Chapter 11—The third task
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We were married but our wedding night was a nice snuggles and peaceful sleep. We would let nature take its hormonal course whenever as we were to young right now.
The next morning we got our Hogwarts letters from Tiki and headed to Gringotts for galleons and Diagon alley for a bit of school shopping.
"Harry and Lady Potter nice to see you here at Gringotts." Ragnok was cheerful today.
"Ragnok I'm sorry I didn't give you an invite to the wedding but…"
"Not to worry Harry, you and I are to low in the feeding chain to be invited to such a big bash. Our king and his wife were overjoyed to receive an invite. If I had shown I would most likely be dragon food this morning you as the groom had to be there." It didn't sound like he knew much beyond that it was a very private wedding.
"Well I guess what we need is some paperwork so everyone knows we are married."
"We have already taken care of everything, the Ministry has been notified and Hogwarts had been directed to provide you with married quarters."
While I was still in semi shock Luna just floated along as if it was a normal everyday affair. Everyone seemed to know as Madam Malkin's had the Potter crest ready for our new robes even the stationery shop had parchment ready with the Potter crest. When we arrived at Flourish & Blott's Hermione squealed and gave Luna the Hermione hug. I was relieved that Luna could still breathe after Hermione was finished. When we passed the Weasley clan we did notice the death glares from Molly, Ron and Ginny. What we missed was the headlines that still bantered the escape from Azkaban of Sirius Black. While Luna and I rated a mention it was that we got married and no details. I was wondering how much of the world were not self initiated but directed.
/Scene Break/
We boarded the train and our expanded compartment filled up quickly. Girls and girl talk over Luna being married was the topic. Rings and outfits were discussed but who was there or where it was held seemed a non topic. Finally the train got rolling and to our disappointment Draco showed up. "Got married did you Potter, how stupid. Going to have little half-blood monster popping out soon?"
I had enough!
Draco suddenly found his obnoxious mouth gone. Well if he couldn't talk he couldn't spew his... he waved and pointed for Crab and Goyle to attack so I sent a mild 'confringo' at them. The spell threw them backward to crash into the far wall and slumber land. Rumor said St Mungo had a devil of a time fixing Draco's new problem.
Another hour into the ride to Hogwarts the train stopped so the Dementors could board. That was extremely nice of the conductor to pick up hitchhikers.
I somehow knew that we had Dementors on the train so I slid open the compartment door and stood in the corridor ready to exercise the Deathstick. A number of Dementors were coming down the corridor but suddenly stopped and an ungodly shriek came from them and they left as if the hounds of hell were chasing them.
"Harry it's not nice to scare the Dementors like that." Luna giggled.
Again I replied intelligently, "Huh?"
"You're the master of death, who would not be afraid of you? You are not Beelzebub master but you can control death around you." That made things clear a mud. I needed to have a talk with Luna about all this.
Being a champion I was not required to attend class but I tagged around with Luna as she attended classes. We had our good and bad classes. Snape was always a bad class and we were never sure if he would be sent to harm us from Voldemort or Dumbledore. We were sure if Voldemort or Dumbledore said to give us a big kiss that Snape would have the Draught of Living death on his lips. I wondered if being the master of death I could...naw I was not that...but it is a nice thought.
Luna was something else in the Care of Magical Creatures class. Hagrid could have flobberworms on display but Luna would be off in a corner talking to a fairy or two while some pixies would be playing with her hair. There of course were always a few birds around her which included Hedwig and the creature of the day that came from the forest to sit in the class.
While I was working on spells and curses a lot I had come up with a hobby of sorts. With all the cutting and blasting curses I had cleared a small area in the Forbidden forest. Professor Sprout wouldn't let me have any space in her precious greenhouses but I had the forest. Magic was for what we could do with it and I had Drac. So a few wards for heat and to keep out all the vegetable eaters I had my own garden. Drac was the fertilizer man as they said Dragon dung was the best for growing. Hedwig also helped out. I had done some weed pulling and pruning for my fabulous aunt and uncle so I liked puttering around. While I had some tomatoes and such I started playing around and not like Neville and Sprout did with devil snare and fanged petunias. I thought it would be nice to have a cantaloupe tree or a fruit bush so I experimented and darn if some of it actually worked. Then I got a real surprise. When you start messing around making hybrids plants they won't reproduce. I got real seeds that duplicated my hybrid plants exactly. While Luna loved my fruit she kept insisting I grow a tree with pudding pods. I'm working on it.
Putting off the worst for last it came finally to the third task a stupid maze. Our study group had our last meeting before I had to go in and compete. I had more than enough advice.
"You know they are going to put all kinds of traps in that maze." Daphne smiled while the rest of the study group groaned. Daphne was just a little sarcastic.
"I wonder what else they will have in there." Hermione was curious and had already drug out books on previous tournaments.
"Most likely some of Hagrid's cute pets." Tracey giggled.
"Morgana he had that dragon in his hut you don't think he has another stashed away do you?" Susan cringed.
"No but I'm sure he has something in there you can pet Harry." Hannah cooed as she moved closer to Neville who only added, "Better you than me Mate."
"Yes I imagine the maze will be full of screaming mandrake and devil snare like your greenhouse." I chuckled.
"Speaking of greenhouses, where are you getting all those cantaloupes they are not in season yet you bring them in by the bucket load." Neville asked.
Sprout and Neville had been curious beyond belief and after planting one of the seeds and got a tree they were after me like crazy. Their first batch of melons should be about due. I already had the Goblins do a patent on those and a few other hybrids I had developed. Most likely it would be making me a few galleons in a few months.
/Scene Break/
"Wormtail!"
"Yes Master"
"Since my most loyal servant was dispatched I want you to prepare for ritual as we planed. I want you to invite Malfoy and Nott Sr. to the ritual. You will do this and then attend the task. Make a portkey of everything in that maze if you have to but bring Potter here, do you understand?"
"Yes Master it shall be done."
"You had better you sniveling pile of rat shit." Voldemort was noted for treating his followers with respect and rewarded faithfully service.
/Scene Break/
Wormtail knew he was not the sharpest tool but he could do something quite well. Making portkeys was one of those gifts. Also he was a sneaky rat and that kept him alive around the Deatheaters and the Dark Lord. He also had mobility. Wormtail could squeeze through a crack or under a door so a thicket maze was not going to slow him down. Wormtail then set up his cages at two locations and then waited for the task to begin.
/Scene Break/
The crowd was betting very intensely, many vials were to be made for the right bets. Clotho's daughter's husband was up against other mortals. Would Clotho interfere or help? Who would win and who would lose. The betting grew fiercer.
/Scene Break/
The cannon roared and Krum entered the maze, he had the highest score so far in the tournament. He had just stumbled in when his eye caught the glimmer of gold. He grabbed the galleon that lay on the ground and found himself in a cage in a dark room. When he finally broke out he would find himself in London and out of the contest.
The cannon roared and Diggory entered the maze. Being the upstanding young lad that he was... he would rue that trait in a few minutes. He heard the cannon announcing that Fleur was now in the running. Shortly another cannon blast announced the Potter was in the running. The scream of a female that he knew had to be a damsel in distress caused him to backtrack. He found Fleur on the ground. Looking around he found nothing so he touched her to turn her over and they both disappeared to a cage in Livermore. Unfortunately it was days before Fleur let him out of the cage. How unfortunate is how you looked at it.
/Scene Break/
I am finding this just a bit too easy. The Boggart was not a problem but the arrow with the word Sphinx written underneath I did take as a warning. A bad feeling just hung over the maze as far as I was concerned. The Blast-Ended-Skrewt will no longer bother anyone as it is jelly and it armor plating in pieces thanks to the deathstick. Then there was no doubt that things were bad when an arrow pinned to the hedge had "Acromantula" written on it. That's when the invisibility cloak went on and I invoked the stealth mode.
Arriving at the tri-wizard cup I was sure it was at trap but I am dumb and foolish and just had to see what was going to happen. I used a few detection spell and found that it wasn't a bomb but was a portkey.
The portkey aka tri-wizard cup clanged against the far bars of the cage that I fell into. I never did well with wizard travel. As I fell several stunners flew over my prone body. With my cloak being on and being invisible cause some confusion to the attackers. That gave me time to look around as I lay in the cage. There was a large cauldron bubbling in a graveyard. Two Deatheaters had wands pointed at my cage. Then there came a discussing looking person carrying a even more discussing looking baby monstrosity.
"Wormtail where is he?" squeaked the baby thing. I had now 'slid' out of the cage and off to the side.
Enough I thought, "Confringo, Diffindo, Reducto, tela argenti" and anything else I could think of I threw at the four, I cast as fast as I could.
Malfoy's head fell to the ground, Nott's exploded, and the cauldron took off rolling down the hill as I missed the two discussing beings. Well maybe they got a shield up as I wasn't just standing around as I threw the curses. The contingency of Aurors that showed up seconds later almost got terminated. That's when I got some stress relief as they opened up on me, the guy who was stupid and removed his cloak.
The next group of six that arrived were more into talking. That's when Madam Bones the head of DMLE was called and I spent a while answering questions and making official statements. While the first group of Aurors were revived. I had during this time being interviewed I had levitated the cup around where ever they wanted me to go. Dumbledore showed up and started his repertoire as Chief Warlock and wanted my wand.
"Mr. Dumbledore, here, take the cup as it belongs to the school and levitated it into his hands. The portkey activated and sent him back to Hogwarts. Madam Bones was giggling.
"We are done here Harry and thank you for your time. You may want to find a way out before Albus returns." She may have been surprised when I disappeared; I hope Dumbledore was when he got back.
I of course 'slid' to the school and Luna. Mad wives are not fun. I got a load of kisses and hugs so it made it all better.
So in the Great Hall I told the story, "and then the two creepy creeps 'apperated' away.
"Who do you think they where." Hermione queried.
"Not the foggiest Hermione I just hope I don't run into them anytime soon as they are so ugly they would ruin anyone's appetite."
Again not being the Einstein of Hogwarts I missed the looks on half of Slytherin house and a handful of others in different houses. They knew that morning that it had to do with the Dark Lord. Not much later the Dailey Profit arrived with the headlines,
"BOY WHO LIVE DECAPITATES LEADING CITIZEN"
"Way to go Harry you got Malfoy!" Ron shouted in the Great Hall.
"Don't forget he got Nott also" yelled Dean Thomas.
Gryffindor should be renamed the house of the stupid. About that time half of House Slytherin stood up and left the hall.
"You best watch your back Harry." Daphne stated as she slid in next to me. We were also joined by Tracey and Zabini.
"Daphne is right, Malfoy is a boob but he has to do something to you, it's like pureblood oath or something." Tracey said before she chomped into a chicken leg.
Silence hit the immediate area as Luna made a statement, "You best tell those in the Slytherin house that messing with Harry is messing with death himself. Their end will come, even faster if they try for revenge." Whether it was the words or the sane way Luna delivered it was debatable.
Even though I had only said I was attacked and not by whom, the kook at the Dailey Profit started attacks on me in the paper. She declared that my rumors of Deatheater activity and the return of the Dark Lord all a hoax.
