Potionary Confinement

The Dark Lord's Most Faithful Servant

CHAPTER ELEVEN

The night before the third task, Harry went to Snape one last time for practice.

They went over everything Snape taught him. All the dueling skills, the charms, the spells, and even the Occlumency. Harry was exhausted by the end of it.

Snape could tell, so he told Harry to sit down and rest while he made tea. Harry nibbled nervously on one of Snape's biscuits.

Harry has never been this nervous in his entire life. The third task was tomorrow. He thought he was well prepared, but he was still nervous, nonetheless. He had no idea what was going to be in that maze exactly. Would there be actual dementors? Would there be another dragon? He had no clue. What if all the things he learned and practiced, would be useless?

He thought about being locked in the closet with Snape and the mystery of Mad-Eye Moody and Barty Crouch Sr. What was the reasoning behind being locked in? Why was Snape locked in too?"

"Professor?" Harry asked, his voice shaking a little.

"Yes, Mr. Potter?"

"Why — why do you think they locked us in the closet?" Harry said, his voice trembling.

Snape went quiet for a few minutes, his mind racing to give a response. It was a question the both have them be wondering for weeks now.

"I think..." Snape muttered, trying to come up with an intelligent answer. "I think they did it to weaken you. To weaken you before the third task. I think whoever it is, wants you to win, but at the same time wants you to be weak too. It makes no sense to me. But me, I'm not so sure. I think they locked me in because I was just there in the moment. I was at the wrong place at the wrong time, so whoever did it, threw me in too."

Harry nodded. It made sense, but it didn't at the same time.

"Whatever is in that maze... is going to be difficult. You are fourteen years old. Your fellow competitors are four years older than you. They have more training experience than you. But you can do it," Snape told him calmly. "It's not about winning. It's about staying alive at this point. I have a feeling that this is more than just a game."

He was right. He was Harry Potter for god's sake. It wasn't just a game. He hasn't gone a year yet without some sort of obstacle.

"I'm so nervous," Harry choked out. He hated how he sounded so weak. "I didn't want to do this at all."

"I know," Snape said with a nod, his face sadden. Harry was shocked to see genuine emotion from him. "But you'll be okay. You're well prepared. And you know me, if I didn't think you weren't, I'd tell you."

Harry nodded. He knew that. Snape never sugar-coated things.
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When Ludo Bagman blew his whistle, that's when Harry and Cedric ran through.

Harry was walking around. It got darker and darker, and the only light he had was from the tip of his wand. Cedric came in, panting and looking disheveled, telling him about the Blast-Ended Skrewts. He looked like he had a shoulder wound. He quickly ran off again.

He defeated the boggart and the skrewt, and then he heard Fleur's scream.

A deep fear fluttered inside him. So far it was small things that Harry could easily defeat with no problem. But he was sure the deeper he got in, the bigger the obstacles would become. He didn't know how far Fleur was in, but he was worried. What if one of them would die in here? He knew they could send sparks in, but what if they're not quick enough?

Then he heard Cedric scream. He ran over and saw Krum standing over him with his wand outstretched. He couldn't believe it. He used the Cruciatus Curse. Harry stunned him without hesitation.

Harry was surprised. He thought Krum was a nice guy. Harry and Cedric thought the same thing. Did he get Fleur too?

They went opposite directions without a word. The game was still going. They were both still opponents.

Harry was walking for what felt like forever. His body ached in his legs from running. His untidy hair was drenched in sweat, along with his uniform. He couldn't imagine how Cedric, Fleur, and Krum signed up for this. Harry thought it was unfair that they had a choice and he didn't.

Harry walked through the same path he was going in for minutes and finally saw it. It was a sphinx. A body of a lion, but a head of a woman. She walked around slowly, stopping Harry's path.

He listened to the riddle again and again slowly. He was absolutely terrified inside, his heart pounding so hard he could almost hear it, but he couldn't worry about that right now.

"A spider!" Harry shouted excitedly.

The sphinx smiled and nodded, letting his way through.

Harry was running now, nearly tripping on his own feet. And then he saw it.

The Triwizard Cup was shining bright a few yards away. He was so close.

But Cedric was closer. He was sprinting towards it, missing the big spider in front of him.

Harry rushed over and tried stunning it, but it didn't work. The gigantic spider was gleaming at them both with its evil eight eyes.

Harry and Cedric spent about five minutes trying to stun and fight him off, Harry hurting his leg in the process. Eventually they finally done it.

"Are you okay?" Harry asked.

"Yeah," Cedric panted out.

They both looked over at the Triwizard Cup. They both wanted it so bad, but they were too noble to do it. They both thought the other person should take it.

"Take it, Harry," Cedric said, breathing very heavy.

"No," Harry shook his head. "You take it."

"Just take it!"

"No!"

The bickering went on for quite a bit. Cedric was going on about how Harry saved him in there and how he told him about the dragons. Harry blabbered on too about how he helped him with the egg.

But finally, the two stubborn boys decided to do it together.

They ran towards to cup, Cedric helping Harry since he was limping.

"Together?" Harry asked, wiping his sweaty bangs away from his face.

"Together," said Cedric with a smile.

They both grabbed a handle, and withins seconds, they left the maze. In a racing gust of wind, they landed inside a graveyard.
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