Chapter 34: Shadows of Triumph and Betrayal
The third and final task of the Triwizard Tournament began under a sky streaked with clouds and thunder, as if the heavens themselves anticipated what was to come. An enormous, enchanted labyrinth had grown in the middle of the Quidditch Pitch, its hedges towering fifteen feet high, laced with enchantments, and shifting paths. Magical lights floated above, illuminating the field. At its center was the Triwizard Cup, the symbol of ultimate victory.
Thousands of spectators filled the stands, their excitement palpable. In a separate area, crystal spheres floated near each champion, enchanted to follow and record every move within the maze. These orbs, gifted by the Department of International Magical Cooperation, would allow the judges to assess performance beyond mere time.
As the whistle blew, the three champions entered the maze from different entry points:
Viktor Krum with his usual grim determination.
Fleur Delacour, graceful and focused, wand in hand.
Harrison Strange Potter, regal and calm, his cosmic eyes glowing faintly.
Navigating the Maze
Viktor Krum was the first to encounter a threat: a massive, animated troll held together by vines and moss. Relying on brute force and sharp spellwork, he summoned chains of lightning to ensnare the beast before leaping past it. The crystal following him flared brightly, marking the effort as extraordinary.
Fleur Delacour faced a Banshee, its scream shattering the maze's silence. She conjured a charm-enhanced shield around her ears, then used a soft sleep spell that dispersed its incorporeal form. Her precision and elegance drew murmurs of approval in the viewing stands.
Harrison wandered calmly into a mist-covered glade, where illusion magic tried to trick his senses. Serpents hissed, twisted into the faces of those he loved. With closed eyes, he whispered ancient words—rooted in his identity as the Pharaoh of the First Nome—and broke the enchantment with a wave of his hand. The magic crystal near him pulsed a deep violet, recording not just his strength but the strange, unknowable aura that surrounded him.
He moved through the labyrinth like water, shifting with ease, avoiding traps with foresight that startled even the judges. Once, the hedges tried to close on him, but the roots bent back at his silent command.
Dynamics Beyond the Maze
Meanwhile, in the stands, all eyes were on the floating displays showing fragments of each champion's progress. Fred and George cheered every moment Harrison was on screen. Sirius stood alongside Professor Flitwick and Dumbledore, eyes narrowed, sensing something wrong brewing.
Cho Chang sat beside Hermione and Ron, her eyes darting between the images and the action. Her feelings had grown complicated.
"You fancy him, don't you?" Hermione asked gently.
Cho looked away. "I don't know what I feel... But he's brave, and kind, and when he cast those Patronuses... something just clicked."
Hermione smiled. "Maybe it's time to tell him."
Cho glanced at the magical projection of Harrison striding through a magical fire trap unharmed. "Maybe I will."
Nearing the Cup
Inside the labyrinth, Harrison saw the glow of the Triwizard Cup. He raised his wand, alert but composed.
The path to the cup was silent. Too silent.
He stepped forward cautiously, the magic crystal hovering silently over his shoulder. The moment his fingers brushed the handle of the Cup, a jolt of energy surged through it. It activated.
The Portkey's Deception
Instead of the flash of celebration, the world twisted.
His surroundings shifted violently, spinning in kaleidoscopic patterns of dark light, and he fell hard onto damp, cold ground. The overgrown cemetery of Little Hangleton surrounded him.
The Triwizard Cup clattered nearby, no longer glowing. The magic crystal, which had followed Harrison, hovered above him, still recording.
"Where am I?" Harrison murmured, grabbing his wand instantly.
A cruel voice echoed from the shadows. "Welcome... to the end of your triumph."
Barty Crouch Jr. stepped forward, wand raised. Beside him, a hideous form lay in a cradle of bone and silk: Voldemort, still in his infant-like state, eyes gleaming red.
Harrison's eyes narrowed. "This was a trap."
Crouch grinned. "A necessary one. To bring you here."
The ground trembled as runes ignited in a large circle around them.
"It's a ritual," Harrison realized, inspecting the symbols beneath his feet. "You want to resurrect him... with my blood."
Voldemort's voice, though still weak, whispered, "We need your blood. The Guardian, born again."
Harrison's eyes blazed with fury.
Before the ritual could proceed further, Harrison slammed his palm into the earth. Ancient glyphs from Egyptian and Greek lore burst to life. Time slowed.
"Not today," he growled.
With a flare of divine magic, he twisted the runes, deflecting the blood-binding curse. Crouch Jr. shrieked as the energy turned on him, burning his wand arm.
Voldemort hissed, "You dare defy me, Guardian?"
Harrison stood tall. "I have fought gods. You are nothing but a broken soul clinging to shadows."
He seized the Triwizard Cup with both hands. The crystal whirled rapidly, recording everything as cosmic energy spiraled around him.
"This is not your time," Harrison said, and activated the portkey.
Back at Hogwarts
A flash of white-blue light erupted at the labyrinth's exit. Harrison reappeared, unconscious and bloodied, cradling the cup. The crowd gasped.
Sirius leapt over the barriers. Dumbledore moved swiftly, his face grim.
The magic crystal reappeared moments later, floating down gently to the ground. Professor McGonagall caught it.
"It followed Harrison. It's recorded everything."
Flitwick's face paled. "Merlin help us."
Moments later, Harrison stirred, his eyes opening to reveal a storm of emotion.
He looked directly at Dumbledore. "It has begun."