206 Chapter 206: Twisted Web 

If you want to support me check out my patréon at https://www.patréon.com/athassprkr

I tend to upload drafts of early chapters on there to get people's opinions of them so you can read up to 20 chapters ahead as a bonus.

I would like to thank my beta, Akisu, for his help in this chapter.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

1 May 1994, Hogwarts, Scotland

Harry woke up feeling far more anxious than he had been this year. What was wrong with him? He was more composed on the day of the Hogsmeade attack. Maybe it was the fact that he had no idea what was probably going to happen, no idea what Dumbledore had planned.

Because Dumbledore definitely had something planned, and Harry couldn't figure out what it was. The mere fact was as infuriating as it was anxious. He tried everything. He put small recording devices on every member of the staff. He even managed to sneak one into his office, but there must have been privacy enchantments there since it couldn't pick up anything.

And now, it was too late. This was the day of the third task, a maze according to Dumbledore's announcement. It was hard to ignore the giant hedges growing every day in the Quidditch pitch. The security at the event was surprisingly competent. Harry could have snuck in through the boundary, yes, but there was an entire team of active warders on site. Harry was good. Hell, he was probably better than most warders out there but at the end of the day, he was just one person. A team, especially with specialists more experienced and probably more knowledgeable than him would wipe the floor with him.

The dreams didn't help. Yes, he was back to having disturbing dreams again. He couldn't even remember them. He only knew he had them when he woke up every day, sweating and breathing heavily. He tried to do anything to recall them, remembering how much they helped to prepare him for the Hogsmeade attack.

He tried everything but nothing worked. Occlumency revealed nothing. Hell, he had even bought a dream catcher to recall his dreams for him. The whole thing had cost him a pretty penny, only for it to just show a blank page during his nightmare.

All he was left with was a faint feeling of horror, despair, and fear, to wake up to every single day. He hated it with a passion. What use was it to be some kind of seer, only to see nothing and just wake up with emotions?

He ended up just giving up after a while. He had run out of ideas about predicting whatever was coming. Divination just wasn't his strong suit. Even Trelawney had said that seers were just on another level entirely compared to standard divination methods, not that those methods seemed to give him any answers. Seers just obeyed different rules and tended to be vaguer, more abstract for lack of a better word.

At the end of the day, he decided to simply fine-tune his magical abilities, and hang out with his friends instead. It was a bit depressing, how little he had progressed in the past few months, at least compared to his friends. Blaise started to become a terror with his light magic, and Daphne was getting better every day at using her plants. Even Tracy, who didn't really have any fancy crest to rely on, just soldiered on, showed tremendous improvement in her duelling, and learned more than a few impressive spells.

Speaking of Harry's friends, Daphne and Tracy, alongside Nott, have finally been confirmed as official new members of the Court of Slytherin. There was an official ceremony that would take place after the third task to bind them to the wards, and probably be given their masks. It wasn't really all that interesting, but Harry didn't really voice it; being chosen was a noteworthy event in their lives.

Tracy had already been given gifts from her mother and Daphne got some fancy new earrings from her father as a congratulations. Harry couldn't really fault them. Daphne wanted to join to help her sister, and Tracy wanted to use the connections to secure her future. They might not be the most altruistic goals, but they didn't have to be.

However, while Harry was cautious of the final task, the rest of the castle became excited as the task neared. Everyone was looking forward to it. Practically every book that contained riddles or puzzles was taken out of the library. The Ancient Runes section was practically bare in the Hogwarts library. Even bookstores outside of the castle were overwhelmed with requests for runes textbooks or magical riddles.

The Ravenclaws have been especially smug, having presumed that the whole event was in the bag. That overconfidence was going to be their downfall.

Yet, Harry was not so optimistic. He was stuck in between a rock and a hard place. The good news was that winning the task shouldn't be that surprising. The young Slytherin had demonstrated time and time again, how to win while doing the minimum effort. Riddles and puzzles didn't really show the aptitude someone had for their magic and Harry had proven that he was an intelligent young man.

Alas, if he knew Dumbledore, and he probably did more than most, then the old man expected him to try to embarrass him again by winning without any effort and probably had something bad planned up for the winner. Then again, what the headmaster had planned could have nothing to do with Harry at all.

The whole thing was just giving him a headache.

And that's not mentioning Mad-eye Moody following him around in the castle, probably on the man's order. Dumbledore said that he was acting as a 'consultant' for the third task, but Harry didn't buy it. Moody was known to be Dumbledore's attack dog. The man's fearsome reputation and the rumours of his ruthlessness during the last war just made people uncomfortable at best, and shitting their trousers out of fear, at worst.

Yet, that infamous Auror kept following Harry around every day. From the moment he woke up and worked on his Occlumency at his favourite spot near the lake until he tucked himself to bed at night, Alastor Moody just watched him.

Harry even had to use his cloak to get to the Room of Requirements to train, multiple times. The Peverell invisibility cloak was the only thing he knew could easily trump whatever enchantment where on that eye of his.

His thoughts were interrupted by Blaise elbowing him, "You better start moving now, or you could end up missing breakfast."

Harry nodded, "Yeah, you're probably right."

"Nightmares again?" the dark-skinned boy asked.

"Yeah, it's a chore."

"Everything might go to shit today like you're expecting it, but at least, you won't be having those nightmares again."

Harry rolled his eyes exasperated, "You do realize that my dreams are more like warnings, right? The fact that I'm going into this blind is not a good thing."

"Mate, you're not the only one that's participating in the task. Has that thought that maybe it has nothing to do with you at all, entered your head."

"By a matter of fact, yes, it has."

Blaise tilted his head looking confused, "And…"

"And I decided that it doesn't matter…"

"All I'm saying is to stop being so pessimistic."

The last Potter snorted, "I'm not pessimistic, just a realist. You're the one that's been singing in joy ever since you started dating Tracy."

"Let's just go meet the girls…" the Italian boy grumbled back.

They walked to their usual spot in the Great Hall and found the girls chatting away, eating their breakfast. However, Harry just didn't have the urge to eat. Why was he nervous altogether? Daphne noticed it, since she put a serving of scrambled eggs, two pieces of bacon, and a small piece of sausage on his plate.

Harry gave her a raised eyebrow to which she returned with an expectant expression, "Eat!"

Amused, he took a few bites just to appease her, and around an hour later, Professor McGonagall summoned them all to the Quidditch pitch.

It was time.

As they stepped onto the once familiar Quidditch field, they were greeted by a sight that rendered it utterly unrecognizable. Towering around the perimeter, a massive hedge, reaching at least twenty feet into the air, stood as a formidable barrier. This imposing green wall transformed the field into a secluded arena, a stark departure from the open skies and sweeping views they were accustomed to.

Directly in front of them was a gap in the hedge, serving as the sole entrance to what lay beyond, an immense, sprawling maze. The entrance itself was daunting, presenting a dark, almost foreboding threshold that seemed to swallow up the faintest rays of light. As they peered into the maze, the shadows within appeared to dance and shift, making the whole structure feel alive.

Within a mere five minutes, the once-empty stands had transformed into a buzzing hive of activity. The air was thick with the sound of hundreds of excited voices, each contributing to an escalating symphony of anticipation. Parents, ministry recruiters, goblins, and even a few guild representatives, poured into the arena, in what could probably be one of the most important events to dozens of lives.

For all Harry's dislike of Dumbledore, he had to admit that the turnout was impressive. In many ways, the headmaster gave his students the opportunity of a lifetime. It was a way for them to show their skill and strong suit far more than any of the previous tasks. If only the man wasn't probably planning global conquest or something….

The electric atmosphere was broken by Ludo Bagman, "Ladies and gentlemen, the third and final task of this lovely tournament is about to begin. For the few of you that haven't figured it out yet, the task is a maze," a wave of chuckles rumbled throughout the crowd. "In the middle of the maze is a trophy. The first student to grasp the trophy will be the winner of this task."

"Now, let me emphasize," Bagman continued, his voice taking on a dramatic flair, "there will be only one winner. There are no accolades for second place, no points for almost making it. This is a challenge of wit, skill, and determination!"

The crowd's excitement grew as Bagman's voice rose. "Students may duel if they wish, but beware!" he warned, his tone turning serious. "The use of Dark Magic is strictly forbidden. Our esteemed Headmaster, Dumbledore, has crafted invisible artefacts – we call them 'Observers'. These will follow each of you, allowing us all to witness your journey through the maze."

Bagman's eyes twinkled mischievously. "But don't even think about tampering with these Observers. If you do, you'll be disqualified quicker than you can say 'Expelliarmus'! And let me tell you, these Observers are sharp. They'll spot any use of dark magic in an instant, and if they do, you're out of the game!"

He paused, allowing his words to sink in. "Each competitor will enter the maze with only their tournament uniforms and their wands. Nothing more, nothing less. And remember, summoning charms to bring anything from outside the maze is strictly off-limits."

Bagman's voice took on a conspiratorial tone. "You might find it tempting to work together, and that's perfectly allowed. But keep in mind, there's only one winner. Trust is a tricky thing in the maze. Your chances of finding the trophy are about as slim as finding a needle in a haystack. Or, should I say, a Niffler in a bank vault!"

The crowd laughed, but the student body exchanged wary glances. "This maze," Bagman continued, "is not just a collection of hedges. It's a labyrinth of challenges, puzzles, and surprises. Every turn, every dead end holds a secret. It's a test of your magical prowess, your ability to think on your feet, and perhaps most importantly, your courage. But beware, many of the challenges that you face might even eliminate you from the task permanently."

He raised his arms, encompassing the entire arena in his gesture. "So, brave competitors, are you ready to face the unknown? Are you prepared to take on the challenge that lies ahead? May the cleverest, the bravest, the most resourceful win! What are you waiting for? Brave students, stand by your designated entrance to the maze, and let the final task begin!"

Well, if anything, Bagman certainly knew how to charm a crowd. Harry turned towards Daphne and gave her a soft smile, "Good luck."

She smiled back, "You too."

Well, the trophy is an obvious trap. The easiest way Harry could see not being caught up in it was to just not take it. All he had to do was just let someone win and see what happened next. He only needed to survive the maze until someone won the damn thing.

It all seemed so simple, and yet Harry couldn't help but wonder why he felt nothing but primal dread the moment he stepped foot into the maze.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

AN: I pushed myself a bit and uploaded today's chapter. I still feel like shit, but the meds are working. I would like to thank you all for your well wishes. Speaking of the chapter, I'm sure some of you will probably ask why Harry wouldn't forfeit immediately. I'm trying not to spoil anything but there is a compelling reason and it's explored later, and Harry will be planning on leaving the maze as quickly as possible. As usual, please let me know what you think or if you have any suggestions.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

If you want to support me check out my patréon at https://www.patréon.com/athassprkr

I tend to upload drafts of early chapters on there to get people's opinions of them so you can read up to 20 chapters ahead as a bonus.

Thank you guys for your support in these hard times.