An; Hey again,Trust me when I say this is a LONG chapter, you will see what I mean when you eventually do reach the end. Hope you enjoy it, a lot of things happen here.

The Blood Pit

The chopping blade wobbles in Hermione's hands, making cutting shrivelfig incredibly difficult and very dangerous for the tips of her fingers. Ron gulps then hesitantly asks "Mione, w-why dont you measure out the beetle eyes and I'll finish off this."

"No. No, I'm fine." Hermione replies unconsciously shaky.

"You're better than me at it. I'm just trying to save your fingers." Ron pushes softly.

Hermione glares at him. "I'm more than capable!" She punctuates this by slashing a small scratch into the wooden table instead of through the middle of the herb. When she notices this she grumbles, drops the blade with a clatter and turns to find the beetle eyes. Ron quickly possesses the blade and finishes up Hermione's sketchy attempt.

Hermione picks up a handful of beetle eyes, trying to count twenty-seven exactly. After ten failed attempts she cries out, making Ron and several classmates within a few metres of her flinch, and slams the contents onto the desk. "Why won't they lay still!? I keep miscounting!"

Ron knows that it's not the eyes that are wobbling all over the place. He daren't tell her though; he values his life too much. Snape however does not refrain from challenging the perilous bookworm. "Miss Granger, that handful of beetle eyes you unceremoniously scattered across the desk is worth several sickles. Unless you intend to pay back the required amount from your own pocket, I strongly advise you treat the ingredients with more care."

Thank Merlin for Hermione's untainted respect for authority or he would be getting an earful too. Even still, noone has ever glared at Snape with so much venom as Hermione is, especially without wilting at the equally frightening gaze he himself gives back. If it wasn't so frightening a situation Ron would be planning a celebration party for such a feat of bravery. "Yes sir, it won'thappen again"

Snape simply ignores the glare and brushes away her tone by subtracting five points from Gryffindor. But is his pace slightly more rushed than usual as he turns away? Ron puts it down to his imagination. "Bloody hell Hermione."

"What Ronald?!"

Ron flinches. "A-are you okay?"

"Shut up! And start being useful rather than a nuisance!" Hermione snaps stirring the cauldron way too many times and in the wrong direction.

"You seem-angry today?" Understatement of the century he thinks.

"Maybe it's because lazy people like you prefer to talk rather than do the work set for them!" Hermione returns.

"Hey, do you want to stop the hurtful comments before you succeed in getting what you want and finishing this potion yourself?" Ron replies frowning.

"Do as you wish, I don't care." She responds.

"Ron." Finally a friendly voice to save him.

"Harry?"

"Why is she so... explosive today?" Harry asks leaning across his and Neville's desk.

"I thought you could tell me, I mean she is still upset with you but she calmed down recently, then suddenly she's like a Norwegian Ridgeback with a headache. Did you say anything to her last night?"

"She's still avoiding me. I haven't spoken a word to her in days. It better not be that Alexis girl." Harry tells him.

"I don't think so. The very brief moment of happiness Hermione had today was when she saw Alexis in the library reading alone. Then we came here and I'm waiting for blood to spill right now." Ron gives a wary glance at Hermione who is violently crushing asphodel with a pestle and mortar.

"During our next free period we will corner her and get her to tell us...if we don't get burned alive first." Harry declares.

It's no surprise that Ron and Hermione's potion gets the worst mark out off the whole class, and Neville had to be taken to the hospital wing just by standing near it. That is one potion class Ron will never forget but also a potions lesson he hasn't ever felt more relieved at when they are dismissed.

"We need a word with you" Harry answered as he tugs Hermione by her arm Ron and Ginny close behind them.

"I'm not some dog that you can drag around Harry Potter." Hermione glares but does not resist.

Harry takes her up the stairs, breezes past the portrait hole and proceeds to their corner by the window. He lets go and she rounds on him. Ginny and Ron flank him each side. "Can we talk now?"

"I don't know Harry, are you sure you want to talk to me after days of avoiding me?" Hermione counters.

"This is not about that."

"No this is about your lack of respect for my choices, your over-protectiveness towards who I associate with and your ignorance to notice that if I felt truly uncomfortable with my current situation I wouldn't just stand around and let it affect me. The real reason is that you don't like Alexis and you don't have to, but why can't you just support my decision rather than get in the way of my happiness?" Hermione tells him.

Ron and Ginny nervously glance between them. Harry turns a very warm shade of red, seemingly halfway between anger and embarrassment, but his voice stays calm as he replies. "So, is that why you're angry?"

"Strangely enough...no. I'm still annoyed at you and you're far from forgiven. However I have bigger fish to fry than the thick-headed Boy-Who-Lived. And no it's not Alexis either. If you haven't noticed Potter the first task is tomorrow . And nobody knows what the hell I'm walking into. How do you prepare for the unknown, I mean I'm sure Krum and Delacour already know but of course they're keeping their cards close to their chest aren't they. Diggory probably knows and if he didn't he would probably succeed anyway cos he's that talented. It figures that I, the Controversial champion as the Prophet call me, would be left in the dark. The girls are doing their best but Dumbledore refuses them information. And I'm having a meltdown over not knowing." Hermione rants whilst she paces.

Ron, Ginny and Harry release a deep collective breath simultaneously.

"What not dramatic enough for you?!" Hermione indignantly snaps.

"Excuse us for not being more sympathetic but your murderous rampage almost gave us a coronary." Ron answers back clutching his chest.

"I'M having a coronary...rightly so as I see it!" Hermione rinses her hands together.

Getting her breath back and realising that maybe Hermione might respond better to a softer, feminine voice, Ginny tells her. "Maybe we can help you. Hogwarts has an infamous gossip reputation remember, if it's a secret then you can guarantee some people have found out about it."

"No offence Gin, but if the girls can't find out anything, I doubt we can do much better."

"Girls Shmirls, we can't really lose anything if we know nothing. Let's just try." Ginny encourages.

"We have classes."

Harry interjects. "Don't give us that, Champions have the privilege to be absent from lessons if it relates to the Champions participation."

"Me! Not you two."

"I'm not in your classes Hermione, and I can easily get out of Charms with a few puke pastilles." Ginny smiles.

"Ginny! That's such a cheap way to get out of a lesson! A deliberate attempt to take advantage!" Hermione affronts.

"I thought you were having a meltdown about the task, now you're worried about our educations? Priorities Granger." Ron adds.

Hermione really feels like she should force all three of them into their next classes to teach them a lesson in taking their educations more seriously. Well normal Hermione would feel that way. She isn't here at the moment and a desperate, panic-stricken Hermione wants nothing more than to sod her classes for once. "Fine. Let's do it."

/

Serveral hours later and all four Gryffindors rendezvous in the common room, all looking so dispirited and miserable. Hermione feels more than that, her panic evolving and intensifying into utter dread and fear like she has never felt before.

This is visible to all three of her friends and they daren't mutter a word. Unlike earlier however they aren't afraid to break the silence in fear of sending her into a rage. This time they are afraid to speak in case it sends her into an uncontrollable frenzy of tears.

Evidently, their quest to find out the objective of the first task went nowhere. Hogwarts had failed them when they needed it most, not a single student, that wasn't in the social ranks of a Tri-wizard Champion, had a clue as to what the first task is. Their enquiries in turn created a rumour that Hermione is using her friends to spy on her competitors in a way to gain an unfair advantage. Slytherins backed this motion passionately and soon Hermione received menacing glares, immature mocks and there was even a petition going around to ban Hermione from the Tournament. Despite the absurdity that Hermione was legally bound which meant it would achieve nothing more than a waste of parchment, and that even if they could vote it was an international competition and would need over a million signatures to be taken seriously. Despite all that, Hermione couldn't help but wish she could find a hole to crawl into.

Their attempts to talk with Cedric was no more successful. The guy himself was of course up for talking but his Hufflepuff gang of friends immediately intervened when it became obvious that a competing champion would be present. Hermione had to drag her friends away before a fight could breakout.

The four Gryffindors then thought if the students don't know, the professor's would. But they would be hard to fool, all except one professor. Perhaps the worst teacher to keep a secret with, no offence given. One Rubeus Hagrid. Hagrid would be bound to know if it involves dangerous magical creatures. Hagrid is not stupid though, the trio seeking him out a day before one of them was expected to compete in a task that he knew about, suspiciously convenient. He, in the nicest way possible, refused to speak claiming to be busy. He did however provide a clue in working out what creature the task involved. He glanced not-so-subtly at the bag of horse radish he held in his hand, but he may as well have given them nothing. what such dangerous creature ate...horse radish. How dangerous could some herbivore be? In any case the research didn't help either. Even looking up horse radish hoping the nutritional and environmental effects could narrow down why a creature would eat horse radish, provided nothing helpful.

'Maybe horse radish is a repellent rather than a food?' Nothing

'Maybe the horse radish protects people in some form against the magical properties this creature has?' Nothing

Every alternate avenue of why horse radish is relevant was unsuccessful. Ron, trying to lift the spirit levels, joked that maybe they were making Hermione eat a giant plate of roast beef but that just got him three annoyed glares.

The mood decreased further and now not even a Dementor could make the atmosphere any more bleek.

They were on the verge of quitting when a miracle came barrelling quickly into the common room, taking the form of Alexis Moon. When she spotted the bushy-haired girl she shrilly cried "Hermione!" before rushing towards the startled fourth years.

"Couldn't last a few hours could you?" Harry groans as she stops in the middle of their circle. Ginny is on the carpet in front of the fireplace, Harry and Hermione occupy the armchairs opposite each other whilst Ron lazes on the sofa opposite Ginny. There arrangement means that Alexis has to talk individually with each person, involving a lot of turning around. She keeps her eyes on Hermione as she bites back "ok then you don't want me tell Hermione some vital information that may save her life tomorrow?" She took the reluctant silence as a small victory. "Thought so."

"What information?" Hermione asks.

"The task Hermione."

"What about it?"

She sees Alex raise her eyebrow'Seriously'

Hermione gasps. "What? What is it? Oh god, it's something horrible isn't it? I haven't prepared, I'm going to die."

"Just relax, let me show you." Alex tells her holding out her hand.

"Why can't you just tell her? Illiterate or something." Harry eyes at her back suspiciously.

This time she turns round. "What is your problem? Other than being an arsehole."

Hermione stands and takes Alexis' hand. "Just ignore him, he just needs to grow up a little. Let's go."

Hermione leads Alexis out whose eyes stare defiantly back at him. Once they leave they don't exchange a word. Hermione is still struggling to come to grips with holding back her feelings whilst Alexis is debating internally whether she should make her move or wait until after the task tomorrow. Problem with that is she might not get the chance and she would hate to lose her at all, let alone without telling her she returned the feelings Hermione apparently has for her, but Alexis has more faith in Hermione than that, what would be the point of going through all this if she won't be able to deal with it. She believed with all her heart AND her gut AND her brain that Hermione WILL get through the tournament fine. So she decides to keep the revelation to afterwards, Hermione has enough on her mind at the moment without this adding to it. Neither girl notice that they held hands the entire time though.

Hermione finally manages to ask "So where are we going?"

"The Quidditch pitch." Alexis answers.

Hermione turns pale. "You mean it requires flying, I hate flying! And I can't ride a broom if I tried!"

"That method is up to you though I doubt it would do you any good whatsoever. The Quidditch pitch is merely for a place for the spectators to view, the task will albeit be more dangerous than a Quidditch match." Alexis explains.

"That makes me feel much better." Hermione sarcastically replies.

"Don't worry, once you find out what it is you'll have some idea how to beat it I'm sure. And you have me and the girls in your corner."

"Why are you girls helping me so much, I swear you told me you were forbidden to train or assist me in the tournament?" Hermione asks.

"Pfft, that is just the brief. You will come to learn that the BIA never follow the brief but we always get the job done. The Master himself has faith in you, he is lenient to those he has faith in. That's probably why I'm still in the team because if it wasn't for his faith in me he would kick me out for my attitude. Trust me though, I was never this gobby and rude before he came along."

"You really hate him don't you?" Hermione says softly.

With a swallow she replies "Only recently. Since Kenz died."

"You blame him?"

"Not for what happened, no. But for putting us in that situation to begin with."

"You mean creating BIA?"

"I mean turning a group of friends into outsiders, soldiers and a freak show!" Alex squeezes Hermione's hand sightly in her rage and Hermione yelps. With a calmer, apologetic look Alexis releases the pressure again but does not drop Hermione's hand. It feels so snug to hold.

"I don't think your a freak, none of you are. You are an inspiration, all of you. And that's the point isn't it, you three only do this for each other and so someone like me can look up to and find a beacon of hope in a life where they are so rare. You don't like the publicity or the loss of life or being treated unequally. I get that. But we need you, not all of us see it that way but it changes nothing. I understand what you girls are giving up for this, I'm giving up the same. Who would choose this over a normal life right? Well I did, far too easily probably. And I didn't choose this to be looked up at and deemed superior, I chose this because at the end of the day we all need this. Without this where will our beacon be, who will put themselves before the innocent, who sacrifices everything they have to keep us safe. But that's not right is it, because we won't sacrifice everything, we would rather die than let those we love come to harm. You're not a freak show and we need you more than you know. I share the Master's faith in you. You're quite literally amazing." Hermione internally screeches at herself for revealing too much. Once she started she simply wouldn't stop gushing and she is beyond embarrassed, surely Alexis will be creeped out by such an awkward exchange.

Alexis does not feel creeped out though judging by the immaculately deep red tone to her face and a happy, self-conscious smile. And Alexis simply does not get self-conscious so this is a first. "Erm, thanks. Nobody's ever told me that before. Well except..." she trails off letting Hermione know exactly who she means.

Hermione goes quiet. A mixture of happiness at being acknowledged, if only slightly, in that light and annoyance at being compared to Alexis' ex. Do you even call a dead partner an ex? Hermione certainly has the sensitivity to know that being jealous of the dead is entirely unnecessary and not to mention pointless. But it doesn't stop the small amount of annoyance creeping up inside her. Even if Alexis does like her that way, which she don't in her mind, she would always be second place. The replacement. Hermione is getting less hopeful of her fantasy actually somehow becoming reality with each day.

"Anyway, back to the topic at hand. You were probably worrying about some magical creature, all big and mean right. Oh no, not right away. A wizard or witch may be surprised by the creature if they didn't know about it and of course injury and death would be very imminent indeed. But if you survive the shock and last long enough to keep your head any competent person such as yourself would find some method to beat it. But what is the one thing wizards generally seem to struggle with..." Alexis explains.

Hermione didn't take long to intercept and finish her sentence. "Wizards seem to lack logic." Herself remembering telling Harry the very same thing during first year

"Exactly" Alexis exclaims gleefully with a skip. "Which is why I know you will be fine."

It's Hermione's turn to flush red and she smiles at the compliment and the quirky, excited mood the older girl is in. Very uncharacteristic she adds. Hermione has had few opportunities to see this laid back, girly side of Alexis. Yes, it is the boyish qualities Hermione is falling for but if she wanted those she would date Ron or Harry. She'd probably have more success too. But the girlish appearance appealing to Hermione's fancy is strangely a perfect mix, especially as occasionally Alexis seems to forget she's supposed to be tough. This being one of those times. Hermione feels she only shows this side of her to people she trusts and is happy and comfortable to be around.

"So the task is a riddle of some sort? Or puzzle?" Hermione thinks out loud.

Alexis scrunches her face uncertainly. "Not quite."

She doesn't expand so Hermione asks a different question. "What is so dangerous about a brainteaser?" She says this in a way that says she already knows it's not such a walk in the park as Alexis is claiming.

"Of course it's dangerous. But all I'm saying is if you use your head you'll be just fine." Alexis replies.

"I'm so confused, is it a puzzle or not?"

"You'll find out soon enough."

Very soon in fact as by the time she says this they head out the entrance door and feel the cold, evening air. They don't exchange any more words as they pass Hagrid's hut and approach the eerily quiet Quidditch stands. Hermione to this day still feels uncomfortable with the forest, she can stand it during the day but as soon as the light fades and you are left with looming shadows and no joyful bird song she finds herself very anxious and uncomfortable. So Hermione doesn't think twice when she squeezes Alexis hand tighter not daring to let go for a second''

"You know I won't be there to hold your hand tomorrow." Alexis comments.

HermIone huffs in reply. "A very dangerous forbidden forest, of course I'll seek protection"

"You should be used to it, you outran a werewolf in there."

"Hence why I'm still very anxious of it."

"You'll face worse in the tournament than in those trees. And you can't comprehend the dangerous shit the BIA has had to fight."

"Language. What are you trying to say, I'm not a coward."

"I'm not saying that, I'm saying that sometimes you need to hide the feelings you show. Emotions are weaknesses to the enemy, they will feed on them. The cliché that creatures feed off of fear is very much true. If you show love and happiness on your face an enemy will know that, take advantage of it and use it against you."

"That explains the indifferent and cold reception I got when I first met you." Hermione responds, recalling the way her heart skipped and her mouth went dry when she first laid eyes on the older girl.

"I would apologise but I'm not sorry, you could have been a threat."

"I understand."

A moment of silence passes.

"Will you teach me?"

"Teach you what?" Alexis asks.

"To be more...secretive of my emotions. Hide them." Hermione answers.

"I don't need to, all it takes is a strong sense of will, perhaps even an incentive. For example if you're scared think of the first happy thing you would like to do in the near future, then you'll have an incentive to fight through the fear to do exactly what you wanted. It's that simple." Alexis explains.

"What about...what about love? How do I hide that?" Hermione nervously asks.

If Alexis looks deep into Hermione's question she may notice that Hermione is referring generally, not specifically. She may notice the tone of voice, nervous but insistent. If she looks closely she will notice that Hermione is asking that question for slightly different reasons than not showing weakness to enemies. But Alexis doesn't look closely, she will regret to not do so.

"Well, do the opposite, imagine the person you love broke your heart. For a few seconds imagine they hated you and wanted nothing to do with you, it will override the happiness and all the enemy would see is the hate and they will most likely assume it's directed at them. However don't forget that you're pretending to hate them, otherwise you will get carried away and snap at them in normal time." God forbid Hermione snap at her and ignore her because she imagines Alexis breaking her heart. She had enough of getting on the wrong side of this girl.

"I-I won't forget."

This time Alexis does sense an uneasy feeling surrounding her statement but she shrugs it off. "Well, we're here."

Alexis approaches the closed entrance, magically sealed. No Alohomora spell would open this door.

"Are you sure we should be doing this?" Hermione nervously asks.

"We shouldn't no. But we are. Do you want to find out what you're facing tomorrow?"

"Of course."

"Then come quickly and create a loud natural sound. With your wand. Surely you know a spell like that?"

Hermione replies."Why?'

"Because we don't want to arouse suspicion."

"But Why-" Hermione stops mid-sentence when she sees Alexis aiming her wand at the entrance and immediately Hermione points up her wand and casts the first spell she can think of. A bolt of lightning strikes across the cloudless sky and loud thunder booms the air around them. Alexis immediately blasts the door open, the thunder covering the would be loud explosion.

Alexis gives Hermione a slightly agitated and questioning glare. "Thunder and lightning? On a sky with no clouds or rain?"

Hermione heatedly retorts. "You barely gave me a chance to think, I'm sorry if my brain doesn't work on hyperspeed like people assume."

"Nevermind. Get in. It looks like it worked anyway." Hermione steps through and walks down the tunnel. Alexis closes the door after them, wedging it with a log for a swift escape if they needed one. They both pass the locker rooms and stairs leading to the stands and proceed directly onto the pitch.

Although technically it isn't a pitch anymore.

Where the grassy turf was, grey chunks of gravel replaces it. The structure of the stands is magically modified from oval-shaped to square and the huge towers were now half as tall as they usually are. But it was the four large grey blocks positioned in each corner of the arena that drew Hermione's attention. Two metres tall, wide and in girth. They look to probably weigh around a tonne or two. The huge cubes were made up of smaller cubes resembling square cinderblocks, all encrypted with there own individual rune. Hermione for the life of her can't recognise them, far too advanced for her (considering Hermione reads sixth year level Ancient Runes that's saying something).

"What are they?" Hermione asks curiously, intrigued to death by the new challenge of working out what the runes meant.

"Abacus tombs." Alexis answers.

"Tombs? Like Egyptian tombs?"

"No those tombs are to preserve and store the dead. These tombs are for ensnarement. Traps. Prisons." Alexis corrects.

"They don't look like they can trap and ensnare me."

"Of course they haven't been activated yet. Believe it or not these tombs are a thousand times bigger and go way down underground." Alexis tells her

"So what happens, how does it ensnare me?"

"It morphs."

"Morphs?"

"Like liquid. The bricks with the runes shuffle around revealing gaps, passages and such. But it tricks you. It will show you gaps too small to fit in that originally look larger. They show you passages leading to dead ends. Some cubes are fake and actually are disguised passages and gaps. There are apparently stairs leading down but they trick you too, some stairs that go down actually lead you to the top again. It's dangerous too, very little oxygen can get through this tomb so you mustn't waste your breath by panicking. Cubes are also known to squash you. You can't just go in here on instinct or luck, you won't last long at all. Before you enter, before you even touch these cubes you need to work out the pattern. This is all about memory and logic like I said. None of these runes look the same as any other but each one has a duplicate rune. You have to find the original rune, not the duplicate. The cube as it looks now is a map, the duplicates are the traps and hazards."

"But none of them look the same, they are all different. And I don't even recognise a single rune on this thing." Hermione frets

"Don't worry you will be given a guide book to identify the runes, at least I hope you will otherwise this would be literally impossible. That's all I know about this at the moment, someone will explain the rest tomorrow. So basically you have to work your way down into this tomb and most probably collect something from the chamber right at the bottom. You may still have to find your way back out but just retrace your footsteps after that."

"Ok. I think I get it. Vaguely."

Alexis smiles. "You will do brilliantly I know it. Come on, let's get back."

"Wait. One more thing. What does horse radish have to do with these Abacus tombs?" Hermione asks.

"Horse radish?" Alexis asks with a frown. "Where did that come from?"

"Hagrid, sort of, hinted that horse radish had something to do with it. He was carrying a bag of it when we tried to speak to him earlier." Hermione tells her.

"Horse radish?" Alexis asks again

"Yes! Horse radish! Forget it you obviously don't know."

"Maybe you misinterpreted him or something, but forget about 'horse radish' and focus on Ancient Runes tomorrow ok?"

"Believe me. I will try."

Then as quickly as they came they leave again, not noticing a hooded figure behind the first tomb who heard there conversation. Then with a tap of his wand he tampers with a rune on one of the bricks until it resembles nothing decipherable. Then he too quickly leaves, a sick grin plastered to his face. He may not be allowed to kill Granger yet, but he could at least have some fun with her.

!

The Champions tent is a buzz. Not of excitement, but of tension. The atmosphere a muggle soldier feels before they set foot on a battlefield. The feeling that you are walking to your death, mixed with the urge to go as far as you're physically and mentally able.

Each champion deals with this tension in a different way. Fleur Delacour is physically shaking, clutching a charm necklace in her hands and keeping her eyes closed. Viktor Krum is pacing, muttering the Durmstrang motto over and over. Cedric sits calmly trying to motivate himself and discussing pros and cons of each strategy he can think of. And Hermione...she is reading of course. Rather hurriedly and intensely at that. And not spontaneous random topics either; she is only on the sixth tome she borrowed from the library this morning the minute it opened. All specialising in, you guessed it, Ancient Runes.

She knows that she can't take them into the arena with her, and really it will make no difference whether these books contain the runes on the tombs or not, her memory is not extensive enough to remember them from her first skimmed read. She however reads them anyway to refresh what she does know and keep her mind off the potential danger. Easy said than done.

Hermione is about to pick the seventh tome from her extensive collection when a small hiss in the air distracts her. She double-checks to make sure her book isn't torn, then she hears it against this time she can clearly hear it coming from the drapes of the Champions tent. "Psst, Hermione..."

Hermione casually approaches the drape and sticks her head out. On the other side stands her three best friends. "Guys, you're not meant to be here."

"Well the other saddo's can grumble all they want, but we need to check how you're doing?" Ginny replies.

"I'm fine. Alexis is right, Ancient Runes is something I can do. At least, I keep telling myself that."

"Are you kidding? Ancient Runes is like a speciality of yours, of course you'll ace it." Ron declares.

"Thank you for your encouragement Ron, but this isn't as easy as all that. I still have no clue what those runes are."

"What about those books you borrowed?"

"It makes no difference Ginny, IF the runes are in those books I won't remember exactly what they, nor what their duplicates, look like."

"Has Dumbledore told you anything?" Harry asks.

"He hasn't arrived yet, neither have the other Headmasters or Bagman or Crouch. Rita Skeeter is lurking outside somewhere, but she's been itching to catch me with my guard dow-"

CLICK.

All four are blinded by a flash of light and the irritating sound of the fore-mentioned journalist extraodinaire Rita Skeeter.

"Tut tut, what have we stumbled upon. The Controversial champion is gathering unfair intelligence a meer fifteen minutes before the first task begins. Tell me Miss Granger, with all these underhanded tactics that you seem to have committed consistently since this tournament was announced, are they sub-conscious doubts of your abilities or reflections of the true nature of all your achievements academically that you have carried with you into the tournament?"

Hermione's expression starts off disgruntled but upon the clear false implication it morphs into appalled fury. "Excuse me, but my friends had some last minute encouragement for me! And it has never been against the tournament rules to research and gather information that will help me in the tasks!"

"It is however forbidden to liaise with those not involved with the tournament after the preparatory hour commences, that was fifty minutes ago."

"We were discussing information Hermione already had, not providing her with more." Harry vehemently challenges.

"Likely alibi, but predictable. With Miss Granger's own reputation in shatters as it is, I also doubt that anyone would believe you either way." Skeeter states, then a clearly fake disappointed and saddened expression replaces the real smirk. "It's times like this I hate being a journalist, I have to report the misfortunate failings of Hogwarts on disobedient and careless pupils. The school does not deserve to receive such a degrading reputation but I'm obligated to do the right thing, as much as it pains me. Jeoffrey, save the film and file it as 'Controversy continues at first task'. Let's go."

She however is blocked by three imposing brunette girls all with crossed arms symmetrical to each other.

"Lookey lookey girls, it's an insect with a wig, I do hope it doesn't meet the heel of my boot." Alexis says with a fixed glare directed at the meddlesome journalist.

HermIone feels happy at the backing of her future brunette sisters. But soon she groans knowing Rita will immediately link the famous heroines to her, only fueling her embarrassment that will appear in tomorrow's Daily Prophet. She also worries that the story may blow away the secrecy of the BIA's involvement. A lot of bad things is about to happen.

But much to her shock and pleasant surprise Rita is clueless of who these girls are. "I'm sorry who are you? And you are all blocking our path."

The girls simultaneously look mockingly surprised at their feet. "Dear Merlin she's right. Wait, the insect speaks, what sorcery is this?" Jessie asks.

"We best move out of its way girls, I don't like how its pincers opens up like that." Ashley adds.

Hearing the chuckles behind her and overcoming her embarrassment of being caught unawares of this mockery, Rita replies hotly "How dare you, I can destroy your lives with a single sentence girls, you are meddling with the wrong person."

Jess chuckles. "Mwroaw don't mess with this cat girls she certainly has the claws for it." She indicates to Rita's three inch nails.

"Nah, more like a dog. She barks like a bitch." Alexis corrects her.

Hermione simply can't keep in her laughter at that statement. Ron and Ginny have been muffling their amusement into their hands the whole time. Harry doesn't look impressed. Tough crowd for some then.

Rita looks ravenous and instead of replying moves to stalk off, but Ashley cuts her off. Rita tries for a few moments to bypass all of them but as soon as she quickly attempts to move in or out of them one of the girls would sashay left or right effectively blocking her.

"Move!"

"You have a wand, make us." Ashley challenges

Rita looks angry enough to do exactly that but she is smart enough to know these girls outnumber her and clearly appear to be as magically imposing as their posture suggests. Plus the four bystanders who clearly won't be sympathetic to her if anything did occur.

"I am a Ministry official you know, I can get you arrested."

This just makes all three of them laugh out loud. Rita looks angered and confused at their reactions. This confirms to Hermione that Rita Skeeter has no idea these girls are the heroines of BIA, otherwise she would know that they have diplomatic immunity. Only the use of Unforgivables and the obviously severe crimes like unprovoked murder are exceptions for an arrest.

Rita tries to change tactic, returning to the familiar success of her journalistic manipulations. "I see. Obviously protecting the young Gryffindors here, why is that? Do you get on with girls your own age? Or do you torment them with your games like you are doing with me?"

"Not nearly as much as you torment us with your presence, why is that Rita?" Ashley counters.

"My intelligence must intimidate your fickle minds. Your bullish attitude must be your way of overcompensating for that."

"Then you must be overcompensating for your secret terrible, academic record. Only two OWLs apparently; not enough to qualify for classes persisting to your original plan. Young Rita wanted careers in magical archaeology, history. She even had dreams to be a Master of Transfiguration. Quite studious was Rita. Until fifth year, what was it that made you fail your OWLs? Was it the unhealthy obsession with becoming an animagus that resulted in multiple trips to the infirmary? Or could it be that your dreams were unsupported by your abusive father, a man you've obeyed in fear since childhood? Whichever is the case, the experience surely left you potentially futureless and temporarily handicapped. Those experiences can easily turn people bitter and vicious. They moulded the woman we see now craving the destruction of young lives more potentious than hers had been, treading over everybody else to punish them for living dreams she couldn't find for herself. You can jot all that down in your little pad." Ashley reports back.

Rita's shocked face is matched by the four Gryffindors learning of this information behind her. A flicker of sadness appears in her piercing gaze and instead of answering she physically barges through the middle of them followed by her awkward photographer. Before he can get far though Alexis grabs his camera from his hands earning a quiet protest. She ignores him and takes out the film he used to snap Hermione and her friends with, then handed it back to him. "Do enjoy the tournament won't you?"

The man named Jeoffrey scampers off without an answer and before Rita is out of sight Ashley calls after her. "And Rita we better not see any stories unrelating to the event itself in tomorrow's Prophet, unless you want your boss to find out how well those animagi classes went without the Ministry knowing about it."

Rita scowls back but heeds her warning before turning a corner.

The girls turn back to the four Gryffindors. "Don't worry, she won't be bothering anyone in a while." Ashley insists.

Hermione smiles. "As satisfying as it was to see her get her comeuppance was it really necessary to bully her like that."

"It was. Rita is corrupted with self-loathing that she takes out on anyone who made better work of their lives, and whom have similar failings that she feasts upon to make herself feel better." Ashley explains.

"I want to feel sorry for her but I can't." Ginny bluntly states, then continues with "So all that you said about her, it was true?"

Alexis answers with "Did she deny it? In any sense she deserved to see that type of treatment when it's aimed against her. Yes we could've warned her and made her hand over the film, but she learns nothing from that."

"Learns? You were teaching her a lesson?" Harry dubiously asks.

Alexis can be seen rolling her eyes but ever polite Jessie replies. "It may have been carried out a little harshly, but we are actually helping her with what we just did. I mean Rita isn't evil, she may be annoying and nasty but she isn't technically a bad person. It's all a facade. Why do you think she knows all these crazy manipulation games? Because she has firsthand experience of having her life ruined. Believe it or not she wasn't far off Hermione academically, and was just as sweet and caring. But life can scar deeply enough to change you and Rita will one day realise the person she has become. One day someone will destroy her reputation as a journalist and rethink on all the things she has done. Maybe then she will make amends and put things right, I hope."

"So do you aim to be the people to destroy her reputation?" Ginny said curiously.

"That's not really our style. We just tried to make her feel what her victims felt. Although my threat stands, I better not see any scandalous stories from her in tomorrow's Prophet." Ashley said firmly.

Hermione caught onto the meaning of the threat. "So Rita succeeded in becoming an animagus?"

"Not only that, an unregistered animagus. She will lose her job if it ever comes out."

Hermione has a mischievous look, a look not often seen from her. "I wouldn't want that information to somehow get to Fudge who just so happens to be here today."

Alexis shoots her a proud smile. "Thinking like a brunette there Hermione." This statement was vague enough to fool the unknowing but clear enough for Hermione to understand. Hermione hides the blush.

"Anyway enough of that, don't you have a tournament to compete in Hermione?" Ashley tells her rhetorically.

At that moment noise inside the tent recaptures Hermione's attention and she is gone before Alexis can get a last encouraging word in. She looks a little put out.

"You three better find a seat, Rita was right you shouldn't really be here. You can do no more for Hermione right now, I'll make sure you are first to see her afterwards." Ashley promises. They begrudgingly but respectfully leave.

When they too leave Alexis huffs. "You could've let me say goodbye first before dismissing her."

"I didn't dismiss her, she obviously left because the headmasters just entered. You'll see her afterwards." Ashley tells her.

They then notice Jessie smiling. "What?" They both say.

"Nothing. I just noticed that during that interaction you two have seemingly forgiven each other without needing to speak one-on-one. Even when we're not talking to each other, we still maintain the connection of old."

Alexis and Ashley look at each other and realise she is right. The encounter with Skeeter and the short dialogue just then had brought them back together and the stubbornness and angst had drained away with the journalist.

Jessie smiles bright and says. "Now hug it out."

They proceed to do just that, with Jessie joining the fray. BIA is reunited once more.

################

"Attention Champions, gather round." Bagman calls.

The Beauxbatons champion and their headmistress Madame Maxine, as well as Durmstrang's champion and Igor Karkaroff step up to him. Cedric and Hermione, supported by Dumbledore, join them in the huddle.

"The task today is called The Blood Pit. What you will see outside this tent and in the arena will be Abacus tombs. A long ancient, but not forgotten, form of imprisonment. The Azkaban of its time. The objective is to get deep down inside the tombs and retrieve the clue that will help you in the second task, then you will be portkeyed back out..."

'Great' Hermione thinks 'just a one way trip.'

"...you all will be given an individual tomb to infiltrate and venture into. To assist you, and also to avoid death, we have removed any life-threatening hazards inside. This however does not mean you can't be trapped inside or tricked by the tombs..."

Hermione is beginning to relax a little at the mention that life threat would not be impeded upon them. By the slight change of expression on the other champions the feelings are mutual. Bagman then goes on to explain the tombs in more detail than Alexis did last night.

"...Do not worry about not recognising these runes, you will have a thirty minute time period to learn and memorise them from handouts we will provide you with. After this period the tomb is activated and you will commence your infiltration plan. Remember that you are to separate the duplicates from the originals. The originals show the correct passageways and entrances but the tomb will mix them around on your ventures, so you must rely on your wit and memory. The chamber at the bottom will not just hold the clue for the next task, but a surprise for each of you. The clue portkey is on a time setting from the moment you touch it. Not only that but it triggers the surprise on contact, they will be life-threatening. You have five minutes to hold off this surprise before the portkey transports you out. The first person back out will be the winner of the task and will receive extra privileges in the second task. Miss Delacour your tomb is in the far right corner, Mr Krum's is in the far left, Diggory front left and Miss Granger front right. Any questions before the task commences?

Hermione desperately wants to ask why it's called The Blood Pit when there was no mention of either in his description, and also horse radish is rattling around inside her head (not literally of course), a problem that's never been completely disproven or silenced. But she restrains herself, not wanting to look more her age and seek more attention than she already has.

"Then with the sound of the cannon we shall-" The cannon goes off prematurely in the arena, to which Ludo Bagman half-heartedly finishes off. "-step outside and commence the show."

This is it. The moment Hermione has been dreading since she was chosen. Scared out of her wits that she hasn't fit all the pieces of the puzzle together, she steps out into a wall of sound. Obviously the tent has some sort of sound-proofing charm. She vaguely notices a small guide book being wedged into her hands and Dumbledore's oddly distant voice in her ear offering encouragement. She scans the crowd as she approaches her given tomb. She sees Hogwarts, Hufflepuff and Gryffindors banners signalling the section of supporters cheering on both her and Cedric. She finds a raven haired and mop-haired boy accompanied by a sea of redheads, all cheering for her. Her eyes then naturally fall to the staff section where she knew the girls to be. The one girl in particular smiles back, saluting her. Hermione laughs and removes her eyes begrudgingly off of them and focuses on controlling her heartbeat. She also swears she can find occasional glimpses of a top hat and cane amongst the adult spectators but puts it down to her peripheral playing tricks.

The strangely distant sound of Dumbledore announcing the instructions for the spectators brings her attention to the very thing she has to conquer. She keeps reminding herself that this thing cannot harm her, the best it can do is trick and mess her up a little bit. It was the surprise that scares her most but it's only five minutes, they couldn't be any more dangerous than what she's already encountered. The strategy is to work out the real passageways from the fake, the real runes from the duplicates. Memorise the shortest or quickest route possible. If she gets one wrong she needs to compose herself and use logic to get back on track. Outsmart whatever she has to face for her surprise and keep her distance. With the plan filling her up she loses a lot of her nerves that are replaced with belief and adrenaline. She will not just survive, she will win.

The cannon blasts again telling Hermione that she missed the countdown. She immediately flips open the book and reads it thoroughly. She silences the sound of the spectators in order to concentrate.

She is met with diagrams and tables of information. Captions of runes, what they are, what they mean, how many variations of it there are and how to recognise them. Apparently the runes are not Egyptian, Latin, Nordic or Greek in origin, they are Myan. When they mention ancient they mean ANCIENT. No wonder Hermione never recognised them. They are as old as magic and human beings themselves. And because of the many conflicting beliefs between Aztec regions, the runes are as complex as runes can be, like English is a complex language. Where you would have a mixture of French, Latin, German and Old English amongst the English vocabulary, likewise you would find many different Aztec regions providing their own input into the Myan runes.

It is with these variations that duplicates become infamous. According to the guide book when the Myans reached their prime they put these different variations into ranks. The runes they used for the temples would be all first rank, because if one different rank of variation was in affect it would cause a polar opposite effect. So a fortifying rune will become a weak spot. There are five ranks to consider; if only fifth rank runes were active in the tombs, there would be no concern at all but Hermione knew that is not the case. Basically she is looking out for the higher ranked variations as they would be the originals.

So Hermione firstly memorises all the first rank runes as a safety net, if she saw one she knows it will be a genuine passage. She learns of the stairway runes, open passage runes, fake wall runes. She has enough time to memorise the second and third rank runes before the thirty minute research periods ends. And instantly a short sharp grumble comes from the tomb. It makes Hermione jump out of her skin. She stares it down, wondering briefly if it's broken but then the square blocks quickly and loudly poke out in a pattern. Every two blocks are poking out and the runes shimmer green and purple. Then, like a rubik's cube, the tomb twists and the blocks rearrange. Then they start moving outwards. The tomb is three times larger than it's original size and it continues to expand outwards. Hermione becomes concerned that it may extend the borders of the arena, crushing all the spectators. But she realises then that the ground too is elongating as the tomb grows in size. She turns to look at Cedric but she only sees a two inch figure about two hundred metres further than he originally stood, accompanied by a second, equally massive tomb. She can no longer see Fleur or Viktor.

Then the tomb stops growing, now whooping twenty metres high and double that in length and girth. It looked like a miniature classic medieval castle. Other than the shape and size though, it is virtually as it originally was. All blocks returned to being stationary and there is no clear sign of entry. It's then that Hermione notices the runes are gone. Replacing them are blank blocks.

Then Hermione spots one lone rune about head height up the side of the tomb. The entranceway, Hermione recognises it as a first rank too. Obviously the whole thing will be pointless if she couldn't actually seek entry.

"Here goes" she whispers and taps the rune with her wand. The rune shines light blue and then vanishes. As soon as it does that, three blocks protude out of the tomb and slide right. They left a gaping hole just big enough to fit through and Hermione stoops down and enters.

As soon as her whole body is inside the blocks merge back into there previous position, sealing her in darkness. "Oh brilliant. Lumos"

The wand light reveals a dark passage that leads to more darkness. Hermione trepidly begins walking and she searches the walls and ceilings for any runes. After ten paces she hits a dead end. "What? Where are the runes?"

It is then that she sees it, or them should that be. Three runes are positioned on three stone slabs a fair few paces apart from the other. Hermione inspects them. She recognises one as a trapdoor rune, possibly rank four. She avoids it for the time being. The next is a rank two stone ladder rune. She double-checks to make sure the third rune is not first or second rank, and it isn't. Process of elimination says she choose the stone ladder rune, and something tells her their had to not be a first rank ladder rune because otherwise the first venture would end here. She kneels and taps the ladder rune, Hermione stands back as it glows blue and the block drops down from the floor leaving a gap. Then hand-sized holes broke down in a vertical line from the blocks leading down, creating grips for her to hold onto as she descends. Hermione cautiously sits on the ledge, allowing her feet to find there way to a grip hole. They both slot in, just. She uses her arms to support her on the side of the ledge as she sinks down. Her feet find the next hole and then her hands find the previous holes. Then one foot at a time she climbs down into the darkness. She puts her wand away to allow her journey down to be easier on her hands, so the light has once again abandoned her. She only knows that she's met the end when her foot meets floor again. She steps off and relights her wand.

This time she finds herself in a room. Well, as close to a room as this tomb can get. She sees six runes this time, all different types but most importantly all third rank. "Ok. This is gonna be a shot in a dark." She half-chuckles at her own joke, but it's only to defuse her annoyance.

There was one stairway rune, a passage rune another ladder rune and a slide rune. Curiously though the last two are exactly the same. A rank three fake wall rune. Firstly she dismisses the second ladder rune, knowing it is a duplicate. But the two fake wall runes confuse her but pique her interest. Her gut tells her that these are the ones to focus on. To make sense of them she begins to debate out loud.

"There must be more than one set of fake wall runes. But didn't Alexis say no runes were the same. She could've been wrong though." Then a thought struck her "What if the rune itself is a trick?"

Her excitement is squashed when she holds the light to the runes and sees green and purple glows on them both. "So they're both real. If they're the same rune but different set, that means they could be two runes higher in rank or two ranks lower. Perhaps one either side. These runes could both be the original or both be a duplicate, it's practically a one in four chance." But Hermione still feels uneasy. "Maybe these runes were put here to confuse me and that one of the others is a way down. Maybe there is more than one original in this room. Maybe there are other runes with a second or even third set."

Hermione either way will be guessing and listing possibilities does not seem to be helping her. She tries inspecting the room again, trying to see in clues in the construction but the tomb is giving nothing away. Then for only the second time she realises this is a room. A room.

"What would be the most obvious way out of a room? Through the door, or a passageway." Hermione turns to the passage rune. "Is it too obvious though?"

Basing her knowledge on the notion that wizards wouldn't have much logical thinking, she knows someone would enter this room and instinctively choose the door option as obviously that is the most logical way out of a room. But a tomb like this follows the contradiction of normality. Hermione safely decides that she can rule out the passage rune. Since it is clear that there could be more than one set of runes out there the ladder rune briefly makes a come back, but even she can tell the tomb wouldn't repeat itself. She is down to four.

"A fake wall does seem logical, but it depends what it means by fake. Does it mean an invisible wall or a wall that's actually a door?" The fact that the two runes were piquing her interest so much is valid confidence that one or both of them were the originals. Why would people keep making you answer questions when you could potentially never find the answers? Is that the point the tomb is trying to make? Then brainwave strikes.

"The Myan gods. The book said the Myans worshipped gods because they answered their questions, and the mages proclaimed that unanswered questions were punishment for sin. This tomb is for imprisonment so..."

Hermione acknowledges that if she needed answers, answers is what she will get. So it hits home that at least one of these fake wall runes is an original. But which one.

Hermione is completely sold on choosing one of them, but no amount of brain power could decipher a clear favour for one over the other. It is inevitable down to luck, a fifty fifty chance.

Hermione taps the left rune with her wand.

And it shines blue.

Hermione visibly exhales, letting out the tension she felt. But when nothing immediate happens she decides to push against the wall. Her hands met more air and she stumbles through the now illusioned wall.

She finds herself in another identical room and she almost huffs and thinks it sent her back because she chose the wrong rune. But then she notices a single rune on the ceiling and knows this is a different room.

"No time to rest." She moans.

Alexis checks her watch...again. This time she sees it's been a whole minute since she last checked her watch. Hermione has been in there for thirteen minutes and twenty-something seconds. She nods in confirmation, just like all the other times she checked, in the assurance that she is fine and no sign is a good sign.

"Alexis!" Jessie blasts directly into her earlobe.

"Gah! You foul bitch, that nearly deafened me!" Alex replies. "Next time try getting my attention a little more considerately."

Jessie waves her hand dismissively in the air. "That's no fun though."

"Ashley, have a word." Alexis demands.

She frowns and scrutinises her. "What am I, her mother?"

"You're the boss so technically, yeah."

Jessie cuts over Ashley's retort. "Alex, I've been trying to get your attention the somewhat nice way for like five minutes, I'm sorry you needed a traumatic experience to distract you from worrying over your heart throb."

"I'm not worried. Why should I be? She's brilliant. Not because she's hot and all, it may surprise you to know I did do my job properly when I made her my candidate." Alexis sternly tells her.

"Did I say you didn't? Hermione was an amazing find, no doubt about it."

"Yeah...so I'm not worried. She can handle this, I can feel it." Alexis says passionately .

Jessie nods. "Yeah. That's great. Of course she will."

Alexis then turns back to the arena, but after a few seconds Jessie continues. "But that doesn't mean that you're not worried about her."

"I'm not worried about her!"

"Alex, you thick-headed buffoon, just drop the whole macho gimmick for five seconds. There is nothing wrong with worrying about her, I would be worried if you WEREN'T worried about her. We are all worried about her. It doesn't mean we don't believe in her."

Before Alexis can argue back, Ashley says. "She's right. Hermione could do everything right, and still be harmed in there. There is more than enough grounds there to worry."

Both the brunettes stare at her in response. "Nice Ash. I feel much better." Alexis sarcastically replies.

Jessie shrugs out of her short compulsion and shrilly outbursts with. "Ahh! You admit then, you are worried about her."

Alexis burys her face in her hands. "Grr fine, whatever, so what...is it a crime?"

"No. Like I said, it's natural. Just stop pretending."

"Right then. Got a megaphone, I'm gonna announce to everyone right here right now that I'm sick with worry over her. You want me to do that?" Alexis asks insincerely.

"I would pay to see that". Ashley scoffs.

Alexis half-groans, half yells. "Oh, so today is not just the opening day of the Tri-wizard tournament. It's also international let's-pick-on-Alex day."

"Come on Alex, it's an annual event. Like April Fool's day." Jessie jokes.

Alexis scrunches her nose distastefully as both of the teasing brunettes lay an arm around her shoulders.

Meanwhile fifty yards away a green-eyed boy is glaring directly at them. "Harry!"

"Sheesh! Was that necessary, right in my ear." He grumbles.

Ron then claps his hand onto Harry's shoulder. "Yes. Very necessary. It made me feel a lot better."

"I'm flattered that I'm you're entertainment for the duration of the long wait, but is there a proper explanation for that attack?"

"Just trying to remind you that your best friend, you know the smart one who is in that tomb over there, could be in danger right now. Glaring daggers at the girl she is glossy-eyed over is not at the top of your list of priorities mate."

"This is somehow her fault. You do remember that someone supposedly rigged the Goblet right; well who's to say that she wasn't the culprit."

Ron shakes his head. "You're throwing around accusations, man when will this pathetic vendetta end."

"Think about it." Harry continues regardless. "Hermione meets Alexis, Hermione befriends Alexis, Hermione puts her name in the Goblet after being totally opposing to the idea, Hermione becomes the Controversial champion of Hogwarts, Alexis trains Hermione for the first task. It's clear as day who the culprit is."

"Case solved then right? Want to share your theory with the officials and get Hermione disqualified? Want to cause an unnecessary scene by confronting the accused amongst the whole population of spectators? Do you want to head down to the arena, step inside that very tomb and tell Hermione to her face that the girl she loves played her for a fool whilst she battles past obstacles and traps designed to hurt you?" Ron heatedly asks.

Harry shakes his head reluctantly.

"Look." Ron starts up again. "Don't get pissed off, but why does this bother you so much? Why do you care so much about Hermione and Alexis?"

"I don't trust Alexis, and I will die before I see a great friend come to harm because of her. Why else?"

Ron dubiously asks. "And that's it?"

"Yes. That's it."

Ron sighs. "Again don't get angry. I don't believe you for a second Harry. Answer truthfully, I'm only trying to help."

Harry spluttered so violently he couldn't even respond to him.

Harry is about to speak but Ron cuts him short.

"Don't kid yourself. There is no logical reason or explanation for the most accepting and understanding boy in school to crave the blood of his female best friends love interest. Believe me Harry, if I didn't quite believe or wasn't so sure that one, Alexis is genuine, and two, Hermione loves her to bits...then I would be right with you on this. Without a shadow of a doubt. But I do. As much as I hate to admit it, I know that: Alexis is great for Hermione, Hermione's love is reciprocated, and that Hermione's decision is already confirmed even if she isn't acting upon it. Alexis makes her happier than we ever can. Hermione is falling hard and fast. We just have to surrender to what is clearly meant to be. Glaring at the girl she adores won't help you"

Ron then blatantly returns to the arena although clearly his mind is still very much occupied with the same thought harbouring Harry's.

Harry glances one last time at Alexis. "Alright. So I'm a tiny bit jealous, it doesn't mean I'm wrong."

"Even if you are right, I don't really care about old spilt milk anymore. Neither should you." Ron explains.

"Right because it's every persons dream to have a loved one deliberately put their life in danger." Harry sarcastically drawls.

"Look at what you're saying! Coming from you Harry that is pure hypocrisy!"

"I NEVER made you and Hermione put yourselves in danger! You both decided to join me despite my warnings. This is not the same."

"Yes. It is. Hermione chose to enter, she wanted to be in this tournament, that's her choice. Whether Alexis cheated the system or not, or if Hermione did not get chosen at all, it was still down to Hermione to even consider and enter her name."

Harry looks away gruffly, staring off into space.

Harry is finding it difficult to defend himself, not when Ron clearly has a very valid point. But something about the supposed BIA is wrong. The weird, unusually powerful magical aura around them, the secrecy of their attendance at Hogwarts, the inconvenient link they have relating to the tournament, the way some teachers look at them with disdain. They were dangerous people, good people but definitely not friendly people. Harry has no problems with them as long as he doesn't have to be associated with them. He cannot say the same for Hermione, and he has to find a way of letting her know of the danger those three girls can put her in. That plan is being thwarted by Alexis constant presence, either physically or in reference. She is always around her, and when she isn't she's all Hermione talks about.

But Ron is right, now is not the time.

...

Thirty minutes pass and Hermione finds herself on her sixth test. Trouncing the first three, getting lucky on the forth and slipping up on the fifth (literally, she chose a wrong slide rune which somehow took her upwards). Hermione brushes off her irritation. Yes, she should have realised her mistake before but now she has to push on and leave the frustration behind her.

Hermione finds herself in a narrow and tall passageway. Three runes arranged strangely well organised on the floor, far wall and ceiling. The runes were a rank two Sliding Pole rune, a rank three Tunnel rune and a rank five Auto-apparation rune. None of these runes came up before now so Hermione is back to square one.

"Let's see. The only way in here was to choose the wrong rune which sent me up a long way, so I need to be heading back down again. Maybe not immediately though." Hermione observes. She then notices a circular marking on the floor. The tomb is actually giving her clues.

"It can't be a tunnel, it goes downwards. Or does it. The slide disoriented me so directions may have switched around." Hermione then decides to use her knowledge of magic to help her on this one. She mutters a charm that allows her wand to determine gravitational force, her wand tip will always point to ground level. A rarely used charm that is exceptionally useful for...well, curse-breakers and tomb-raiders.

Hermione's doubts are proven correct as the wand points to the far wall rather than her feet. The tunnel rune is on the far wall, how can you have a horizontal tunnel? If it's an original rune the fall would hurt her anyway. Safely deducing that, Hermione reminds herself to use magic more often.

"So pole or apparation? Why is a circle necessary for either of those? Unless..." Hermione imagines a fireman's pole is that what the rune is referring to? A wizard would likely not know about them. But a sideways fireman's pole, it could be similar to how the slides work.

She then checks the apparation rune. "No definitely pole." She confidently taps the rune. And it turns blue.

Hermione accepts she may have lucked out on her clearly illogical logic. None of this tomb makes sense so why should it suddenly start making sense. Hermione just prays that this is not a sign of her brain slowing down because if it is she best hope that it's the final test. She will never get out of here otherwise.

The circle marking dissolves from the inside going outwards, leaving a seemingly endless hole. She can hear sounds of rock clashing and moving in the distance and when it gets louder and less distant she realises immediately that she has to move out the way. Seconds after she does so, a long tentacle of rock suddenly emerges from the hole and the end rapidly grasps and merges into the wall alongside. This leaves Hermione looking at a slightly unorthodox version of a sideways fireman's pole. This pole is closer to the inside wall of the tunnel, similar to how a gutter rests snugly close to the contours of a household rooftop. This enables the competitor to have space up to the point someone considerably overweight decides to use it, however improbable that would be considering the Goblet would take into account a champions physique. Hermione's only concern is how is she supposed to use it.

She waits a full minute but nothing else happens. She could use magic, but what sort of magic is specifically aimed at enabling entrance into a sideways tunnel without making a plonker of yourself. Hermione sees no more realistic or simpler idea than just climbing in and getting on with it.

Hermione places her wand in her back pocket and begins to clamber into the tunnel. She manages to position herself somewhat comfortably backwards with her hands firmly clutching the pole and her knees planted either side. Hermione Granger is straddling a pole. Immensely proud that her friends and other relations couldn't see this, Hermione slowly raises off of her knees, stretching her legs back so they were moving deeper into the tunnel. "Merlin, I'm not mentioning this experience with anyone, EVER."

The magic in this passage must've changed because now instead of feeling like she is laying on the ground...on top of a pole...she now feels that she is clinging onto a pole hoping she doesn't fall to her death. She takes a deep breath and lets her hands slip.

She then begins to fall quite rapidly but steadily. Her hands clasp the pole with enough strength to slow her fall. When her feet land hard on the bottom, perhaps what felt an eternity later, she breathes a sigh of relief. She lets go and moves away. The pole turns back into a rock tentacle and zooms back up the tunnel which closes immediately afterwards. "If anyone asks, I did not slide down a pole. There was no pole involved. None whatsoever."

Hermione only just starts to take in her surroundings. This is no room, at least not a room Hermione has encountered so far in this tomb. Sand covers the ground, the walls green with vegetation and torches lit the corridor. Hermione does not see any runes and excitement creeps in. Has she made it, has she reached the bottom. It looks much more...tomb-y, than the rest of the structure.

Hermione is almost certain that this is the entrance to the chamber, however something beat the euphoria before it could even settle. And that is trepidation. Something is telling her the ordeal isn't over.

Then Hermione remembers the second-half of the task, surviving in the chamber against an unknown foe.

"It's ok. They are probably relatively harmless, more of an annoyance than an obstacle. Like a swarm of razor bees or Cornish pixies." Yeah right, dream on.

Hermione walks deeper into the chamber. The chamber is completely sandstone. Pillars and alters look halfway between crumbling and well preserved. The place looks like it was built to last about four hundred years ago.

Upon an alter in the centre of the room is a gold fire poker, clearly the assigned portkey. But no cages or any sign of life. A bad sign.

Hermione brushes past a pillar and manages to talk a lump of green produce with her. She checks and sees the contents stuck to her sleeve. This is no weed, or moss, or any type of still living plant or vegetation. Instead the walls were covered in a weird tapestry of herbs and spices. All green.

Hermione is confused until she recognises something familiar amongst the herbs. "Horse radish."

And so the tip off from Hagrid was legitimate. Then Hermione remembers the other unopened sacks that Hagrid was "busy" with. They had just assumed they too were full of horse radish but it is clear now that they contained other types of herbal ingredients. Hermione identifies basil, parsley, coriander, mint leaves to name a few. All of them displayed on the walls like ivy trails. And then Hermione realises that the herbs are working in collaboration of each other, which means that their focus shouldn't have been purely on horse radish.

Then the final piece of the jigsaw slots into place. Some magical creatures can only determine when their prey or their hunters are close via their scent. It's similar to how sharks and piranha react to blood and how moles know what to eat despite their blindness. The herbs are for disguise; prey and predators recognise and utilise them for completely different reasons. Herbivores tend to use the scent as a repellent, and you can't get much more of a potent earthy scent than herbs.

Hermione draws the herbal confetti from the walls and lavishes her clothes and hair with it. Then, knowing she is well protected she reaches for the poker and it glows gold in her hands.

The torches immediately dim. The five minutes has begun.

The lights dim to three times darker than originally. Hermione shivers as she stands motionlessly, her mind debating whether or not this is wise. Hermione doesn't notice anything for a few seconds until the sand beneath her feet slides away. Hermione stumbles back into more moving sand then falls back, supporting herself on her hands and feet. The sand begins to form several traffic cone size mounds around her. Hermione is ready with her wand but unable to stand due to the liquid-like surface she is laying upon. Then with a burst a two foot being springs from one of the mounds and scrambles to its feet.

It is charcoal black, silky like a thestral but hairy in places. It is knobbly like a house-elf but instead of ears that splay outwards to the side, they usually tend to point up. The glaring red eyes gleam at her almost confusedly. It almost doesn't look evil at all.

Then it lays its hands to the side and the sharp claws are displayed. Then a high-pitched growl begins, its mouth widening like a smirk but there is only malice in this expression. The thing easily walks through the moving sand until it stood at the front of the half-dozen mounds, stating its role as the leader.

Hermione knows what it is. The name changes depending on where in the world you are. The Egyptians call them Sanfar 'Ussa, a.k.a. Sand Fairy. The Australians call them Black Elves. And Americans call them Blood Gnomes. But in all three countries they are considered savage killers that hunt in packs.

And three guesses what comes out the other feet high mounds.

When the pack assemble and organize themselves, they too stare down Hermione maliciously.

Totally forgetting she is somewhat protected, Hermione makes a dash for more open space. This kicks the Gnomes into action and soon Hermione is outflanked. Hermione darts in and out of the row of pillars, hoping to confuse them but there is too many of them for that. Three break-off to cut off her escapes whilst the flankers swipe and claw at her.

Hermione sends a strong attack to the three up front, throwing them out of the way like flies of a swatter. Seeing the clearing she has made she darts in that direction. The Gnomes see it quicker though and the two flanking Gnomes tackle a leg each. She falls hard, her hands just about saving her teeth from being dislodged and arranged all over the hard sandstone. The two tacklers quickly let go, not wanting to be near the Gnome equivalent of kryptonite.

Hermione stands to see all seven Gnomes surrounding her. A perfect circle has formed around her. The Gnomes are angered enough to try and attack but hesitant to have lengthy contact with her well-protected body. The best they hope for is that they can take her down and disarm her before she can use any significant form of magic against them.

Hermione physically reminds herself that she does know quite a bit more magic than she is showing. She points her wand upwards and cries "Ascendio".

She flies several feet in the air, ducking to avoid smashing her skull on the roof of the chamber. When she lands less than gracefully back on the sand outside the ring of peril, she immediately checks the distance to the portkey. The last thing she needs is for the portkey to leave the tomb without her.

Running to it she is somewhat aware of the small gang of attackers recovering from their confusion and desperately trying to chase her down. She reaches the portkey and turns seeing the Gnomes close behind. She points her wand at the sand and, like a sandstorm, the grains of sand start gushing towards the Gnomes. They slow from their temporary blindness caused from sand in the eyes. This gives Hermione a chance to create more distance whilst thinking up more ideas.

Hermione is cursing inwardly at how long these five minutes are taking, the sound of stampeding feet behind her letting her know the Gnomes have recovered from Hermione's last assault.

Out of absolutely nowhere a Gnome jumps from the side at head height, taking her down. The Gnome scratches her cheek, leaving trails of blood down her face. Hermione blasts the lone Gnome away. The rest of the gang have closed the majority of the distance she earned.

It is time for the last resort spell.

Hermione points her wand at the charging beings, some already jumping at her, and screams "Immobilus".

All of the Gnomes stop in mid-run or mid-air. The only things moving were the eyelids. Hermione is relieved to know that these beings aren't immune to the freezing charm, questioning herself about why she didn't use is at the start. She is in so much thought that she forgets that one Gnome hasn't been frozen, the one that she blasted away meer moments before she froze the others. She is reminded when a slow, deliberate scratch runs from the bottom of her left calf and to the pit of her knee. She clutches it in pain and scrambles onto the floor. The claw not only rips her leggings but also leaves a deep gash pouring copious amounts of blood to pour down her leg.

Turning to the assailant she realises that this Gnome is the leader Gnome she saw emerge first from the little dunes. Her scrambling around in the sand means she has lost a large amount of herby protection. The leader grins evilly at her. She blasts him back but he quickly regains his footing. Instead of running at her he runs a random course around her ducking and diving in an attempt to test Hermione's spell accuracy and timing. Rather intelligent she thinks but soon she is refocused. She uses her blast hex, freezing charm and petrification spell; the damn Gnome dodges them all. Hermione is prepared to dance this tango for as long as possible, as long as he can't advance on her.

After a short duration, the portkey lights up in Hermione's hand and she stops casting, feeling the pull of the portkey as it whisks her away from the creature.

After she stops spinning and lands a tad better than she had at the Quidditch World Cup, she expects to see daylight and a loud crowd cheering at her. But instead she finds the same firelight and sand surroundings as before. She looks around, confused as to why she hasn't moved anywhere. But she has moved away, just not out of the tomb like Bagman said would happen. She has only crossed to the other side of the chamber.

"What on earth...This isn't right. This can't be right." Hermione squeaks. Then something dawns on her. There must be an anti-porkey rune somewhere in the chamber. But why bother having a portkey if you couldn't...

Hermione holds her head in her hands. "I've been sabotaged."

Of course she has, she is part of the Golden Trio of course things wouldn't go smoothly for her. It must've been the same person who rigged Hermione's entry. Is the saboteur hoping the tournament would get her killed, is that why they rigged the Goblet?

Hermione has a lot to discuss with the girls when she gets back out...if she gets back out rather.

Thankfully, the lone Gnome is too busy jumping about in frustration at letting his prey get away to notice that Hermione is still in the room, just twenty feet away. Hermione debates whether she can get away unnoticed, seeing the Gnome sitting in the sand sulking gives her encouragement. She quietly and slowly gets her feet under her and stays kneeling. She stays low and moves behind a pillar. There are five pillars between her and the chamber entrance. If she could remain quiet, using the pillars as cover, she could reach the entrance and memorise her way out. That's if the tomb allows her to go back the way she had come.

What if it didn't? What if she is trapped in the tomb? If a certain amount of time passed, would the tournament officials attempt a rescue? And what is it Alexis said about the oxygen levels? Hermione knew not to panic as that would use up more breathable air, but it might not make a difference.

She can't think like that. All she can do is at least try, someone would eventually come looking if she didn't show soon.

With her concerns slightly soothed, she edges her way quietly from pillar to pillar. The lone Gnome sounds like he is crying, or a close animalistic approximation to crying. The frozen Gnomes are facing her and know of her presence, but thankfully the Gnomes couldn't move their vocal chords enough to get the Gnomes attention. Hermione makes it to the fourth pillar when she accidentally stubs her toe on the side of it and yelps loud enough for the Gnome to hear. Clasping her hands over her mouth and quickly shooting behind the pillar, Hermione waits to see if the Gnome has noticed her. The Gnome is looking closely in her direction, surveying the pillars. He then turns to look at his henchmen and sees the drastic faces confirming that the prey is still here.

The Gnome grins menacingly and starts approaching the pillars.

Hermione knows she has been discovered when she hears the tiny footprints approaching. She is only metres from the entrance and quickly made her mind up. She dashes out of her hiding spot and runs at the entrance. A sharp, shrill cry indicates the Gnome has spotted her and is giving chase.

Hermione is running out of energy and blood. Her leg is going numb and her face stings from the scratches. She makes it to the end of the passageway where the pole took her down. She frantically searches for the rune, not completely sure she remembers what it looked like before. She just notices one rune on the wall and nearly whacks it with her wand as she tries to activate it. The Gnome is behind her now, confident that he has her trapped.

The rune lights up and she turns and holds her wand out at him, daring him to do anything whilst she waits for the rune to activate. The Gnome can sense her weakening energy levels and is ready to pounce when in a flash Hermione is gone.

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\/

Alexis has a serious case of ants in her pants. She is uncertain of whether to sit or stand and so keeps getting halfway before nervously settling back down.

"It's been an hour, Diggory is already out." She state panic-stricken.

"He's the only one out!Stop worrying!" Ashley retorts.

"That's Viktor and Fleur, no offence but Hermione easily outclasses them in this sort of environment. Hermione is equal to Cedric in this and he's been out for twenty minutes. Where is she?"

"Alex, in ten minutes the officials will begin the procedure to recover the rest of the competitors from the tomb. Even if she doesn't make it out on her own she will get out one way or another." Jessie softly encourages.

Alex is almost in tears. "But she can do this, I know she can."

A few minutes later, a flash appears and has Alex almost in the row of seats in front. But to her dismay it is only Viktor.

"Krum made it out! That's it I'm going to see the officials and force them to go look for her."

"You're not going anywhere." Ashley snaps harshly. "You interfere once and I will hex you."

Alexis is intimidated by that look enough to quieten down but it doesn't succeed in her silence. "She must be hurt. Or worse. Why leave her in there to suffer?"

"You know the terms Alex. She has to win the tournament on her own, we cannot get involved in the challenges. She has to prove herself." Ashley firmly reminds her.

Then a loud, accumulative gasp from the crowd of spectators around returns the brunettes attention to the arena. Hermione's tomb is open and a weakened brunette staggers out a few feat and collapses. The crowd is split between cheering on her return and confusion on why she wasn't portkeyed out. Teachers and officials were more active and worried, Hermione clearly has the portkey but she came out the long and much harder way. Alex is just froze to the spot in shock. Madam Pomfrey and several Medi-witches and wizards are accumulating around her, providing her with immediate medical assistance. From what Alex can tell Hermione has a large pool of blood down her leg and her clothes are torn beyond use. Officials are gathered with the Minister, all three headmasters of the competing schools and Ludo Bagman. Clearly they are discussing this turn of events and by the look on their faces it's not a turn for the better. Dumbledore confirms this by making eye-contact with the trio of brunettes watching.

Alexis is snapped back into action as she hurriedly makes her way down the stairs and into the arena, closely followed by her colleagues. Harry, Ron and Ginny, obviously with the same idea, rendezvous with them on the pitch and try and make their way towards Hermione who is being floated out of the arena. Dumbledore stops Alexis in her tracks as she looks to follow the floating girl away.

"Not right now, you can see her when she is settled in the infirmary. Right now, we need you here."

"I need to make sure she is ok." Alexis huffs.

"She is ok, believe me. Stay here for a few moments and we will figure out what exactly happened here." Dumbledore assures.

Alexis relents but only cos she needs to know who's liver she will be physically removing from their body.

All six bystanders wait until the adult officials and staff reach to a begrudging conclusion. Their attention is then thwarted by Fleur's appearance.

Dumbledore rejoins the gang of concerned teenagers and speaks consolingly. "Why don't we have this conversation somewhere more comfortable? All the champions have officially completed the task so I am now allowed to leave the arena. If you come with me I will explain the situation."

"Just come out with it." Ron urges.

"Please, I implore you to accompany me to my office for a cup of tea or a lemon sherbet. You will feel more comfortable there and this conversation will be far less public."

/\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

Hermione stirs and groans as she regains consciousness. There is a nice, warm feeling in her hand and movement from the side indicates she has company. The voice speaks. "Welcome back to the living lion cub, I thought we lost you there for a sec."

Hermione rubs her forehead. "I still am. How-how did I get here? How did I get out?"

"Pomfrey said you might have been too weak to remember that. You came out the long and very hard way. It's a wonder how you had so much grasp of your memory to remember your way out." Jessie answers.

"The portkey. It didn't work. It didn't get me out."

"We know Hermione. Dumbledore told us. When you came out that tomb you caused a tsunami of controversy. Every other portkey worked except yours. It wasn't broken, the tomb just wouldn't let you out." Ashley replies.

Hermione still hasn't opened her eyes. "There must've been an anti-portkey rune in the tomb somewhere."

"No Hermione, there wasn't. There was a rune that allowed you to portkey out, but your tombs one was tampered with." Jessie corrects.

Hermione's eyes shoot open. "Then I was sabotaged."

Seeing Jessie's and Ashley's nod in confirmation Hermione sighs. Their is a break of silence before Hermione notices the warm hand in her hand does not belong to Ashley or Jessie. Looking to the right she sees the missing brunette, uncharacteristically quiet as she holds Hermione's hand. Hermione smiles nervously, hoping she didn't see disappointment or pity in her eyes. Instead she saw care, concern and pride (the latter of which causes her to refrain a blush).

Their small peace is ended when Dominic Van Barr enters the room making a quick beeline to Hermione's bedside. "Dear girl I must apologise for the events of today, had it not been for the portkey situation you would've been out first. I believe the girls have enlightened you on the explanations of why that is not the case."

"Yes sir they have but I had already at least suspected as such." Hermione answers him.

"With your smart thinking, I am not surprised." Dominic smiles warmly at her before addressing the girls.

"Your own conclusions girls."

Ashley coughs and answers. "We thought through the events of today Master and collaboratively we have come to the conclusion that whoever sabotaged Hermione also rigged the Goblet the night she was chosen. Ultimately this means the sabotages are sure to continue into the next two tasks."

"Well state the obvious, a complete imbecile could work out that the saboteur was related to the controversy surrounding the choosing and will continue to sabotage Hermione. What I want to know is why? What are your thoughts on the culprits motives?"

Ashley recoils from the not-so-subtle insult but continues with answering him. "Clearly the saboteur is using the tournament as a way of disposing of Hermione without too much dirt on their hands?"

"Why target Hermione?"

"Possible reasons could be because she is Muggle-born and some former Death Eater wants rid of her kind and doing so in such a public way with all the controversy is a statement to all purebloods and Muggle-born alike that purebloods are still superior. Or... it's about us, the BIA, and somehow they know Hermione is the new candidate to re...to take over from Mackenzie so they kill Hermione of to thwart the plan."

"In which case our suspect list is endless, look at how many threats we've brought down, it could be any one of them." Jessie adds.

Dominic sighs. "You are all missing an important element of this scenario, a man is intelligent enough to tamper with a rune but not perceptive enough to think Hermione could just escape the way she came? That was no unforeseen error, this person is no incompetent imbecile. They don't want her dead, they just wanted to let us know of their existence. If she died it would just be a bonus."

Hermione shudders at that revelation. Hermione almost had died in that tomb, if that is how a dangerous someone says hello then she dreads to think how they say goodbye.

Everyone takes in this information until a feral growl roars out of the girl whose hand occupies her own. "If you know so much about what happened why don't you tell us who is responsible for this? Give me a name and I will murder them with my bare hands."

Hermione's mouth drops, astonished at the hostility and genuine honesty that came with that statement.

Hermione also notices nobody admonishes Alex about a legitimate murder threat.

Dominic turns to the window. "I have a suspicion but no more. A man named Octovius DesMaggio. My childhood best friend"

An; told ya it was long. Who do you suspect/think is the saboteur? Answers in a review please.

I promise the next one will not be as long.

Tbc...Why You Should Never Brawl A Broken Heart?