I do not own Bleach or Harry Potter the both belong respectively to Tite Kubo and J.K. Rowling
"I told you to be ever mindful" said Yoruichi, landing a kick to Harry's back.
After Pomfrey failed to find anything wrong with them, Hermione suggested talking to Yoruichi. It wasn't hard for the former Stealth Force commander to deduce they were attacked. She was not happy to hear that Harry hadn't been able sense their assailant's presence, and had practically dragged him to the Room of Requirement for an intense training session. This time focusing on Harry's ability to sense spiritual pressures; specifically trying to develop his ability to the point where he'll do it subconsciously, rather than needing to actively search them out.
In order to achieve this Yoruichi had given Harry the challenge to sense and dodge a number of her attacks, while he was still in human form.
"I didn't think I'd be attacked at Hogwarts" Harry argued, trying to get a lock on Yoruichi's spiritual pressure.
It wasn't going that well. While Yoruichi had slowed her speed to only a little faster than a Snitch, her movements were a lot trickier for Harry's currently human eyes to follow, and she wasn't giving him any time to focus.
"Good idea to tell Yoruichi, Hermione" said Ron, watching as Yoruichi knocked Harry to the ground with punch to the jaw.
"Well I didn't expect her to do this" Hermione argued. "Besides Hogwarts is supposed to be the…"
"The safest place in the world" Yoruichi said mockingly from behind them, smirking as Hermione, Ron, and Ginny practically jumped out of their skin. "I've done my homework and considering how your time here has been, do you really think it deserves to be called that?"
They had to admit Yoruichi had a point. First year (Philosopher's Stone), second year (Chamber of Secrets), third year (Dementors), and of course there was this year where someone had entered Harry into the Triwizard Tournament for some unknown purpose. They had to admit there was a pattern.
"Keeping this in mind, Harry should've been mindful his surroundings" said Yoruichi. "I would've thought the Skeeter incident would've taught him that."
"That's not fair" said Ginny. "I can sense things too and I didn't pick up on Skeeter."
"They weren't after you, Ginny, Harry's the target."
Ginny was about to argue further in Harry's defense when the Substitute Soul Reaper spoke up.
"It's ok, Ginny. Yoruichi's right" said Harry. "I should've been able to sense someone was coming. I can't expect her to always be covering for me."
"Glad to see you get it" said Yoruichi, flash stepping behind him.
Ron, Hermione, and Ginny were about to call out a warning but turns out, Harry was slowly starting to improve as he successfully ducked under Yoruichi's first kick, though he wasn't fast enough to dodge the second, he did manage to bring his arms up in time to block; though it did still send him skidding back a bit.
Yoruichi was about to press him further when she was forced to stop; reaching her hand out to bat away a spell from Ginny, who along with Ron and Hermione moved to stand by Harry. The Soul Reaper smiled at the display of comradery; understanding they were all taking the blame for their failure to watch their surroundings, Yoruichi decided to step things up.
The training session would end with one proud Soul Reaper and four very tired, sore, and thoroughly beaten wizards.
Yoruichi kept up their training all the way into the summer term. By that time Hermione, Ron, and Ginny had all reached the point where they could actively sense out spiritual pressures without them needing to be overly powerful; Harry had gone a step further, now being able to instinctively sense how many souls were within a certain range of himself, and their locations.
On the morning of the third task, Harry and his friends were enjoying their breakfasts.
"So what're they having you do for the third task?" asked Ginny.
Harry and the other champions had been told about the task a few weeks ago. Though between his usual duties and Yoruichi's intense training, Harry had forgotten to tell his friends about it.
"We're supposed to race through a hedge maze and retrieve the Triwizard Cup" said Harry.
"That'll be easy for you" Ron grinned. "You can just fly."
"I'm sure they took, Harry's animagus form into consideration" Hermione disagreed.
She was right; Bagman informed the champions that since Harry would have an unfair advantage being able to change into his raven form, the judges had cast wards over the maze designed to keep anyone (Harry) from passing over the hedges.
"Do you have to always be right" Ron said to a pleased looking Hermione.
Just then, Prof. McGonagall walked over to them.
"Potter, the champions and their families are meeting in the side chamber" she told him.
"But the final task isn't until tonight" said Harry, confused by the early meeting.
"I'm aware. This is simply a chance for you to greet them" said McGonagall, before walking away.
"You think Sirius and Remus are here?" Harry asked his friends.
"Maybe" said Ron. "I just wonder if Sirius is going to show."
"I'm sure he will" said Ginny.
"We better get going" said Hermione. "We have our History of Magic exam, Ron."
"Right" Ron sighed. "See you later, Harry."
As a Triwizard champion, Harry was exempt from end-of-term exams. It was actually the only benefit to the whole situation for him.
Finishing his breakfast, Harry entered the side chamber, where the champions had gathered after they had first been selected by the Goblet of Fire. Cedric and his parents were just inside the door. Viktor Krum was over in a corner, speaking with his parents in rapid Bulgarian. On the other side of the room, Fleur was with her mother and little sister, Gabrielle, who smiled and waved excitedly at Harry, who waved back, grinning.
Then Harry saw them: a much cleaner looking Sirius and Remus, along with Mrs. Weasley and Bill, smiling at him from in front of the fireplace.
"How you doing, pup?" Sirius grinned.
"Surprised to see you out in public" said Harry, touched that his godfather would put aside his own discomfort for him.
"We wanted to be here just in case" said Remus.
It seemed her patience had run out as Mrs. Weasley then pulled Harry into a hug, kissing him on the cheek.
"Hey, Harry" Bill grinned, shaking his hand. "Charlie wanted to come, but he couldn't get time off. He said you were incredible against the Horntail."
"Why don't you give us tour, Harry" said Sirius. "Didn't get a proper look around last year."
So it went that Harry spent the morning as a guide for the group with Mrs. Weasley, Bill, Sirius, and Remus making comments and telling stories of their own times at Hogwarts.
"So how's Percy?" Harry asked, as they walked around the greenhouses.
"Not good" said Bill.
"He's very upset" said Mrs. Weasley, lowering her voice. "The Ministry wants to keep Mr. Crouch's disappearance quiet, and Percy's been brought in for questioning about the instructions he's been sending in. They're afraid it might not have really been Mr. Crouch writing them. So they're not letting Percy fill in as the fifth judge tonight. Cornelius Fudge is going to do it."
While Harry was having a good time, Yoruichi was having a long awaited meeting with Urahara. The two stood unnoticed atop the Gryffindor tower, watching as the champions and their families explored the grounds.
"Took you long enough" said Yoruichi. "Are you losing your touch, Kisuke?"
"That maybe" Urahara said casually. "I had to go looking through the older archives, but I know what's causing Harry Potter's change. We'll have to deal with it the instant the tournament is over."
"Agreed. Only hope things don't get complicated."
That evening the champions were summoned down to the Quidditch field, which had gone through some changes for the third task; twenty-foot hedges running all around the pitch. Harry half wondered just how Oliver Wood would've reacted to the sight.
Five minutes after their arrival, the spectators moved into the stands, filling the air with the sound of excited voices and rumbling feet. The first stars were just starting to appear, when Hagrid, along with Professors Moody, McGonagall, and Flitwick, the champions.
"We are going to be patrolling the outside of the maze" said Prof. McGonagall. "If you get into difficulty, and wish to be rescued, send red sparks into the air, and one of us will come get you, do you understand?"
The champions nodded.
"Off you go, then!" Bagman said excitedly, sending the four patrollers on their way.
"Good luck, Harry" Hagrid whispered, as he passed.
Just as he did during the previous tasks, Bagman magically amplified his voice to address the crowd.
"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, Mr. Cedric Diggory and Mr. Harry Potter, both of Hogwarts! In second place, Mr. Viktor Krum, of Durmstrang Institute! And in third place, Ms. Fleur Delacour, of Beauxbatons Academy!"
The crowd went wild as the champions as Bagman called Harry and Cedric up to the maze entrance, stating that their current first place position has earned them a head start.
The instant Bagman blew his whistle Harry and Cedric hurried forward into the maze.
The hedges cast the path into darkness, forcing the two Hogwarts champions to make use of the wand lighting charm. It was about the fifty-yard mark, when they reached a fork; with Cedric going right while Harry took the left path.
Krum's in the maze now Harry noted, hearing Bagman's whistle go off for the second time. Followed by a third time as he sensed Fleur enter the hedges.
As his chosen path grew ever darker, Harry found himself grateful to Yoruichi for having him improve his ability to sense souls; it kept him from having to keep looking back for fear of having something sneak up on him.
Well perhaps it would've been a comfort if Harry had at least fun into some sort of obstacle. But from what he could tell his entire path so far was completely devoid of life. If he wasn't going to run into some kind of creature than surly he there should've been some sort of trap or something. Instead Harry couldn't help but find it unnerving as if he were expecting to have to face some sort of deadly magical construct.
And that's when he felt it: a cold sinister chill building up from within, accompanied by a foul spiritual pressure. Harry raced around the corner and saw it, a Dementor gliding toward him.
"Expecto Patronum!"
The silvery image of Nakatsukasa exploded from the tip of Harry's wand and swooped down on the Dementor, causing it to stumble on the hem of its black robes.
That's no Dementor "Riddikulus!"
There was a loud crack, revealing its true identity as a Boggart, the Dementor's form exploded in a wisp of smoke.
Harry continued on his way taking a series of turns, using the Four-Point spell to guide his way. Suddenly a scream sounded out across the maze.
"Fleur!" Harry yelled.
Locking on to her spiritual pressure, Harry followed it, finding the French quarter-veela unconscious at junction of two paths. It looked like someone had stunned her, most likely either Cedric or Krum.
Wait there's someone else in the maze…Prof. Moody? Harry sensed. Why is he near Krum when Fleur's the one in trouble?
Deciding to shelve the issue for now, Harry raised his wand and fired red sparks into the sky, trusting one of the patrollers to find Fleur.
Leaving Fleur behind, Harry continued through the maze running into a few dead ends along the way. And then he found it, one of Hagrid's Blast-Ended Skrewts; only now fully grown at ten feet tall. It looked more like a giant scorpion than anything else, long stinger curled over its back, and thick armor cover its body.
"Stupefy!" the spell rebounded off the skrewt's armor, back at him; Harry ducked just in time, the spell singeing his hair as it passed overhead.
Releasing a blast of fire from its backside, the skrewt rocketed towards Harry.
"Impedimenta!" he yelled, the spell once again bounced harmlessly of the monster's shell. It was obvious the skrewt's armor was too strong for Harry's magic to get through; for a moment he considered just blasting the creature with a kidō but his sense of fair play refused to let him.
The skrewt was practically on top of him, when Harry quickly changed into his animagus form. Though the wards around the maze wouldn't let him fly over the hedges, Harry's raven form did provide a fast get away as his avian form took to the sky, dodging around the skrewt's tail as he made his escape.
Using his raven form's speed and superior eyesight, Harry found it much easier to navigate the dark maze and was mentally kicking himself for not transforming sooner.
He was hurrying down his chosen path when he picked up on someone shouting from the path parallel to his own.
Cedric and…Krum?!
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Cedric's voice yelled from over the hedge.
And then Harry heard Krum's voice.
"Crucio!"
The air was suddenly filled by the sound of Cedric's agonizing screams. Horrified, Harry changed back to his human form, aimed his wand at the hedge dividing them and fired a Reductor Curse. It wasn't very effective but it did make a small hole just big enough for him to slip through in his raven form.
Once on the other side, Harry returned to human form, aiming his wand at Krum, tried to run off.
"Stupefy!" Harry yelled, hitting Krum in the back, stopping him dead in his tracks, falling forward to lay face down in the grass. With Krum out of the way, Harry hurried to check on Cedric, who was left panting on the ground.
"You ok?" he asked.
"Yeah" Cedric panted. "Yeah…I don't believe it…he crept up behind me…. I heard him, turned around, and he had his wand on me…."
Harry helped the still shaking Cedric to his feet and together they went to check on Krum.
"I know we didn't really know him, but he seemed alright" said Harry, looking down at Krum.
"Yeah I know. I was thought the same thing" said Cedric.
"I guess he's the one that attacked Fleur."
"You found her?"
"Yeah Krum left her unconscious. I wasn't sure what to do so I sent up some red sparks for her."
"That's good. Madam Pomfrey will take care of her. So should we just leave Krum here?"
Harry could tell that Cedric was reluctant to help Krum and he could understand why. But then he remembered how Moody had been near Krum earlier and wondered how the Bulgarian Quidditch star could've gotten his use of dark magic past one of the Ministry's top Aurors.
Still there wasn't much he could do from within the maze and he'd just feel bad if something happened if they just left Krum.
"No" said Harry. "We should send up red sparks. Someone'll come and collect him. If not he'd probably get eaten by a skrewt."
"He'd deserve it" Cedric muttered, but all the same he fired red sparks into the air, marking were Krum lay for the patrollers. "Guess it's just us now."
"Yeah guess so."
It was strange Harry thought to himself as he once again split up from Cedric. Now that it was just the two of them, Harry finally felt some desire to win the cup. Maybe it was because of how much it would mean to Hagrid, maybe it because whoever entered him obviously didn't think he could handle it. For whatever reason, Harry pushed forward wanting to give it his best effort to win the tournament.
He continued on a long straight away and until finally he saw it: The Triwizard Cup glimmering in the moonlight atop a plinth a hundred yards away. Suddenly on the other side of the cup, Cedric came running out.
It looked like it was going to be a foot race for the cup, which given his longer legs, Harry was sure Cedric was sure to win. Then suddenly Harry sensed something approaching from the path on Cedric's left, the seventh year Hufflepuff too focused on the cup to notice, the latest obstacle's threatening form.
"Cedric!" Harry yelled. "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 him.
Too concerned with saving Cedric's life to care, Harry tapped into his spirit energy and, "Hadō # 1: Shō!"
The force of the kidō blasted the giant spider back down the path it came.
Free of the spider, Cedric met Harry in front of the Triwizard Cup.
"You should take it, Harry" said Cedric. "That's twice now you've saved me."
"Don't worry about it" said Harry. "You would've reached the cup first if not for the spider."
"Maybe but you told me about the dragons."
"I had a little help. Plus, you helped with the egg so we're even." Just not in the way you expected.
Cedric was about to argue further when Harry decided to put an end to it.
"Look why don't we both just take the cup together" he said. "It'll be tie and still a Hogwarts victory."
For a moment, Cedric looked as though he couldn't believe his ears.
"You're on" he grinned.
Together they grabbed hold of the Triwizard Cup. 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 color, Cedric at his side.
