DISCLAIMER: I do not own Negima or Harry Potter. Negima is the property of Ken Akamatsu, and Harry Potter is the property of J.K. Rowling.
Italics text = character thinking to themselves.
Underline+Italics = character communicating with telepathy
Bold text = shouting
Bold+Italcs = Casting Spell/Ability
Chapter Twenty
The Wind Maze
During their training, the team managed to reduce their time by at least 12 seconds. Oh course, they all needed various hints from Yue, but overall they did well. On the fourth day, they finally moved on to the more complicated part of the room.
"During the past few days, you've learnt how to detect the favorable winds around you and to avoid the unfavorable ones. For the next four days, you'll be putting those skills to the test by trying to find the fastest route through this Wind Maze. And don't try to cheat by asking each other, since you will be starting from different locations and at the same time." Negi explained and showed them a diagram. Like before, he asked Yue and Setsuna to supervise them, but unlike before, he left the room saying he needed to see Haruna and Chao.
Regarding Chao, she had returned with the others from the artic area just after two days of training. Apparently, Eva declared she was pleased with Hermione's development and decided it was enough for the time being. And for good reasons too! In just two days of intense training the girl not only learnt how to use fire element as a barrier against the surrounding cold, but also increased the number of magic arrows she could use to 29. "Flagarantia Rubicans" was the new spell she learnt and her performance with it proved quite impressive.
As they began the race through the Maze, they realized that it was painfully hard. Mainly because the whirlwinds were so powerful that they hit the pillars after only a few seconds.
"What the bloody hell was that?" Ron yelled holding his bleeding nose.
"That was you breaking your nose" Konoka said coming near him and healing him with a wave of her wand.
"What did we do wrong?" Angelina asked staggering.
"You took of without feeling the wind first and with too much speed. You're lucky you didn't break any limbs." Yue told them.
"Don't worry though; I can easily fix broken limbs. Just don't let your head go splat, I can't heal you then!" Konoka said cheerfully.
"Nee-chan, that too grim!" Kamo said from the side where he was having a drink with Chachazero who actually looked forward to the idea.
"This time try to sense air currents before you take off." Setsuna advised them.
Well, they tried. They went past the first three pillars before they crashed into the fourth. This time they were ready and didn't take any damage. As the hours passed, they advanced little by little, but once in a while they would crash into a pillar they didn't notice.
"This is impossible" Fred said after crashing into Alicia Spinet.
"Yeah, there are too many currents. It's like a typhoon." George added.
"As much as I would want to agree, Professor Negi easily did it for days. And I didn't see him crash even once. It can be done!" Angelina said stubbornly.
"Hey, how about I give you a demonstration?" Konoka suggested to everyone's surprise.
"I didn't know you can fly!" Yue said.
"When did you know how to fly, ojou-sama?"
"When I was making my way to Ostia with Kaede. It was better then walking through those forests" she answered with a smile.
"That Ostia place again! When are gonna tell us more about it?" Ron asked.
"Probably never. If you want answers, they're probably in the most hidden parts of the Restricted Section of the library." Yue said without emotion.
"Why? I thought Asuna was from there." Hermione said from the side.
"You guys are too young and inexperienced for this kind of stuff." Eva ended the discussion.
"Anyway, here I go!" Konoka said as she took off.
To everyone's amazement, she maneuvered beautifully, barely getting close to the pillars. What's more, at some point she even flew backwards! Her performance was perfect, maybe surpassing even Negi's.
"That was magnificent, ojou-sama!"
"Thanks. But Negi-kun was pretty sneaky!" she giggled.
"What do you mean?"
"The pillars move slightly every ten seconds." Eva said with a grin.
"WHY?" the whole team yelled in despair.
"During the game, the opponents won't be where you put them. You must use your inner eye to detect them."
"In other words you use your instinct and senses rather then your brain." Eva said.
"A part of this training was for you to notice the movement of the pillars."
"Great, another moving maze..." Harry grumbled.
"Scared?" Eva asked mockingly.
"Yes" Harry answered bluntly.
"Heh, then you should be grateful to boya."
"Why?" Harry asked cautiously.
"Because he didn't add any "Kamaitachi" in the maze. Like I did for him." Eva said evilly.
"That means a wind that cuts at contact" Yue explained.
"That's brutal!" Hermione yelled.
"Thanks, I try." the vampire replied.
"Now I'm beginning to understand why he's the teacher despite you have a lot more experience." Hermione said with a sight.
"Yeah, Dumbledore wants us alive." Ron added.
"Yes, boring isn't it?" Eva said.
"Okay…back to training" Harry ended the dangerous discussion.
But that was easier said then done. After they found out that the pillars were moving, their morale was zero. At such times, Yue decided to give them another hint.
"Harry, help me demonstrate something." she requested.
"Ok, sure."
"Get on your broom and head towards an open space. When you reach it, close your eyes and continue ahead, but lower your control to minimum."
"Are you kidding? I'll crash!"
"Just trust me on this one." Yue finished with a smile.
Hesitating, Harry headed towards a rather more open area and closed his eyes. As he reduced his control, he felt something drawing him to the right so he went that way. Next, he felt it from the left. As it continued on, Harry obeyed those impulses and eventually crashed into something.
"I knew it was too good to be true he said"
"What do you mean?"
"I just crashed into this damn wall!" he said angrily. Then he realized it. "Wait…WALL?"
"Yep, you went all the way through."
"But I just let myself sucked into the currents!"
"Of course! It was actually this simple!" Hermione yelled.
"What do you mean?" Ron asked.
"In order for the wind to be drawn into a space, it must mean there is another exit through it leaves that space." she explained.
"Exactly" Eva said with a grin.
"But we can't have our eyes closed during the match!" Angelina said.
"You just have to get used to the feeling here and then use it with your eyes open." Yue said.
"Then let's the REAL training begin!" Fred said cheerfully.
"Yeah!" the rest of the team responded.
Of course, after that hint things went smoothly. Well, some of them still crashed into the wall, but that wouldn't happen with their eyes closed.
After three days, Negi returned and joined them for another five days of usual training, during which they greatly improved their teamwork. They practiced their techniques and refined them with their recently acquired skills.
After that, they were given a day of rest, during which they did any homework they had and even had a tour of the castle, even though about a third of it was restricted to everyone except Eva. She doubted any of them wanted to die so soon, from various causes.
On the final day of their training they were brought to the jungle training area where Negi had created a temporary stadium. And they were greeted by Haruna and seven the most unlikely guest.