Chapter 24: The Third Task

The overall mood in the castle as they reached the third task became excited and tense. Everyone was asking Peri and the other champions for information on the task, some were asking Hallie what she had designed for Peri.

Peri was practicing her spells in an empty Charms classroom, and Hallie was observing the task outfit as she circled Peri watching how she moved and performed spells while Holly was giving her pointers on how to fight.

"I'm still mad at you but I don't want you to die," Holly told her.

"Thanks, Hol." Peri rolled her eyes shooting a spell, "I am nervous though. What if something is really dangerous out there?"

Hallie, Holly, and Ida all exchanged looks "Like what? You already defeated a dragon." Ida asked sitting on top of a desk while petting Hallie's cat, Diamond.

Peri's dark brown eyes fell on their green ones, but stopped on Holly, "Just remember I would never do anything if it wasn't to protect you — all of you."

Hallie and Holly approached their sister and wrapped their arms around her, "We love you, Peri." Hallie told her then looked at Ida, "You, too, Ida."

Ida put Diamond down and then joined them, "I always wanted sisters."

"We are the Bronze Quad," Hallie told them.

They looked at her with confusion, "What?" Holly asked for the group.

"Well, Harry, Ron, and Hermione are the Golden Trio. Luna, Neville, and Ginny are the Silver Trio. Bronze would be next and there are four of us so the Bronze Quad."

They all laughed, "You and your imagination."

The morning of June twenty-fourth, Peri began to worry more about what was at stake for the final task. Something was going to happen. She was sitting at her house table eating — more like picking at her food.

Draco was watching the air for the owls to arrive with the morning paper, "Will you please eat?" he asked her.

She looked up at him through her long lashes, "The task in just a few days. I haven't seen my mom in days either. She is sick or something, and Richard was having to take extra care of things alongside Ludo Bagman to prepare. She put her fork down and looked at him, "I am scared for what is to come from this task."

Draco was going to respond when his eagle owl landed on the table with his morning copy of the Daily Prophet, "Finally!" he took the paper from the owl giving him a biscuit before the owl flew off.

"Why are you so…" she started then noticed the front of the paper. There was a picture of Harry with the banner headline beneath it reading:

Harry Potter

"Disturbed AND DANGEROUS"

She gasped at it, "Draco! What have you…"

Before she could finish Draco turned around in his seat, "Hey, Potter! Potter! How's your head? Are you feeling all right? Sure you're not going to berserk on us?"

He held up his copy of the Daily Prophet. Leaving the Slytherin table sniggering and trying to see Harry's face, "Draco. Stop." Peri snatched the paper from his hands.

"Peri! It is just fun."

"To who? Not me. Not Harry. Who is having fun here? Only the Slytherins."

"But the paper isn't lying though. Harry can speak Parseltongue, he did in our second year when all those attacks were happening to…to…"

She eyed him with dark, cold eyes, "Those of less than pureblood?"

"Yes…but Peri. It is just teasing them, there's no danger to it."

He turned back towards Harry laughing at him, tapping his head with his fingers, pulling grotesquely mad faces, and wagging his tongue like a snake; Crabbbe and Goyle joined in.

She stood up without another word to them, she heard Harry's voice as she left, "Ooo, trouble in paradise, Malfoy! Upset your girlfriend! Looks like you just lost the prettiest girl in the entire school!"

Peri smirked slightly to herself as she headed up the stairs finding her mom and Richard, "Mom!" she rushed to her hugging her. "How are you? Are you ok? Richard mentioned you were at St. Mungos."

Cassie gave a small nod hugging her daughter before letting her go and looking at Richard and back at Peri, "I was, just highly dehydrated and overworked from the tournament especially with Mr. Crouch still missing."

"We have told you not to work yourself too much, Mom."

Cassie squeezed her daughter's hand, "We were heading for the chamber off of the Hall after breakfast. The champions' families are invited to watch the final task. We will take some pictures for the prophet and you will begin the task tonight."

Peri nodded, "Is um…Snape going to be there?"

Her parents exchanged looks then looked at her, "Would you like him there?" Richard asked, "He has a class, but if you would like him there. Why don't you go ask him to step away for a few minutes to take a picture?"

She looked between them, Cassie looked paler than usual and seemed slightly nervous while her husband appeared tense at the mention of Snape. Peri wanted him there, she was still not close to him but she wanted to try and become close to him. He just pushed her away every time she got closer to him, but he was her father she could at least offer. He could say no, but she wouldn't know unless she asked.

Peri turned and made her way down the steps heading for the Potion classroom, Snape was preparing for his morning class. She gave a gentle knock on the door, "Class does not begin for another fifteen minutes." He spoke coldly till he looked up spotting her. "Oh…Peri —" His voice still cold sounding, "Come in."

She walked into the classroom, her shoes clicking on the damp floors as she approached him. He was at his podium grading exams, "The champions and their families are to meet in the chamber off of the Hall for pictures and interviews."

Snape glanced up from his papers at her, then back down at them just as quick to respond, "I am aware. You should be there now then."

She gave a small shiver, rubbing her arm as if that would help her. "Would you like to come?" she asked him, nervously but also hopeful.

He looked back at her, "It is for family. Your mum and sisters…Richard."

"You are still my father."

He set his quill down and sat up straight, eyeing her curiously. "Would you like me there?"

"I would."

He picked up his quill again, "Very well." He grabbed a piece of parchment and wrote a note before guiding her out of the classroom. He placed the note on the door allowing it to hang by a spell.

They walked together to the chamber, "There you are!" Alicia said running up to her. Her auburn hair was tied back into a braid. She stopped suddenly in front of them. "Professor Snape."

Snape eyed down the eleven-year-old girl, "Ms. Banks."

Alicia looked at Peri, unsure how to proceed.

Peri bit her lip looking between the two, "Where are mom and Richard?"

Her sister came more to life grabbing Peri's hand, "This way! Everyone is over here!"

"I wish we would have had more notice of this I could have made outfits," Hallie whined, "Look at my hair! It is a mess!"

Snape followed behind them approaching their family, "He came," Peri whispered to her sisters.

Richard approached him, "Thank you. This means a lot to Peri."

Snape glanced over at her then back at Richard, "Anything for Peri."

"Anything for Peri," Richard agreed as he put a handout.

Snape looked at the hand as if it were a disease, but reluctantly shook Richard's hand. Peri looked over at them smiling, "I know they can't stand each other, although I don't know why. It does make me happy they would do anything for me."

Hallie looked over as well then back at her sisters, "It is obvious, Professor Snape still loves Cassie. Same as why he hates Harry. He hated his father. Why did he hate James? Because he loved Lily. Do none of you know anything about romance? Why else do you think I hate Angelina or Holly can't stand Peri? It is because I am dating Fred and Angelina wants Fred, who she will never have. Holly has been mad at Peri all year because she likes Draco and Peri has Draco."

"But Mom loves dad," Alicia said looking at her parents.

"Well, of course, Richard does. They are the cutest couple. Besides me and Fred."

Everyone rolled their eyes at this. Peri scanned the room, seeing Cedric and his parents close to the door. Viktor and his parents were speaking loudly in Bulgarian and Fleur was speaking French with her mom and sister. Harry was with Molly and what Peri assumed was the oldest Weasley son, Bill. Bill appeared to be watching Fleur rather closely, perhaps they would become something.

"Can we meet everyone?" Mallory asked, "We've been here all year and never got to fully meet the other champions."

"Sure," Peri took her two younger sisters around.

They stopped at Cedric and his family first, "Hi Cedric. We are just greeting everyone. Have you met my sisters? Alicia and Mallory. Alicia will be a first year in September."

"Hi, Peri. Mallory and Alicia. Maybe you will be a Hufflepuff, Alicia." Cedric greeted, "Dad, you remember Peri and her sisters."

"Oh, yes. The Ilvermorny champion," Amos Diggory said, "At least they gave you attention. Completely ignored Cedric."

"Dad…Peri goes here now though, they did not even acknowledge her school."

Amos scoffed, "But she was acknowledged though."

"Dear," Mrs. Diggory said placing a hand on his arm, "Lovely to meet you, girls. Good luck, Peri."

"Thank you, ma'am."

She escorted her sisters over to Fleur, " 'eri!" Fleur greeted hugging her, "This is 'eri. She helped 'arry recuse Gabrielle. Although, she had two champions of her own. Those awful merpeople did not want her to take them, but she did. She saved them both and helped save Gabrielle."

Mrs. Delacour hugged Peri, "Merci, 'eri. Merci."

This startled Peri, but she gave a gentle hug back. "You're welcome. I am sure Fleur would have saved my sisters." She looked at Mallory and Alicia beside her. "These are my sisters."

"Pleasure to meet you," Fleur greeted them shaking their hands.

"You are pretty," Alicia appeared starstruck by her.

The girls laughed before Peri spoke, "We will leave you." She guided her sisters over to Viktor, "Hello Viktor."

Viktor spotted them and approached them, "Mallory…" he seemed a little excited. "How are your healer studies?" he asked bringing them to his parents

"I spoke with Madam Pomfrey she said I could monitor her some in the next school year, but she recommends I wait till I am a little older than twelve to learn."

He nodded, "Mother. Father. This is 'eri and her sisters. 'Eri is a champion with me."

Viktor's father muttered something in Bulgarian.

Mallory stepped forward, "Peri is equal to Viktor."

Everyone snapped their heads towards her, "You know Bulgarian?" Viktor and Peri asked her with surprise.

"Yes," she looked between everyone, "When we learned those from Bulgaria were coming to the school. I started learning the language in my free time, I thought there would be kids closer to my age but it still helped me speak to them. I think they appreciated having someone in this country besides their own who coil speak their language. I already knew French so speaking with Beauxbaton was easy, our job was to make them feel welcome. How were we welcoming them if they were using a language that was not their native language? They learned English, we can attempt theirs."

Viktor's father appeared more interested in Mallory with this, "Have you considered pursuing a career in politics?"

She gave him her attention, "No. I never found myself destined to follow in my mom and dad's footsteps. I have considered becoming a professor, but Viktor thinks becoming a healer is where I would best be suited."

"You are a little younger for Viktor…even that muggle-born he had as a date to the Yule Ball was too young for him."

"Perhaps, but there is no age on friendship. You can be friends with someone years younger than you or years older. No one judges that."

This appeared to leave Mr. Krum wordless, "Perhaps we should return to mom and dad." Peri escorted her sisters away, "Mal, you can't talk that way to a diplomat from Bulgaria or anywhere."

"He was being unfair."

"You are too young to date Viktor. Friends can be a stretch, too."

Mallory turned to face her, "I will be friends with whoever I want, Peri. I don't want to date Viktor. Sure he is very attractive but I have no interest in dating him."

They reached their parents when the photographer from the Daily Prophet approached them, "There we are. A beautiful family picture with Peri and her family."

Snape stood off to the side, "Can I get one with all my parents?" Peri asked after the family picture was taken.

The photographer looked at Snape then her, "Of course…if that is what you want."

"It is a family picture."

Snape approached her.

The cameraman took the picture, "Lovely! A pretty young lady, surrounded by those she loves."

"And we love her," Richard hugged her. "Now how about we get some lunch? Girls?"

He took Cassie's hand and took everyone back out to the Hall, the chamber emptied. Peri chose to hang back, she looked at her reflection in a mirror.

"Peri?" a deep, cold voice asked.

She focused on the voice behind her seeing Snape's reflection in the mirror, "Yes?"

"Are you — alright?"

She placed a hand on her necklace closing her eyes, "There's danger coming."

The room remained silent, she reopened her eyes turning to him. He was simply watching her before he began speaking softly, unlike his usual cold tone, "I can't protect you in the maze, Peri. I was able to provide you with gillyweed in the last task. The First Task Ms. Porter designed your — outfit." He shook his head with disappointment before continuing, "But in that maze, I won't. No one can protect you but yourself. Stay close to Potter, you stayed together through the second task. Stick together this time."

She wrapped her arms around herself, "You don't like Harry."

"I don't like a lot of people, but I do care for you. Even if I was not there for you growing up does not mean I never cared about you or your mother." He approached her, "You are the only family I have left Peri. You would do anything for your family, you are mine."

Peri looked up at him with eyes that matched his own, "I'm still scared."

He cupped her face, "Whatever happens, know it was nothing you could control."

The chamber door reopened, and he stepped away from her as Professor Moody entered, "Your family is looking for you, Ms. King."

She looked up at him then at Snape, "I have my family here, too."

She walked out of the room joining her family at the Slytherin table, where a lot of the Slytherin girls were in a dream state as they oohed and aahed over Richard. The Slytherin boys drooled over Cassie, "Will you leave, my parents alone?" Peri asked taking her seat.

Crabbe and Goyle sat up straight, they had become scared of her. Draco was talking with Richard and Holly about different political issues, she was not sure if he was interested in politics or if he was doing this to speak to Holly.

"I've never known many women in politics," Draco commented on something Holly had said.

Holly scoffed, "In America, there are plenty of women in authority. Our President is a woman, I might try to become Minister of Magic here."

"A woman in power goes against nature itself," Theo commented, "Women can't win."

Peri snapped her head to face him, "Excuse you, Theodore. I am supporting your house am I not? And last I checked I am a woman."

The other boys at the table laughed, "My mother is a woman of political power and she might have had the help of her father with the position but she climbed without the assistance. I don't deny sometimes we need help, but you men would be nowhere without women," Peri informed them as she took a sip of pumpkin juice.

Ludo Bagman entered from the main door walking with a young girl around fourteen with strawberry blonde hair. She wore a black tea-length lace dress, "Who is that?" Peri asked Richard.

Richard looked at the girl following Bagman, "That would be Eva Beausman."

"Eva Beausman?" Alicia asked. "As in the mysterious daughter of Lydia Beausman?"

"Indeed. They discovered Mr. Crouch dead and she stepped up in his honor. She has no living relatives whom we are aware beside her father, who is in Azkaban. We believe the Ministry will take over control of her well-being instead of her being sent to an orphanage. She will be in their care until she turns seventeen then she will inherit the Crouch and Beausman estates."

They watched her reach the front with Bagman followed by Cornelius Fudge, she shook hands with Dumbledore. She appeared emotionless, while Bagman remained cheered. Fudge on the other hand appeared quite stern and was not speaking to anyone.

"May I?" Peri asked.

Richard followed her eyes to Eva, "Sure. She might enjoy speaking to someone close to her age."

She stood crossing to the head table, "Peri!" Bagman clapped his hands together, "Eva, this is Peri King. She is one of our champions."

"Hello…" Eva spoke quietly looking down at her plate.

"Eva? Would you like to join me and my family as well as my housemates for lunch?"

Eva raised her head slightly, "Um…" she glanced at Fudge.

"I suppose that it would be a good idea for children to associate with one another. You will be attending here next year."

She stood up, "That is wonderful, Ms. Beausman will be joining us," Dumbledore commented looking out at the tables, more specifically the Ravenclaw table where they sat eating their lunch. "She will be a part of the other transfers we have. Do you remember Lady Cressida and Lord Remulus Noir? They will be transferring next term from Beauxbaton. Lady Emilie felt it would be best to finish their school in their father's country."

Madame Maxine looked at the group down the table, "It is a shame to lose them. They are wonderful students. Lord Remulus was going to try out for Quidditch next year."

Peri motioned for Eva to follow, "The adults are quite grumpy right now," she whispered to her guiding her over to the Slytherin table.

"I see…it is about my grandfather. I miss him, I don't believe Mr. Hagrid hurt him or Madame Maxine. Mr. Hagrid came to visit shortly after we learned of his death, "He gave me a cat. I already have one, but you can never have too many."

Peri laughed and they sat down together, "Eva, was just telling me about her cats. Apparently, Hagrid gave her one."

"Lucky!" Hallie said, "I love cats! I have the cutest cat, she's all white and her name is Diamond."

The table resumed its conversation while getting to know Eva. This started to bring her out of her shell. The enchanted ceiling slowly faded from blue to dusky purple, Dumbledore rose to his feet at the head tables, and silence fell.

"Ladies and gentlemen, in five minutes, 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. and Mrs. Banks and Mr. Bagman down to the stadium?"

Peri stood up with her parents. The entire Hall filled with applause, as her friends and family wished her good luck. She left the Great Hall with her parents, Cedric, Fleur, Viktor, and Harry.

"Feeling alright?" Richard asked her as they proceeded down the stone steps.

"Don't scare her, Richard," Cassie told him, "She is going to do amazing. I was concerned before but now I'm not. She has been brave and strong. She might win this, but once you enter find Harry. Work together with him, not that either one of you needs the money."

Peri rolled her eyes, "Snape said the same thing. He told me to find Harry and we can protect each other."

Her parents exchanged looks, "Well…try to do your best." Cassie kissed her head.

Peri began going over the different spells and hexes in her mind. She was mentally practicing her defense skills, but also trying to prevent her mind from racing about the potential danger coming.

They walked onto the Quidditch field. There were twenty-foot-high hedges that ran around the edge of it. There was a gap right in front of the, clearly the entrance to the maze. It was dark and creepy, with a type of fog along the ground.

Within minutes the stands began to fill; the air was full of cheers and excitement. Some cheered her name. The sky was a deep, clear blue with only the smallest stars beginning to peak out from the night sky. Hagrid, Professor Moody, Professor McGonagall, and Professor Flitwick were all dressed with large, red, luminous stars on their hats, except Hagrid who had his on his moleskin vest. Peri spotted Snape near the Slytherin students, he had a small pin on his cloak that was a simple letter P in a silver letter. She smiled softly to herself turning to listen to what the professors who approached them had to say.

"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," Cassie informed them.

"Good luck," the professors told her and Harry, then they walked off in four different directions around the maze.

Bagman pointed his wand to his throat, "Sonorus," and his voice magically magnified to echo into the stands.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the third and final task of the Triwizard Tournament are about to begin! Let me remind you how the points currently stand. Our three-way tie for first place, eighty-five points each — Ms. Peri King with Ilvermorny!" Applause sounded around the stadium. "And Mr. Cedric Diggory and Mr. Harry Potter of Hogwarts!" The cheers were louder this time, this caused the birds from the Forbidden Forest to flutter into the darkness. "In the second place, with eighty points — Mr. Viktor Krum, of Durmstrang!" More applause. "And in third place — Miss. Fleur Delacour of Beauxbatons!"

Peri spotted her sisters standing with Mrs. Weasley and the other Gryffindors, "Go, Peri!" Alicia and Mallory's tiny voices called out that were practically muffled by the audience's cheers.

"Try to bring back my outfit clean," Hallie called out, "And good luck!" She was leaning into Fred who had his arms around her from behind cheering.

Holly kept looking down at Draco but cheered her on. "Remember what we practiced!"

"You can do it, P!" She heard the voice of Bash in the audience near his uncle.

She shivered at the thought of him being there, hopefully, this was as worse as it was going to get.

"Ready, Peri?" Cedric asked her.

She looked at him, "Yeah… let's do this!"

"That's the spirit!" Bagman said "On my whistle, you three. Three — two — one —"

He gave a short blast of a whistle and the three of them hurried into the maze.

The towering hedges cast black shadows along the path, they were so tall and thick that they were clearly enchanted. "Lumos!" the three shouted at the same time creating a ray of light along the path. She was ahead of them.

"Come on boys!" she laughed, if this wasn't a game that was causing her a lot of worries, she would have been having fun.

After about fifty yards, they reached a fork. They all looked at one another before, "See you," Harry said then Cedric ran off towards the right, while Harry went left. She remembered everyone's words and chose to follow him.

"What are you doing, Peri?" he asked while running.

"My parents…all of them. Said to stay with you."

The second whistle was heard, which meant Viktor was entering the maze. The two sped up their running. Harry appeared to have picked a deserted path. He took a right, "I don't need a babysitter, Peri."

"Neither do I, but remember there is something bad about to happen. We both felt it. You had the dream about it."

He paused for a moment to look at her, "Fine. We win this together then."

She nodded, "Together." They shook hands and continued running.

The whistle blew for the third time. Everyone was now inside the maze. The game has truly begun.

They kept looking behind them. Peri felt as though they were being watched. The maze grew darker the further they went in and the longer the night continued. The sky was now a dark navy. They reached a second fork. Harry placed his hand in his hand and whispered, "Point me."

At the same time, Peri put the same spell on her M necklace. The wand spun around while the necklace danced on her necklace before they pointed right, into a solid hedge. That way was north, "We need to go left then right as soon as possible. The center of the maze is northwest."

"Let's go then, P!" Harry took off for the left. The path was empty ahead of them, they found the first right and took it. They had not found any obstacles.

"We surely should have had some sort of obstacles by now," she questioned as they ran.

As soon as she said that noises were heard behind them, they turned to point their wands down the path. Their wands were out ready to attack when their light shined on Cedric. He appeared severely shaken and his robes smoking.

"Cedric! We thought you were an obstacle."

"No," he dusted himself off, "But I just came across Hagrid's Blast-Ended Skrets! They're enormous! I only just got away!"

With that, he took off out of sight along a different path. Harry and Peri also continued on their way again, she rounded the corner letting out a scream at the sight before her. She dropped to her knees clutching her chest, "Mom…Richard…"

The ground was covered in her family's dead bodies.

Harry rounded the corner shortly after, he saw the sight before him. He kneeled next to her putting his arm around her and whispering in her ear trying to calm her, "Peri. It isn't real… it's a boggart."

Realizing this wasn't working he stood up and stepped in front of her, the boggart turned into a dementor with its face hidden by its hood, its rotting, scabbed hands outstretched it advanced, sensing its way blindly toward him. Harry's breath rattled; he felt clammy and cold. He raised his hand, "Expectio Patronum!" he cried.

A silver stag erupted from Harry's wand and galloped toward the dementor, which caused the dementor to stumble, "Hang on! You're a boggart! Don't worry, Peri!" he pointed his wand again, "Riddikulus!"

There was a loud crack and the dementor exploded in a wisp of smoke. The silver stag faded from sight. He kneeled back to Peri's side, "Come on, Peri. Let's finish and get you back to your family."

She looked into his green eyes, "Thank you, Harry." She hugged him before he helped her up.

Together they continued running, moving quickly as possible. Listening to the sounds around them.

They ran left…right…left again…Twice they found themselves at dead ends. They learned that they were going too far east when they tried the Four-Point spell again with Harry's wand. They turned around and took a right when they noticed an odd golden mist floating ahead of them.

"Harry? What is that?"

Together they approached cautiously, pointing their wands at it. It appeared to be a kind of enchantment.

"Reducto!" he shouted.

The spell shot straight through the mist but left it intact.

She shook her head "That spell is for solid objects, not mist."

"I know, Peri. I was just trying…"

Suddenly a scream shattered the silence around them.

"Fleur?" They yelled out.

It was silent. They looked around them. Her scream seemed to come from somewhere ahead. "Come on," Peri took a deep breath then grabbed Harry's hand running through the mist.

The world appeared to be upside down. Their feet were hanging from the ground. Her silver M necklace dangled towards the bottomless sky below them. Her dark hair fell forward. She felt as if her feet were glued to the gross, that was now a ceiling.

"Come on," she let go of his hand and started moving forward.

She fell on her knees on the ground as the world around her instantly went back to itself. She took a deep breath stood back up and turned back into the mist, "Come on! It is alright! I am safe!"

Moments later Harry rejoined her side, "Let's find Fleur."

Peri nodded in agreement.

They ran and came across a junction with two paths, "Which way?"

"Let's go right. Fleur might not be in the tournament anymore, which means one less person."

Peri looked around them, "Alright. Right."

They went right.

"We must be close!" he told her, "This has been easy! Peri, we can do this! Nothing dangerous has happened."

She gave him a side eye thinking to herself, "For now."

"Imagine! Us! The youngest champions raising the Triwizard Cup in front of the entire school!"

"Great!" she was starting to feel uneasy.

They ran for ten minutes running into multiple dead ends. Twice Harry took them down the same wrong turn. When they finally found a new route, they began to jog along it. They waved their wands back and forth along the path causing shadows to flicker and distort on the hedge walls. They rounded a corner and found themselves facing a Blast-Ended Skrewt.

"Oh, my god! This is huge!" Peri shrieked with her wand raised prepared to fight. It looked like a giant scorpion than anything at ten feet long. The thick armor glistened in the light of their wands.

"Stupefy!" Harry shouted.

The spell rebounded against the armor, they ducked just in time. It did catch the ends of their hair, "Harry! My hair!" Peri patted the smoking bits. "We have the beach in a couple of weeks I would like to have my hair."

"And I would like to live!"

The skrewt issued a blast of fire from the stinger on its tail.

"Impedimenta!" he yelled. The spell rebounded again causing Harry to stagger backward a few paces and fall over.

"Impedimenta!" Peri stepped up blocking Harry.

The skrewt was inches from them when it froze. She had managed to hit a fleshy, shell-less underside. She turned to help him up, "You saved me I save you."

"Thanks!"

"You're welcome. Now let's go that spell will not last forever."

He nodded and they took off again, her heart was beating in her chest as she ran alongside Harry. She took a left with him and hit a dead end. They turned around and hit another when they went to the right. Harry performed the Four-Point spell again. This caused them to backtrack and chose a path that took them northwest.

They were rushing down a path for a few minutes when suddenly they heard something in the path parallel to their own causing them to stop dead in their tracks.

"What are you doing?" yelled Cedric.

"Crucio!" came Viktor's voice.

The air was then filled with Cedric's screams, Peri instantly ran down the path with Harry right behind her.

"Reducto!" Peri yelled creating a small hole in the hedge, it wasn't very big. Together they kicked down branches until they had a large enough opening to climb through. She tore her jacket, Hallie would not be pleased. They found Viktor standing over Cedric who was twitching and jerking on the ground.

Harry raised his wand, "Wait," Peri stopped him.

"What?" Harry hissed.

Peri approached slowly, "Viktor?"

He looked at her, he appeared possessed and moved from Cedric. Harry made his way around them without distracting Viktor, he kneeled next to Cedric checking on him.

"Viktor? You are still in there…Viktor, think of Quidditch — flying —the World Cup." He continued to close in on her. Her mind was racing trying to find something or someone he cared for. She remembered the Yule Ball and how Hermione was his date, "Hermione. You like Hermione. Hermione is pretty…kind…smart" Viktor continued to close in on her raising his wand. She sucked in a breath and then thought of her sister, "Mal…Mallory…you adore Mal."

This caused him to pause, "Mal?" he questioned as if the name started to break the possession he had.

"Stupefy!" Harry yelled hitting Viktor in the back, he fell forward inches from Peri's feet.

"Harry! I had him!"

"Yeah, alright," he rolled his eyes.

She rushed to Cedric and Harry, "You alright, Cedric?"

"Yeah, I heard him coming next thing I know I am being attacked from behind."

They helped him up, he was still shaking.

The three of them crossed over to Viktor on the ground, "I can't believe this…I thought he was all right," Harry said staring at Viktor.

"So did I," Cedric said.

"He is fine. He probably got hit by something here in the maze, when I said Mallory's name it triggered something in him."

The boys shook their heads, "Did you hear Fleur scream earlier?" Harry asked.

"I did. Thought it was Peri," Cedric looked at her more than Harry, "Do you think he got her, too?"

"I don't know."

"We should leave him here to get eaten by the Skrewts," Cedric said annoyed.

Peri rolled her eyes raising her wand, "You two are awful." She shot red sparks into the air. "Now come on. Let's find the cup."

She proceeded down the dark path without them, they followed behind her not speaking. She turned left, looking back behind her to see Harry was following her. Cedric's footsteps quickly died away.

Harry redid the Four-Point Spell, to make sure they were going the right way. It was now between the three of them. She wanted to separate and find the cup herself but everyone told her to stay with Harry. "I can't believe Krum used an Unforgivable Curse on Cedric," he commented to break the silence. "Surely he did not want the cup that badly to go to Azkaban for it."

"I don't know, Harry. I still believe something else caused him to go that way. It was as if he was cursed himself, I mentioned Mal and he changed."

"She is very young for him though."

"And? When she is twenty-five he will be thirty-one and that is not weird. It is weird now? Yes, but they are not in love. They are friends and you can have a platonic soulmate, does not mean you have to date them. Like me and Draco, he is my platonic soulmate. I adore Draco, but I don't love him romantically. Hermione and Ron are yours."

They ran into more dead ends, but the darkness was beginning to increase, "We must be close!" Harry called out to her.

They found a straight path and continued down it till they came across a sphinx. It had the body of a lion with great clawed paws and a long yellowish tail with a brown tuff on top of it. She turned to face them with her almond-shaped eyes, "You are very near your goal. The quickest way is past me."

"So…will you move, please?" Harry asked.

"No," she said and paced before them. "Not unless you can answer my riddle. Answer with your first guess — I will let you pass. Answer wrongly — I will attack. Remain silent — I will let you walk away from me unscathed."

Peri's stomach did many somersaults, she wished she had Holly's brain at this moment. Weighing their options, she looked at Harry. "Um… let's try. We can at least hear the riddle. If we don't know then we don't answer and walk away."

He nodded, "Ok. Can we hear the riddle?"

The sphinx sat down on her hind legs in the middle of the path and recited:

"First think of the person who lives in disguise,

Who deals in secrets and tells naught but lies.

Next, tell me what's always the last thing to mend,

The middle of middle and end of the end?

And finally, give me the sound often heard

During the search for a hard-to-find word.

Now string them together, and answer me this,

Which creature would you be unwilling to kiss?"

Harry gaped at her.

"What?" Peri mouthed to Harry.

"Could we have it again…more slowly," he asked tentatively.

She blinked at them, smiled, and repeated the poem.

"And the clues add up to a creature I wouldn't want to kiss?" Harry asked.

She gave a mysterious smile, which they took as a yes.

Harry began to think, "A person in disguise," he spoke aloud more to himself than Peri. "Who lies…er..that'd be a — an imposter," he mentioned to Peri then gasped looking at the sphinx, "That is not our guess! A — a spy? No…I'll come back to that…could you give me the next clue again, please."

The sphinx repeated the last four lines.

"A creature I would not want to kiss is a spider," Peri said causally as she listened to Harry ramble on.

"Peri!" he shouted at her with panic but the sphinx smiled broadly. She got up, stretched her front legs, and moved aside for them. "Peri," Harry said again pleased hugging her and then kissing her cheek, "Sorry, don't tell Malfoy he would probably kill me."

She laughed pulling him forward, "Thank you!" they called back to the sphinx running ahead.

"Point me!" he whispered to his wand again and it spun around and pointed to the right. Together they dashed ahead and saw a light ahead. "Peri! There it is! We did it!"

"Not yet!" she gasped clutching his arm, "We have to grab it!"

Suddenly a dark figure hurtled out in front of them.

Cedric was going to get there first. Cedric was sprinting as fast as he could for the cup, she released Harry's arm and sprinted ahead. She did not believe she could catch him, her legs were far shorter than his.

"Cedric! Peri!" Harry bellowed from behind them. "On your left!"

They looked just in time for it to not hit either one of them, but Cedric lost his wand as he tripped in the commotion.

"Stupefy!" Harry yelled; the spell hit the giant spider as it started to bear down the path toward Peri and Cedric. Peri was distracted as she tried to grab Cedric's wand for him.

The spell hit the spider's gigantic, hairy black body, but it didn't do much but cause the spider to jerk and scuttle towards Harry instead.

"Stupefy! Impedimenta! Stupefy!"

Nothing was working —the spider was either so large or magical nothing was working. The spider pincers picked him up and lifted him into the air using its front legs; Harry began to kick it.

"Stupefy!" Cedric and Peri yelled together. Once again the spell had no more effect than Harry's.

Harry raised his wand to one of the open pincers of the spider, "Exeplliarmus!"

It worked! The disarming spell caused the spider to drop him.

"Stupefy!" All three shouted together and the spells combined did what one alone couldn't. The spider keeled over sideways, flattening a hedge.

"Harry!" Peri and Cedric called out to him.

"You all right?" Cedric shouted to him "Did it fall on you?"

"No!" Harry called back panting, he looked down at his leg which was bleeding.

"Harry? You're bleeding," Peri bent down and ripped her pant leg. She went over to him and tied it around his leg, "We can try to stop the bleeding."

The three of them turned to face the glowing Triwizard Cup, "Take it, then," Harry urged Cedric as Peri stood up. "Go on take it. You're there. You and Peri were ahead of me, but you were ahead of her."

Cedric didn't move. He stood there, looking at the two of them. Then he turned to stare at the cup. Peri watched his expression in the golden light. Cedric turned to them again, he started to hold a hedge for support as he took a deep breath.

"Take you two. You should win. This is twice now that you've saved my neck in here."

"That's not how it's supposed to work," Harry said as Peri started to make a move for it, but he grabbed her arm pulling her back. "The one who reaches the cup first gets the points. I'm telling you it is you. We are not going to win any races on this leg."

"My leg isn't injured," Peri told him annoyed, and tried to move again, but Harry held her back once more.

Cedric shook his head, "No."

"Stop being noble. Just take it and we can get out of here."

"How about I take the cup?" Peri suggested.

"Stop being a greedy Slytherin, Peri," Harry told her.

"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. "You helped me with the egg —we're square." He looked at Peri, "If anything Peri should not get it. She needed help with all the clues."

"Um…excuse you! I learned about the dragons because of Holly and she was told to tell me. I would have learned I am sure without her. The egg, you told me Harry because Cedric told you. And this task we were all told. As for the other tasks I saved you in the last task, Harry. This one I got us past the sphinx. We agreed to win this together, but I am happy to win without you."

"I had help with the egg in the first place as well," Cedric said.

"Fine. We are all square."

"You both got more points in the second task," she Cedric mulishly. "You both saved those hostages."

"I had to save my boyfriend and…George. It was not fair there were six hostages when there were only five champions."

"Just take the cup!" Harry said bitterly. "Not you, Peri!" He snapped as she tried to move.

"No." Cedric stepped over the spider leg closer to them, "Go on."

Harry looked at the cup, then at Peri, and back at the cup.

"Together?" Peri suggested, "Harry and I were already going to tie. We had previously agreed to that."

"What?" Cedric questioned.

"We'll take it at the same time. It's still a victory for Hogwarts…and I guess Ilvermorny, too. We all win."

Harry nodded, "Yes! We all win! We all attend Hogwarts, except Peri is listed as an Ilvermorny champion, but we all win."

"Are you both sure?" Cedric asked looking at the cup.

"Yeah," they agreed together. "You've helped us."

"You helped Harry who helped me, so you helped us both."

Cedric beamed brightly, "Come on, P!" he grabbed Harry's arm below the shoulder, "You two are so on! Peri help me get Harry to the cup." She did the same with Harry's other side and they made their way to the cup's gleaming handles.

"On three, right?" Harry said. "One —"

"Two —" Peri said

"Three!" Cedric said.

They grasped the handles.

Instantly, there was a jerk somewhere behind Peri's navel. Her feet were lifted from the ground, and she grasped onto the handle of the Triwizard Cup. She couldn't let go. She had won the tournament with Harry and Cedric but she still won. Nothing bad happened, minus a little burned hair. The wind howled and swirled around her with Cedric and Harry on each side of her.