Unbeknownst to Jane Yu, a meeting was taking place in the Headmaster's office just hours earlier—
Present were Ludo Bagman from the Ministry of Magic, Madame Maxime of Beauxbatons, Hogwarts Headmaster Dumbledore, and the four Heads of Houses, along with Ron, Hermione, Cho Chang, and Fleur's younger sister Gabrielle.
"The next task requires your cooperation. We will ensure your safety. As treasures of the champions, all you need to do is sleep underwater for a while."
Snape, who had been scanning the room, noticed that there were no Slytherin students present to serve as "treasures." He frowned, unsure why he had to be there in the first place.
"Pardon me for interrupting, but what about Yu Jane's... treasure?" he asked, his tone laced with disdain, as if the word "treasure" itself was distasteful to him.
The other three Heads of Houses shuddered involuntarily.
They couldn't help but cast strange looks at Snape, as if questioning how he could ask such a thing.
Wasn't one bloodbath over a dance partner enough?
Wasn't one crime spree involving burlap sacks and Polyjuice Potion sufficient?
Even Dumbledore winced at the question, his expression resembling someone with a toothache.
"Severus, I don't think anyone here wishes to provoke another... student war."
"Especially not one where students jump into the Black Lake en masse, drowning themselves in a bid to become a champion's treasure... That would be far from ideal."
After some thought, Snape reluctantly agreed but couldn't help but ask, "Then what item will serve as her treasure?"
Dumbledore smiled slightly and stood up confidently. "An item? No, people can serve as treasures too. And I happen to have some swimming expertise—"
The other Heads of Houses quickly pushed him back into his seat, alarmed.
"You need to judge the champions!" Professor McGonagall said sternly. "And besides, you have close ties with the merpeople! Not to mention campus safety—"
"Alright, alright," Dumbledore sighed, sitting upright. "It was just a joke—"
"That's not a joke to make lightly!" Bagman laughed awkwardly. "If we lose a judge, the competition can't proceed!"
Dumbledore sighed regretfully but soon had an idea.
Over the years, he had come to understand the children quite well, especially when it came to Galleons.
...
"Merlin's beard—Yu, I finally found you!"
A frantic Daphne grabbed Jane's arm, her blue eyes filled with urgency.
"The trunk in your dormitory—the one with all your Galleons—it's been taken!"
Burglary?
Jane froze in disbelief.
"I don't understand what's going on either," Daphne said, running her hand through her golden hair. "Headmaster Dumbledore said something about treasures, something about being important to the champion... And then he just took it!"
A surge of anger rose in Jane's chest.
She gave her guardian a gift, and he repaid her by robbing her blind!
She held him in her heart, and he threw her into the lake!
Unbelievable!
This was why people should never tempt fate!
Now she really had to dive into the freezing Black Lake in February to rescue her Galleons!
At this point, all she wanted was to throw Dumbledore into the lake as well!
...
Fuming, Jane stormed toward the Headmaster's office.
"My Galleons aren't my most precious treasure—you are!" she blurted out when she confronted her guardian, trying to reclaim her trunk full of Galleons.
Caught off guard by the child's heartfelt confession, Dumbledore was visibly moved, so much so that he was momentarily speechless.
He felt like jumping to the ceiling and performing a Tarantella to express his joy, despite being over 110 years old!
"Oh—indeed—you mean the world to me too!" he said, his eyes welling up with emotion. He removed his glasses to wipe away the mist forming on them.
"This is—truly—I never expected—you to say something like that—"
Perhaps, at first, it was out of a sense of duty, guilt toward his family, or a need to make amends that he had taken in this child.
But as he watched her grow day by day, he realized that such feelings were unfair to her.
He still longed for family, but the people he longed for could never return to him.
She was different from them, not a replacement.
"I am already dead. The living who love you are the ones you should cherish."
His sister's words still echoed in his ears. He hadn't understood them before—
But now he did.
Overwhelmed with emotion, Dumbledore wiped his tears and unleashed his financial power.
He activated his alchemical arsenal, boosting Jane's defensive stats to the point where he practically wanted to inscribe runes on her eyelids.
"So, your plan is—perhaps you're willing to—" Jane began, her eyes filled with hope.
Hurry up and return the trunk, the Galleons, and the Niffler inside!
The most precious treasure at the bottom of the Black Lake would still be better off being her guardian himself!
"Don't worry, Yu. I've enchanted your trunk. Your Niffler and Galleons will be perfectly safe."
Jane's face immediately fell.
He claimed she meant as much to him, yet he wasn't even willing to dive into the Black Lake for her!
Dumbledore's words couldn't be trusted!
A surge of rage welled up in Jane Yu's chest!
She gave her guardian thoughtful gifts, and in return, her guardian robbed her blind of her hard-earned Galleons!
She cherished her guardian, and he repaid her by throwing her into the freezing lake!
Absolutely outrageous!
This was why people should never tempt fate by raising flags!
Now, she really had to jump into the lake to save her precious Galleons, braving the icy, bone-piercing waters of February for who knows how long!
At this moment, all she wanted was to drag Dumbledore into the lake with her!
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