She's A Champion ~ II | d.m.

36. The Third Task

The sound of feet pounding against the ground was all I heard along with the rustles of the leafy hedges as I ran past them.

I took three lefts then a right only to find myself feeling calm. I slowed down and walked further into the maze taking a few more turns.

Another cannon had gone off meaning Gen and Potter were now in the maze. I could hear the running from afar but it only seemed to get closer.

I seemed to become calmer and collected as I pulled my wand from my boot proceeding with caution.

I slowly walked down the path as the third cannon had gone off meaning all the champions were now in the maze.

I took a left and came across a hooded creature, otherwise known as a dementor. I lowered my wand and lifted my head, "Would you mind moving?" my voice was low but most likely from the coat of fog that covered the maze.

Within seconds, the dementor had moved to allow me passage only to block Potter who had seemed to fall in behind me.

"Oh! Come on! Scarlett can-" but before he could finish the dementor began to feed off of him until he shot a spell.

I took off and ran continuing on my search for where the cup could go.

Getting turned around, I pulled my wand to my hand and cast a direction spell. This placed a small arrow in my palm and pointed me north.

I went forward and soon was close enough as I saw the cup but was surely blocked by a sphinx.

The creature had the body of a lion but the head of an Egyptian Queen. I lowered my head and waited for the riddle.

"Ahh, a Grindelwald I see. Mustn't be hard then. Are you prepared for the three riddles?" I looked up and nodded.

"Yes, I am prepared for the three riddles." she stood from her spot and circle me as she soon returned to her position.

"The first riddle goes as, what walks on four legs at dawn, two legs at noon, and on three legs in the evening?" I thought for a moment and met the eyes of the creature, "Keep in mind that if you fail to answer correctly I will attack. If you choose to abandon the riddle I will not move as you must turn around. But when you answer all three riddles correctly you may pass through safely."

I nodded once more and thought, 'This is the famous Greek riddle.' I smiled and turned to face the creature once more.

"The answer to your first riddle is," I took a breath and continued, "The man, he crawls on four legs as a baby, then walks on two legs as an adult. And in his old age, he shall walk with a stick as a third leg." I waited and moments later she lifted her head.

"You are correct," I exhaled gratefully as she went on, "Your second riddle goes as, what is always old and sometimes new, never sad but sometimes blue. What is never empty, but sometimes full, yet never pushes and always pulls?"

I backed away unsure for a second. I thought and went through many possibilities. I peered up into the sky where I was met with the constellations. I smiled softly upon recognizing many.

I could not figure this out and soon took a seat on the ground directly across from the sphinx. I met her eyes and soon looked up once more to where her eyes reflected the moon.

I gave a sigh of relief as I figured it out, "The answer to your second riddle is," though I braced myself once more as it was always possible to get wrong, "The moon. As the moon can be old with the end of each month and new with the beginnings of each. The moon is never in a frown and is always in the sky. The moon never pushes away from the earth as it pulls towards the forces."

I closed my eyes briefly as she thought over my answer, "You are correct," she peered into my eyes as her voice rang once more, "Your third riddle goes as," I sighed in exasperation as I waited for the last riddle, "You can find me in the forest if you have eyes to see, I'm a very friendly creature but most don't understand me."

I fell back into step once more as I paced the area before the creature. It was moments later that I had decided to cast a patronus as the light was beginning to fall.

I pulled out my wand and continued to cast the spell as the sphinx eyed my wand. From my spell erupted the normal dragon and thestral instead of the massive dragon from the first task.

I played around with the lights as I thought, 'lives in the forest that much is clear, only those who have eyes can see..' I peered to the thestral of my light and my face lit up.

I cast the patronuses away and faced the sphinx for hopefully the last time, "The answer to your third and final riddle is, a thestral," I swallowed and took a breath, "As they live in the forest and only those who've seen death have the eyes to see them."

The majestic creature before stood from her spot and moved to the side allowing me passage, "You are correct. You may proceed, but be sure you are on your highest alert as many have sought the one who possesses the Wand of Death." I peered down to the wand in my hand and back to the creature.

I nodded and spoke the words that flowed through, "Thank you, Syttophelia." she smiled and nodded as her name was revealed. She returned to her position and I took off once more.

I slowed down and examined my wand once more, "Wand of Death, I-" a loud ear-splitting scream filled the air.

A scream that belonged to one I knew dearly.

"Genevieve! Where are you?!" I took off into a sprint as I followed the sound of the scream but stopped when I was surrounded by silence once more.

Until her scream sounded again followed by spells.