Chapter 224
Ron, Hermione, and even Harry were supposed to be doing a final review in preparation for the exams that would end on the same day as the Third Task, but that did not happen, as their efforts were directed toward their desire to review their lessons. Hermione said, "Don't worry... at least we'll get final grades in Defense Against the Dark Arts."
Ron said, "And don't forget that this is training for our future work."
The general atmosphere of the castle had become somewhat active and exciting in June, as everyone was looking forward to the Third Task and what would happen in it.
Albert had grown tired of wandering between the empty school classrooms to practice the spells he would use inside the graveyard against Peter, as he wanted to do this as a precaution, lest something unexpected happen. Therefore, he practiced those powerful spells a little.
In the classroom, Ron, who was standing by the window, shouted, "Look at this, what is Malfoy doing?"
Albert, Hermione, and Harry quickly rushed to the window and saw Malfoy, with Crabbe and Goyle, standing under a large tree. Crabbe and Goyle seemed to be watching the area for Malfoy, who raised his hand to his mouth and began to talk into it. Harry said curiously, "He looks like he's talking on a mobile phone."
Hermione said, "No way... I told you that all these kinds of things don't work at Hogwarts."
"Come on, Harry, we have work to finish," Hermione shouted, and they moved away from the window and headed to the center of the room.
Sirius was sending an owl daily to Albert urging him to focus on performing the last task before getting involved in anything else, and he mentioned to Albert that no matter the circumstances, he should not leave the castle, saying, "As I told you, there is no need to take risks, focus your attention on performing that task and passing safely through this maze, and then we can think about anything else." (Everyone here knows that the Third Task is a maze because Ludo Bagman said so when the Second Task in the lake ended).
Two hours later, almost everyone Albert knew gathered in the Great Hall. The Weasley family parents, Barty Crouch Sr., and also Dumbledore, who was on the side of both Hagrid and McGonagall at a long table full of food. Even Lucius Malfoy, who was looking at Albert with harsh glances, was present here.
Near the end of the meal, Dumbledore stood up and said, "Ladies and gentlemen, in five minutes, I will ask you to head to the Quidditch pitch to watch the Third and final Task of the Triwizard Tournament. As for the champions, please follow Mr. Bagman to the pitch now."
Albert stood up amidst the applause of the Gryffindor students and all the Hogwarts students, and everyone wished him good luck before he headed out with Fleur and Krum. At the entrance, Bagman asked him, "Are you alright, Albert? Do you feel confident?"
Albert replied with a smile, "I'm fine!"
They reached the pitch, whose features had completely changed. A fence about twenty-five feet long stretched around it, with an opening at the front leading to the giant maze that filled the pitch floor. Within five minutes, the seats began to fill up, and the sounds of the spectators began to rise and shout with time beneath the clear blue sky and its few stars that began to appear. Albert saw Hagrid, Professor Moody, Professor McGonagall, and Professor Flitwick approaching him and the champions, wearing large red hats with shining stars on them, before Professor McGonagall said, "We will guard around the maze from the outside, and each of us has a radar about your movements inside the maze, and if any of you are exposed to any danger and feel the need for rescue, they must shoot some red sparks into the sky, and one of us will come to rescue them... Understood?"
The champions nodded, and Bagman said, addressing those who would be guarding, "Go then."
So each of them headed in a different direction, and Bagman pointed his wand towards a hoop, muttering, "Sonorus," and his voice rose as usual, echoing in the pitch as he said, "Ladies and gentlemen, the Third and final Task of the Triwizard Tournament is about to begin, and I would like to remind you of the points of each champion... In first place stands Mr. Albert Black with eighty-five points..."
The shouts and applause from the stands rose so much that the birds in the Forbidden Forest suddenly rose to the dark sky, then Bagman continued, "And in second place, Mr. Krum with eighty points," and again the sound of applause rose... "And the third place is occupied by Fleur Delacour from Beauxbatons School."
Krum and Fleur were standing in their places and did not move an inch, as if they were statues, but what was slightly surprising was that their eyes began to turn white, and the black pupils disappeared and reappeared.
After Lucius Malfoy, who was in the stands with the spectators, saw that what he did had succeeded with Fleur and Krum, he put his hand in his pocket to place his magic wand in it and smiled slightly.
A Month Ago
When Barty Jr. was still inside the castle waiting for the Ministry to send guards to take him from the castle to Azkaban, it was his good fortune that Lucius had attended that day because Professor Flitwick had sent a summons to Lucius Malfoy to attend due to the mischief Draco Malfoy was causing inside the school.
Lucius Malfoy passed in front of Barty Jr., who was handcuffed, held by three Ministry guards, but after Lucius passed him, he quickly slipped a piece of paper into his pocket so fast that the guards did not see anything.
But Lucius felt something placed inside his pocket and read the content inside.
Barty Crouch Jr. had heard about Lucius's attendance at the castle through Professor Flitwick, who spoke at the door of the room where Jr. was located and told Professor McGonagall that Mr. Lucius would be coming because of his summoning.
Which left the matter for Jr. to write this message.
After Lucius opened that paper, he began to read its content.
"Lucius, listen to me... If you do not want the Dark Lord to be angry with you, then do what I tell you in this paper... The Third Task will be here on the Quidditch pitch, so everyone will be on the stands platform. I want you to cast the Imperius Curse on two champions other than the boy Albert. I want you to control them to attack Albert inside the maze for as long as possible... But after they enter the maze, burn this paper immediately, okay?! It is a signal to someone I know; he will know this signal after you burn this paper."
After Lucius read this paper, feelings of tension and fear began to show on his face. He knew well what Barty was going to do, even though he was heading to Azkaban prison.
In the Present
Bagman returned, addressing Albert, "So... you will start with the sound of my whistle... Three... Two... One."
And he blew his whistle, and Albert hurried into the maze. Due to the height of the walls that formed the body of the maze, the sound of the audience's shouting faded in his ears, and Albert felt as if he was underwater again, so he pulled out his wand, muttering, "Lumos."
Albert heard Bagman's second whistle and knew that Krum had entered the maze, so he hurried until he saw a passage to the right, and he walked in it, raising his lighted wand above his head in an attempt to see anything in his path, but... so far there was nothing. He heard Bagman's third whistle, announcing the entry of the three champions into the maze, and Albert kept looking behind him every now and then.
Finally, Lucius cast a Fire Spell to burn the paper Barty Jr. had given him, and a faint green light emerged from it until it crumbled into the air...
To be continued...