Harry Potter: The Golden Viper

0562 Wait

At the darkest hour before dawn, the sky outside held an inky blackness blurry from the moments just before falling asleep.

The clock struck six on this chilly winter morning, and though many would struggle to leave their warm, cozy beds at such an early time, Harry found it less painful thanks to the habituation from his morning exercises during the earliest physical education classes.

It took him a few dozen seconds to recollect his motivation for setting the alarm at this unusual hour. He quickly dressed himself, slid out from beneath the covers, and made his way to the bathroom to freshen up and prepare for the day ahead.

Harry had meticulously prepared for today. His boots gleamed, spotless and polished to a high shine. The wizard robes were neat, without a single wrinkle or crease to be found. He had even asked Hermione the previous night, before returning to the dormitory, to ensure his glasses were absolutely clean and clear with magic.

The only aspect of his appearance that refused to cooperate was his unruly hair. No matter how much Harry wet it, combed it, or attempted to smooth it down, it continued to stick up messily all over his head. With a resigned sigh, he gave it up as a lost cause.

Neville's four-poster bed was empty with the covers pulled up and the pillows neatly arranged. The other three boys, however, were still sound asleep, snoring softly. This was hardly surprising, as they had all stayed up far too late the night before, pestering Harry and Neville with endless questions about the escort mission the two were tasked with carrying out today.

Upon descending the stairs and entering the common room, Harry found it deserted. However, as he made his way to the Great Hall for breakfast, he encountered Ginny seated at the Gryffindor table.

"Good morning, Harry--"

"Good morning, Ginny," He greeted her, his eyelids flickering in surprise as he took in her appearance. He could see that Ginny must have also spent time dressing herself up. She looked notably prettier than usual, though Harry couldn't help but feel she still fell slightly short in comparison to the beautifully smiling girl at the Ravenclaw table.

"Are you here alone?" Harry inquired.

"Hmm," Ginny responded, her cheeks flushing a shade of pink as her eyes darted nervously. "A group just left a moment ago, but I hadn't finished eating yet, so I stayed behind."

Harry nodded with a touch of awkwardness in his demeanor.

"Well, it seems we should probably hurry and finish up too." He lowered his gaze and focused intently on finishing his breakfast at a rapid pace, sensing Ginny's resentful eyes upon him as he ate.

By this point, Harry had grown accustomed to facing Ginny's obvious admiration with a relatively calm and composed attitude, helped in part by the fact that as she matured, Ginny had become more restraint in expressing her feelings.

The majority of the students from the physical education class had already gathered at the school gate by the time Harry and Ginny hurried to join them. Each student was dressed in what appeared to be brand new wizard robes, and an excited chatter filled the air as they stood waiting.

"I want you lot to pay attention and remember the rules, you hear me?"

For once, even Filch, had made an effort to dress for the special occasion, though his moth-eaten, rotten tailcoat was still a far cry from stylish. His face was red from shouting at the top of his lungs in an attempt to capture the students' wandering attention.

"Remember, you lot, you're representing Hogwarts today!" Filch roared, his face reddening with the effort. " Any behavior, and I mean ANY behavior, that damages the school's reputation will be punished severely! Professor Watson himself gave me these orders!

And mark my words, you mangy little troublemakers, I've already submitted an application to Professor Watson for permission to bring back some of the old ways of dealing with disobedient students like yourselves. If any of you are itching to test me, step forward and give it a go... I dare you!"

Perched on Filch's shoulder, Mrs. Norris, her coat even oilier than usual, let out a menacing growl right on cue.

"Pfft, that old fool's useless... the only thing he's good for is writing with a quill plucked from a chicken's back!" Fred muttered sarcastically under his breath. He had been in the midst of a conversation with Angelina, but he still managed to shoot a mocking look at Filch. Harry, who was close enough to overhear the comment, had to choke back a laugh.

It was well known that Filch harbored lofty dreams of one day shackling misbehaving students in the castle dungeons, but everyone understood such aspirations would never come to fruition.

As it became increasingly apparent that even Professor Watson's order couldn't establish any real sense of authority over the unruly group of students, Filch's spirits visibly deflated.

Snorting angrily, he spun back, retrieved a large iron key from his pocket, and unlocked the heavy gate with a resounding clunk. Seeing this, the students surged forward eagerly.

The path leading away from Hogwarts went through a dense forest with the ground covered in a thick layer of wet, decaying leaves. In the pre-dawn gloom, the towering trees created an oppressive darkness, and it wasn't until the group emerged from the woods and began ascending a rocky hillside that the first hints of daylight became visible.

As they climbed the hill, the students let out a collective gasp of surprise. There, standing tall on top of a neighboring peak, was an immense metal pole just like an antenna.

"I overheard Professor Flitwick discussing it," Cho Chang said, her voice tinged with awe. "Apparently it's some sort of alchemical device Professor Watson invented to transmit live footage of the match."

"I-I think I see something moving near the base of it!" Neville stammered, squinting and raising a hand to shield his eyes from the glare of the rising sun. "It sort of looks like a house-elf...?"

"It's a goblin, Neville--" Harry said with certainty.

A passionate discussion immediately broke out regarding how exactly Professor Watson planned to broadcast what was happening on the Hogwarts grounds in real-time to the wizarding communities scattered all across Europe. Those who were already privy to at least a superficial explanation of Professor Watson's groundbreaking "television" project, were only the three Weasley siblings and Harry.

"The magic and process involved are bloody mind-boggling," George muttered to Harry as they trekked along the path, his freckled face serious for once. "We've been trying to wrap our heads around it for ages. Fred and I have made attempt after attempt to recreate a prototype, but we just can't seem to crack it. This is not something that can be done by knowing a little about Transfiguration and Alchemy!"

Since sneaking into Professor Watson's office early last year and seeing that set of magical equipment, Fred and George had been obsessed with it. Harry knew that they had been trying every means to produce it themselves but failed. This was not surprising, as this kind of wonderful alchemical tool was not the joke product that Fred and George were good at.

"Speaking of your business... how are things going?" Harry asked casually through a wide, jaw-cracking yawn.

Fred and George instantly perked up, their eyes gleaming with enthusiasm, and they opened their mouths to explain on their many schemes. Before they could utter a word, however, the rising sun, which had been steadily climbing higher as they made their way through the grounds, suddenly burst forth in full, glorious splendor.

It jumped free of the horizon, loosing its bonds and setting the skyline blazing. In an instant, the landscape was washed in dazzling, honeyed light, transforming the dull tones of the snoozing earth to a rich, vibrant palette.

To the slack-jawed amazement of the students, the mysterious antenna they had spotted earlier was far from a single structure. As they gazed awestruck at the open land dotted with hills as far as the eye could see, they realized nearly every summit was topped with an identical antenna.

"Blimey, this is mad!" Justin Finch-Fletchley exclaimed in shock. "I can't even begin to imagine the cost of setting all this up. The goblins must be swimming in gold Galleons!"

Draco snorted derisively and shot Justin a sarcastic look, not bothering to hide his disdain. Though he had little interest in running his family's business himself, his upbringing within the Malfoys as a prominent business family had filled him with a keen business acumen that far surpassed most of his peers.

He understood that while the goblins' newly constructed equipment undoubtedly carried a hefty price tag, the potential profits to be gained from broadcasting the match live to the entire wizarding world would more than justify the initial investment.

Moreover, if the goblins could secure Professor Watson's cooperation in sharing the underlying technology, the equipment's value would extend far beyond this single event. By partnering with the Wizarding Wireless Network, they could introduce an entirely new form of entertainment to magical society—a venture that promised untold riches for those with the foresight to seize the opportunity.

As the students finally arrived at Hogsmeade Station, they were greeted by an unusual sight. The normally bustling platform, which typically only saw a relief from the constant comings and goings of Hogwarts students during the brief calms of summer vacation, Christmas holiday, and the start of the school year, now stood nearly deserted, staffed only by a handful of Hogsmeade villagers.

A neat row of gleaming carriages awaited the students, ready to transport them back to the castle grounds. The vehicles had been meticulously washed and polished until they shone, and a plush red carpet stretched from the station's exit to the boarding area. Colorful flower baskets lined the walkway at regular intervals, adding a festive touch to the scene.

Entering the station, Harry's eyes were immediately drawn to the two massive steel columns that supported the main structure. On each column, a flag bearing the Hogwarts crest had been erected, and between them, an enormous banner proclaimed: "Warm welcome to people from all walks of life in the wizarding world to visit Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry".

Millicent clicked her tongue approvingly as she surveyed the decoration. "Whose idea was all this?" she wondered aloud.

"Definitely not Dumbledore's doing," Draco replied with casual certainty, his own gaze roaming over the flower-adorned station with interest. "This has Professor Watson written all over it."

As the first weak rays of sunlight finally broke through the clouds, casting a gentle glow over the ancient landscape, a distant whistle echoed through the mountains. The students, realizing the significance of the sound, quickly assembled themselves into the formation they had rehearsed, their chests swelling with pride as they stood tall and ready.

Today, they knew, the castle beside the lake would once more find itself at the center of attention, not only for the European magical community, but for the entire wizarding world.

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