Third Task 2

As you might have learned (the very hard way) I'm sort of a erratic writer.

*sips tea calmly fully expecting to receive hate and waits for the crowd to calm down.

So.... you should thank Saphira once again for convincing me to write the latest chapter.

Join my discord too. I shall be doing an extra chapter event once enough ACTIVE people join.

Enjoy

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"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 Triwizard Tournament. Will the champions please follow Mr. Bagman down to the stadium now."

Arth got up. The Gryffindors all along the table were applauding him; Scarlett and Hermione all wished him good luck, and he headed off out of the Great Hall with Cedric, Fleur, and Viktor.

"Are you all right my boy?" Crouch asked as they went down the stone steps onto the grounds. "Feeling certain of victory?"

"I'm fine," said Arth with a wry smile. "At least I know for sure that I won't die whatever happens within the maze."

"Is that so?" Said Crouch with an amused look. "Then I will be expecting great things from you, my boy."

"I'll do my best to get first place."

They walked onto the Quidditch field, which was now completely unrecognizable. A twenty-foot-high hedge ran all the way around the edge of it. There was a gap right in front of them: the entrance to the vast maze. The passage beyond it looked cold and uninviting.

Five minutes later, the stands had begun to fill; the air was full of excited voices and the rumbling of feet as the hundreds of students filed into their seats. The sky was a deep, clear blue now, and the first stars were starting to appear. Hagrid, Professor Moody, Profes- sor McGonagall, and Professor Flitwick came walking into the stadium and approached Bagman and the champions.

They were wearing large, red, luminous stars on their hats, all except Hagrid, who had his on the back of his moleskin vest.

"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, do you understand?"

The champions nodded.

"Off you go, then!" said Bagman brightly to the four patrollers before leaning in to Arth, "Don't worry about a thing, I got my money on you."

"Good luck, Arth," Hagrid also whispered, and the four of them walked away in different directions, to station themselves around the maze.

Bagman now pointed his wand at his throat, muttered, "Sonorus," and his magically magnified 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, with eighty-four points — Mr. Cedric Diggory and in second place, with eighty-two points is Mr. Arthur Kingscrown, both of Hogwarts School!"

The cheers and applause sent birds from the Forbidden Forest fluttering into the darkening sky. "In third place, with eighty points — Mr. Viktor Krum, of Durmstrang Institute!" More applause. "And in fourth place — Miss Fleur Delacour, of Beauxbatons Academy, with seventh-seven!"

Ludo paused as if waiting for the crowd to go silent before finishing his speech.

"So . . . on my whistle, Cedric!" said Bagman. "Three — two — one —"

He gave a short blast on his whistle, and Cedric hurried forward into the maze.

After waiting a few minutes, Bagman said, "Next up Arthur! Three— two — one—"

Arth calmly walked into the maze and observed his surroundings. The towering hedges cast black shadows across the path, and, whether because they were so tall and thick or because they had been enchanted, the sound of the surrounding crowd was silenced the moment they entered the maze.

However, he soon started to hear a weird clicking sound... almost as if scorpions were walking around the maze.

A grin found its way onto Arth's face as he smirked at the creature in front of him.

"Gg well played."