Emily Potter- Book 4 - Goblet Of Fire

Dead Man Walking

The start of the summer term would normally have meant that Emily was expected to be training hard for the last Quidditch match of the season. This year, however, it was the third and final task in the Triwizard Tournament for which she needed to prepare, but she still didn't know what she would have to do. Finally, in the last week of May, Professor McGonagall held her back in Transfiguration.

"You are to go down to the Quidditch field tonight at nine o'clock. Emily," she told her. "Mr. Bagman will be there to tell the champions about the third task."

So at half past eight that night, Emily left Slytherin Tower and went to the Quidditch field. As she crossed the entrance hall, Cedric came fresh from the Hufflepuff common room, "What d'you reckon it's going to be?" he asked Emily as they went together down the stone steps, out into the cloudy night. "Fleur keeps going on about underground tunnels; she reckons we've got to find treasure."

 "That wouldn't be too bad," said Emily, thinking that she would simply ask Hagrid for a Niffler to do the job for her. They walked down the dark lawn to the Quidditch stadium, turned through a gap in the stands, and walked out onto the field. "What've they done to it?" Cedric said angrily, stopping dead in his tracks. The Quidditch field was no longer smooth and flat. It looked as though somebody had been building long, low walls all over it that twisted and crisscrossed in every direction.

"They're hedges!" said Emily, bending to examine the nearest one, but no matter how appraised she was with the sudden change of appearance of the field, she couldn’t help but feel enraged of how they mangled up the Quidditch field, her beloved Quidditch field.

"Hello there!" called a cheery voice.

Ludo Bagman was standing in the middle of the field with Harry, Krum and Fleur. Emily and Cedric made their way toward them, climbing over the hedges. Fleur beamed at Emily as she came nearer. Fleur’s attitude toward her had changed drastically since she had helped save her sister from the lake.

"Well, what d'you think?" said Bagman happily as Emily and Cedric climbed over the last hedge. "Growing nicely, aren't they? Give them a month and Hagrid'll have them twenty feet high. Don't worry," he added, grinning, spotting the less than-happy expressions on Emily and Cedric's faces, "You'll have your Quidditch field back to normal once the task is over! Now, I imagine you can guess what we're making here?"

No one spoke for a moment. Then –

"Maze," grunted Krum, “It’s a maze.”

"That's right!" said Bagman. "A maze. The third task's really very straightforward. The Triwizard Cup will be placed in the centre of the maze. The first champion to touch it will receive full marks."

"We seemply 'ave to get through the maze?" said Fleur. "There will be obstacles," said Bagman happily, bouncing on the balls of his feet, “Hagrid will be providing a number of creatures . . . then there will be spells that must be broken ... all that sort of thing, you know. Now, the champions who are leading on points will get a head start into the maze." Bagman grinned at Emily, Harry, and Cedric. "Then Mr. Krum will enter . . . then Miss Delacour. But you'll all be in with a fighting chance, depending how well you get past the obstacles. Should be fun, eh?"

Emily and Harry, who knew only too well the kind of creatures that Hagrid was likely to provide for an event like this, thought it was unlikely to be any fun at all. However, they nodded politely like the other champions. "Very well. . . if you haven't got any questions, we'll go back up to the castle, shall we, it's a bit chilly. ..."

Bagman hurried alongside the twins as they began to wend their way out of the growing maze. The twins had the feeling that Bagman was going to start offering to help him again, but just then, Krum tapped Harry on the shoulder.