Harry Potter: From Muggle Cousin to Conceptual Wizard

Chapter 506: Establishing the benefits for exchange and learning; the fierce competition is about to

The welcoming of the seven exchange teams began with the quiet waiting of the Hogwarts teachers and students and ended with the inner turmoil brought about by the comparisons between the participating teams.

Flying horse carriages, diving sailboats, phantom trains, underground hills, giant wooden flying boats, dazzling fire dragons, and even a fairyland palace.

Everyone had brought out their best and most valuable assets, which not only made a stunning appearance but also showcased their strength.

As a result, the Chinese team, which arrived last, not only outshone the other teams in their appearance, but also showed great generosity by presenting a gift comparable to a priceless heirloom.

Moreover, they used the pretext of giving gifts to give a strong and direct demonstration of their formidable strength.

Even though the Chinese team gave the reason that they had the most representatives, Dali used the excuse of custom and etiquette to give the other teams a way out.

But this doesn't mean that the other teams will pretend nothing happened.

Especially Beauxbatons and Durmstrang, which are sister schools of Hogwarts and both located in Europe.

They came to exchange and learn, but unexpectedly, the gifts they brought were overshadowed by the previously mysterious Chinese magic community, which was quite embarrassing.

The issue of face is not something that only Chinese people care about; as long as one has self-esteem and a competitive spirit, people of any nationality cannot escape it.

Moreover, in such public settings, one's reputation is often linked to one's power and status.

If you don't care about saving face and can't hold your own in public, then you're admitting that you're inferior in strength and status.

This is not a good thing.

However, the other teams did not prepare any gifts.

Even if you prepare in advance, it's impossible to come up with a better gift than the Thunder Summoning Talisman; even a gift of similar quality would be difficult to find.

Even if they could afford it, they wouldn't be willing to part with it.

Furthermore, after the controversy surrounding the gift-giving incident involving the Chinese team, they clearly recognized the formidable strength of the Chinese magical community, and even if they harbored some reservations, they dared not show them.

After considering all factors, the other teams decided to send letters back and have gifts prepared and sent over.

Even if they can't be number one in gift-giving, they can't lose face.

We must also maintain good relations with Hogwarts and the Chinese wizarding community.

……

That evening, after the welcoming ceremony on the playground, all the teachers and students of Hogwarts, along with the seven exchange teams, gathered in the expanded Great Hall on the first floor of the castle for a banquet.

At the banquet, students from the seven exchange teams performed their programs one by one in the large open space in the auditorium hall, which was cleared by removing the four head tables.

Most of them are special dances with added magical light effects.

Four young cultivators from the secret cultivation world of China, with the petite female sword cultivator Li Yu'an's sword dance as the main attraction, combined with the array cultivator Li Yubo's Moon Shadow Floating Light Array, the tall female magic cultivator Chi Jiyue's wind and thunder magic, and the chubby female alchemist Lin Wan's Flowing Fire Pill Whirlwind, put on a unique visual spectacle.

Unfortunately, the wizards leading the six exchange teams other than the Chinese team were preoccupied with the matter of gift-giving and were not in the mood to enjoy this rare and wonderful program.

After the banquet, the seven exchange teams, each led by a host professor arranged by Dumbledore, settled in at Hogwarts.

The Chinese team was led by Dali. Because there were no communication barriers, both sides were polite and respectful, and the guests and hosts had a pleasant time.

Late at night, after settling the Chinese team in, Dali went to the principal's office.

Dumbledore was sitting in his headmaster's chair, quietly reading a newly compiled magic book by Dudley, waiting.

Upon seeing Dali arrive, Old Deng put down his book, rubbed his forehead, and asked:

"Dali, what do you think about the Chinese team giving gifts?"

"How else can I watch it? I'll sit in a chair and drink orange soda."

Dudley consciously waved and beckoned over a can of orange soda that Old Deng had hidden in the principal's office. He then moved a chair over, sat down, and said while drinking, "It's obvious that it's a high-profile gesture of goodwill, but also a demonstration."

The gesture of goodwill is directed at Hogwarts, while the demonstration is directed at everyone indiscriminately.

The reason Hogwarts is so popular today, attracting extraordinary individuals from all over to come and learn, is mainly due to the blessing magic bestowed by the founder of Hogwarts.

Who wouldn't want to resurrect deceased relatives and friends and regain their youth? Who wouldn't want to come and see what's going on?

Based on my observations and screening, all the teams participating in today's exchange came with goodwill and sincerity.

Even Karkaroff, who was once a Death Eater, didn't have any bad intentions this time, or rather, he didn't have the guts to have any bad intentions.

Given the goodwill and sincerity of both sides, the goodwill and sincerity of the Chinese team were particularly abundant, obvious, and direct.

Before they arrived, they were surprised that the other teams hadn't even prepared gifts. They had originally wanted to outdo the others in terms of gifts, but instead, they ended up standing out from the crowd.

This situation, ironically, spurred other teams to give us gifts, and it became a competitive kind of gift-giving, which inadvertently led to us receiving even more benefits.

Meanwhile, the Chinese side also realized that the disappearance and disappearance of dark wizards worldwide was aimed at Hogwarts.

After all, the more the founder of Hogwarts' blessing was revered by white wizards, the more it was hated by dark wizards. This is a truth that not only Grindelwald could understand.

Without knowing our true strength or the Sharpening Stone Plan, the Chinese team was willing to announce their willingness to fight alongside Hogwarts the moment they arrived.

This sincerity, determination, and vision are truly top-notch.

As for Mr. Zhang's statement that the Qilin had knelt before you, thus recognizing your noble character, and that they would definitely learn a lot of valuable knowledge at Hogwarts, which is why he made the promise to help three times in advance.

These words were partly serious, but they were also meant to put you on a pedestal, forcing Hogwarts to take the Chinese team seriously in their subsequent exchanges and learning.

At the same time, and more importantly, the goal was to use this as a pretext to demonstrate utmost sincerity in forming an alliance with Hogwarts, hoping to share in the benefits of the founder's blessed magic.

Dudley's answer was similar to what Dumbledore had in mind.

In the adult world, there are no benefits or kindnesses without a reason.

Not to mention the different extraordinary forces in different countries.

The Chinese team's ideas and plans were all normal, even almost openly discussed, and did not arouse Dumbledore's displeasure. On the contrary, they won Dumbledore's respect and gratitude.

"Dudley, what kind of treatment should we give to the seven representative teams? Should we treat them the same as the students and teachers at Hogwarts? Should we treat them differently?" Dumbledore asked.

Dudley already had a solution to this problem and immediately replied: "On the surface, in accordance with the rules of Hogwarts, everyone will be treated equally."

The classrooms of various professors, the training programs in the Forbidden Forest and the Black Lake, the trial spaces in the castle, the library... and even the dream realm are all open to teams seeking exchange and learning.

But communication is a two-way street, and those who are sincere will naturally receive better feedback.

Sincerity here is not simply about the value of the gifts. I will comprehensively evaluate each team, and even take into account the character, intentions, and actions of the individuals involved.

The rewards for training projects, the number of challenges in the trial space, the books that can be borrowed from the library, and even the functions of the dream realm will naturally differ depending on the effort invested.

I will secretly control everything.

Everyone's smart enough to discover this unwritten, hidden rule over time.

But they won't be foolish enough to bring things up, nor will they come to us to question us; they'll just keep getting caught up in the infighting.

Even if it doesn't come to that, the fact that everyone can enjoy the same treatment is something they couldn't have imagined before.

As for whether they will be able to enjoy the benefits of the blessing bestowed by the founder of Hogwarts, we will make a comprehensive assessment after the exchange and learning process concludes, mainly based on how these individuals behave when Grindelwald's army arrives.