, the coverage almost rivalled the Quibbler's spreads featuring Ethan's paintings.
Hermione frowned at the newspaper. "Strange... It focuses heavily on Voldemort's resurrection, but only mentions Ethan defeating him in passing."
Harry said, "Maybe they want everyone to stay vigilant."
Hermione gave a noncommittal "Hmm."
Her eyes scanned the lines repeatedly.
With her sharp instincts, she sensed something off.
It felt like the paper's attitude toward Ethan wasn't as favourable as before.
Ethan's final spell had been spectacular, yet there wasn't a single photograph.
Hermione finally concluded, "It's not even worth a hair's worth compared to the Quibbler."
She tossed the Daily Prophet aside and pulled out the Quibbler, which every student had received.
She grinned at the cover, which featured a special portrait of Ethan, blushing as pink bubbles floated around her.
She knew many girls, including Ginny, had put this issue—complete with Ethan's exclusive photos, interviews, and action shots—on display in glass cases, admiring it daily.
Cho Chang blushed, clutching a scrapbook of cut-out images. "Maybe... maybe it'll become a rare collector's item in the future—"
"Huhuhu~"
After the feast, when everyone was full and content, Dumbledore took the stage for his end-of-year speech.
"Though we encountered a few setbacks, we overcame great obstacles and brought this long-awaited Triwizard Tournament to a successful close."
Dumbledore beamed, his face radiant.
His office now boasted not only a shining silver-blue trophy, but also a genuine, animated portrait.
When Dumbledore took the portrait to visit his long-lost brother, the two old men shed tears, and the Hog's Head Inn stayed lit all night.
"For this, I wish to honour all the contestants in this tournament. Each of you receives fifty House points!"
"Harry and Cedric, who faced Voldemort and Mr Lamp, will receive an additional hundred points each!"
"Ohhh—!!!"
Thunderous applause erupted in the Great Hall.
Two House hourglasses shot up in value.
The Hufflepuff students were thrilled, but their expressions also held a hint of disappointment.
"We were hoping to win the House Cup this year—" Hannah Abbott said, then smiled contentedly. "But it's good enough that everyone remembers Hufflepuff has heroes too."
Still, one heavyweight from Ravenclaw had not yet been recognised.
Sure enough, Dumbledore continued, "Of course, we must not forget the hero who, at a critical moment, delivered a fatal blow to Voldemort with extraordinary magic."
"I can't name him, but you all know who he is."
All eyes turned to the black-haired boy at the Ravenclaw table.
"They all sit in a row, yet Ethan stands out so much—" Ron said, enviously straightening his back.
Just as everyone expected Dumbledore to award Ethan twenty thousand points and cement Ravenclaw's dominance, Dumbledore grinned mischievously.
"At Ethan Vincent's request, I announce that this year's House Cup goes to every single House!"
With a wave of his wand, the Great Hall's decorations changed.
Everyone stared in amazement.
Not only Ravenclaw blue, but also Gryffindor red, Hufflepuff yellow, and Slytherin green filled the room.
On the wall before the hall, the four House animals stood proudly, exuding a fearsome aura.
A student gasped, "Blimey! I haven't seen all four House animals together since the school envelopes!"
Even the professors were astonished.
In the midst of murmurs, Dumbledore's voice rang out, "This year, I award the House Cup to every House."
"And this is Mr Vincent's wish."
Students looked at Ethan, who gave a slight nod, his expression calm and confident.
"So cool—" a girl blurted out, instantly turning from face to neck.
Dumbledore's expression grew serious. "As we have seen, a new crisis looms over the magical world."
"In the face of danger, I hope the four Houses can set aside their differences and unite."
"The courage of Gryffindor, the loyalty of Hufflepuff, the wisdom of Ravenclaw, and the cunning of Slytherin."
Dumbledore nodded toward the Slytherin table.
"As Hogwarts welcomes students of every temperament, I believe that in difficult times, no matter their House, our students will stand together to defend Hogwarts."
Malfoy fidgeted uncomfortably, instinctively wanting to keep his head down.
But Dumbledore's next words crushed that thought.
"In the leadership of Mr Ethan Vincent."
Malfoy slammed his fist on the table.
"To hell with self-preservation!
Wherever Ethan's wand points, that's our path!
Charge!"
The hall's atmosphere ignited.
Gryffindors glanced at Slytherins in surprise.
Since when had Slytherins become more passionate than them?
At the teachers' table, Snape muttered, "To suggest sharing the House Cup among all four Houses... Only Ethan would think of such a rule-breaking miracle."
Perhaps it was the greatest miracle since the school's founding.
After the feast, the Beauxbatons and Durmstrang students prepared to leave.
By the giant winged horse-drawn carriage, Fleur clutched Ethan's hand tightly, biting her lip.
She looked as if she wanted to kidnap Ethan away.
"Next time—next time, I'll show you my mature side!"
Ethan smiled, "I'll look forward to it."
Fleur pouted, staring at Ethan's calm expression.
Suddenly, she had an idea.
She glanced at Luna, then leaned in close to Ethan's face.