when i met you

50

"Diggory, Potter, stay behind please," said Professor McGonagall at the end of one of their last Transfiguration lessons of May. The couple looked confused at each other before waiting for everyone to leave the classroom.

"Yes, professor?" Lexi prompted.

McGonagall walked towards them from her desk, "The champions are to meet at the Quidditch pitch at nine o'clock this evening for instructions on the next task. Miss Potter, you are to go as you are your brothers coach."

"Thank you, professor," Cedric nodded and the two seventeen-year-olds then left the classroom.

Harry was quick to rush up to them at the Hufflepuff table for dinner later that day, "What do you think it'll be?" he asked.

"Dunno," shrugged Lexi, "We saw Fleur earlier, she reckons it'll be underground tunnels."

"What do you think?" he looked at Cedric.

Cedric shrugged too, "They said quidditch pitch, so... flying?"

Lexi snorted very un-lady-like, "That'll be fun, I see it already: 'Fleur Delacour, the only champion who can't ride a broom'—seriously, her up against three quidditch players?"

The two boys laughed, "Who knows? Because we sure don't," said Cedric.

"We'll see, wont we?" Harry smirked.

They walked down the dark lawn to the Quidditch stadium, turned through a gap in the stands, and walked out onto the field a few hours later.

"What've they done to it?" Cedric said indignantly, stopping dead.

Lexi laughed at her boyfriend's response and pulled him along by the hem of his sleeve. Harry was in a similar state, gaping at the pitch.

The Quidditch field was no longer smooth and flat. It looked as though somebody had been building long, low walls all over it that twisted and crisscrossed in every direction.

"They're hedges!" said Harry, bending to examine the nearest one.

"What do they need hedges for?" Lexi asked the air.

"Hello there!" called a cheery voice.

Ludo Bagman was standing in the middle of the field with Viktor and Fleur. Harry, Lexi and Cedric made their way toward them, climbing over the hedges. Fleur beamed at them as they came nearer.

"Well, what d'you think?" said Bagman. "Growing nicely, aren't they? Give them a month and Hagrid'll have them twenty feet high. Don't worry," he added, grinning, spotting the less-than-happy expressions on Harry's and Cedric's faces, "you'll have your Quidditch field back to normal once the task is over! Now, I imagine you can guess what we're making here?"

No one spoke for a moment. Then —

"Maze," grunted Krum.

"That's right!" said Bagman. "A maze. The third task's really very straightforward. The Triwizard Cup will be placed in the centre of the maze. The first champion to touch it will receive full marks."

"We seemply 'ave to get through the maze?" said Fleur.

"There will be obstacles," said Bagman happily, bouncing on the balls of his feet. "Hagrid is providing a number of creatures...then there will be spells that must be broken...all that sort of thing, you know. Now, the champions who are leading on points will get a head start into the maze." Bagman grinned at Harry and Cedric. "Then Mr. Krum will enter... then Miss Delacour. But you'll all be in with a fighting chance, depending how well you get past the obstacles. Should be fun, eh?"

There was a hum of assent.

"Very well... if you haven't got any questions, we'll go back up to the castle, shall we, it's a bit chilly..."

Bagman hurried alongside Harry as they began to wend their way out of the growing maze. Viktor took Harry aside as they walked back to the castle, Fleur walking a little behind them to her carriage, Lexi and Cedric holding hands as they went.

"He thinks it should be fun because he hasn't seen Hagrid's creatures..." said Lexi offhandedly.

Cedric laughed loudly, "Well, at least Harry and I'll have a head start and know what's coming then."

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