ROTBTD: Hogwarts

Chapter Twelve: The Third Task

Yeah, I know I just skipped from the second to the third task, but there's nothing really important in between.

And also, I know I said that the reveal of secrets and the start of the third task would be separate chapters, but I'm combining them.

Enjoy!

The third task turned out to be a huge maze that was growing on the Quidditch field, much to everyone's displeasure. After Harry found out, the three weren't as frantic as they had been for the second task. They spent all of their time looking up useful charms, jinxes, and hexes for Harry's use. After a brief while (and mostly because he enjoyed learning jinxes and hexes), Jack joined in to help. (A/N: There's nothing huge that they did to prepare; everything they did is described above [with the obvious exception of Jack]. For that reason I'm skipping right to the task.)

When the fateful day arrived, everyone appeared confident but still rather nervous. Ludo Bagman allowed Harry and Cedric into the maze first; then Krum; then Fleur. Hiccup looked around. "Wow, this is a huge turnout."

"Ya think?" said Jack."It's the Triwizard Tournament. The last task! The whole country'd be here if it could."

"There's not enough room for the schools." And this was true: there were many people who'd stayed inside the castle, and dozens who were standing around the edges. Hiccup scanned them.

"Something's not right," he murmured.

"What now?" Merida 

"There's someone missing..."

"Hiccup, there's plenty of people who aren't here --"

"No, I mean someone who should be." He thought for a moment, and snapped his fingers. "Of course-- Moody. He needs to be here, he's the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. We might need him."

"Ah, Harry's learned more'n anyone else in his four years here," said Merida dismissively.

But at that moment, a shower of red sparks shot into the air, which signified distress.

"You sure about that?" Rapunzel said.

"It might be Fleur, or Krum, or Cedric," Merida said indignantly. "Just because someone's hurt doesn't mean it has to be Harry. I thought you liked him."

"I do."

"Sure don't act like it."

"Guys, just -- knock it off," Jack snapped. "Hiccup's right, something's off..."

Hiccup tossed Jack a meaningful look and stared right past the white-haired boy. Jack followed his gaze and saw two light green, concerned eyes staring back at them.

"Something is definitely wrong," said the boys in unison.

"Fine," said Merida, throwing her hands up. "I'll go along with this, but don't get mad when I say I told you so."

Rapunzel rolled her eyes. "What do you suppose we do?" she asked the two.

"Break into the maze."

"How?"

"I know a way," said Hiccup carefully.

A few minutes later, the four were standing near the wall, far away from the others. The leafy wall of the maze seemed inpenetrable and foreboding.

"So what's this fancy idea of yours?" asked Merida skeptically.

"Not fancy," Hiccup corrected. "You only need to do one thing: step back."

"Step back?" Rapunzel repeated, but she and Merida obediently took a step back. Jack smirked at Hiccup and the boys moved back also.

"Ready?" Hiccup asked. Without waiting for an answer, he said, "C'mon, bud -- plasma blast!"

(A/N: And that's why I combined them. It would have been extremely short otherwise.)

Merida screamed behind her hands, and Rapunzel fell over. The boys only covered their eyes as a blast of white-hot flame streaked past them, straight into the maze wall, burning a hole straight through it. Toothless then bounded from the forest and ran into the maze, stopping to stare at them as though saying, "C'mon, didn't you want to find them?"

"You --" Rapunzel said breathlessly.

"Yep," said Hiccup.

"You're the Dr--"

"Stop talking."

"What?" said Merida, confused.

"Dragon Conqueror," Rapunzel gasped. Hiccup balled his hands into fists and glared at her.

"What?" said Merida cluelessly.

"Long story short," said Hiccup (he knew that both Jack and Rapunzel would have made fun of her if he hadn't spoken up quickly), "I live in a Viking tribe; I wanted to prove myself, so I shot down a dragon; I couldn't kill it, so I saved it; I named him Toothless; and look where we are today."

"You forgot the Red Death --"

"Whatever! We killed a giant dragon! Can we just go?!"

Toothless knew where to go automatically. He made his way to the center of the maze, with Hiccup jumping forward every time an obstacle approached. Merida and Rapunzel were still in shock, and Jack couldn't understand the dragon as well as Hiccup could. They came up to the center just as Harry said, "Both of us."

"What?" said Cedric, who was standing a few paces away.

"We'll take it at the same time. It's still a Hogwarts victory. We'll tie for it."

Cedric unfolded his arms. "You -- you sure?"

"Yeah. Yeah... we've helped each other out, haven't we? We both got here. Let's just take it together."

"Something doesn't fit," Rapunzel whispered.

"Yeah, I'm still trying to figure out what's wrong," Hiccup replied.

"Moody was over here... he had to have been... that's the only reason he wouldn't have been with the crowd... but why? Why would he be here? Maybe... oh, no..."

"What?" said the other three quickly.

"It's the Cup. He did something to the Triwizard Cup." The Triwizard Cup was what the champions had to grab to become the winner.

And Merida, who was usually the last person to understand something, suddenly realized what was bothering them.

Her eyes widened. "No..." she murmured. She stared hard at the Cup, and saw what she had hoped wasn't true.

She had found a way a year ago to tell the difference between an ordinary object and a Portkey, which transported wizards from one area to another either at a specific time or when it was touched.

And the Cup had just been deemed the latter.

Harry and Cedric were almost there. Merida darted forward, but Hiccup grabbed her. "What are you going to do?" he hissed. "We're not supposed to be here!"

"I don't care!" she said, wrenching her hand from his grip. Harry was reaching out. "HARRY! NO!!" she screamed, latching onto his arm.

But it was too late. The two boys only had the chance to look at her, bewildered and shocked, before she felt the familiar jerk and the three were sailing through space, their hands locked in place on the unregistered Portkey.

Haha! Cliffhanger! :D

So, anyway, next chapter will be all Merida, as you probably saw. She will be with Harry, but she will obviously not meet the same fate as Cedric, if you already know what happens to him. Don't worry about that. (;

Bye!