The Story of Sheila Riddle (Harry Potter Fanfic)

Chapter 37

Sheila and Barty escaped the Hogwarts grounds unnoticed and returned immediately to their hideaway. Sheila felt she had had enough time travel to last her a lifetime. After a long talk, it was decided that the Time-Turner should be destroyed.

Only, they didn't get that far before they were flung back in time again.

"Not again!" Sheila moaned, looking around at the towering hedges surrounding them, "Where are we now?"

Suddenly, Ludo Bagman's voice could be heard loudly and clearly. It was quickly followed by some cheers.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Bagman said, "I give you the final event of the Triwizard Tournament. A maze of mysteries, a disease of uncontrollable darkness. Our handsome heroes had better watch out! This is no ordinary maze after all. It lives!"

"Well, I guess that answers your question," Barty said.

"I thought those kids would have had enough of the Triwizard Tournament by now. After what happened last time, are they really that thick?"

Sheila paused as she felt something curling itself around her arm. Looking down, she saw it was a hedge vine. Bagman hadn't been kidding: the hedges were alive. Stifling a shriek, Sheila tore herself free and instinctively grabbed for her wand.

"Let's not stay here," she urged.

"I think I'd have to agree with you there," Barty said, watching the hedge carefully, "It's better to keep moving. The hedges keep changing. If you stand still for too long, they'll swallow you."

"Lumos," Sheila murmured, lighting the tip of her wand. "Since you've been in here before, you should probably take the lead."

She allowed Barty to slip in front of her, and together they set off, neither really having any idea of where they were going. They reached a corner, and Barty suddenly stopped.

"What?" Sheila whispered.

"It's the French girl."

"Fleur?"

Sheila put out her wand before edging around her fiancé and staring through the darkness. She spotted a slowly receding figure following the light of their wand and recognized the silvery-blonde hair of Fleur Delacour. She had seemingly noticed nothing amiss. By the look of it, she was more intent on keeping an eye on her surroundings. Sheila didn't blame her.

Abruptly, there was a burst of light and Sheila gasped from fright, quickly ducking back behind the hedge. Fleur's scream was hastily cut off, and there was silence again. Barty chanced a look around the corner.

"It's me!" he hissed, his voice full of wonder.

Sheila looked again and saw a figure standing over the unconscious Fleur. She immediately identified the large overcoat, grizzled hair, and wooden leg of Mad-eye Moody. Or, rather, the imposter of Mad-eye Moody.

Sheila suddenly felt her Time-Turner whirring away and hoped that it would be returning them home. But when they rematerialized in a completely unrecognizable cobblestone street, she felt panic.

"Where's this?" Sheila questioned, staring at the surrounding buildings with her mouth agape.

"No idea," Barty answered, looking just as surprised as his fiancé.

Sheila spotted a ragged figure walking briskly down the street under the low-hanging roofs. Struggling to stifle her uneasiness, she raced to the stranger's side.

"Please," Sheila said quickly, catching hold of the passerby, "Do you know what the date is?"

The stranger, a lovely golden-haired girl, gave her a puzzled look.