Chapter 128: The Third Task

Dumbledore, Karkaroff, Madame Maxime, Fudge and another man were out on the Quidditch field in front the giant maze. Chris saw this through a window and went straight to the field.

After reaching the field, Chris waited there for few moments to get noticed by Dumbledore. But as he was busy talking to Fudge, the strange man beside Fudge, noticed him.

"I think a student wants to meet you, Professor Dumbledore." He said.

All of them turned around and saw Chris.

"Sorry to disturb you but I need to talk to you Professor." Chris said to Dumbledore.

"Of course, Christina." Dumbledore nodded to Chris. Then he turned to others, "You all can go ahead for lunch. I'll join you in a moment."

All of them agreed and slowly made their way out.

"What's it Christina?" Dumbledore asked.

"Professor I was in my Divination exam and... I saw in the Crystal ball... the Triwizard Cup, Harry and Cedric were lying on the ground." Chris took a sharp breath. "Professor I think something will be wrong with the Triwizard Cup... other wise why will I see the Cup...?"

"Calm down Christina. Calm down." Dumbledore said seriously. "I know you're worried about the champions and considering your nature, I'm not even surprised. But as I said before, just your presence can change the future..."

Dumbledore smiled looking at Chris's concentrated face.

"I've placed the Triwizard Cup in the maze. Everything is safe... also I've put a protection charm around the Cup."

"Oh!" Chris sighed with relief. "Sorry for bothering you like this, Professor, specially when you're so busy..."

"No need to say sorry, Christina.. You're trying to help me that's all... the help I wanted from you." Dumbledore's looked serious again. "Crouch's death have changed my calculation so I guess we need to be extra careful."

"Professor what about Bagman?"

"Disappeared. On that same day." Dumbledore sighed.

Chris felt everything was fine and she need to relax now. So she took her leave from Dumbledore and returned to the castle for lunch, finally feeling a little bit light. The assurance on Dumbledore's voice, really help to calm people's nerves.

"Hey!"

Chris was surprised to see Bill, Mrs Weasley and Sirius eating on the Gryffindor table with others. Bill waved at her as she made her way towards them.

"Hi." Chris smiled as Mrs Weasley hugged her.

"How are you, dear?" Mrs Weasley asked.

"I'm good, Mrs Weasley. How are you all?" Chris said.

"We all are good." She replied.

"Except Percy." Bill said.

"Why?" Chris said but then she remembered the answer. "Mr Crouch."

"Exactly." Bill replied. "Percy's been hauled in for questioning by Ministry about the instructions Mr. Crouch has been sending in. They seem to think there's a chance they weren't genuinely written by him. Percy's been under a lot of strain. They're not letting him fill in for Mr. Crouch as the fifth judge tonight. Cornelius Fudge is going to be doing it. He's really disappointed."

"Oh yes I saw them. Who's the replacement for Bagman?" Chris asked curiously.

"Mr. Travis. He was working under Bagman for a long time. Actually he's the one who was running the department of Magical Games and Sports, behind the scenes. So last week they made him head of the department and asked him to join the judge panel." Bill explained.

"Hmm.."

"Where have been?" Ginny asked suddenly.

"Ginny, I had my Divination exam, did you forgot?" Chris knew what was Ginny talking about but pretend like she didn't.

"Yeah but Colin came ages ago. Why're so late?"

"A true seer takes her time, Ginny. Future takes time to appear.." Chris mimicked Professor Trelawney's misty voice and everyone laughed.

"I don't know why did you take divination then?" Hermione spoke.

"Because it's fun." Colin replied casually.

Hermione looked surprised by this answer and Ginny and Chris caught each other's eyes and grinned. After that Fred and George started joking around, and Chris was having such a good time she felt almost as though she was back at the Burrow.

Soon they finished the lunch and Mrs Weasley and Bill decided to walk around a bit, Sirius wished the same; so Hermione, Ron, Ginny and the twins went with Mrs Weasley and Bill; and Harry went with Sirius. Chris said that she'll relax a little bit with Colin and Luna.

After a long and tensed year, it was really nice to know that now everything was taken care of and there was nothing to be worried about. As Chris, Colin and Luna were discussing where to go next, Chris saw Viktor Krum over in a corner, conversing with his dark-haired mother and father in rapid Bulgarian but as he caught Chris's eyes, he smiled a little bit. Then Fleur was jabbering away in French to her mother, near the oak door. Fleur's little sister, Gabrielle, was holding her mother's hand and was showing her something on the wall.

The three of them walked out to the grounds and went towards the lake, where they played some games, talked and laughed. It was a feeling of fun after finishing exams.

When it was almost dinner time, they started to return to the Great Hall. On the way, Chris saw Cedric with his parents.

"Hey Chris!" Cedric waved at Chris as he saw her.

"Hey!" Chris waved back.

Cedric came to them.

"Well.. Chris, my parents really wants to meet you." He said grinning. "My dad really liked your article about me. My dad really gets excited when people praises me.. it's not like I like to be praised... it's just..."

"It's fine Cedric." Chris smiled.

Chris asked Colin and Luna to go without her as she went to Mr and Mrs Diggory.

"Good afternoon Mr and Mrs Diggory." Chris said smiling.

"Dad, mom, this is Chris... Christina Norton." Cedric introduced.

"Oh yes yes... of course Christina Norton." Amos Diggory beamed at her.

Clearly by their expression they were really proud of Cedric and they didn't like Rita Skeeter's article. They talked with Chris a little more about many things including the article, the championship and Cedric's future plans; before Mrs Diggory reminded them about dinner. As they left, Chris was about to follow them when she felt someone's gaze on her. She turned around but there was no one near her. As she looked back towards the castle, the Diggorys were gone. She was standing alone outside. The sky was a deep, clear blue now, and the first stars were starting to appear. It was feeling really creepy. Chris looked around once more and started to walk but then suddenly she heard a chant, a spell coming towards her. Chris dodged and sharply turned around pointing her wand straight. It was the fifth judge, Mr Travis.

"What the hell?"

Chris hurriedly tried to disarm him but Mr Travis was looking very pale and he was staring at Chris like a robot, pointing his wand towards her. Only then Chris realized,

"Imperious Curse." Chris whispered. "You're under Imperious Cur...."

A spell hit hard on her back and everything went black.

____________________________________________________

Inside the castle...

"Where's Chris?" Ginny asked as Colin and Luna sat down with them at the Gryffindor table.

"She was talking to Cedric Diggory's parents." Colin replied grinning. "She's really popular."

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"Umm..." Mrs Weasley cleared her throat. "That's really good... I mean she should be popular, after all she's a really nice girl.. so.. only are you three her friends?"

"No, Chris have lots of friends in every house." Colin said.

"Every house?" Mrs Weasley eyes shot towards the Slytherin table very quickly.

"Yes." Ginny replied firmly. "Every house. Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin too."

"Oh!" Mrs Weasley looked puzzled like she was choosing the right words to say the next line.

"All Slytherins aren't bad, Mrs Weasley." Harry said quietly. "There are some but Chris doesn't befriends with them. She knows how to choose friends. I know because she's a great friend of mine. You also know her. So you didn't believe that Rita Skeeter, do you Mrs Weasley?"

"Oh!" said Mrs. Weasley. "No... of course I didn't!"

Ginny, Colin, Luna, Hermione and Ron all of them looked utterly shocked. Only Harry had problem with Chris and Jason few days ago and now suddenly he's defending them in front of Mrs Weasley?

Hermione gave Harry a questioning look.

"She helped me so much even after I behaved like an idiot." Harry whispered to her. "So at least I can do is... trust her."

Hermione smiled.

"So you know some interesting Slytherins?" Sirius asked smirking.

"No. But I know Chris." Harry replied smiling.

"Yeah... She's a really nice girl." Sirius smiled back.

After sometime, Ginny frowned looking at the Hufflepuff table.

"Luna, the Diggorys are here. Where's Chris?" She asked.

Luna turned around so as Colin and Harry.

"Yes she's still not here." Hermione said.

"Do you think she went somwhere? Without telling us?" Colin looked anxious.

Colin, Luna and Ginny looked at each other. The three of them knew that, this wasn't new for Chris to disappear without telling her friends, so maybe there was no need to worry?

"Ladies and gentlemen," Dumbledore got his feet, "..in five minutes' time, I will be asking you to make your way down to the Quidditch field for the third and final task of the Triwizard Tournament. Will the champions please follow me down to the stadium now."

"Good luck, Harry." Ron and Hermione said.

"Yeah, Good luck." Sirius said clapping Harry's back.

"Be careful." Mrs Weasley said.

One by one everyone wished him luck as he got up from Gryffindor table and looked around the Great Hall once more then headed off out of the Great Hall with Cedric, Fleur, and Viktor.

"Er.. Cedric?" He muttered.

"Yeah?" Cedric whispered.

"Was Chris with you before the dinner?"

"Yes. She was for sometime. Why?" Cedric said.

"Nothing." Harry tried to focus on the third task.

'She must be busy with something important. She's still not angry at me, is she? No, of course not, she would have came to wish me luck, no matter what. She's definitely busy.' Harry thought as they walked onto the Quidditch field.