Let's Try That Again - Chapter 17

17.

The Tournament saved Harry from having to explain his sudden lack of energy. He had to take it easy to make sure his stitches didn't tear. To prevent that, he set up in the library and began to study. The selection was rather impressive. He somehow found his way to the magical creatures' section of the stacks. There he found books on rare and forgotten things that Hagrid would have loved to learn about.

Harry checked out quite a few of them to show his friend later. One of the books was all about humanoids. It covered gnomes, pixies, faeries, and distant cousin of house elves called Oompa Loompa. The weirdest one so far was a Scandinavian off-shoot of gnome that had blue skin and lived in mushroom groves.

He even found a short excerpt on Nargels. Luna was incredibly pleased with the news, until she read the entry that listed them as creatures of myth. After that, she decided that she would need to start her own bestiary to get things right.

All too soon the second task approached. Ron disappeared the same as last time. It made him wonder who Krum was going to rescue. Hopefully, things would go smoother this time. He actually had a plan.

~§~

The morning was just as cold as he remembered it. This time Cedric was beside him rather than Fleur. Harry had dressed warmer, having his new on-call tailor make an enchanted version of a wet suit. It had some runes stitched on it for temperature regulation, ease of removal, and a few to enhance his movement underwater. It also did wonders to hide his new scars. The wound Greyback had given him took a long time to heal. It would have been easy to see that they were new. The stitching Sirius did was a little wonky too.

Fleur had been avoiding him since the Yule Ball. She would purposely sit on the other side of the table when the champions ate together, and she didn't look at him when they spoke. He tried not to let it bother him. The situation was his own making. He couldn't stop the feeling that came from being around her. The subtle yearning for closeness. A familiarity that whispered something more.

"Champions, are you ready?" Bagman yelled.

They nodded.

"Go!" The word was accentuated by an explosion from his wand.

"Excuse me, gentlemen, ladies." Harry held out a hand before they could jump in.

They stared at him; their focus shattered. Harry flicked his wand at the edge of the platform. A plank of wood launched up high above their heads. When it came crashing back down in the water it had taken form of a gondola.

"If you would care to join me?" Harry offered.

Cedric started to laugh, which made Krum join in a moment later. Fleur shook her head while trying to hide a smile. Harry took a step closer to the long boat and held out a hand to help each of his fellow champions get in. Once they were all set, he climbed aboard. Another piece of wood from the platform shifted into a long paddle.

"When the moon hits your eye. Like a big pizza pie," Harry sang loudly with a horrible Italian accent.

The three in the boat stared up at him in confusion as a smattering of laughter spread around the crowd.

"That's Amore," Victor added.

"Excellent!" Harry cackled. "Will one of you cast the Point Me spell please?"

"What is that?" Fleur asked.

"It's a locator spell," Harry replied, giving her an odd look.

"Non," She pointed to the water. "That."

Harry followed her gesture to see something streaking toward the boat. It wasn’t the giant squid; Cuddles was much too timid to approach them. As whatever it was got closer, it became clear it was a group rather than a single creature.

"Brace for impact!" Harry yelled.

Harry tapped the collar of his wet suit. A fish-bowl helmet covered his head as the creatures collided with the boat. He hoped the other champions had enough time. The creatures crashed into the boat, breaking it in half. Harry caught a clear view of one of the things as it erupted from the water.

Grindylows.

This didn't make sense. Sure, they were vicious, but they kept to themselves. Come to think of it, they were rather aggressive last time as well. People had written it off as them reacting to Fleur's heritage. This was more than that. Maybe it was the previous time as well.

The enchanted suit couldn't keep out all of the cold from the water. It wasn't as bad, but the temperature change was still noticeable. That made him worry about his fellow champions even more. Jumping in from the dock was one thing, being tossed into the freezing water without a chance to prepare was a different barrel of fish.

Harry scanned the area, trying to find the others. Krum had transfigured himself into the same part-shark form as last time. Cedric and Fleur had managed to get their bubble head chairs in place as well. There were at least half a dozen creatures swarming around them.

The moment of distraction cost him. One of the grindylows raked their claws across his lower leg. It followed it up by latching its teeth on his ankle. Harry brandished his wand, quickly bisecting the creature and kicking it off. His blood drew their attention, making them forget about the other champions.

Harry pointed his wand at the approaching group. He sent a ball of condensed magic into them. It exploded as it got close to them, sending the creatures tumbling at high speeds in random directions. Later, they would find out that one of the grindylows was launched up out of the water before landing with a loud SLAP of a bellyflop.

With that encounter dealt with, they continued on to get their hostages. It seemed like everything had calmed down until they got to the Mer-People village. Last time, the underwater folk weren't happy about them being there and ignored them for the most part. This time, they were outright hostile.

A couple of the warriors charged her once she was in sight. She caught a spear to the side before anyone knew what was going on. Harry reached her a moment later. The spear was barbed and couldn't be pulled out without causing even more damage. Even with the Bubble Head Charm it was clear she was screaming.

Harry caught the next spear that had been aimed at her neck. He sent it back at the warrior, taking off its leg. The first tried to charge at Harry to attack but was held back by a larger one. They exchanged rapid words before the big one turned its attention to Harry. It motioned to the village.

Fleur tried to swim on. Each motion caused the spear to open the wound a little more. Harry stopped her. He pointed up to the surface. Fleur looked at him desperately, pointing to the village. Harry shook his head. He pointed to himself, then to her and finally to the village. A mix of panic and pain flashed across her face. Harry drew an X over his heart. That seemed to mollify her.

She raised her wand and shot sparks above her. The space where she had been emptied, wrenching Harry forward as the lake moved to fill the void. It was not a comfortable sensation. Harry turned his focus to finding the hostages. The other two had already been rescued, leaving Gabrielle and Ron. Harry smiled at the sight of his best friend. Having him back meant more to him than he had expected.

Harry untied Ron and tossed him over his shoulder. The same bigger warrior from before tried to step in when he moved to Gabrielle. Harry glared at the warrior. He nodded at the spear, unimpressed. The warrior relented, backing away. Harry kept the warrior in sight out of the corner of his eye. He untied Gabrielle and cradled her close to his chest with one arm while the other held Ron in place over his shoulder.

The trip back was awkward. It took longer than he intended as well. This time around, neither hostage woke up, which was a nice change. He set Ron on the dock first before carefully climbing up while holding Gabrielle. Once again, he didn't make it back in time. This time, he didn't care about the score. It didn't matter when he entered the maze with Voldemort dead.

Fleur didn't kiss him this time. She was too busy getting her wound treated. Madam Pomphrey saw the claw marks and bite on his leg and had him in a bed in record time. His wet suit came off without a struggle thanks to the enchantments. She gave him a quick glare when she saw the uneven stitching on his side but didn't say anything.

"They are going to announce the scores," Ron sat nearby wrapped in a warm towel.

"I don't care," Harry chuckled. "I'm not taking a girl for a walk around the lake for the rest of the year."

Ron laughed at that.

"A walk around the lake?" Fleur asked. Her own bed was nearby. "What is that?"

"It's a traditional Hogwarts date," Harry explained. "We don't have many options while stuck on campus."

"Ah," Fleur nodded. "I thought you meant sex."

Ron cackled like mad as Harry blushed.

~§~

No one bothered to pay attention to the lake after the second task. The Durmstrang ship had lost most of its shine. Walks around the lake had been unofficially banned after the uncharacteristic Grindyilows attack during the task. As such, no one cared to watch the lake on the night of the new moon.

A lone, graceful figure strode out of the water. Her skin, clothing, and hair were dry even though she had been submerged in the lake mere moments ago. She stood on the shore for a moment. Her skin was smooth, blemish free and pale. Her long black hair hung tussled down to the middle of her back. Red, full lips slipped into an amused smile as she beheld the castle before her.

The sounds of the night went quiet as she held up her hand. A raven swooped out from the forest to land deftly along her forearm. It cocked its head from side to side before it nipped at her arm.

"Hello," The bird cawed.

"Hello, beautiful," The woman cooed. "Will you swear to my service?"

The raven nodded. A swirl of magic surrounded it. The already intelligent bird felt its mind expand.

"Mistress," The raven inclined its head in a bow. "What will you have me do?"

"Find the one who holds the sword," She said as she stroked the bird.

"As you will it," The raven leapt from her arm and sped off toward the castle.

"Now," she turned her attention to the lights of the nearby town. "Let's see how the world has changed."

~§~

Harry woke up but didn't move. Something felt different. There was a charge in the air like to moment before a static discharge. He was in his bed. In the dorm. Alone. Ron was off to the side snoring away. He could sense the other guys in their usual spots as well. Carefully, he slipped out of bed. He summoned his wand then thoroughly scanned the room. Everything was as it should.

He kept alert, even though he didn't find anything. Constant Vigilance and all that.

As much as he hated it, he had to put his wand away for a shower. He could use magic without a wand. All of his practice had done wonders, but there was just something comforting about having a wand in his hand. He told himself that he could summon the sword at will, as well as the Elder wand. Truly, he was never unarmed.

A swordfight in the showers would be rather awkward, though. His mind conjured images of a battle among the stalls. Pirates starred in the daydream rather than knights. They just seemed to fit better. He wondered if there were any classes, or instructors, he could take to use the sword efficiently. So far, he had only used it once in an actual fight and he didn't plan on fighting monsters on a regular basis. Maybe he could carry over the style to his dueling.

~§~

The third task approached much too fast for his liking. Voldemort was dead, as were most of his followers, but there was still a lingering dread. Harry was almost completely certain that it was Dumbledore that had been behind his entry this time. The strange behavior from the grindylows proved that he had not taken a passive role in things. Subtle, but not passive.

There was the slight chance that it was someone else. He couldn't think of anyone. It wouldn't be the first time in his life when someone completely out of nowhere turned out to be the mastermind.

Harry worked on his physical conditioning when he wasn't in the library. He ran laps around the quidditch pitch. No one bothered to stop him. The maze was covered in a thick mist, so it was impossible to learn the layout. There would be traps, creatures, and all that if it held to the same pattern. The tasks hadn't changed, which meant he wasn't completely blind.

Cedric, Victor, and Fleur joined him after a couple of days. Unlike the previous tasks, they didn't talk strategy. They knew it was a maze, but anything else was speculation. He could see they were just as focused as he was. Cedric frequented the library as well. The other two most likely had resources at their disposal as well.

Fleur had warmed to him. She still avoided him, but at least she was polite about it now. They had superficial conversations. He didn't press the issue. She deserved a life without being tangled up in his drama. There was no need for the Order of the Phoenix to form again, which meant there was little reason for her to stick around. That would prevent her from meeting Bill. Harry hoped that without access to Molly that Bill couldn't slip her, or anyone, a potion. There was a branch in France even if Fleur got the same job at Gringotts.

He would only step in if Bill managed to cross her path. Harry had learned later in life that he actually enjoyed potions. Not only that, but he was also rather good at it. As an auror, he learned how to make a quick and dirty purifying draught that could cleanse a person from harmful potions. It was tasteless, which made it easy to give to someone in the throes of a love potion. They wouldn't willingly take something that would stop the feeling. It was ironic that the best way to treat a person who had a potion slipped to them was to slip another one. A vague statement of 'Tea makes everything better' before he gave whoever the drink covered his bases.

"Harry," A voice cut through his thoughts.

He looked up to see it was Parvati.

"Hey," He gave her a tired smile.

"That's it," She sighed. "Come with me."

Parvati took him by the hand and began to lead him down the hall. They passed a couple of empty classrooms before they came to a painting of a door. She knocked on it three times, paused, and knocked once more. The door inside the painting swung open to show a cozy lounge. Parvati pulled him inside. She pushed him down onto a comfy couch before she took a spot next to him.

"Where are we?" He asked as he took in the room around them.

The comfy couch they currently sat on was flanked by a couple of chairs. A desk along the far wall was covered in fabric and sewing supplies. There was a bed that looked like a smaller version of the ones from the dorms behind the couch. The main different being that It didn't have the four-posts or canopy to block things out.

"This is my workshop," She scooted over to the end of the couch. "Only Lav and Padma know about it."

Parvati patted her lap. Harry took the hint and laid his head on her thighs. She began to run her hands through his hair. He felt a wave of relaxation flow over him.

"That feels nice," Harry said as his eyes began to flutter.

"That's the point," Parvati chuckled. "You are an idiot."

"What?" Harry had to fight to keep his eyes open.

"You and Frenchie haven't hooked up yet," Parvati explained while she continued to run her hands through his hair.

"She deserves her own life," Harry mumbled. "I don't want to trap her here."

"Being with you isn't a trap," Parvati whispered.

Harry drifted off to sleep.

The dreams started out vague and formless. Flashes of half-formed thoughts mingled with the abstract. Suddenly, he found himself on an island that was surrounded by mist. The ruins of a castle were scattered along the ground. Pieces of what had once been stone walls were partially submerged. He wondered how big the island had been before it started to sink. Or was it that the water rose?

This didn't feel like a dream. It lacked the overbearing dread that the connection to Voldemort. Still, Harry could tell this was different than a normal dream.

The mist parted and a gorgeous woman strode through. She wore a black dress that hugged her curves in all the right places. Her deep blue eyes met his. He braced himself for a mental attack, but none came. She strolled around the ruins before she stopped before a low wall. Gracefully, she hopped up onto it to take a seat.

"You are the one who carries Excalibur," She stated.

Harry nodded. She studied him. Her eyes roved over his body. Something in the way she looked at him changed. A sly smile crossed her face.

"You are a man out of time," She shifted her gaze to the mist.

He didn't respond. The energy he felt from her was the same that had woken him up weeks ago. That building static in the air. The feeling teased the edge of his mind. He could almost place it, but it was always just beyond his grasp.

"You have me at a disadvantage," Harry spoke finally.

"That I do," She leaned forward and stared through him. "I can see his blood in you."

"Who?" Harry asked slowly.

"A person I once knew," She waved off the question. "I have to say, the world has become much more interesting since I've been gone."

"What are you?" Harry asked.

"Who are you?" She countered.

They stared at each other in silence for a long moment.

"You can call me Aderyn," she said with a small grin.

"Nice to meet you too." Harry said. "Your magic feels different."

Aderyn nodded. Harry waited for her to speak. She didn't provide any further explanation.

"Why did you bring me here?" He asked.

"I sought the one who held the sword," She replied easily. "Here you are."

"Why were you after the sword?" Harry pressed.

"Now, that's a question that cannot be answered without a bargain," Aderyn leaned forward.

His eyes flashed to her cleavage. Her smile took on a predatory edge. Damn teenage hormones.

"I will trade you an answer if you want one of your own," She teased as she shimmied a little farther forward.

"Ask your question then," Harry kept his eyes on hers.

"I will when next we meet," She leaned back.

~§~

"She made the magic itch," Luna groused as she sat next to him.

The other champions stared at Luna for a moment. They had thought themselves adjusted to her unique conversations, but she had proved them wrong once again.

"I know," Harry nodded. "Do you know who she is?"

Luna shook her head.

"What are you talking about?" Cedric asked slowly as he braced for the answer.

"The woman that's not in the lake made the magic itch," Luna replied.

Cedric waited to see if she would say more. He looked to the other champions when she didn't continue. They were just as confused as he was. Their group had increased in size since the ball. Cho now sat with Cedric, Luna was always near Harry, Ron had become quite close with Victor, and Parvati, along with Lavender, had attached themselves to Fleur. She was a more than a little shocked at first but had learned to accept their friendship.

Gabby had insisted on staying with Fleur. Harry didn't miss the vast multitude of shy looks the girl would send him. Their parents had taken up residence in a carriage of their own near where the Beauxbatons were settled. Gabby was eleven, which meant she was able to attend classes with the other Firsties. She could speak and understand English thanks to an interrupter spell. It wasn't perfect. There were significant gaps in regard to common slang as well as the more technical terms. It was odd to hear the occasional phrase in French pop up in conversation without any warning.

"Harry?" Cedric asked.

"You don't feel it?" Harry asked in reply.

Cedric shook his head. Harry turned his attention to the others in a silent question.

"It feels like my ears are going to pop," Gabby spoke up.

Fleur nodded. Harry motioned to the duo as though that answered things.

"That doesn't help," Cedric muttered.

"Fleur and Gabby are Veela," Cho patted her boyfriend on the shoulder. "It makes sense that they'd be able to feel things we couldn't."

"How does that explain Harry and Luna?" Cedric asked.

"It's Harry and Luna," Cho replied with a shrug.

"That's fair," Cedric sighed. "Does anyone have new information on the task?"

"No," Victor groaned. "Today. Yesterday. All same. No information."

"The third task is tomorrow," Cedric said in what he would claim wasn't a whine. "How do we not know anything? What was the point of the other tasks if there aren't any clues?"

"Maybe you should do some more research," Parvati spoke up.

"Yes," Lavender added a little too quickly. "Split up for better results. Victor could take Cedric to the library on the ship and Fleur could take Harry to her carriage." She squeaked and glared at Parvati. "The library in the carriages. You know, her library carriage."

"That's a good idea," Cho nodded. "I'll take Ron and Luna to search the library here."

"Hey!" Ron groaned. "I didn't agree to extra studying."

The three witches glared at him. Ron froze.

"On second thought," Ron said carefully. "That sounds like a great idea."

"I could go with Harry and Fleur," Gabby chimed in.

"NO!" All three witches said at once.

Gabby flinched.

"Sorry, Gabby," Parvati soothed. "The champions should work together. We can share our discoveries at dinner."

"You could come with us," Lavender smiled brightly at the younger girl.

"What are you going to do?" Gabby studied the duo.

"We're designing enchanted athletic gear for everyone," Parvati answered proudly. "We saw the suit Harry had. It would be good if everyone had something like that."

Gabby thought it over for a moment. Parvati and Lavender gave her pleading looks. Finally, she let out a dramatic huff and nodded.

"You will need my help with the style," Gabby sniped.

Parvati glared at the little girl. Lavender bumped her shoulder.

"Thank you," The Indian witch said through gritted teeth.

The group around them dispersed before Fleur could argue. In a matter of seconds, it was just the two of them. She stared at him for a moment.

"Shall we?" She asked with a sigh.

"Of course," Harry smiled as he stood.

Fleur led him out of the Great Hall. They walked in loaded silence. The topics of cosmetic conversation had already been exhausted at lunch. There was a limit on how many times they could ask 'how are you' without being obviously strained.

Their path veered from the main carriage to one farther down the line. Fleur stopped in front of one that didn't seem to have a door. She tapped it twice with her wand to summon steps and a door. Without a look back, she stepped inside.

Harry followed. He had expected the carriages to be charmed. There were too many students to be able to fit comfortably even with how large the carriages were. He had not expected to be led into what could only be a bedroom.

The door closed behind him on its own.

"We need to talk," Fleur turned to face him.

Harry nodded.

"What is this between us?" She asked.

Harry sat on the edge of the bed. Harry thought for a long moment. There was only so much he could say without telling her everything. Somewhere along the line he had decided not to share the story with anyone. Luna knew, sort of, but the future had been changed too much for it to matter anymore.

"In another life, we were in love," Harry whispered.

"In another life?" Fleur asked.

Harry nodded.

"I've known since we met. Flashes of smiles. Gentle touches. A stolen kiss under the stars. Dancing," He continued. "I wanted to think it was just a dream, but you can feel it too. I didn't want to trap you in feelings that aren't yours as you are now."

"That is what you decided, for my sake?" Fleur stood in front of him with her arms crossed.

"What was I supposed to do?" Harry asked. "Hello. I'm Harry Potter. We haven't met, and we're surrounded by a hundred other boys trying to get your attention, but we were in love in another life. How does that sound different from any of the other lies they have all told?"

"A Veela would sense the connection," Fleur huffed. "Just like the change in magic. Veela are more aware than other witches."

"And you would want that?" Harry asked with a huff of his own. "This echo from another life?"

"A Veela does not love easily," Fleur arced a perfect eyebrow at him. "It is not an echo, as you say. It is an ache. There is an emptiness that I did not know until I met you. If I loved you in another life, then I will love you in this one."

"How is that different that a compulsion?" Harry asked, finally putting to words the thoughts that wouldn't allow him to speak to her. "How is the hold this other life has over you, over us, anything more than a manipulation wrapped in flowery words?"

"Is that all?" Fleur noticeably relaxed.

Harry opened his mouth, but confusion kept the words from coming out.

"You worry about control, mine and you own," Fleur explained as she moved closer to him.

She leaned forward. Their lips touched in a gentle caress that sent a warmth to his very core.

"Tell me," She whispered as she leaned her forehead against his. "Do I appear to be a woman possessed? Has my free will been stripped? Am I mad with lust?"

Harry shook his head. He did not trust his voice. Fleur paused to kiss him again. It grew deeper, but she pulled back before it could become more.

"When the tournament is complete," She kept her voice to a whisper. "We will continue this conversation, 'Arry."

He shivered as she said his name.

"Now," She giggled as she pulled away. "Let me show you the library. This maze must have guardians."

~§~

Harry stood beside the other three champions. The entry to the maze loomed ahead of them. He swore the crowd was larger this time. Regardless of all the preparation, the physical training, and the effort put in by the others, he was on edge. Last time, this was a big turning point. Cedric had died, Voldemort had returned, and things went downhill fast.

He told himself that there was no reason to worry now that Voldemort was dead. Of course, with Tom out of the game that left Dumbledore to still deal with. The old man had been too quiet as of late. It felt like he was in the eye of the storm rather than truly safe.

Maybe he could feel the change in the air too. That would be enough to give anyone pause. It had grown to a steady hum. He knew it had something to do with the woman from his dream. She hadn't contacted him beyond that first encounter, and he had no way to reach out to her. He wasn't sure if that was a good idea.

All of that had to be put aside. The Third Task had arrived. He hoped that they had prepared enough for everyone to come out alive at the end of the night. Four large banners stretched over the top of the maze. Harry thought they would have learned from the Second Task. No one could see down into the maze from the stands. He shook his head; it wasn't his problem.

"The Champions will enter one at a time." Bagman's voice was loud before the charm. "The will be a one-minute gap between each entry."

Harry bounced on his feet. He shook out his arms and rolled his shoulders. The new clothing felt great. Lavender and Parvati did a wonderful job. They had kept the enchantments simple. Instead, they put their considerable skill in the design and function of the clothing. It was light, but he had seen it stand up to a piercing hex. Each champion wore one. The other three had their school crests and colors while Harry had the Coat of Arms of House Potter.

"Entering first." Bagman yelled. "The Champion of Hogwarts! Cedric Diggory."

Cedric waved to the crowd. He had a confident smile on his face that would look great on the front page of a special edition. The guy was good with people. Harry truly counted him as a friend this time around. He was going to do everything to make sure he survived the night.

"Entering second." Bagman continued. "The Champion of Durmstrang! Victor Krum."

Victor gave a short wave to the crowd as well. They went wild. The small motion was a show of his improved confidence compared to his usual stoic interactions with crowds. Harry had watched as the rather closed off young man began to grow accustomed to his own prowess.

"Tied at third!" Bagman paused for dramatic effect. " The Champion of Beauxbatons! Fleur Delacour. The Champion of House Potter! Harry Potter."

There was a small jolt of energy in the air. Harry tensed, ready for an attack. Next to him, Fleur shifted her stance as well. The energy in the air had shifted again. He gave her a steady look. She held his gaze as she gave him a nod.

"Mister Diggory, are you ready?" Bagman yelled.

Cedric nodded.

"On your mark," The boisterous wizard raised his wand. "Get set." He shot a flare of bright red sparks into the air. "Go!"

Cedric took off like a shot. The entrance to the maze sealed shut behind him and a new one opened farther down the stretch.

That was new. The movement was almost lost on him with everything else going on. Above the maze, the banner with the Hogwarts crest swapped to a screen. The view was from behind Cedric at a steady distance and angled just enough to show what was ahead while it kept him in frame.

Harry stared at the sight in awe. He had never seen something like this in the magical world before. Even in the other time through, there hadn't been anything. This had the potential to  revolutionize the magical world.

His thoughts were interrupted by a loud bang. Victor took off. The entry to the maze shut after him and two more opened farther down the line. Fleur looked over at him. She motioned to the one on the left. He nodded.

Harry saw Bagman raise his wand. He took a deep breath a moment before the signal sounded. It was time to see what the maze hid. Fleur took off to the passage on the left. He headed to the right.

The solid slam of the entry made him stutter a step. It sounded like stone, not a plant. Something told him this wasn't transfiguration. He scanned the area to see the hedge had been replaced by a ancient looking stone bricks. His eyes lifted to the sky to find a ceiling instead of stars. This was not what the maze had looked like for Cedric or Krum.

He tapped the tip of his boot against the floor. It felt like stone. Not an illusion. The air felt different too. He knew how it felt to be trapped in an enclosed space. There was a subtle scent on the air that didn't bode well. It was a mixture of lingering sweat, old blood, and the leavings of a wild animal.

Harry flexed his wrist for his wand to pop into his hand. He had to hand it to Dumbledore. This wasn't something he had seen coming. The magic around him felt different. Old and wild similar to the deep parts of the Forbidden Forest. He forced himself to focus. If this was still a maze, then the answer would be at the center.

He set forward at a jog with his wand still in his hand. The passage split into three, he took the one to the right. A subtle rumble caused him to pause. The passage behind him had been replaced by a wall.

"Of course, it's a shifting maze," Harry muttered.

He continued on. The walls would close behind him with every new passage and turn. This wasn't a maze; it was a labyrinth. The words were interchangeable in the mundane world. In the magical world, there was a distinct difference. A maze was simply that, a puzzle to be solved while a labyrinth was a magical construct with the sole intent to trap those inside.

They were made famous by a commonly known myth of the…

"No," Harry came to a stop.

Dread replaced annoyance.

A Minotaur. How could they justify a minotaur? Where dragons were powerful and dangerous, they were intelligent. There were some who considered them sentient beings. A minotaur, however, while cunning, was a monster pure and simple. They were vicious and would go out of their way to eat living humans above all other options.

An explosion of nearby magic rocked the walls. It was quickly followed by a bestial bellow that made a part of him want to run and hide. He had hoped to keep his power hidden for the upcoming conflict with Dumbledore. The old man had proven once again how cunning he was. Harry could chose to let the others face the beast or show the goat fucking bastard something.

He heard Cedric let out a ragged, pained scream. Visions of his dead form spurred Harry into motion.

"Point me, Cedric." He commanded.

The wand swung to the right. Harry took it back into his grip and pointed it at the wall. Elemental Magic was a difficult school to master. There were many different approaches around the world. Some of the more successful methods seemed to contradict each other. In truth, it was the simplicity that caused the complications.

Like attracts like.

Harry drew the outline of a door in the air before him. The stone shifted away to open before him. He let out a rough breath as it settled into shape. Simple did not mean easy.

One more wall brought him to a desperate scene. Cedric was backed into a corner, the remains of one of his arms hung at his side. It ended in a jagged stump just above his elbow. Between them stood a monster that was at least ten feet tall. He wasn't sure if it was taller than the troll back in first year, but it was definitely built differently. The troll would almost look comical when placed beside the creature. Its back was toward Harry, but the unmistakable sound of teeth on bone was loud enough to echo through the passage.

The beast looked over its shoulder at him as it chewed on the lower part of Cedric's arm. Cunning malice took in the sight of the new wizard. It considered Harry as it continued to munch on the arm.

"Harry," Cedric grunted out. "Run. Leave me."

"You know I can't do that." Harry shook his head.

Harry sprang forward. He sprinted directly toward the creature. It watched him approach with a detached curiosity. Harry dropped into a slide as he went by. A rope of flame wrapped around the creatures' knee. Harry yanked hard as he hopped back up to his feet. The minotaur didn't fall, but it wasn't happy either.

The mingled stench of burned flesh and hair preceded an angry, pained roar. Harry let the rope of fire go once he reached Cedric. He turned to face the beast and shield the other wizard from further attack. Cedric looked even worse now that he was close. The blood from his arm had hid another wound on his ribs. It was only due to the wall that he was still upright.

"What are you doing?" Cedric gawked at him.

"Saving you," Harry replied without a look back. "Where is your wand?"

"Probably his stomach," Cedric spoke just above a whisper.

"Take mine," Harry ordered. "See if the sparks still work."

It was a testament how out of it that Cedric was that he didn't even argue. The Hufflepuff took the wand. He held it up and shot sparks. Cedric disappeared before the spell had finished. A bone-shaking roar filled with outrage erupted from the minotaur. The look of curiosity had been replaced by a feral rage. He wasn't sure if it was from the flame rope, or Cedric's escape.

Harry held out his hand. He couldn't summon the Elder Wand, that would be too much. The sword, however, was something that everyone already knew about. The familiar grip formed in an instant. He held it before him in both hands. A detached part of his mind noted that there was something different about it. This was not the time for an inspect though.

The beast charged.

In his previous life, he had studied history of magical Britain and most of Europe. His adventures had led him to fight many dark lords through the years. Monsters were not in the usual rotation. Most dark lords preferred to have minions rather than beasts. It took too much time and technique to handle magical creatures.

With the creature before him and the wall at his back, there was only one thing to do. Harry charged as well. He doubted he could slide by him again. Being a monster did not mean the minotaur was stupid.

The minotaur lowered its head to bring its horns in line. Harry jumped and a push of magical force sent him higher than he should have been able to reach. He kicked off the top of the Minataurs head just before it crashed into the wall.

Harry twisted in the air. He brought the sword down as he fell. The blade sliced through the muscle and raked along bone. Another roar, this one with a touch of shock emitted from the beast. Harry stayed in motion. He sliced at the knee he had targeted before. The enchanted blade easily cut through joint rather than rebounding against bone. It lurched to the side as its balance shifted. Pain, shock, and anger kept the creature in the fight. It turned back to face Harry. The motion was led by a large hand that moved way too fast. Harry was backhanded with such force that it sent him rolling end over end down the passage. He rolled to a stop in the middle of a chamber.

"'Arry!" Fleur yelled.

His head spun as he turned to face her. Thick threads of webbing hung off his shoulders. Her uniform had quite a few slashes and melted patches but appeared intact.

"What happened?" She slipped into her native French without realizing it.

"Minotaur," Harry grunted out.

She helped him to his feet. Any further questions were interrupted by the arrival of Victor. The side of his face had a large, discolored patch that would turn into a nasty bruise. One eye was swollen shut and he walked with a limp.

"Golem," He offered before they could ask.

"Spiders," Fleur replied.

"Minotaur," Harry motioned over his shoulder.

Thankfully, the passage behind him had sealed. He did not look forward to fighting the minotaur even while it was injured.

"Cedric?" Victor asked.

"I sent him back," Harry scanned the area.

It was empty, aside from a pedestal in the center. The Goblet of Fire rested in a silver cage.

"Where is key?" Victor directed the question to Harry.

"Huh?" He turned his attention back to the others.

Both of them held a key.

"I don't have one," Harry shrugged.

The duo looked at each other. Only one of them could win. Victor smiled at Fleur or tried to at least. The motion made him shudder in pain. He waved to the goblet.

"You are most intact," Victor said to Fleur.

"I'm intact," Harry scoffed.

"No key," Victor countered.

Harry nodded. Fleur looked between the other two.

"Go on," Harry gave her a roguish smile. "You earned it." He paused. "Just, be careful. We don't know if there is more."

Fleur nodded. She unlocked the cage and grabbed the cup. The maze around them shook. Stone walls fell away as the chamber rose. They found themselves on a raised platform surrounded by a cheering crowd. Harry felt a ball of tension slowly begin to ease.

In the center of the platform stood Fleur. She held the cup above her head with a bright smile. The crowd cheered so loud he could feel it. They had made it. The Third Task was done. Harry cheered along with the rest of them.

Cedric hobbled over to join them. The remains of his arm had been wrapped in glowing bandages, as was his side. Medics rushed over to examine Harry and Victor.

"I'm fine," he tried to wave them off, sure he didn't have more than a few bumps and bruises.

"Mister Potter," The familiar voice of Madam Pomphrey stopped his protests. "You have a bleeding head wound. I have no doubt you have quite a few broken bones as well."

Harry felt the side of his head. It came away bloody. He stared at the liquid in shock.

"Now stop fussing and let me look you over," Madam Pomphrey led him toward the medical tent.

Harry came to a sudden stop. Madam Pomphrey said something, but the words were lost on him. The woman from his dream stood nearby. She stared back at him with an amused smile. The world around them seemed to slow as she approached. She wore a rich purple muggle suit with a black shirt. Her previously wild black hair was pulled back in a tight tail.

"Harry Potter," She said.

A jolt of power from before the task pulsed again. He realized now that it had happened after they called his name.

"That was a wonderful show," the woman from the dream said.

"Thank you," Harry said as Madam Pomphrey tried to direct him into the tent. "And you are?"

"Morganna," She held out her hand, palm down.

Harry stepped away from the Medi-Witch. He took her offered hand and placed a kiss along her knuckles.

"Just Morganna?" Harry asked as he met her eyes.

"Le Fay," She replied.

A wave of energy flowed out from her. The magic around her felt old, deep, and powerful. He didn't doubt her.

Time stopped. Literally.

"That's new," A familiar voice said from beside him.

Harry looked over at Death.

"I was not expecting that," He nodded.