Chapter 129: Vines with Thorns

Godric Gryffindor, Salazar Slytherin, Rowena Ravenclaw and Helga Hufflepuff were standing in a circle in the middle of a room. They were looking young.

"The born leader, who will be determined to change future, will be my true successor." Salazar Slytherin said holding his palm forward. His eyes closed and concentrated. A bright golden snake twisted itself few times above Slytherin's palm then a golden key rise from his hand.

"The wise and intelligent one, full of own originality and creativity, will be my true successor." Rowena Ravenclaw said closing her eyes and holding her palm forward. A golden eagle flew above her hand few times then created a golden key, which floated above her palm.

"The Courageous one, true to own heart's desires and brave enough to fulfill them, will be my true successor." Godric Gryffindor said, holding his palm forward, closing his eyes. A golden lion roared few times and a golden key float above from his hand.

"I choose the one, who will be honest with own heart, who will choose the right aim and fulfill it with loyalties. Only that student can be my successor." Helga Hufflepuff said, closing her eyes, holding her palm forward. A badger ran around Helga Hufflepuff's open palm and another golden key rise above her palm.

"And the one have all of those qualities..."

"... all four of us..."

"... will accept that student..."

".... as our successor."

Chris opened her eyes, with great difficulty, her body wasn't moving at all. She tried to look around her but her body was stiff. As her vision cleared, she realized she was lying on the ground. She was tied with something, some kind of thorned vines. The thorns in the vine were piercing through her skin, the pain was unbearable but also it was making her weak every minitue. Biting her lower lip, Chris looked around. The pain increased. She was surrounded by twenty-foot-high hedges and the shiny Triwizard Cup was floating above her head. She was in the middle of the maze. Chris felt her mouth becoming dry, her energy was draining from her body quickly.

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'It's painful. Why did I stay back? I should've been more careful.' She thought. Her eyes were trying to close them, her head was dizzy.

Then she heard voices somewhere in the maze. Chris felt like the voices were coming from underwater because there was no way she could make a word. Still she tried to speak or shout but the more she tried to move or do something more the pain increased in her body.

Suddenly someone was yelling loudly. Chris forced her eyes to open them. She heard clearly someone was yelling and shouting in pain.

'That means the champions are already inside the maze.' A voice said in Chris's mind. 'They'll definitely see me when they'll reach the Cup.'

'But then why would someone leave me here like this? If I can be rescued?' Said another voice in her head.

'Maybe they thought by the time the champions will find me, I'll be dead'

'Not impossible, I guess. Judging by the situation I'm in now.'

Chris sighed.

The yelling stopped. It wasn't Fleur, it was a boy who was yelling. So maybe Harry, Cedric or Victor?

But now there was complete silence no sounds.

'This is stupid. I should do something myself.' But even the thought of it made the vines around her more stronger. Her mind started to go dizzy again. It was like now the thorn piercing through her body was preventing her from thinking too.

Chris closed her eyes, thinking maybe the vine will go easy on her if she stops fighting, just like a devil snare. But no it was different, the grip was still strong around her, it was still painful. Chris was listening intently if there was anyone near her.

Harry? Or Cedric? Maybe Victor will help her too, thinking it's a part of third task like the second one, rescue a victim. Will Fleur be that much generous? Or they'll think it's a choice between saving the victim or taking the Cup?

Chris was almost loosing hope, but then suddenly, there were sounds of footsteps. Someone was running towards her very fast. Then the sounds of footsteps doubled. There were two people now. Chris tried to open her eyes again but this time she couldn't, but she knew the footsteps were coming closer. Maybe she's saved. Though she never believed in a situation like damsel in distress and knight in shining armour, she can think about it now in a life-death situation. No matter what, no one wants to die, right?

But then suddenly, "Cedric! On your left!" A familiar voice bellowed.

It was Harry's voice, Chris was sure and Cedric was also there. Chris remembered the future in that crystal ball where the three of them were lying on the ground. 'This is bad. What hell are they doing here together?' Chris opened her eyes ignoring the sharp pain it created.

"Stupefy! Impedimenta! Stupefy!" Harry was yelling behind Chris. She had her back towards them, so she couldn't see what was happening.

"Stupefy." Cedric yelled too.

Chris guessed it must be some creature, given by Hagrid.

"Expelliarmus." Harry shouted.

'It's a creature or something else? Why will Harry disarm the obstacle? Don't tell they're fighting among them. Just save me dammit.' Chris tried move around to face them but pain doubled and she thought a moan left her mouth, but only then she realized she also had a silencing charm on her.

'Ugggghhhh' Chris groaned inside.

"Stupefy!" Harry and Cedric shouted together.

Then there was silence.

"Harry!" She heard Cedric shouting. "You all right? Did it fall on you?"

"No," Harry called back, panting.

'It? They were not fighting against each other. They were fighting together. At least that was assuring.'

"Who's it?" Harry asked.

'Finally... It's me stupid.'

"Don't know. Maybe last part of the task." Cedric replied.

"Is it tied?" Harry said.

'It? Do I look like it? Just let me get out of here, Potter.'

"I think so. Let's see. I think we need to save her." Cedric said.

Now they were very close to Chris. She felt happy, despite of the pain, which was increasing.

"Be careful. It can be a trap too." Harry suggested. "We're supposed to be face obstacles in this task, which will stop us from winning."

Chris felt angry and proud at the same time. Angry because of what Harry said, about she being a obstacle; but proud because Harry was repeating Chris's words. She told those words to him while he was practicing.

"You're supposed to be face obstacles in this task, which will stop you from winning. So be careful and don't step into any traps." Chris told him, while teaching him a counter curse.

"Maybe but still we should check." Cedric said. "Any of us can't take the Cup just like that. At least I can't."

"I can't either." Harry sighed. "Let's see."

Chris waited eagerly as they took slow steps towards her.

'Guys c'mon.' Chris made sure her eyes are open.

Then crossed the Cup and came in front of her. Chris saw their wands raising towards her.

"CHRIS!" Both of them shouted as their wand lights lightened Chris's face.

Chris tried to roll her eyes but couldn't. Her body pain reached a high point.

"Chris, what're you doing here?" Harry dropped to his knee.

"First let's release her." Cedric suggested, he was looking concerned too.

"Yeah." Harry tried to open them by hands but as soon as he touched a vine, a big thorn cut his index finger. "Ow."

Chris looked at him hopelessly.

"But how?" Harry said, looking at Cedric. "They're thorny."

"Wait. Diffindo." Cedric carefully pointed his wand on the vines. Only one of the vines split open.

"Diffindo!" Harry followed.

After more three or four times, they successfully removed the vines from her body. Chris's hands, wrists, waist, legs, shoulder all started to bleed as the thorns were removed.

"It's too much." Cedric burst out. "How can the teachers allow this? You're bleeding all over."

"Exactly. What happened Chris?" Harry asked as he helped her to get up.

Chris clapped her hands on her mouth and broke the silencing charm.

"Ahh." Chris moaned. "Thank you... so much.... It was... killing me."

"But what're you..."

"No time to explain, Harry. Just grab the Cup and they'll know you won and we can get out here." Chris said hurriedly, she still didn't have much energy left.

Harry and Cedric looked at each other.

"Take it, then," Harry said to Cedric. "Go on, take it."

But Cedric didn't move. He merely stood there, looking at Harry.

"You take it. You should win. That's twice you've saved my neck in here." He said.

Chris looked back and forth between them.

"Guys... this is not the time... the teachers..." Chris started.

"No. You reached first." Harry interrupted.

"The teachers don't..."

"You deserve it." Cedric replied.

"Stop being noble," said Harry. "Just take it, then we can get out of here."

"The teachers don't know about me. Someone tried to kill me. Will you two listen?" Chris burst out irritably. "We need to go back now."

The both of them starred at her, shocked. And as if in cue, a growling voice came behind them. Chris wheeled around. Cedric and Harry hold their wand out sharply.

A creature came out from dark hedge. It was the strangest creature Chris had seen till now. It had a head of a alligator, body of a wolf and two rope like almost three feet long tail. He was darting towards them very fast.

"Stupefy! Impedimenta!" Harry and Cedric yelled.

"Stupefy!" Chris yelled holding her hand straight ahead, as she didn't have her wand.

But the creature dodged every spell perfectly and rounded them up. Then suddenly its long tails wrapped around Chris, Harry and Cedric.

Instantly, Chris felt her body temperature going down, her legs left the ground. It was like someone suddenly splashed ice water on her -- like she was spinning underwater very fast. Finally swirling, spinning, swimming she reached somewhere. Chris's back hit a solid ground.

"Ow." Harry moaned.

Harry and Cedric were lying beside her. Only then Chris noticed, Harry's leg was injured. It was bleeding freely, soaking his robes. Chris felt the bleeding pain returned to her body as she forced herself to get up. She hurriedly looked around if the weird creature was near, and saw that the creature was walking away from them.

"Where are we?" Cedric said as he got up.

"What was that?" Harry asked getting up as well.

"Most importantly what the hell is going on?" Chris said looking around.

They had left the Hogwarts grounds completely; they had obviously traveled miles — perhaps hundreds of miles — for even the mountains surrounding the castle were gone. They were standing instead in a dark and overgrown graveyard; the black outline of a small church was visible beyond a large yew tree to their right. A hill rose above them to their left. Chris could just make out the outline of a fine old house on the hillside.

"You said someone attacked you and the teachers don't know about you, right?" Cedric asked looking alarmed.

"Yes." Chris replied, still looking around. She's alert this time. "I don't have my wand. You two hold your wands out. This is serious."

"Yeah." Harry said quietly, holding his wand out.

Cedric nodded seriously and hold his wand out as well.

"So the creature brought us here and left?" Harry asked.

"Looks like it." Chris replied.

"But you can't Apparate or Disappearate on Hogwarts grounds." Cedric said.

"Someone is coming." Chris said.