https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-484-Maze-Castle-Part-2-The-Seventh-Level-Conversation/13461304/
Chapter 485: Maze Castle (Part 3) - The Trophy Within Reach
Chapter 485: Maze Castle (Part 3) - The Trophy Within Reach
"Next is a free-for-all?"
"Only three people made it up. Nona grabbed the trophy, I stopped her, then Victor came up, followed by Cedric. We fought the final battle in the sixth level of the maze."
"I see."
Silence filled the air. "Professor—will you really be okay? I saw it with my own eyes—"
"Ah, I'm sorry to worry you. It's a new ability I recently mastered, and I haven't told anyone yet."
"But—the potion's side effects—?"
"It's not a big problem. At worst, I'll have a period of weakness, but", Felix hesitated, "I might be asked for a chat."
"A chat?"
"It means cooperating with the investigation. After all, the suspicion on me is quite heavy, whether it's the theft of the Time-Turner or what's about to happen tonight... Fudge has finally found his chance."
"But it's not your fault at all!"
"There's no need to worry too much, Miss Granger. I made some preparations in advance. If things continue as usual, Fudge will be in that position for a long time. Tonight is a test for both of us. If he makes the wrong choice, he'll be out."
"Oh—alright, then what can I do?"
"Focus on improving your strength. Even though Voldemort is destined to fail, there will definitely be a long war, as you know, because of the Horcruxes... In times of chaos, strength is the most important. And also, do me a small favor."
"What is it?" The voice from the hat said eagerly.
"I've stored some contraband in a ring. To avoid it being confiscated by the Ministry of Magic, I need you to keep it safe for me."
"No problem, Professor, I'll hide it well."
"The items inside aren't particularly important, just a bit sensitive... I left some Runes Data for you to look at, just in case—"
"In case of what?" The hat moved restlessly.
Felix fell silent for a moment, then smiled. "Of course, to guard against any danger that might happen while I'm away."
At that moment, Felix looked up. "Someone's coming." He stood up, pointing his wand at himself. His body became blurry and transparent, blending into the surroundings. He quietly moved to a corner.
A swift figure burst in, moving incredibly fast. The seventh level of the maze was well-lit, and Nona Lebert immediately spotted the glittering trophy. She transformed into a cheetah, nimbly turned around, and picked up the trophy's handle with her mouth, then dashed out like the wind.
The sixth level of the maze no longer had the fifteen-foot-high hedges that nearly reached the ceiling. Instead, it was filled with waist-high shrubs, neatly trimmed into long rows.
Harry examined a stone statue, having been in the sixth level of the maze for some time. Apart from encountering a group of Big-Headed Boggles disguised as stones and cloak squirrels the size of rabbits, they hadn't faced much danger.
It was their first time seeing Big-Headed Boggles in real life. At first, they thought these "round stones" were part of the maze, but as their moods inevitably sank, Harry's Occlumency kicked in, and he realized the problem.
Harry used the Cutting Charm, and a golden stream of energy shot from the tip of his wand, forming the shape of a long sword. He struck the stones with the flat side of the sword, and they immediately jumped up, bouncing away with their smooth, gray heads. Harry noticed that when they moved, their furry bodies became more visible.
Ron also shook off his gloom, angrily nudging the last straggling Big-Headed Boggle with his foot. These creatures, only a foot tall, had a poor sense of balance. If you pushed them, their large heads would tilt forward. Ron tried a few times, and the Big-Headed Boggle simply curled into a ball and rolled away like a stone.
"Strange creatures, hard to imagine Mr. Scamander scaring them away with the noise from a kettle", Ron said.
Later, they encountered cloak squirrels perched on statues. These rabbit-sized, squirrel-like magical creatures seemed out of place with Hagrid's taste at first glance: they had fluffy rabbit-like heads and long ears, red fur, and a soft, golden "collar" that made them look both cute and friendly.
Harry almost fell for their adorable appearance the first time he saw one. The continuous competition had him on edge, so he cautiously approached. The moment he did, these cute little creatures turned around, exposing their curled tails—like a soft, furry cloak covered in countless sharp spines—and let out threatening cries.
"Whatever you do, don't provoke it. Getting stuck by one of these things is a nightmare. Compared to them, Goblins and Kneazles are practically tame." Ron said with disgust.
"You know about it?" Harry asked.
"Fred and George Weasley caught one once", Ron said, his expression reflecting the unpleasant memories. "They wanted to extract the quills from its body—those things you saw... Although they’re not poisonous, getting hit by them can make you wish you were unconscious."
He shook his head and firmly pulled Harry away. Harry didn’t ask any more questions; he suspected the story was a tragic one.
At this moment, Hermione remembered the information she had on it.
"Cloak Squirrel, known for its cute appearance and dangerous tail. They have two attack methods. One is lashing out with their tails when strangers approach. Many people who see one for the first time will curiously lean in, and the result is predictable... Their quills enhance pain, causing immense suffering. The second method is wrapping their bodies in their tails, forming a spiky ball that bounces towards the target like a cannonball—these creatures have incredible jumping power."
Harry shuddered and couldn’t help but look back at the Cloak Squirrel. It had retracted its tail, its small hands curled in front of it, and its long ears flicked back and forth, looking quite adorable.
"These little creatures are also grudge-holders and a bit neurotic. Once provoked, they will chase after you until the quills on their tails fall out. But don’t worry, the quills will grow back after some time..."
"Thanks, Hermione, for helping me remember all this", Ron said gloomily.
"Oh, um, we should probably avoid it", Hermione said, looking around nervously. "Speaking of which, the sixth level of the Maze Castle is a combination of a chessboard and a garden, full of shrubs and statues. The lighting is much brighter here..."
"That is a bit odd. Why did they replace the hedges with low shrubs?" Ron was also curious.
"This place is a natural battlefield", Harry suddenly said.
Ron and Hermione turned to him in alarm. "The lighting provides visibility, the stones can be used as barriers, and the shrubs create a maze-like space... Yes, that’s what I think", Harry said, his eyes brightening as he ran in a certain direction.
"What’s going on?"
"I saw Nona Lebert!"
Ron and Hermione chased after him, and they also saw a shadow quickly darting between the shrubs. Cloak Squirrels were being agitated, curling into spiky balls and trying to attack Nona, but she had already moved on.
A dazed Cloak Squirrel charged at Harry. "Stupefy!" Harry shouted, and the spell struck the Cloak Squirrel, causing it to fall from the air and bounce on the ground a couple of times.
They ran for a dozen steps, and the area suddenly opened up. It was a circular square, with a row of steps leading up to the upper level—the seventh floor, where the Trophy was kept.
"She’s coming out!" Ron shouted.
A cheetah agilely jumped down the steps, and Harry, Ron, and Hermione raised their wands simultaneously.
The cheetah glanced at them, then turned and ran in the opposite direction. At that moment, she tripped and rolled on the ground twice. Despite the urgent situation, Harry found the movement somewhat comical.
"Is she out of energy?" Harry wondered, immediately chasing after her.
The next second, he found the answer. A loud noise echoed through the entire Maze Castle, and all the brave warriors looked up, listening to the deafening voice—“Fearless warrior~ push forward! No matter how many difficulties, they cannot bring you down… Win courage and honor, I will wait for you at the finish line, brewing a cauldron full of love potion…”
"Oh my God!" Hermione said, covering her head.
Harry cast a silencing charm on himself, reducing the deafening noise. He endured the intense discomfort and continued forward, getting closer to the Trophy. But Nona was in a bad state; her teammates clearly hadn’t shielded her hearing, and she looked dazed, shaking her head repeatedly.
Finally, the singing stopped.
The creatures in the Maze Castle, such as the Cloak Squirrel and Puffskein, were contributed by the reader "Mothman" and the creator's setting is very intriguing.
(End of Chapter)
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