Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters.

A/N: Thanks to MaeSilverpaws1, who is beta-ing this story.

Chapter One Hundred Three

The Dream

After returning to the common room, Harry told the others that his next task was going to be a maze and he would need to learn spell to help him get through it. Harry didn't fall asleep until late into the night since they had all stayed up discussing what he would learn. By the time he got to bed his head was buzzing with everything and though he knew the task was a month away, he couldn't seem to be able to shut his mind off and go to sleep.

"Did you get any sleep at all, Harry?" Hermione asked when she saw him yawning as he came down the stairs.

"A little," Harry shrugged; he had woken up at least, though he didn't feel like he had any rest.

"Are you worried about the task?" Hermione asked; he had seemed so confident last night.

"I don't think it's that," Harry shrugged, as they started walking to the Great Hall for breakfast. "I'm nervous but excited at the same time … you know."

"Starting to think you might actually win this thing after all," Ron suggested.

"I must admit that I finally feel like I might have a chance," Harry agreed. "But that started to make me worry a little last night …"

"So you are worried," Hermione said.

"Not about the task," Harry said. "More about why I'm in this tournament in the first place. Someone put me into this tournament and now that I've gotten through the first two tasks and know the last one is a maze … I don't know. Something doesn't seem to add up."

"So what you're telling me, the tournament isn't challenging enough for you," Ron said.

"No … not at all," Harry shook his head. "It's been very difficult and without everyone's help I'm not sure I'd be here right now. But even with that, nothing has happened to explain why someone wanted me in the tournament."

"So what do you think is going to happen … there's going to be … er … like some terrifying monster in the maze?" Ron asked.

Harry shrugged; he didn't really know what he thought. He just knew that as he started drifting off last night he'd had these thoughts run through his head. At the time, it didn't seem to be much to worry about but now that he was actually talking about it out loud with his friend, the apprehensive feeling in his gut only grew. "I was just hoping by now we would have some clue as to why I'm in the tournament."

"I don't know if we can figure that out, Harry," Hermione said gravely. "There's only so much we can do here at Hogwarts …"

"I know," Harry mumbled, and yawned again, "it's just annoying."

"Still, the best we can do to prepare you for the task … even if there is more to it … is for us to learn as many spells as we can," Hermione said.

Harry nodded his head, that was true, but it made him think of his game plan from the beginning. Just get through the task and we'll figure out why you were entered into the tournament later. It was a good game plan as far as the tournament was concerned but right now he felt as if it left something to be desire. He was sure by the end of the last task he'll know why he was entered into the tournament whether he figured it out or not and he didn't like that feeling at all. But Hermione was right, he had nothing to go on to figure out who, why, or how he was entered and he didn't have time to waste to think about it.

He went through the day without really taking in much of the lessons he was supposed to be learning. Half the time he was thinking about the problem with the tournament, and half the time his struggled to keep his eyes open and Hermione had to elbow him to keep him for falling to sleep. He had no such help during Ancient Runes since Hermione wasn't there to wake him up, and after a few minutes he was struggling to keep his eyes open …

He was suddenly soaring through the sky on the back of a eagle owl into an house … the wind on his face had felt nice but as soon as he was in the house he noticed two figures. One was a huge snake and the other a short balding man who seemed to be whimpering on the floor.

Then there was a cold, high pitch voice, "you are in luck, Wormtail. You are very fortunate indeed. Your blunder has not ruined everything. He is dead."

"My Lord!" Wormtail gasped from his position on the floor. "My Lord, I am … I am so pleased … and so sorry …"

"Nagini," the cold voice spoke to the snake now and though Harry couldn't see him from the depths of the chair he was in, he could still tell that the voice wasn't impressed by the man, "you are out of luck. I will not be feeding Wormtail to you after all … but never mind, never mind … there is still Harry Potter …" the snake hissed. "Now Wormtail, perhaps one more little reminder why I will not tolerate another blunder from you …"

"My Lord … no … I beg you …"

The tip of a wand emerged from the back of the chair and the cold voice, with a relish tone, said, "Crucio!"

Harry's eyes opened as pain shot through his forehead, a fleeting imagine of Wormtail withering on the floor passed through his mind.

"Harry … are you okay?" Hannah asked tentatively.

"Head ache," Harry mumbled now kneeing his forehead that was throbbing like it had at the beginning of the summer when he had that other dream. "Professor, can I go to the hospital wing?"

"Very well, Mr. Potter, you may go," Professor Babbling said looking at him with concern but also a little annoyed with the disruption in her class.

Harry shot out of his seat and left the room quickly, but he was not heading for the hospital wing, but to Dumbledore's office. He was sure that this was something that Dumbledore would want to hear about seeing as he knew that this dream was likely to be just as real as the last one when his scar hurt. The dream also did nothing but make his growing concern about the tournament worse.

It took Harry a few tries to open the door to the stairwell to Dumbledore's office but eventually Harry was standing in front of the door on top of the stairs and using the brass door knocker.

"Come in," he heard Dumbledore's voice say. The headmaster's eyes sparkled with curious amusement when he saw Harry. "Ah, Harry, what do I owe the pleasure … if I'm not mistaken you are supposed to be in Ancient Runes right now."

"Yes sir, but I had a … dream," Harry said, not sure what he should call the vision he just had.

"I see," Dumbledore expression turned thoughtful, "a dream like you had this summer?"

"Yes sir," Harry nodded and then told Dumbledore everything he could remember seeing and hearing. Dumbledore listened to everything he had to say, occasionally asking him to repeat something to get more details on what had happened.

"Thank you for telling me this, Harry," Dumbledore sighed, looking thoughtful and grave.

"Do you know who they were talking about?" Harry asked. "The man that has died … or was killed?"

"I cannot be sure, but I do know of someone that is missing," Dumbledore frowned, "and he is someone that has been involved with things here at Hogwarts … though perhaps I should not narrow my suspicions to him alone …" he added seeming to be talking to himself.

"Who's missing, sir?" Harry asked.

"Barty Crouch," Dumbledore sighed, his mind seemed to be only half on the conversation.

"How long has he been missing?" Harry asked alarmed.

"Only a few days," Dumbledore said, "though from what I've heard and seen, he has not been himself for a while and he had stopped going into work starting in December. It is not like him at all to miss work."

"How do you know he's missing?" Harry asked next.

"It seems like Barty has been sending young Percy Weasley instruction for the last few months until two days ago," Dumbledore explained. "When Percy went to check on his boss, he found no one there …" he sighed there, "I still don't understand everything … but it's suspicious."

Harry nodded his head, it sounded suspicious to him too, but he had another question he wanted to ask. "Sir, do you think that Voldemort was the one that entered me into the tournament?"

"I don't think he did it personally," Dumbledore answered, "but there is a high possibility that he is the one that's behind it, for it is clear he is planning something to do with you."

"Do you have any idea who put my name in the Goblet?" Harry asked next, this conversation seemed to do nothing but make him nervous. Maybe if Dumbledore could give him a name or theory he would feel better.

"Sadly, that remains a mystery to me still," Dumbledore sighed. "I cannot think of one person that had access to the Goblet that seemed likely to put your name in there. Naturally, I had still checked into the situation, but nothing has proven to change my original opinion. However, Severus has informed me that Boomslang and lacewing flies have been taken from his stores … those are ingredients that are used to make …"

"Polyjuice potion!" Harry exclaimed and a flash of amused entered Dumbledore's eyes before his expression went back to grim.

"Precisely," Dumbledore said.

"When were the supplies stolen?" Harry asked.

"Within the first week of February," Dumbledore said.

"Do you think the person who stole the supplies is the same person that put my name in the Goblet?" Harry asked.

"That is my current theory," Dumbledore sighed, "which is not a very comforting thought as it would mean that someone has been impersonating someone else and I have yet to figure out who it is."

Harry frowned, hearing that Dumbledore was having trouble finding the person made him feel uneasy. And yet at the same time it made him realize that no matter how powerful and smart Dumbledore was he doesn't know everything which was most relieving. If Dumbledore couldn't figure this out, he didn't feel as bad that he hadn't yet either.

"I wish I had more answers for you, Harry, so I could put your worries to rest," Dumbledore sighed, "but I advise you to try not to think too much about this …"

"That's easier said than done," Harry sighed.

"Which is understandable," Dumbledore allowed, "but it's more important for you to be prepare for what is coming."

"Are you taking about the final task or something else?" Harry asked.

"Both," Dumbledore said.

That was what Harry was afraid of.

O

"That was better, Harry," Fred said.

"Right," Harry said breathlessly. Harry had called a meeting after his talk with Dumbledore, telling them what happened. After Harry had finished telling them, Hermione showed them the list of curses that they had been talking about. Harry first decided to learn the list, which took him about a week to do … or at least learn the basic of the spells. Now that he had that, he had come up with the idea of making the Room of Requirement turn into a maze that he would have to get through. Instead of the creatures and enchantments he would have to face, his friends would think of ways to test him. This last time, when Fred had thrown the tickling curse at him, his shield charmed hadn't been as strong as it should be and he found himself on the ground laughing.

"Finite Incantatem," Fred said and then smiled at Harry, "at least you had time to cast the shield charm this time."

"Whatever," Harry sighed.

"Maybe we should practice on just the spells again," Hermione said as the maze disappeared and his friends were revealed.

Harry frown, thinking about what would be best. She had a point that he probably could work on the spells more to perfect them, but at the same time he knew it was important for him to know how he would instinctively used the spells.

"Practice the spells more, mate," Ron said noticing Harry's expression. "You've always been good at reacting to things."

"Good point," Harry nodded taking his friend's advice but he knew that he was going to try to get back into the maze as soon as possible. He was sure that was the key to help him deal with whatever he was about to face.