Hogwarts: Even Voldemort Can't Stop Me From Studying

Chapter 845 216: The Trap Behind the Trophy

Clementine tightly bit her lip, looking through the bushes at Vid and Harry conversing beside the Goblet of Fire.

Under the deliberate guidance of the Cheetah Poppet, she kept circling around, and suddenly she really saw the trophy!

But when she arrived, it was obviously too late; those two had already got there. However, they had not picked up the Goblet of Fire, instead, their expressions were serious, as though engaged in some urgent discussion.

Clementine's fingertips dug deeply into her palm.

Something's not right; everything feels off!

Why did Vid Gray's poppet guide her to the trophy's location?

Could that poppet have betrayed Gray?

Yet, even if that alchemy product betrayed its creator, could it truly aid her?

Clementine wasn't someone with a seven-second memory; she clearly remembered that not only did she not have any basis for mutual help with that cheetah, but she also killed its companion right before its eyes!

But...

The chance to become the champion was right before her; no matter how she obtained the trophy, just a gentle touch would mean she had defeated Vid Gray!

The temptation was as alluring as poison; Clementine couldn't help but raise her Magic Wand, softly chanting:

"Trophy come!"

"Goblet of Fire come!"

Yet the golden trophy remained motionless, clearly warded with an Anti-Curse.

Of course, the league organizers shouldn't have made such a careless mistake.

Clementine couldn't help but feel slightly dejected.

Even though Vid and Harry were not alert to their surroundings at the moment, she didn't think she could successfully attack and defeat them both right now.

But...

Was this cheetah sent to let her witness her own failure?

If its motive was really so simple, it paradoxically reassured Clementine.

The girl turned back, searching for the cheetah's figure among the bushes.

As she turned, her heart suddenly jolted:

There, not far behind her, the cheetah was standing, its mouth slightly curved, its eyes once round now felt filled with mockery.

It seemed to say, "Look, isn't this the trophy you've been longing for? I showed you a shortcut!"

Clementine felt as if she were plunged into an icy cave.

She had a feeling that it was not a guide to victory, but the mockery of a predator watching its prey walk into the trap.

Her blood instantly froze, a chill running from her spine up to the nape of her neck.

When Clementine came to her senses, a thought surged in her mind—she must tell Vid Gray about the abnormality of this cheetah!

Although it was also Vid's poppet, Clementine had a hunch: its actions might not all be under Gray's instruction!

Whatever it was planning, the only one who might stop it now was Vid Gray!

Determined, Clementine turned around sharply only to find those two had already disappeared from their original spot, leaving behind a blue bird that crashed into the Goblet of Fire in a suicidal manner and vanished without a trace or feather left.

"How could it be?"

The girl was dumbfounded, mumbling.

"Crack!"

Suddenly, Clementine heard the sound of a branch breaking.

The girl turned quickly, only to see the Cheetah Poppet had somehow silently approached within five meters, its eyes flickering in the dim forest like a ghostly fire.

Clementine retreated in panic, waving her hand and saying:

"Wait, I'm sorry, okay? Burning your companion, I'm really sorry, but everyone's on the field, we're competitors... Incendio!"

The cheetah leaped gracefully; the glow of the spell landed on a cluster of branches, sparks exploded, leaving Clementine pale-faced.

"Impedimenta! Defodio! Confringo!"

Spells flew consecutively, but the cheetah ghostly evaded each attack. Suddenly, it bared its teeth, springing forward with its hind legs like springs, spine stretching incredibly as it lunged!

The murderous intent pressed like a blade's edge towards her eyes, at this moment, Clementine had no doubt: if given a chance, this cheetah would surely tear through her throat!

She screamed, throwing an Iron Armor Spell before turning to run, despite rationality screaming danger, survival instincts overwhelmingly prevailed!

And in this environment, she had only one path to survival—

Clementine turned and lunged for the trophy, fingertips touching the cold metal when the entire world began to distort.

"Swish!"

The cheetah, momentarily held back by the Iron Armor Spell, had already caught up, nearly simultaneously slashing through the spot where Clementine had just stood; she merely felt a sharp pain in her back, her whole being plunged into a whirlpool.

The cheetah stood still and surveyed its surroundings.

Near the Goblet of Fire, it was extraordinarily quiet—no masters, no enemies, no lizards in sight, even the camera-carrying bluebird was absent.

It looked bewilderedly at the nearby thorns, seemingly momentarily losing its target.

After a moment of daze, the cheetah tentatively used its paw to gently touch the trophy, its figure similarly vanishing instantly.

...

Harry stumbled to his feet, his knees ached from the recent collision, he straightened his skewed glasses, surveying the surroundings with a tight voice:

"Where is this place?"

"It's certainly not the school, nor the awarding platform."

Vid feigned casually, but felt subtly nervous inside.

He reached out to help Harry up, vigilantly scanning around, while tapping thrice on the badge pinned to his chest.

By the ghastly moonlight, Harry could see the surrounding scenery clearly—

They were in the central courtyard of an abandoned monastery, the once majestic arcade had mostly collapsed, remnants of stone pillars pointed skyward like a giant's broken fingers, shattered stained glass still retained fragments of religious story illustrations, incomplete figures seemed eerie at the moment.

A damaged Virgin Mary statue leaned in the weed as its stone face had been eroded unrecognizable by the wind and rain; the bell tower, however, remained miraculously preserved, only dark stains spread along its outer wall... appearing like blood.

Harry gripped his magic wand, feeling his palm already slicked with cold sweat, while Vid crouched to examine the peculiar, radiating marks on the ground.

"Seems like someone performed Dark Magic here." Vid said, "But it seems unlikely to be that person's work, as these symbols…"

His sentence hadn't finished when a blue flash passed before the two—the familiar bluebird suddenly appeared, looking dazed momentarily before it began observing the surroundings.

As it traversed, it seemed to scatter traces of golden shine behind, very peculiar.

Just then, Harry noticed a thin layer of golden mist had unknowingly enveloped them.

"What is this?"

He instinctively tried to cover his mouth and nose, but was horrified to find his hand shrinking visibly!

Harry hastily turned his head, finding Vid beside him was experiencing the same thing:

Their bodies rapidly contracted, eyes rounding, features becoming tender and childlike, limbs growing shorter, outer robes slipping off, even the fitted shirt hung loosely on shoulders like an oversized nightgown.

Time was rewinding on their bodies!

Soon, the clear realization became blurred in Harry's mind, brain turning muddled, thoughts shrouded as if by a thin veil.

"Finish off that bird!"

A raspy voice suddenly echoed from the darkness.

The bluebird jolted awake, hurriedly flapping to flee but was struck by a dazzling ray of light.

It let out a shrill cry, shattered into countless fragments scattering, the last image left was of two young children in ill-fitting clothes, staring bewilderedly at their surroundings.

Harry opened his eyes, using his pudgy little hand to clutch the "nightgown's" hem tightly, confused why he had left the Dursley family and appeared in this frightening place.

Soon, he heard a similarly youthful voice, speaking in an exceedingly rude tone:

"Hey, kid, who are you?"