[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-wizard-war-at-hogwarts":3,"chapter-wizard-war-at-hogwarts-wizard-war-at-hogwarts-chapter-176":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Wizard War at Hogwarts",{"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},2358149,4612,"Chapter 176: The Extra Contestant","wizard-war-at-hogwarts-chapter-176",176,"\u003Cp>\"The White House just contacted the Ministry, claiming reliable intelligence indicates a Soviet agent codenamed Wang Jiang has infiltrated the Triwizard Tournament, and they demand a full investigation.\" Old Barty said with a frown.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Impossible. Every staff member and core planner involved in the tournament,\" Leslie choked back a cough, face flushed, \"are loyal locals.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"They say he’s a dangerously skilled Metamorphmagus, and they’ve pressured Downing Street to send intelligence agents to investigate.\" Old Barty’s tone held a hint of resignation. \"Minister Scrimgeour is currently negotiating with them.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Cough cough cough, so what do we do?\" Leslie said irritably.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Minister’s suggestion is that we proceed with our plan as planned, but we may allow Ilvermorny to participate.\" Old Barty sighed. \"It’s to prevent them from stuffing their people onto the judging panel and disrupting our operation.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This is absurd. Four champions in the Triwizard Tournament? What kind of farce is this?\" Leslie said, glancing at Harry. \"And what if Ilvermorny’s champion steals Harry’s spotlight?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Harry was still bewildered; he hadn’t yet sorted out the logic behind any of this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If nothing changes, Codovstritz will also send a champion. If we open this door,\" Old Barty sighed, \"the Celestial Empire will join in too.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It’s understandable—the Triwizard Tournament is indeed a prestigious magical event,\" Leslie lit another cigarette. \"But doesn’t this completely contradict our plan?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’ve already bribed Madame Delacour. After this match, Mr. Krum will cooperate with our plan.\" Old Barty revealed a dark secret Harry had never anticipated. \"The problem now is we can’t lay our plan out on the table to negotiate with them—they’re all eager to shove their own people in.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Cough cough cough, can we confirm their champion candidate? Can we be certain?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hard to say,\" Old Barty tapped his shoe against the soil. \"But it will certainly be an exceptionally talented student. That way, the Dark Lord may not see Harry as a major threat—perhaps even consider cooperating with the White House.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps demonstrating strength, sabotaging our plan, and wooing Voldemort—this is the White House’s true goal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Harry suddenly understood. The so-called Wang Jiang was merely a fabricated excuse. The White House’s intent was clear: since Yanayev was courting Harry, they would court Voldemort. This move wasn’t just betting on the war—it was also a display of their control over Downing Street.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearly, the politicians at Downing Street had easily sold out the Ministry, causing our plan to fall behind the pace of events.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A sharp crack echoed—Minister Scrimgeour, the current head of the Ministry, Apparated beside them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Good news and bad news,\" he said. \"The good news is Ilvermorny has agreed—they’ll be led by Donald Fontroy.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was indeed good news, Harry thought wearily. But even if Fontroy favored him, if Fontroy himself lacked confidence to stand out among such elite competitors, our plan’s success rate would plummet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The bad news is Codovstritz is also entering. We can’t refuse them.\" Scrimgeour paused, looking at the two ministers and Harry, the plan’s core. \"What do you think? Let’s discuss it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Minister, I have a plan,\" Leslie said calmly. Harry noticed his cigarette remained clamped between his fingers, untouched.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Since our tournament is the Triwizard Tournament, only three parties may compete. Let us pair Ilvermorny with Hogwarts, Beauxbatons with Durmstrang, and Codovstritz with the Imperial Academy. This way, we preserve our plan while undermining the White House’s and the Death Eaters’ trust.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"A sound strategy, though I’ll make a slight adjustment,\" Old Barty smiled approvingly. \"Let Harry and Zhang Qiu form a team. Let Ilvermorny and Codovstritz freely choose their partners. That way, both Delacour and Krum can distract the troublemakers, and Zhang Qiu will surely cooperate fully with Harry.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Do as Croch says,\" Scrimgeour nodded. \"But the Celestial Empire has only officially registered the Magic Institute. Whether we can recognize Zhang Qiu as their champion still needs discussion.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Xuan Jun and Dumbledore have always been on good terms. The Celestial Empire has no conflict of interest with us—they’re just here for the spectacle.\" Old Barty spoke confidently. \"The form can change, but the core remains unchanged. We need their cooperation.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’ll contact the Celestial Empire side—they’ve already arrived.\" Scrimgeour nodded. \"Harry, you come with me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Scrimgeour, an Auror by training, had sharp eyes and a forceful demeanor. Without hesitation, he grabbed Harry’s hand and marched toward the Celestial Empire’s tent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hey, who’s that?\" \"Looks like he’s got a sour face—bad intentions.\" \"Ugh, middle-aged man, so unappealing.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Harry was initially puzzled—why were Zhang Qiu’s concubines so openly mocking Scrimgeour? Then he turned and saw the blue TARDIS, and beside it, a Doctor leaning casually against it—he realized he’d entered the device’s automatic translation range.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ladies, I’d like to know if you can represent Xuan Jun,\" Scrimgeour said coldly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The chorus of concubines froze. After a long pause, someone finally spoke: \"The eldest can. Let the eldest speak with him.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A middle-aged woman glided forward and curtsied to Scrimgeour. \"Greetings, Minister. Have you come to discuss the Triwizard Tournament?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Correct. I wish to send one student under the Magic Institute’s name to compete as Harry’s partner.\" Scrimgeour offered no further explanation—just stated his conclusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Cough cough.\" The eldest replied in official tones. \"If there are no other demands, we will arrange a selection to choose the most suitable student to partner with Harry.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Scrimgeour spoke in a harsh, unyielding tone: \"I want Zhang Qiu.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But Zhang Qiu is not enrolled at the Magic Institute,\" the eldest lady looked troubled. \"She belongs to Hogwarts. And in terms of ability, I believe the students they just discussed are no less qualified than Zhang Qiu…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before Scrimgeour’s furrowed, knotted brows, the eldest lady took a deep breath and rephrased: \"How about this? The tournament officials can issue an official invitation to the Magic Institute, and we will issue an official reply: we will cede the champion slot to Hogwarts.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Agreed. Thank you very much.\" Scrimgeour exhaled in relief and pulled Harry away from the group of women.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back at their own camp, Harry noticed Mr. Weasley had just seen off Leslie, and Scrimgeour had politely shaken Arthur’s hand, said, \"See you in the stands,\" and walked off alone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amid the noisy camp, children wandered about buying trinkets. By the time Harry returned, he held a flag, wore binoculars around his neck, and had paint smeared on his face. But the twins still had empty hands—they’d only managed to snag two free little flags from a vendor while Harry bought the binoculars.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We’re broke,\" George said. \"Forty-two Galleons, fifteen Sickles, three Knuts on Ireland to win—and plus the bonus condition that Krum catches the Snitch.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Five Galleons were borrowed from Bagnold by pawning a fake wand,\" Fred added. \"He’s now in charge of the betting.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Harry suddenly understood. \"Oh, that explains it—you’re going to make a fortune!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What?\" George asked. He wasn’t actually that confident.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Harry recalled what he’d heard earlier: Old Barty claimed he’d already bribed Delacour and Krum. It seemed they’d already predetermined Delacour as Beauxbatons’ champion, and Durmstrang’s champion was likely the current Seeker on the field—Viktor Krum.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If bribing Delacour was relatively easy with official backing, what could possibly persuade a young, already-famous Seeker? Without doubt, Old Barty’s leverage was—the Snitch itself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ireland’s Seeker wasn’t as brilliant, but still formidable. Ireland winning while Krum caught the Snitch was something no one expected. Even if the children had speculated this, it was only to please Ron and Ginny, Krum’s fans. In truth, deep down—or among most local fans—Harry believed Bulgaria’s defeat was far more likely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Giving the Snitch to Krum could serve as leverage to secure his cooperation, manipulate the betting odds (he’d even assigned a man named Bagnold to run the book), and earn a massive profit. Meanwhile, Ireland winning despite the opposing team catching the Snitch would be a huge publicity boost. Everyone wins.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only sportsmanship died.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Harry shook his head, shaking those sordid thoughts from his mind. For him, simply enjoying this match was most important—because once the Triwizard Tournament began, he’d need to stay constantly alert, allowing not the slightest mistake.\u003C\u002Fp>",1348,"2026-06-21T04:54:27.874Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","6019a34c5d9ac8c475acabb7c7eb9d366a46da624ac0fe4caf858d3ff5c1682f","wizard-war-at-hogwarts-chapter-177","wizard-war-at-hogwarts-chapter-175",528,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fwizard-war-at-hogwarts-cover.jpg"]