As the whistle blew, Jane Yu felt as if dumplings were being tossed into a boiling pot—
The four champions dove into the lake simultaneously, their diving poses creating loud splashes and sending water spraying everywhere.
It was energetic, enthusiastic, and cold enough to make anyone's muscles cramp.
Take Harry, for instance—he dove deep into the water but suddenly twitched and shot back to the surface, executing a dramatic 360-degree spin!
After he plunged back into the water, the Black Lake returned to its usual calm, with no sound or movement, leaving only the shimmering, tranquil surface.
The protagonist—he should be fine, right?
With so many professors watching, surely there are lifeguards?
Jane Yu leaned over the edge of the viewing platform, feeling a bit incredulous.
Why were students dragged out here early in the morning to stare at the lake? To watch a competition where there was literally nothing to see?
She felt bad for the audience's ticket money!
If this weren't a free event, she would've protested for a refund from the organizers!
Frowning, Jane Yu reached out to touch the lake water—
It was icy cold, piercingly so.
She decided to enhance the audience's viewing experience.
"Trunk, come here! Galleons, come here!"
Exclamations erupted from the stands as students frantically clutched their pockets, but their Galleons seemed to have minds of their own, leaping out and flying toward Jane Yu.
In no time, a small pile of Galleons formed beside her.
"Is this some kind of wishing ritual?"
"Black Lake, Yu, tossing coins, making wishes—get it?"
"Quick! Quick! Get your coins out!"
Excited voices rang out from the Hogwarts stands. Students who didn't have Galleons started tossing their Sickles and Knuts instead, many of which landed in the lake.
"Great Scholar above, bless me to pass Potions class!"
"Bless me to never get caught during night prowls!"
"Bless my Puffapod to grow strong and healthy!"
"Bless me to get 5 points for stepping into Potions class with my left foot first!"
Beauxbatons and Durmstrang students stared in shock, seemingly debating whether to join this grand wishing ritual. They exchanged glances:
If the Hogwarts students are doing it, should we follow suit? When in Rome, right? After all, Beauxbatons' fountain forbids coin tossing!
And honestly, staring at the lake surface is boring enough!
"Miss Yu is showing excellent audience interaction!" Ludo Bagman exclaimed, trying to sound enthusiastic. "Everyone is throwing Galleons, Sickles, and Knuts toward her to show their support!"
Unfortunately, the wishing students didn't know—
Their so-called protagonist, Jane Yu, was not very pleased.
Her trunk hadn't come.
It seemed Dumbledore had already cast an anti-Summoning Charm on the trunks, clearly trying to force her into the water!
But she decided to spend as little time underwater as possible.
"Boat, come here!"
This time, she succeeded. The small boats used by first-years to cross the lake on their arrival quickly flew toward her, complete with oars.
She hopped onto the boat and began rowing toward the center of the lake.
"Smart move!" Bagman exclaimed. "Rowing on the surface is much faster than swimming underwater while being harassed by aquatic creatures! She's already ahead of everyone!"
Gradually, the water beneath the boat turned dark and eerie. She could spot some oddly shaped houses beneath the surface.
A few green Grindylows with sharp horns and teeth tried to block her path at the bow of her boat. Unfortunately for these low-level aquatic creatures, their combat abilities on the surface were weak. She knocked them out with a single oar stroke, sending them back into the lake.
Then, the mermaids' song began:
"…An hour long…retrieve your treasure…"
"…Disappear…never to be seen again…"
The words made Jane Yu even more displeased.
Was there no property law in the British wizarding world?
The mermaids actually wanted to keep her Galleons and Niffler?
Outrageous!
At this point, it seemed unavoidable to go underwater.
Reluctantly, Jane Yu prepared to take off her robes and consume the Gillyweed.
But before that, she decided to heat up the lake water a bit.
After all, cramping in the icy waters of the Black Lake wouldn't be fun.
"Flame Spirit, pave the way!"
Carefully controlling the descending flames to part the lake water, she used her other hand to test the water's flow and temperature.
The water gradually warmed, from icy cold to body temperature. Satisfied with her achievement, Jane Yu nodded, took off her robes, and revealed her swimsuit.
But before she could jump into the water, something stirred beneath the surface!
Bubbles rose rapidly from below, and sharp, piercing cries echoed across the lake's center. The water began to ripple violently, as if some creature was about to break through the surface.
Jane Yu gripped her wand tightly and looked around warily, only to see one mermaid after another breaking through the surface. Like Harry with his cramp, they spun in 360-degree flips, as if the lake water were poisonous.
She felt her eyes burn.
These mermaids were nothing like the legendary sirens. Their slender bodies were lined with twenty abs, their skin was greenish-gray, their hair messy and yellow-green, and their mouths took up half their faces, filled with teeth that seemed unbrushed for five centuries.
They didn't sing melodiously but instead emitted sharp, piercing shrieks:
"…(Hot! Flames!)…(Cooking the fish!)…"
"(We're getting roasted!)…(Cunning human!)…"
"(Help!)…(Chief!)…"
A few mermaids nearly capsized Jane Yu's boat but were knocked back by her oar, some almost getting their tails singed by the flames.
Unfortunately, Jane Yu didn't understand Mermish. She could only sense that these mermaids were trying to stop her.
Finally, a mermaid who appeared to be their leader emerged, holding a trident-like iron fork. She looked fierce and agitated, shouting in English:
"Stop—stop it—what do you want—"
"I want the champions' treasures," Jane Yu demanded.
The silver-tailed mermaid slapped the water hard with her tail and let out a series of sharp, chaotic notes to the other mermaids, who quickly dove underwater.
Within a minute, they resurfaced, carrying a string of objects and people.
Jane Yu's eyes widened in shock.
Besides her trunk, there were Hermione, Ron, Cho Chang, Gabrielle… all unconscious…
This task actually involved tying living people underwater!
The wizarding world not only lacked property law protections but also showed no regard for basic human rights!
The mermaids hurriedly loaded the people and the trunk onto her boat, urging her to leave.
"(Go quickly, you living Grim Reaper!)"
"(Stop with the fire! Who can out-burn you?!)"
They grumbled as they swam rapidly, creating strong currents to propel her boat back at lightning speed.
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