“Are you ready? Let’s begin!” Jerry announced, taking the lead as he approached the group of young wizards.
With a confident swish of his hand, a portal materialized in front of him.
Jerry continued his explanation, echoing what he had shared with Ron earlier, “The age line, as set by the five most powerful wizards, is impenetrable by known methods. That is, unless we use a new form of magic they have yet to anticipate.”
As he spoke, just above the mouth of the Goblet of Fire within the age line, another portal shimmered into existence, mirroring the one before him.
Without hesitation, Jerry tossed a note into the portal. The piece of paper appeared directly above the Goblet of Fire and gracefully descended into its depths.
Jerry’s method was remarkably straightforward; by employing space magic to create a portal, he could bypass the age line’s barrier and place the note directly into the Goblet of Fire.
This approach simplified the complex problem at hand and made use of magic that was widely known, given that it was a spell of his own invention.
While the age line created by the five leading wizards was formidable, Jerry’s skill allowed him to work around it with ease. His use of self-invented portal magic made the castle’s anti-apparition enchantment virtually negligible.
Jerry had always believed that magic should be accessible and understandable by all, and this method demonstrated just that.
In other words, Jerry truly thinks outside the circle.
Witnessing Jerry’s success, Ron couldn’t contain his excitement, exclaiming, “I knew you could do it, Jerry!” He quickly tossed his own note into the portal, sending it into the Goblet of Fire with a grin.
“We’re next,” announced Fred Weasley, seizing the moment and following suit, he, Harry, Hermione, and the other young wizards sent their notes into the portal as well.
On the other side of the room, Durmstrang and Beauxbaton’s students watched in amazement as the Goblet of Fire filled with notes and magical portals.
“I know he is crafty, but I didn’t know how crafty he could get!” One of the students spoke with amazement upon seeing Jerry leading the other students to put their names into the Goblet of Fire.
Inwardly, they felt slightly taken aback by the turn of events. It was clear that Jerry’s method was effectively cheating the system, and yet they had no choice but to accept it.
This incident served as a vivid reminder of the reason the Ministry of Magic held Jerry’s portal magic in such high regard.
It had always been assumed that portal magic allowed for simple tasks, like opening a door from a distance, but it had never been employed so ingeniously.
This method defied conventional knowledge and logic, and it was generally understood that Hogwarts Castle possessed a capability for suppressing space magic.
The renowned Albus Dumbledore himself couldn’t utilize Apparition within the castle, reinforcing the belief that this approach was beyond reach.
However, Jerry’s innovation had shattered these preconceptions, and it was now clear that the possibilities of portal magic were more extensive than anyone had imagined.
Suddenly, an exclamation erupted from the second floor, drawing everyone’s attention.
All eyes were directed upwards to find Dumbledore, the three headmasters, and the two Ministry of Magic officials, including Durmstrang’s Principal Karkaroff, who had fainted on the floor.
…..
Jerry’s use of the portal to allow underage wizards to participate in the Triwizard Tournament challenge was swiftly addressed by Professor Snape.
“What do you want me to do? Took their names out of the Goblet of Fire? Or do you want me to turn it upside down so their names would come out of the Goblet?” Snape’s usual sarcastic tone hit the protesters.
Rather than condemning their actions, Snape pointed out that since the deed was already done, they should await the Goblet of Fire’s selection that evening.
In an unusual turn of events, other than the Slytherins, young wizards from the other three schools had developed a slightly more favorable impression of Snape, the newly appointed Headmaster.
Harry, while walking toward Hagrid’s hut through the castle, expressed his disbelief, “I never expected Professor Snape to be so reasonable.”
He had anticipated getting caught cheating on the spot would lead to their disqualification, but Snape’s leniency was surprising.
“I think it’s because of Jerry, you know. Snape has always had a soft spot for Jerry,” Ron commented, casting an envious glance at Jerry.
Throughout Hogwarts, Snape only displayed a hint of a smile when facing Jerry, although it was still quite menacing.
This was something that both Gryffindor and Slytherin students witnessed during their Potions lessons.
Hermione interjected, “That’s because you’re not as talented as Jerry. If you were, Professor Snape would treat you differently.”
She had initially held a negative opinion of Professor Snape, as he never called on her to answer questions during their potion classes and often taunted her.
However, for some reason, Snape’s attitude toward her had undergone a noticeable shift, with only Jerry experiencing more favorable treatment from him than Hermione did.
Ron felt somewhat defeated at the thought of trying to match Jerry’s abilities, saying, “I don’t think that’s possible in this lifetime.”
Harry nodded in agreement, recognizing that catching up to Hermione’s performance held a sliver of hope while reaching Jerry’s level appeared to be an unattainable goal.
Jerry tried to reassure his friends, saying, “Don’t worry, when Snape becomes the Headmaster, things will change. I’ve got a little inside information. After the next term, Professor Snape won’t be teaching Potions, and it will be time for a new teacher.”
He shared this piece of information with a comforting smile, having received the news directly from Dumbledore.
Becoming the Headmaster meant that Snape would be occupied with administrative duties and would no longer have the time or energy to teach a class, a common occurrence among previous headmasters.
Dumbledore himself had ceased teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts when he became Headmaster.
“Merlin’s beard, that’s great news!” Harry and Ron exclaimed with newfound optimism.
The prospect of Snape no longer teaching Potions class seemed like a relief.
While they might encounter the Headmaster from time to time, Potions class was a weekly occurrence.
Hermione, while not overly concerned with changing the Potions professor, urged her friends to hurry along, “Let’s get a move on, or we’ll miss the Dragon breaking free from its eggshell!”
Their visit to Hagrid’s hut was initially prompted by Hagrid’s message, informing them that the three dragon eggs Jerry had given him were likely to hatch on this day.