As Maxime had said, Beauxbatons never came here to win. She was simply giving her students a chance to broaden their horizons and hone their skills against the best. Rankings were irrelevant; they knew they couldn't compete with the powerhouses of the other schools.
At the gates of Hogwarts Castle, the Beauxbatons and Durmstrang contingents returned simultaneously, crossing paths with the students of the four Hogwarts houses. The moment the Beauxbatons girls saw the Hogwarts contestants, they became wary, gripping their wands tight and bracing for a fight.
Charlotte Cavendish merely glanced at them, leading her group past without incident toward the Great Hall.
Arriving at the scoreboard, the group paused.
"Huh, the exchange students are second?" Cedric Diggory exclaimed. "Did they actually go hunting for dragons?"
Charlotte laughed, a sharp, knowing sound. "I think they didn't find a dragon. They found a hapless team instead."
Penelope Clearwater frowned. "Are the exchange students really that strong? It's only been ten minutes since Erwin started the match. How could they find and defeat an opponent so quickly?"
Charlotte didn't answer immediately. Instead, she turned her gaze to Durmstrang, sitting at the bottom of the rankings.
The one who knows you best is your opponent, she thought. Sunny Finch isn't hunting dragons. She's hunting students.
But Penelope was right. Ten minutes was far too fast.
Charlotte's mind raced, and then it clicked. She spun around, scanning the Hogwarts students. The others watched, confused, until her eyes locked onto Harry Potter.
Harry scratched his head. "What is it, Charlotte?"
Charlotte stepped forward and tapped his shoulder with her wand. Magic flowed into him—Erwin had taught her that magic had uses far beyond simple combat.
After a moment, Charlotte's lips curled into a smirk.
"So that's how it is. You really pulled a fast one, Sunny Finch."
She traced the wand over a seemingly invisible spot on Harry's arm. A moment later, a faint, intricate magic circle flared into existence. Charlotte tapped the center, a flash of white light erupted, and the array vanished.
"A tracking formation?" Cedric asked, startled.
"Exactly," Charlotte confirmed. "It explains how they found Durmstrang so fast."
Harry paled. "I... I didn't know! I swear, I don't know how that got there!"
"I know, Harry. It has nothing to do with you," Charlotte reassured him, though her eyes remained sharp. "But it confirms my suspicion. The exchange students are playing a different game entirely."
"We have to stay vigilant," Penelope added. "If they're this prepared, we're in trouble."
Nearby, Fleur Delacour watched the exchange with a frown. She recognized the magic instantly; she had seen similar formations before. She turned to her own team.
"Check yourselves," she ordered.
They searched frantically, finally finding a similar tracking array on the weakest member of their group. Fleur dismantled it with a sharp flick of her wand.
"That devious Sunny Finch," Fleur muttered.
Meanwhile, the exchange contingent was marching toward the castle when Sunny Finch suddenly stopped.
"Senior?" a student asked.
"My tracking arrays," Sunny Finch said, her voice light despite the news. "They've been broken."
"Impossible! That formation is undetectable to anyone but a master!"
Sunny Finch's lips curved into a smile. "Charlotte. A worthy opponent at last. It would have been disappointing if she hadn't seen through it."
She paused, her expression shifting slightly.
"Ah. The Beauxbatons array is gone, too."
"Did they do it themselves?"
"No. They lack the skill. The two groups must have met." She shrugged, brushing it off. "A pity. It was a finely crafted array. But no matter."
"Should we reset the trap?"
"Absolutely not. We never use the same tactic twice. Besides..." Her eyes sparkled with mischief. "That tracking charm was merely a small gift. The game has only just begun."
In the forest, the Durmstrang students slowly regained consciousness. Krum rejoined his team, his face a mask of cold fury. Being beaten and left behind had ruined any hope of a good mood.
They began the long walk back to the castle.
By evening, all four teams had reappeared in the Great Hall.
Erwin had designated the Great Hall as a safe zone; combat was strictly forbidden within its walls, though students were only permitted entry during mealtimes. Outside of those hours, the entire castle was a battlefield.
At the Durmstrang table, the students glared daggers at the exchange students. The exchange students, however, paid them no mind, happily enjoying their dinner as if they hadn't just robbed them blind moments ago.
Meanwhile, the Hogwarts teams sat at their respective house tables, the atmosphere surprisingly relaxed. They chatted with classmates, showing off minor spells, and exchanging casual conversation—a deceptive island of peace in the brewing storm.