Hogwarts Lion Girl

Professor Dumbledore stood up with a smile on his face. The hall suddenly became quiet and everyone focused their attention on him.

He raised his glass high, and his loud voice echoed in every corner of the auditorium.

"Welcome everyone to Hogwarts, to participate in this grand Triwizard Tournament!"

"I think it's time to announce that the Triwizard Tournament will officially begin after the banquet tonight!" As soon as Professor Dumbledore finished speaking, thunderous applause and cheers broke out in the hall.

"Now, let's enjoy this sumptuous dinner!" Professor Dumbledore said with a smile and made a gesture of invitation.

In a flash, the golden plates were filled with all kinds of delicious dishes: sizzling roast beef, fragrant roast chicken, Yorkshire pudding with thick sauce, and fragrant French fish soup... The dazzling array of delicacies made people salivate.

……

After the feast, the laughter and joy gradually subsided.

Dumbledore stood up again, his silver beard trembling slightly on his chest. He tapped the goblet gently, and the hall immediately became quiet, with everyone's eyes focused on him.

Professor Dumbledore's resonant voice echoed in the hall. "Now, I have the honor to introduce to you two guests who have come from afar. They are Mr. Barty Crouch, Director of the Department of International Magical Cooperation of the Ministry of Magic..."

As soon as Dumbledore finished speaking, a thin, serious-looking man nodded slightly as a greeting to everyone.

He looked a little tired, with heavy bags under his eyes, as if he hadn't had a good rest for a long time.

There was sparse applause in the auditorium; the students seemed not very interested in this serious official.

"And, Mr. Ludo Bagman, Head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports!"

Before he finished speaking, a burly, ruddy-faced man waved to everyone enthusiastically with a hearty smile on his face.

He has thick curly hair, a round beer belly, and looks very amiable.

"Mr. Bagman was once a star player for the British national Quidditch team!" Dumbledore added.

The hall suddenly erupted in thunderous applause and cheers, and the students were obviously more interested in this former Quidditch star.

Mr. Bagman smiled happily, waved to everyone, and enjoyed everyone's enthusiasm.

"These two gentlemen have devoted their heart and soul to the preparations for this Tri-Widget Tournament."

Professor Dumbledore's voice was friendly and loud. "In fact, the referee panel for this competition is composed of five of us."

He smiled and looked around the hall, "And of course, our dear Professor Minerva McGonagall, and Madame Maxime from Beauxbatons School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

At this point, Professor Dumbledore gestured to the side, and Mr. Filch came up laboriously carrying an old wooden box inlaid with jewels and carefully placed it on the table in front of Professor Dumbledore.

"Okay, kids," Professor Dumbledore said, opening the old wooden box and taking out a simple wooden goblet. "I think everyone can't wait any longer, so let me introduce you to the protagonist of this Triwizard Tournament - the Goblet of Fire!"

As soon as the Goblet of Fire appeared, it immediately attracted everyone's attention.

It shines with an ancient luster all over, the cup body is carved with exquisite patterns, and a cluster of jumping blue flames burns at the mouth of the cup, illuminating the surroundings in flickering light.

"As you can see, the Goblet of Fire will select three champions for us to represent our respective schools." Professor Dumbledore's voice was clear and powerful. "Students who are interested in participating in the election need to write their names and school names clearly on parchment and put them into the Goblet of Fire within 24 hours."

His eyes swept across the hall, and his tone became serious. "I must remind you that becoming a warrior is no joke. Once you are selected by the Goblet of Fire, it means you must persevere to the end, abide by the contract, and complete the competition, no matter how difficult and dangerous the process is."

Professor Dumbledore waved his wand, and a line of silver light appeared around the Goblet of Fire. "For the sake of fairness, I will set an age limit. Any student under the age of seventeen will not be able to cross this limit and throw the parchment into the Goblet of Fire."

His eyes became sharp, "I hope that all students will think carefully and choose carefully, and don't make decisions that you will regret."

The hall was silent, with only the slight crackling sound of the dancing blue flame in the Goblet of Fire. Professor Dumbledore's deep eyes swept across the students in the hall, taking in their expressions.

Fred and George exchanged a sly look, and Fred nudged George with his elbow and whispered, "Looks like our preparations will come in handy."

"That's right," George responded in a low voice, "the seventeen-year-old limit is not a problem for us."

Hermione frowned and whispered, "Don't be silly. Even if you can cheat the Goblet of Fire, you can't guarantee that you will be completely safe. The Triwizard Tournament is not a joke!"

……

At breakfast the next day, the hall was filled with the aroma of bacon and toast, but the students' minds were clearly not on food.

People gathered in twos and threes, discussing excitedly the news announced by Professor Dumbledore last night. The topic always revolved around one focus - the Triwizard Tournament.

The Gryffindor table was particularly lively, with Fred and George becoming the center of attention. They excitedly described how they cleverly circumvented the age limit, with confident smiles on their faces, as if they had already secured the warrior's spot.

"Are you serious?" Ron was holding a piece of bread and butter in his hand, looking at the twin brothers with a worried look, "The Goblet of Fire is not a joke, didn't you hear what Headmaster Dumbledore said? It's life-threatening!"

"Relax, my silly brother," Fred waved his hand dismissively, "We know what we are doing."

"That's right," George winked at Ron, "no problem can stop us."

At the long table of Ravenclaw, students were whispering and talking.

They were curious about the age barrier designed by Dumbledore.

The line looks thin and harmless, but if underage students get close to it, they will feel an invisible resistance, like a soft but insurmountable wall.

"It's amazing! How does this magic work?" asked a girl with curly brown hair.

“Perhaps it can sense the fluctuations of our magic power,” a boy wearing glasses speculated, “like a magic detector, and can determine our age.”

"Either way, it's a very clever bit of magic," a tall boy concluded, "it ensures that only qualified students can participate in the competition."