hpml271-280

Chapter 271

Delacour took the diagrams and spent several minutes looking them over before nodding.

"This is a runic expansion charm? I am slightly concerned about…oh no, never mind. I see

the addition that prevents collapse while personnel are still inside. Excellent." He set the

papers down and gave Fudge a genuine smile for the first time. "It's good to see that your

government is finally taking this seriously."

"We have always taken it seriously," Fudge said scowling slightly. "I simply trusted my

Undersecretary too much and the oversight Bagman was supposed to be providing was

horribly insufficient. He will be properly disciplined as soon as the Tournament is over."

"Ensure that he is Fudge. Ensure that he is. We will take care of Umbridge."

Harry caught the rosemary scent of Daphne's perfume as the door to the owlery opened

behind him. He lifted a hand in a wave while he kept talking with Hedwig. "I'll be fine, girl.

Yes, if I'm not fine I will give you an extra two treats for every day I'm in the hospital wing.

And yes, Hermione, Tonks or Fleur will watch out for you if something happens." Hedwig

barked and started nipping at his finger. "Ow! No, I'm not trying to pawn you off on my

girlfriends! I'm telling you you'll be taken care of in case the worst happens! Hedwig stop!"

The snowy owl barked again and glared at him twisting her head. "I told you, I plan on

being fine, girl. Okay?" She twisted her head back to him, barked, nipped his finger far

more affectionately and took wing back to the rafters.

Harry shook his head muttering, "Crazy bird." Turning around to Daphne he smirked. "How

come you always manage to be the one to find me the day before these Tasks and not one

of the others?"

Daphne shrugged. "Probably because they look for where you'd go while I look for you."

"There's a difference?" Harry asked furrowing his brow.

"It's subtle, but yes there is." Daphne sighed and stepped up to look out the window. "You

should stop trying to hide before these things, Harry."

"I'm not hiding," he said. She shot him a glance with raised eyebrows. "Okay fine, I'm not

intentionally hiding. I just like some time to think beforehand. That gets a bit tough when

everyone wants to talk to me and go over last minute things."

Daphne sighed. "I know the feeling. Harry, I want to ask you something. And I would

appreciate it if you thought about it for a time before answering."

"Okay…"

Daphne kept staring out the window and stayed silent. Harry had started to fidget by the

time she finally started to say something. "Harry, I…would you be…are you willing to

consider…" she scowled and her mouth clacked shut. "Do you plan to try and win this

Tournament tomorrow?" she finished in a rush.

Harry frowned. That wasn't what she had been planning to ask. He didn't need to be

taking Divination to know that. Well if she didn't want to ask her real question he wasn't

going to force her. "I may not have entered myself, Daph, but I would like to try and win,

yeah. I think I have a decent shot at it. While I don't need the money, I can use it to help

invest in the twins getting a physical shop location with enough room next door for a

Potter Runes shop also in the future. Or I could just donate the winnings to an orphanage

or something if they have enough and don't think we need the extra money."

Daphne shook her head, the ghost of a smile on her lips. "Typical. Both noble and practical

options. I'll admit I'm a little surprised you're thinking ahead so much. It's…good to see

you can make long term plans beyond a year out…"

"Daph," Harry said coming up beside her and reaching out to squeeze her shoulder,

"what's going on?"

Daphne turned to look at him and narrowed her eyes. "Why do you have to be so bloody

exceptional?"

"What?" he asked shaking his head in confusion.

Daphne didn't bother to respond verbally. Instead she reached out and pulled his head to

hers drawing him into a kiss. Harry's eyes widened and he froze. She had barely touched

his lips before she pulled back and hugged her arms around herself. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't

have done that. Good luck in the Task tomorrow, Harry." Without another word, Daphne

turned on her heel and practically ran from the owlery.

Harry was left standing and gaping at the door and his vanished friend. "What the hell just

happened?" he asked quietly. Hedwig flew back down to his shoulder and barked

knowingly. Harry scowled. When his owl knew more about people than he did…there was

a problem. He needed to find Hermione. Or maybe Fleur would be better for this.

The door to the Gryffindor Common Room opened and Harry strode through. Seeing

Hermione and Luna sitting together on the couch and studying, Harry sighed in relief.

"Hey," he said sitting down next to his girlfriend. "I need your help in deciphering the

female gender and I can't find Fleur."

Hermione chuckled slightly and put down her notes. "This ought to be good. What's the

problem, Harry?"

He threw up some quick privacy charms and frowned looking at his lap. "Daphne just

kissed me a few minutes ago."

"Oh." Hermione's amused expression melted away replaced by a carefully neutral one.

"And did you kiss her back?"

"I froze. It was rather unexpected to say the least. By the time I realized what she was

doing she had already pulled back and all but ran away saying she was sorry…"

Hermione wrestled with herself for a few moments. Eventually she reached over and

patted Harry's hand. "While I take fault with her chosen method of intimating interest – "

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Chapter 272

Harry shook his head and interrupted. "She was trying to work up to saying something

when she found me, but she switched gears halfway through. I guess I know what she was

trying to say now."

"Be that as it may, Harry," Hermione grimaced. "There was a reason that I put Daphne at

the top of the list for suitable partners for you over the summer."

He frowned, thinking back to that conversation before Tonks had been brought into the

talk. "Even above yourself if I remember right…"

"I know I am not an ideal partner, Harry," Hermione sighed. "I'm bossy and overbearing.

I'm not beautiful, social, political or tactful. Daphne is all those things. She is also far more

of your equal in battle situations."

Harry stayed quiet for several long moments. "You don't give yourself enough credit,

Mione. None of that should matter anyway!" he exclaimed scowling. "I already have three

girlfriends – which are far too many for any one man – and she's dating Tracey! What the

hell do I keep doing that makes every female I know go crazy?!"

"Did you know that Tracey and Daphne have been having problems?" Luna asked quietly.

Both Harry and Hermione turned to look at the blonde. Luna shrugged. "You must've seen

they had issues throughout the year. You are not totally unobservant, Harry."

"Well sure, but they've been better the last few months," he said. "They stopped arguing

and started hanging out alone again."

Luna sighed and shook her head. "Daphne has spent so much time with you this year

that…well Hermione is not the only one who feels that you two fit very well. Tracey and

Daphne had previously come to an understanding. I believe I actually factor into it as well

though from the other side. It is quite possible that with the end of the Tournament

looming and the potential for further lethal complications, Daphne finally was confronted

with being forced to act on her attraction. For her and Tracey, this may be the straw that

breaks the camel's back, so to say."

"But…" Harry said frowning in confusion.

"They will both be fine," Luna assured him. "They will remain friends and they may even

remain lovers. I don't profess to know the full details of their agreement; you would have

to speak with them. The important thing is that both knew and expected this day would

likely come for some time now."

Harry scowled. "Now I'm even more confused. And it still shouldn't matter! I'm with

Hermione, Tonks and Fleur!"

"Daphne was always going to be a Consort, Harry," Luna said with a sad little shrug. "Her

father would never allow for any other option if she wished to inherit any of his estate. She

made peace with this as a little girl. As did I after my mother's death – though, granted, for

far different reasons."

"Luna," Harry groaned and put his hand in his hands. "You aren't going to try and convince

me to let you be my Consort as well are you? Bloody hell I can only have two anyway!"

Hermione shook her head and patted his hand. "Language, Harry."

Luna smiled slightly and chuckled. "I don't know for sure yet, Harry. At this point I don't

think so, but I can't claim to know the future. For the moment I think I will simply maintain

my courtship of Tracey and remain FWBRs with you."

Hermione narrowed her eyes at Luna. "I know I'm going to regret this but…FWBR?"

"Friends With Breeding Rights," the blonde explained with a wide grin. Harry and

Hermione both groaned. Luna laughed again and got up to give Harry a light hug. "Relax,

Harry. While you will likely have to have a very long, very frank talk with Daphne it does

not have to be tonight. The fact that she did it rather impulsively and ran afterwards makes

this something better put off for the moment rather than confronted immediately. Instead,

rest. Center yourself and focus on the Task tomorrow. Good luck Harry. I'll see you both in

the morning." Luna smiled at the couple and left their little contained bubble.

Harry sighed and leaned against Hermione. "Why can't my life ever be normal, Mione?"

Hermione shook her head amused and embraced him. "Somehow I don't think the forces

of the universe would quite stand for that, Harry. Go to the Room. I'll find Fleur and Nym

and meet you there. We can all talk or simply relax and try to get some sleep."

Instead of moving, Harry just squeezed her hand. "Why aren't you angry with me, Mione? I

kissed another girl. I have two other girlfriends besides you. It looks like at least one of our

close friends is going to try and make that into three. Why are you okay with all of this?"

he finished the last barely above a whisper.

"Harry, I love you," Hermione said softly. "I have loved you since I was 12. I knew the type

of crazy roller coaster I was going to be getting in for when I chose to pursue a relationship

with you. I won't lie and say I'm fully comfortable with how things have turned out. It

would however, be extremely hypocritical of me to berate you for these types of things

that are completely out of your control. You need a second wife if you want to stay in this

world. Fleur needs someone she is comfortable with and will allow her to maintain her

family for at least one more generation. Tonks needs someone who can look at her as

more than a sex doll. I have suspected Daphne would be interested in you since she fought

with you against that basilisk. This is nothing like what I planned for my life when I was a

little girl. But that is a price I am perfectly willing to pay if it means that I get to live with

magic and be with you."

She paused and gave a small chuckle. "And I have to extend that statement to Nym and

Fleur now too. I admit my feelings for each approach my feelings for you." She pushed him

back a bit and glared at him. "And for the record from what you said a few minutes ago,

you did not kiss another girl. She kissed you. This is a very important distinction, Harry. It

means I can be angry with Daphne and tell her off later. Should you be the one kissing

someone other than the three of us…well this conversation would have been quite a bit

more heated. Just because I think Daphne is well suited for you does not mean I am willing

to have you just up and kiss her without speaking with the rest of us!"

Harry shook his head and grumbled. "I really don't understand girls at all."

"No, you really don't. Most males don't." She shook her head and stood pulling him to his

feet and pushing him towards the portrait hole. "Go to the Room, Harry. I'll find the others.

Bedroom configuration, please."

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Chapter 273

Harry relaxed on the bed in the Room of Requirement with his head resting on Fleur's

chest while she stroked his bare back. "Thanks for not asking anything, Fleur," Harry said

quietly.

She smiled and kept running her fingers up and down his spine sending pleasant tingles

through his back. "You will say somezing when you are ready to, 'arry. Besides, Nymph and

Mione are not here."

Harry snickered. "Yeah, Nym can really disappear pretty well when she wants, huh? Are

you okay for the Task tomorrow?"

Fleur nodded. "Oui. Knowing zat zis is merely a maze makes zings far less stressful. And wiz

ze wings clipped for ze Toad…I zink we should be – "

"Don't!" Harry said sitting up and covering her mouth with his hand. Fleur's eyes widened

a bit and he could feel her laughing against his hand. "Don't even finish the thought, Fleur.

We don't need to tempt Fate."

"Don't need to tempt Fate for what?" Tonks asked as she walked into the room. Her foot

caught on a the edge of the rug and she let out a squawk of surprise as she was sent

careening into the bed. Harry twisted and caught her half on and half off the bed sending

them both tumbling to the floor to the laughter of both Fleur and Hermione. "Ow…"

"At least you landed on something soft. Namely me," Harry groaned from his position

underneath Tonks.

Hermione, grinning, walked over and pulled Tonks up while Fleur stayed laughing

hysterically in the bed. Harry levered himself up and went back to his previous position.

"You make a good cushion, Wonder Boy," Tonks said as she dusted her jacket off and

stripped off her boots. "Fleur, already topless I see."

Fleur shrugged. "Well, it is a bedroom. It seemed appropriate."

"Harry, certainly doesn't seem to be complaining," Hermione commented also kicking off

her shoes and removing her robe.

"Hey I wasn't complaining about the lack of dress of the hot Veela bedmate. I was

complaining they didn't wait for us."

Harry snorted. "Well you should've been easier to find instead of Hermione having to track

you down with her Aide."

"Oui. Zis is ze night before ze Final Task. You should have expected us to be sleeping

togezer, Nymph," Fleur commented with raised eyebrows.

"How can you pronounce 'Nymph' and not 'that'? 'P-h' isn't that different from 't-h'."

Tonks asked pulling off her own clothes and hopping into the bed with them. "And I was

busy trailing Moody."

"I can pronounce 'Nymph' because Nymph is cute and not 'zat' because ze t and h togezer

are hard."

Hermione frowned. "While the latter half of that explanation makes perfect sense the first

part with being able to say something because it is cute is…wait, you're just having us on!

Part of your accent is exaggerated isn't it?"

Fleur dissolved into giggles. "It took you zis long to figure zat out, Mione? Most of it is real.

I will admit to not putting any effort into improving ze rest zough. I know you zree find

it…attractive."

Tonks snickered. "Not the word I would use. Endearing, hot, sexy, alluring. Those are more

appropriate qualifiers."

Harry just shook his head. "I am so totally outnumbered here. Nym, did you catch Moody

doing anything suspicious? With Umbridge about to be arrested tomorrow, I figure we

need to watch both him and Dumbledore in case they try anything daring considering the

prime saboteur target is going to vacate the premises."

"Dumbledore being the prime mover here is so frustrating! I still can't believe you spoke to

the Flamels about this in person…" Hermione murmured dejectedly. "I hope they want to

talk with the rest of us soon…"

"Let's focus on our partners surviving the Task first and then deal with the centuries old

pranksters being interested in us, yeah?" Tonks said raising her eyebrows. "In answer to

your question, Harry…yeah I kinda did. He snuck out of the grounds using the tunnel under

the Whomping Willow. I couldn't follow him any further without risking getting caught

unfortunately."

"Sneaking off the grounds the night before the Task? Yeah, that's not suspicious at all,"

Harry sighed collapsing bonelessly back against Fleur again who proceeded to wrap her

arms protectively around him.

"Zis time, I will protect you, 'arry," Fleur murmured rubbing her cheek against his hair. "You

have been ze hero enough for zis year."

Hermione growled as she moved to Fleur's other side and pulled them both into a hug. "I

quite agree with that assessment. Nym, why can't you just have Amelia arrest him?"

Tonks sighed and fell back against the sheets. One arm snaked under the other three while

she stared at the ceiling. "Mostly because he's a retired Auror and we have no proof. Same

problem with Dumbledore just a different fashion. Dumbles is protected by his image and

the public's opinion that he can do no wrong. Mad-Eye is protected by the law."

"What do you mean, protected by the law?" Harry asked frowning.

"Auror veterans are covered by a lot of extra laws, Wonder Boy. If we arrest an ex-Auror

without knowing exactly what they've done and pre-stating it, even if we find evidence

against them, it's not supposed to count in the court."

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Chapter 274

"What kind of stupid idiot decided on that policy?!"

Tonks shrugged. "Actually, it tends to work out really well for us. See, the original intent

was to prevent anyone we had put away or pissed off while on the job from framing us for

something and then having their buddies do a raid to 'find' the 'evidence'. It's saved a lot

of veteran's arses to be honest so I can't really fault the law just because it's inconvenient

at the moment."

"So we can do nozing while he hides behind a cloak of legalese and plots our murders?"

Fleur asked narrowing her eyes.

"There must be something we can do, Nym," Hermione pleaded with the older woman.

Tonks snorted and lifted herself up to stare at each of them. "Do you guys seriously think

I'd let my partners waltz into that maze without taking some steps to keep them safe?"

Harry held up a hand. "I figured you had a plan!"

"Nobody likes a suck up, Wonder Boy," Tonks said with an amused note in her voice. Then

her face twisted into a wry grin and looked at him hungrily. "Though I can certainly think of

another use for that snake speaking tongue of yours…"

Harry felt Fleur make a deep guttural sound of agreement that vibrated through her chest

while Hermione just rolled her eyes. He shook his head and reached over to pat Tonks on

her bright pink hair. "Later, Nym. First we need to finish this conversation."

"Always spoiling my fun," Tonks said shaking her head. She sighed theatrically and her

tone grew far more serious. "In all honestly though, I didn't want you guys to worry.

Bonesy is sending over Shack and a few other Aurors to help me keep watch. Shack and

her will be on Dumbles duty along with my cousin. I'll be watching Mad-Eye along with

Proudfoot and Scrimgeour. If either of them try anything to hurt you two, we'll take them

out before they get a spell off."

Fleur nodded and squeezed Harry tighter. "Good. I am getting razer tired of 'arry

continually being injured in zese Tasks."

"Yeah, it's not exactly my favorite past time either," he snorted.

Hermione just leaned into them both and buried her head in Fleur's side. "I hope you both

come through this without injury. When I heard you'd nearly died last time…" she let a

short sob causing the others to shift so that Hermione was in the middle. "I'm sorry, this is

just all so overwhelming at the moment. I don't want to see anyone getting hurt

anymore!"

"Shhh," Harry said holding onto the brunette. "We'll be fine, Mione. We always are. We

may end up being banged up a bit, but we'll be fine."

"You better be, Wonder Boy," Tonks murmured. "You're not off the hook either Fleur.

You're far too hot to get hurt tomorrow."

"I will take zat as a compliment," Fleur said affecting a high class tone and setting her

shoulders in a haughty air. Inasmuch as that was possible while still cuddling Harry to her

chest at least.

Tonks just chuckled. "As it was intended to be. Harry, to take our minds off of this

depressing route, Mione mentioned something as we were coming up about Daphne.

What happened?" Fleur lifted her head at that and looked at Harry with interest.

Harry groaned and shook his head. "I have no idea. She kissed me in the owlery and ran

away saying she was sorry. Luna said she's interested in the other Consort thing and has

been for a while, but didn't want to act until the stress of the last Task coming up brought

it to a head and forced the issue."

Surprisingly, Fleur grinned. Tonks on the other hand groaned and lay back down slapping

her free hand to her forehead. "Merlin, another one? How do you keep acquiring girls,

Wonder Boy?"

"I would say karma, but this is getting ridiculous. I already told Hermione, I can barely

handle you three let alone anyone else!" Harry grumbled.

"Well I am certainly not surprised. On zat date to Hogsmeade, I considered joining forces

wiz her if she decided to make a move," Fleur said. Three sets of mouths gaped open and

three sets of heads twisted to stare at Fleur. She shrugged. "What? She is very attractive,

non? It is also readily apparent zat she is extremely skilled for a fourz year, plus she has

history with you zree and has proven herself loyal to 'arry above all ozers. I don't really see

ze problem."

Tonks snorted. "Well we know where her vote lies. I'm not sure I'm comfortable with that

at the moment, Harry. Daphne is nice enough and certainly a huge ally, but she doesn't

strike me as the type who'd be interested in the rest of us besides you. I mean, yeah, she'd

probably be okay with it every once in awhile but it would be primarily just you and her in

a relationship – unlike the whole group thing we're trying to make work at the moment."

She sighed and shook her head. "Like with accepting Fleur I'm going to default to the

majority either way, but I would ask that you wait and have a really long talk with her."

"It's not like I was going to run to the Slytherin dorms and drag her to bed, Nym," Harry

said annoyed. "Jeez it took me months to accept Fleur into this relationship and I knew she

liked me beforehand!"

"Sorry, Harry," Tonks sighed. "That came out sounding mean. I didn't intend it like that and

I know that's not what you would do. What do you think, Mione?"

Hermione grimaced and let her hair fall over her head like a curtain. "Well, I always said

that Daphne was a perfect partner for Harry. I was perfectly fine with it when it was just

him and me. Now though with you and Fleur as well…Daphne is very much an alpha type

personality and while I think she'd do fine with just Harry and one other, I'm not sure how

well she'd be willing to slot into this many people. So like you said, Nym, I'd like to sit

down with her and see what she expected."

Harry raised his hand again. "Girls, I have zero intention of starting anything with Daphne

without everyone sitting down and talking to her. Preferably with Tracey there as well if

what Luna was intimating is correct. No matter what it's not something that's happening

tonight or tomorrow night so can we please drop it and get to the relaxing?"

Tonks raised her eyebrows and grinned at him. "I like it when you get assertive, Harry."

"As do I," Fleur said licking her lips.

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Chapter 275

"It does have a certain attractive aspect to it," Hermione commented smiling.

Harry looked at the three women staring hungrily at him and gulped. Something told him it

was going to be a long night.

Shiva couldn't stop fidgeting in the seat next to Remus. There were still a few minutes

before the Final Task would begin and Umbridge had just shown up. The bitch had the

audacity to waltz across the grounds like she owned the place. Obviously no one had

bothered to give her the heads up that her arse was about to be arrested and tossed into a

French prison.

While two junior Aurors approached the Toad from the stands, Shiva caught her staring at

the giant floating egg labyrinth and a huge grin crossing her expression. The professor

growled and stood up. "Remus, tell the others I'm going to talk with the Umbitch. She

looks way too pleased at the moment."

"They'll be interrogating her," the werewolf said turning to look at the Toad and frowning.

"Yeah, and if she's already acted they might not get answers fast enough. Everything else

has been sabotaged prior to the start. I'll let you know if I find out anything." She started

pushing her way past the seats keeping her eyes centered on Umbridge. She had just

cleared most of the rows when the Undersecretary started swatting away the hands of the

Auror trainee who had approached her.

"I am the Senior Undersecretary to the Minister for Magic! How dare you! I will have your

jobs and see you in Azkaban for this!" Umbridge's voice carried over most of the crowd

and drew several eyes. The Auror said something else prompting Umbridge to rear back in

shock. A moment later Shiva saw a snarl curl the woman's features and she raised her

wand. The junior Aurors were too slow to react and Umbridge hit them both with a jet of

purple light before turning and starting to run towards the Forbidden Forest.

Shiva cursed and jumped over the last partition rolling to her feet as she hit the ground.

She started sprinting after the Umbitch while the two Aurors were mobbed by Pomfrey

and another witch. Nobody but her seemed to be going after the Undersecretary. "Damn

you, Fudge," Shiva muttered as she crossed into the forest closing on her prey. "You made

sure the newbies would be the ones to pick her up so she'd get away. Not going to happen.

Not this time! I let Pettigrew escape, I'm not letting her get off too!"

Umbridge had obviously never bothered to try running from someone before and made no

effort to cover her tracks. Nor did the woman seem to be in shape at all since Shiva could

hear her breathing hard just a short ways up the path. The forest path grew darker and

darker as Shiva drew the gap shorter. She tripped over a root and stumbled, falling to the

forest ground. The impact jarred her Comm Stone loose and it bounced away into the

brush but Shiva ignored it and the pain in her ear focusing instead on not losing Umbridge.

Scowling at the lost time Shiva quickly picked herself back up and activated one of Harry's

Slow Burns to light the way. Assured that she could see the path again, Shiva continuing

back on towards Umbridge when a loud shriek sounded from around the bend ahead of

her. A satisfied grin crossed her face as she sprinted to finally catch the woman.

Shiva tore around the bend and stopped short with her eyes wide. Her quarry had

stumbled directly into a giant gossamer web strung out across the breadth of the trail.

Umbridge's wand was lying on the ground several feet away and she was struggling against

the web's sticky hold. All she managed to do was get her head turned slightly and wrap

herself into the strands even tighter. The woman's face was twisted into a snarl of anger

and distaste as Shiva slowly walked forward, wand held high and watchful for any other

webs.

"You know, Hagrid has mentioned that there are some Acromantulas if you go deep

enough into the forest. Apparently you've found them," Shiva commented.

Umbridge snarled. "Don't just stand there you conceited little woman, get me down from

here!"

Shiva tapped her leg with her free hand and frowned. She really should get the bitch down.

There was no telling when the giant spider that spun this web would be back. Instead she

asked in a voice that was far more calm than she ever would've expected prior to speaking,

"Why are you trying to kill Harry Potter?"

"Let me down!"

"Tell me why you are trying to kill Harry Potter, Umbridge," Shiva said again her voice still

deadly calm.

Umbridge's snarl rang out and her face twisted into hatred and rage. "That jumped up little

half-blood mutt thinks he so much more superior than his betters! He thinks he can get

away with insulting and degrading Cornelius?! I showed that little runt who really runs this

world! I showed him just who has the power! He is nothing! And his little bitches are

nothing! Mudbloods, half-breeds, abominations!"

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Chapter 276

Shiva felt ice run through her veins and it took all she had not to send a piercing spell

through the woman's body. Her lips pulled into a scowl and she had to take several deep

breathes before she could speak. "Who put you up this? Who fed you the ideas?"

"You imbecile! Stupid little half-blood! How dare you imply that I'm not intelligent enough

to do my own work! Get me down from here and I'll show you how intelligent I am!"

Umbridge screamed.

For a brief moment Shiva entertained the idea that the bitch was actually crazy. If she

honestly believed that she was smart while screaming obscenities at the only one close

enough to help…no. It didn't matter. "Who told you about the Aspect Columns? Who

mentioned it would be a good idea to use the extra ward on the First Task?"

"That pathetic fool Dumbledore wouldn't stop touting off about the safety concerns,"

Umbridge spat. "I saw the opportunity and I took it! Just like any true Pureblood would! He

proved how weak he has become in his old age by ignoring what was right in front of him!"

Shiva shook her head in amazement. Umbridge really was this stupid. None of this would

fall back on Dumbledore thanks to his brilliant playing of the bitch, but she could at least

use this as a chink in his armor. "What did you do tonight? What sabotage is there on this

last Task?"

"None of the fools will make it through quickly enough so they will all die! That trumped

up half-blood orphan, his creature whore, the blood traitor and the dimwitted muscle have

no hope of finishing in time! They'll scream as they're crushed and the world will see what

happens to people who think themselves above their place in society!"

Shiva snarled and raised her wand to start and burn down the web so that she could get

the bitch back quickly enough to try and undo whatever she had done to the arena. The

professor froze solid with her wand half raised as chattering started up ahead and to either

side of their position.

Umbridge's eyes widened as two large acromantulas appeared at the top of the web and

slowly started coming down the tree line. "Get me out! Get me out you pathetic little

worm! Get me out!"

Shiva's eyes flicked from the acromantulas to Umbridge and back. Finally she said softly, "If

you escape you would just try to kill him again. You've already tried to kill Harry four times.

Five counting tonight. You almost managed to get Fleur and Gabrielle in the process. If I

save you and you manage to wiggle free of this…you'll just come at him again and again

until either you die or he does."

"GET ME OUT!" The acromantula chattered a soft laugh as it stepped closer to the bound

and screaming Undersecretary.

Shiva stepped back and her features went blank. She lowered her wand and activated her

Ninja rune stone. "You shouldn't have tried to kill my son. Goodbye, Dolores Umbridge."

Shiva's disembodied voice rang as a final bell toll for the Senior Undersecretary to the

Minister for Magic as she turned and started running back to the arena.

XXX

The four Champions lined up at the opening to the labyrinth. The huge maze was floating a

few feet above the ground of the Quidditch pitch and shaped like a giant egg. The walls

appeared transparent from the outside and Harry could see what looked like three or four

different levels inside it. There was a bright shining trophy in the center of it that blazed

like a beacon. He squinted trying to take note of a possible route to get past some of the

shimmering mists and roaming creatures that he spotted through the walls.

"Ah and we have reached the final part of our Triwizard Tournament," Bagman said in an

almost sorrowful voice as he approached from the side. Harry mostly tuned the announcer

out as his eyes caught on a large set of rune engravings etched onto the side of the giant

egg arena. "This last Task is quite simple really. All you have to do is get to the center and

touch the trophy! Once you do, you will be whisked to the winner's platform while the

floor of the rest of the labyrinth will turn insubstantial and drop the other participants to

the pitch. There's a mild sleep charm at that point so that we can separate out the magical

creatures that will also fall through."

Harry frowned up at the etchings. Something was…off about the configuration. "Of course,

inside the labyrinth there will be several different types of obstacles. The creatures I just

mentioned are stationed throughout as are different assortments of traps and

enchantments."

The enlargement cluster was fine as was the insubstantial charm segment and sleep

compulsion that Bagman had mentioned. What was off? "If you feel overwhelmed for any

reason, simply retreat back to the entrance. The path you've taken will be marked off by a

colored line. Blue for Miss Delacour, Red for Mr. Potter, Gold for Mr. Weasley and Green for

Mr. Krum."

The visibility and marking clusters were fine. The levitation set didn't seem to have any

issues. "As with many of the other Tasks, the time limit will be one hour! Your start will be

delayed by one minute for every five points you are behind the leader. Mr. Krum has 165

points so he will be first. Mr. Weasley and Mr. Potter both have 157 points and will enter 2

minutes later. Miss Delacour has 146 points and will enter 4 minutes into the Task. Good

luck one and all! May the best Champion win!"

Bagman jauntily walked off to the judging box while Harry's frown deepened. He started to

go back over the entire cluster again as the hairs on the back of his neck rose. "Mate, you

alright?" Fred asked softly. Harry waved him quiet as Bagman started to talk to the crowd

in the background.

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Chapter 277

" 'arry? What is wrong?" Fleur asked softly as she reached over to grasp his arm.

Viktor pointed up at the egg. "He has seen something. Something they missed. Of course it

vould not be this easy."

Harry drew in a hissing breath and clenched his fists his eyes going wide as he stared in

shock at the rune array. Turning to Dumbledore's spot in the stands he snarled. "That

bloody bastard…guys, no matter what happens one of us has to hit that trophy before an

hour is up."

"Well, yeah…that's kinda the point, mate…" Fred said frowning.

"No, I don't mean to win. I mean to live." He raised his hand and pointed out a cluster as

Bagman started to wind down his speech. "The expansion cluster is linked to the timer.

After an hour is up, that whole thing is going to collapse to its original size crushing

whoever and whatever is still inside. Everything else looks fine so as long as one of us hits

the trophy before time's up, everyone else drops through and the creatures will be safe as

well."

"Someone else surely would've caught something like that…" Fred said staring up at the

labyrinth with wide eyes.

Harry's scowl deepened. "Yeah, Dumbledore should've. Shiva's the only other one at

Hogwarts who works with runes and wards enough to recognize it."

"We have to stop zis from starting zen!" Fleur exclaimed as feathers started to sprout on

her arms and she turned to the judges box. Bagman had just started counting down to the

start of the Task.

Viktor scowled and shook his head along with Harry. "Ve can't. Ve vould lose our magic if

ve tried to stop it as it starts." He turned to glare at the judges. "The Toad and her helper

played this vell."

"And…start!" Bagman screamed as a cannon blast sounded. Krum turned to the others and

others and nodded quickly before jumping into the gap in the walls and bounding down

the corridor.

"Fleur," Harry said squeezing her hand and but not tearing his gaze from the runes. "Get to

the trophy. Just get to the trophy. Don't worry about anything else. Just touch the bloody

thing. Accio utility belt!" Hesitating for a moment, he shook his head and shouted, "Accio

prototype belt!" He stepped away from Fleur and grabbed his two rune stone harnesses

strapping the main one on and cinching the lashes up. Harry had just finished doing up his

secondary, prototype harness as Bagman yelled out for Fred and him to start. "Be careful

and touch that trophy!" Harry yelled as he leapt into the corridor ahead of him Fred right

behind.

Tonks didn't know exactly what was going wrong but she knew things had already begun

to spiral out of control. Shiva had disappeared off into the forest chasing the Umbitch,

Harry had frozen and gotten that same look he had when fighting the Dementors just

before the Task started and Fleur was half harpy with her wings fully formed. She had even

lobbed a single fireball past Dumbledore's head before the girl had jumped into the

labyrinth after the others. The shite was already flying towards the fan and Tonks felt

horribly out of the loop. She couldn't even afford to watch her boyfriend's or girlfriend's

progress through the Task thanks to keeping an eye on Moody.

At least Scrimgeour wasn't being an arse for a change. He had actually listened to her

when she laid out why they were watching her old mentor and Proudfoot was a good guy

from what little she remembered of him. They'd be decent backup if…

Nope. When something happened. "Look alive people," she said just loud enough for her

Comm Stone to pick it up and transmit it to the Aurors. "Moody's casting something

Krum's way."

"I have the listening charm on his sleeve active. Standby for incantation," Proudfoot

replied. Tonks held her breath. A moment later her ex-colleague cursed loudly. "Imperio!"

Scrimgeour grunted. "Merlin be damned, what are you doing Alastor?! Move, move, move!

Take him down!"

Tonks hadn't even waited for Scrimgeour to finish his sentence. She leapt over the barrier

separating the audience from the safety observers and shot a spell towards Mad-Eye. Two

more converged on the man from his sides. Surprisingly agile for an old man, Moody

managed to dodge the first volley. He leapt to the side and cackled madly. "Nice try, girl!

You've been a worthy opponent this year! Far better than the Master ever assumed you

would be! Avada KedavraI!" Tonks' eyes widened and she twisted to the side, lengthening

her torso and shifting mass away from her stomach as the jet of green light passed a few

centimeters over her belly. It slammed into the wall of the stands causing a small explosion

of debris and screams rang out from the crowd.

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Chapter 278

Tonks' immediate follow-up shots joined a second volley sent by the two Aurors and

several spells tossed from the stands as well. Moody managed to dance out of the way of

several but one or two hit him and slowed him down. It looked like someone had hit him

with a jelly-legs hex – considering he only had one good leg that was actually a good idea –

and something that made his bogeys fly out and start beating him on the head. Tonks shot

off an incarcerous and a body bind that shattered his shield and sent Moody careening into

the egg and falling to the ground dazed. A jet of red from Scrimgeour and another

incarcerous from Proudfoot had the threat contained for the moment.

Scowling Tonks jogged the rest of the distance to the other two as they pulled up beside

the old man. "Imperius and the Killing Curse? What the bloody fucking hell is going on?"

Proudfoot asked wiping some sweat off his brow.

"He said something about a Master," Tonks said grabbing Moody's wand. "I'd bet my

kidney this isn't Moody. Mad-Eye would never call someone Master. Hell, that'd probably

be enough to break him out of an Imperius by itself. I don't know how, but whoever this is

has been impersonating him. Scrimgeour, I caught him sneaking out to the Shrieking Shack

last night, but couldn't investigate since the tunnel was too small to follow through in case

he had doubled back. Can you send someone over there to check it out? Maybe that's

where the real Moody is stashed."

The Head Auror scowled, but nodded and at a barked command, Proudfoot was sent

running off towards Hogsmeade. Tonks stared down at 'Moody' wondering just how it was

possible for someone to have swapped names on the Hogwarts internal ward scheme…and

if maybe Barty Crouch wasn't so sick and isolated after all.

Of all the precautions they'd taken over the past four years, putting anti-summoning

charms onto the Comm Stones had always, always seemed like a bloody brilliant idea. Now

however, when she desperately needed one and it was lost in the stupid

undergrowth…Shiva tore out of the forest grounds dropping her invisibility and sprinting

back towards the Quidditch pitch breathing hard. She glanced up at the floating labyrinth

as she got closer and had to fight back a pained cry. She had already known she wouldn't

have made it back by the time it started but…her chest still clenched in panic seeing Harry

and the other three running around inside that thing. She skidded to a stop as she stared

wide eyed at Tonks kneeling over a bound and stunned Moody. "Mother freaking…Moody

was a saboteur?"

Tonks looked up and her hair flashed to pink briefly before settling back to a dark blue.

"Shiva! You're back. You find Umbridge?" The relief in the other woman's voice was

blazingly obvious and caused Shiva to grimace slightly. Maybe she shouldn't have gone

running off after the bitch…

"She's not going to be a problem anymore. Ran into some acromantulas. We have a much

bigger problem!"

"Good riddance," Tonks murmured. She turned to glare down at Moody. "We don't know

who this guy is, but he just tried to put Krum under Imperius and then shot a Killing Curse

around when we tried to arrest him."

Shiva rocked back on her heels and sucked in a breath momentarily jarred out her worry

over the sabotage. "He what?!"

"Tonks! Shiva!" Hermione called as she ran up to the barrier to the crowd. People had

slowly started to file back to their seats from wherever they had scurried off to when

Tonks was apparently fighting the man. The vultures weren't even being subtle about

listening in.

Head Auror Scrimgeour stalked forward towards Hermione trying to shoo her away. "Girl,

this is an active crime scene. Return to your seat!"

Hermione scowled and ignored him holding out the parchment in her hands. "He's still

showing as Alastor Moody! But look; here on the edge of the grounds! This dot with

Proudfoot is showing as Barty Crouch Jr.!"

"Crouch has a son?" Tonks asked incredulously.

Shiva shook her head in confusion as well. That was news to her too, but it could wait.

Getting those students out was the priority. "We can deal with that in a minute! Tonks,

Scrimgeour, we have to stop this Task. Umbridge ranted about the egg arena collapsing

before she died. We have to get them out before that timer expires!"

Harry ran around the corner and barreled headfirst into a third patch of yellow mist. This

obstacle was becoming horribly annoying. The shifting gravity wasn't a huge problem

especially after the second time through it. That it made his stomach flip-flop was the issue.

He didn't have time to be queasy. 40 minutes had already passed and he was running out

of time. It was possible that the Lava Bomb or the Yamato Cannon could break through the

layers and drop him on the ground outside but that wouldn't help the others. And the

Yamato Cannon wasn't fully tested yet.

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Chapter 279

Getting past the mist he turned another corner and let out a soft curse as this route took

him up a level. At least it was still going in the right direction. The walls weren't quite as

transparent from inside as they had been from outside the egg, but it was enough to let

the beacon around the trophy show the general direction he needed to go in. If he could at

least get over the bloody thing then he could always use Plan L.

He ran further down the corridor until a dark shape burst out ahead of him. Snarling Harry

started to let out a curse at whatever had waylaid him before realized that the shape had

morphed into a dead body. Looking down, Harry recoiled and started breathing heavily as

he saw Shiva's corpse in front of him. A moment later, the body popped and Hermione was

there. Then it was Tonks. Then Fleur. Growling, Harry took aim at the boggart and yelled a

blasting hex as loud as he could. There was a shriek of pain and the corpse twisted and

jumped down the hall, vanishing around a corner. "Stupid bloody boggarts!" Harry cursed

as he started running again. He hit an intersection and stopped for a moment to regain his

bearings.

A large chicken covered in scales instead of feathers suddenly hopped up from the corridor

ahead of him. "Squawk!"

"What the hell are you?" Harry asked momentarily stunned.

"Tracey, it's a Jabberwocky! It's a Jabberwocky!" Luna screamed jumping up and down and

holding onto Tracey with one arm while desperately pointing at Harry with the other. Coco

peered curiously down her arm from the snorkack's perch on Luna's shoulder.

"Uh, Luna, I think that's a cockatrice. Not a Jabberwocky," Neville said narrowing his eyes.

"Good thing he still has those glasses. A cockatrice is a lot less powerful than a basilisk; he

may be able to actually petrify it instead of just stunning it. At the very least he can just

ignore it and won't lose any time. Every second counts right now..."

Luna's face fell and she sat back down hard. Coco nuzzled her neck in silent support while

she looked dejectedly towards Neville. "Are you sure it's not a Jabberwocky?"

"Pretty sure, Luna," Neville said nodding.

"Awww..."

Tracey shook her head. "I really hope it gets petrified. Apparently the last time they used a

cockatrice in one of these Tasks it got loose and killed three spectators before someone

blew the thing up. Might be small and not as good as a basilisk, but it's still stupid fast."

The green, scaly chicken squawked again and stared into Harry's eyes. He felt the frames of

his glasses heat up and then the chicken-thing dropped to the side, stiff as a board and

slightly gray. "Oh. Petrified. Cockatrice then. Huh, thought you'd be bigger…oh for crying

out loud! What am I doing wasting time with a bloody cockatrice?!" Harry jumped over the

frozen body of the creature and kept running towards the shining beacon at the center.

A giant blast-ended skrewt lumbered out of a side corridor a few feet in front of him and

Harry shifted to Midnight. The skrewt had barely even started to turn towards him before

he jumped into its shadow and leapt out on the other side continuing onwards on all four

legs.

He was getting closer.

Fleur turned a corner of the maze and nearly ran headfirst into a large sphinx blocking the

corridor. She blinked up at the hybrid creature and gaped in astonishment for a moment.

"You are close to your objective; it lies shortly beyond me. Should you wish to make the

attempt, I will give you a riddle. Succeed and I move aside. Fail and I attack. Walk away and

I remain."

Fleur scowled and tried to resist forming a new fireball. That had been her answer for most

of the creatures in this maze. The acromantula in particular seemed quite vulnerable to the

fire and she was relatively certain she'd killed a lethifold with one. Whatever hybrid

monstrosity Hagrid had created by breeding manticores and fire crabs was somewhat

immune to her passionfyre but thankfully it couldn't fly – so she'd simply soared over it

and kept going.

She wasn't about to roast a sentient creature though. At least not one that wasn't actively

trying to kill her.

"We have five minutes to touch ze trophy or everyzing in zis labyrinth dies," Fleur stated.

The sphinx stopped moving and peered down at her sniffing the air. "I will not fall for tricks.

My people were assured this would be safe."

"No trick," Fleur said shaking her head and trying to force some of her panic down. "One

of the contestants has been targeted for assassination. Every Task so far has been

sabotaged in some form. If one of us does not touch ze trophy before ze time limit ze

expansion collapses."

The sphinx's mouth twitched. "You speak truth. I can smell you are not lying." The being

uttered a low growl and twisted her large body to face the opposite direction. "Follow

me."

Fleur stared at the sphinx's backside as it started to lope down the corridor. She shook

herself and started running after it a moment later. "I can't believe diplomacy worked…"

"Stop this Task right now and get them and everything else out," Amelia snarled.

Dumbledore simply sat in front of her with his hands folded into his lap and sad frown

plastered over his features.

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Chapter 280

"I cannot," he said softly. "Once the Task was started the only way out is through the floor

or out the door. If the labyrinth is to collapse shortly, as you say, I cannot justify sending in

a retrieval team with so little time left and so little chance to succeed."

Amelia felt her wand vibrate in her hands and she saw red. The old man wasn't going to

walk away from this one. She would see him behind bars or in the ground by daybreak.

First though she needed to get the students and innocent magical creatures out. Shiva,

Hermione and Daphne were floating on brooms by the rune etchings with several other

upper year students trying to figure out a way to delink the expansion and timer clusters.

The prospects didn't appear promising.

Amelia herself was physically blocking a murderous Sirius and Maxime from approaching

Dumbledore. Karkaroff stood to the side leaning against the wall with a slightly stunned

and lost look on his face. Bagman had just fallen quiet and could only stare between the

judges and the labyrinth.

"Dumbledore, allow me to make myself perfectly clear. If you don't stop this thing – "

Amelia cut off as a shout of triumph rang out behind her. Twisting, Amelia saw Susan,

Tracey and Neville pumping their fists in the air. A moment later a small avalanche of

magical creatures fell out of the bottom of the labyrinth and bounced on the cushioned

ground beneath. She saw at least two human forms drop out near the center as well as she

let out a loud sigh of relief.

It wasn't a moment too soon either. Barely twenty seconds after they hit the ground the

labyrinth imploded with a loud bang. Instead of an arena nearly 50 meters in radius, there

floated instead a small egg only 2 meters in diameter.

"Where are they?!" Amelia heard Tonks' panicked shout from the ground floor. Her eyes

narrowed in suspicion, Amelia turned to the winner's platform.

It was empty.

The sphinx knocked a charging acromantula out of the way and started battling the giant

spider as Fleur scampered past her hind legs. Coming out the other side of the two

creatures, Fleur found herself in a round room with several open doorways leading in. She

saw Fred and Viktor charging down one of the long corridors across the way, but they were

too far. She turned to the trophy and smiled. There was very little time left, but she had

made it.

Before Fleur had taken more than a single step, the ceiling to her side fell to the ground

with a loud hissing crash amidst a shower of heat, melting stone and glass. She could only

stare as Snowball jumped through the hole and landed just outside the still smoking pile of

debris. The panther changed back to Harry and her brain slotted into gear again. All four

Champions took off running towards the trophy in the center of the room. She and Harry

were the closest though and Fred and Viktor didn't really have a chance.

She reached out and grasped the handle of the trophy at the same time as Harry grabbed

the side closest to him with a triumphant shout.

A hook grabbed her by the navel and jerked. She felt the wind whip past her as the portkey

took hold. The journey should have only been a moment but it took several seconds. As

she jerked to a stop, she stumbled and fell to one knee, dropping the trophy. A pained

grunt had her twisting with her wand half raised before she sighed in relief at seeing Harry

levering himself up from the ground.

"Bloody brilliant. Ow. I hate portkeys," her boyfriend muttered dusting himself off.

" 'arry!" she lunged forward and wrapped him into a hug and pulled back to quickly kiss

him. "I am so glad you are alright."

"Same to you, Fleur," Harry replied with a soft grin. "But I think we still have some

problems. Like where the hell are we?"

She glanced around seeing several gravestones nearby and a large shadowed manor house

in the distance. "Agreed. Zis does not seem to bode well."

"Kill the spare." Fleur's eyes widened at the menacing wheeze. She turned to find the

source only to see a jet of green light speeding towards her. With no time to react Fleur

could only wish she had had more time with those she loved as the green light filled her

vision.

Then she was pushed aside and a jerk around her stomach had her whisked away into the

night again.

Shiva was frantic as they levitated Fred and Viktor to the side waking them up. The two

students had barely had time to blurrily blink their eyes before she had grabbed Fred by

the shoulders. "Where are Harry and Fleur? One of them had to have grabbed the trophy!

Did you see which one? Did you see what happened?!"

"Professor?" Fred asked shaking his head. "Err, they both grabbed it at the same time I

think. Viktor and I met up in the middle somewhere and hit the last straight-away as Harry

fell from the ceiling in his animagus form and Fleur came out from behind a sphinx."

"They vere both closer than us. They hit the trophy together. They should be at…" Viktor

trailed off as he looked over at the empty winner's platform. Cursing in Bulgarian, the

Champion turned back to the small crowd surrounding him and scowled. "Ve must find our

friends."

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