The Great Hall buzzed with nervous energy as the final preparations for the third trial were discussed. Conversations swirled around the best methods to traverse the daunting distance, a land still shrouded in mystery to many.
"According to my sources," a student piped up, "the Cavendish family is currently establishing a Knight Bus service throughout the wizarding world. There should be buses available to get us to our destinations!"
Other contestants chimed in, offering their own theories and methods. Harry Potter listened, bewildered. In his upbringing with the Dursleys, he'd only known limited options. He had completely forgotten about the myriad of convenient magical transport methods available now.
Charlotte placed her coffee cup down with a decisive click. "What you've all said is correct. The Knight Bus, Floo Powder, Portkeys… technically, they could get us there. But you've forgotten the most convenient way! Harry, you grew up in the Muggle world, yet your thinking has been entirely reshaped by the wizarding one. You've forgotten the ultimate mode of transport!"
Harry paused. "What is it?"
Charlotte grinned. "An airplane! Muggle aircraft are far faster than any broomstick, and they don't carry the nausea of Floo Powder or the disorientation of Portkeys. Most importantly, we can rest properly during the flight and prepare ourselves for whatever awaits us. And the best part? It's safe. Durmstrang wouldn't dare attack a commercial flight, and we won't need to worry about interference on the journey."
The table fell silent, stunned by the simplicity of the solution.
"Don't forget," Charlotte continued, leaning in, "the rules allow us to influence how others reach their destination. I don't intend to harm anyone, but will they share my restraint? I doubt it. To be safe, the plane is our best bet. No one dares to attack a Muggle aircraft—that would be a catastrophe of international proportions."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Penelope frowned slightly. "But if we go through Muggle channels, the bureaucracy will be immense. Will we have enough time?"
Charlotte's smile widened. "Didn't the rules say we can use all resources at our disposal? As someone working for Lord Erwin, I naturally have connections. These people might not do it for me, but they will certainly oblige for Lord Erwin. Even if he isn't here personally, they don't know if this was done on his orders. The Lord calls it leveraging influence. I've already contacted liaisons to arrange passports and visas for you all."
Penelope looked astonished. "You can do that?"
"Why complicate things?" Charlotte replied. "Although visas are usually difficult to obtain, coincidentally, Lord Erwin has considerable influence."
The Hogwarts students laughed, the tension evaporating. What had seemed like a logistical nightmare was resolved in moments. Having a reliable captain certainly saved them a great deal of trouble.
"Focus on your classes," Charlotte instructed. "When the time comes, we'll fly over. It'll save us a headache."
Meanwhile, in the Beauxbatons lounge, the atmosphere was similar. The girls were actively debating their route, each offering an opinion. Fleur, however, remained deep in thought.
She was analyzing how Hogwarts and the exchange students would handle the journey. Based on her understanding of Sunny Finch and Charlotte, they would prioritize efficiency and preservation of energy. After arriving, the situation would be uncertain; maintaining peak condition to deal with any crisis was paramount. Whatever method they chose would likely conserve magic rather than expend it.
"By the way," one of the Beauxbatons girls interrupted Fleur's reverie, "didn't the Cavendish family recently announce that they've connected the Floo Powder network to most countries? Wizards could reach most places with Floo Powder, couldn't they?"
"Floo Powder? That must be incredibly expensive, especially for long-distance travel."
In the wizarding economy, Floo Powder is a paid service, cost determined by distance due to the infrastructure required. However, a multinational Floo Powder network? The expenses would be astronomical, charged per use due to the complexity of international magical integration.
Fleur considered this. "I'll take a day off to visit Diagon Alley, perhaps Cavendish Tower, to verify. We have plenty of funds, don't we?"
The Beauxbatons girls smiled. The magical community in France was prosperous. These girls were incredibly wealthy, largely due to their prestigious families. That realm had avoided the major wars that scarred Britain, maintaining steady development. Before the rise of Erwin's Cavendish family, the wizarding world generally agreed: Britain had the greatest strength, France the greatest wealth, Germany the most militaristic tradition, and America the most independence.
However, like Fleur, Sunny Finch had also secured leave from Hogwarts.
Time passed swiftly. Only one week remained until the start of the third trial. On that day, the contestants from Hogwarts, the exchange students, and Beauxbatons, as if guided by a silent consensus, left the castle together.
At the school gates, the three schools met, their surprise palpable yet brief. They exchanged polite greetings before parting ways. The Beauxbatons contingent headed directly for Diagon Alley, where they paid the requisite fee and stepped into the Floo Powder.
The Cavendish family's Floo Powder keeper was utterly astonished. International orders were rare, but ten of them arriving at once? The wealth was indeed formidable.