Title: The Third Task
Author: Alexa Deimos
Pairing: Harry/Cedric
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Romance, angst
Disclaimer: Everything belongs to J.K Rowling and various publishing companies, etcetera, etcetera.
Harry shifted slightly as he sat on something sharp. It turned out, to his great irritation, to be a flashing Support CEDRIC DIGGORY - POTTER STINKS badge. In a silent feat of frustration he tossed it into the lake, where it dropped with a small splash. After a moment, the tip of a green tentacle silently ventured up from the water and snatched the badge from the surface. Harry wrapped his arms around his legs, leaning his head on his knees. He stared glumly at the murky water. At least someone was on his side.
‘Hey - Harry!’ someone called, and he turned to see Cedric Diggory approaching, behind him a large group of curious Hufflepuffs looking-on, probably wondering why their true Hogwarts Champion wanted to talk to the fraud one.
‘Hey,’ he greeted feebly, curious as to what Cedric wanted. It was a week before the Third Task. Maybe he wanted to know if Harry knew any more information about the task than he did?
‘Are you alright?’ Cedric asked suddenly, standing before Harry and truly appearing concerned.
Harry blinked at the unexpected question. ‘I’m fine,’ he said automatically, forcing a smile. Did Cedric want to talk about Cho? If so, Harry didn’t want to hear it.
‘Can I … sit here?’ Cedric asked tentatively when Harry turned to look back at the lake.
Harry was bewildered; he almost didn’t know how to answer. ‘Sure,’ he managed finally.
Cedric quickly sat down beside him, mimicking Harry’s position. Harry watched him glance back to see what the awaiting Hufflepuffs would do. He turned to look at them as well. Eventually, realizing nothing interesting was going to happen and that their favourite was engaged, the group turned and went back inside the castle, whispering among themselves. Harry didn’t miss Cedric’s sigh of relief. He had a sudden suspicion that Cedric was avoiding his crowd.
‘Looking forward to the Task?’ Harry said, shrugging off the thought. If Cedric was receiving more attention then he could handle, well, that was his problem.
Cedric snorted. ‘Hardly. I actually would rather this whole thing was over.’ His tone was slightly bitter.
Harry shrugged. ‘Only a week to go. And then, who knows, you might actually win.’
Cedric smiled slightly. ‘Yeah …’ he said absently.
A strangely un-awkward moment of silence ensued, one that could almost be called companionable. Out of the corner of his eye Harry watched Cedric jerk himself from his chain of thoughts and look at Harry.
‘Can I ask you something?’ he said timidly. Harry was taken aback. This was confidant, good-looking, Quidditch Captain, Head Boy Cedric Diggory. Why was he asking almost-shy questions of Harry?
‘Um, sure,’ Harry conceded, unsure of what could be so important that it could not be asked outright.
‘Why are you being so nice to me?’
Harry turned to face Cedric in bemusement. ‘What do you mean? Everyone is nice to you.’
Cedric scowled slightly, looking back at the lake. When he refrained from saying any more, Harry, on impulse, prodded him in the ribs.
Cedric gave him a surprised look.
‘Well?’ Harry said. ‘Why wouldn’t I like you?’
‘Well,’ Cedric said. ‘It’s simply that, the entire school appears to be against you when it comes to the champion thing, and …’
‘If you mean the Support Cedric Diggory badges and stuff - ’ Harry interrupted, when suddenly something small was tossed out of the water to land on the bank between him and Cedric. It was a POTTER STINKS badge.
Harry put his face in his hands and laughed. Okay, so maybe the Giant Squid wasn’t on his side.
Cedric had picked up the badge with a sigh. ‘I wish Malfoy wouldn’t do this,’ he said.
Harry shrugged uncomfortably. ‘He wouldn’t be Malfoy if he didn’t.’ There was a pause. ‘Look, none of it is your fault,’ said Harry. ‘And besides, you’re nice enough to me.’
Cedric gave him a side-long glance. He looked down at the badge in his hands and a couple locks of auburn hair fell in his face. ‘What about Cho?’ he said with another sigh.
Harry frowned and gazed out across the lake.
‘Harry, I know how you feel about her. And I know she likes you … ‘
Harry looked at Cedric in shock. What was he saying? ‘You’re going out with her,’ he stated, confused.
Cedric shook his head. ‘No.’ He looked at Harry, who stared back at him, puzzled.
‘Then what … ‘
‘I broke up with her,’ Cedric admitted, then, looking down and seeing the badge still in his hand, shoved it in his pocket.
It didn’t make any sense to Harry. Cedric and Cho were the perfect, beautiful couple. Both intelligent, with good looks, both Seekers. Was it Cedric’s issue with the newfound attention that made it difficult for him to be with her? If not, what else?
Cedric said, ‘I’m just telling you this because I know she’d love it if you asked her out, or just to Hogsmeade, or something.’ He sighed, running a hand through his hair.
Harry didn’t know what to say. ‘Why?’ he said in the end.
Cedric gave him a confused look.
‘Why did you break up with her?’
Cedric sighed and lay on his back, folding his arms under his head. He stared up at the sky as he answered. ‘I just … Cho is great, and all. She’s brilliant. I love her as a sister. But … that’s about it.’ He looked at Harry.
‘Why did you go out with her then?’ said Harry, mulling things over. Surprisingly he wasn’t rejoicing at this news; in fact, he felt as if it hardly concerned him at all. But hadn’t he moments before thought of how much he liked Cho, and even suspected Cedric had come over to gloat? It seemed cruel now that Cedric was being so kind to him.
Cedric was a while in answering. Finally he said, ‘Because of my dad. He … my family have high expectations of me.’ He sat up again, seeming uncomfortable.
Harry frowned. He remembered Amos Diggory’s comments to him after the Second Task. ‘Bet you’re not feeling quite as full as yourself now Cedric’s caught you up on points, are you?’
‘Ignore him,’ Cedric had insisted. ‘He’s been angry ever since the Triwizard Tournament – you know, when she made out you were the only Hogwarts champion.’
Harry sighed. He knew what it was like to have to try and live up to other people’s expectations. He was Harry Potter, for Merlin’s sake.
‘You understand, don’t you?’ Cedric asked.
‘Yeah,’ said Harry.
‘I never really wanted to be with her. Especially when I realised you … well …’
Harry shrugged. He didn’t know what to say. He didn’t even feel relieved; in fact, he felt annoyed. This wasn’t how it was supposed to happen. Cedric was perfect. Cho was perfect. They were meant to be together. Weren’t they?
‘Why now?’ Harry asked. ‘Why have you chosen to break up with her now?’
Cedric looked away. ‘Because I …’ he paused. ‘I like someone else,’ he said finally, looking back at Harry.
This came as a shock to Harry. It hadn’t been the answer he was expecting. ‘Tell me it’s not Fleur,’ he said suddenly, thinking of Ron’s, and every other male’s (expect, strangely, Harry’s) infatuation with her.
Cedric laughed. ‘It isn’t,’ he said.
‘Right,’ Harry said, feeling a strange sort of relief at that.
‘Well, anyway …’ Cedric said. He slowly stood up. Harry decided he didn’t want to move, but he looked up at Cedric.
‘Are you going to make a move on Cho?’ Cedric asked, absently adjusting his tie.
Harry paused for a moment. ‘No,’ he said at length, surprising himself at his own decision. He stared up at Cedric, whose eyes widened. ‘No?’ he said, apparently to himself. ‘I mean, why not? You like her!’
Harry frowned and glanced away. ‘I don’t, really,’ he realised. He had been jealous. Jealous of the true Hogwarts Champion, of the perfect couple, of the boy who seemed to have everything, but in actual fact didn’t. But now, he realised; Cedric probably felt the same way Harry felt all the time. Smothered, surrounded by people who loved but didn’t know him, people who had high expectations and demands.
For once, looking up at Cedric, who seemed to understand everything, Harry didn’t feel quite so lonely as before. He stood up, took the two steps that brought him closer to Cedric, and reached into the Champion’s right pocket. There he found the badge, which ignorantly flashed Support CEDRIC DIGGORY – POTTER STINKS, which he skimmed into the lake. They both watched as it bounced three, four times, and then after a moment, the tentacle returned and the offensive badge vanished.
Harry turned to Cedric and smiled. ‘Shall we head back?’
*
Four days before the Third Task, and the good mood Cedric had put Harry in days before was quickly dissolving. Ironically enough Harry was pondering over the Head Boy as he wandered along a corridor when the object of his thoughts rounded the corner, as usual surrounded by a group of girls.
Harry had been mooching through the castle aimlessly, having escaped the confines of the Gryffindor common room and Ron and Hermione’s bickering. He wasn’t happy to have his liberty interrupted by Cedric’s fan club. Despite his small irritation he couldn’t help but return Cedric’s genuine, almost relieved smile, or allow him to ignore the quiet frustration in the older boy’s eyes. Unsure of what he was doing or why he was doing it, Harry bravely halted in front of the herd, who grew silent and glared.
‘Harry?’ Cedric said questioningly.
‘Bagman is looking for us,’ Harry lied. ‘He forgot to tell us something about the Third Task.’
‘Oh,’ Cedric said. ‘Where is he?’
‘In Dumbledore’s office,’ Harry said, as it was on the other side of the castle. He could see the girls trying to suppress disappointed groans and reinforcing their glares. They were the same sort of group that would trail Harry in the odd times he was considered popular with the public, rather than dangerous. Hypocrites, Harry thought.
‘Let’s go then,’ Cedric said, and the frustrated girl group was quickly abandoned. After a minute of hurried wandering along random corridors (hurried only for Harry, who had shorter legs than Cedric), they slowed down.
Cedric looked at him. ‘There’s not really a meeting, is there? You wanted to save me from them.’
Harry stopped and looked up at Cedric. ‘I thought you looked a bit fed up,’ he explained. ‘Was I wrong?’ Worriedly, he bit his lip, beginning to feel guilty and stupid for depriving Cedric of his friends.
But Cedric grinned at him. ‘I’ve been trying to think up an excuse for the last ten minutes. I’m running out of good excuses.’
Harry was a relieved. He returned the smile. ‘Well, glad I could help then.’ They resumed walking. Harry glanced out of a window. It was a Saturday afternoon, and the sun was beginning to get very hot. People were littered across the grounds, including a mixture of Beauxbatons and Durmstrang students.
‘Hey …’ Cedric said suddenly. ‘Do you want a game of Quidditch?’
Surprised, Harry said, ‘Sure,’ and received a smile.
They were approaching the stairs that led down to the entrance hall, when a malicious voice interrupted the harmony.
‘Well if it isn’t both of the Hogwarts Champions.’
Harry turned to face Malfoy, who was leaning against the doorway of a classroom with his arms crossed.
‘What do you want, Malfoy?’ Cedric asked simply.
The Slytherin narrowed his eyes. ‘I’m just wandering why you’re hanging around with someone like Potter. Is it out of pity?’
Cedric frowned. Harry sighed, disliking Malfoy more than ever, and began to walk again. At least Malfoy was no longer quoting Rita Skeeter’s HARRY POTTER – DISTURBED AND DANGEROUS article.
‘Running away, Potter?’
Harry ignored him, and felt Cedric follow him. When they were out of shot of Malfoy’s insults, Cedric glanced at Harry. ‘Is he always like that to you?’ he asked.
‘Yeah,’ said Harry. ‘From day one, when I refused his friendship.’
‘He must be jealous, then.’
Harry frowned. ‘How?’
‘Of your friends, I mean. You turned down his friendship, and now he is jealous and wants to get back at you.’
‘I guess,’ Harry said. He’d never really looked at it that way. Suddenly he stopped. ‘You know, it might help if I had my broom.’
Cedric grinned at him. ‘Too late now. You’ll have to use a school broom for once.’
Harry frowned. ‘But they’re terrible.’
‘We’ll be on equal ground.’
It was hot outside, and unexpectedly the Quidditch pitch was empty. Harry grudgingly accepted a school broom, wishing heartily he had his Firebolt, and mounted and took off.
‘Woah,’ he said, swerving. Being used to having a powerful 200 mile per hour broom, Harry had put too little force on the Cleansweep and almost slipped off.
Cedric laughed at him. ‘That’s what you get for having a thousand galleon broom.’
Harry looked at him. ‘It was a gift, you know,’ he said, steadying himself. ‘I’d never have bought it myself.’
Cedric smiled, and floated upside down. ‘I know,’ he said. ‘Got the snitch?’
Harry took it from out of his pocket, where it had been dozing. It sat in his palm for a moment, stretching it’s little wings sleepily, and then darted off.
Harry looked up at Cedric. ‘First one to get it has to …’
‘ … buy the other a drink.’
Harry laughed. ‘Got it.’ They were about to begin when someone called Harry’s name. Looking down, they saw Viktor Krum approaching, followed by his own Bulgarian group of spectators.
‘Are you vanting a game?’
Harry formed a slow grin. He looked at Cedric, who smiled and shrugged.
‘Sure,’ he yelled, looking back at Krum, who said, ‘we ave spare Firebolts.’
‘Cedric! Bonjour, are you playing a game?’ It was one of the beautiful Beauxbatons girls, who was jogging over, almost appearing to float in her flowing azure dress. She had a broom with her. Cedric welcomed her over. He looked at Harry. ‘Looks like we’re going to get a proper game,’ he said cheerfully.
‘Come down,’ Viktor called. His companions had given up some of their Firebolts, apparently keen to see the upcoming game between the champions.
Harry and Cedric shrugged and landed, looking on with amazement at the pile of one thousand galleon brooms that were tossed carelessly on the floor. They each took one as the Beauxbatons girl arrived. ‘I should like to play, also,’ she said.
‘How shall we do this?’ Cedric asked, looking at Harry.
‘Um. How about we make two teams, since more people are joining in?’
‘Zis is a very good idea,’ the Beauxbatons girl said. ‘And also, my name is Adèle.’
‘Vat shall ve do then?’ Krum said, seeming interested. ‘I shall team with Cedric. Harry can go with Adèle?’
Harry shrugged, ‘sure.’ He tried to ignore the French girl’s slightly disappointed look. But who wouldn’t want to be on Krum’s team? A sudden burst of determination filled Harry, building his excitement. He wondered if he was good enough to beat Viktor Krum?
‘Oi, Harry!’
Harry turned to see Fred and George with a group of friends watching. He waved.
‘Are you having a game?’
‘Looks like zere are more,’ Adéle observed.
‘We’re going to have to make a limit at some point,’ Cedric mused. ‘I hope our challenge is still on. I wouldn’t mind having Harry Potter buy me a drink.’
‘You ave made a bet?’ Krum said, seeming amused. ‘Vell ve know who the seekers are in this strange game.’
Fred and George approached. ‘So which team are we on?’ they said, grinning.
With them came Angelina, and behind her –
‘Cho!’ Cedric said with surprise, glancing at Harry, who didn’t know what to say. This wasn’t turning out quite how he had planned. Oh well, It could prove interesting. He planned to beat Krum and win the bet. He tried to hide an excited grin.
In the end they had two unequal teams, one of which included Krum, Cedric, Cho (which Harry considered unsurprising, but which Cedric didn’t look too happy at for some reason), and George. Charlie Weasley, who had been staying in the castle for the Tournament, had happily joined Harry’s team, as well as Angelina, Fred, and Adéle.
‘You need another person,’ Angelina pointed out once the decisions were made.
George shrugged. ‘Are you kidding? We have Krum.’
Angelina narrowed her eyes and put her hands on her hips. ‘So? We have Harry.’
Harry edged away slightly, which didn’t go unnoticed by Cedric, who grinned.
‘True. Who else is there, then?’
‘OI, Davies!’ Fred yelled. ‘Get over here. We’ve only got five seekers; how about we make a nice, round six?’
Roger Davies ran up to them. He was Captain of the Ravenclaw team, but Harry didn’t know him that well.
‘Are we playing a game?’ he said.
There were, in the end, just enough Firebolts to go around. All the groups that had been abandoned had settled in the stands and on the grass, quite excited at seeing a team of Champions, Quidditch captains and ex-seekers (Charlie), as well as Viktor Krum himself, playing a game of Quidditch.
‘So, we can make …’ Harry said slowly. ‘Two chasers, one beater, a Keeper and a Seeker each.’
‘That seems about right,’ George said.
‘Vell, ve already ave our Seekers,’ Krum said, looking at Cedric and Harry.
‘Aren’t you playing Seeker?’ Cho said, sounding slightly disappointed.
‘They ave a bet,’ Adéle explained.
‘It’s alright,’ Cedric said suddenly. We can just base it on whose team wins. Krum can still be Seeker.’
Harry gave him an odd look. ‘Are you sure?’ he said.
Cedric shrugged. ‘Only if you are?’
Harry smiled.
Fred and George, on opposite teams, naturally opted for Beaters. Angelina, Adéle, Cho and Cedric became chasers, while Charlie and Roger Davies made up the Keepers, and lastly Harry and Krum were the Seekers.
‘This is slightly insane,’ Harry muttered under his breath as he mounted his broom.
‘It’s not quite what I meant when I offered you a game of Quidditch,’ Cedric murmured beside him.
Harry snickered. ‘I don’t like Firewhiskey,’ he hinted.
Cedric smirked at him. They took off yet again and once they were up in the air, he answered, ‘I hope you’re not implying that I would try to get you drunk.’
Harry gave him a surprised look, and then grinned.
‘Are we ready?’ Fred yelled. The teams got into position. Any ounce of nervousness that Harry had experienced previously had now been vanquished. He grinned at Fred and gave him the sign that they were ready. Angelina released the balls.
‘One – two – THREE!
Immediately there was a rush of players darting about, and Harry managed to overcome his excitement and fly much higher. He caught Krum out of the corner of his eye circling the pitch, and decided to tail him.
Krum grinned at him. ‘Hallo, Harry. Ve have interesting teams here, no?’ With a small jerk of his broom he darted away, leaving no room for Harry to answer. Harry watched Krum’s broom very carefully. The world-renowned Seeker flew brilliantly; his broom had darted him away from Harry much faster than it should have. Harry tried it. With a thrill he found that it worked. By jerking the broom in a certain direction as he moved, he ended up metres further than he expected. ‘Interesting,’ he said. He returned to looking for the snitch. He glanced over at Krum, who was looking at him. The Seeker then looked down and suddenly dived. On impulse Harry very abruptly rushed forward, but instinct told him to stop and wait.
Wondering if he had just lost the match, Harry watched nervously as Krum’s dive slowed down. Krum then flew lazily along the ground, and then turned to see where Harry was.
Harry grinned. He hadn’t fallen for the Wronski Feint.
‘Very impressive,’ Charlie said, nearby. He was grinning. ‘Look.’ He pointed out the people in the stands who were cheering.
Harry was surprised. Were they cheering for him? After a whole year of being shunned and showered with insults, Harry was actually being cheered for? And not for simply being famous, but for not falling for a famous seeker’s new trick.
‘Well, better not ruin it by not paying attention,’ he thought, feeling better than ever. Still keeping an eye out for the snitch, he realised Krum’s team had scored forty points. Avoiding a bludger, Harry flew higher to have a better view of what was going on. All the chasers seemed to be tangled up together at one end of the pitch. Charlie, playing Keeper, looked like he was trying to avoid being stampeded into and simultaneously protect the goal hoops; Fred and George were battering bludgers at each other with immense glee. The other end of the pitch was empty except for Krum, who flew unconcernedly glancing around for the snitch.
Harry was beginning to get worried. There was no sign of gold. He calmed himself by remembering the last match he had had at the Weasleys, which had last five hours because nobody could find the snitch. Besides, Krum was only human. He wasn’t that brilliant. ‘Well, maybe he is,’ Harry thought as he suddenly glimpsed a flash of gold at the other end of the pitch. And Krum was diving for it.
Harry was struck with apprehension. It was too late for him to dive now. Gripping his broom tightly and wandering if all was lost, he almost fell off with relief when Krum slowed down and looked around. He had lost the snitch. But Harry hadn’t. Suddenly Harry had an idea. He could see the snitch fluttering about the goal hoops at the empty side of the pitch, where Krum was. But the Bulgarian didn’t seem to have noticed it. With great determination Harry suddenly flew as fast as possible in the opposite direction of the snitch, to where a war ensued between the chasers. Charlie seemed to be trying to dodge Chasers, bludgers and Fred and George at the same time. He looked exasperated and amused at the same time. Harry shot round the goal posts, to the confusion of some, and to his delight saw that Krum had followed. He darted into the fold of Chasers, at one point succeeding in grabbing Fred.
‘Get Krum when he’s a metre away,’ he muttered, and continued darting about as he would if trying to catch the snitch. The minute Krum neared, Fred’s bludger shot at him, and he dodged it quickly as Harry knew he would. But it had been enough of a distraction for him to shoot off in the other direction. Luckily the snitch was still there. ‘Come one, Harry,’ he murmured, speeding up as much as his broom would allow. ‘Come on.’
Krum was going to catch up. He just knew it. It dawned on him that Krum had far too many tricks, far too many years of professional Quidditch playing, for him not to catch up and get the snitch. Harry couldn’t possibly win. The goal posts were getting nearer. It would be horrible for Harry to win. Krum losing to him would be disastrous, and Harry would probably be blamed for leaving a blemish in Krum’s reputation rather than receive praise. But these dispiriting thoughts left his head as he drew nearer. He couldn’t lose. He couldn’t lose to Cedric, who had become his friend. Cedric who was going to have to buy him a drink if Harry won. Harry shot forward, and suddenly Krum was next to him, and they both reached out to grab the snitch, but suddenly it halted and sped in the opposite direction. It was lucky for Harry that he had watched Krum’s every move at the Quidditch World Cup, or he wouldn’t have imitated his sudden professional turn upwards that left him flying in the opposite direction, still in sight of the snitch, but upside down. People in the stands were cheering, stamping, chanting. Harry felt another rush of adrenalin. Both he and Krum managed to dodge two bludgers by a hair’s width, and plighted on after the snitch. But they were arriving back at the throng by the other goal posts, and in seconds the little gold ball was lost.
Harry sighed and righted himself, steering clear of another bludger and glancing over at Krum, who was looking at him, surprised. Suddenly someone grabbed his arm. It was Cedric, looking at him with amazement. ‘Where did you learn to do that?’ he said.
‘Do what?’ Harry was confused. Then he realised Cedric was referring to the turn Harry had stolen from Krum. ‘Oh,’ he said. ‘At the Quidditch World Cu -’
But he didn’t manage to finish that final P, as the snitch was fluttering over the stands and he was after it in seconds. Krum followed. In the period they had been chasing the snitch, Krum’s team had scored another ten points. Harry’s team had no chance of winning unless he caught the Snitch. Meanwhile, the snitch seemed unconcerned that the two Seekers were flying at it as fast as possible. Instead it whizzed around the heads of those in the stands, who quickly jumped up and scattered. A bludger suddenly veered in Harry’s way, making him dodge with a yell and collide with the tail of Krum’s broom. When they had both steadied themselves, the snitch was gone. Harry released a breath.
‘This is a very, very good game, Harry Potter,’ Krum said, face serious, still looking about for the snitch. ‘I hope ve can play - ’
They were off again. They tailed the snitch alongside each other, nearing the other end of the pitch. They must have flown the length of the pitch five or six times now, Harry thought. It just so happened that, metres away from the golden ball, someone red-headed – Harry wasn’t sure who, flew directly across his path, making him dive downwards in a panic. With great frustration Harry felt his glasses fall off. And then he felt something uncomfortable up his sleeve. The snitch had shot up the sleeve of Harry’s shirt. In a panic he landed.
With a mixture of excitement and frustration because he couldn’t see, Harry shoved his hand up his shirt and grabbed the Snitch before it could use his trousers as an escape route. Krum landed next to him. At least, he thought it was Krum, if the tall blur was anything to go by, and was reassured when he heard the famous Seeker’s distinctive laugh.
‘The
