Part 60

Cedric and his parents were just inside the door. Viktor Krum was over in a corner, conversing with his dark-haired mother and father in rapid Bulgarian. He had inherited his fathers hooked nose. On the other side of the room, Fleur was jabbering away in French to her mother. Fleur's little sister, Gabrielle, was holding her mother's hand. She waved at Harry, who waved back, grinning. Then he saw his parents and Sirius.

"Surprise!" Sirius called happily. "Thought we'd come and watch you Prongslet!" He pulled Harry into a tight hug. Harry grinned and hugged him back. Then James gave him a long hug and lastly his mother gave him a hug and a kiss.

"How are you feeling", she asked worriedly. "Have your scar been hurting? Have you had anymore bad dreams?"

"I'm fine mum, no pain and no dreams", Harry soothed. "Uncle Moony has kept an eye on me along with Dorian, Blaise and my friends."

"Good", Sirius said.

"And what of He Who Must Not Be Named?" James asked.

"Nothing dad", Harry said.

"Good, now show us around kiddo."

"So bossy", Sirius teased and got a slap up the head. "Ow!" Harry just grinned, grabbed Sirius' arm and dragged him out of the chamber. They did not get very far however. As soon as they left the Great Hall they ran into Cedric and his parents. As soon as they met them Amos Diggory turned to Harry.

"There you are, are you?" he said, looking Harry up and down. "Bet you're not feeling quite as full of yourself now Cedric's caught you up on points, are you?"

"What?" said Harry.

"Ignore him," said Cedric in a low voice to Harry, frowning after his father. "He's been angry ever since Rita Skeeter's article about the Triwizard Tournament - you know, when she made out you were the only Hogwarts champion."

"Didn't bother to correct her, though, did he?" said Amos Diggory, loudly enough for Harry to hear. "Still.. you'll show him, Ced. Beaten him once before, haven't you?"

"Rita Skeeter goes out of her way to cause trouble, Amos!" Lily said angrily. "I would have thought you'd know that, working at the Ministry!"

Mr. Diggory looked as though he was going to say something angry, but his wife laid a hand on his arm.

"No let him speak", a calm voice said and Harry grinned when he noticed Remus coming towards him with Dorian, in wolf-form, at his side. "I am sure we are all dying to know what you wanted to tell Lily."

"I have nothing to say to you Lupin", Amos Diggory spat.

"Well good because all you need to do is listen. You are here as a guest and if I or any other professor find out you have somehow insulted or hurt Harry and his family you will be escorted off the Hogwarts grounds either by a teacher, Moody or Dorian here." At the mention of his name Dorian barked happily.

"Are you threatening me Lupin?"

"It is Professor Taylor-Lupin to you sir", Remus said calmly and then turned to Harry. "Now Harry were you not supposed to show your parents and their tag-along around?"

"I sure was Professor!" Harry said happily.

"Oi! Who do you call a tag-along", Sirius objected, but Harry happily pulled him out of the Hall. Lily smiled at Remus and then left. The Diggorys left as well and Remus looked at Dorian.

"Are you sure the potion will be done by tonight?" he asked and Dorian barked. "Good, with Amos here we also have more Ministry witnesses. Let's make sure he doesn't get himself kicked out." With a happy bark Dorian ran after the Diggorys. Remus chuckled and followed as well.

Harry had a very enjoyable morning walking over the sunny grounds with his family, showing them the Beauxbatons carriage and the Durmstrang ship. James and Sirius told him about what was going at the Ministry. They had run into Arthur Weasley a few days ago along with Percy.

"How's Percy?" Harry asked as they walked around the greenhouses.

"Not good," Sirius admitted.

"He's very upset," James explained, lowering her voice and glancing around. "The Ministry wants to keep Mr. Crouch's disappearance quiet, but Percy's been hauled in for questioning about the instructions Mr. Crouch has been sending in. Our co-workers seem to think there's a chance they weren't genuinely written by him. Percy's been under a lot of strain. They're not letting him fill in for Mr. Crouch as the fifth judge tonight. Cornelius Fudge is going to be doing it."

"Might be a good idea if we are going to pull our plans off tonight." Sirius grumbled and Lily elbowed him.

"Quiet, we don't know who is listening", she said.

"What plans?" Harry asked.

"A little truth telling", was all his father said and Harry got it. Remus and Dorian were going to use the potion Dorian had been brewing against Dumbledore tonight. They would finally get the truth from him and with both Amos Diggory and Fudge there… no one could accuse them of lying. Harry grinned. His parents and uncles really were the most sneaky people there is.

They returned to the castle for lunch.

"Mr. and Mrs. Potter! Sirius?!" Neville exclaimed, looking stunned, as he joined the Gryffindor table. "What're you doing here?"

"Come to watch Harry in the last task!" said Lily brightly. "I must say, it makes a lovely change, not having to cook. How was your exam?"

"Oh... okay," said Neville. "Couldn't remember all the goblin rebels' names, though."

"Should've done what we did", Sirius said with a grin. "We invented a few. They're all called stuff like Bodrod the Bearded and Urg the Unclean."

"If memory serves me you did not get away with it", Lily scolded and the kids laughed while James and Sirius blushed.

"Hi", a voice said beside Harry and he felt someone kiss his cheek. He grinned and turned to Blaise as the other boy sat down.

"Uh hum", Sirius and James said and Blaise turned to them.

"Did I do something wrong", Blaise asked politely. "I hope I was not being disrespectful."

"Not at all dear", Lily asked. "How are you?"

"I'm fine Mrs. Potter."

"Blaise dear you know you can call me Lily."

"Yes ma'am."

"Wow you are Sirius Black!" a happy voice said and Tracey plopped down next to Sirius. "I didn't get a chance to look at you up close last time you were here. Is it true your family burnt your face off of the Family Tree but you still inherited everything because they forgot to put you out of the will?"

"Yes", Sirius replied while blinking confused.

"Wow! I wish I had cool relatives like that. Well mum is alright, as is dad but their relatives are sooooo boring. The other month they tried to arrange a marriage between me and some Ravenclaw dork!"

"Who is this girl", Sirius whispered to James who just shrugged.

"Ignore her", Daphne said calmly. "She is high on sugar."

"Who in their right mind gave her sugar?" Blaise groaned.

"Sorry", Theo said when Daphne glared at him. "But she gave me the look!"

"How many times have we told you to ignore the look?"

"Have you tried it recently!? She's upped her game!"

James, Sirius and Lily stared at the four Slytherins eating at the Gryffindor table without anyone objecting. They knew Harry had mentioned spending more time with the Snakes, but not like this. Everyone seemed to be used to it. Theo soon got tired of getting scolded and turned to Dean and Seamus to talk about Quidditch while Tracey talked away with Lavender and Parvati. Daphne and Neville started discussing exams and Harry and Blaise just small talked.

"Hogwarts is more bonkers now than when we were students here", James said and Sirius agreed.

"I wouldn't call it bonkers Mr. Potter", Blaise cut in and James and Sirius turned to him. "If you are referring to the fact that Snakes and Lions can enjoy a meal together I do not call it bonkers. I call it progress."

"Hmph…"

Harry laughed and continued to enjoy lunch with his friends and family. The thought of the tournament seamed far away, as well as the thoughts of any trouble and not until Hermione turned up, halfway through lunch, did he remember that she had had a brainwave about Rita Skeeter.

"Are you going to tell us-?"

Hermione shook her head warningly and glanced at Harry's parents.

"Hello, Hermione," said Lily and smiled.

"Hello," said Hermione.

Harry and his family whiled away the afternoon with a long walk around the castle, and then returned to the Great Hall for the evening feast. Ludo Bagman and Cornelius Fudge had joined the staff table now. Bagman looked quite cheerful, but Cornelius Fudge, who was sitting next to Madame Maxime, looked stern and was not talking. Madame Maxime was concentrating on her plate, and Harry thought her eyes looked red. Hagrid kept glancing along the table at her. Harry also noticed Dorian and Remus looking quite tense tonight. Jem was looking out the window every chance she got. Something was going on, but what?

There were more courses than usual, but Harry, who was starting to feel really nervous now, didn't eat much. As the enchanted ceiling overhead began to fade from blue to a dusky purple, Dumbledore rose to his feet at the staff table, and silence fell.

"Ladies and gentlemen, in five minutes' time, I will be asking you to make your way down to the Quidditch field for the third and final task of the Triwizard Tournament. Will the champions please follow Mr. Bagman down to the stadium now. "

Harry got up. The Gryffindors all along the table were applauding him; his family and Hermione and Neville all wished him good luck, and he headed off out of the Great Hall with Cedric, Fleur, and Viktor. But before he could leave Blaise ran up to him and gave him a hug. Harry smiled and hugged him back.

"Good luck", Blaise whispered.

"I got this", Harry whispered back.

"Just… be careful."

"I promise."

Blaise nodded and withdrew. Daphne, Theo and Tracey gave Harry the thumbs up as he looked at them. He then smiled and left.

"Feeling all right. Harry?" Bagman asked as they went down the stone steps onto the grounds. "Confident?"

"I'm okay," said Harry. It was sort of true; he was nervous, but he kept running over all the hexes and spells he had been practicing in his mind as they walked, and the knowledge that he could remember them all made him feel better. Dorian appeared at his side and trotted by happily. They walked onto the Quidditch field, which was now completely unrecognizable. A twenty-foot-high hedge ran all the way around the edge of it. There was a gap right in front of them: the entrance to the vast maze. The passage beyond it looked dark and creepy.

Five minutes later, the stands had begun to fill; the air was full of excited voices and the rumbling of feet as the hundreds of students filed into their seats. The sky was a deep, clear blue now, and the first stars were starting to appear. Hagrid, Moody, Professor McGonagall, Remus and Professor Flitwick came walking into the stadium and approached Bagman and the champions. They were wearing large, red, luminous stars on their hats, all except Hagrid, who had his on the back of his moleskin vest.

"We are going to be patrolling the outside of the maze," said Professor McGonagall to the champions. "If you get into difficulty, and wish to be rescued, send red sparks into the air, and one of us will come and get you, do you understand?"

The champions nodded.

"Don't worry we will be able to see them no matter how far in you are", Remus reassured. "And Dorian will patrol as well. He will be able to dive headfirst into the maze to save you should you need it." Dorian transformed and Harry grinned when he saw that Dorian had a bag slung over his shoulder.

"If you are hurt I will give you first aid", he said happily. "Or whatever you wizards and witches call it. Have you guys got everything?" Harry noticed Cedric checking his pockets and did the same. He nearly jumped when he felt something furry. His face darkened a little. They still didn't trust him! Peter Pettigrew was hiding in his pocket in rat form! Harry looked around to make sure no one was looking at him. He gripped the rat and looked at it.

"Sorry Uncle Pete", he whispered and the rat stared at him. Harry then hurriedly put him down in a barrel standing close and shut the lid. Dorian noticed him move.

"You okay Harry?" he asked and Harry nodded.

"Just lost my balance", he said. Dorian looked at him suspiciously but then shrugged and transformed again.

"Off you go, then!" said Bagman brightly to the patrollers.

"Good luck. Harry," Hagrid whispered, and the teachers, Moody and Dorian walked away in different directions, to station themselves around the maze. Bagman now pointed his wand at his throat, muttered, "Sonorus," and his magically magnified voice echoed into the stands.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the third and final task of the Triwizard Tournament is about to begin! Let me remind you how the points currently stand! Tied in first place, with eighty-five points each - Mr. Cedric Diggory and Mr. Harry Potter, of Hogwarts School and the School of the Fullmoon!" The cheers and applause sent birds from the Forbidden Forest fluttering into the darkening sky. "In second place, with eighty points - Mr. Viktor Krum, of Durmstrang Institute!" More applause. "And in third place - Miss Fleur Delacour, of Beauxbatons Academy!"

Harry could just make out his family, Blaise, his friends, Neville and Hermione applauding Fleur politely, halfway up the stands. He waved up at them, and they waved back, beaming at him.

"So... on my whistle, Harry and Cedric!" said Bagman. "Three, two, one!"

He gave a short blast on his whistle, and Harry and Cedric hurried forward into the maze.

The towering hedges cast black shadows across the path, and, whether because they were so tall and thick or because they had been enchanted, the sound of the surrounding crowd was silenced the moment they entered the maze. Harry felt almost as though he were underwater again. He pulled out his wand, muttered, "Lumos," and heard Cedric do the same just behind him. After about fifty yards, they reached a fork. They looked at each other.

"See you," Harry said, and he took the left one, while Cedric took the right.

Harry heard Bagman's whistle for the second time. Krum had entered the maze. Harry sped up. His chosen path seemed completely deserted. He turned right, and hurried on, holding his wand high over his head, trying to see as far ahead as possible. Still, there was nothing in sight. Bagman's whistle blew in the distance for the third time. All of the champions were now inside. Harry kept looking behind him. The old feeling that he was being watched was upon him. The maze was growing darker with every passing minute as the sky overhead deepened to navy. He reached a second fork.

"Point Me," he whispered to his wand, holding it flat in his palm.

The wand spun around once and pointed toward his right, into solid hedge. That way was north, and he knew that he needed to go northwest for the centre of the maze. The best he could do was to take the left fork and go right again as soon as possible.

"Remy this is boring", Dorian said as he transformed back. "We have no way of seeing anything inside!"

"We don't need to see", Remus replied calmly. "We just need to be there if we need to."

"It would be much easier if I was allowed to go inside the maze."

"And be accused of cheating?"

"Rather that than leaving those four kids alone in there. Who knows what Dumb-eh-door has put in there?"

"Probably something that he will explain away as: 'showing true heart'."

"But what if this is… something else."

"What do you mean?" Remus kept walking and Dorian walked beside him. They looked up at the moon, it seemed… darker than usual. What had Jemima said, the moon would be dark this summer? Both werewolves grabbed each other's hand as they looked at it. Something was going to happen tonight, and it was something bad. They looked at each other.

"Remy…" Dorian said sternly. "What if this is the return of Old and Warts?"

"What do you mean?" Remus asked again.

"You all keep talking about him always trying to come back… what if this is it?"

"How?"

"I don't know! I'm not the wizard. I thought that if you got killed you died! Yet this Dark Lord keeps trying to come back. So far he has done so at least twice… that we know of."

"Yes, in Harry's first year at Hogwarts Voldemort lived like a parasite on Professor Quirrell."

"The year after it was that diary thingy with the Chamber of Surfeits."

"Secrets", Remus corrected.

"I thought that sounded weird! Anyway that old geezer keeps trying to come back and he has done so at least twice. Last year he didn't but that teacher… the one with the glasses and future and disasters and stuff…"

"Trelawney?"

"Her yes, she told Harry about some future mumbo jumbo about darkness on two fronts right?"

"Yes… where are you going with this?"

"I know I have been down this path before but hear me out… what if Dumb and Warts are working together… well at least Dumb does and Warts doesn't know?"

"You lost me."

"I still think it's weird that when Harry starts here the Philosopher's Stone is placed here as well. As well as a teacher Dumb suspects is connected to Warts. Why would Dumb put that man here along with a stone that could heal Warts at the same time as Harry got here? Easy! He wants Warts to come back! He wants Harry here to be able to fight him to weaken him so that Dumbs can destroy him! When that didn't work he had to think of another way. But the Chamber opened."

"James believes Lucius Malfoy was behind that."

"Maybe he was, but Dumbs used that for his own benefit. This place is filled with paintings that 'live' right? One must have seen something. They all report to him right?"

"That's right."

"So they see what Ginny does and he finds out about the diary. Ginny is not important to him so he doesn't mind her doing this. He figures she will die to give Warts life. If it happened he could blame Malfoy, perfect scapegoat. That's why he didn't fight the decision to remove him from his headmaster seat. Malfoy was the one that pressed for that decision and he gave Ginny that book. So if Warts came back, Harry weakened him and Dumbs defeated him Dumbs could blame it all on Malfoy. He'd get away with everything! We never know what he planned for last year because you were here and refused to be another pawn."

"Which I had already been."

"Yes but that didn't work due to Hagrid and dumb luck. I still believe his plan was for you to raise Harry, teach him everything and then die."

"Why though? I know you said Dumbledore wants to be the one to defeat Voldemort as well as ruling the world."

"I still believe it."

"It makes little sense… the whole ruling the world thing."

"But everything else sounds legit right?" Dorian gave his husband puppy-dog eyes.

"Yes love. It makes perfect sense."

Dorian whooped and grinned. Then the grin slid off his face.

"There's one thing that bothers me though", he said.

"What?" Remus asked.

"Why now?"

"Why now what?"

"Why hold this stupid cup now? I mean you said it has been banned for a very long time. So why now? Why this year? Why not the year before that or the year before that? Why now?"

"I'm not sure… but I bet it has to do with Harry."

"Of course it does, it always involves Harry. Just… why now? If they want to get rid of him wouldn't it be easier to do it when no one would suspect foul play and he isn't surrounded by the most powerful wizards in the country?"

"I am sure you have an idea."

"As a matter of fact I do. They want to spread fear. When they show they can get him right under our noses… under the noses of the most powerful wizards and witches there are. Getting him here would prove they are something to be afraid of."

"And who are they?"

"I'm… not sure…" Dorian said and scratched his neck. Then they both spun around as red sparks shot up at the sky.

A little while earlier Harry took a left path and hit a dead end, a right, and hit another; forcing himself to stop, heart hammering, he performed the Four-Point Spell again, backtracked, and chose a path that would take him northwest. He had been hurrying along the new path for a few minutes, when he heard something in the path running parallel to his own that made him stop dead.

"What are you doing?" yelled Cedric's voice. "What the hell d'you think you're doing?"

And then Harry heard Krum's voice.

"Crucio!"

The air was suddenly full of Cedric's yells. Horrified, Harry began sprinting up his path, trying to find a way into Cedric's. When none appeared, he tried the Reductor Curse again. It wasn't very effective, but it burned a small hole in the hedge through which Harry forced his leg, kicking at the thick brambles and branches until they broke and made an opening; he struggled through it, tearing his robes, and looking to his right, saw Cedric jerking and twitching on the ground, Krum standing over him. Harry pulled himself up and pointed his wand at Krum just as Krum looked up. Krum turned and began to run.

"Stupefy!" Harry yelled.

The spell hit Krum in the back; he stopped dead in his tracks, fell forward, and lay motionless, facedown in the grass. Harry-dashed over to Cedric, who had stopped twitching and was lying there panting, his hands over his face.

"Are you all right?" Harry said roughly, grabbing Cedric's arm.

"Yeah," panted Cedric. "Yeah… I don't believe it… he crept up behind me. I heard him, I turned around, and he had his wand on me."

Cedric got up. He was still shaking. He and Harry looked down at Krum.

"I can't believe this. I thought he was all right," Harry said, staring at Krum.

"So did I," said Cedric.

"Did you hear Fleur scream earlier?" said Harry.

"Yeah," said Cedric. "You don't think Krum got her too?"

"I don't know," said Harry slowly.

"Should we leave him here?" Cedric muttered.

"No," said Harry. "I reckon we should send up red sparks. Someone'll come and collect him, otherwise he'll probably be eaten by a skrewt. "

"He'd deserve it," Cedric muttered, but all the same, he raised his wand and shot a shower of red sparks into the air, which hovered high above Krum, marking the spot where he lay. Harry thought it was weird. Krum had seemed like a really good guy. Harry noticed Cedric looking deep in thought as well.

"Something weird is going on", Harry said. "I mean… he's never giving any shine of being a cheating jerk… has he?"

"No never", Cedric said. "I mean… he didn't… well he looked weird."

"What do you mean?"

"His gaze was kind of… dead. Like he was bewitched."

"But… who…" Harry remembered what his uncles had been talking about as well as Moody. Someone had gotten Harry into the competition to get rid of him. Maybe this was their way?

"Well", Cedric said and cut through Harry's musings. "I s'pose we'd better go on."

"What?" said Harry. "Oh! Yeah right."

It was an odd moment. He and Cedric had been briefly united against Krum - now the fact that they were opponents came back to Harry. The two of them proceeded up the dark path without speaking, then Harry turned left, and Cedric right. Cedric's footsteps soon died away.

Harry moved on, continuing to use the Four-Point Spell, making sure he was moving in the right direction. It was between him and Cedric now. His desire to reach the cup first was now burning stronger than ever, but he could hardly believe what he'd just seen Krum do. The use of an Unforgivable Curse on a fellow human being meant a life term in Azkaban, that was what Moody had told them. Krum surely couldn't have wanted the Triwizard Cup that badly. Harry sped up.

"He's been stunned", Remus said and looked at the young man at his feet. Dorian was crouching next to Krum's prone body. He was poking him with a stick. "Stop that!"

"He can't feel it", Dorian said.

"No but he can see you doing it…" Remus pulled his wand and broke the spell on Krum. Viktor sat up and looked around he started speaking very fast in his own language.

"Viktor", Remus tried to calm him. "Viktor!"

"I didn't mean!" Viktor said almost panicked. "I vas not able to stop. His voice told me to!"

"Who's voice?"

"He said I had to make sure Harry von, no matter vot. I hurt Fleur. I did not mean it!"

"Calm down Viktor", Remus said and put a hand on his shoulder. "Are you saying you were bewitched?"

"Yes! They threw curse on me and I hurt Fleur! Ve must find her!"

"Right." Remus said and nodded. "Do you think you can show me where you were?"

"Yes!" Viktor said and dashed down the maze. Remus followed. Dorian was about to do it as well when he felt something in the pocket of his jacket.

"What's this?" he said and pulled out the parchment. "You sending me love notes Remy? Huh judged by the size it is more of a love essay…" He unfolded it. "What the… Oooooooh this is that Marble's Map Remus had last year! What is it doing here… oooh yeah Harry dropped it and I picked it up. Wait what's that… that can't be right I thought he was dead…" He looked at the map. "Weird. Hey Remy come have a look at this?" He got no reply. "Remy?" he looked up. He was all alone. "Now where did he go? Wait… Harry Potter, Cedric Diggory and Crouch are in the same area… but Crouch is dead. At least we thought so… unless… they did not plan to use this tournament to get Harry killed. They are using it to take him away from here… but why… could it… that potion. No no that would never… could it… I mean it is possible but Jemima said it was forbidden. Then again darkness doesn't care and… if they don't care then that means… oh no!" Dorian put the map in his pocket and quickly transformed. Then he howled, a howl in urgency and warning. Remus twirled around and looked back towards the sound but knew he couldn't run back… he had to help Fleur. Blaise heard it as well and felt Theo grip his hand tightly in support when Blaise tensed up. Jem got up and fixed her glasses, looking at the maze. In the Forbidden Forest the wolf pack started growling and got up. A huge white wolf started running. They had all heard it… the call of danger.

He had to be close now, he had to be. His wand was telling him he was bang on course; as long as he didn't meet anything too horrible, he might have a chance! Harry broke into a run. He had a choice of paths up ahead.

"Point Me!" he whispered again to his wand, and it spun around and pointed him to the right-hand one. He dashed up this one and saw light ahead. The Triwizard Cup was gleaming on a plinth a hundred yards away. Suddenly a dark figure hurtled out onto the path in front of him. Cedric was going to get there first. Cedric was sprinting as fast as he could toward the cup, and Harry knew he would never catch up, Cedric was much taller, had much longer legs. Then Harry saw something immense over a hedge to his left, moving quickly along a path that intersected with his own; it was moving so fast Cedric was about to run into it, and Cedric, his eyes on the cup, had not seen it.

"Cedric!" Harry bellowed. "On your left!"

Cedric looked around just in time to hurl himself past the thing and avoid colliding with it, but in his haste, he tripped. Harry saw Cedric's wand fly out of his hand as a gigantic spider stepped into the path and began to bear down upon Cedric.

"Stupefy!" Harry yelled; the spell hit the spider's gigantic, hairy black body, but for all the good it did, he might as well have thrown a stone at it; the spider jerked, scuttled around, and ran at Harry instead.

"Stupefy! Impedimenta! Stupefy!"

But it was no use - the spider was either so large, or so magical, that the spells were doing no more than aggravating it. Harry had one horrifying glimpse of eight shining black eyes and razor-sharp pincers before it was upon him. He was lifted into the air in its front legs; struggling madly, he tried to kick it; his leg connected with the pincers and next moment he was in excruciating pain. He could hear Cedric yelling "Stupefy!" too, but his spell had no more effect than Harry's - Harry raised his wand as the spider opened its pincers once more and shouted: "Expelliarmus!"

It worked - the Disarming Spell made the spider drop him, but that meant that Harry fell twelve feet onto his already injured leg, which crumpled beneath him. Without pausing to think, he aimed high at the spider's underbelly, as he had done with the skrewt, and shouted "Stupefy!'' just as Cedric yelled the same thing.

The two spells combined did what one alone had not: The spider keeled over sideways, flattening a nearby hedge, and strewing the path with a tangle of hairy legs.

"Harry!" he heard Cedric shouting. "You all right? Did it fall on you?"

"No," Harry called back, panting. He looked down at his leg. It was bleeding freely. He could see some sort of thick, gluey secretion from the spider's pincers on his torn robes. He tried to get up, but his leg was shaking badly and did not want to support his weight. He leaned against the hedge, gasping for breath, and looked around. Cedric was standing feet from the Triwizard Cup, which was gleaming behind him.

"Take it, then," Harry panted to Cedric. "Go on, take it. You're there. "

But Cedric didn't move. He merely stood there, looking at Harry. Then he turned to stare at the cup. Harry saw the longing expression on his face in its golden light. Cedric looked around at Harry again, who was now holding onto the hedge to support himself. Cedric took a deep breath.

"You take it. You should win. That's twice you've saved my neck in here. "

"That's not how it's supposed to work," Harry said. He felt angry; his leg was very painful, he was aching all over from trying to throw off the spider, and after all his efforts, Cedric had beaten him to it.

"The one who reaches the cup first gets the points. That's you. I'm telling you, I'm not going to win any races on this leg. "

Cedric took a few paces nearer to the Stunned spider, away from the cup, shaking his head.

"No," he said.

"Stop being noble," said Harry irritably. "Just take it, then we can get out of here. "

Cedric watched Harry steadying himself, holding tight to the hedge.

"You told me about the dragons," Cedric said. "I would've gone down in the first task if you hadn't told me what was coming. "

"I had help on that too," Harry snapped, trying to mop up his bloody leg with his robes. "You helped me with the egg - we're square. "

"I had help on the egg in the first place," said Cedric.

"We're still square," said Harry, testing his leg gingerly; it shook violently as he put weight on it; he had sprained his ankle when the spider had dropped him.

"You should've got more points on the second task," said Cedric mulishly. "You stayed behind to get all the hostages. I should've done that. "

"I was the only one who was thick enough to take that song seriously!" said Harry bitterly. "Just take the cup!"

"No," said Cedric.

He stepped over the spider's tangled legs to join Harry, who stared at him. Cedric was serious. He was walking away from the sort of glory Hufflepuff House hadn't had in centuries.

"Go on," Cedric said. He looked as though this was costing him every ounce of resolution he had, but his face was set, his arms were folded, he seemed decided.

Harry looked from Cedric to the cup. For one shining moment, he saw himself emerging from the maze, holding it. He saw himself holding the Triwizard Cup aloft, heard the roar of the crowd, saw Cho's face shining with admiration, more clearly than he had ever seen it before… and then the picture faded, and he found himself staring at Cedric's shadowy, stubborn face.

"Both of us," Harry said.

"What?"

"We'll take it at the same time. It's still a Hogwarts victory in a way. We'll tie for it."

Cedric stared at Harry. He unfolded his arms.

"You - you sure?"

"Yeah," said Harry. "Yeah… we've helped each other out, haven't we? We both got here. Let's just take it together."

For a moment, Cedric looked as though he couldn't believe his ears; then his face split in a grin.

"You're on," he said. "Come here. "

He grabbed Harry's arm below the shoulder and helped Harry limp toward the plinth where the cup stood. When they had reached it, they both held a hand out over one of the cup's gleaming handles.

"On three, right?" said Harry. "One - two – thr-"

"NO!" a voice shouted and both of them stared as Dorian came flying at them. Cedric withdrew his hand just as Dorian wrapped his arm around Harry. But Harry had just gripped the handle. Instantly, Harry felt a jerk somewhere behind his navel. His feet had left the ground. He could not unclench the hand holding the Triwizard Cup; it was pulling him onward in a howl of wind and swirling colour, Dorian at his side.

TBC