CARELESS WHISPER , h. granger

xii. love and loss

THE STANDS WERE ALL FULL, THE air thick with excited voices, and the rumbling of drums and trumpets. "earlier today, professor moody placed the triwizard cup deep within the maze. only he knows its exact position. now, as mr diggory and mr potter tied for first position, they will be the first to enter the maze! followed by mr krum, and miss delacour. first person to touch the cup will be the winner!" dumbledore announced, and the crowd began to cheer.

draco, eudora, blaise and pansy were all sat together in the side of the stands that were supporting viktor, and when they asked paris to join them, she replied with, "i'd rather pitch myself off the astronomy tower," but they all insisted she come along and sit with them anyway as they missed her company.

"i've instructed the staff to patrol the perimeter. if at any point a contestant wishes to withdraw from the task, he or she need only send up red sparks with their wands." he turned around to harry, cedric, viktor and fleur. "contestants, gather round! quickly!" he began to whisper in hushed tones to them and nobody else could hear.

"you still owe me my galleons, draco. i better have them before the end of term or bats will start to fly out of your nose, my love." paris smiled in a bitter-sweet voice. "i've certainly had time to master my bat-bogey hex, and i'm not afraid to use it."

"champions! get ready!"

filch set off the cannon, and everyone began to clap and cheer as cedric and harry entered the maze. the thick, towering hedges closed up behind them, blocking any escape.

HOURS SEEMED TO GO BY UNTIL harry's return, and everyone was sat on the edge of their seats. fleur had already returned from the maze, using her red light to accept defeat and surrender.

"he's probably dead." eudora murmured.

"don't say that— he won't be."