MAGIANIMA // Hermione Granger

I Can / I Can't

It was now well into the start of the summer term and normally, Atlas would be in the middle of practice, shooting cocky remarks and even greater points in training for the last Quidditch match of the season. Harry would be up somewhere in the sky, Katie and Angelina by her side while Fred and George protected them from those bastard Bludgers. They'd have a new captain and a Keeper too, with Oliver's graduation having come to pass and personally, Atlas hoped the Captain title would go to Angelina.

As for Keeper, well, she'd say Ginny but the girl was built more for a Chaser's position, maybe she could be Keeper, then Ginny could take her spot on the team. That would work, she was fast on a broom, that had been long since established and she had impeccable reaction time. Unless someone else came into the picture, Atlas recalled hearing a few people talking about it at the beginning of the school year, when everyone had thought Interhouse Quidditch was still on. But that didn't matter at the moment, Atlas could ponder on it next year.

Right now, however, she had just been chased down by Minerva after leaving to speak with Professor Sprout halfway through Transfiguration. It was quite a long meeting -- a catch up as to why she had been missing so many of the classes, nothing more, still, she had missed the end of Transfiguration and most of afternoon study and apparently, Minnie had something to say about that.

"Minnie, my dearest godmother, I hope you know getting called out of the lesson was...out of my hands -- I couldn't do anything to --"

"Oh I'm sure you couldn't do anything about it, I'm sure simply going to lesson was just...out of your hands," Minnie scolded but shook her head, seeking to get back on topic. "Nevermind that, you've been summoned to go to the Quidditch field tonight."

"Uh...when?"

"Now. Run along. You mustn't be late."

"Right -- right now?!"

"Did I stutter, Atlas?"

"N-no, Minnie, right away I-I'll be going then!" Atlas nodded, smiling tightly as she dismissed herself and turned to sprint down the hall. 

The sky was already darkening by the time she made it to the pitch and she spotted the other champions already waiting on the dark lawn of the stadium, only, it was no longer a pitch, no longer smooth and flat, instead, there were low and long walls of thick green, twisting and winding in every other direction. Like some sort of baby maze. A maze? Was that their final task?

"Hello there, Atlas! Long time no see!" A voice boomed, one Atlas recognised as Ludo. She jogged the rest of the way, climbing over the hedges and coming to a stop in between Harry and Fleur. The Frenchwoman gave her a sweet smile before returning to the front while Harry simply motioned over to what Atlas had just assumed was a budding maze, a quizzical look on his face.

"Er -- yeah, hey Ludo...haven't seen you since Task Two."

"Well, I've been hopping around Hogsemead...you know how it goes. Anyway, what d'you think?" Ludo said happily, gesturing to the growth surrounding him. "Growing nicely, aren't they? Give them a month and Hagrid'll have them twenty feet high. It'll be back to normal once the task is over though, mind," Harry seemed to breathe out a sigh of relief while Atlas simply smiled. "Now, I imagine you can guess what we're making here?"

No one spoke for a moment so Atlas opened her mouth to speak --

"A Maze." / "Maze."

Only she was not the only one. She briefly glanced over at Krum, finding his eyes already on hers. However, he was no longer aggressive, instead, he simply looked thoughtful with a lot on his mind, coming up with something to say or do. Whatever it was, Atlas wasn't interested, even after the Second Task and the look of begrudging respect he had sent her, Krum could go and kick rocks. Hopefully, get a broken toe that Poppy couldn't heal.