〃So；〃 said Ron； 〃d'you reckon he's somewhere in Hogsmeade？〃
〃Could be anywhere；〃 said Moody； shaking his head。 〃Only thing we know for sure is that he's not here。〃
He yawned widely； so that his scars stretched； and his lopsided mouth revealed a number of missing teeth。 Then he said； 〃Now； Dumbledore's told me you three fancy yourselves as investigators； but there's nothing you can do for Crouch。 The Ministry'll be looking for him now； Dumbledore's notified them。 Potter； you just keep your mind on the third task。〃
〃What？〃 said Harry。 〃Oh yeah。。。〃
He hadn't given the maze a single thought since he'd left it with Krum the previous night。
〃Should be right up your street； this one；〃 said Moody； looking up at Harry and scratching his scarred and stubbly chin。 〃From what Dumbledore's said； you've managed to get through stuff like this plenty of times。 Broke your way through a series of obstacles guarding the Sorcerers Stone in your first year； didn't you？〃
〃We helped；〃 Ron said quickly。 〃Me and Hermione helped。〃
Moody grinned。
〃Well； help him practice for this one； and I'll be very surprised if he doesn't win；〃 said Moody。 〃In the meantime。。。 constant vigilance； Potter。 Constant vigilance。〃 He took another long draw from his hip flask； and his magical eye swiveled onto the window。 The topmost sail of the Durmstrang ship was visible through it。
〃You two；〃 counseled Moody； his normal eye on Ron and Hermione； 〃you stick close to Potter； all right？ I'm keeping an eye on things； but all the same。。。 you can never have too many eyes out。〃
Sirius sent their owl back the very next morning。 It fluttered down beside Harry at the same moment that a tawny owl landed in front of Hermione； clutching a copy of the Daily Prophet in its beak。 She took the newspaper； scanned the first few pages； said； 〃Ha！ She hasn't got wind of Crouch！〃 then joined Ron and Harry in reading what Sirius had to say on the mysterious events of the night before last。
Harry…what do you think you are playing at； walking off into the forest with Viktor Krum？ I want you to swear； by return owl； that you are not going to go walking with anyone else at night。 There is somebody highly dangerous at Hogwarts。 It is clear to me that they wanted to stop Crouch from seeing Dumbledore and you were probably feet away from them in the dark。 You could have been killed。
Your name didn't get into the Goblet of Fire by accident。 If someone's trying to attack you； they're on their last chance。 Stay close to Ron and Hermione； do not leave Gryffindor Tower after hours； and arm yourself for the third task。 Practice Stunning and Disarming。 A few hexes wouldn't go amiss either。 There's nothing you can do about Crouch。 Keep your head down and look after yourself。 I'm waiting for your letter giving me your word you won't stray out…of…bounds again。
Sirius
〃Who's he； to lecture me about being out…of…bounds？〃 said Harry in mild indignation as he folded up Sirius's letter and put it inside his robes。 〃After all the stuff he did at school！〃
〃He's worried about you！〃 said Hermione sharply。 〃Just like Moody and Hagrid！ So listen to them！〃
〃No one's tried to attack me all year；〃 said Harry。 〃No one's done anything to me at
all…〃
〃Except put your name in the Goblet of Fire；〃 said Hermione。 〃And they must've done that for a reason。 Harry。 Snuffles is right。 Maybe they've been biding their time。 Maybe this is the task they're going to get you。〃
〃Look；〃 said Harry impatiently； 〃let's say Sirius is right； and someone Stunned Krum to kidnap Crouch。 Well； they would've been in the trees near us； wouldn't they？ But they waited till I was out of the way until they acted； didn't they？ So it doesn't look like I'm their target； does it？〃
〃They couldn't have made it look like an accident if they'd murdered you in the forest！〃 said Hermione。 〃But if you die during a task…〃
〃They didn't care about attacking Krum； did they？〃 said Harry。 〃Why didn't they just polish me off at the same time？ They could've made it look like Krum and I had a duel or something。〃
〃Harry； I don't understand it either；〃 said Hermione desperately。 〃I just know there are a lot of odd things going on； and I don't like it。。。 Moody's right…Sirius is right…you've got to get in training for the third task； straight away。 And you make sure you write back to Sirius and promise him you're not going to go sneaking off alone again。〃
The Hogwarts grounds never looked more inviting than when Harry had to stay indoors。 For the next few days he spent all of his free time either in the library with Hermione and Ron； looking up hexes； or else in empty classrooms； which they sneaked into to practice。 Harry was concentrating on the Stunning Spell； which he had never used before。 The trouble was that practicing it involved certain sacrifices on Ron's and Hermione's part。
〃Can't we kidnap Mrs。 Norris？〃 Ron suggested on Monday lunchtime as he lay flat on his back in the middle of their Charms classroom； having just been Stunned and reawoken by Harry for the fifth time in a row。 〃Let's Stun her for a bit。 Or you could use Dobby； Harry； I bet he'd do anything to help you。 I'm not plaining or anything〃…he got gingerly to his feet； rubbing his backside…〃but I'm aching all over。。。〃
〃Well； you keep missing the cushions； don't you！〃 said Hermione impatiently； rearranging the pile of cushions they had used for the Banishing Spell； which Flitwick had left in a cabinet。 〃Just try and fall backward！〃
〃Once you're Stunned； you can't aim too well； Hermione！ 〃said Ron angrily。 〃Why don't you take a turn？〃
〃Well； I think Harry's got it now； anyway；〃 said Hermione hastily。 〃And we don't have to worry about Disarming； because he's been able to do that for ages。。。 I think we ought to start on some of these hexes this evening。〃
She looked down the list they had made in the library。
〃I like the look of this one；〃 she said； 〃this Impediment Curse。 Should slow down anything that's trying to attack you。 Harry。 We'll start with that one。〃
The bell rang。 They hastily shoved the cushions back into Flitwicks cupboard and slipped out of the classroom。
〃See you at dinner！〃 said Hermione； and she set off for Arithmancy； while Harry and Ron headed toward North Tower； and Divination。 Broad strips of dazzling gold sunlight tell across the corridor from the high windows。 The sky outside was so brightly blue it looked as though it had been enameled。
〃It's going to be boiling in Trelawney's room； she never puts out that fire；〃 said Ron as they started up the staircase toward the silver ladder and the trapdoor。
He was quite right。 The dimly lit room was swelteringly hot。 The fumes from the perfumed fire were heavier than ever。 Harrys head swam as he made his way over to one of the curtained windows。 While Professor Trelawney was looking the other way； disentangling her shawl from a lamp； he opened it an inch or so and settled back in his chintz armchair； so that a soft breeze played across his face。 It was extremely fortable。
〃My dears；〃 said Professor Trelawney； sitting down in her winged armchair in front of the class and peering around at them all with her strangely enlarged eyes； 〃we have almost finished our work on planetary divination。 Today； however； will be an excellent opportunity to examine the effects of Mars； for he is placed most interestingly at the present time。 If you will all look this way； I will dim the lights。。。〃
She waved her wand and the lamps went out。 The fire was the only source of light now。 Professor Trelawney bent down and lifted； from under her chair； a miniature model of the solar system； contained within a glass dome。 It was a beautiful thing； each of the moons glimmered in place around the nine planets and the fiery sun； all of them hanging in thin air beneath the glass。 Harry watched lazily as Professor Trelawney began to point out the fascinating angle Mars was making to Neptune。 The heavily perfumed fumes washed over him； and the breeze from the window played across his face。 He could hear an insect humming gently somewhere behind the curtain。 His eyelids began to droop。。。
He was riding on the back of an eagle owl；