To be honest, Hermione's article had been published for a while.
But since there hadn't been any encouraging feedback, both Tver and Hermione had started to feel a little discouraged.
Of course, it was only a small tactic. If it worked, great. If it didn't, that was hardly surprising.
Still, today, Fleur had shown him something he hadn't considered before.
An overlooked angle, and an unexpected gain.
Those magical creatures might not have been indifferent to the article at all. It was more likely that they simply had too little voice in the wizarding world to express any public approval, which was why Tver had assumed the article hadn't done much.
But in private, it might already have become a hot topic among plenty of sentient magical creatures.
The moment he realized that, Tver's mood lifted.
Fleur's reaction proved they were hungry for recognition, and he could be the safe harbor that gave it to them.
As for whether Fleur herself could truly become his helper… that would have to wait and see.
The conversation had come out of nowhere, and Tver hadn't paid much attention to Fleur before. He didn't know her well enough to entrust her with anything important on the spot.
Besides, his thinking on the whole matter was still incomplete. He needed time to fill in the gaps, to learn more about sentient magical creatures as a group.
Especially those mixed-blood witches and wizards hidden throughout the wizarding world.
...
But while Fleur was still deep in thought, Rita's Triwizard Tournament report came out much faster.
As if she'd sensed danger, Rita didn't dare write anything wild about Tver this time. Every Champion had an individual photo, yet Tver appeared only as a vague figure tucked into a group shot.
If the article hadn't explicitly mentioned that he was a Champion, people might have looked at the pictures and assumed he was just some student who'd wandered in for the excitement.
To make up for it, Rita stuffed the piece with all kinds of nonsense gossip.
For example, she described Tver standing in the corner and watching Cedric and Fleur as a "love triangle" between the three of them.
Of course, she couldn't resist including Harry and Hermione as well. But the story was so ridiculous that Tver suspected only bored housewives would read it as light entertainment.
Meanwhile, after Draco had taught Goyle and Crabbe a lesson, they redirected their spite toward Harry, constantly using the paper's nonsense as an excuse to stir trouble.
And with Professor McGonagall restricting duels, Harry had been simmering with frustration lately, with nowhere to vent it.
But to Tver, all of that was just Champion gossip.
He had far more interesting gossip to pry loose.
"Heard you've been going to the library a lot lately?"
At Tver's teasing, Viktor's face turned red.
And really, Viktor only looked older. He was actually younger than Tver.
That didn't stop Tver from watching him with an amused, knowing look, chin propped on his hand, perfectly content to see how long Viktor could hold out.
"Ahem. Hogwarts' library is large. Lots of books. I like the atmosphere," Viktor said at last.
He couldn't dodge it forever, so he turned his shifting gaze toward a few students nearby who were discussing the lesson they were about to have.
After Professor McGonagall coordinated things, it had been decided that the Durmstrang and Beauxbatons students should join the sixth-year Defence Against the Dark Arts class, along with certain seventh-year courses.
So today, for the sixth-year class, those students had shown up at the dueling arena full of anticipation.
They were so eager that they'd arrived too early. Even the most hardworking Hogwarts students weren't there yet…
Tver didn't mind. Viktor had been acting strangely lately anyway, and Tver was more than happy to use the time before class to do a little "investigating."
"Quick question. What's the name of the Hogwarts librarian?"
"Er…"
Viktor hesitated for ages and still couldn't produce a name.
All he could remember was that stern woman chasing him out because his fans kept swarming the place. As for her name…
He hadn't actually gone there to read.
"Well, well," Tver said, shaking his head as if saddened. "Looks like our little Viktor has secrets now and doesn't want to share with his friends~"
In truth, Viktor was a lot like Tver had been when he first started school: quiet, guarded, and not much for talking.
That was why, even with several years between them, they'd become close friends later on.
Under his teachers' guidance, Tver had gradually become more outgoing, or at least he'd learned to act that way.
But Viktor's nature was to keep everything bottled up inside, and even Tver couldn't change that.
Cynthia, though, was something of an exception.
So after hesitating, and because he did want someone to talk to, Viktor finally spoke.
"It's like this… some time ago, I met a girl by accident. She… she's not exactly very pretty, but she likes books, she's smart. And Fleur told me she even cares about house-elves' living conditions. I think she's a very lovely girl."
"So you like her?" Tver asked, eyeing him oddly.
He hadn't expected Viktor to have noticed Hermione for that reason. They'd even met over the summer and taken a group photo together.
"I don't know if it's 'like,'" Viktor said, fumbling for words. "It's just… a girl like that…"
"Draws you in?" Tver offered.
"Yes!" Viktor's face brightened as he nodded quickly.
"Then do you remember that you and Hermione actually met at the Quidditch World Cup?"
"Uh…"
Tver could only shake his head.
In the end, it was just teenagers, a sudden rush of feelings. In places where dating wasn't treated like a crime, liking one or two people now and then was perfectly normal.
As for whether it would go anywhere… thinking of how Viktor vanished from the story afterward, Tver already knew the answer. At most, they'd become friends.
"What are you two talking about?"
Cedric had come over, the Weasley twins craning their necks behind him.
As for Davies, he was staring at Fleur in the distance, practically drooling. It was painful to watch.
"The lesson," Tver said with a smile.
Cedric immediately lit up, and he wasn't the only one. Every student about to attend was buzzing.
This was the first time in history that students from Europe's three major schools would be in class together.
And this lesson included the Champions representing all three schools, plus a professor.
"What are we doing today?" Cedric asked eagerly. "You're not going to give the guests a theory lecture, are you?"
"Of course not!" George poked Cedric in the head with open contempt.
"The professor is so nice. It has to be a specially prepared, hands-on class, something that really leaves an impression!"
He turned to Tver with a shameless grin.
"Right, Professor?"
Tver smiled, meaningfully.
"Right. It'll be a lesson you won't forget."