THE POTTER TWINS AND THE TRIWIZARD TOURNAMENT:

CHAPTER 16

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

"Hazel! Over here!" She saw Cedric Diggory moving her hand to direct her.

"What did they do?" She looked over the Quidditch Pitch covered with Hedges.

'Hello there!' called a cheery voice. Ludo Bagman was standing in the middle of the pitch with Krum and Fleur. Harry and Cedric made their way towards them, climbing over the hedges.

'Well, what d'you think?' said Bagman happily, 'Growing nicely, aren't they? Give them a month and Hagrid'll have them twenty foot high. Don't worry,' he added grinning, spotting the less-than-happy expressions on Hazel and Cedric's faces,

'you'll have your Quidditch pitch back to normal once the task is over! Now, I imagine you can guess what we're making here?'

No one spoke for a moment.

Then –

'Maze,' grunted Krum.

'That's right!' said Bagman. 'A maze. The third task's really very straightforward. The Triwizard Cup will be placed in the centre of the maze. The first champion to touch it will receive full marks.'

'We seemply 'ave to get through the maze?'said Fleur.

'There will be obstacles,'said Bagman happily, bouncing on the balls of his feet. 'Hagrid is providing a number of creatures … then there will be spells that must be broken … all that sort of thing, you know. Now, the champions who are leading on points will get a head start into the maze.'

Hazel was standing gaping at the Quidditch pitch. "What have then done?"

She stood there for a few minutes, when Cedric shook her shoulder,

"Let's go!"

"Yeah...Okay!" She turned to go with him.

Fluer and Krum had already left.

"So what do you think?"

"Uh, Huh...Yes, What?" Hazel was dreaming about something.

"What are you thinking about the maze?"

"Nothing, really!" Hazel looked around, Harry was supposed to be here. But he wasn't.

"Ron!" Hermione!" Hazel saw them coming from a little way. "Harry, where is he?"

"He came down, a long time ago," Hermione told her. "He left your books, and his, and then came down to see you!"

"Okayy..." She pointed, "But he's not here!"

"Let's ask Hagrid," Ron suggested, "May be he went over to Hagrid!"

"Maybe!"

Hazel spotted Harry standing with two people, he ran towards them.

"I'll get Dumbledore!"

"Why?"

"Crouch, crazy things, and something about I dunno!" Harry pointed to Krum and Crouch, as raced back to the castle.

You're not … his?' whispered Crouch, his mouth sagging.

"Not who?"

"His!" Crouch's eyes widened and looked scared.

"I am student!" Hazel told him, "At the school."

"Dumbledore's?"

"Yes!"

"I understand why Harry wanted to go get Dumbledore!" Ron snickered.

"Send it, okay, Weatherby! Will you?" Crouch was now talking to the tree.

"You know, something," Ron and Hermione turned to Hazel. "I think it means..."

"Bertha Jorkins, Winky and the thing about the muggle murder of a Gardner."

"He's talking about..."

They heard a thud, as they turned to see Krum on the ground, stunned. Mr Crouch turned to them with the wand, pointed to each of them.

"Uh oh!"

"What do we do?"

"Run!" Ron told them.

"What?"

"Just do it!"

Crouch looked at them, all of them turned and ran the other way. Mr Crouch came after them for a little while, all three of them barely missing his jinxes. Suddenly it all went quietly. Ron stopped to look back,

"He's not here," He huffed, "He's gone!"

Hazel and Hermione turned to look. He was indeed gone. He had seen something they hadn't. It was Dumbledore, and Harry.

"Where is Viktor Krum?" Harry asked them.

"Mr Crouch stunned him." Ron told him.

"Stunned?"

"What did Mr Crouch say?"

Dumbledore said calmly.

All of them repeated what happened with Crouch, with Harry chipping in with details of what happened before. Dumbledore bent over Krum again, pointed his wand at him, and muttered,

'Rennervate.'

Krum opened his eyes. He looked dazed. When he saw Dumbledore, he tried to sit up, but Dumbledore put a hand on his shoulder and made him lie still.

'He attacked me!' Krum muttered, putting a hand up to his head. 'The old madman attacked me!. I turned, and the man attacked me!"

Hagrid came out of his cabin, as Professor Dumbledore waved his wand, and a white followed the cabin.

'Hagrid, I need you to fetch Professor Karkaroff,' said Dumbledore. 'His student has been attacked. When you've done that, kindly alert Professor Moody –'

'No need, Dumbledore,' said a wheezy growl, 'I'm here.' Moody was limping towards them, leaning on his staff, his wand lit. 'Damn leg,' he said furiously. 'Would've been here quicker … what's happened? Snape said something about Crouch –'

'Crouch?'said Hagrid blankly.

'Karkaroff, please, Hagrid!'said Dumbledore sharply.

'Oh yeah … right y'are, Professor …' said Hagrid, and he turned and disappeared into the dark trees, Fang trotting after him.

'I don't know where Barty Crouch is,' Dumbledore told Moody, 'but it is essential that we find him.'

'I'm onto it,' growled Moody, and he raised his wand, and limped off into the Forest.

'What is this?' he cried, when he saw Krum on the ground.

'What's going on?'

'I vos attacked!' said Krum, sitting up now, and rubbing his head. 'Mr Crouch or votever his name –'

'Crouch attacked you? Crouch attacked you? The Triwizard judge?'

'Igor,' Dumbledore began, but Karkaroff had drawn himself up, clutching his furs around him, looking livid.

'Treachery!' he bellowed, pointing at Dumbledore. 'It is a plot! You and your Ministry of Magic have lured me here under false pretences, Dumbledore! This is not an equal competition! , Dumbledore, you, with your talk of closer international wizarding links, of rebuilding old ties, of forgetting old differences – here's what I think of you!' Karkaroff spat onto the ground at Dumbledore's feet.

In one swift movement, Hagrid seized the front of Karkaroff's furs, lifted him into the air, and slammed him against a nearby tree.

'Apologise!' Hagrid snarled, as Karkaroff gasped for breath, Hagrid's massive fist at his throat, his feet dangling in mid-air.

'Hagrid, no!' Dumbledore shouted, his eyes flashing. Hagrid removed the hand pinning Karkaroff to the tree, and Karkaroff slid all the way down the trunk and slumped in a huddle at its roots; a few twigs and leaves showered down upon his head.

"Professor?" Hazel slowly said.

"Yes!" Dumbledore seemed to remember that students were standing there. "Hagrid take them back.

They all walked back as Harry held back Hazel as he told her,

"He's getting stronger!"

"I heard!"