The Noctis Codex | DRARRY

TWENTY-SEVEN

The four teams gathered at the maze entrance, a towering structure of thick, twisted hedges that cast deep shadows in the morning light. As Harry looked up, a chill ran through him; the walls reminded him uncomfortably of the Triwizard Tournament. Memories from that night flickered unbidden to the surface—flashes of Cedric, the quiet of the maze, the fear. He pushed it down, forcing his focus back to the present.

A loud horn blared, signaling the start, and the teams surged forward, each group dashing into separate openings that would eventually converge. Harry's heart raced as he and the rest of the Gryffindor team charged in, wands at the ready.

"Bet you've already got a plan to beat us," Draco's voice suddenly echoed in his mind, sarcastic and smug.

"Wouldn't you like to know," Harry shot back, pushing aside a vine-covered branch. "Thought Slytherins liked a little suspense."

"Oh, we do. Just not the kind where we come in second."

The dark-haired rolled his eyes, though he couldn't hide a small grin. As they ventured deeper into the maze, the twisting paths grew darker and more claustrophobic, branches reaching out as if trying to ensnare them.

"Impedimenta!" Ron called out, clearing a wall of vines blocking their way. The spell blasted the vegetation apart, leaving an open passage. The Gryffindor team moved quickly, Ron and another student casting Lumos Maxima to light their path, flooding the corridor with bright, white light.

A few minutes later, they encountered a massive stone golem blocking their path, silent and unmoving but clearly a barrier. A Gryffindor girl, her wand already raised, wasted no time. "Wingardium Leviosa!" The boulder by the golem's feet lifted into the air, and with a flick of her wand, she sent it crashing into the creature's chest. It stumbled back, giving just enough space for them to squeeze through.

A sudden shriek sounded from their right; someone from the Hufflepuff team had accidentally triggered a hexed patch of ground. It started sprouting thick brambles, closing off passages as the maze shifted and changed. Harry led the way, veering down a narrow corridor with Ron close behind, whispering strategies as they moved.

"Any brilliant ideas?" Draco's voice teased in his mind again, the frustration barely veiled this time. "I could use some entertainment."

"Only if you're taking notes," Harry replied in the same tone, ducking as a jet of green sparks narrowly missed him, shot by a Slytherin further down the path. He spun on his heel and muttered, "Expelliarmus!" The Slytherin's wand flew from her hand, leaving her scrambling in the underbrush while Gryffindor forged ahead.

They moved swiftly, dodging more obstacles as they wound through the maze. Near the final stretch, the end was just in sight—a clearing with a tall silver flag waving in the breeze. Harry felt a surge of excitement, but he wasn't alone. Just ahead, another Ravenclaw was sprinting towards the flag, determination etched on their face.

In a flash, the Ravenclaw student rammed into Harry's side, hard. The force of it sent him sprawling to the ground, with Ron falling beside him. Pain shot through Harry's arm where he landed, the shock of it sending anger flaring through him.

But before he could react, Draco appeared in his line of sight, stepping in and grabbing the Ravenclaw by the arm. Without a word, he yanked him back, his hold firm enough to keep him on the ground. The Ravenclaw struggled, but Draco's grip didn't waver.

"Go," the blond insisted in Harry's mind, his tone urgent but steady. "Get to the flag. Now."

The dark-haired hesitated, meeting Draco's gaze. There was a flicker of something he couldn't quite place—loyalty, perhaps, or maybe just defiance. "Thanks," he muttered quietly, getting to his feet.