If Only//Harry Potter [4]

20

Harry, alone and afraid inside the maze, took slow breaths with every step he took. The wind whistled softly and made the leaves collide against each other, making uncomfortable noises in the foggy maze. Harry could only feel his heartbeat fast and his stomach churning with worry.

Harry whispered, "Lumos," and held his wand up.

Unsettling noises seemed to follow him everywhere he went, like he had some sort of magnet on him. 

While Harry walked slowly and cautiously, Cedric Diggory ran through the maze, looking left and right for the cup. Cedric found a clear path in the maze, but ignored it. But, as it the maze had a mind of its own, the maze forced him down the path by closing the gap between the leaves, threatening to swallow him whole. Cedric ran down the path, following the loose instructions from the maze.

Krum walked with passion and meaning, marching through the maze as if he was being graded on how he reacted. Before making turns, he peered past the bushes, checking for any other champions. He smirked when he saw Fleur running aimlessly amongst the bushes.

Fleur ran about the maze, not caring how she found the cup, as long as she found it. What was once a neat bun on her head was now a loose and messy ponytail. Fleur stopped upon a lone pathway, that seemed to stretch on forever. She paused and stared down it, but turned around when she felt like someone was watching her. But all she did was scream in fear.

Harry heard the scream from where he was and quickly tried to find the source. When he heard sticks and twigs snapping, he pushed himself as far into a bush as he possibly could, trying to avoid being found. 

He saw Krum, emerging from a bush, wand in hand. Krum looked intense, as he quickly spun around and pointed his wand at Harry, threatening to cast a spell. Krum slowly lowered his wand at Harry and walked away.

Out of breath, Harry breathed heavily as Krum marched away. Making sure Krum was gone, he looked back and forth between the way Krum came in and the way he left. Harry ran after the way Krum had come in search for Fleur. 

Harry ran around the maze looking about when he finally saw Fleur laying on the ground covered in branches and leaves. "Fleur?" Harry ran towards her, but the leaves seemed to pull her into the bush. 

Harry wasted no time casting red sparks into the air, warning one of the professors that something was wrong.

Almost as if the sparks had triggered it itself, strong winds forced Harry to run away from Fleur. Behind him, Fleur was gone and the bushes closed in on each other, threatening to swallow Harry too. Harry ran as fast as he could, but thought quickly as he jumped into a hole in the bush, making him safe from the wind and bush.

He brushed the dirt off from his clothes and looked onward. Harry saw a glimmer in the distance. It only took Harry seconds to recognise the silver trophy. Harry ran as fast as he could towards the trophy, but just before the trophy was Cedric and Krum, fighting.

"Get down!" Cedric warned Harry just as green light came from Krum's wand, barely missing Cedric. 

"Expelliarmus!" Cedric shouted, knocking Krum to the ground. 

Grunting in victory, Cedric ran towards the Durmstrang and pointed his wand at him.

Harry knew he had to prevent this from happening. That wasn't really Krum, something was wrong with him. "No, don't! Stop! He's bewitched, Cedric!"

Cedric pushed Harry off of him. "Get off me!" 

"He's bewitched!" Harry shouted, trying to get Cedric to stop.

Harry was successful, because he backed away from Krum and ran away. Harry realized why he had run off, it was because he wanted the cup. Harry chased after Cedric, in hopes of getting the cup first.

The two pushed each other away with any chance they got, but the two stopped once they saw the glimmer of the trophy in the distance.

The two made slight eye-contact before running towards it, pushing each other away when they got to close.

Harry didn't care at first when Cedric fell to the ground, now the trophy was his. But, Harry stopped at turned around when he heard Cedric grunting as he struggled to fight the branches.

"Harry! Harry!" Cedric yelled. 

Harry stood there, staring at the scene. He had no idea what to do.

"Harry!" Cedric called out one last time.

Harry finally came to his right mind and helped. "Reducto!" Harry ran towards Cedric and helped rip the branches off of him.

 "Thanks." Cedric panted, catching his breath.

"No problem." 

"You know, for a moment there, I thought you were gonna let it get me." Cedric huffed.

"For a moment, so did I." Harry responded honestly.

"Some game, huh?" 

"Some game." 

The wind picked up quickly, making the two stop conversing and start running.

"Go!" Cedric yelled over the wind as the two ran away.

They ran for a little while, but both stopped in front of the cup.

"Go on, take it. You saved me, take it!" Cedric said loudly over the wind.

"Together." Harry shouted. "One. . . two. . . three!"

The two grabbed onto the trophy and felt themselves spin as they left the windy maze and into a whole other location, one that the two had never seen before.