It had been Hermione's idea to begin with.
It was brilliant; like most of Hermione's ideas. She, Harry and Ron had been sitting on a couch in the common room, trying to brainstorm ways of figuring out the egg clue, when Hermione had suddenly sat up.
"Got an idea?" Ron asked, leaning in in anticipation.
"Oh – not about the egg. But I've been thinking – in the interests of goodwill and cooperation – why don't you ask Krum if he'd like to have a Seeker Skirmish with you?"
Harry looked quite pleased with the thought of this idea.
"Charlie's still here." Ron piped up. "Maybe he could join too."
"And I could ask Diggory." Harry added. "I'm sure he'd like to play."
"While you're at it, why don't you ask Cho?" Hermione grinned at Harry. "I'm sure she'd like it."
"Well…I don't know…" Harry mumbled. "Maybe I can ask Diggory to ask her."
As it turned out, the Seekers shared Harry's enthusiasm for the idea. Upon finding Krum at the entrance hall doorway one morning after breakfast, Harry and asked for a word.
"Hmph. Yes, Potter?" Krum had said. "You vant to ask me something."
"Well – I was wondering if you'd like to join us. We're going to have a Seeker Skirmish."
Krum looked interested. "Vhen vill this be?"
"Saturday?" Harry asked. "Hermione thought that'd be a good time."
"Herm-o-ninny?" Krum replied. "She's very studious – no? Spends a lot of time in the library…"
"Yes…" Harry said, not entirely sure where Krum was going. "Why do you ask?"
"Oh, no reason." Krum replied, but Harry thought maybe Krum wasn't being entirely truthful. "So, who else is going to be there?"
"Charlie Weasley; he was Seeker here before he left school. Pretty good too, so I've heard. I'm going to ask Diggory and Chang – they're the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw Seekers. You could ask some people too, if you like…" Harry offered.
"Vell." Krum mused. "I don't see the Slytherin Seeker in your list…"
"Oh." Harry deflated. "Well, if you'd like Malfoy too..."
"Draco Malfoy is the Slytherin Seeker?" Krum asked. "Never mind then. All talk and no walk that one."
"Right. Well, I'll see you Saturday morning." Harry turned to leave.
"Potter." Harry stopped in his tracks. "You flew very well in the first task. I'm looking forward to playing you."
"Thanks." Harry replied. He couldn't help but feel proud of the compliment that one of – if not the – best seekers in world had given him. "You fly very well too. I saw you in the World Cup Final. Great performance."
Krum inclined his head in acknowledgement.
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Hermione had outdone herself. "I asked Professor Flitwick to help me – and to keep an eye on things." Hermione addressed the gathered group of Charlie, Harry, Krum, Cho and Cedric.
"When Miss Granger came to me with the idea, I was intrigued. So we've added a little something – nothing too challenging, I hope – to the Seeker Skirmish."
"There's a maze where you'll have to find the snitch." Hermione explained. "Sort of something to level out the differences in brooms. There's a whole range turns, paths and bludgers."
"Bludgers." Charlie Weasley asked. He was looking excited already.
"Five." Hermione said. "One for each of you."
"We've enchanted the maze so we can see you if you get into trouble; but you won't be able to see through it." Flitwick squeaked. "So Seekers, are you up to it?"
There was a loud noise of assent.
Flitwick released the Snitch into the maze. Five minutes later, he gave the signal for the Seekers to join the Snitch. Five people shot into the entrance hole.
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From the stands, Hermione kept her eye on the proceedings. The Weasleys sat next to her, and there was a smattering of people dotting the stands – word of the contest had percolated through the school. Hermione could see five people in the maze.
Hermione rubbed her eyes. She noticed something strange that she hadn't seen before. There was a pair of people at one position. Which meant that there was six, not five people in the maze.
"Professor Flitwick." Hermione said, pointing it out.
"Homenum Revelio!" Flitwick swiped his wand. "There's someone else in the maze…"
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She hadn't meant to. Honestly. She'd gone down to the kitchens very early in the morning – the House Elves were just delighted to help her. It seemed like she'd made their day by asking them for a few rolls. She'd gone for a fly, and using some charms – she was quite good at charm – made a comfortable place to rest. The chill of the morning was countered by the warmth of the sun, and she was tired. So being held by the charms on the broom, she fell asleep.
The sensation of something swooping over her woke her up with a start, and she found herself in a maze. She realised what she'd forgotten about when she flew up there in the morning. The Seeker Skirmish was today. Mentally slapping herself, she realised that there was nothing to do but…
A grin appeared on her face. Why not? She thought to herself. She was going to have some fun…
Conjuring up a substance like putty, she scratched the message. "I'm fine - 6." and sent it out of the maze to circle above the stands.
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"What's that?" Hermione pointed out to Flitwick.
The Charms Professor waved his wand, and the blob drew closer to him. "I'm fine – 6." He read out. "Well, we'll keep an eye on things." Flitwick said. Hermione watched. Six was now moving – slower than everyone else.
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Flitwick had outdone himself. The maze was filled with a whole assortment of different factors – there were wide, open pockets of space dotted around. There were long, straight, thin paths. There were winding paths. There were winding paths, wide paths, spiralling paths. There were paths and turned in on themselves, paths with dead ends. There were hidden shortcuts. Whilst the use of long range vision was less important here than in a real match, the skill required to fly through the maze and still keep a sharp eye out for Bludgers and another for the Snitch.
Krum and Charlie had gone their own ways from the beginning. Cho had followed Cedric - she knew that her skill level wasn't as high as everyone else, and neither was her broom. But she soon realised that there would be no advantage in following him – there were three other Seekers with just as much chance of finding the Snitch.
So she meandered through the maze. Eventually she came upon Harry Potter.
"Hi." Cho greeted him in a friendly manner.
"Oh…Hi Cho…" Harry replied, a faint pink tinge appearing on his cheeks. He slowed his broom slightly so Cho could keep up. "Have you noticed how the maze is alive?" Harry asked.
She hadn't, so she shook her head.
"It's changing subtly." Harry said. "Morphing itself into something else."
Indeed it was. The maze was changing. Nothing massive, but many small changes put together were enough. The walls of the maze were lattice like – if you looked carefully, and at the right angles, you could see through them.
Managing to give Cho a little smile that was more like a twitch, Harry shot away before he embarrassed himself.
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A school broom was clunky, slow, unresponsive and wobbly. All in all, it was nothing any self-respecting Seeker would use. It made the Comet 260 look like a Nimbus 2001. And she loved it. Even as she flew bumpily along, as the broom's quirks made it bobble and wobble, as the maze flew past entirely too slowly, she was filled with a pure unadulterated joy of complete freedom.
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It was the perfect scenario. The five Seekers had spotted the Snitch at much the same time. But it was in the maze, shrouded by the lattice, and they shot after it from their separate positions, hoping that they'd be able to navigate their way through.
Victor Krum was confident; but not arrogant. He'd seen how well Harry Potter flew, and Charlie Weasley, flying alongside him, was very good too. Charlie Weasley wouldn't have looked out of place in the England national colours. Krum accelerated, and he noticed that Charlie didn't automatically follow his lead; that was good; this man would be a challenge.
Around a hairpin curve Charlie Weasley followed the Snitch's path. It was still hidden, flicking behind the maze; Krum was just ahead, and he shot off, taking a slightly different path.
Cedric Diggory wasn't alone. It was just his luck; he thought. Two Bludgers were on his tail; smashing their way around the maze as they hunted him. They could go through the maze; which allowed them to pass unimpeded. Cedric cursed his luck – he didn't need the spare.
When she spotted the Snitch, Cho Chang hoped that she was the only one who had – but no such luck. She could see the others; dappled and shrouded, and recognised that they'd seen it too.
The first person she encountered was Harry. She decided to stick with him; if they got to the Snitch, there was a good chance Harry would… well, suffice to say, he wasn't as competitive as Krum; Krum wouldn't think twice about doing anything possible to win (fairly, of course. Krum was no cheat).
But Harry – well, he was a rather chivalrous character. She remembered Ravenclaw's match against Gryffindor the year before; the first time she'd faced Harry. 'Knock her off her broom if you have to!' Gryffindor's fanatical captain, Wood had told Harry; Harry was very good – much better than Cho – even though he had the better broom, Cho knew that a good flier deserved a good broom. Draco Malfoy proved that a good broom wasn't everything.
But Harry was too nice. Cho had conflicting feelings about this. On the one hand, she wanted to prove that she could beat him without Harry playing within himself. On the other hand, there was a feeling of acceptance. She liked being looked after – at least to a degree. She was a Ravenclaw; but she depended on her friends – and on Cedric.
Harry wondered how Hermione came up with such brilliant ideas. He was thrilled as he flew side-by-side with Cho, who seemed to be happy too; she was smiling. They weaved as they made their way along the path the maze had set for them.
Harry turned his attention back to the path ahead. It narrowed out. Cho would either crash or have to brake. Harry slowed, and Cho slipped past him.
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No! She wanted to shout. Silly boy! Save your chivalry; this is Quidditch. Do your best here – don't hold yourself back! You're cheating yourself!
And Cho. Cho accepted it. Eyes narrowed in determination, she decided one thing. Cho wouldn't get the Snitch.
She might've been sure of herself, but her broom wasn't very cooperative. The Snitch appeared in the clearing; followed by the five Seekers. They didn't notice her of the periphery, as they were too engrossed in their game. A bludger at one of them from behind her.
Gripping the broom tightly with her thighs, she braced herself. Dodging the iron ball with graceful swiftness, she grabbed onto the Bludger, and allowed herself to be pulled along.
It was swifter than the broom, but far more erratic. She collided with Victor Krum, who didn't even look as he tried to muscle her aside. Charlie Weasley was ahead, of them, and the Bludger turned its attention to him.
"Watch out Charlie!" She yelled. Charlie looked over his shoulder and performed a Sloth Grip Roll. The Bludger chose a new target; Harry, who was on the other side of the open area. And luckily, the Snitch was between them.
Cho was closest, and thought she might just win, when something flew between her and the Snitch.
But this interloper didn't grab the Snitch, although it was in her grasp. It happened so quickly. The interloper withdrew her and arrested the Bludger's momentum, before setting up a barrier. Potter, the next on the scene, looked at her and the interloper with no small amount of shock, and he, too, set up a barrier.
Krum flew up on the interloper's left side. He too added a barrier. Charlie Weasley and Cedric Diggory did the same. Cho, at last, set up a barrier of her own, and the Snitch was trapped.
Waving their wands, the six shrunk the barrier, until it was the size of a small box, with the Snitch fluttering away.
"Why?" Cedric Diggory asked. Charlie Weasley and Harry Potter were too flabbergasted to speak.
"It…err…didn't seem appropriate to just grab it." She confessed.
"So you vher not playing?" Krum commented.
She shook her head.
"Shame. You look good."
Charlie Weasley was looking on in incredulity.
"Thanks." She said, addressing Krum.
"Well, none of us have caught it. Do we let it out?" Cho queried.
"I think this is a satisfactory ending." Harry said. "We all caught it."
There was a murmur of agreement and shaking of hands. The five sent green sparks up into the air, signalling the end of the game. Flitwick removed the charms making up the maze, and the interloper felt eyes on her.
"Well, well, well, Charlie." Harry said. "Someone's been keeping secrets."
Charlie's eyes glinted at Harry. "Indeed. Some people mightn't like that…"
"We wonder why you did it." Harry and Charlie asked. "You're very good – why did you keep it a secret?"
"Well..." The interloper considered, seeing an expression of surprise on Charlie's face and…could that be admiration on Harry's? "I didn't want to hurt your feelings…"
Charlie and Harry burst into laughter. "She's good." Harry said.
"Of course she is!" Charlie puffed out his chest. "Following in her big brother's footsteps!"