Family Ties (Editing/rewriting some parts)

74

The last trials date was announced and they still weren't sure what it was exactly, until a week before that the champions were called into a meeting of sorts.

Harry walked into the hallway, having been following Mrs. Mcgonagal with Cedric as well. To where, he wasn't exactly sure.

Once they got to just outside the ground level of the Quiditch field, they were met by the judges and the other champions. Along with Dumbledore himself who was standing there looking all grandfatherly. Harry kinda had the sudden urge to punch the man.

"Through here, is the next trial that would give us a winner to the tournament." Dumbledore said as the door opened slowly to reveal hedges taller then Hagrid by doubling him as he was standing tending to the plant. Smacking some of the tendrils that tried to latch onto him like a mother. Sprout was there waving her wand that helped plant some more that started growing immediately. "A maze, one you'll have to get through to the middle where the triwizard cup waits. The hedge is a living plant that can attack as well as other things. Now I expect great things from all of you."

From me, you mean? Harry answered in his head as the old man looked over at him and he quickly stopped from rolling his eyes.

"Now that you know the last task, you have a week to prepare, now off you go." Mcgonagal said and shooed the champions off and they scattered.

****

"Okay, So, the hedge is basically alive and there will be other things among the maze. Great." Percy sighed as he tripped Harry onto his backs

Draco put another mark over Percy's name with his wand. It glowed and stayed in the air among the others. Harry currently had zero tally marks. Though they all noticed he was getting better, only Harry didn't really see it. He hasn't been using his sword skill for the trials before Christmas and he wasn't sure if they were up to par.

Percy saw this and put his own sword away before turning to Neville who was being taught to braid hair by Luna. "Neville, mind sparing Harry, I need a break." He lied as he sat beside his boyfriend who instantly wrapped his arm around Percys waist.

The boy looked over at him confused but understood as he stood up and Hermione threw him a sword which he caught effortlessly, he smiled to Luna before helping Harry up.

"Neville doesn't know anything about the sword Percy." A very Dirty Harry  said as he dusted himself off.

"Mmm, no I think he does. Go." Percy said and watched as Harry instantly blocked Neville as the older boy went for a quick slash that would have caused a pretty bad injury.

Haru grunted in reply as he pushed Neville away and got some ground between the two of them. "Since when?!" He yelled as he defended himself from Neville once more.

"Since camp." Harry's sparring partner said with a smile.

"Okay, So imobolis should work great on the hedges. As will other things that would be in the maze. So we'll be practicing that one among a lot of other spells." Hermione supplies as she sat against a tree book in hand.

Luna came up beside her and sat glancing at the book. "Agreed."

Ron bit his lip as he watched Harry fight Neville off. "I have a bad feeling about all this. We still don't know who put Harry's name into the goblet." He pointed out to them, and everyone realized then that they forgot all about that part.

Harry and Neville stopped to turn to the rest of the group as Blaise spoke up. "I totally forgot about that. We've been too worried about Harry living through it, we haven't been questioning why he's in it." 

"I have my bets on Voldermort." Ron said putting his hand up as if they were in class. And those who knew about Voldermort looked at each other.

"Possibly. But..." Draco started. "I heard that Voldermort was gaining his sanity, piece by piece. He just doesn't have a proper body yet."

"Wait...you know where Voldermort is?!" Ron yelled out as he stood glaring at Draco but stopped as he realized all of them knew. "Harry? Percy?" He looked to them to find looks of complete apologeticness.

They hadn't really been including Ron and his family into it really. They were severely in the light and in Dumbledores power. They weren't sure how approach the subject to him.

Blaise stood and lays a hand on Ron's shoulder only for it to be thrown off, and a back to him. "It's complicated Ron....but you trust us right? Trust me?" He said slowly taking Ron and turning him back towards the rest of them.

The red head looked at them all before looking into Blaise's eyes and he couldn't help but sigh at how much trust in them he had. It was scary, he had more trust in them then his own family. "Yeah, Yeah...I trust you guys."

Everyone smiled at him.

With that, they decided to go raid the kitchens.

***

The day of the last trial came quickly, and everyone was not excited for it. It was night time and the stands in were filled to the brim with students of all schools. Parents and ministry workers as well.

Lily was there, comforting Neville as he worried. Percy was at the railing holding it as Draco comforted him by laying a hand on his waist. Encasing the boy.

Lucious and Narcissa raised a eyebrow at each other at this development.

But they all focused once the lights at the field showed the maze, showed the judges, showed Hagrid. Showed Harry and the other champions.

And Percy couldn't help but feel dread.