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I could hardly hear myself think through the roaring crowd and lively march the Hogwarts band was playing on the cloudy day that the third task was taking place. I was standing beside Gabrielle and our mother, who was invited to the final task. As the champions walked into the stadium placed in the Hogwarts quidditch field, the audience roared. When Fleur came out, her and Headmistress Maxime went over to us, where my mother squeezed Fleur in a hug.
"Are you ready, my daughter?" She asked Fleur, who nodded quickly; I could tell she was faking her confidence to please our mother.
"Yes. Yes, of course, I am, mother," Fleur rambled.
"Sonorus!" Dumbledore bellowed, and the noise slowly died. The crowd sat down, and the band settled. "Earlier today, Professor Moody placed the Triwizard Cup deep within the maze. Only he knows its exact position. Now, as Mr. Diggory —"
Dumbledore was interrupted by the side of the stadium erupting in cheers. His father grabbed Cedric's hand and showed his son off only for Cedric to yank his hand back down and glare at his father. " . . . . and Mr. Potter . . . ." Dumbledore continued, and Harry's peers applauded. ". . . . are tied for first position, they will be the first to enter the maze, followed by Mr. Krum —"
Krum's fans roared with Karkaroff's encouragements. ". . . . and Miss Delacour." The Beauxbatons students cheered by far the smoothest. I smiled at Fleur, who did her best to return the favor.
"The first person to touch the cup will be the winner," Dumbledore announced, and everyone began rallying again. "I've instructed the staff to patrol the perimeter. Should, at any point, a contestant wish to withdraw from the task, he or she need only send up red sparks with their wands. Contestants!" He waved over the four champions, and they followed him to the middle of the stadium. While everyone waited for Dumbledore to finish, I caught the different expressions of the champions. Cedric and Viktor tried to keep their usual straight face, but they began breaking at hearing Dumbledore's words. Fleur looked uneasy and kept gulping down her confidence. At the same time, Harry looked to be on the verge of freaking out.
"Champions, prepare yourselves!" the headmaster raised his voice, and the champions stepped away from him and went to their openings in the maze. As Fleur came over to us, Headmistress Maxime bent down and kissed both her cheeks before straightening back up. Fleur brought both our mother and Gabrielle into an embrace.
"Be careful. Remember never to doubt yourself, Fleur," our mother advised, and Fleur nodded. Fleur looked towards me and took staggered breaths. She brought me into her arms, and I captured her comforting warmth before pulling away and shoeing her over to the opening in the maze.
"On the count of three. One --" Dumbledore began but was cut off by the cannon going off. The crowd gasped, and the band started its music again. Cedric ran into the maze while Harry stumbled over his feet. The poor boy was terrified of what this maze could hold.
