The students filtered into the Three Broomsticks and soon the inn was filled with laughter and talking like any normal Hogsmeade weekend. Harry had just managed to finish his first butterbeer when their table had a new arrival.
"Hello, Furry Potter." Harry turned from his friends to see a familiar blonde witch standing next to him.
"Hello, Luna. Do you want to join us?"
"Hmm, that would be nice. Almost like having friends. But first I have to tell you something, Furry Potter."
Harry felt a sense of dread. Luna always had a way of saying completely screwy things that later seemed to make perfect sense. The fact she'd sought him out to tell him something raised his hackles. "What is it, Luna?"
Luna's wide eyes stared directly into Harry's. "Soon your opponent will know your secret. You will need to decide if the ones on your side will still need to play with blinders on." Luna turned and looked at the rest of the group; her head cocked in a curious fashion. "Did you know Muggles can't understand how a bumblebee can fly? They can't see the little piece of magic that keeps them up."
Hermione looked like she was in pain trying to interrupt the blonde witch's words. "What is that supposed to mean?"
"Exactly what I said."
Hermione looked as though she wanted to tear her (or Luna's) hair out. "That doesn't make any sense!"
Luna giggled. "Of course not, silly. The magical world is completely nonsensical. But it is in keeping with the best traditions of the Lovegood family motto."
Harry didn't want to ask but apparently Ernie just needed to know. "And what is your family motto?"
Luna still smiled but her gaze sharpened as she looked directly at Harry. "If you can't lead them with logic, baffle them with bullshit."
....
21 June 1995
The morning of the final challenge was an absolutely beautiful morning. The sky was the kind of blue that poets wrote bad sonnets about. The temperature was a wee bit higher than normal but a small breeze kept it from being uncomfortable.
Due to the beautiful weather, many of Hogwart's inhabitants and their guests chose to watch the final task from the Quidditch stadium. Down on the pitch, the goal rings on one side had been replaced with six large mirrors fitted together. Smaller mirrors hovered in place around the stadium.
Across from the large mirrors, those rings had also been replaced with a large stage. The middle part of the stage was six feet off the ground with the 'wings' raised up as VIP boxes. One VIP box was for the schools' faculty while the other was for Ministry guests. Many of the spectators had moved to sit on the grass of the pitch using blankets thoughtfully provided by the elves.
A party atmosphere was filled the stadium as the spectators gathered. The task was a source of that excitement but the mirrors were a factor also. It seemed even the magical world liked gadgets, particularly when they added to their entertainment and didn't seem to endanger their livelihood. Since this was a purely magical device and not making a Muggle device work in a magical environment, even the hard-core Purebloods did not find issue with it.
Inside a large tent behind the stage, the champions were gathering along with their families. The school headmasters and the judges were also filtering around. In one corner, Sirius and Kalina were holding court with their one month-old daughter, Cassiopeia Lily Black. Sirius was playing the bragging, doting father; Kalina looked smug while Cassi looked like she wanted a nap. (When she spit up all over Sirius's new robes, Harry silently promised to buy her a new toy. That's what good Godfathers did. Was it too early to get her a broom?)
The Blacks were surrounded by well-wishers- including Narcissa Black Malfoy to Harry's surprise. Harry expected her to avoid Sirius and his half-Veela daughter as an affront to the "Always Pure" motto of the Black family. However, it seemed a cute baby was universally attractive. Harry actually enjoyed the snarky comments Narcissa slipped in on Sirius. For the first time he could see the family resemblance between the cousins. Harry found it odd she was not hovering over Draco but noticed the Malfoy scion in a corner surrounded by Malfoy Sr and several other men, all seemed to be giving the Slytherin advice.
'And in this corner, the Death Eater Champion, Draco Malfoy!' Harry thought as he watched the group. Just looking at them made the Beast want to run wild. Harry walked away before he would cause an international incident.
Soon Dumbledore came in to announce the start of the Third task. The Champions took a brief minute for a last word with family for encouragement and then proceeded out onto the centre stage.
The champions looked nervous as they assembled on the centre stage. The nine students all seemed nervous and somewhat impatient for the event to start. Unfortunately for them they had to sit through a lot of talk from all three Ministries. Fudge talk the longest of all and managed to say the least. Watching the man speak Harry, at first, could not decide what would be worse: his childhood with his relatives or being raised by Fudge. But after the man droned on for 10 minutes he had his answer. Vernon never made Harry want to go jump in the lake with the shrieking eels.
A burst of fireworks behind the stadium cut off Fudge's speech. Sirius took advantage of the Minister of Magic's surprise to take over the stage.
"Now for the event you have all come to see!" The large crowd cheered. Harry was rather impressed with the volume they reached.
"Before we get started today we have a few simple rules," Sirius announced. "First, no champion is allowed to hex, curse, charm, transfigure, or in any other way using magic on another champion except in a situation to assist where the targeted champion's life is in imminent danger. Second, our champions will start two at a time in random pairings. And finally the creatures within the Princess Marauder are here of their own free will. Champions will refrain from the use of potentially deadly spells. If you do use a deadly spell the creatures are free to respond in kind." Sirius levelled a deadly serious gaze at each of the nine champions.
"Short of lethal magic, your opponents in this challenge will use whatever they can to prevent you from completing this challenge. Do you understand?"
The champions all nodded agreement. Harry noticed that a few of them, including Malfoy, now looked rather cocky with the news that their lives were not in danger. Harry held back his laughter. Sometimes to a teenager there were things worse than death.