〃Hello； Hermione；〃 said Mrs。 Weasley； much more stiffly than usual。
〃Hello；〃 said Hermione； her smile faltering at the cold expression on Mrs。 Weasley's face。
Harry looked between them； then said； 〃Mrs。 Weasley； you didn't believe that rubbish Rita Skeeter wrote in Witch Weekly； did you？ Because Hermione's not my girlfriend。〃
〃Oh！〃 said Mrs。 Weasley 〃No…of course I didn't！〃
But she became considerably warmer toward Hermione after that。
Harry； Bill； and Mrs。 Weasley whiled away the afternoon with a long walk around the castle； and then returned to the Great Hall for the evening feast。 Ludo Bagman and Cornelius Fudge had joined the staff table now。 Bagman looked quite cheerful； but Cornelius Fudge； who was sitting next to Madame Maxime； looked stern and was not talking。 Madame Maxime was concentrating on her plate； and Harry thought her eyes looked red。 Hagrid kept glancing along the table at her；
There were more courses than usual； but Harry； who was starting to feel really nervous now； didn't eat much。 As the enchanted ceiling overhead began to fade from blue to a dusky purple； Dumbledore rose to his feet at the staff table； and silence fell。
〃Ladies and gentlemen； 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 Mr。 Bagman down to the stadium now。〃
Harry got up。 The Gryffindors all along the table were applauding him； the Weasleys and Hermione all wished him good luck； and he headed off out of the Great Hall with Cedric； Fleur； and Viktor。
〃Feeling all right。 Harry？〃 Bagman asked as they went down the stone steps onto the grounds。 〃Confident？〃
〃I'm okay；〃 said Harry。 It was sort of true； he was nervous； but he kept running over all the hexes and spells he had been practicing in his mind as they walked； and the knowledge that he could remember them all made him feel better。
They walked onto the Quidditch field； which was now pletely 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； Professor Moody； Professor McGonagall； and Professor Flitwick came walking into the stadium and approached Bagman and 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 e and get you； do you understand？〃
The champions nodded。
〃Off you go； then！〃 said Bagman brightly to the four patrollers。
〃Good luck。 Harry；〃 Hagrid whispered； and the four of them walked away in different directions； to station themselves around the maze。 Bagman 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！ Tied in first place； with eighty…five points each…Mr。 Cedric Diggory and Mr。 Harry Potter； both of Hogwarts School！〃 The cheers and applause sent birds from the Forbidden Forest fluttering into the darkening sky。 〃In second place； with eighty points…Mr。 Viktor Krum； of Durmstrang Institute！〃 More applause。 〃And in third place…Miss Fleur Delacour； of Beauxbatons Academy！〃
Harry could just make out Mrs。 Weasley； Bill； Ron； and Hermione applauding Fleur politely； halfway up the stands。 He waved up at them； and they waved back； beaming at him。
〃So 。。。on my whistle； Harry and Cedric！〃 said Bagman。 〃Three…two…one…〃
He gave a short blast on his whistle； and Harry and Cedric hurried forward into the maze。
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。 Harry felt almost as though he were underwater again。 He pulled out his wand； muttered； 〃Lumos；〃 and heard Cedric do the same just behind him。
After about fifty yards； they reached a fork。 They looked at each other。
〃See you；〃 Harry said； and he took the left one； while Cedric took the right。
Harry heard Bagman's whistle for the second time。 Krum had entered the maze。 Harry sped up。 His chosen path seemed pletely deserted。 He turned right； and hurried on； holding his wand high over his head； trying to see as far ahead as possible。 Still； there was nothing in sight。
Bagman's whistle blew in the distance for the third time。 All of the champions were now inside。
Harry kept looking behind him。 The old feeling that he was being watched was upon him。 The maze was growing darker with every passing minute as the sky overhead deepened to navy。 He reached a second fork。
〃Point Me；〃 he whispered to his wand； holding it flat in his palm。
The wand spun around once and pointed toward his right； into solid hedge。 That way was north； and he knew that he needed to go northwest for the center of the maze。 The best he could do was to take the left fork and go right again as soon as possible。
The path ahead was empty too； and when Harry reached a right turn and took it； he again found his way unblocked。 Harry didn't know why； but the lack of obstacles was unnerving him。 Surely he should have met something by now？ It felt as though the maze were luring him into a false sense of security。 Then he heard movement right behind him。 He held out his wand； ready to attack； but its beam fell only upon Cedric； who had just hurried out of a path on the right…hand side。 Cedric looked severely shaken。 The sleeve of his robe was smoking。
〃Hagrid's Blast…Ended Skrewts！〃 he hissed。 〃They're enormous…I only just got away！〃
He shook his head and dived out of sight； along another path。 Keen to put plenty of distance between himself and the skrewts； Harry hurried off again。 Then； as he turned a corner； he saw 。。。a dementor gliding toward him。 Twelve feet tall； its face hidden by its hood； its rotting； scabbed hands outstretched； it advanced； sensing its way blindly toward him。 Harry could hear its rattling breath； he felt clammy coldness stealing over him； but knew what he had to do。。。
He summoned the happiest thought he could； concentrated with all his might on the thought of getting out of the maze and celebrating with Ron and Hermione； raised his wand； and cried； 〃Expecto Patronum！〃
A silver stag erupted from the end of Harry's wand and galloped toward the dementor； which fell back and tripped over the hem of its robes。。。 Harry had never seen a dementor stumble。
〃Hang on！〃 he shouted； advancing in the wake of his silver Patronus； 〃You're a boggart！ Riddikulus！〃
There was a loud crack； and the shape…shifter exploded in a wisp of smoke。 The silver stag faded from sight。 Harry wished it could have stayed； he could have used some pany。。。 but he moved on； quickly and quietly as possible； listening hard； his wand held high once more。
Left 。。。right。。。 left again。。。 Twice he found himself facing dead ends。 He did the Four…Point Spell again and found that he was going too far east。 He turned back； took a right turn； and saw an odd golden mist floating ahead of him。
Harry approached it cautiously； pointing the wand's beam at it。 This looked like some kind of enchantment。 He wondered whether he might be able to blast it out of the way。
〃Reducio！〃 he said。
The spell shot straight through the mist； leaving it intact。 He supposed he should have known better； the Reductor Curse was for solid objects。 What would happen if he walked through the mist？ Was it worth chancing it； or should he double back？
He was still hesitating when a scream shattered the s