Rose Dursley: The Girl Who Lived

31. The Final Task

Over the next few weeks, things got slightly easier for Rob. With the potion from Snape, he was feeling better about his body. He still looked the same as before, but the difference was that he was no longer scared about the changes that were coming.

As Rob's mood was better, he was more interested in seeing his friends again. He started to spend more time with Ron and Hermione again.

Though this also came with a new set of problems. Rob had a crush on Hermione, but he knew that she did not feel the same. He noticed that where she had been spending more time alone with Ron, she seemed to be developing feelings for him.

The other thing that was helping Rob was the approach of the final task of the Triwizard Tournament. As people got more excited about the tournament, they were less interested in Rob. His change of identity became yesterday's news, and soon most people had lost interest in him. This was quite a relief to Rob.

He had never liked being the centre of everyone's attention. To be able to fade into the background and just be himself was much better.

Soon it was time for the final task. Everyone in the school made their way down to where the Quidditch pitch used to be. In its place was a large maze. Great big green hedges grew out of the ground.

Ron and Rob looked at the maze and gave impressed nods. Hermione did not seem so impressed by the sight.

"Well I'm not sure that is much of a challenge," she said. "Mazes are easy to get through. Everyone knows you just need to run your right hand on the wall and you'll get to the end eventually."

"I didn't know that," said Ron.

"Yeah, neither did I," said Rob. "Anyway, this is a wizard's maze. The walls probably move or something."

"Oh, well, I hadn't thought of that," said Hermione.

Just then, the band started to play a rousing tune. The crowd responded by all standing up and cheering. Everyone was standing up clapping and waving flags as the three champions came out.

Cedric Diggory came out first, he was smiling and waving at the crowds. He was soon followed by Fleur and Krum.

When everyone had quietened down slightly, Dumbledore stood up to speak.

"Silence! Now, for the final task, Professor Moody has hidden the cup somewhere in the maze," he said. "As Mr Diggory is on the lead, he will enter the maze first. Krum will enter next, and finally Miss Delacour. The first person to touch the cup is the winner."

The Hogwarts students all cheered loudly as Cedric walked towards the maze entrance.

"At the sound of the cannon, you may begin," said Dumbledore.

Boom! went the cannon, and Cedric ran forward into the maze. The cheering crowd died down as he disappeared from sight.

After two minutes, the cannon fired again to signal it was Krum's turn to start. He stepped towards the maze, then paused at the entrance. He seemed to be inspecting something.

After a moment, Krum stepped back from the entrance shaking his head. Then he pulled out his wand and started to walk around the side of the maze. Once he had gone a little way around, he suddenly cast a spell to blast a hole in the hedge. The children sitting nearby were showered in little pieces of hedge.

With a loud cheer from the crowds, Krum ran forward through the hole and disappeared.

Another two minutes passed, and the cannon fired a final time. Fleur Delacour didn't hesitate, and she ran into the maze.

After a while, the maze went quiet. The three champions were deep inside, hidden from the sight of the watching crowd. With no idea what was happening, some of the younger first years got bored. From where Rob was sitting, he could see a group of six young Gryffindors get up and start walking towards the maze. They headed in the direction of the hole that Krum had made, and started to peer inside.

"That doesn't seem safe," said Hermione.

"Yeah, you're right," said Rob. "I'll go and tell them to sit down."

Rob stood up and started to walk down the stands towards where the children were standing. As he got close, he spotted something moving inside the maze. Something that resembled a large scorpion. Rob instantly recognised it as the Blast-Ended Skrewt that Hagrid had mentioned in Care of Magical Creatures. The Skrewt spotted the children, and started to walk towards them.

"Get Back!" Rob cried.

He pulled out his wand and ran in front of the group of first years. "Impedimenta!" he cried.

The Blast-Ended Skrewt was thrown backwards and flipped over to land on its back. The impediment jinx that Rob had cast did its job, and the Skrewt was temporarily frozen in place.

The group of first years all screamed and ran back away from the maze. Rob kept his wand pointed at the Skrewt as he waited for the impediment jinx to wear off. As the Skrewt's legs started to move slightly, Professor Snape came running over to investigate the screaming.

Snape saw the Skrewt try to roll over. He quickly blasted it with a stunning spell on the underneath of its body. The Skrewt was sent flying backwards deeper into the maze. Then Snape cast another spell which closed up the hole in the hedge.

With the danger over, Snape turned to look at Rob. "Well done, Dursley," he said.

"Thank you, Sir," said Rob. His heart was pounding in his chest and he felt short of breath.

Snape looked closely at Rob. "You don't look well, you are probably suffering from shock," he said. "Go see Madam Pomfrey for a recovery draught. Weasley, Granger. Take him to the medical tent."

Rob looked around to see that Ron and Hermione had come up behind him.

"Blimey, that was pretty scary," said Ron.

"Yeah, I'll be okay in a minute. I just need to catch my breath," said Rob.

"No. We should do as Professor Snape says and take you to see Madam Pomfrey," said Hermione.

Ron and Hermione then lead Rob over towards the medical tent. They had just arrived when they heard a huge roar of the crowd behind them. They turn around to see that Cedric Digory is standing at the front of the maze, holding the Triwizard Cup above his head.

"That's nice for him," said Rob.

"Yeah, I hoped he would win," said Ron.

"We can congratulate him later," said Hermione. "Come on."

Then Hermione took hold of Rob's arm and pushed him back towards the medical tent. As they entered, the cheering and celebrations behind them faded from view.