Homecoming from Hogwarts

Why is it that even though there are fireworks indicating the abandonment of the game, there are still only four spots of light on the map?

Also, for those students in physical education class who have been confirmed to be placed in the Forbidden Forest, what are their identities in this game?

"unless--"

Hermione is good at inferring the truth from clues, so she took the initiative to take on the role of making decisions in the team.

“I mean there is a possibility.”

Hermione said as she thought.

"There was a team where someone was injured. The test of the dark passage exists for every team. Maybe someone couldn't resist it or, like us, encountered the devil's net or something similar. They were injured and had to withdraw from the game, but the rest of the team is still insisting on the game."

"if it is like this--"

Harry's heart was pounding.

"Is there a team with only two or one member left?"

This is undoubtedly a hot commodity, and whoever meets this team will be lucky.

Of the four teams currently entering the competition, Cedric's group is the strongest in terms of strength. Even Harry has to admit that if they meet Cedric, Neville and Luna, they will most likely lose their school badge.

As for Fleur and Viktor, excluding the possibility of an ambush, Harry was confident that he could defeat them in a head-on encounter.

However, Professor Brian has also said many times in his dueling course that the stupidest and most fatal mistake in a duel is to be careless.

Fleur and Viktor were both the most outstanding young wizards in their respective academies, and the three of them certainly could not crush them. However, if they were outnumbered, then there would be basically no doubt about the outcome.

As for the PE students who entered the venue, even Ron could figure it out. They must be enemies.

"If the students arranged by Professor Brian want to take away our school emblem..."

Hermione said hesitantly.
"And they also have a map board like ours, but it doesn't show anything. Oh!"

Hermione looked at Harry and Ron in horror, and saw the same panic and frustration in their eyes.

"We have to get out of here now."

Hermione said.

There is no need to explain further.

If Hermione's guess was correct, then the classmates they trained with were the most powerful force on the field, and no one could resist them.

Well, the map just now exposed everyone's position, and they had to move as soon as possible.

Hermione used the Disillusionment Charm to help Harry and Ron become invisible, and then the three of them rushed towards the blue light spot closest to them.

This time, the three of them were not as hasty as they were just now when they were avoiding the Night Qilin's pursuit. On the contrary, they became very cautious.

First, they couldn't figure out how far the two squares were from them. Secondly, they themselves were now the target of the other party's hunting. In this case, it was crucial to stay hidden.

They moved forward slowly, trying to avoid making any loud noise or leaving any obvious traces in the woods. Hermione also used magic to eliminate the footprints they left behind to ensure that no one would follow them.

However, this undoubtedly wasted a lot of time. Almost twenty minutes later, they had not advanced less than half a mile.

Crossing a hammock-like green vine one by one, the three of them came to a cliff about thirty feet high. The cliff stretched to the left and right beyond the sight. If they took a detour, it would undoubtedly delay the next location refresh.

Just as Hermione was standing at the foot of the cliff thinking about what to do, Harry's expression changed suddenly.

"Get down, Hermione!"

Harry snapped, and without further explanation, he simply grabbed Hermione and Ron by the head and pulled them under a bush a few feet away.

Harry's unusual attitude also made Hermione and Ron realize that something was wrong. They kept their breath and didn't ask any more questions.

Almost as soon as they squatted down, a whistling sound, a bit like the sound of wind, became clear in Hermione and Ron's ears.

This was clearly not the sound of a Thestral.

About ten seconds later
Brush, brush, brush!

A group of students on broomsticks flew over their heads close to the treetops.

The brooms they were riding were neither Sideswipe nor Nimbus series, and the Firebolt was even less likely. In short, it was a type of flying broom that Hermione did not recognize.

Maybe it was because the old broom under them was dragging them down, or maybe it was because they were lowering their heads to look for clues through the gaps between the branches and leaves, anyway, they were not moving very fast.

After about half a minute, they were completely out of Harry's sight.

The three of them, not wanting to take it lightly, squatted behind the bushes for another minute. Ron, unable to contain himself, whispered,
"Did you see the broomsticks they were riding?"

Ron said in amazement, "That's the Meteor. The company that produced it has been bankrupt for nearly half a century. Where did Professor Brain get these antiques?"

"Malfoy!"

Harry did not echo Ron's disdainful remarks about the broomsticks they rode. After all, no matter how bad those broomsticks were, being able to own them was a huge advantage.

They all knew the group of people that passed by; they were a group of Slytherins from the physical education class.

"Did you see Malfoy's expression, Hermione?"

Harry said with some disgust.

"Yes, Harry—"

Hermione squinted her eyes and looked at the direction where Malfoy and his group were leaving, and asked softly,
"What would it be if I did something remarkable?"

An answer emerged from the hearts of the three people almost at the same time.

"It seems that they are indeed 'hunting down' the Warriors team, right?"

Ron tried to liven up the atmosphere with a lighthearted tone, but his unpleasant expression exposed his true feelings.

"I will never fall into Malfoy's hands."

Harry said coldly.

"We need to get out of here."

Hermione's voice became urgent.
"There will be a refresh in less than ten minutes. Malfoy and the others are coming from the warrior team closest to us. They are flying towards where we were just now. Apparently, they also have a map in their hands. We must get away from them as soon as possible!"

Having said that, Hermione stopped hiding her figure and took the lead in running, trying to bypass the cliff blocking the way.

Harry and Ron hurried after him.

"Which direction are we going?"

Ron was already having some problems with his physical strength. He gritted his teeth and fell to the back of the team, trying hard not to fall behind.

“The goal remains unchanged.”

Hermione said sullenly,

"We have to find out what Malfoy and the others have done."

Now, staying away from Malfoy and the others was the first priority, and the three of them began to run wildly in the woods again.

The slippery moss caused several people to fall frequently, but no one cried out in pain, they just kept moving forward desperately.

Once again, he was tripped by a dead vine lurking in the rotten leaves. The moment his face touched the wet dead leaves on the ground, Harry realized a problem.

"Where did everyone else go?"

Harry stood up and wiped his face, then he let go of Hermione and Ron's support. The team, which had stopped for less than three seconds, continued to run. Harry said as he ran,
"I mean, Fred and George and Ernie from Hufflepuff and the Ravenclaws, they didn't join Malfoy in hunting down the Warriors?"

"Maybe they're splitting up."

Hermione said.

"Go after the other two teams that are further away."

With five minutes left before the location was refreshed, they arrived at the place where the pursuit group and the warrior team were fighting.

The traces of battle at the scene were not so obvious. There was only a piece of wood as thick as a bowl that was broken by magic and was still emitting white smoke.

".The hunting group was still some distance away from the retired soldier before they lurked and approached him. They had been flying close to the treetops, so they were not discovered."

Squinting her eyes, Hermione looked around and followed the footprints in the mud to a pile of weeds with traces of trampled traffic. She looked deep into the woods and then turned back.

Harry looked at the two strange marks on the dead grass on the ground, frowned, and said seriously:

"Malfoy made the first move. The warrior team didn't notice them. He sent two snakes to sneak up on the warriors and subdue them when they were caught off guard. What a despicable move."

"One of the guys used his wand to fight back in a panic, and the spell broke a tree. I agree with you, Harry, it was probably Malfoy who did it."

Hermione climbed up a small dirt slope using her hands and feet, staring at the obvious indentation on the soft dirt ground.
"Malfoy's snake wrapped around them. One fell immediately, and the one standing fought back but had to stop because his teammates were restrained and he was also under threat but -"

Hermione looked at Harry and Ron at the bottom of the slope and said meaningfully,

"There are only two marks on the ground. I think this team is the one that launched the fireworks earlier."

(End of this chapter)