Chapter 40: Preparations
March 15th, 1995
"Come on, Fleur, one more!" Harry motivated the Veela while spotting her at the squat rack. Fleur took a deep breath, bent her knees until she was past horizontal to the ground, and pushed the weight back up.
"Good job!" Harry helped her rack the bar. That had been her last set for the day. Fleur grabbed her towel and used it to dry her face from the sweat that had started to run down her forehead.
"You are killing me, Harry…" The French witch panted and downed half her water bottle in one go, while watching Harry move back to his bench and finish his own set. He was once again working out without a shirt and noticed the appraising eyes of his girlfriend on him. He re-racked the weights after finishing his set and joined Fleur on a bench.
Her eyes were roaming over his chest, shoulders, and arms. "There is no way you are fourteen years old, Harry. How old are you really?"
Harry laughed and stood up to watch himself in the mirror. Well, she was not wrong, Harry had grown another two inches since the summer, standing at five feet and 11 inches now. He was almost as tall as Sirius now. However, the biggest difference was his body composition. Harry had put on almost 20 pounds of lean muscle mass and had now breached 170 pounds.
"I guess it won't hurt to tell you another secret," Harry grinned as he started flexing in front of the mirror.
Fleur rolled her eyes: "Should I take my clothes off and start flexing, too?"
Harry shot her wink: "I'd be the last person to complain."
Fleur just chuckled and shook her head. She had to admit though, working out with Harry had been good for her as well. She had always been lean and slim, but ever since she first joined Harry in the ROR, she had put on a few pounds of muscle mass. She felt more athletic and stronger and, believe it or not, it gave her additional confidence. Of course, Harry had also appreciated the development of a certain muscle group in her body…
"Well…" Harry stated: "I am actually over 15 years old already."
At Fleur's confused expression he continued: "During my second year, I discovered a time turner here at Hogwarts. I use it almost every day and it grants me an additional eight hours per day. Of course, my body ages during that time period. So, over the two years that I have been using the time turner, my body has aged an additional six to seven months already."
"Well, that can't be all though, can it? There are lots of 15-year-old boys at this school and none of them look like you…" Fleur replied.
"How many 15-year-old boys are there, who put as much effort into their body as I do? Wizards and witches barely put any emphasis on physical fitness. The only exceptions are duelers and quidditch players. You won't find any students at Hogwarts, who work out as regularly as we do."
"Still, how have you put on so much muscle mass as a 15-year-old, and why are you so tall, Harry?" Fleur had stepped next to him.
Harry looked back in the mirror at Fleur's reflection. She was a tall girl herself, reaching the 5 feet nine to ten inches mark. By now, however, Harry was taller than her.
"I will tell you, but you have to promise not to share it with anyone. Not your parents, not your teachers, no one, okay?" Harry grabbed her hands and looked her deep into the eyes.
"Of course not, Harry. You should know that you can trust me by now." Fleur replied sincerely and cupped his face with both her hands to give him a quick peck on the lips.
Harry took a deep breath. Here goes: "I've performed rituals, several of them, some of them enhanced my physical body. The rituals only increase my potential, I still have to work just as hard as anyone else would."
Fleur had barely flinched when he had mentioned the word rituals: "Were they dangerous? What kind of sacrifices did you make?"
"Usually a lot of blood." Harry chuckled, but quickly composed himself at Fleur's cold stare: "They can be very dangerous when done incorrectly, but I was very careful, don't worry."
"Are you planning on doing any more rituals?" Fleur asked him curiously.
"Not really, I finished my set of seven, well technically eight, if you consider fixing my eyesight, of course, there are many more that I could do, but many of them have long-lasting consequences, which I am not very fond of."
"Like what?" Fleur asked him again. She had read a bit about blood rituals during her years at Beauxbaton. Almost all of them were banned in France as well.
"Well, some of them grant you even more power and strength, but the sacrifices are not worth it, in my opinion. I would never give up my humanity and I also plan on having a family and children one day. That takes most of the rest out of the equation, too…" He trailed off.
"Do you still need a virgin sacrifice?" Fleur winked at him and batted her long eyelashes.
"Believe it or not, there are a couple of rituals that involve using the blood of a virgin and even sacrificing your own virginity. Why do you ask? Do you know a potential virgin I could ask to participate?" Harry went along with the joke.
Fleur playfully hit his shoulder and glared at him: "You are a prat, Harry Potter, you know very well that I still have my virtue!"
Harry pulled her tightly towards him and gave her a long passionate kiss: "I am glad you do." He smiled down at her.
"I'm glad you do, too." Fleur replied with a wink before grabbing her gym bag and walking toward the shower: "I think I'll take a shower here today. If I catch you taking a peek, I will hurl another fireball at you. Don't even try it, Harry James Potter!"
Harry groaned, Fleur was always such a tease. He watched her walk over to the showers, her hips swaying provocatively from side to side. Maybe another quick set would help him think of something else?
April 30th, 1995
So far, the weeks after the second task had passed quicker than Harry would have ever expected. It was almost May already and that meant the third task was approaching. Harry and Fleur's daily routine had not changed much. Fleur still joined him for her workouts in the morning and they increased the amount they practiced together, sharing spells, enchantments, and strategies. Of course, they agreed that during the task they would still fight for themselves. Fleur was still confident that she would win and Harry teased her mercilessly due to his headstart in points.
Three weeks ago Fleur had also completed her OWLs. They were now sitting at the Breakfast Table with a very nervous Fleur opening up a letter from the French Ministry of Magic, Department of Education. The Veela would not let Harry take a peek at the letter. So Harry waited until she was finished.
"Well, how did it go?" Harry inquired carefully. He knew that Fleur cared a lot more about academics than he did.
Fleur gave him a brief smile and passed the letter over to him: "I did my very best and the results speak for themselves. I am the best student Beauxbaton has seen in generations."
Harry chuckled and read through the letter, it was very similar to the British equivalent.
Ordinary Wizarding Level Results for Fleur Isabelle Delacour (Beauxbaton Academy)
Pass Grades:
Outstanding (O)
Exceeds Expectations (E)
Acceptable (A)
Fail Grades:
Poor (P)
Dreadful (D)
Troll (T)
Fleur Isabelle Delacour has achieved:
Alchemy:
Outstanding (O) -
Ancient Runes:
Outstanding (O) +
Arithmancy:
Outstanding (O) +
Astronomy:
Exceeds Expectations (E) +
Care of Magical Creatures:
Exceeds Expectations (E)
Charms:
Outstanding (O) +
Defense against the Dark Arts:
Outstanding (O)
Enchanting:
Outstanding (O) +
Herbology:
Exceeds Expectations (E) +
History of Magic:
Exceeds Expectations (E)
Potions:
Outstanding (O) -
Transfiguration:
Outstanding (O)
We congratulate Fleur Isabelle Delacour for the completion of TWELVE OWLs
"Congratulations, Fleur! That's twelve OWLS and not a single one under Exceeds Expectations," Harry says in amazement.
Fleur gave him a peck on the cheek and continued her breakfast. Harry's eyes roamed over the letter once more rather enviously: "I envy you guys, learning about Alchemy and especially Enchanting sounds so much more interesting than Muggle Studies or Divinations."
"We have those classes, too, but I decided against taking them. If I am not mistaken, Alchemy is offered as a NEWT class here at Hogwarts as well, non?" Fleur inquired.
"It is, but it's taught by Snape. I'd rather fight another dragon than attend a single lesson more with the man… Anyway, do you want to go up to the ROR and start with our exercises?" Harry asked.
Fleur nodded and finished the last bit of her pastry, before following Harry. A few weeks ago, Harry had offered to start teaching Fleur Occlumency. If the girl wanted to stay in his life and learn more about his secrets, then she needed to be able to protect them. It was also a great way for Harry to start testing his slowly-developing skill in passive Legilimency. So far he was already able to recognize strong feelings and emotions, but it would take a while before he could truly penetrate someone's mind and explore memories at his will.
Fleur was very eager to learn more about the rare skill. In addition, the exercises might help her keep her Veela temperament in check. They had started by performing some very easy meditation exercises and creating the basis for a mind palace in Fleur's mind. A week ago, Harry had entered her mind for the first time and Fleur had started showing very weak protection already. He was free to roam the place, but the Veela managed to push him out after two minutes.
It felt wrong to enter his girlfriend's mind that way, but what Harry did discover, was that Fleur's feelings for him were more than genuine. He had seen her memories of their dates and special moments and in what high regard she held them. One hour later, the two were done with their exercises.
"Fleur? Do you have time to talk for a couple more minutes?" Harry asked Fleur, as the girl was about to leave the ROR.
"Yeah, sure Harry, what would you like to talk about?" Fleur replied curiously.
Harry took a couple of seconds: "What will things be like? I mean after this Tournament is over? I know you will have to go back to France and finish your last year, but what about us?"
It had been a question that rested at the back of Harry's mind for the better part of the last few months. He was curious to see how Fleur thought about things.
"Harry, you should know by now that you are really important to me. This, what we have between us, is not just some fling for my year here in Britain. There is still so much you can show me and so much I haven't shown you about me yet. If you are willing, I really want to continue this…"
"Even if we could barely see each other during the year? And what about after you are done? Where do you want to work and what do you want to do?"
"Well you know I want to be an Enchantress or Curse-Breaker. However, I could also imagine myself getting a mastery in charms after finishing at Beauxbaton. The fact is, I don't know 100% yet, but what I do know is that I still want you to come along with me on my journey." Fleur smiled and engulfed him in a tight hug.
"My godfather and I have a mirror, it lets you talk to each other and communicate over long distances. You can even see each other on the screen. Maybe we could use something like that to keep in touch." Harry suggested, stroking his fingers through her long platinum blonde hair.
"That sounds like a good compromise, but I need something better, Harry Potter. I need to see you! At least once a week. I will somehow get a Portkey so you can visit me in France whenever you feel like." Fleur replied and sighed contently into his chest.
"Need me that much?" Harry chuckled and slowly let his finger trail down her back to rest them right above her bum.
Fleur raised a single delicate eyebrow at him. "Even with all your rituals and time tuners you are still younger than me, Harry, I don't want to take advantage of you, not yet. It is not the right thing to do."
"What if I want you to take advantage of me?" Harry whispered and placed a soft trail of kisses on her delicate neck. His left hand was now firmly placed on her bum and gave it a tentative squeeze, eliciting a soft moan from Fleur.
"Then I would tell you to wait until summer, Harry. You know that I want you, just as much as you want me, but we agreed not to rush things. It is going to be even sweeter in the long run, non?" Fleur gently massaged his scalp as she pulled Harry towards her to give him a long passionate kiss.
Harry couldn't help but moan against her lips: "I can't wait for it." He chuckled and gave a light slap on Fleur's butt.
The Veela pouted in fake annoyance: "Well, until then, you better behave yourself around me, Mr. Potter." She shot him a last wink and broke their embrace to take her to leave.
May 17th, 1995
"Harry Potter, Sir. Dobby thinks he might have a clue concerning the third task, Sir!" Dobby popped into the Salazar Quarters out of nowhere.
"Calm down, Dobby, and tell me what you saw," Harry replied, but his mind instantly prepared to absorb as many details as possible.
"Dobby saw the big teacher, Hagrid, planting magical plants all over the Hogwarts Quidditch field, Sir. It can no longer be used for playing, Sir, the plants already broke through the surface. It is a nasty plant, Sir, it hurt poor Dobby when he touched it."
Harry grabbed his broom. "Take me there right now, Dobby."
A second later, Harry stood at the edge of the pitch. Just as Dobby had said, something had been planted on the field in seemingly random straight lines and twists. He needed to get a better picture. Harry disillusioned himself and the broom with a tap of his wand and ascended into the air.
The higher he went and the larger the area he could observe, the more and more the lines and patterns started resembling something familiar. It's going to be a maze, Harry frowned, as he flew several loops around the entire pitch. Indeed, the small trenches, in which the plants have been positioned, followed straight lines and 90-degree corners at random points. However, they always built a pathway.
Harry flew to the center of the maze and slowly turned around his own axis once, manifesting the memory of the entire maze in his mind... He had an idea.
"Alright Salazar, it's time for another model." Harry practically shouted as he entered the Chamber. With one fluent motion of his wand, he cleared the table and pulled out a large blank piece of parchment.
"The third task will likely be a maze. The good thing is, the maze will be only two-dimensional, instead of three, like the lake. We are operating in one flat area. The maze is large, really large. However, I have gotten a really good view of it and we can replicate it, hedge for hedge, from my memory. Are you ready?"
"Of course, my heir. Have you seen the plants they use for the hedges?" Salazar asked curiously.
"Yes, it's a dark green grayish plant, with lots of sharp spikes and thorns. Fighting your way through it, once it's fully grown will probably be almost impossible." Harry replied while extracting the entire memory and placing it in the Pensieve.
"Then we have a problem, Harry," Salazar continued: "Those are not normal hedges. Your description best fits the 'Sepes Labyrinthus' A plant that is famous for its use in magical mazes. The plant is semi-conscious and able to change the layout of the maze to different variations."
Harry groaned: "Shit. That is bad. how many different alterations do you think exist?"
Salazar had started watching the projected memory intently: "Usually, in a small maze, it's two to three different layouts. However, for a maze of this size, I would expect around ten."
"Then we will find them all and map them each. I don't care how long it takes. This will be the best way for me to practice. I can even have the ROR replicate the entire maze and do practice runs. Imagine my advantage when entering the maze and instantly knowing my current position and how far it is to the center, no matter where I am." Harry suggested with a gleam in his eyes.
"Let's get started with the first layout then," Salazar replied. Harry nodded and stopped the projection when he reached the bird-view of the entire maze while flying on his broom. They had lots of work to do, now.
May 26th, 1995
In the last week of May, Professor McGonagall held him back in Transfiguration. "You are to go down to the Quidditch field tonight at nine o'clock, Potter," she told him. "Mr. Bagman will be there to tell the champions about the third task."
Harry nodded his understanding and took his leave. Down in the Chamber, he greeted Salazar:
"Today the champions will be told about the third task. I will, of course, attend anyways, even if I already know what the task is about. Maybe they have some additional information."
Salazar agreed and the two continued working on the latest update to the maze model. So far, the maze has changed its layout twice, already. In total, there were three versions of it, now. Salazar and Harry simply dubbed them M1 - M3, to keep an overview.
Another hour later, they had finished M3. Interestingly enough, the magical plants did not change the entire layout of the maze, but only certain key passageways and corridors, especially towards the center. Harry did not mind in the slightest. This would only make it easier for him.
After dinner with Fleur and some light training in the ROR, Harry made his way over to the Beauxbaton carriage at 8:30 pm to pick up Fleur and go to the Quidditch pitch together. Fleur greeted him with a quick peck and hand in hand they walked down to the pitch.
"Merde!" Fleur exhaled as she watched the hedges, which have now grown to almost knee height. Harry chuckled.
"You knew about this, no?" Fleur asked him accusingly.
Harry just shrugged and replied sarcastically: "You know how crazy I am about Quidditch. A large change to something so dear to me, like our pitch, would be noticed by me, right?"
Fleur playfully swatted his shoulder. "You are incorrigible, Monsieur Potter."
"Hello, there!" called a cheery voice. Ludo Bagman was standing in the middle of the field with Krum and Cedric. Harry and Fleur made their way toward them, climbing over the hedges. Krum and Cedric scowled as the other two champions approached them. They both did not appreciate their scores in the second task. Especially Diggory, who stood in last place, as of now.
"Well, what d'you think?" said Bagman happily as Harry and Fleur climbed over the last hedge. "Growing nicely, aren't they? Give them a month and Hagrid'll have them twenty feet high! Don't worry," he added, grinning, spotting the less-than-happy expression on Cedric's face, "you'll have your Quidditch field back to normal once the task is over! Now, I imagine you can guess what we're making here?"
No one spoke for a moment. Then- "Maze," replied Harry cheerfully.
"That's right!" said Bagman. "A maze. The third task's really very straightforward. The Triwizard Cup will be placed in the center of the maze. The first champion to touch it will receive full marks."
Interesting Harry thought. He did not need to go from one side to the other. Instead, it will be detrimental to be able to orientate yourself in the center of the maze. He would keep this in mind.
"We seemply 'ave to get through the maze?" Ask Fleur cautiously.
"There will be obstacles," said Bagman happily, bouncing on the balls of his feet. "Hagrid is providing a number of creatures... then there will be spells that must be broken... all that sort of thing, you know."
Again, something Harry would keep in mind. How could he create a list of potential creatures, someone like Hagrid would use in the maze? Definitely the Blast-Ended Skrewt and maybe some other hybrid beasts, they have been working on over the school year.
Bagman continued. "Now, the champions who are leading on points will get a head start into the maze."
Bagman grinned at Harry and shot him a thumbs up. "Then Miss Delacour will enter, followed by Mr. Krum and finally Mr. Diggory. But you'll all be in with a fighting chance, depending how well you get past the obstacles. Should be fun, eh?"
The champions were each deep in thought but nodded politely. "Very well, if you haven't got any questions, we'll go back up to the Castle, shall we? It's a bit chilly..."
"How many seconds of a headstart do you get, Mr. Bagman?" Harry asked curiously. He was about to start timing his test runs in the ROR and needed some actual data to work with.
"There will be one minute between each champion. Irrespective of how large the difference in points is." Bagman explained happily.
Harry frowned, this was good for some champions and really bad for others. For Diggory, it was perfect. Even though he was behind a massive amount of points, only three minutes separated him and Harry, who was leading the tournament. However, Fleur, who was close behind him, still needed to wait a full minute.
Apparently, all champions understood the importance of that decision, as Krum and Diggory seemed very satisfied with that answer, while Fleur scowled.
Harry grabbed Fleur's hand and was about to accompany her back to the carriage, when the Veela snuggled at his side: "Would you like to take a walk with me, Harry? I have not seen much of you this week."
Harry could not deny that and he was the last person to reject the offer of spending additional time with his girlfriend. Fleur pulled him over for a strode along the edge of the Forbidden Forest and down to the lake.
"Will I see less of you, now that it's easier to prepare for the final task?" Harry pulled Fleur a bit closer to him by her waist and inhaled her fresh scent.
"Perhaps, why? Do you think you will miss me?" Fleur laughed.
"Yes." Harry replied simply
"You know of my ambitions, Harry. I want to win this tournament." Fleur explained, raising her nose high into the high and smiling proudly over to Harry.
"I think you have quite good chances. However, apparently, there is this guy in the first place right now and he…" Harry interrupted his joke as he heard something move along the edge of the forest. He instantly flicked his wand in his palm and stood protectively in front of Fleur.
Fleur had copied him, maybe half a second later. Both teenagers stood ready, wands pointed at the forest, and with a spell on their lips. Suddenly a man staggered out from behind a tall oak. Harry recognized Mr. Crouch. He looked as though he had been traveling for days. The knees of his robes were ripped and bloody, his face scratched; he was unshaven and gray with exhaustion.
His neat hair and mustache were both in need of a wash and a trim. His strange appearance, however, was nothing to the way he was behaving. Muttering and gesticulating, Mr. Crouch appeared to be talking to someone that he alone could see.
"... and when you've done that, Weatherby, send an owl to Dumbledore confirming the number of Durmstrang students who will be attending the tournament, Karkaroff has just sent word there will be 24..."
"Mr. Crouch?" said Harry cautiously, raising his wand.
"... and then send another owl to Madame Maxime, because she might want to up the number of students she's bringing, now Karkaroff 's made it a round two dozen. Do that, Weatherby, will you? Will you? Will..."
Mr. Crouch's eyes were bulging. He stood staring at the tree, muttering soundlessly at it. Then he staggered sideways and fell to his knees.
"Mr. Crouch?" Harry said loudly. "Are you all right?"
Crouch's eyes were rolling in his head. Harry looked around at Fleur, who had followed him into the trees, and was looking down at Crouch in alarm.
"What is wrong with him?"
"No idea," Harry muttered. "He is a danger to himself and others right now. Bind him, please, I need to check something."
Fleur let thick ropes wrap themselves around Crouch's torso and limbs, keeping him bound. Meanwhile, Harry had quickly pulled out the Marauder's Map that he was always carrying with him.
"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." He tapped the map with his wand.
"Magnificent, I have never seen a map like that before, Harry,"Fleur whispered perplexed, as she leaned over his shoulder and stared wide-eyed at the tiny little spots that indicated hers and Harry's name.
Harry confirmed Crouch's identity and that no one else was anywhere close. Suddenly Crouch started babbling again.
"Dumbledore!" gasped Mr. Crouch. "I need… see… Dumbledore..."
"Okay," said Harry, "if you tell us all you know, Mr. Crouch, we can go up to the Headmaster-"
"I've done… stupid… thing..." Mr. Crouch breathed. He looked utterly mad. His eyes were rolling and bulging, and a trickle of spittle was sliding down his chin. Every word he spoke seemed to cost him a terrible effort. "Must... tell... Dumbledore..."
"Stay down, Mr. Crouch, and tell us everything," said Harry loudly and clearly.
"Harry, he is a judge. Shouldn't we take him to your Headmaster?" Fleur interrupted, but Harry quickly silenced her with a firm shake of the head and held up his hand. Fleur gulped, she could count the number of times she had seen her boyfriend so serious on one hand.
Mr. Crouch's eyes rolled forward onto Harry: "Who… you?" he whispered.
"I'm a student at the school," said Harry neutrally.
"You're not… Karkaroff's?" whispered Crouch, his mouth sagging.
"No," Harry replied again.,
"Dumbledore's?"
"That's right," said Harry.
"Warn… Dumbledore… "
"I'll get Dumbledore if you tell me everything you know," said Harry.
"Thank you, Weatherby, and when you have done that, I would like a cup of tea. My wife and son will be arriving shortly. We are attending a concert tonight with Mr. and Mrs. Fudge." Crouch was now talking fluently to a tree again, and seemed completely unaware that Harry was there.
"Yes, my son has recently gained twelve OWL.s, most satisfactory, yes, thank you, yes, very proud indeed. Now, if you could bring me that memo from the Andorran Minister of Magic, I think I will have time to draft a response..."
"If he does not answer my question soon, I will rip it from his mind,"Harry said to Fleur.
"Harry, you can't attack a judge. They will put you away in Azkaban for that." Fleur tried to get him to lower his wand.
"Fleur there are things going on here that you have no idea about, that you could not even imagine. Please, let me handle this right now. Please trust me."
Mr. Crouch desperately tried to get to Harry. "Don't… leave… me!" he whispered, his eyes bulging again. "I…escaped… must warn… must tell… see Dumbledore … my fault… all my fault … Bertha… dead… all my fault… my son… my fault… tell Dumbledore… Harry Potter… the Dark Lord… stronger… Harry Potter…"
Harry had listened intently to everything the man had murmured about: "That's it, I'm going to enter his mind. Let me know as soon as anyone approaches."
Fleur did not seem fully convinced, but gave him a quick nod and secured the perimeter with a couple of notice-me-not wards.
Harry placed his wand at the tip of Crouch's temple: "Legillimens."
The man's mind was a mess, memories were all over the place with no structure or pattern whatsoever. Harry started to look for memories concerning his son. He saw brief flashes of the trial that Sirius had mentioned and how Crouch threw his own son in Azkaban. Next, there was a memory of his wife visiting their son and doing a swap under the disguise of polyjuice.
So that's how Crouch jr. escaped. Things were starting to look interesting. Harry watched a memory from the world cup and how he found a stunned Crouch jr. and blamed an elf instead. The following months were extremely difficult to put together. Crouch must have been under the influence of some mind-altering spell or even the Imperius curse.
He saw a flash of a face that must have belonged to Wormtail. However, anything afterward, he could not put together. He left the man's mind.
"This has to do with how my name was entered into the tournament, Fleur. I now have some more information, however, I can't let anyone know that I have entered his mind." Harry gave her a hard look.
"Are you going to kill him?" Fleur asked him, perplexed.
"I'd have enough reasons to. This man threw my godfather to the dementors without a trial and broke someone guilty out of Azkaban. He is far from a good person, but no,I will wipe his mind and then we take him up to the Castle, okay?"
Fleur gave him a short nod.
Harry cast a powerful obliviate and erased any of the memories he had just seen and his entire interaction with the man. His mind was already so fractured that no one would suspect his intervention, he hoped.
"It's done," Harry spoke after a minute and levitated the now unconscious man up to the Castle followed by Fleur.
Harry went through everything he had just seen once more. Crouch Jr. had somehow broken his father's Imperius curse and managed to cast the Dark Mark at the world cup. Soon after, Crouch is attacked by Wormtail. But how did Wormtail and Voldemort even find him and know he was still alive?
Was this where this reporter, Bertha Jorkins, came into play? Harry had read that she disappeared a couple of months ago in a forest in Albania. In his second year, after defeating the Basilisk, Dumbledore had mentioned that that's where his spies thought Voldemort's current location might be.
Crouch had also mentioned the Dark Lord growing stronger. Crouch somehow escaped from wherever they had held him captive to warn Dumbledore and Harry himself. Just as Harry originally assumed, everything was coming together soon and it all pointed at the third task. He would have to prepare even harder for the unknown that he might face.
Chapter 41: A deadly Maze
AN: This is it guys! The Third Task.
Enjoy!
Chapter 41
June 10th, 1995
Crouch passes in St. Mungo's
By Rita Skeeter
The Daily Prophet expresses their sincere condolences at the death of the Head of the Department for International Cooperation, Bartemius Crouch Senior. Mr. Crouch passed away last Sunday in the Janus Thickey Ward for permanent spell damage, at St. Mungo's.
Mr. Crouch had been last seen during the first Task at Hogwarts. From there on he was represented by his assistant Percival Weasley, in his official role as a judge in the Triwizard tournament as well as his department in the Ministry.
The most likely cause of death was traced back to the severely damaged mind and Crouch's fractured mental condition, ever since he was discovered by none other than Fleur Delacour and Harry Potter. According to our reports, the pair witnessed Mr. Couch stumbling out of the Forbidden Forest, near Hogwarts Castle, while enjoying a romantic walk around the lake.
Dutifully, they instantly accompanied Crouch up to the Castle and placed him in the Care of Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore. Since questioning Crouch on what had occurred to him led to no avail, the professor safely accompanied the man to St. Mungos.
It is yet unknown what led to the unfortunate circumstances Mr. Crouch was discovered in. We should once again thank Ms. Delacour and Mr. Potter for their services to magical Britain. However very unfortunately that their time spent together came to such an unfortunate end once again.
For further information on Bartemius Crouch Sr., including his In Memoriam, turn to Page 3.
For further information on the blossoming relationship between Fleur Delacour and Harry Potter, including never seen before photos, turn to Page 5
To be honest, Harry had not expected the man to survive long after his mind had been played with for such a long time. Whether or not he actually died naturally, maybe things were even better this way. Dumbledore had failed to get any information from Crouch and he had witnessed the man's passive attempts at Legilimency.
Fleur and he had repeated most of the incoherent babbling the man had spoken to Dumbledore and left the frowning Headmaster soon after. The couple's relationship was a tiny bit strained now since Fleur insisted on knowing what exactly had been going on and what Harry discovered in Crouch's mind.
Once again, Harry had explained to her that he would tell her everything, as soon as she could keep accomplished Legilimens, such as Snape and Dumbledore, out of her mind. The girl had not taken it so well to be that easily dismissed, but admittedly increased her efforts during the sessions in the mind arts.
June 14th, 1995
"That's it, Harry! Now test if they truly disappear after the first one has been killed." Salazar could barely contain his excitement.
Harry nodded. He was very excited himself. For over eight months he had been working on this spell and it was finally almost finished. A few months ago, they had perfected the individual dragonfly that would be conjured. From there on they had started increasing the conjured quantity. The spell now conjured a quantity of roughly 30 - 40 dragonflies, that were spread out like a shield charm approximately three feet from the tip of his wand.
The artificial shield was pretty much a single layer of dragonflies that were pressed together. The gaps that are left were so small that no Unforgivable could somehow pass through them without hitting a member of the group.
Harry had also minimized any potentially complicated wand movements so that now only a simple swirl of the wand was necessary and could be cast silently. Now that it was all put together, it was time for the final test run.
He would conjure the dragonflies with his regular wand and quickly switch to the secondary wand to perform the Killing Curse. If everything went according to plan, a single dragonfly would be hit by the curse, but all the others would simultaneously disappear, thanks to the embedded Protean Charm.
He silently cast his spell "Temporalis Anisoptera." and watched as the dragonflies frantically flew through the air while staying in their shield formation. Then he switched wands.
"Avada Kedavra!" In the last months, Harry had cast the curse relatively often to test his spell. The feeling was almost familiar, at this point. The bright green light of the killing curse erupted from the tip of the secondary wand and struck a single dragonfly. Almost in an instant, the entire swarm disappeared leaving a clear view of the blank stone wall behind it.
"Well done, Harry!" Salazar laughed and cheered him on.
"It works! It finally works! No more dodging Unforgivables. From now on we face them head-on" Harry smiled.
"Just make sure to only use it against a single opponent and only if you know the curse you are about to be hit with is an Unforgivable. Your shield will not do well against a strong piercing or bone-breaking charm." The Founder advised.
Harry took a look at his wristwatch: "Well I still have a couple of hours left in the time turner. I will go up to the ROR and run a couple of simulations."
A few minutes later he was standing in the ROR. Over the last month, Harry and Salazar had analyzed the different layouts the maze would create for the third task. So far, they made models for the layouts M1 through to M11. Harry decided to use the latest one for a quick practice drill.
He walked up and down the front of the"
"I need you to show me M1 of the maze layouts... I need you to show me M1 of the maze layouts... I need you to show me M1 of the maze layouts... "
After his third turn, the door appeared and Harry quickly opened it. The inside was a huge room and with the entrance to a maze right at the center. Harry had started practicing for the final task by letting the room create mazes and trying to find the middle and the fake trophy as quickly as possible.
By copying the exact layout of one of the different versions, he was optimally preparing himself to increase his ability to quickly orientate within the maze. In addition, he had asked the room to position dueling dummies at random spots in the passageways of the maze to simulate defeating different creatures.
Harry entered the maze on a jog. If this was truly version M11 then he knew what turns to take to get towards the middle as quickly as possible. Around the second corner, he encountered a dummy. A quick Reducto pulverized the opponent and allowed Harry to continue his run.
Now he needed to take a left and two rights soon after. The layout of the entire maze was in front of his inner eye, allowing him to follow his pathway like a GPS navigation device. Around
the second right corner, he encountered another opponent and fired a well-aimed cutting curse, severing the dummy head from its neck. 10 minutes and many turns later, he finally arrived at the center of the maze, where a fake silver trophy rested on a stone table.
He checked his watch. In total it had taken him roughly 15 minutes to complete the entire maze and that was if he did not take a single wrong turn and partially sprinted through it with easy obstacles. The real maze would be different, especially due to the fact that Harry still had no idea what other creatures Hagrid might place inside it.
He remembered having an easy time running through Lupin's obstacle parkour last year. However, this time, the creature would be significantly more dangerous and lethal. Nevertheless, he felt optimally prepared for what lay ahead.
June 24th, 1995
The morning of the third task, Flitwick let Harry know that the Champions would congregate in the chamber of the Hall after breakfast, to meet their families. Harry was looking forward to seeing Sirius again and quickly finished his breakfast.
"Hey, Pup!" The man greeted him and embraced him in a strong hug as Harry entered the chamber.
"It's good to see you, Sirius," Harry replied sincerely.
Harry survived the chamber. Over the corner, Fleur's parents and sister were waiting for their daughter to enter. Her little sister shot Harry a wink and Harry grinned back, making the small Veela blush furiously.
At the other side of the room, Cedric was hugging his parents. Harry noticed that his father was casting angry glares at him and Sirius. What was the man's issue?
"How do you feel about a stroll around the Castle? We could catch up properly and you can tell me what you plan on doing with 1000 Galleons prize money." Sirius laughed.
Unfortunately, they had been overheard by Amos Diggory: "You seem to be very certain of your godson's victory, Black."
"Well, he is in first place and perhaps the most brilliant champion this tournament has ever seen… So yeah, I am quite certain," Sirius replied neutrally.
"That boy cheated his way through the tournament. Cedric here told me that Potter had not once been surprised at any task they had to face and always seemed to know how to handle it best. I'd bet half my vault that you have been sneaking him tips and advice the entire time to give him an unfair advantage." Diggory sneered.
Meanwhile, the Delacour's had caught up to the heated argument between the two men. Sebastian was simply shaking his head at the man's wild accusations, but Fleur looked about ready to interfere.
Harry was quicker than her: "You son is among the best students this Castle has to offer, Mr. Diggory. I don't doubt he is a decent Hufflepuff and talented in his own way. However, this tournament is for the brightest and most powerful students, Europe has to offer. I'm afraid your son does not belong to that group."
"Your arrogance knows no limit, Potter." Cedric Diggory spits back. "I would have dealt with the task just fine if it wasn't for you entering this tournament in the first place."
Harry laughed: "How does me entering change the way you failed to overcome your dragon and secure the golden egg?"
"I know that the two of you…" He pointed accusingly at Fleur and Harry. "... knew about the first task. You were not even slightly surprised to see a fucking miniature dragon in that bag."
"Are you saying my daughter was cheating?" Sebastian Delacour took a couple of steps forwards and asked in a dangerous tone.
Diggory seemed about to respond, but his father pulled his shoulder quickly and shook his head. Without another word, the Diggorys left the chamber. Sirius turned to the Delacours:
"It's good to see you, Madame and Monsieur Delacour. I wish your daughter the best of luck for tonight." Sirius approached the family diplomatically.
"Thank you, Monsieur Black, and good luck to you, too, Mr. Potter," Sebastian replied, with a very rare smile on his lips.
Sirius and Harry took their leave to take a stroll outside. Walking down to the Quidditch pitch, the older man asked: "How are you feeling about tonight? Are you to get this finally over with?"
Harry nodded: "I have prepared very hard for this and spent countless hours practicing. I just hope I will be able to detect whatever trap Voldemort has prepared for me."
"What about you and your firebird? How will she deal with it in case you actually win this thing?"
"Fleur might be a bit disappointed at first, but she would not hold it against me, nor would I if for some reason she manages to beat me to the cup."
"What about the summer? Do you guys have any plans yet?"
A gleam appeared in Harry's eyes: "I want to go to France and visit her. To see the place she grew up in, visit Beauxbaton, travel the country with her and for once, I would like a peaceful summer."
"You get that same goofy grin on your face when you talk about it, as James did whenever he mentioned Lily. You really like her, don't you?"
Harry could only smile contentedly: "More than I would have ever thought."
"Make sure you don't lose her then, Harry. If you find something special, as you have, don't let it slip through your fingers…"
"Have you ever been in love, Sirius?" Harry asked curiously.
A sad expression overcame Sirius' entire demeanor: "You know I was not the guy for a relationship during school, Harry. But there was one girl, who was different even back then… A year after Hogwarts we started dating, a few more weeks and I would have probably proposed to her."
"What happened to her?" Harry inquired.
"Voldemort killed her and her entire family. They didn't even stand a chance."
The two wizards continued their walk in silence for a couple of minutes:
"I will get him, Sirius. One day, I will make him pay for all of it," Harry vowed with determination.
"See that you do, Harry, but don't forget living life until then. You are young and you should think about getting into your hot girlfriend's knickers instead of how to kill some Dark Lord…"
"Did you just call my girlfriend hot, Padfoot?" Harry grinned.
"I do have eyes, Pup… Even after Azkaban."
"Use them tonight, okay? I need you to keep an eye on Moody for me tonight. Follow him if you have to." Harry explained.
"Any specific reason for that?"
"It's just a hunch, but make sure to be prepared for any eventualities."
The two finished their stroll around the lake and returned to the Castle for some lunch. Harry and Sirius decided to sneak into the kitchen and let Dobby prepare them something. The afternoon was spent goofing around the Castle and making some last-minute preparation. Then it was already time for Harry to change into his attire for the third task.
"Good luck, Harry." Salazar wished his heir: "And make sure to come back to me after it's all over. Get that bloody cup in the name of Slytherin."
Harry chuckled as he looked at his reflection in the mirror. His black form-fitting robes, which he had worn to the first task, had been adjusted and fitted well now. Due to the athletic aspects of the task, he decided to wear some muggle trainers. He had left the Map with Sirius and hid his Cloak within his robes as usual. It was time to finish this:
He met Sirius once more in the Great Hall and they walked down onto the Quidditch field, which was now completely unrecognizable. A twenty-foot-high hedge ran all the way around the edge of it. There was a gap right in front of them: the entrance to the vast maze. The passage beyond it looked dark and creepy. Five minutes later, the stands had begun to fill; the air was full of excited voices and the rumbling of feet as the hundreds of students filed into their seats.
The sky was a deep, clear blue now, and the first stars were starting to appear. Hagrid, Professor Moody, Professor McGonagall, and Professor Flitwick came walking into the stadium and approached Bagman and the champions. They were wearing large, red, luminous stars on their hats, all except Hagrid, who had his on the back of his moleskin vest.
"We are going to be patrolling the outside of the maze," said Professor McGonagall to the champions. "If you get into difficulty, and wish to be rescued, send red sparks into the air, and one of us will come and get you, do you understand?" The champions nodded. "Off you go, then!" said Bagman brightly to the four patrollers.
"Good luck, Harry," Fleur whispered, as they gave each other a tight hug.
"I will share the prize money with you and buy you lots of sweets." Harry grinned and kissed the blonde girl before she could fully understand what he had said.
Bagman now pointed his wand at his throat, muttered, "Sonorus," and his magically magnified voice echoed into the stands. "Ladies and gentlemen, the third and final task of the Triwizard Tournament is about to begin! Let me remind you how the points currently stand!
In first place, with 109 points — Mr. Harry Potter, of Hogwarts School, also representing… well… himself!" The cheers and applause sent birds from the Forbidden Forest fluttering into the darkening sky.
"In second place, with 102 — Miss Fleur Delacour, of Beauxbatons Academy" More applause.
"And in third place — Mr. Viktor Krum, of Durmstrang Institute!"
Krum glared at Harry and gave him an overconfident grin. Harry just smiled back coldly. He had not forgotten the boy's attempt at almost killing Fleur. If he ran into him in the maze tonight, he would kill him.
"Finally in fourth place — Mr. Cedric Diggory, of Hogwarts School!"
There was some polite applause for Diggory, however, most spectators knew that he would not be an actual contender for the cup tonight.
"So... on my whistle, Harry," said Bagman. "Three — two — one —" He gave a short blast on his whistle, and Harry hurried forward into the maze.
He was ready and felt the adrenaline pumping in his veins.
The first turns were the most important. They would hint at which layout of the maze he was dealing with. Harry cast a silent Lumos and used the spell Fleur had taught him, to have illuminating balls of light surrounding him at any point in time and to light the way for him.
Exactly after a minute and the first three turns, he heard the whistle behind him again. Fleur was on her way. Harry grinned at the thought of his girlfriend in her cute blue uniform, turned around a corner, and stood right in front of one of Hagrid's Blast-Ended Skrewts.
He realized two things rather quickly: First, they had grown... a lot... The one in front of him reached perhaps three meters in length and was over a meter tall. Second, they were very aggressive and this one was about to impale him with its stinger.
Harry dodged the first attack from the ugly creature's stinger by rolling to the side. Unfortunately, the narrow pathway of the maze put him at a disadvantage. He couldn't fully use his mobility. Harry needed to be more aggressive. Therefore, when the creature attacked again, he rolled underneath its body, into its blind spot. The Skrewts were well protected from each side, due to their armor and tough skin. However, their underside was vulnerable.
While still rolling underneath it, Harry cast a strong cutting curse upwards and connected with the beast's torso. He heard a painful shriek coming from above and barely made it out from underneath the creature before it collapsed. Without turning around, Harry continued.
A third, the whistle sounded through the early night. Krum was in the game now. Harry kept up his light jog and turned around the next corner. At first, he did not spot anything, but then he saw a flash of silver hair lying in a bloody pool on the grounds in front of him.
He caught his breath, at the sight that had haunted his dreams, ever since the visions he endured during his last ritual.
"Fleur!" Harry croaked.
Her deep blue eyes stared motionless and empty into the night. Her skin seemed paler than ever before, a trail of blood was trickling from her lips...
But this couldn't be! Fleur was still far behind him. Only one magical creature could display his greatest fear so detailed. Nothing about the sight in front of him was even remotely funny. Harry could not even think about what to transfigure the Boggart into, by using the appropriate spell.
Instead, the sight of his biggest fear flipped a switch somewhere within Harry, and with a roar, he released a bright stream of Fiendfyre and killed the boggart in an instant. The illusion of Fleur vanished, all that was left was the smell of burned grass and hedges. Pulling himself together once again, he continued down the path ahead of him.
According to the pattern of pathways he just encountered, he was either in the layouts M5 or M7 of the maze. If the next turn was a left, he would know for sure, and things would get easier. However, the triumphant smile that appeared on his face at the last turn was washed away by a scream that almost froze Harry's insides. This had been no illusion...
"FLEUR!" Harry yelled, frantically trying to make out where the scream stemmed from.
"Crucio!" He heard a thick foreign accent. Another scream shattered the silence and Harry instantly turned towards its direction. It was close...
"Fleur!" Harry yelled again, but the response was only a sobbing from the other side of the hedge. The sounds of his girlfriend's painful screams and sobs were too much for Harry and rage took over, once again. With a wave of his wand and another successful attempt at conjuring the cursed flames, he burned a hole through the hedge ahead of him and quickly crawled through while the thorns tore and ripped at his clothes and skin.
Harry quickly got back on his feet on the other side and hurried towards the corner where he had first heard the scream. A low sobbing indicated that Fleur was still alive. Harry sprinted around the corner, right to the sight of an expressionless, empty-eyed Krum. The Bulgarian pointed his wand at Fleur, who lay on the ground beneath him, her entire body spasming. Krum did not even acknowledge his presence. Instead, the tip of the Bulgarian wand started glowing a bright green... a very familiar bright green.
Harry could swear that his wand moved on its own. Without any second thought, he jabbed it forwards quickly. The piercing hex that left its tip was perhaps the strongest he had ever cast. Before Krum could utter another syllable, it connected with his chest and tore a hole the size of a Bludger right through it. Still, the Bulgarian was thrown backward by the sheer force of the spells. He was instantly dead.
Harry panted heavily and kneed beside Fleur. Her eyes were flickering, but she did not respond to any stimuli. There was no visible physical damage besides a couple of scratches on her arms and face, but Harry knew that the internal damage by the Cruciatus curse might be severe. What should he do now? He was torn between remaining at her side and finishing the task. Diggory was still in the game and while not the biggest threat, he could make it to the Cup before Harry.
Fleur would usually be his priority, but there was nothing he could do for her right now, she needed a professional healer, not a boyfriend that was still on edge and running high on adrenaline. But what about Krum? Would anyone blame Fleur for it? Probably not, they would test her wand and see that she did not cast any curses that could have dealt that damage. Also, Madam Pomfrey would likely instantly detect the after-effects of the torture curse on her. Harry would even be willing to supply a memory after this was all over, to prove he acted in self-defense and defense of Fleur.
Shooting red sparks high into the air, Harry decided to conjure a strong protective dome around the unconscious Fleur and let the professors recover her. He needed but a second to orientate himself before he continued his way toward the center of the maze.
After a couple more turns, he ran down a long, straight path and he saw movement once again as his beam of wand light hit an extraordinary creature that he recognized instantly. The Sphinx did not seem aggressive yet. She was not crouching as if to spring, but pacing from side to side of the path, blocking his progress. Then she spoke, in a deep, hoarse voice.
"You are very near your goal. The quickest way is past me."
"Tell me what I need to do."
The sphinx sat down upon her hind legs, in the very middle of the path, and recited:
"You only need to answer my riddle, young wizard."
"First think of the person who lives in disguise, Who deals in secrets and tells naught but lies.
Next, tell me what's always the last thing to mend, The middle of middle and end of the end?
And finally, give me the sound often heard During the search for a hard-to-find word.
Now string them together, and answer me this, Which creature would you be unwilling to kiss?"
Harry paid close attention to each line; his mind started working out the clues to the first line while already listening to the ones that followed. Riddles were nothing new to him. For over three years he answered them whenever entering the Ravenclaw tower. It only took Harry a minute to come up with the answer:
"A spider... You would be unwilling to kiss a spider." Harry answered quickly.
The sphinx smiled more broadly. She got up, stretched her front legs, and then moved aside for him to pass. Harry thanked the creature and continued down the dark path. According to the layout of the maze, he carried in front of his inner eye, it was only a couple more turns until he was at the center. Two minutes later he turned around what should be the last corner.
Indeed, the Triwizard Cup was gleaming on a plinth a hundred yards away. Suddenly a dark figure hurtled out onto the path in front of him. Diggory had caught up with him. He was sprinting as fast as he could toward the cup.
The boy was a fool... Did he really think that Harry would let it come down to some muggle sprinting raze? He was a wizard, after all... Harry fired a leg locker curse at the older boy and grimaced as he fell face-first to the ground. The older boy yelled upon impact... that would probably be a broken nose. Harry jogged past him, edging closer towards the cup. Then Harry saw something immense over a hedge to his left, moving quickly along a path that intersected with his own.
A giant spider, an Acromantula, stepped into his path and began to bear down upon him. Harry might not be as heavily impacted by the spider's poison, but he would still prefer not to let the hairy legs and sharp fangs get anywhere near him. Harry dodged its first attack and managed to cut off one of its eight legs with a well-aimed cutting curse. The spider shrieked in pain; it was already a bit slower now. Suddenly, Harry felt a spell being fired at him from behind him. His sensitivity for magic that's cast around him, allowed him to recognize the incoming stunner.
Apparently, Diggory did not have enough yet. The older boy had managed to dispel the leg locker curse on his feet and started firing spells at Harry. The younger wizard erected a strong shield behind him and focused his attention on the bigger threat of the giant spider ahead of him. Two more cutting curses later, the spider was missing the majority of legs on one side and could barely move itself any further.
Not a single spell had struck Harry in his back so far, but he felt his shield getting weaker. Annoyed at having to divide his attention, Harry spun around, batted Diggory's incoming stunner to the side, and fired a bone breaker at the boy's shoulder. Diggory may be a decent student, but the Prefect practically had no dueling experience and it really showed. Harry barely even had to try and soon the first couple of curses connected. Diggory was now sporting a broken wand arm and a few deep gashes along his chest and shoulder. That should keep him occupied for some time… There was no need to kill the boy.
He turned back to the spider, which was hoisting its heavy body forward, feet by feet, by simply pulling itself with its long remaining legs. Harry carefully aimed for the cluster of eyes around its head and fired a powerful Bombarda Maxima. The majority of eyes busted open as the spell struck the spider's head. The Acromantula almost instantly dropped down to the bloodied grounds, its remaining legs curling inwards towards the heavy furry body.
Harry panted heavily and walked over its corpse to the glowing cup that still stood still on the ground in the center of the maze, witnessing the entire fight. This was it. This was the moment he had been fighting for, for the last eight months. Because of this stupid cup, he battled a dragon, Gryndelows, and a few other beasts just now in the maze.
But could this really be it? Did Voldemort's grand scheme somehow fail? Harry half expected the imposter Moody to appear behind one of the hedges and drag him to his master. Why did the man go through all that work, in the first place? Was the actual, physical cup somehow part of their plan? His thoughts were interrupted by a very annoying voice.
"You don't deserve that cup, Potter!" Diggory spit. His shoulder seemed dislocated, and the entire wand arm hung from his side. He was bleeding from multiple wounds and desperately tried to crawl towards Harry.
"Actually, I think, I do." Harry grinned. The smooth surface of the shimmering cup reflected his face and Harry saw his own determination. All thoughts of potential further traps had been washed away by the glory that stood before him... he only needed to grab it.
Diggory let out a few very naughty curses, but without a wand in his hand, nothing happened. Harry ignored the older boy. It was time to finish this tournament. Without looking back, he gripped the handle...
The boy vanished in a whirlwind of colors. A second later he slammed on the ground and barely managed to keep standing. He had expected the cup to be a Portkey and take him back to the front of the maze and spectators, not wherever he was now.
Before he understood what was going on, he was engulfed in spells that were fired at him from what felt like multiple directions. He dodged the first but had no chance at avoiding the stunner that caught him in his back. Everything went dark around him, as he dropped to the grounds.