Chapter 509: Labyrinth (Edited)

Although, with Sirius' hint, Harry guessed that Rita Skeeter was probably an Animagus, that didn't seem to help much.

Because...

He couldn't catch her.

For one thing, Harry didn't know if Rita Skeeter was a registered Animagus, and for another, even if she wasn't, there was no point in reporting her without proof, and at the very least, he had to find out Rita Skeeter's Animagus form.

When he returned, Harry tried to find Rita Skeeter, even using the Marauder's Map, but unfortunately, and he didn't know if it was bad luck, he didn't catch her once.

Not that Harry hadn't tried to ask Fish for information, but Fish said he had to keep Skeeter's secret and wouldn't say anything, and knowing how closed Fish could be in certain situations, Harry had no choice but to give up....

He couldn't spend all day looking at the Marauder's Map, could he? He had other things to do.

Especially after the second trial, Harry and the other two champions had a chance to win again.

Fish was strong, but his character gave the other three a chance to beat him, so it was only natural that Harry and the others would take the opportunity to get stronger and maybe win....

So, after a few failed attempts to capture Rita Skeeter, Harry put the matter aside for the time being, but was a little more careful about talking to Ron about more intimate matters.

The three months passed quickly and, after a brief Easter break, the last week of May soon arrived.

Professor McGonagall had dropped Fish and Harry off again after Transfiguration class.

"Be down to the Quidditch pitch at nine o'clock tonight," Professor McGonagall told them. "Mr. Bagman is there to tell the champions what the third test is."

"This time Fish is going to win nya!"

?(? `ω′?)?

Fish promised with great determination.

Professor McGonagall gave him a sidelong glance and said, "I hope so." And with that, she turned and walked out of the classroom.

"Minerva doesn't believe Fish!" Fish was furious, he turned to Harry who was standing next to him, and after a moment of silence, he too ran out of the classroom, "I'm going to find Hermione nya!"

?(??ω??)?

Harry: I always feel like... been underestimated by Fish...

He sighed and couldn't be bothered with Fish, so he grabbed his backpack and left the Transfiguration classroom.

At eight thirty in the evening, Fish and Harry walked out of the Gryffindor tower together and headed outside the castle.

"Fish, what do you think the third test will be?" asked Harry tacitly.

"I don't know, no one told Fish, or gave any clues." Fish wrinkled his nose and grunted rather unhappily, "Whatever it is, Fish is going to win."

(??ˇ?ˇ??)

As they spoke, the two walked across the dark lawn towards the quidditch pitch, and then through a gaping hole between the stands to enter.

As soon as they entered the pitch, they noticed that it had changed dramatically, the Quidditch pitch was no longer as smooth as before. It looked as if someone had erected numerous long, low, intricate and winding walls in every direction.

"What the hell? what are these things?!" asked Harry in amazement and annoyance as he looked at the "new" Quidditch pitch.

As a Quidditch player who loved Quidditch, it was only natural for Harry to be upset at seeing his usual pitch transformed into something else.

But Fish had no such thoughts, he put his palm to his forehead, looked intently and then said, "Fish knows this, it's a maze, I saw it when I went to the amusement park with Hermione in the summer...but aren't the walls of this maze a bit short?"

(??ω??)?

"Hey guys!" Ludo Bagman was standing in the middle of the field, waving to the two, next to him were Fleur and Krum.

"Hi nya!"

(?ΦωΦ?)?

Fish and Harry jumped over the low wall and approached the three men. Fleur and Krum smiled in turn.

"Well, what do you think?" Bagman asked cheerfully, "It's going well, isn't it? In another month, Hagrid will have them twenty feet tall. Don't worry."

Seeing the look of disgust on Harry's face, he smiled and said, "As soon as the Triwizard Tournament is over, your quidditch pitch will be back in shape. Well, I think you can probably guess what we're doing here, can't you?"

"Fish knows, it's a maze nya!"

?(?ΦωΦ?)?

Fish quickly replied.

"That's right!" Bagman said, "It's a maze. The Cup of the Three Wizards is placed in the center of the maze. Whoever touches it first gets the highest score."

"The center? Is it here nya?" asked Fish pointing to his feet.

"Yes, the champion with the first score enters the maze first, that's his advantage." Bagman looked bitterly at Fish, how he could have finished last if Fish hadn't suddenly gone fishing.

(°ω°≡°°ω°)

However, Fish ignored his gaze and looked this way and that, and then asked in confusion, "Then why did you have us come? wouldn't that reveal the layout of the labyrinth?"

Fish pointed to the low walls surrounding it, which weren't high enough, but the entire structure of the labyrinth had been exposed.

"Hahahahaha, don't worry, they'll be higher soon, and after tonight, you won't be allowed in until the third project begins." said Bagman with a nonchalant wave of his hand.

"But..." Fish wiggled his ears, blinked his big innocent eyes and said, "Fish has already memorized the route of the entire nya maze."

(??ω??)

"Uh..."

Bagman choked and at the same time silently growled in his mind, "Don't say it!!!!".

It was a great surprise to Bagman that Fish could instantly recall the maze route, but Fish, as before, had told him himself.

After a moment's silence, he said with a frown, "I will report this to the other judges, and then the maze will be changed."

"Also," added Bagman, "By then there will be many obstacles in the maze, and Hagrid has provided a large number of animals...and some spells to be broken...and because of Fish's particular situation, Karkaroff has also suggested putting some magic golems there...and that sort of thing."

He grimaced, very dissatisfied with Karkaroff's actions against Fish.

Krum to the side touched his nose sheepishly, obviously feeling a bit embarrassed by his headmaster's behavior of being so concerned.

"Anyway, you'll all have to fight to succeed, depending on how well you can overcome the obstacles. It's going to be fun, isn't it?" Bagman looked at Fish, trying to interest him in a way that would keep Fish from playing off the wagon again.

"¡Mm!"

(??ω??)

Fish nodded with a twinkle in his eye, this game sounded fun, just like the subway space Fluffy had guarded in first year....

"Nya!"

∑(?ΦДΦ?)

Fish's expression suddenly changed.

"There are no more trolls, are there? They suck nya."

Fish asked in disgust.

"Uh... I don't know," Bagman shrugged, then said, "If you're okay, let's go back to the castle, shall we? It's a little chilly in here..."

"Fish is fine nya."

(`ω′′≡`ω′)

Fish shook his head and ran back to the castle. He had something to do with Hermione, so he had no time to waste here.

The others left the quidditch pitch, but instead of heading back to the castle, Harry headed towards the Forbidden Forest.

Now that he was out of the castle, it would be a good idea to visit Hagrid.