The Third Task
"So even Dumbledore thinks that Voldemort's growing stronger again?" David whispered.
Arthur told David and Chrys everything he had seen and heard from the Pensieve and Dumbledore, as well as Sirius, who he sent an owl to the moment he left Dumbledore's office.
The three sat up late in the common room that night, taking in what Arthur just said.
David stared into the common room fire, frowning in thought.
"And Dumbledore trusts Snape? A Death Eater." He spat with utter venom.
Chrys didn't speak for a whole ten minutes. She just sat there, leaning her chin on her hands.
"No wonder Winky said that Bagman was a bad wizard. Crouch was furious he got off. He'd have talked about it at home in front of her."
"But we all know that he's not the brightest person. It was clearly not done on purpose." David said, making her shrug.
"And Fudge suspects Maxime of attacking Crouch?" He then said to Arthur.
"Yeah. That bloody idiot said that because she's a half-giant and because the Beauxbatons carriage was near where Crouch disappeared."
"Naturally." Chrys said. "Fudge is just stupidly jumping to conclusions. Like in second year, suspecting Hagrid to be behind the attacks. And now, because of Skeeter's article about Hagrid and his mother. That kind of prejudice is not good if you're a Minister for Magic."
She then looked at her watch.
"Oh snap! We haven't even done any practising!" She said in shock. "We were going to do the Impediment Jinx! We'll need to do it tomorrow! Let's get to sleep."
The trio all went up to their dormitories.
As Arthur changed into his pyjamas, he looked over at Neville's bed. As he promised to Dumbledore, he didn't tell David and Chrys about Neville's parents.
Arthur imagined what it had to have been like to grow up with parents that are still alive, yet they can't recognise you. Arthur may get sympathy from people, but Neville deserved the same, if not more sympathy in his opinion.
Arthur grew more hatred and fury, not just towards Voldemort, but also to the people who tortured Neville's parents, especially Crouch Jr, who is in the school at this very moment.
He pulled out the Marauder's Map and found him in what was supposed to be Moody's office.
Voldemort is nothing but pure scum for all that he has done, tearing families apart and ruining lives with his supporters.
David, Chrys and Mike were all meant to be revising for their exams, which would finish on the same day of the third task, but they prioritised helping Arthur prepare for the final task of the Triwizard Tournament.
"Don't worry about us." Chrys told Arthur, who pointed this fact out to them, saying that he could practise on his own. "We'll get top marks in Defence Against the Dark Arts regardless."
"Good training for anyone who wants to be an Auror." Mike pointed out as he shot an Impediment Jinx at a bee, making it stop in mid air.
The mood of the castle when June came around was one of excitement and tension once more. Everyone looked forward to the third task, which would take place a week before term ended.
Arthur practised hexes at any available moment he had. He started growing confident about this task in comparison to the previous ones.
Despite it being difficult and dangerous, Arthur knew he could handle it. He faced obstacles himself towards the end of his first year and came out alive. And he faced dangerous creatures before, as well as enchanted barriers. He was able to have some notice and have a chance to fully prepare himself for what will come.
Being tired of walking into them all over the school, McGonagall gave Arthur permission to use the empty Transfiguration classroom at lunchtimes. Eventually, he was now able to master the Impediment Jinx, which he can use to slow down and obstruct attackers, the Reductor curse, which would allow him to blast solid objects out of his way, and the Four Point Spell, which Chrys discovered. It would make his wand point due north, therefore allowing him to check if he was going in the right direction within the maze.
He was also surprisingly natural at the Shield Charm, which cast a temporary invisible wall around him to deflect minor curses. It was so strong that even Chrys' strong Jelly Legs Jinx didn't break it.
"You really have the makings of an Auror." Chrys said as she looked down her list, crossing off the spells that they've already learned. "I'm sure these will come in handy."
Sirius now started sending owls daily. Just like Chrys, he wanted to make sure that Arthur made it through the final task before concerning themselves with anything else. He also reminded Arthur that whatever is going on outside the Hogwarts walls wasn't his responsibility, nor within his power to influence it.
In one letter, he wrote:
If Voldemort is really getting stronger again, my priority is to ensure your safety. He cannot hope to lay hands on you while you are under Dumbledore's protection, but all the same, take no risks: concentrate on getting through that maze safely, and then we can turn our attention to other matters.
Arthur's nerves were now mounting as the twenty fourth of June came closer, though not as strong as the first or second tasks.
This was partly because he fully prepared for the task and there was also the fact that this would be the final task, no matter how well or badly he'll do.
Breakfast was very noisy at the Gryffindor table on the morning of the third task. Post owls appeared, which brought Arthur a good luck card from Sirius, and another from the Dentleys, which he appreciated. Sirius' was only a piece of parchment folded over, bearing a muddy paw print on its front, but the effort was appreciated regardless.
A screech owl arrived for Chrys, carrying her morning copy of the Daily Prophet as usual. She unfolded it and read it, chuckling slightly.
"It is nice to read a newspaper that doesn't have anything written by Skeeter." She noted to Arthur and David, who grinned back.
Arthur was aware that the History of Magic exam was to take place in ten minutes, but he was glad to be exempt from the end of term tests, being a Triwizard champion as he'd sit at the back of every exam class so far, looking up fresh hexes for the third task.
Shortly afterwards, McGonagall walked along the Gryffindor table towards him.
"Pendergast, the champions are congregating in the chamber off the Hall after breakfast." She said.
"And why is that?" Arthur asked after finishing his mouthful of bacon and scrambled eggs.
"The champions' families are invited to watch the final task. This is a chance for you to greet them." She replied before moving away.
"I honestly can't imagine the Dentleys turning up at Hogwarts." Arthur said to David and Chrys, who shrugged.
The two left shortly after, not wanting to be late for the exam, leaving Arthur to finish his breakfast in the emptying Great Hall.
He watched as Fleur got up from the Ravenclaw table and joined Cedric as he crossed to the side chamber and entered. Krum then slouched off to join them shortly afterwards.
Arthur stayed where he was for a moment before going to the side chamber as well.
Upon entering, he saw Cedric and his parents just inside the door. Krum was over in a corner, talking with his dark haired mother and father in rapid Bulgarian. It was clear he inherited his hooked nose from his father,
On the other side of the room was Fleur, jabbering away in French to her mother. Her little sister, Gabrielle, held her mother's hand. She waved at Arthur who waved back.
And then he spotted Martha Merlon and Rob standing in front of the fireplace, beaming at him.
"Surprise!" Martha said excitedly as Arthur walked over to them, surprised to meet them. "We thought that we'd come and watch!" She then bent and kissed him on the cheek while embracing him.
"Hey, Arthur." Rob grinned at Arthur, shaking his hand. "Kenny wanted to come, but he wasn't able to get any time off. He told us you were nothing but incredible against that Horntail."
Arthur noticed that Fleur was eyeing Rob with great interest over her mother's shoulder. She definitely didn't object to long hair.
"I honestly expected the Dentleys to be here." Arthur told Martha and Rob.
"They actually called us up and said that they wanted to come, but they were on a trip to Spain, so they asked us to come for you." Martha explained.
"It's nice to be back at Hogwarts." Rob said fondly as he looked around the chamber. Violet, the Fat Lady's friend, even winked at him from her frame, leaving Arthur speechless for a moment. "I haven't seen this place for five years. Is Sir Cadogan still around?"
"Yep." Arthur replied, finally able to speak.
"And the Fat Lady?" Rob then asked.
"She was here during my time." Martha said. "She gave me quite the telling off one night when I got back to the dormitory at four in the morning -"
"Why would you be out of your dormitory at four in the morning?" Rob asked in amazement at his mother.
His question made Martha giggle and grin with twinkling eyes.
"Your dad and I went on a night stroll. He got caught by the then caretaker, Apollyon Pringle."
"Fancy giving us a tour, Arthur?" Rob then asked.
"Sure." Arthur grinned as they walked to the door to the Great Hall.
As they passed Amos Diggory, he looked around.
"There you are, are you?" He said, looking Arthur up and down. "Bet you're not feeling quite as full of yourself now Cedric's catching up on points, are you?"
"Excuse me?" Arthur frowned at his rude behaviour.
"Ignore him." Cedric said in a low voice, frowning at his father. "He's been angry ever since Rita Skeeter's article about the Triwizard Tournament - you know, when she made out you were the only Hogwarts champion."
"Didn't bother to correct her, though, did he?" Amos said, loud enough for Arthur to hear as he walked out with Marth and Rob through the door. "Still… you'll show him, Ced. Beaten him once before, haven't you?"
The three stopped and Martha turned to face him with a glare.
"Look at that, you just made yourself look like an idiot for a third time, Amos!" Martha said angrily. "Skeeter does nothing but write garbage and cause trouble! You should know that, working in the Ministry and all! Plus, Arthur is nothing like what Skeeter wrote, you'd know that if you got to know him!"
Amos was truly angry and was about to say something, but his wife laid a hand on his arm, making him shrug and turn away.
Arthur ended up having a very enjoyable morning walking through the sunny grounds with Martha and Rob, showing off the Beauxbatons carriage, the paddock with the Abraxans and the Durmstrang ship.
Martha got a chance to look at the Whomping Willow, having been planted there after she left school. Arthur told her the story behind it. She even reminisced about the gamekeeper before Hagrid, a man named Ogg.
"How's Sam, by the way?" Arthur asked as they walked around the greenhouses.
"He's doing fine." Rob said.
"Though he's been stressed." Martha said as she lowered her voice. "Naturally, the Ministry wants to keep Crouch's disappearance quiet, and Sam got hauled in for questioning about the instructions Crouch sent him. They seemed to consider that they weren't really written by him. He kept telling them they didn't take him seriously about this. They now have Fudge filling in for Crouch as the fifth judge tonight."
The three returned to the castle for lunch.
"Mum, Rob!" David said, shocked to see them as he joined the Gryffindor table. "What the hell are you doing here?"
"Came to see Arthur in the final task!" Martha replied. "How was the exam?"
"It was fine. It's History of Magic and I actually struggled to remember all the goblin rebels' names. They all just blend together."
Jack, Kevin, Mary, Chrys and Mike showed up next to them and all had a great time, reminding Arthur of his time at Merlon Manor, and making him forget for a moment that he's about to perform the third task later.
The trio were able to inform the others about how Skeeter is an unregistered Animagus in the form of a beetle, which is how she got some information. All of them, especially Martha, were very much impressed that they caught her, wondering why she stopped writing articles for a while.
Arthur, Rob and Martha would walk around the castle in the after before returning to the Great Hall for the evening feast.
Ludo Bagman and Fudge joined the staff table now. While Bagman looked cheerful, Fudge, who sat next to Maxime, looked stern and didn't talk. Maxime was also concentrating on her plate, her eyes even looking red. Hagrid would also keep glancing along the table at her.
There were more courses than usual, and Arthur now started feeling nervous, resulting in him not eating much.
The enchanted ceiling overhead started fading from blue to dusky purple, which was when Dumbledore rose to his feet at 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 pitch for the third and last task of the Triwizard Tournament. Will the champions please follow Mr Bagman down to the stadium now."
Arthur got up and the whole Gryffindor table applauded him. The Merlons, Chrys and Mike all wished him good luck as well.
He then headed out of the Great Hall along with the other champions.
"Feeling alright, Arthur?" Bagman asked as they went down the stone steps into the grounds. "Confident?"
"Yes." Arthur replied. Despite being nervous, he remembered all the hexes and spells he practised and all that knowledge helped him feel better about what he's about to do.
By the time they reached the Quidditch pitch, it was now completely unrecognisable. A twenty foot high hedge now ran all the way around the edge of the pitch. There was also a gap in front of them, which functioned as the entrance to the maze. The passage beyond it looked dark and downright creepy.
The four champions then changed into some Tournament uniforms for the task.
Krum put on the same turtleneck sweater he wore in the first task that had his school emblem on it.
Fleur changed into a hoodie and jeans that were the same colour as her school uniform.
Both Arthur and Cedric had on shirts that had their house colours cover one half of the shirt, the other half in black with the Hogwarts crest over the heart. And their surnames were on the back.
Within five minutes time, the stands were now being filled up, the air now full of excited voices and the rumbling of feet as the hundreds of students filed into their seats.
The sky was now a deep, clear blue and the first stars were starting to appear.
Hagrid, Crouch Jr, McGonagall and Flitwick all walked into the stadium and approached Bagman and the champions. They all wore large, red luminous stars on their hats, except for Hagrid, who had his on the back of his moleskin waistcoat.
"We are going to be patrolling the outside of the maze." McGonagall told the champions. "If you get into difficulty, and wish to be reduced, send red sparks into the air, and one of us will come and get you, do you understand?"
All four champions nodded.
"Off you go, then!" Bagman then said brightly to the four on patrol. Arthur frowned at Crouch Jr. He now suspected he did something for this task, as to what, he didn't know yet.
"Good luck, Arthur." Hagrid whispered before the four walked off in different directions to station themselves around the maze.
Bagman then pointed his wand at his throat, muttering "Sonorus" and his magically amplified voice echoed into the stands.
"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! In first place, on ninety points, Mr Arthur Pendergast, of Hogwarts School! In second place, on eighty five points, Mr Cedric Diggory, also of Hogwarts School!" The cheers and applause for them sent birds from the Forbidden Forest fluttering into the darkening sky.
"In third place, on eighty points, Mr Viktor Krum, of Durmstrang!" There was more applause. "And in fourth place, Miss Fleur Delacour, of Beauxbatons Academy!"
Arthur was able to make out the Merlons, Mike and Chrys applauded Fleur politely, halfway up the stands. He waved at them, and they all waved back, beaming at them.
"So… on my whistle, Arthur and Cedric!" Bagman said. "Three… two… one…."
He gave a short blast on his whistle and both Hogwarts champions hurried through the entrance to the maze.
The towering hedges cast black and forbidding shadows across the path and whether it was because they were so tall and thick, or because they were enchanted, the sound of the crowd was silenced upon entering the maze. It was similar to being underwater.
Arthur pulled his wand out and muttered "Lumos", hearing Cedric do the same just behind him.
After around fifty yards, they reached a fork. The two looked at each other.
"Good luck." Arthur said before taking the left one, while Cedric took the right one.
Arthur hears Bagman's whistle for the second time, meaning Krum has just entered the maze.
This fact made him speed up down the completely deserted path. He then turned right and hurried on, holding his wand high over him, trying to see as far as possible.
There wasn't anything in sight, which made him be on edge.
Bagman's whistle blew in the distance for a third time, meaning all the champions were now in the maze.
Arthur started looking behind him as that feeling of being watched crept up on him like a cold and rough cloak wrapped around him. The maze was also growing darker with every passing minute with the sky overhead deepening to navy.
Arthur had now reached another fork.
"Point me." He whispered to his wand, holding it flat on his palm.
The wand spun around once before pointing towards his right, into the solid hedge. That direction was north, and he needed to go northwest for the centre of the maze.
The best he could do at the moment was take the left fork then go right again as soon as possible.
The path ahead of him was empty as well and upon finding a right turn, Arthur took it instantly, once again finding an unblocked path.
The lack of obstacles was concerning for Arthur. He had to have faced something by now. It was like the maze was trying to lull him into a false sense of security, which didn't work because he was tense for something to happen.
Then there was movement right behind him. He spun and pointed his wand out in front of him, ready to attack.
It only turned out to be Cedric, who hurried out of a path to the right hand side. He looked severely shaken and his right sleeve was smoking.
"Hagrid's Blast Ended Skrewts!" He hissed warningly to Arthur. "They're enormous, I only just got away!"
He then shook his head and dived out of sight, along another path.
Wanting to keep his distance from the Skrewts, Arthur hurried off again and turned a corner when he stopped dead in his tracks.
There was a Dementor gliding towards him. It was twelve feet tall with its face hidden by its hood, its rotting, scabbed hands outstretched, advancing towards Arthur.
He noticed that it was doing so blindingly and since Dumbledore would never allow them at Hogwarts again, it had to be a Boggart.
"Riddikulus!" He shouted, making a loud crack and the shape shifter became nothing but a pile of cream on the ground.
Arthur moved on quickly and quietly, listening hard as he held his wand high once more.
Left… right… left again…. Arthur had found himself facing two dead ends. He did the Four Point Spell again, seeing that he was going too far east in the maze.
With that, he turned back and took a right turn, seeing a golden mist floating ahead of him.
Being cautious, he approached it, pointing the wand's beam at it. It was clearly a magical mist, though he didn't know what it was.
Arthur was thinking whether to just walk through it when a scream shattered the silence, leaving Arthur horrified.
"Fleur." He gasped. He now grew worried for her, thinking of what must've happened to her. Her scream was also somewhere ahead of him.
Arthur decided to risk it and run through the mist.
This resulted in him now hanging upside down, his head dangling a few feet from the ground.
Initially thrashing and antsy, Arthur tried to calm himself, needing to think his way through this as the blood started rushing to his head.
Somehow, he now fell forwards onto his knees, now on his feet. He took a steadying breath and then hurried off to find Fleur.
Arthur paused upon reaching a junction of two paths and looked for her. He knew it was her that screamed as it sounded feminine. There weren't any red sparks in the air, meaning she got into trouble and didn't get out of it.
He decided to just take the right fork and run with unease yet thinking that there were now three champions in the running to win the Tournament.
The Cup was somewhere close, it had to be.
For ten minutes, all Arthur met were dead ends. He took the same wrong turn twice until he found a new route and jogged down it, his wand light waving, which made his shadow flicker and distort on the hedge walls.
When he turned another corner, he found himself face to face with a Blast Ended Skrewt.
And Cedric was right, it was enormous. It was now ten feet long and now resembled a giant scorpion. Its long sting was curled over its back and its thick armour glinted in the wandlight.
"Stupefy!" Arthur shouted as he pointed his wand at it.
The spell hit the Skrewt's armour and had rebounded, making Arthur duck in time before it could graze him.
The Skrewt then issued a blast of fire from its end, flying towards him.
"Impedimenta!" Arthur yelled in desperation. The spell hit the Skrewt's fleshy, shell-less underside and made it freeze.
Arthur ran around it and sprinted in the opposite direction as the jinx wasn't permanent.
He took a left path, hitting another dead end, he then went right and hit another, making him growl as he stopped.
Arthur performed the Four Point Spell again and backtracked, choosing a path that would take him north west.
He hurried down the new path for a few minutes until he heard something in the path that ran parallel to his, making him stop.
"What are you doing?" Cedric's voice yelled. "What the hell d'you think you're doing?"
Arthur then heard Krum's voice.
"Crucio!"
The air was now filled with Cedric's yells.
Arthur sprinted down the path, trying to see if he could reach Cedric and stop Krum from using the Cruciatus Curse.
He didn't find a way to him so he used the Reductor Curse, which only burnt a small hole in the hedge. Arthur, in desperation, forced his leg through it, kicking the thick brambles and branches until they broke and made an opening.
He forced through it, which ripped his shirt on the seam on his left shoulder. He then looked right and saw Cedric jerking and twitching on the ground with Krum standing over him.
Arthur pointed his wand at Krum as he looked up before turning to start running.
"Stupefy!" He yelled, the spell hitting Krum on his back. He stopped dead in his tracks and fell forwards, laying motionless, face down in the grass.
Arthur then dashed over to Cedric, who had stopped twitching, and lay there panting, hands over his face.
"You okay?" He asked Cedric roughly, grabbing his arm to help him up.
"Yeah." Cedric panted. "Yeah… I don't believe it… he crept up behind me… I heard him, I turned around, and he had his wand on me…."
As he finally got up, he was still shaking. The two then looked down at Krum.
Arthur thought about why Krum did that. It didn't make sense, considering how he acted towards himself and Chrys. He seemed like a nice guy, very opposite to how other Durmstrang students were. The only thing that could make this make sense was that Crouch Jr placed the Imperius Curse on him. Probably to get the competition out of the way for Arthur to get to the Cup.
"Did you hear Fleur's scream earlier?" Arthur asked Cedric.
"Yeah. You don't think Krum got her, too?"
"I don't know." Arthur replied honestly.
"Should we leave him here?" Cedric then muttered.
"No." Arthur shook his head. "We should send red sparks and someone can collect him. Don't want him eaten by a Skrewt."
"He'd deserve it." Cedric muttered, but regardless, he raised his wand and shot a shower of red sparks into the air, which hovered high in the air above Krum, marking where he lay.
Both Arthur and Cedric stood in the darkness for a moment, looking around them until Cedric said "Well… I s'pose we'd better go on…."
"Yeah." Arthur nodded.
It was an interesting moment. Both Hogwarts champions were briefly united against Krum and then the fact that they were opponents came back to them.
The two proceeded up the dark path without speaking before Arthur turned left, and Cedric right. Arthur heard Cedric's footsteps fade away.
Arthur continued as he used the Four Point Spell, just to make sure he went down the right direction.
It was now between him and Cedric, a desire to reach the cup first now burning within him, his mindset now back to that Quidditch match he faced against Cedric in third year.
Every so often, he'd hit more dead ends and the increasing darkness made him think that he was now getting closer to the heart of the maze.
As he stride down a long, straight path, he saw movement and his wandlight hit upon a creature Arthur never thought he'd see in his life. One he remembered from reading his Fantastic Beasts book.
It was a sphinx. Its body was that of an overlarge lion with giant clawed paws and a long yellowish tail ending in a brown tuft. Then there's its head, which was that of a human woman. She turned her long, almond shaped eyes upon Arthur when he approached.
Arthur watched her in awe as she paced from side to side of the path blocking him. He knew he'd have to solve a puzzle or a riddle, as they have a knack for that, along with protecting treasures.
She then spoke in a deep hoarse voice "You are very near your goal. The quickest way is past me."
"And I must solve a riddle, don't I?" Arthur asked her.
"Yes. Answer on your first guess, I let you pass. Answer wrongly, I attack. Remain silent, I will let you walk away from me, unscathed."
"Let me hear your riddle."Arthur demanded.
The sphinx sat down on her hind legs in the very centre 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 strong them together, and answer me this,
Which creature would you be unwilling to kiss?
Already, Arthur's mind was going into overdrive to solve what the sphinx just said.
He paced, very much like the sphinx did, thinking that the clues added up to whatever creature he didn't want to kiss.
He thought about the first clue of the riddle, realising that the lines were describing a spy.
The final clue about the sound heard during a search for a hard to find word. Arthur thought about what people would say when they're trying to speak the next word and he came up with 'er'.
Then there's the second clue. The middle of the middle and the end of the end. He knew right away that it was talking about the letter 'd'.
He combined the clues together and grinned proudly.
"A creature I wouldn't want to kiss is a spider." He told the sphinx, who smiled broadly before getting up and stretched her front legs, moving aside for him to pass.
"Thanks." He bowed to her before dashing forwards.
He now had to be close to the Cup as his wand told him he was bang on course, just as long as he didn't meet anything horrible on the way.
Upon having a choice of paths up ahead, he whispered "Point me!" and the wand spun around, pointing him to the right hand one. He dashed up it and saw light ahead of him.
The Triwizard Cup was gleaming on a plinth a hundred yards away from him. Arthur now broke into a sprint as he saw a dark figure hurtling out onto the path in front of him.
Cedric was about to get there first as he himself sprinted as fast as he could to the Cup. Arthur knew with defeat that he couldn't catch up because Cedric was taller and with longer legs.
But then Arthur saw something large and immense over a hedge to Cedric's left, moving quickly along a path that intersected with his own, moving so fast that Cedric was about to run into it. Cedric didn't notice because he was purely focused on the Cup.
"CEDRIC! TO YOUR LEFT!"
He looked around in time to hurl himself past the thing and avoid colliding with it, but he tripped.
Arthur saw that Cedric's wand flew out of his hand as a large spider stepping into the path, now bearing down upon Cedric.
"Stupefy!" Arthur yelled, the spell hitting the spider's gigantic, hairy black body, but all it did was make it jerk, scuttle around and run at Arthur instead.
"STUPEFY! IMPEDIMENTA!"
No matter what, there was no effect. It was either because of the spider being too big or was so magical that spells just aggravated it.
Arthur had a horrifying glimpse of eight shining black eyes and its razor sharp pincers before it was now upon him.
He struggled to get away from it as he was lifted into the air in its front legs. He tried to kick it in the eyes, barely able to keep his leg away from the pincers.
Cedric was yelling "Stupefy!" as well, but his spell had the same effect as Arthur's.
As the spider was about to grab his leg with its pincers, Arthur shouted "Expelliarmus!"
That managed to work - the Disarming Spell made the spider drop Arthur, making him fall twelve feet onto the ground. Instantly, he aimed his wand at the spider's underbelly, like with the Skrewt and shouted "Stupefy!" just as Cedric did.
The combined spells did what one didn't. The Spider keeled over sideways, flattening a nearby hedge and strewing the path with a tangle of its hairy legs.
"Arthur!" Cedric shouted. "You alright? Did it fall on you?"
"No!" Arthur called back, panting. He looked at his trousers to see that there were a few rips and scratches, but they weren't serious injuries. He got up and saw Cedric standing feet away from the Triwizard Cup, which gleamed behind him.
"Just take it, you're already there." He told Cedric, deciding to be selfless.
Cedric, however, didn't move. He just stood there, looking at Arthur. He then turned to stare at the Cup, Arthur seeing a longing expression on his face in its blue light.
Cedric then looked back at Arthur. He took a deep breath, saying "You take it. You should win. That's twice you've saved my neck in here."
"That isn't how it's supposed to work!" Arthur said. "Just take the Cup!"
Cedric took a few paces nearer to the Stunned spider, away from the Cup, shaking his head.
"No." He said.
"Cedric, you're too noble for your own good. Just take it so that this bloody task can end!" Arthur replied irritably.
"You told me about the dragons. I would've gone down in the first task if you hadn't told me what was coming."
"I had help with that." Arthur snapped, remembering how Crouch Jr must've told Hagrid. "You helped me with the egg, we're square."
"I had help on the egg in the first place." Cedric said.
"We're still square." Arthur said.
"You stayed behind to get all the hostages in the second task. I should've done that." Cedric said mulishly.
"That's because I was thick headed enough to take the song seriously!" Arthur replied bitterly. "Just take the bloody Cup!"
"No." Cedric said.
"I can't believe it!" Arthur said, flabbergasted. "Hufflepuff hasn't had any glory for centuries and you want to throw that chance away!"
"Just go." Cedric replied, looking like it was costing him every ounce of resolution, but his face was set and arms folded, having decided.
Arthur looked back and forth from Cedric to the Cup. He didn't feel right if he won the Triwizard Tournament. He didn't want to come off as an attention seeking boy that wanted to make his founder and ancestors proud.
That's when it hit him.
"The both of us." He said.
"What?"
"Let's both take it at the same time. It would still be a Hogwarts victory, even if I'd technically win with the five extra points I have ahead of you."
Cedric stared at Arthur with his arms unfolding.
"You - you sure?"
"I am. We've helped each other out, might as well both take it together. And give your house the glory it deserves."
Cedric looked like he couldn't believe his ears as his face split into a grin.
"You're on." He said. "Let's go."
The two walked to the plinth where the Cup stood. Upon reaching it, they both held out a hand over one of the Cup's gleaming handles.
"On three." Arthur said. "One… two… three…."
Both of them grasped a handle.
Instantly, Arthur felt a familiar jerk behind his navel and had left the ground. He wasn't able to unclench his hand that held the Triwizard Cup as it pulled him onwards, in a howl of wind and swirling colour with Cedric at his side.
The Cup was made into a Portkey.
Amos looked like a real idiot once more. And things will get very dark in the following chapters. Be prepared for the turning point of the series.
