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Chapter 571: Harry is Taken Away
Chapter 571: Harry is Taken Away
Tonight's dinner was more sumptuous than usual. Just as the judges entered the Great Hall through a side door, delicious dishes appeared on the golden plates.
Kyle took a piece of smoked meat and glanced at the Hufflepuff table.
Professor Maxime looked cheerful, beaming with joy, but Karkaroff beside her wore a grim expression.
Baggman, usually cheerful, was also uncharacteristically anxious, speaking urgently to Dumbledore.
However, Dumbledore merely shook his head.
"His dream of making the front page has been shattered," a voice suddenly said beside Kyle, and he turned to see Fred and George.
They had somehow made their way into the Great Hall and were seated at the Hufflepuff table.
"Don't be too surprised. We're here to offer you some encouragement because we were worried you might be feeling tense," George said with a smile.
"Thank you very much," Kyle said. "But what did you mean earlier about Bagman's dream of the front page?"
"That's the second piece of news we wanted to share," Fred whispered. "The plan to add hostages has been canceled."
"What?"
"Exactly what it sounds like," George said, spreading his hands. "We just offered ourselves to Professor Dumbledore as volunteers to be hostages..."
"...but the headmaster refused," Fred continued.
"He thought the maze would be too dangerous, and he didn't want students who aren't champions to take unnecessary risks, so just before they entered the Great Hall..."
"...Dumbledore, Maxime, and your father voted to scrap the plan," they finished together.
"Karkaroff doesn't look happy about it," Fred added, glancing at the staff table. "He thinks everyone is being too cautious and even argued that this isn't the Triwizard Tournament he remembers. He had a big fight with everyone in the entrance hall."
"Did it work?" Cedric asked.
"Of course not," George said. "The Triwizard Tournament was discontinued in the first place because of too many casualties. Now that it's been revived, most people don't want students taking too many risks."
Kyle's gaze unconsciously shifted to the staff table as well. Bagman was still talking to Dumbledore, clearly in support of Karkaroff's opinion.
But none of that mattered now.
It was undoubtedly a relief that the hostage plan had been canceled. At least he would have one less thing to worry about during the task.
Soon, dinner came to an end, and the enchanted ceiling gradually transformed from a bright blue to a somber dusk.
Dumbledore stood up, and the hall immediately fell silent.
"Ladies and gentlemen, in ten minutes, I will be asking you to make your way to the Quidditch stadium to witness the final task of the Triwizard Tournament. For now, please escort the champions to the grounds with Mr. Bagman."
Kyle stood up, and the Hufflepuffs around him applauded, seeing him off along with Fleur and Krum as they left the Great Hall.
Fleur looked tense and kept taking deep breaths, while Krum didn't seem much better, stumbling several times.
They entered the Quidditch stadium, which looked different from the last time they had seen it. The hedges surrounding the field had grown to a height of twenty feet, leaving only a dark gap in front of them.
"You can take a moment to rest and compose yourselves," Bagman said, leading them to a nearby changing room before stepping out.
Fleur and Krum each found a place to sit down, and Kyle had intended to chat with Fleur to pass the time.
However, she didn't seem in the mood for conversation, so Kyle also kept quiet, finding a spot to sit and wait quietly for the task to begin.
Ten minutes later, people started filing into the stands, filling the air with excited voices and the shuffling of feet. Kyle couldn't help but feel like he had been transported back to the first task.
Back then, he had also been in a changing room, listening to the sounds of the crowd taking their seats outside.
At that moment, the door of the changing room moved, and everyone looked up.
A head quickly slipped through the door crack.
"Who's there?"
Kyle, being the closest, walked over and opened the slightly ajar door, just in time to see Hermione and Ron trying to sneak away.
"Sorry, we didn't mean to disturb you," Hermione said awkwardly. "We just wanted to see Harry and tell him not to be nervous."
"Harry?" Kyle frowned.
"Yes, he was taken away by Filch, supposedly to assist with the third task," Ron said, his face filled with envy. "How lucky to be involved in the Triwizard Tournament like that."
"Just now," Hermione replied. "Not long after you left, Filch came by... He said he was instructed by Professor Dumbledore to take Harry to the Quidditch stadium to assist with the task."
"After we left?" Kyle felt that something was amiss.
During dinner, Fred and George had mentioned that the plan to add hostages to the maze had been canceled. Why would Filch still take Harry away?
Something was wrong!
Hermione and Ron looked at Kyle, bewildered, as he sprinted towards the judges' area.
"What's so strange about that?" Ron scratched his head, not fully understanding Kyle's reaction.
Why did he suddenly run off when they were chatting?
"Oh no, I hope he's not going to report us... You know, we're not supposed to be in the champions' waiting area according to the rules."
"Don't be silly, Ron. Kyle isn't like that," Hermione said, her expression turning grave. "Come on, let's head to the Beauxbatons and Durmstrang areas to check if they're missing anyone."
"Why are we going there?" Ron asked reluctantly. "The task is about to begin."
But Hermione ignored him and sprinted towards the central stands.
On the other hand, when Kyle arrived at the judges' area, Dumbledore was speaking with several professors bearing the star emblem.
"Oh, Kyle?" He looked at Kyle in confusion. "What brings you here right before the task?"
"There's something, Professor," Kyle said, glancing at the others.
Dumbledore immediately understood and stepped forward. "Go on, what is it?"
"Do we need to rescue hostages in this task?"
"You're well-informed," Dumbledore smiled. "We did consider that idea but ultimately rejected it, so you don't need to..."
"Harry has been taken away," Kyle interrupted.
Before Dumbledore could finish, Kyle cut in.
"Just now, right after dinner, Ron said that Filch took Harry away, claiming it was to assist with the task."
Dumbledore's expression gradually turned solemn.
"That's impossible. Before dinner even started, the proposal to add hostages was rejected."
"But Harry really has been taken away," said Kyle. "Ron and Hermione saw it with their own eyes."
The smile faded from Dumbledore's face, and he turned to survey the area, his gaze resting briefly on Karkaroff before returning to Kyle.
"I understand," he said gravely. "The task is about to begin, so you should head back."
"Okay," Kyle said and left the stands.
To be honest, this development had caught him off guard... Especially the fact that it was Filch who had taken Harry away.
Was it the Killing Curse, or Polyjuice Potion?
Kyle couldn't be sure because, for the past month, Fred and George had been in possession of the Marauder's Map to better monitor Ludo Bagman's movements.
Even if Kyle had the map, he probably wouldn't have paid attention to Filch.
An annoying, squib caretaker was the perfect disguise.
He could appear anywhere in the castle without arousing suspicion.
Even if he drank Polyjuice Potion in front of the students, no one would likely find it odd, or he could simply find a secluded spot to do so.
Kyle tried to recall. When he had returned the Marauder's Map to Fred and George, he had taken one last look... But at that time, Filch had seemed fine.
If Kyle remembered correctly, Filch had been in his office with Mrs. Norris, and there had been no sign of "Bartemius Crouch" in the castle.
As Kyle pondered this, he returned to the maze entrance.
By then, Fleur and Krum had emerged from the room, and Ludo Bagman was also present, waiting for him.
"Just in time, you would've missed the task if you were a minute later," Bagman said, hurrying over to pull Kyle into the group.
Though he said this, a flash of disappointment crossed his eyes, as if he had wanted Kyle to miss the task.
...
(End of Chapter)
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