[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-starting-at-hogwarts-logging-into-elden-ring":3,"chapter-starting-at-hogwarts-logging-into-elden-ring-starting-at-hogwarts-logging-into-elden-ring-chapter-227":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Starting at Hogwarts, Logging into Elden Ring",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1496351,1944,"Chapter 227: Loretta Returns to Duty, The Second Task Begins","starting-at-hogwarts-logging-into-elden-ring-chapter-227",227,"\u003Cp>Time flew by, and before anyone realized it, the day of the second task of the Triwizard Tournament had arrived.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During this period, Arthur had been busy exploring Elphael and the Haligtree.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Worth mentioning was that somewhere within Elphael, Arthur ran into a familiar face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or rather—someone he had only met once before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Knight Loretta.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Years ago, Arthur had fought Loretta's spectral form in Caria Manor. Back then, her title had been Royal Knight. Now, she bore a new one—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Haligtree Knight Loretta.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Loretta was a knight of remarkable integrity. She could not stand by as races rejected by the Erdtree were slaughtered by fanatics of Golden Order Fundamentalism.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She personally led those people through countless hardships, escorting them all the way to the Haligtree in the snowy north.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among them were survivors from the Albinauric Village. Their ability to reach the Haligtree owed much to Loretta's efforts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After guiding them there, Loretta chose to remain behind, dedicating herself to protecting this secluded sanctuary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Arthur encountered her, Loretta was still capable of normal conversation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearly, she hadn't succumbed to madness after the Shattering—unlike most others Arthur had encountered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone else—regardless of race—had charged at him the moment they saw him, weapons raised.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those without weapons simply threw themselves at him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As if they all shared some blood feud with him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment Arthur saw Loretta, he set his sights on her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not out of personal interest—but because he wanted her to return to Liurnia, to help his mother-in-law Rennala manage both the Carian Royal Family and the Academy of Raya Lucaria.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liurnia was in desperate need of capable people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Loretta had once been a Carian royal knight—asking her to return to duty was perfectly reasonable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But after so many years, Loretta had come to see the Haligtree as her second home.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Being asked to leave it behind naturally stirred some reluctance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So Arthur simply summoned Ranni, Miquella, and Malenia right in front of her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ranni, as a Carian princess, held unquestionable authority over Loretta.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Miquella and Malenia, as the true masters of Elphael, sincerely thanked Loretta for everything she had done.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They also pointed out that Elphael no longer had many sane inhabitants—staying here served little purpose now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With encouragement from all sides, Loretta finally agreed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And so, Loretta returned to Liurnia, giving Rennala another valuable pillar of support.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back to the Triwizard Tournament\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The second task was held at Hogwarts' Black Lake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Early that morning, students streamed out of the castle toward the lakeshore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the center of the Black Lake stood three wooden towers, built to accommodate spectators.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Students boarded small boats at the dock—boats that had once carried first-years across the lake during their arrival at Hogwarts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Judging by their condition, these boats were at least a century old.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In some ways, Hogwarts was impressively frugal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hermione, Harry, and Neville walked together toward the lake—a rather rare combination.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hermione was there because she couldn't find Arthur.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She asked Harry,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Harry, have you seen my cousin?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was puzzled. Arthur had been beside her at breakfast, but when she turned around, both he and Ranni were gone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Harry shook his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No. Come to think of it, I didn't see Ron this morning either.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the competition about to begin, Hermione had no time to search further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She temporarily set the matter aside, deciding to deal with it after the task.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She wasn't worried in the slightest—Arthur running into trouble had an even lower probability than Seamus blowing up the entire castle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, Harry was talking with Neville.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Neville placed a long, strip-like plant—resembling seaweed—into Harry's hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Gillyweed,\" Neville said. \"It lets you grow gills and webbed hands and feet.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Harry accepted it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I know. I'm the one who asked you to get it for me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ever since learning the second task would take place underwater, Harry had been searching for a way to breathe beneath the surface.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bubble-Head Charm was an option—but too fragile. One poke and it was gone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That day in the library, Neville had noticed Harry researching aquatic magic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thinking Harry shared his interest in Herbology, Neville struck up a conversation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Harry realized how knowledgeable Neville was, he asked whether any plants allowed underwater breathing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was when Neville mentioned Gillyweed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Neville added,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You probably don't know this, but its duration isn't fixed.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Harry frowned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What do you mean?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It's affected by whether the water is fresh or salty. The effect can vary.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Harry's expression tightened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It won't wear off the moment I hit the water, will it?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Neville shook his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Nothing that bad. At worst, it'll last a bit less than an hour.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Harry nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That's fine. Worst case, I'll use Bubble-Head Charm to top it up.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Task Begins\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the center wooden tower, Barty Crouch Sr. stood delivering the opening speech.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Welcome to the second task of the Triwizard Tournament!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Last night, something precious was taken from each of our champions. Those treasures now rest at the bottom of the Black Lake.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The task is simple—retrieve what was taken and return it to the surface.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Almost no one was listening.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All eyes were on the champions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More specifically—on Fleur Delacour.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For the sake of the dive, Fleur had changed into a silver-gray one-piece swimsuit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her graceful figure drew the gaze of countless students.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even some girls were captivated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Veela charm didn't discriminate by gender—only by resistance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Early spring in Britain was still bitterly cold, and the lake was freezing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Requiring the champions to enter under such conditions was brutal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Harry stripped off his excess robes, swallowed the Gillyweed in one gulp, and stepped to the edge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before he could brace himself, \"Moody\" shoved him from behind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, his gills sprouted the moment he hit the water—otherwise, he would've choked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, the sensation was awful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt like someone had slashed open his neck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Painful… in a strangely intense way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Hermione swam over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Harry sinking awkwardly, she thought he was drowning and rushed to check.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She wasn't worried about falling behind—her extended mental perception made searching underwater trivial.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Catching up wouldn't be a problem.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As she approached, Hermione noticed the gills and webbed fingers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She relaxed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Gillyweed is a good choice. Impressive that you found such a rare plant. Just be mindful of the duration.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Neville warned me about that,\" Harry replied. \"He's the one who got it for me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"He was right next to us earlier—didn't you hear?\" Harry asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hermione raised an eyebrow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Was he? I didn't notice.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She'd been too busy scanning the stands for Arthur.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not wanting to dwell on it, she said,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Never mind. Time's limited—go find your hostage.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, Hermione turned and swam deeper.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hey, wait!\" Harry followed after her. \"What's going on with you right now?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A transparent film coated Hermione's body, separating her from the water.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even her clothes remained perfectly dry, as though she were still on land.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Curious, Harry reached out and poked it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The surface felt solid—hard as crystal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Advance Chapters Available on Patreon\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>patreon.com\u002FWhiteDevil7554\u003C\u002Fp>",1173,"2026-06-06T04:19:46.381Z",1,"novelbin.me","a9fd181d9c14bd8bcf4e60da27ea8fee8417096bc0292ef1b57742cb98bc0ae7","starting-at-hogwarts-logging-into-elden-ring-chapter-228","starting-at-hogwarts-logging-into-elden-ring-chapter-226",281,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fstarting-at-hogwarts-logging-into-elden-ring-cover.jpg"]