Dark Pasts { A Harry Potter Story }

Chapter 29 - The Third Task

After the exam, which I thought went very well, Ron, Hermione, and I made our way down to the Great Hall for lunch.

"Now are you gonna tell us what you were on about this morning?" I asked.

She started to tell us my joke about Rita Skeeter having flown to the North Tower disguised as a bit had sparked a realization in her, but we were interrupted by none other than Mrs. Weasley when we got to the Gryffindor table. Bill, Ron's brother, was there, too.

"Mum — Bill!" Ron said. "What're you doing here?"

"Come to watch Harry in the last task!" Mrs. Weasley said brightly. "I must say, it makes a lovely change, not having to cook. How was your exam?"

"Oh . . . okay," Ron said. "Couldn't remember all the goblin rebels' names, so I invented a few."

Mrs. Weasley looked at him sternly before turning to Hermione and I.

"Hello, Elizabeth," she said with a smile. "I haven't seen you in a while!" Then she turned to Hermione. "Hello, Hermione!"

"Hello, Mrs. Weasley!" the two of us said.

The afternoon went by both very quickly and very slowly. At the end of the evening feast, which was longer and more lavish than usual, Dumbledore rose to his feet and called on the champions to follow Mr. Bagman down to the stadium.

Harry got up and Hermione and the Weasleys wished him luck.

"Good luck, Harry," I said with a smile as he turned to me.

"Thanks," he said, nodding before he walked away.

When the rest of us went down to the Quidditch field, we found the huge maze in its place. Stands similar to the ones in the previous tasks had been placed before the maze. Trumpets, tubas, and drums were being played as we ventured up the steps toward our seats.

"Another task not quite suited for audiences," I mused as we sat down. Ron laughed.

It was dark out, and the corridors of the maze looked even darker.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Ludo Bagman's magically magnified voice echoed over the stands once everyone was seated. "The third and final task of the Triwizard Tournament is about to begin! Let me remind you how the points currently stand! Tied in first place, with eighty-five points each — Mr. Cedric Diggory and Mr. Harry otter, both of Hogwarts School!"

We all shouted and applauded loudly.

"In second place, with eighty-points — Mr. Viktor Krum, of Durmstrang Institute!" Bagman said and waited for the applause to die out before going on. "And in third place — Miss Fleur Delacour, of Beauxbatons Academy!"

More cheers and waves echoed through the night air. At that moment, Harry waved up at us and we all waved back, smiling widely.

"So . . . on my whistle, Harry and Cedric!" Bagman said. "Three — two — one — "

He blew his whistle and Harry and Cedric disappeared into the maze, swallowed by its darkness.

"On my whistle, Mr. Krum," Bagman said after a moment. "Three — two — one — "

His while blew again and Krum advanced forward. The same thing happened for Fleur, and then the whole audience went back to talking since there really wasn't anything for us to see.

"So, Hermione — " I said tentatively. "Now can you tell us what you were on about this morning?"

Hermione leaned in toward me. "She's an animagus."