https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-483-Maze-Castle-Part-1-A-Significant-Advantage/13461303/
Chapter 482: Encouragement
Chapter 482: Encouragement
The brave warriors gradually stood up, leaving the scene amidst enthusiastic applause and the blessings of their loved ones. Mrs. Granger clung tightly to Hermione's hand, tears welling up in her eyes. "Dear, she'll be fine", Mr. Granger said, hugging his wife.
"I know, I just..." Mrs. Granger couldn't find the words.
Mr. Granger, his eyes red-rimmed, said emotionally to Hermione, "Your mom is just a bit overwhelmed... because of the second project's recording... I waited at the Leaky Cauldron all afternoon before I found a wizard in strange attire who led me in... anyway, we want you to know, Hermione, we are so proud of you."
Hermione's eyes also welled up with tears. Harry and Ron stood helplessly beside her, with Sirius and Bill Weasley on either side, their hands on the boys' shoulders. Sirius gave Harry a hearty pat on the back, nearly making him stumble, and said to the Grangers, "We've got two tough guys in the team!"
"Right, that's true, we'll take good care of her", Harry and Ron quickly chimed in.
As they crossed the hall and descended the steps, Hermione's mood remained somewhat low. Harry and Ron exchanged a glance, and Ron said with a hint of complaint, "Hermione, you should have told your parents some basics about the wizarding world. Do they not know that you're the strongest of the three of us?"
"Oh", Hermione laughed through her tears, "in their minds, I'm just attending a different school, like... well, how to put it? A scholar of the occult? After all, I can't use magic outside of school... and the books I bring home every summer probably reinforce that impression."
They carefully made their way through the dimly lit area, forming a long line with the other brave warriors, followed by a few shadowy figures on either side.
"Who are they?" Harry asked, looking around.
"Ministry of Magic officials, mostly Aurors", Ron explained, noticing Harry's puzzled look. He shrugged, "Someone has to keep an eye on each level of the maze, just in case. Professor Hep can't do it all alone... Percy told me, and I have to admit, he's been doing really well lately."
The group crossed the field, passing by the Quidditch pitch, where a few goblins carrying short bows waved at the Ilvermorny warriors.
Hermione grew anxious, "We didn't consider having to deal with goblins. They won't appear in the maze, will they?"
Harry didn't respond, only staring at the goblins' silhouettes. He wasn't sure. These small creatures had once lived in forests and would likely be at home in a maze. He vaguely remembered that goblin arrows were poisoned...
"Do you have an antidote, Hermione?" he asked.
"I do, I've prepared quite a few things... but to be honest, if we're ambushed, we might not have time to use them", Hermione said, patting her beaded purse.
They remained silent for the rest of the time, walking along the edge of the Forbidden Forest. The path became increasingly familiar, and before turning a corner, Harry took one last look behind. The steps they had just descended were covered in a dense cluster of light points, the glow of wands. People from the Great Hall had also come out, but they were too far away for Harry to hear any sound.
But Harry could easily imagine how excited they must be. Seamus and Dean were probably enthusiastically discussing what might be in the maze, as they had been doing for months. Ginny might be with Luna, but he couldn't guess what they would be talking about, perhaps about some 'undiscovered' magical creatures? As for Neville, he had recently asked Hermione for a list of spells and would surely shine in next year's Dueling Class. And Malfoy, he might be grinding his teeth in frustration!
This last thought gave Harry a bit of a lift. "Oh, dear!" Hermione groaned beside him.
Harry followed her gaze and was profoundly shaken. Before them stood a square tower, almost as large as Hogwarts Castle. He could see three solid corners, built from black stone, forming a straight, upward-pointing prism. The gaps between the corners were filled with impenetrable thorns and hedges. The building was at least a hundred feet tall, and Harry silently estimated how many levels the maze might have.
They stopped ahead, and Bagman waited for everyone to gather before leading them toward a massive building. They passed through a sparse forest and reached an open area where a large silver tent stood, glowing faintly in the darkness.
Harry was momentarily dazed. It seemed like he was back at the first task, where they had to work together to face a fire dragon... but that felt like a lifetime ago.
"Alright", Bagman said cheerfully, "you shouldn't be too unfamiliar with this place. We've built a maze castle on the existing grounds for the competition. The school has prepared two areas, but I think a familiar environment will make you feel more at home..."
Everyone stared at him.
Bagman looked at the group with a delighted expression, seemingly hoping for a few words of praise. In the awkward silence, he had to give up on that idea. "Well, um, let me go over the rules. You need to navigate through the maze, which has seven levels. The higher you go, the smaller the area becomes. The top level has no traps, just a trophy."
"Dark magic is prohibited, and you cannot use powerful spells on others..."
He spoke for about ten minutes, and Harry found it somewhat annoying. They had analyzed these rules many times already. Finally, Bagman got to the main point.
"Next, I'll introduce the order of entry. According to the rules", Bagman glanced at Harry, "the two Hogwarts teams will take the average score, but since they are in first and second place, that's not necessary. You'll enter in order of your scores—"
At that moment, the tent's curtain was lifted from the outside.
"Bagman, the trophy is in place."
"Thanks, Yaxley. That should have been my job, but as you can see, I'm swamped..."
Yaxley showed his teeth in a strained smile. "Don't mention it." He disappeared into the tent.
"Alright, the trophy is set. Now, I'll introduce the maze's guardians. They are from the Ministry of Magic, except for Felix. The guardians won't reveal themselves easily, even if you faint."
The champions exchanged glances. "What if a fainting champion is discovered by a wandering monster?" asked Jacqueline Bourgeois, one of the Beauxbatons champions. Several others nodded, sharing the same concern.
"Ah, that's where the guardians come in", Bagman smiled. "They'll watch from the sidelines and only intervene if you're in mortal danger. If a fainting champion is lucky enough to encounter a teammate, they can continue in the competition..."
The tent's curtain was lifted again. Kingsley Shacklebolt and Felix walked in together.
"The audience is seated, Ludo. In five minutes, we can arrange for the champions to enter. The staff will guide them through different entrances", Kingsley said calmly.
"Excellent", Bagman said happily, "I can't wait to start the competition."
"Wait, different entrances?" Byers from the Ilvermorny team asked.
"There are four entrances, and which one you enter is random. The only restriction is that members of the same team must enter separately", Felix explained gently.
"Exactly, that's right", Bagman agreed. "So—"
He looked around.
"Can I say a few words?" Felix asked softly.
"Oh, what—of course", Bagman said.
Felix stood before the champions, his gaze sweeping over each of them. "Over the past year, you've all put in an unimaginable amount of effort and have gained a great deal in return—strength, friendship, courage, cooperation, and trust... Although the third task is incredibly challenging, I believe you can overcome it. Just use your wisdom, trust your teammates, and most importantly—never give up hope, even in the worst situations."
"Today is just an important milestone in your lives, not the end—time is on your side."
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
