Chapter 24

On Christmas day, Ewan didn't see Katie. Hermione had said it was because she was getting ready. 'It takes all day to get ready?' he asked himself. At seven o'clock, Ewan took a shower and dressed in his dress robes. Roger seemed overly excited.

"Hey, mate, take a chill pill…" Ewan said.

"Sorry, it's just… you won't believe who I'm going to the ball with!"

"Who?"

"Fleur Delacour!"

"Really. That's cool."

"Cool! That's awesome, and she's hot!"

"She's part veela."

"Really?"

"Oh yeah." Ewan said then stepping out of the dorm room.

At ten till eight, he arrived at the Gryffindor tower. Harry was just stepping out with Ginny Weasley.

"Hey Harry. You mind getting Katie?"

"Oh no problem, wait here."

After a few minutes, Katie came out of the Gryffindor tower. She was wearing a dark green dress. "It compliments your eyes" she said.

"Oh nice…"

Hand and hand they walked down to the Entrance Hall. "Champions over here please" said Professor McGonagall. Ewan with Katie walked over to her in front of the Great Hall doors. Roger was with Fleur in the front, behind them were Viktor and Hermione, then Ewan and Katie.

Ewan and Katie had a lot of fun, only stopping to get drinks, or go the bathroom. The Weird Sisters played all the way up to midnight. After saying good bye to Katie, Ewan walked slowly to the Ravenclaw tower. After taking off his dress robes and putting on his pajama's he went to bed. Everyone got up late the next morning.

* * *

Half-way through January was a Hogsmeade visit. However, Ewan and Katie weren't going. Ewan had found out from Hermione that Viktor was going to go swimming in the Black Lake.

"Viktor!" he called out, Viktor was already on his way towards the lake. "Hey, going swimming?"

"Yes, vhy?"

"Well, I want to practice my swimming, so doe's Katie, here… mind if we joined you?"

"You may join me."

"Awesome."

Katie was reluctant to get into the freezing cold water. Thankfully Ewan cast a warming spell on her bathing suit.

"Vhy do you vant to practice you're swimming?"

"Have you solved the egg puzzle yet?

"Yeah…"

"Then you know."

After an hour, Katie decided she had enough of the cold lake. Wrapping herself in a warm towel, she marched up to the castle, leaving Ewan alone with Krum.

"Want to race?" he asked.

***

February twenty-forth came quickly for Ewan. Ewan was hoping to talk to Harry the night before, but he went missing. 'Probably in the Gryffindor dorm.' He had thought. That morning he was in his swim shorts, with his wand and a small knife in his pocket. When the whistle blew, Ewan cast a quick bubble-head charm on himself, he noticed Krum do some sort of transfiguration on himself and Fleur also cast the bubble-head charm. He was the first to dive into the cold, freezing lake.

The lake was like its name dark, so Ewan cast Lumos. Small fish swam around him, he ignored them, focusing on his goal. Suddenly a ghost showed up out of nowhere, she wore Hogwarts robes, pigtails and big glasses. "You have to go that way…" she said pointing to the center of the lake. Ewan threw up a thumbs up at her. Checking his watch, which he water-proofed, he noticed he only spent 10 minutes so far. Fighting his way through weed and grindylows, he kept chanting in his head:

"We've taken what you're sorely miss,

An hour long you'll have to look,

And to recover what we took…"

He didn't recite the ending, he didn't even want to think about it. Finally he found a clearing in the dark water. Surrounding the clearing were underwater houses, like a village in the center of the village was a stone merperson. Three people were tied to the stone, Harry, Hermione, and a little girl who looked to be around eight years old.

'So that's what they took, my brother!' he thought, getting the knife out of his pocket. As he was doing this the merpeople starting singing a song:

"An hour long you'll have to look,

And to recover what we took,

Your times half gone, so tarry not

Lest what you seek stays here to rot."

'Well that's okay because I'm done.' He thought cutting off the rope that bounded his brother.

He pushed himself and Harry out of the cold water. When he surfaced he canceled his spell. Harry, who was in a deep while in the water, had awoken, he seemed confused, so Ewan held his arm tight and ushered him to the bank.

People were clapping like crazy.

"Ewan, you're the first one back! And inside the time limit!" shouted Katie from the front row of the stands.

Next to show up was Fleur but without her hostage. Minutes later Krum showed up with Hermione. "Professor, may I go down to get Fleur's sister?" asked Ewan, who had Harry buried in towels.

"Don't worry Mr. Potter, the merpeople are bringing her up now." said the Headmaster. After Fleur's sister, Gabrielle was on shore and wrapped in blankets did Mr. Bagman announce the scores.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, we have reached our decision. Merchieftaniness Murcus had told us exactly what happened at the bottom of the lake, and we therefore decided to award marks out of fifty for each of the champions, as follows…

"Fleur Delacour, though she demonstrated excellent use of the Bubble-Head Charm, was attacked by grindylows as she approached her goal, and failed to retrieve her hostage. We award her twenty-five points.

"Ewan Potter, who also used a Bubble-Head Charm was first to return with his hostage and on time." The entire Hogwarts student body seemed to be going crazy with cheers and applauds. "We therefore award him fifty points."

Dumbledore had to call everyone to order so Mr. Bagman could give Viktor's score.

"Viktor Krum used an incomplete form of Transfiguration, which was nevertheless effective, and was second to return with his hostage. However, he was outside the time limit. We award him forty points." All the Durmstrang students were clapping profusely. Especially Karkaroff.

Mr. Bagman continued. "The third and final task will take place at dusk on the twenty-fourth of June; the champions will be notified of what is coming precisely one month beforehand. Thank you for all your support of the champions."

* * *

Ever since the second task, Ewan was able to enjoy a somewhat normal year at Hogwarts. Easter holidays were spent mostly with Katie. Classes were getting harder, most starting to focus on the end-of-term tests. Ewan, not having to take these tests, was able to studying during the classes' reviews or practice exams. Professor Flitwick even allowed him to leave early.

Soon it was the last week in May. Professor Flitwick held him over class. "You are to go to the Quidditch pitch tonight at nine o'clock. Mr. Bagman will be telling the champions about the third task."

Half past eight, Ewan made his way down to the pitch. What he saw surprised him, is beloved pitch was gone. Fuming, he had to wait a few minutes for Viktor and Fleur to arrive.

"Welcome, so what do you think?" he asked the champions, "Give Hagrid a month and he'll have these hedges twenty feet high. Oh – no worries Mr. Potter you'll have your Quidditch pitch back soon enough." He said after looking at Ewan's angry expression.

"I better; I still have quidditch next year! I can't be trying to catch a quaffle if I have to avoid stupid overgrown hedges!" he complained.

"No worries. Now I'm sure one of you can guess what this is?"

There was silence for a moment. "Maze" grunted Krum.

"Yes! Excellent, a maze. The third task is really straightforward. The Tri-wizard Cup will be placed in the center of the maze. The first champion to receive it will receive full marks."

"We simply 'ave to get through the maze?" asked Fleur.

"There will be obstacles, 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 champion who is leading in points will get a head start, which would be you Mr. Potter. Then Mr. Krum will enter… then Miss Delacour. But you'll be in with a frightening chance, depending on how well you get past the obstacles. Should be fun, eh?"

"As long as I get my pitch back…" said Ewan.

Over the course of the month of June, Ewan put an effort to looking into magical creatures. Asking fellow Ravenclaw's on what kind of creatures Hagrid usually has. He was told on and on about blast-ended strewt's, though Ewan never heard of them. Professor Moody even took out some of his time to show him some useful spells that he hadn't learned yet.

The third task was the same day as end-of-term tests. While all his friends were panicking about them, Ewan always had his head in a book learning spells, creatures, and charms useful for the maze. When he wasn't researching, he would take some time out to run around the lake. His hope was to get through the maze as fast as he could.

At breakfast the morning of the third task, Professor Flitwick came to get Ewan.

"Professor, it's not time yet for the task, what's going on?" he asked.

"The families of the champions were invited to watch the third task; this is your time to meet with them. Since, you don't have anything to do today." said the little wizard, smirking.

When he entered the chamber, he noticed Viktor talking to his dark-haired mother and father in Bulgarian, on the other side of the room was Fleur jabbing away in French to her mother. Her sister, Gabrielle, was holding the mothers hand. Then he noticed Sirius. He smiled.

"Sirius!" he said walking to his godfather. "How are Mum and Dad?"

"Good, wished they could come though, being muggle's though, it would have been hard. So, look at you, in the lead!" said Sirius.

"Yeah, I have ninety-two points so far, Viktor has eighty, and Fleur has sixty-five." Said Ewan, not being able to help but grin.

Sirius and Ewan, along with Harry at times, spent the entire day together. At dinner, Mr. Bagman, Mr. Crouch, and Minister Fudge had joined the staff table. Dinner was excellent, with extra course like at the Welcoming Feast. Finally, when the enchanted sky changed from blue to dusky purple, Dumbledore rose from 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 Tri-wizard Tournament. Will the champions please follow Mr. Bagman down to the stadium now."

Ewan got up from the Ravenclaw table, stopping to wait for Fleur who sat next to him. Viktor arose from the Slytherin table. When they arrived at the pitch, Ewan's face broke out in a scowl. The hedges were now twenty-feet tall, running all along the edges of the pitch. There was a gap in front of them for the entrance; it was dark and ominous looking.

Minutes past and the stands started filling up. People were excited. The sky was clear blue and faint stars were already shining. Hagrid, Professor Moody, Professor McGonagall, and Professor Flitwick came towards them all wearing large, red, stars on their hats.

"We are going to be patrolling the outside of the maze," said McGonagall to the champions. "If you get into any 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. Professor Moody winked at Ewan.

"Excellent. Ladies and gentlemen, the third and final task of the Tri-wizard Tournament is about to begin! In first place with ninety-two points, Mr. Ewan Potter, of Hogwarts School. In second place, with eighty points, Mr. Viktor Krum of Durmstrang Institute, and in third Miss Fleur Delacour of Beauxbatons Academy. At the sound of my whistle, Ewan will start into the maze! Three…two…one!"

Bagman gave a short blow to his whistle. Ewan stepped into the maze. Everything was dark, the path in shadows. "Lumos" he whispered. About fifty yards in he came upon a fork. Taking the left side he wondered on. Using the Point Me spell to guide his way. He heard the sound of a whistle from behind.

'Two in, one to go…' he thought. Finally he saw a creature, it was a clown, and he hated clowns with a passion. He would even admit to being scared of them.

'Scared… scared…. Oh Boggart!'

"Riddikulus!" he shouted. There was a large crack and the boggart disappeared into white mist. He heard the sound of the whistle again.

'We're all in.'

He continued walking; only stopping to check his location. Then he heard the sounds of firecrackers, looking up he saw red sparks against the dark blue sky. 'Someone is out….'

After a few more minutes of walking, he found a long, straight path. Taking that route he entered suddenly noticing a large shape moving. Waving his wand near the shape he noticed it was a sphinx, a creature he read about while studying magical beasts.

"You are very near your goal. The quickest way is past me." The beast, a female, spoke with a deep, hoarse voice.

"So… a sphinx asks riddles right? So if I answer the riddle you're move."

"That's correct. Answer my riddle correctly and I let you pass, answer wrong and I attack. Remain silent- and I will let you walk away from me unscathed."

"Okay, ask away." Ewan said with a smile, he was a Ravenclaw for a reason.

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?

'First think of the person who lives in disguise… Who deals in secrets and tells naught but lies…an imposter, a thief, a spy… what's always the last thing to mend… The middle of middle and end of the end… nd, dd,nd…d… the sound often heard during the search for a hard-to-find word…er-er…ER! Imposter – d-er, no, thief-d-er, no, spy-d-er…spy-d-er…spider? Spider!'

"Spider?" He asked carefully. The sphinx rose onto its feet stretched then move out of the way. "Thank you." He said moving forward. He could see the cup. Running quickly, he didn't notice the large spider that stepped directly in front of him. 'So the sphinx was giving me a warning… damn it.' Trying to dodge an angry spider was not an easy thing. He was only inches from the cup when the spider grabbed his ankle with its pincers.

"Stupefy! Impedimenta! Stupefy!" nothing was working. The spider was dragging him away from the cup. Taking a deep breath he yelled: "Expelliarmus!" the spider let go for a second, but a second was all he need to speed back to the cup grabbing it with all his might.

A tugging sensation pulled at him, transporting him away from the middle of the maze.

To Be Continued