A Greater Power

Chapter 22: The Third Task

A/N: Happy reading!!!

Third Person POV:

Everything Willow had seen in the Pensieve, nearly everything Dumbledore had told and shown her afterward, she had now shared with Ron, Harry and Hermione — and, of course, with Sirius, to whom Willow had sent an owl the moment she had left Dumbledore's office. Harry, Ron, and Hermione sat up late in the common room once again that night, talking it all over until Harry's mind was reeling, until he understood what Dumbledore had meant about a head becoming so full of thoughts that it would have been a relief to siphon them off. Ron stared into the common room fire. Harry thought he saw Ron shiver slightly, even though the evening was warm.

"According to Willow he does." Harry stated. "And of course Willow must trust him too, she spends a lot of time confiding in Snape. About Draco, about Percy and other things."

"Don't forget they did sleep together, which resulted in her pregnancy." Hermione added.

Willow's POV:

Sirius was sending daily owls now. Like Severus and Percy, he seemed to want to concentrate on getting both me and Harry through the last task before he concerned themselves with anything else. He reminded me in every letter that whatever might be going on outside the walls of Hogwarts was not my responsibility, nor was it within my power to influence it.

If Voldemort is really getting stronger again, he wrote, my priority is to ensure your safety. He cannot hope to lay hands on you while you are under Dumbledore's protection, but all the same, take no risks: Concentrate on getting through that maze safely, and then we can turn our attention to other matters.

My nerves mounted as June the twenty-fourth drew closer, but they were not as bad as those I had felt before the first and second tasks. For one thing, I was confident that, this time, I had done everything in my power to prepare for the task. For another, this was the final hurdle, and however well or badly I did, the tournament would at last be over, which would be an enormous relief.

Breakfast was a very noisy affair at the Slytherin table on the morning of the third task. The post owls appeared, bringing me a good-luck card from Sirius. It was only a piece of parchment, folded over and bearing a muddy paw print on its front, but I appreciated it all the same. A screech owl arrived for Hermione, carrying her morning copy of the Daily Prophet as usual. She unfolded the paper, glanced at the front page, and spat out a mouthful of pumpkin juice all over it.

Third Person POV:

Fleur Delacour get up from the Ravenclaw table and join Cedric and Willow as they crossed to the side chamber and entered. Krum slouched off tojoin them shortly afterward. Harry stayed where he was. He really didn't want to go into the chamber. He had no family — no family, other than his sister, who would turn up to see him risk his life, anyway. But just as he was getting up, thinking that he might as well go up to the library and do a spot more hex research, the door of the side chamber opened, and Cedric stuck his head out.

"Harry, come on, they're waiting for you!"

Utterly perplexed, Harry got up. The Dursleys couldn't possibly be here, could they? He walked across the Hall and opened the door into the chamber. Cedric and his parents were just inside the door. Viktor Krum was over in a corner, conversing with his dark-haired mother and father in rapid Bulgarian. He had inherited his father's hooked nose.
On the other side of the room, Fleur was jabbering away in French to her mother. Fleur's little sister, Gabrielle, was holding her mother's hand. She waved at Harry, who waved back, grinning. Then he saw Mrs. Weasley, his sister and Bill standing in front of the fireplace, beaming at him.