Dawn Rivera

The Third Task

"Dumbledore reckons You-Know-Who's getting stronger again as well?" Ron whispers.

Everything Harry saw in the pensive, everything Dumbledore told him afterwards, he has now shared with Danny, Ron, Hermione and I - and, of course, with Uncle Sirius, to whom Harry sent an owl to the moment he left Dumbledore's office. Harry, Danny, Ron, Hermione and I sit up late in the common room once again that night, talking about it all until my mind is reeling, until I understand what Dumbledore means about a head becoming so full of thoughts that it would be a relief to siphon them all off, or whatever Harry told us.

Ron stares into the common room fire. I think I see Ron shiver slightly, even though the evening is warm.

"And he trusts Snape?" Ron says. "He really trusts Snape, even though he knows he was a Death Eater?"

"Yes," says Harry.

Hermione and I have not spoken for ten minutes. We are holding our heads in our hands, staring at our knees.

"Rita Skeeter," Hermione mutters finally.

"How can you be worrying about her now?" says Ron in disbelief.

"We're not worrying about her," I say to my knees, finally understanding. "We're just thinking...remember what she said to us in the Three Broomsticks? 'I know things about Ludo Bagman that would make your hair curl.' This is what she meant, isn't it? She reported his trial, she knew he'd passed information to the Death Eaters. And Winky, too, remember...'Mr Bagman is a bad wizard.' Mr Crouch would have been furious he got off, he would have talked about it at home."

"Yeah, but Bagman didn't pass information on purpose, did he?"

Hermione and I shrug.

"And Fudge reckons Madame Maxime attacked Crouch?" Ron says, turning back to Harry.

"Yeah," says Danny, "but he's only saying that because Crouch disappeared near the Beauxbatons carriage."

"We never thought of her, did we?" says Ron slowly. "Mind you, she's definitely got giant blood, and she doesn't want to admit it -"

"Of course she doesn't," says Hermione sharply, looking up. "Look what happened to Hagrid when Rita found out about his mother. Look at Fudge, jumping to conclusions about her, just because she's part giant. Who needs that sort of prejudice? I'd probably say I had big bones if I knew that's what I'd get for telling the truth."

Hermione and I look down at our watches.

"We haven't done any practising!" I say, shocked. "We were going to do the Impediment Jinx! We'll have to really get down to it tomorrow! Come on, Harry and Danny, you need to get some sleep."

I kiss Harry goodnight then go slowly upstairs to my dormitory with Hermione, once she has kissed Danny goodnight. Danny races halfway up the stairs to pull me into a hug.

*********************************************

Ron, Hermione and I are supposed to be revising for our exams, which will finish on the day of the third task, but we are putting most of our efforts into helping Harry and Danny prepare.

"Good training for when we're all Aurors," says Ron excitedly, attempting the Impediment Jinx on a wasp that buzzed into the room, and making it stop dead in mid-air.

The mood in the castle as we enter June becomes excited and tense again. Everyone is looking forwards to the third task, which will take place a week before the end of term. Harry and Danny are practising hexes at every available moment. I feel more confident about this task than either of the others. Difficult and dangerous though it will undoubtedly be, Moody is right: Harry and Danny have managed to find their way past enormous creatures and enchanted barriers before now, and this time they have some notice, some chance to prepare themselves for what lies ahead.