Muggle-Raised Champion

The Task Fights Back

Disclaimer – I solemnly swear that JKR owns everything Harry Potter. Whether or not I am up to no good with her characters is for you to decide.

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6:50pm

Saturday, 24 June 1995

Hogwarts Quidditch Pitch, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

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Regardless of the fact that Harry knew the strategy that he was going to use for the Third Task of the TriWizard Tournament to combat the maze, its enchantments and the various magical creatures within it, and the fact that he had absolutely nothing to worry about, his nerves still got the better of him the closer the time came to the start of the Third Task.

This meant that, when it came to dinner, he was more inclined to push his food around his plate than to actually eat it. Sirius, though, with assistance from Daphne and Remus, would have none of that. Together, they managed to convince him to at least eat half of it. Truthfully, Harry wasn't sure whether that was a good thing or not. He knew that going into the evening on an empty stomach wasn't a good thing, but by the same token the butterflies in there didn't seem to like having their space crowded with food.

"It is almost time for the Third Task to begin," Headmaster Dumbledore had announced from his podium, causing Harry to drop his fork. "If the Champions could make their way down to the quidditch pitch now. The rest of us will follow along shortly."

The four Champions had walked somewhat together. There was no talking between them, only looks of intense concentration on each face. Harry couldn't decide which one looked the most confident, all he could tell was that all three were in it to win it, which was fine by him.

Ludo Bagman and Bartemius Crouch had been waiting for them at the entrance to the pitch and escorted them the last dozen metres or so. Just before they entered the Champions' tent which was placed just inside and to the right of the entryway, Harry was able to get a brief look up into the stands.

Currently, with the school's population still to come down, it looked mostly empty, but there were quite a number of sections beginning to fill up with adults. A shock of recognisable red hair caught his attention, especially when the owner of said hair began pointing in his direction to the man sitting beside him. Harry returned Charlie Weasley's wave as well as the nod from the other man, who Harry could only guess was also connected to the Romanian Dragon Reserve.

Just as had been the case for the previous two Tasks, the inside of the tent had four small sections partitions sectioned off, one for each Champion, as well as a general area in the middle. Automatically, the four of the them began moving towards their area, only to be stopped by Mister Crouch.

"You will have a few minutes with your family and a select few friends, for them to wish you well before we get underway. We will then go through the rules, although you should all know them by now, while the audience is being informed of the same thing. And then the Third Task will begin. Take the next few minutes to prepare yourselves."

With that said, the two men disappeared, leaving the four to their own contemplations.

The heavy tread of hundreds of feet passing by the tent told the story of what was happening outside. At the sharp flap of canvas, Harry's head snapped up to see a flow of people coming in. Instantly, he focussed on the ones obviously for him.

"Good luck, Pup!" Sirius said, giving him a brief hug, while Remus clapped him on the shoulder. "No matter what happens out there, we're proud of you."

"If you get a chance, do you think you could get me a cutting of that hedge?" Neville asked. "Considering how quickly it grew, it's got to be magical."