Apples and Snakes

Twisted Thicket

The crowds cheered as they saw my face. The families came out briefly to talk again, but only the actual parents.

"You'll do great, my boy," Amos Diggory said.

Blondie's mother was whispering something tender in rapid French to her.

Krum's parents hugged him.

"Harry, you're going to win," Dad said. He glanced over me. "Don't you dare win, Alice."

I scowled. "I make no promises."

"You back-sassing little-" Dad began, but Uncle Remus eyed him funny.

"I'm playing for myself," I continued, even though that was a dangerous path.

The parents all went back up, though, when Bagman came in.

"Alice Potter, with the most points, has a head start of twenty minutes. Harry Potter is next, with a head start of fifteen points, Cedric Diggory with ten minutes, and Viktor Krum with five minutes, and Fleur Delacour will start on the normal time." Bagman announced. "Ready, Alice? On your wands, get set, GO!"

Magical wands burst off the sound of gunfire and golden sparks. I ran into the maze, into the clear part, and then there was a fork in the path. I immediately went right. That's the trick to a maze. Always go right, and you'll eventually find your way back to where you started.

I encountered a bunch of little golden glowing pixies.

"Hello, there." I said timidly. The pixies came up to me, and started grabbing at my green and black hoodie they'd given me. I swatted at them, only for my exposed fingers to get stung.

"Ow!" I backed away, only for more to attack. I pulled my hood up, and ran head first through them, and I crawled through a log exit to get away. I kicked a rock into the log, and emerged, to see a troll.

Why does my luck always go this badly, I wondered, as the troll stormed forwards. It swung its club, and I rolled out of the way, barely. I got to my feet.

"Wingardium Leviosa!" The club lifted, and I directed the movement of the club onto the troll's head. I then jumped over the stumpy arm, and started running, when there was another fork in the path. A scream pierced the air close by. A scream that sounded like Blondie's.

I ran in the direction of the scream, to see Blondie writhing with pain, and Viktor Krum pointing his wand at her. It didn't take a genius to connect the two.

"Get away from her," I ordered, surprised somewhat at how strong my voice sounded. He hesitated for a moment, so I sent a Stunning Spell his way. He dodged, and scampered away. I considered pursuing him, but then I realized that Fleur was in really bad shape.

I sent red sparks. "You're going to be okay," I assured her, but I don't think she heard me. I started off in the other direction, and kept going through the maze. I was now in a swampy portion.

"Hello?" I called. I then saw blood red paw prints, going closer and closer...

I ducked into a stump crevice, and heard the almost-silent footprints pass. I heard a threatening snarl. I cowered in the stump, and waited till it had passed. I got out of the stump, and found a place where I needed to swim. I started, and heard heavy breathing behind me. I kicked harder, and harder, and was up in the hollow tree trunk when I saw the nøkken.

It was a beast with shriveled looking black limbs, and what looked like wet leaves covering its skin, and bright, round, yellow eyes that stared straight at your soul. I kicked at it, and it bit my leg, and I kicked wildly to try to get it off.

"Stupefy!" I finally hit it, and the nøkken hit the water slack-jawed. I climbed up as fast as I could to avoid the fury of it if it woke up, and landed in another section of the bog. Immediately, Red Caps sprouted from the ground.

I started running, jumping, and diving up and under growths that stuck out of the thickets, and adrenaline kept me going as my hood flew back and my purple hair raged free in a movement. Then the spear-throwing started.

"Really?" I demanded. "Do I really need crap being thrown at me?" I dodged another, and glared at the sky angrily. "Bagman, I really hope you're enjoying this!" I yelled. I fell over a stump because of my little outcry, and I looked to see the converging goblins.

"Impedimenta!" I fired. "Impedimenta! Impedimenta!" Slowly, the Red Caps tumbled like dominoes. I got to my feet, and started running again. In my path, though, appeared that stupid nøkken!

I looked behind me- Red Caps were advancing steadily.

"Ventrus Trio!" I yelled at the Red Caps, and they were knocked down by hurricane-strength winds. I turned back to the nøkken, who was jumping at me. "Impedimenta!" The nøkken was stopped cold from advancing any further, and whimpered a bit.

"I'm sorry, boy," I said, as I knelt down, to touch its forehead. "I did what I had to do." I then ran off, and went in a solid path. I kept turning right, until I could see the glow of the Triwizard Cup through the branches of the hedge walls.

I then heard a scream of Harry's and ran ahead with newfound strength and adrenaline. I ran to see right before the cup, Cedric, Harry, and a giant spider were duking it out.

"Umbrify!" I yelled. The shadow hit the spider, slid over it, and the spider vanished completely.

I ran over to Harry. "You okay?" I asked. He pointed to his leg, which had been bitten. I nodded, and helped him up. He and Cedric looked at the cup.

"You go take it," Harry said to Cedric.

"No," Cedric replied, hands stiff at his side.

"What?" Harry said, looking at Cedric like he'd lost his mind.

"No." Cedric took a step back. "You deserve the Cup, not me."

"Look, Cedric, I'm not exactly going to be running any races on this leg," Harry said.

"You had all the clues all along," Cedric said. "You knew about the dragons, and yet you chose to help me."

"You helped with the second task, we're even," Harry panted.

"Are you kidding me?" I said.

"What?" The boys chorused.

"I played the closest thing to a fair game," I said, stepping closer. "I didn't know about the dragons until the day before. I figured out the second task on my own. I played the closest to the rules, despite the fact that I should've never even entered the competition. Yet both of you think you deserve the cup?"

"Come on, Alice, you don't deserve it." Harry argued. "All you've done is use the dark arts. Besides, leave this to the guys."

"I'm not doing this," Cedric said.

"You deserve it, Cedric," Harry urged. I rolled my eyes, and made a break for it.

"Maybe instead of arguing, you should've gone for it!" I said, right before I grabbed it.

"HEY!" Harry protested, right as the world started spinning around me. He lunged for the cup, but I'd suddenly transported to another place.

Is this some crappy bonus round idea of the makers, I thought, as I stood, gripping my wand tightly.

"Who's there?" I called.

"It's the girl," an eerie male voice I hadn't heard since it came from Quirrel's turban said. "Interesting."

I suddenly fell to the ground, clutching my scar in pain. I heard screaming, although it took me a minute to realize it was my own.