Author's Note: This story will likely remind you a lot of the television show The Amazing Race. Though I can't be sure that's entirely why the idea came to my mind, it's likely that it will bear more than a passing resemblance to that game. As a special treat for you, the reader, each of the clues in the Hunt will be included in the story, so if you wish to try and solve them yourselves before the characters do, simply pause in your reading when you see words in italics (written like this, in case you weren't sure) until you are ready to see the answer (which will be written in bold, if FF dot net imports it properly). Good luck, enjoy, and as always, JK Rowling owns the Potterverse.
"It is my great pleasure to present to you," announced Professor Dumbledore, "the one-hundred and forty-first annual Hogwarts Hunt! We have divided the soon-to-be graduating 7th years into teams of two, generated at random by the Sorting Hat. Sixteen teams will begin the hunt, but in the end, only one can win. Those choosing to remain in the Great Hall as the contest progresses will be able to watch the teams in action through several magical projections. I warn all students not participating that attempting to influence or interfere with any of the competing teams in any way will result in no less than a loss of house points, with more severe punishments possible based on the infraction. If everyone is ready to begin, I ask the teams to please open the first clue parchment now."
Each of the teams opened their parchment envelope, and began scanning through their clue. After a moment, the team of Fay Dunbar and Michael Corner, followed closely by the team of Justin Finch-Fletchley and Wayne Hopkins, approached the Headmaster. "Sir, our parchments seem to be blank," noted Michael.
Dumbledore took a look at both parchments, cast the same spell at both of them, and put them into one of his pockets. "Ah, it seems that one of the Hunt's oldest traditions has sprung up, and rather early this year as well. You see, each leg of the Hunt carries the possibility of eliminations. On occasion, some clue parchments throughout the legs will be blank, though which ones have been left so is entirely at the whims of the Hunt Master. Many times, the Hunt Master will choose to not leave any blank, in the spirit of giving everyone the chance to finish if they so desire. Some times, they will leave most of the clues blank, so that only the prodigiously lucky can claim the victory. Though this is the first time I can remember that blanks were introduced to the very first leg of the hunt, there is no doubt in my mind what this means: we have already lost two teams from the event."
The dismay on the faces of the four eliminated students was evident. However, their disappointment was quickly forgotten by most of the other students, as the first few teams worked out their clue and dashed from the Great Hall, followed closely by many of the rest. The last team out of the hall was Lisa Turpin and Gregory Goyle, nearly three minutes behind the leaders, due entirely to Goyle's insistence on packing as much food as he could carry into a bag in case he got hungry during the Hunt. Lisa finally dragged him away from the food and out into the school.
Clue #1: "Orsber bar pna svaq gur raq, gurl zhfg svefg svaq gur ortvaavat. Uvag: Gur ivrj vf zhpu avpre ng avtug guna va qnlyvtug."
It had taken Hermione Granger only a few moments to recognize the first clue for what it was: a simple substitution cipher. It had been covered in the Muggle Studies course Hermione had taken back in 3rd year, but it was her keen interest in mystery novels that clued Hermione into what the meaning of the seeming gibberish was. When translated properly, it spelled out "Before one can find the end, they must first find the beginning. Hint: The view is much nicer at night than in daylight."
Looking over Hermione's shoulder as she solved the cipher, Ron Weasley's eyebrows rose almost into his hairline. A quick prod of Hermione's shoulder, a quiet mouthing of the word "Boats", and the pair ran out of the Great Hall towards the location of the second clue, in the lead by only a few steps in front of Padma Patil and Sally-Anne Perks, with Blaise Zabini and Mandy Brocklehurst not much farther behind.
"You know, the clue was right, it does look a lot better at night when crossing in the boats," mused Ron as he and Hermione arrived at the docks on the Black Lake.