Inside the master suite of the Slytherin common room, Erwin watched Fleur with keen interest, waiting for her decision.
Which side would she choose?
Erwin had already anticipated that Fleur would surrender the parchment fragments. In truth, from the moment the parchment had fallen into Beauxbatons' possession, Erwin had known the outcome: Beauxbatons simply couldn't retain them.
The first trial Erwin had designed—the dragon test—had been intended to challenge Beauxbatons and Durmstrang. The tournament itself was meant for the East and Hogwarts. However, even Erwin hadn't predicted exactly who Fleur would choose to receive the fragments.
Finally, Fleur looked to her right.
She walked directly toward the right corridor.
Erwin smiled.
Just as expected. Although they were developing camaraderie during the competition, fellow Western schools still maintained their hierarchies. Compared to the mysterious East, Fleur naturally favored Hogwarts.
In the Hogwarts competitors' lounge, Charlotte heard footsteps approaching the door. A smile touched her lips.
A moment later, a knock sounded.
Charlotte opened the door immediately. Fleur stood in the doorway. Seeing Charlotte, both young women smiled knowingly.
"Have you decided?" Charlotte asked.
Fleur nodded with a sigh. "Yes. It's better to concede gracefully than to be crushed. Besides, if I don't make this dignified exit, you'll force it anyway, won't you?"
Charlotte chuckled. "We aren't that ruthless. With the Master's involvement, we won't destroy our relationship."
"Then I really should ask Erwin to advocate for us," Fleur said, "so you and Sunny Finch go easy on Beauxbatons! Shall we transfer the fragments now?"
Charlotte nodded. "We'll accompany you. The Master's rules are explicit: before the twentieth fragment, no one can possess more than two."
Fleur nodded, and Charlotte turned to the group of Hogwarts students behind her. They understood immediately and followed her out.
In the Great Hall, Headmistress Maxime watched her student's decision without a hint of displeasure. In fact, she looked relieved.
Maxime wholeheartedly approved of Fleur's choice. As Fleur had said, Beauxbatons hadn't traveled to Hogwarts solely to win. They simply wanted their students to gain valuable experience.
And they had. The battle with the dragon had tested their capabilities, proving that Beauxbatons possessed genuine strength beyond reputation. Wasn't that sufficient?
Maxime didn't care about the final outcome. As long as her students were safe, that was all that mattered.
They arrived at the Beauxbatons quarters. Fleur asked the girls holding the fragments to surrender them. They did so without hesitation, passing the shards directly to the Hogwarts delegation.
There were twelve fragments in total. Added to the eight Hogwarts already possessed, that made exactly twenty.
Ten competitors, two fragments each.
After transferring the fragments, the Beauxbatons students didn't look disappointed. On the contrary, they looked incredibly relieved, as if a massive burden had been lifted from their shoulders.
Fleur let out a long sigh. "Finally! No more fragments to guard. We can relax! Honestly, since arriving at Hogwarts, we haven't had a chance to explore properly. We were so afraid of being attacked if we separated, we stayed together the entire time."
Charlotte smiled. "You were simply being cautious."
"We couldn't help it," Fleur admitted. "We understood our limitations. But now, we can actually explore! Charlotte, I'm looking forward to the battle between Hogwarts and the East."
"You won't be disappointed," Charlotte nodded.
As Beauxbatons surrendered the fragments, the scoreboard updated instantly:
Hogwarts: 20 Fragments
East Kunlun Institute: 10 Fragments
Beauxbatons / Durmstrang: Eliminated
Young wizards throughout the castle watched the live broadcast with bated breath.
In the East lounge, Sunny Finch learned the news from her junior disciple. She stood by the window, a knowing smile playing on her lips.
"Given to Hogwarts? How predictable," she murmured. "But now, the game can officially begin."
"Sunny," a disciple asked, "shall we engage Hogwarts immediately?"
Sunny Finch shook her head. "No. Before the final confrontation, we must resolve one matter first. Durmstrang—unlike Beauxbatons—doesn't grasp the situation. They're likely waiting for us and Hogwarts to weaken each other so they can claim the spoils. We must eliminate that possibility."
A glint flashed in the eyes of the Kunlun students. They understood perfectly.
How do you prevent someone from stealing the fruits of your labor?
Simple: you remove their ability to steal. The most efficient method was to send them directly to the Hospital Wing.
Sunny Finch waved her hand. The Kunlun students fell into formation behind her, marching purposefully toward Durmstrang's territory.
As soon as they left their lounge, a young wizard spotted them.
"The entire East delegation is mobilizing again!"
"Are they heading for Durmstrang?"
"They just secured fragments from Beauxbatons, and they're already starting the final purge?"
"Only fools stand around discussing. Smart people follow to watch the spectacle!"
With that reminder, the onlookers stopped gossiping and hurried to follow the East contingent.
Meanwhile, Charlotte, having secured the fragments and chatted briefly with Fleur, reached the exact same conclusion as Sunny Finch: eliminate Durmstrang first to prevent interference from the rear. Only then could Hogwarts and Kunlun engage in a proper final battle.
No one wanted to face a powerful enemy while worrying about a potential backstab.
In the Great Hall, the professors watched this familiar scene in silence. It was a repeat of the previous encounter: without any prior consultation, Hogwarts and Kunlun had independently decided to target Durmstrang.
Karkaroff remained silent. He had observed the entire exchange and understood perfectly why these two powers had made such a decision.