Harry Potter: The Bard of Hogwarts

The entrance of the two teams was undoubtedly perfect.

They seamlessly bridged the gap following the end of the performances, and elevated the atmosphere in the stadium to new heights.

"And now, gentlemen! Ladies, the Bulgarian team is entering the field. Here are Dimitrov, Ivanova, Zograf, Levski, Vulchanov, and Volkov."

As Ludo introduced them, the Bulgarian team's speed increased again, becoming almost too fast to see.

"And finally!" Ludo's voice rose: "The Seeker, Krum!"

At this moment, the cheers seemed to lift the entire stadium. Even the wizards who supported the Irish team couldn't help but applaud and cheer.

A world-class Seeker on the Quidditch World Cup stage is like a superstar returning to their home field, and everyone must admire their prowess.

"He's just so cool..."

In the upper box, Ron's eyes were shining as he muttered unconsciously.

"Yes! An excellent Seeker!" Arthur nodded approvingly.

Although he wasn't optimistic about the Bulgarian team, Krum's excellence was evident to all.

Not far from the Weasley family, in another box.

The Granger family's atmosphere was polarized. After watching the previous performance, Hermione found Quidditch somewhat dull.

But as a sports enthusiast, Mr. Granger felt the opposite. To him, any opening ceremony was just a prelude to the real event.

For any sport, the official match is always the main attraction.

…

Meanwhile.

In another box in the stadium, Ino held a warm and soft phoenix, smiling as he looked at the two elderly figures opposite him.

"A real phoenix. I knew it would work!" Newt stood up excitedly.

"Congratulations! Ino and Newt! Your names are destined to go down in history."

Dumbledore spoke while gently clapping, unable to hide the satisfaction and comfort in his eyes.

"Haha, thank you, Professor! But rather than going down in history, I prefer to be a witness to history. So, let Newt be the one to be recorded."

Ino stroked the phoenix's feathers, feeling a sense of connection.

He wasn't sure if Dumbledore and Fawkes shared this bond, but the phoenix in his arms felt truly magical.

If he had to describe it, it was like having a child or another version of himself as a phoenix—such a strange feeling.

"A witness to history?" Dumbledore was a bit surprised, but soon smiled: "Yes! Phoenixes are witnesses to history. Fawkes has witnessed generations of the Dumbledore family."

Newt didn't pay attention to their conversation. He was entirely focused on the newborn phoenix.

This phoenix felt different to him. It wasn't like Fawkes' sacrifice, nor was it like Sparky's courage.

Upon closer inspection, the phoenix before him embodied both great sacrifice and courage, but that wasn't all.

"Ino, the phoenix feels different to me."

Unable to find an answer, Newt chose to ask directly.

Upon hearing the question, a helpless smile flashed across Dumbledore's face. After more than half a century, Newt was still the same.

At the moment the phoenix was born, he had sensed something unusual.

But Dumbledore knew very well that some things couldn't be understood just by asking, like the Patronus Charm or flying magic.

On the other side.

Upon hearing Newt's question, Ino looked down at the phoenix in his arms.

"I call it Brighid."

Unlike Fawkes' bright red, Brighid's color was closer to the light of dawn, a warm and comforting orange.

"Brighid? Healer and reborn?" Newt pondered over the name.

Soon, he noticed the key point and looked into the phoenix's eyes.

Warm, pure, clear, and bright as the morning sun...

Unlike the chaos when Fide was born, Brighid gently turned to meet the gaze when observed.

In that instant, Newt felt as if he had returned to his carefree days at Hogwarts.

Noticing Brighid's movement, Ino looked down, his eyes full of affection.

Compared to Fide, he genuinely liked the phoenix in his arms. The two were like a rebellious son and a beautiful, adorable daughter.

Dumbledore watched the whole scene. He didn't speak, but his relaxed demeanor and gaze said it all.

…

In the box, time seemed to pass peacefully.

However, on the field, the match was intense.

Both the Bulgarian and Irish teams were giving it their all. Every move and every flight was a desperate effort.

It was a true visual feast that delighted everyone present.

Harry, holding binoculars, watched the match without blinking.

He had never seen such an exciting match. Despite being the Seeker for Gryffindor, and having experienced many Quidditch matches over three years, he realized the gap between the Hogwarts House Cup and professional players.

Perhaps "gap" wasn't the right word; "chasm" might be more fitting.

…

Harry wasn't the only one impressed. The intense competition left everyone feeling a bit awestruck.

Fortunately, everyone present was a wizard and didn't realize the issues at hand.

But wizards not noticing problems didn't mean Muggles didn't.

"Are they on performance enhancers..." Mr. Granger murmured.

He saw players from both sides recklessly collide in their fight for the flying ball.

Although they narrowly avoided a collision at the last second, the danger of crashing or falling from high altitude made him feel a sense of admiration.

Wizards really were risking their lives in the game.

"Performance enhancers?"

Upon hearing this term, Hermione frowned. She hated all forms of cheating.

"That should be impossible. Even Felix Felicis was banned before the match, and no one could escape detection by a potions master."

With the advancement of potion-making, Hermione knew how keen potion masters were. Some potions didn't even need the Scarpin's Revelaspell. Just smelling the ingredients could reveal all the potion components.

"Maybe it's the song!" Mrs. Granger offered her opinion.

"Ino's song just now made me yearn for victory and even gave me the urge to participate in the community cooking competition."

Hearing about the community cooking competition, Hermione showed a helpless expression, as did Mr. Granger.

The father and daughter exchanged glances, both seeing a trace of fear in each other's eyes.

"What are those expressions? I was just saying! Besides, I won't be trying new recipes anymore."

Mrs. Granger was a bit upset.

Although stewing lamb kidneys with tomatoes and honey might not be very tasty, the dish preserved the original flavor of the ingredients.

And she didn't force them to finish the dish, so did they have to look so terrified?