✓ | PLAY WITH FIRE ⎯⎯ harry potter

twelve

Marina got up. The Slytherins chanted her name. She kissed both Blaise and Draco on their cheeks.

Harry got up. The Gryffindors applauded him. He let the Weasleys and Hermione wish him luck.

As the champions made their way to the Quidditch pit, Marina noticed that Harry was looking more nervous than any other.

"Feeling all right, Harry?"

"I'm okay," said Harry, and smiled (she could tell that it was a fake smile). "You?"

"I'm thinking..." Marina looked at him for a moment before smiling wide. "Let's win this for Hogwarts."

They walked onto the Quidditch field, which was now completely unrecognizable. A twenty-foot-high hedge ran all the way around the edge of it. There was a gap right in front of them: the entrance to the vast maze. The passage beyond it looked dark and creepy.

Five minutes later, the stands had begun to fill; the air was full of excited voices and the rumbling of feet as the hundreds of students filed into their seats. The sky was a deep, clear blue now, and the first stars were starting to appear.

Hagrid, Junior, Professor McGonagall, and Professor Flitwick came walking into the stadium and approached the champions. They were wearing large, red, luminous stars on their hats, all except Hagrid, who had his on the back of his moleskin vest.

"We are going to be patrolling the outside of the maze," said Professor McGonagall to the champions. "If you get into difficulty, and wish to be rescued, send red sparks into the air, and one of us will come and get you, do you understand?"

The champions nodded. Dumbledore now pointed his wand at his throat, muttered, "Sonorus," and his magically magnified voice echoed into the stands.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the third and final task of the Triwizard Tournament is about to begin! Let me remind you how the points currently stand... In first place, we have Mr. Viktor Krum of Durmstrang Institute! Miss Marina Black and Mr. Harry Potter, both of Hogwarts School in a tied second!" The cheers and applause sent birds from the Forbidden Forest fluttering into the darkening sky. "And in third place – Miss Fleur Delacour, of Beauxbatons Academy!"

Marina's nails dug into the palm of her hands. She bit down on her lip and checked if her wand was in the right pocket of her black trousers; it was.

"On my whistle, Krum first!" said the headmaster. "Three – two – one -"

He gave a short blast on his whistle, and Krum hurried forward into the maze.

"Harry Potter and Marina Black, now!"

Marina waved to the audience before walking inside, hopeful that Narcissa watched it from the stands. She nodded at Junior, and pointed at the inside of his jacket as an reminder to take his Polyjuice Potion. He stuck out his tongue in response.

The towering hedges cast black shadows across the path, and, whether because they were so tall and thick or because they had been enchanted, the sound of the surrounding crowd was silenced the moment they entered the maze.

"Lumos," Marina and Harry said at the same time, holding their wands up in front of their faces.

After about fifty yards, they reached a fork. They looked at each other.