He groaned, feeling himself unwillingly returning to consciousness by someone physically shaking him. He waved an arm irritably, hitting out at the one shaking him. "Stoppit," he grunted sleepily. "Let me sleep."
"You need to wake up," Ron said. He reached out to shake Evan again but pulled back when Wisteria and Hedwig popped their heads out from behind Evan's arms and bit and pecked at him, looking crossly up at him.
"Give me one good reason why," Evan said, eyes still closed.
"You missed the Third Task!"
Evan opened an eye and looked up at Ron. "Yeah? I assume Fleur won?" He yawned and rolled over, hugging the two snowy owls to him as he did and they cooed happily and snuggled back against him. "No reason to wake up then if I missed it. Means I can sleep more."
Ron looked at Evan with a bemused expression before looking at a grinning Harry. "Okay, maybe I should've seen that coming too," Ron said, handing Harry a bar of chocolate.
"Told you," Harry laughed, breaking the chocolate into pieces and handing a big one to Ron.
"Is it fair for you to make these bets?" Hermione asked, smiling at him. "Since you and Evan really are almost the same person after all. Hey!" She pouted when Harry did not hand her a piece of chocolate.
"Almost being the operative word," Evan said sleepily and Hedwig and Wisteria nodded at that. "Not exactly the same."
"I suppose that's fair," she conceded, smiling when Harry relented and gave her a piece of chocolate and she kissed him on the cheek. "That does look quite comfortable," she added, smiling as Crookshanks laid over Evan's legs again, slightly miffed at Evan moving and disrupting him, and at the two smugly comfortable looking snowy owls.
"Oh it is very comfortable," Luna said, sitting on the couch and leaning against Evan and the three petlings. "It's very warm," she said dreamily.
"Not that I dislike your company, but why aren't you lot letting me sleep?" Evan asked, yawning.
"Madam Pomfrey wanted me to make sure you were still alive," Harry said. "Since you haven't gone to the Infirmary. She also wants to know how you managed to convince the portrait Lioness to keep her out of the room."
"I don't know anything about that," Evan smiled, feeling the owls giggle in his arms. "She'll have to discuss that with Leona."
"Apparently she did and that's why she's mildly irritated," Harry said with Ron and Hermione laughing. "I told her you were probably sleeping this whole time."
"Which I was," Evan confirmed. "When I wasn't eating though. She could have asked Saint Dobby and Saint Inky."
"That's how she learned that you were awake at some points," Harry said. "Inky is a saint now too?"
"She deserves it because of her baking," Evan said. "And her patience."
"Have you really been sleeping and eating for a whole day?" Ron asked. He frowned at the look Evan gave him.
"As if you haven't done that before," Evan said, grinning at Ron's rude hand gesture and Hermione smacking Ron for said gesture. "But yeah, really. I think I deserved it. I put down Riddle for good and was injured in the process. I need rest and nutrients to recuperate."
"Will you be fit for the Third Task?" Hermione asked.
"Not exactly one-hundred percent, but close to," Evan said without worry. "It'll be enough."
"What happens if you lose because of it?" Ron asked.
Evan shrugged. "I lose. There are worse things than losing a tournament and it won't be like the last one so I'm fine with that. Sometimes you try your best and it isn't good enough and there's nothing wrong with that. I win, great. I lose, that's fine too. I'm still alive, I have my friends and family with me, so no matter how the tournament goes, I already won."
He sat up a little, shifting underneath the owls, the kneazle, and Luna who had fallen asleep on top of him. He made them comfortable and looked at the other three who settled down in seats around the couch. "How're things in the castle?"
"Actually really happy," Harry said, "despite the exams." He smiled apologetically at Hermione who rolled her eyes at him. "Everyone was reading the newspaper this morning and there were a lot of happy people."
"Oh yeah, briefly read it as I ate earlier. One of Rita's finest pieces," Evan nodded.
It really was a very good article. Rita had hidden herself with a camera at an outcrop with an excellent field of view and had gotten the whole battle down in picture form. She then wrote a blow-by-blow account of the battle and it made the front page for obvious reasons. There were snippets included of how the Ministry had been combating the threat of Voldemort returned and his Death Eaters, and how they were finally brought down. Interviews with Dumbledore, Saltina, and Amelia had provided more insight into things and had leant a strong credibility to the article and Wizarding Britain was rejoicing at the final end of Voldemort.
Some of the best pictures were of Evan rising from behind the cliffs, conjuring the storm, Riddle being riddled with lightning, and the climax with Evan dropping Riddle's limp body from the sky and how still he lay on the earth. Despite his identity being known to more than a few, Rita had come up with a moniker for Evan to hide his identity somewhat to spare him extra attention.
Evan rather liked Storm-Caller actually.
He did not truly care if people knew he was Harry from another plane and time, having come to terms with that by now. He and Harry have not only accepted their current roles and lives, but heartily enjoyed being brothers and ignored the minutiae of things that came with it. It was still a mark of respect that Rita had thoughtfully tried to do something pleasant for him and he appreciated it.
"What kind of spell was that?" Hermione asked. "The storm one?"
"Oh, it's a really old one," Evan said. "Essentially you give magic more agency in a way, empowering it with elemental force and it acts as magic would or how it wills."
"So you could have been struck by all the lightning?!" Ron gasped with Harry and Hermione also looking equally shocked.
"Certainly possible," Evan nodded, unperturbed. "But if I've learned anything, magic has a mind and will of her own sometimes and she was tired of Riddle too, tired of his perversions and crimes."
"But he used magic," Ron said slowly. "And there's dark magic too."
"True, but remember that dark magic is one of our definitions," Evan said. "It corrupts a person, sure and does terrible things, but it's still a form of magic. To a point, magic is a means, a magical's will made manifest. But go too far, inflict too much harm on the state of things, then magic has a way of reasserting balance, much like nature."
He shrugged again. "I don't have all the answers or explanations for it, but I had a guess that Riddle was treading a fine line with all he did before and the ritual he did to regain a body. Magic was just willing to even the score and I needed all the help I could get."
"Why didn't you just hit him with lightning spells or other spells?" Harry asked. "Directly?"
"Because I needed him to panic and break," Evan said. "I wanted him to get to a point where he felt that everything was against him and he would try to cut and run. Sure I could hit him with powerful spells and best him that way, which was no guarantee mind, but that probably wouldn't have made him panic to the degree I wanted him to. I needed him to think that not only was he facing someone he couldn't best easily, but that he was so out of his depth, he could only think to run."
"Which is why you had Rita write all those articles," Ron said. "Pissing him off. And then tricking him by pretending to be the mercenaries."
"Exactly," Evan nodded. "Then I revealed everything one by one, starting with Lord Malfoy who used to be his closest supporter, then the wizard he feared most, Professor Dumbledore, then me being me. He was on the back foot from the beginning and he was so confused, he was basically only reacting. Then making him think that magic and the elements were against him broke him, making him break the contract."
"Which is brilliant, by the way," Harry said admiringly.
"I thought so too," Evan said smugly, high-fiving them. "Poetic justice on top of all the other justice."
"Is that why you took that hit?" Hermione asked, frowning at him. "Was that deliberate?"
"Yes and no," Evan said, grinning sheepishly. "I legitimately didn't want Dora to get hit by it, but also took the calculated risk that it wouldn't kill me and I could scare him even more by surviving."
"Reckless!" Hermione scolded, glaring at him.
"You're not wrong," he said, smiling winningly at her. "I learned my lesson." He surreptitiously shook his head at Ron and Harry who snorted while Hermione rolled her eyes at him.
"You better not do anything like that tomorrow night," she said, increasing her glare at him.
"I'll try not to," he said to her loud huff. "But the stakes aren't as high so don't worry, won't risk that much for it."
"Save for the fact that you're incredibly competitive and will do a lot to win," Hermione said.
"Again, you're not wrong," Evan repeated with a smile.
"Would you like to receive more guests?" Leona the Lioness appeared in a picture frame on the wall. "It is Fleur and her friends."
"Sure," Evan said. He smiled when the door opened and the girls entered. "Hey, congratulations!" he said cheerily.
"For what?" Fleur asked. She had smiled seeing Evan awake and liberally covered by the owls, the kneazle, and Luna before looking at him with confusion.
"For winning the TriWizard," Evan said as if it was obvious. "I apparently slept through the Third Task but I assumed you'd win. Oh no, did you miss the last Task too?"
Fleur blinked at him before whipping her head around and staring at Sophie and the others with outright horror who gaped back at her. Sophie took out her watch and opened it, looking at the date. "Wait, it is the 23rd, the Task is not until the 24th."
"You are right," Aimee said as she and Colette hurriedly checked their watches as well.
Fleur's head turned slowly back as she glared murderously at Evan who had covered his mouth with his hands to stifle his laughter while Harry and Ron howled outright and even Hermione was doing her best not to laugh loudly.
"Hey, blame Ron!" Evan laughed as Fleur stomped over. "He was the one who tried to trick me with that." He grinned as Ron tried to hide behind a still laughing Harry, wincing at the glares from Fleur and the others but the others were beginning to snicker and laugh too.
He held a finger to his lips as Fleur looked down at him, still looking thunderous. "Shh, they're sleeping," he said, petting the snoozing owls and cat and rubbing Luna on the back.
"I hate you," she mouthed pawkily, her gaze softening ever so slightly. She shook her head when he winked back at her, flushing slightly when he mouthed something back, looking pleased.
-0-
The next day came and the weather was balmy and idyllic. A sense of festive glee was filling the castle. The last of the exams were finished that day and people were looking forward to the end of the TriWizard Tournament, seeing who would take the coveted title and Cup at the end. A lot of chatter filled the air and heads turned when Evan walked into the Great Hall.
He waved genially at the mass of students, undisturbed by the whispers. More than a few had figured out it was him who had fought Voldemort and he was completely unbothered by looks of awe or the whispered conversations that people held. He continued to walk to the Gryffindor tables with both Wisteria and Hedwig sitting on his shoulders, fluffed and comfortable.
"Hey, you're awake," Harry said as Evan sat down across from him. He smiled when Hedwig fluttered to him, hugging her as she barked warmly at him before she helped herself to his bacon.
"Might as well be," Evan grinned as he put an array of breakfast foods on a plate for both snowy owls. He then served himself and dug in hungrily. "I've rested up and prepared for it as much as I am for most things. Now to fuel up and give it my best."
"Potter." McGonagall smiled when Harry and Evan both looked up at her. "Evan Potter," she amended, shaking her head when Harry wiped his brow with a hand, looking relieved, while Evan looked vaguely panicked. "Stop that," she chided, smiling even wider.
"Stop what?" the Potters said, high-fiving each other and making McGonagall groan.
"Are you sure you are not practicing that?" she asked dryly.
"Maybe," Harry said.
"Possibly," Evan said at the same time and they both groaned in disappointment with identical tones and expressions. "We got to work on that."
"Please do not," McGonagall said, sighing when both Potters gave her similar expressions of wounded innocence. "Come along then, Evan, when you finish eating." She smiled warmly at him. "Your family is waiting for you. The families of the Champions came to spend time with them before the Task."
Evan blinked for a moment before getting up, smiling once more. "Can't keep them waiting then," he said. "See you lot later." After waving to Harry and the others, he followed McGonagall to the small side room in the foyer of the castle and caught a jumping Dora. "Hey sis!"
"Hey bro!" Dora hugged him hard before it was Andromeda, Sirius, and Ted's turn to hug him.
"Thanks for coming out," Evan said, smiling happily.
"Wouldn't miss it," Sirius grinned, clapping Evan on the shoulder. "How're you feeling, by the way?"
"Almost good as new, since Auntie Andi is the best healer around," Evan said. He thumped his chest hard with a clenched fist before wincing slightly, giving Andromeda a sheepish look as she frowned at him. "I did say almost."
"Mmhmm," Andromeda hummed, waving her wand over him. She stopped when she noticed a small girl run over and jump onto Evan too, blinking with surprise. "And who is this?" she asked, smiling at the girl with bright blonde hair.
"This is Gabrielle," Evan said, who had caught her easily. "Fleur's little sister."
"Hello!" Gabrielle said brightly, waving at the others.
"Gabi!" Fleur walked over with Sebastian and Apolline, smiling at Evan and nodding politely at the Tonkses and Sirius before frowning at her little sister once more. "Don't just do that!"
"You do it!" Gabrielle retorted, making Fleur flush and her parents laugh. Andromeda's eyes widened and Sirius grinned broadly, giving Evan a look.
"News to me," Evan muttered, pointedly ignoring Andromeda's smile and glaring at a mirthful Sirius.
"Something you want to tell us?" Sirius asked teasingly.
"Yeah, actually, looks like you have a grey hair there," Evan said, pointing at Sirius' head.
"What? No I don't." Sirius conjured a mirror and looked into it with sudden concern. "I don't have a grey hair, do I?"
"I wouldn't call it grey," Dora said unhelpfully. "Light black maybe? Or charcoal? That's a color, right? That's not quite black but not quite grey either?"
"Hate you two so much," Sirius fretted, glaring at a laughing Dora and Evan.
"Andromeda Tonks," Andromeda said, introducing herself to the very amused Delacours. "My Husband, Edward who also goes by Ted. My daughter Nymphadora who goes by Dora." She ignored Dora's pawky look. "And Sirius Black."
"Pleasure," Sebastian said warmly. "Sebastian and Apolline Delacour. Our daughters Fleur and Gabrielle."
Apolline looked at Evan closely. "You look and feel a bit different compared to the last time we met," she said with a sincere smile. "Of course that was just after you did a very difficult Task, but you are more relaxed now despite the Task to come."
"Feeling a bit better about things overall," Evan said. "Got a lot done the other day."
"Ah yes, the matter with the mercenaries and the what you call the Death Eaters?" Sebastian shook his head. "We had our border locked down after the group left our shores and were waiting to hear what would happen in case they would return. I am very happy to hear that all went well."
"Very well," Evan said, smiling at the memory.
"Ahhh, so that is where the torc went," Apolline said, seeing the silver torc around Evan's neck. "I saw Fleur purchase that and was curious, especially when I did not hear of it after Christmas nor see it anywhere."
"Maman," Fleur growled through gritted teeth and pink cheeks.
"I'm wearing the socks that you gave Fleur," Gabrielle said. "They're so warm and comfy!"
"Hey those are mine!" Fleur cried, seeing the socks.
"Oooh, already dressing each other?" Dora grinned, waggling her eyebrows at Evan.
"I dress you too, or do you not want the leather jacket anymore," Evan asked, narrowing his eyes at her.
"You're not taking this back," Dora hissed, pulling her jacket tighter.
"How about we spend the rest of the time together," Sirius suggested. "We can show you around the school and get to know each other." He winked at Evan. "Might be doing a lot of that soon looks like."
"Sounds fun to me," Sebastian said eagerly, smiling at Fleur's look and sigh.
"Was going to happen sooner or later," Evan said, nudging her with his shoulder.
"I suppose," she replied, nudging him back with a smile.
-0-
Darkness fell and lights sprang into being all around the transformed quidditch pitch and created arena. The hedge maze was fully grown and made for a large and imposing field for the Champions to make their way through. Large mirrors hung in the air and their surfaces cycled through different images of different parts of the maze, showing off the interior of the maze to the watchers. The seats were comfortable and enlarged to allow for more guests to sit and watch and they were completely full. The students from the three schools mingled comfortably with members of the ICW, the Ministry, and the school staff doing the same.
Harry and his friends sat with the Tonkses, Sirius, Amelia, Remus, and even Saltina who had come. The Dealcours joined them with Fleur's friends and they sat in prime position, right between two mirrors and right where the final point was: a large ziggurat where the gleaming TriWizard Cup sat. Luna made signs for Evan and Fleur, much to the delight of her friends and family, and they waved both with equal enthusiasm.
"May we join you?"
Harry and the others looked up with surprise seeing Lucius, Narcissa, and Draco there. There were also a few of the other Slytherins students there with them, looking as awkward as the other students did.
"Of course," Andromeda said, making room.
"Thank you," Narcissa said, smiling at her sister and nodding at the flabbergasted others. "We would like to support Evan as well."
"The more the merrier," Sirius said with a smile.
"Harry," Draco said quietly but politely as he sat down on the row below Harry and the others.
"Draco," Harry replied, feeling odd and not at the same time.
"This is weird," Ron muttered.
Draco smiled wanly. "A little," he agreed and the air between them all softened slightly.
"And here we are!" Dumbledore held his arms up and his smile was wide enough for everyone to see. He stood at the entrance to the maze with the four Champions arrayed behind him. "The Third and final Task for our Champions to overcome! They must enter the maze and brave the challenges within and the first to reach the Cup will become the TriWizard Champion! Let us once more celebrate our Champions! Fleur Delacour! Viktor Krum! Cedric Diggory! Evan Potter!"
The crowd cheered and whistled and applauded as the names were called, with each school loudly shouting for their school's champion. All of those in attendance cheered for Evan when he was announced and he waved genially back, grinning easily.
"If you are stuck within and need to be retrieved, send up red sparks," Dumbledore told the Champions. "You will be rescued but be forced to start over. Remember, many tactics are allowed within, but we will be watching." He pointed up to the mirrors. "They will focus on one of you at a time so all can see and challenge the maze alongside you. So anything you do, will be shown. Any questions?"
"I have a question," Evan said, raising a hand. "Why wasn't the name of the Tournament changed when there were four chosen Champions?"
Dumbledore snorted at Evan's insincerely innocent look and the crowd laughed. "Because we liked the alliteration of TriWizard Tournament," Dumbledore said with amusement.
"You know what, fair," Evan grinned. He looked over at the other three Champions when Dumbledore strode off to confer with some officials and the other Heads of the Schools. "Good luck to all of you," he said, offering his hand to them. "May the fastest and luckiest Champion get to the Cup first and win it all."
"Not the best Champion?" Cedric asked, shaking his hand.
"Nah, we're all pretty great," Evan said.
"I like that," Viktor said, shaking Evan's hand warmly and firmly.
"And you two won't be helping each other?" Cedric asked, giving Fleur a look.
"The only one who will defeat him will be me," Fleur said confidently. "I will not allow any other to take that right from me."
"Exactly how an older sibling would speak," Viktor said with knowing weariness and laughed when Cedric and Fleur nodded with him.
"Oh guess that counts for me too," Evan said. "That's pretty funny and cool if you ask me." He put his hand in the middle. "First to the Cup!"
"First to the Cup!" the others said together, also putting their hands into the middle on top of his.
The Champions took their marks and at the sound of a loud gong, they ran into the maze. Viktor and Evan had been fine with all the Champions entering at the same time and soon they were swallowed by the immense hedge maze, running off into different directions to the cheering of the watchers.
The Third Task of the TriWizard Tournament had begun.
-0-
Fleur resisted the urge to scream out of fright when her sight suddenly disappeared. One moment, she was stepping into an open area in the maze, seeing everything normally, and the next it was as if utter night had fallen, not even the glimmer of stars and the moon to aid in seeing. She whipped her head back and forth, unable to see anything. She reached out with one hand and felt nothing, tightening her grip on her wand.
She shuffled forward slowly, unwilling to take big steps. She could hear her own breathing as her breaths quickened. Her mind raced and after a moment she stopped, tilting her head. She could just barely hear more sounds, faint and muffled. The Champions had noticed that the sounds from outside the maze had been dampened, but still discernible. Here in this space of darkness, she felt like she could hear things more clearly.
After flicking her wand a few times, aiming all around her, she smiled as she heard the distant sound of her magic hitting stone, making an audible noise. She then took a deep breath and began to sing. Her voice flowed around her, melodic and sweet. As she sang, she listened carefully and her smile grew when she could hear a difference in the song based on where she was facing, on how the song came back to her.
She walked forward with confident steps and as soon she crossed an unseen threshold, her sight returned to her. She cheered when she realized she had crossed the space and was now back on track within the maze.
-0-
"That is my daughter!" Sebastian cried out with pride as the watchers cheered for Fleur.
"Miss Delacour has beaten the darkness trap with style!" Dumbledore announced, applauding with them. "She kept her wits about her and used her voice to find the path. Very well done!"
"That was cleverly done," Andromeda said with admiration.
It had been a thrilling start to the task. The mirrors regularly cycled through the four Champions, showing them as they traversed the maze and overcame the challenges that lay before them. Viktor had fallen into a pit through a false floor and was surrounded by a carpet of angry crake. Viktor had fought his way out by encasing the majority of them in ice and then transfiguring the ice into a ramp that he was able to escape the pit from.
Cedric had almost fallen into another pit that was filled with a sticky morass that reached out to him and tried to drag him in. He had managed to conjure ropes and stuck them to opposite ends of the pit and then swung across, barely dodging tendrils of sticky material with thoughts of apparent mal-intent.
"Look!" Luna pointed to a mirror that showed Evan stepping cautiously into an open space. The area was dotted with pools of thick red fluid and he looked about with suspicion and wariness.
"Uh oh," Sirius said.
"What do you mean by that?" Harry asked, alarmed.
"Pretty sure those are Red Cap pools," Sirius said with a wince.
"What are Red Caps?" Ginny asked.
"Magical creatures that share ancestry with elves and goblins," Andromeda said. "They are drawn to blood and bloodshed, which is how they got their names. Their caps are stained with blood. They are also very violent and-"
People gasped as showers of blood filled the air and Red Caps burst from the pools. Their narrow features were twisted with anger and bloodlust and they jumped on Evan, wielding hooks and clubs and daggers. They swung their arms and screeched at him as he was drowned in bodies.
"Oh no!" Aimee gasped and others cried out in alarm. The cries of alarm became exclamations of surprise as the Red Caps were thrown back in all directions.
"Did he just kick one in the face?!" Colette gasped, watching as Evan repeated his action and bodily chest-kicked a Red Cap back into a pool of blood.
"He's brawling with them," Ted laughed.
Evan, after throwing them off with a repulsion charm, had dug into his bag and put on a pair of silver knuckles and was throwing punches and kicking the Red Caps with equal fervor and intent. He had slipped his wand into a holster on his wrist and fought back physically against the small creatures with skill.
"Go Evan!" Dora shouted and Wisteria and Hedwig barked with encouragement, dancing up and down as they flapped their wings.
"And now he's using one to beat the others," Sirius laughed.
Evan used his wand to conjure a chain and wrapped one end around the ankle of the biggest Red Cap. He swung energetically, using the captured creature like a mace and flail and battered the other Red Caps until they fled squealing. He then released the chained one by dispelling the chain and kicking the Red Cap away. He then flipped the pools off before leaving the area.
"I thought he had relaxed some," McGonagall groaned from where she sat with the other instructors and professors and school personnel.
"Oddly, I think he has," Dumbledore said with a small smile. "Did you notice his expression during the fight? He was smiling. He was enjoying himself."
"I'm glad you made that deal with him, Father," Draco said, his eyes wide.
"As am I," Lucius said sincerely.
-0-
Evan continued to plunge deeper into the maze. He smiled softly as his wand spun in his hand and pointed towards the north, another memory that was somehow slightly less painful to him now. With a soft whispered thanks, he continued on and came into another opening. As he stepped deeper into the area, a large shadow loomed over him and he rolled out of the way, his wand up.
He blinked when he saw the large sphinx there, blocking the way. She looked just like how he remembered her: a beautiful woman's head on the body of an impressive lion. She sat in the exit of the space, looking down at Evan. At first her gaze was imperious and foreboding before her eyes narrowed slightly, her head tilting quizzically.
"Wow, I almost forgot about meeting you," Evan said enthusiastically, standing up and aiming his wand down. "It's so good to see you again!"
"What…who are you?" the sphinx asked, definitely confused.
"I know the answer to that!" Evan said brightly. "I'm Evan Harry James Potter, from another time and another plane. I'm also the Fourth Champion, which you know otherwise I wouldn't be in this maze. That was your riddle, right?"
The sphinx blinked a few times before she threw her head back and laughed. It was a warm and throaty laugh, boisterous even, filling the air. Evan could not help but laugh with her and the watchers stared at the mirrors with shock at the unfolding events.
"I don't think I've ever seen a laughing sphinx," Hagrid said, awed.
The sphinx rose and stepped daintily to one side. "I would like to speak to you again, afterwards," she said, still giggling as Evan walked past and bowed respectfully to her.
"Me too! Thanks and talk to you later!" Evan said as he walked past.
Saltina laughed until tears streamed from her eyes. "I like him very much," she wheezed.
-0-
Evan rounded the corner and stopped as he looked into the next area. He could see the ziggurat now in the near distance instead of the far distance. It appeared there were only a few more hedges in between him and the exit and it would only take a short time to clear the maze completely.
Yet something felt off to him. The space here was large and empty, devoid of anything apparent. If anything, it looked like it was recently enlarged, as in since the beginning of the Task. Some smaller rock formations and things had been pushed over, making the space more open and clear.
A flicker of motion made him raise his wand a little and he smiled. "Did you do this?" he asked.
"I did," Viktor said, nodding. "I thought it would be a good space for a proper duel."
"How long did it take you?"
"Only a few moments and had just finished when you appeared." Viktor grinned. "Not long enough for me to have left the maze and gone for the Cup."
"So you waited for me?" Evan asked, grinning back.
Viktor nodded. "I have been wanting to duel you and well, this is how you say…as good as a time as any?"
"What if someone else came out first?"
"I figured you would be right behind me if you were not ahead. However, I would have incapacitated them without warning, unlike you."
Evan grinned more. "Afraid of what I'd do if I was attacked without warning?"
"Afraid? No. Aware of and wanting to avoid, yes." They laughed together. "But also I wanted a fair fight."
"Dueling me means more than winning the Tournament?" Evan asked. "As a friend once said, you might need to get your priorities in order."
Viktor chuckled. "Perhaps." He shrugged. "Do you know why I like being Seeker?"
"Fame, fortune, the attention of others of an adoring and naughty nature?" Evan asked innocently, making Viktor laugh loudly.
"Yes, but because while Quidditch is a team sport, Seekers still compete against the other Seeker. The game only ends when the Snitch is caught and only the Seeker can catch it. So usually, the best Seeker is the one that catches the Snitch."
Viktor looked at Evan directly. "I like the challenge. I like to compete against others. I like being the best." He pointed with his hand at Evan. "You are very good. So I want to compete against you directly and see between us two, who is the best."
"That's probably one of the sweetest things anyone has ever said to me," Evan said, fluttering his eyes. "And the recent rumors of me putting down a certain dark arsehole doesn't scare you?"
"No, it makes me want to duel you even more," Viktor said with a hungry smile. "So, how about it?"
Evan smiled back, holding his wand arm out and bowed at the waist. Viktor returned the gesture and both young men took up formal dueling positions.
A silence fell over the entire arena as suddenly all the mirrors focused on Evan and Viktor. Most of them were already showing them and everyone heard their conversation and now they watched with held and bated breath.
Viktor was the first to act. He flicked his wand and a line of spikes erupted from the ground, breaking a trail straight towards Evan. They grew in size and sharpness the closer they got to him and the line became three, converging on him.
Evan flicked his wand downwards and stomped hard with his right foot, sending out a ripple in the earth that collided with the incoming lines of spikes. It was like two waves crashing against each other, sending a shower of spikes and earth into the air. With another gesture, Evan drew the free flying earth and rock towards him and then shot it out towards Viktor, moving laterally as he did.
Viktor moved as well, transfiguring the incoming debris into sand that fell harmlessly to the ground. He then shot a barrage of spells at Evan, a combination of stinger, stunner, and bludgeoning spells while moving laterally as well. He moved with a grace that he normally only had in the air.
A summoned shield charm blocked the majority of the incoming spells, the surface of the shield ringing from the impacts. Evan slapped away the rest of the spells with sharp slashes of his wand, sending them careening into the hedge walls and stone formations around him. He reached into his bag and withdrew a handle of small objects that he threw into the air and then grew magically. Viktor rolled and dodged suddenly gigantic jacks that fell around him, enlarged thousands of times into large metallic objects that thudded into the ground.
Now the watchers were full of noise. They cheered and gasped, watching the duel with high enthusiasm. People marveled at the dueling display and conversations filled the air along with people shouting their encouragement to the one they favored.
"This is incredible!" Flitwick cheered as he watched Viktor send the large jacks flying towards Evan who deflected some, dissolved others, and shrank the last few before impact.
"Go Evan!" Harry and his friends cheered with Draco and the other friendly Slytherins doing the same without reservation.
Evan blasted Viktor back with a concentrated cone of conjured wind before he stopped suddenly and rolled, flicking his wand and deflecting a spell with a shield. He rolled to his feet and looked to the side. "Good shot," he said.
Cedric came out of a side passage and grinned. "Not good enough, sadly," he said.
"Not very sporting of you," Evan said with a smile.
Cedric snorted. "Sporting? This is a free-for-all. Only one person can win this. Now I know I can't take you on by myself and no offense," he looked at Viktor, "you aren't exactly winning right now against him by yourself."
Viktor said nothing, frowning slightly.
"In the end, this is a competition, and well, no hard feelings?" Cedric said, aiming his wand at Evan.
"No hard feelings," Evan nodded. He shot a stream of spells at Cedric and Viktor, dodging back and avoiding the counter fire. Cedric focused his attention on Evan and after a moment's hesitation, Viktor did the same, both young men arrayed against the third.
Some people booed at the turn of events while others cheered all the louder and conversations once more filled the air.
"I didn't think Diggory had it in him," Blaise Zabini said, looking on with approval.
"That's not fair!" Luna said angrily.
"Sadly, it is a competition and Diggory is not wrong," Draco said sheepishly.
"He's holding his own," Dora said proudly, watching as Evan redirected a large boulder shot by Cedric back at Viktor who narrowly avoided it.
"He'll be okay," Hermione said, seeing Harry wince.
"I'm just a little worried if he takes it…more 'seriously'," Harry said back. "You know, since he's outnumbered and he's used to taking duels a lot more seriously."
"Oh, good point," Hermione said with an identical wince.
"I think he'll be good at holding back," Ron said. He too winced when Cedric transfigured multiple stones into large dogs that all charged at Evan. "Hopefully."
Evan bit back a curse as he was attacked by the suddenly transfigured pack of attack dogs, kicking some back and sending others flying. A few managed to close the gap and struck him with heavy paws and bit him once or twice but thankfully could not maintain their grip. Evan stomped the ground again and the ground became sticky and soft, causing the dogs to sink down and get trapped. Evan dodged back and undid the transfiguration, turning them into stones once more. He turned and faced the charging Cedric and Viktor but his incantation was cut off by a large blast of fire that filled the space between them.
He rolled back and looked at another passageway. "Really?!" he shouted, exasperated. "Fine!" He took a low crouch, his wand arm up and wandpoint forward and holding his left hand up and palm flat, facing the others.
Fleur stepped into the space, her wand aimed at Evan. She looked at him cooly before she looked at Cedric and Viktor who had put out the fire and was looking at her with some surprise. She took another step, then another, getting closer and closer. On the last step, she turned smoothly, aiming her wand at the other two young men whose jaws dropped open.
"Wait, hold on," Cedric said, growing more alarmed. "Even with us two, it wasn't a guarantee. With the three of us, we'd have the best chance."
"Perhaps," Fleur said. "But I did warn you, Mister Diggory, only I will have the honor and the pleasure in defeating Evan. No one will take that from me."
"That makes no sense," Cedric argued.
She shrugged and smiled. "I am French."
"That's so romantic," Sophie sighed with her friends nodding in agreement.
Evan looked up at her, his smile growing when she winked back at him. There was a short pause in the ensuing silence before he flicked his wand at her. A shield formed and blocked the spell that Viktor cast at her. Without flinching, Fleur cast a series of spells at Cedric, making him dodge back. Evan rose from his crouch and leapt forward, standing at Fleur's side and the two of them took on Cedric and Viktor together.
A roar filled the air as the watchers screamed and cheered at the latest turn of events. The mirrors all showed the four Champions dueling with each other, two versus two. Spells flew back and forth as the four of them fought.
"He is defending her as much as he is himself," Andromeda said, hand to her heart as they watched. Evan frequently cast shield charms to block spells that were aimed at Fleur or threw rocks into the way of other spells. At one point he had bodily pulled her out of the way of a spell and she had leaned into it with complete trust, spinning with the momentum and maintaining pressure on Viktor with more spells cast his way.
Apolline gasped when Fleur sent a torrent of water at Cedric and Evan froze it as it flew at Cedric, turning the water into a sheet of ice that knocked Cedric over. "What teamwork!" she gasped.
"They really got used to dueling with each other with the practices," Colette said admiringly.
Fleur aimed her wand at the downed Cedric and flung him into the air at the same time Evan conjured wind to do the same. The combined spells sent him flying out of the maze at a dangerously high speed, making the watchers scream. Evan cursed and he aimed his wand at the ground. With a shout, he flung himself high by banishing the ground and aimed at Cedric who was tumbling towards the ground. "Arresto Momentum!" As he fell back to earth, Fleur slowed his descent with her own spell and the both of them turned on Viktor.
Cedric slowed right before impact and hit the ground with a bone-jarring thump instead of a bone-crushing crunch. He landed outside the boundaries of the maze and shook his head drunkenly, regaining his balance and wits. When he realized where he landed, he groaned out loud but stood up and took off at a flat run back to the beginning of the maze, desperate to try and make his way through once more.
Viktor managed to keep Evan and Fleur at bay for long moments before he was finally hit with a fully maximized banishing spell, sending him flying. Evan had aimed him towards a hedge wall, thinking he'd either bounce off the hedge or get stuck within it. Instead, much to everyone's surprise, Viktor went through the wall, the one behind it, and the one behind it, for some distance.
"Oops," Evan said sheepishly, the mirrors focused on his befuddled expression making the watchers laugh. "I didn't think it was that strong. What happened…oh."
The edges of the hole in the hedge wall were smoldering, the plant life burning away and the wall sagged in two. An armored form came crawling through it, clicking angrily as it scuttled towards them, waving a large stinger tail.
"Dammit Hagrid," Evan groaned.
"What on earth is that?!" Fleur gaped.
"A Blast-Ended Skrewt," Evan sighed. "Think fire crab, scorpion, and angry unreasonable chihuahua in a giant insectoid body with magic resistant shell." Loud growling caught his attention and he turned to see a group of Red Caps come out of one of the side paths, waving weapons angrily. They saw him and shouted, making their way towards him. "You dumb little bastards want more?" Evan shouted back, unperturbed.
He took a small step backwards with Fleur doing the same, watching the Skrewt crawl closer. They bumped into each other, back-to-back, and paused, turning their heads slightly to look at each other. After a moment, Evan grinned lopsidedly and Fleur's eyes sparkled.
He reached into his trusty bag and withdrew four long silver knives. With quick motions, he threw a knife into the ground around them, forming a rough square before he incanted swiftly, stabbing the ground with his wand at the center of the square. Fleur incanted swiftly as well and tapped her throat with her wand, taking a deep breath. When Evan knelt down to stab the earth, she let out a piercing note with her magical enhanced voice, sending a soundwave out around them. The force of her voice knocked the closest Red Caps over and made the Skrewt stop, shivering from the sound.
Evan rose to his feet, pulling hard with his wand. A long and heavy whip made of stone came up with his wand, connected to the tip. Parts of the whip were connected by the knives and Evan turned, swinging hard. The heavy stone mass scythed out, knocking Red Caps over and then sending one flying high into the air when hit directly by the end of the whip. He kept moving, swinging his body and arms, using the whip as both weapon and shield, knocking the small belligerent creatures down and over while keeping them back and deflecting thrown weapons aimed at him and Fleur.
He twisted around and threw the end of the whip out straight, hitting one of the Skrewt's front legs, making it topple with a loud hiss. Fleur spun her wand and pulled hard with both arms and the Skrewt continued to tumble, rolling over and over. She waved her wand and the ground in front of the beast was suddenly slicked with oil, making the creature tumble and roll even faster.
Evan wrapped the end of the whip around the front part of the Skrewt and shouted, throwing himself to the side with herculean effort. The Skrewt was thrown through the air and it landed onto the biggest group of Red Caps, knocking them over and sending them flying in all directions before it was plowed into the hedge maze, breaking through walls with ease due to the strength of the throw.
Not all of the Red Caps had been knocked over by the flying Skrewt and lost to their bloodlust, they charged but were met by Fleur standing her ground and casting her spells. Some were frozen solid, others thrown high into the air and away from them, and others slumped over, stunned or unconscious.
"This is incredible!" Hermione cried as the watchers cheered the two Champions on, watching them fight side-by-side.
"She looks so happy," Apolline smiled, watching her daughter.
Evan heard ominous clicking and heavy thumps, looking up and sighing once more as a very large Acromantula broke through the hedge wall opening, towering over them. He looked back where he threw the Skrewt before nodding. "Hold it off!" He conjured a large stone bowl and filled it with bright crackling fire, sending it to Fleur.
She nodded and made the bowl stop in front of her. She weaved a pattern with her wand and started flicking and slashing with her wand. Her magic picked up the conjured flames and shapes and missiles of fire went flying out at the Acromantula. Some of the shots landed, making the gargantuan spider hiss in pain and anger while others flew all around, making it dance on eight segmented legs as it tried to push forward towards them.
Evan ran towards the passage, stopping only to kick a Red Cap that swung a club at him in passing. When he looked in, he grinned at the broken hedge wall, seeing the Skrewt right itself. Evan whistled loudly and shot bright lights at the Skrewt. "Hey! Come here!"
The Skrewt roared and went, scuttling swiftly. Fire exploded out of its rear and surged forward, eating the distance between it and Evan rapidly. Evan turned and ran, continuing to shoot lights at the Skrewt. As he got close to Fleur, he whistled loudly and jumped forward, right arm outstretched.
At his whistle, Fleur sent the last of the fire at the Acromantula, one last blast in the shape of a large avian, making it stop for a moment. She turned and jumped in the same movement, reaching out for Evan too. Their hands met, fingers entwined, and she rolled into his grip, hooking her free arm around his neck as he pulled her close. She felt herself be pulled and the two apparated away as the Skrewt flew through the space they once were, barreling straight into the Acromantula. The two magical beasts rolled and fought with one another instead, venting their rage at the immediate target.
Evan and Fleur reapparated outside the maze, landing at the maze's exit and in the open ground leading up to the ziggurat. Evan incanted once more, aiming at the exit, and a wall of stone grew into the air, blocking the rest of the maze off. A thunderous applause filled the air as the watchers cheered at the dramatic turn of events, fully enthralled and entertained.
"You can apparate on the grounds?" Fleur asked, staring at him.
"Uh, yeah," Evan nodded.
"So you could have apparated to the Cup?"
"I guess I could have, but where's the fun in that?" Evan said with a shrug. "I wanted to win this fair and square." He flushed lightly at her look and turned towards the large stone structure with the gleaming Cup on top. "So, want to rock, paper, scissors to see who gets to run first?"
Another sudden hush fell over the audience and out in the open, the sounds of the crowd were not as diminished or muffled. Noticing the change, Evan looked around before turning and seeing Fleur standing a few steps away, her wand pointed at him. He blinked and then smiled. "Why do I get the feeling we're going to be doing this a lot?"
Fleur blushed lightly and smiled just as broadly, her eyes glittering with amusement and affection. "So sure of that?"
"Sure? No. Hoping? Well, as long as we kiss and make up after," he said, batting his eyes at her while he too took a ready stance.
"You are so very irritating," Fleur said, smiling even more.
"You love it."
"I do," she admitted before flicking her wand and sending a bright blue spell his way. She moved as she cast, not holding back and continued the magical barrage. He in turn deflected the majority of them, ducking and dodging others that he could before retaliating, forcing her to defend. Spells collided in mid-air, exploding into showers of sparks and magical energy.
Evan wove his wand through a series of movements, incanting rapidly. He cut a hole into the ground and filled it with water. The water's surface rolled and crashed before several large tentacles appeared, formed by the water. They shot out at Fleur, reaching and grasping. Fleur deflected them with economical wand movements and applied spells before freezing the water, making the tentacles fall and break. Another wave evaporated the water, turning it into a dense smoke that she blew at Evan.
Her eyes widened as Evan took a deep breath and seemingly inhaled the smoke before he blew it back out at her in the form of fire. She spun her arm around her, conjuring her own flames that acted as a firebreak, absorbing the blown fire and making the flames encircle her before she dispelled it all. "Your singing could use some work," she shouted as she sent a barrage of stunners and bludgeoners at Evan.
"You're the expert," Evan grinned, throwing up a jack that he enlarged once more to absorb all of the spells, making it break into pieces. He banished the shards of metal at her and she blew them away.
"He respects her," Apolline said with remarkable calm and approval, watching her daughter duel with more than a little seriousness. "He is not holding back at all. Good!"
"They are flirting while dueling," Sophie sighed. "So romantic."
"Seriously, puts the rest of us to shame," Ron said, shaking his head with outright admiration. "I have trouble doing it when I'm not trying to stay alive in a duel."
"You do okay," Lavender said, smiling at him.
"Hear that?" Ron said, puffing his chest out.
"I did, good show," Harry said loudly and slowly, snorting when Ron pushed him.
Fleur blasted the ground with a bombardment spell, filling the air with dust and debris. She charged into the obscuring cloud, conjuring a long rapier that she held in her right hand, transferring her wand to her left. She lunged forward and was shocked to feel something equally metallic strike the rapier in her hand, parrying it. When the dust settled, she saw Evan standing his ground, also holding a rapier.
"Of course you can fence as well," she said through gritted teeth.
"Well, you did teach me," Evan said before narrowing his eyes. "You were going to stab me?!"
"I aimed at nothing vital!" Fleur said, coloring a little. "And it would have stunned you on impact with only a chance at breaking skin!"
Another roar filled the air as the duel became more close with Evan and Fleur sword fighting with as much skill as they did with their wands. They pushed at each other, dancing back and forth with quick steps while jabbing and thrusting with their blades and sending the occasional spell at each other. After a flurry of blows, they crashed against each other, hilt to hilt, and Fleur aimed her wand at Evan. Her eyes widened when Evan reached out with his left hand, showing no wand. His hand gently cupped the back of her neck and he drew her into a searing kiss.
After the briefest hesitation, she leaned into the kiss and their swords fell away, first aimed at the ground before both of them dropped them entirely. It was much like their first kiss from six months prior, amid the falling snow. It was as furious as fire, as fierce as wind, sweet like the spring and warm like the summer. This time there was no hesitancy, no wondering or seeking. It was comfort and emotion and everything in between.
"I'm so jealous," Colette grumbled as a soft sigh and whistles filled the air from the crowd watching.
Finally the kiss was broken for want and air and Fleur blinked slowly, almost drunkenly. She started to move and was stopped by something holding her left wrist back, and making her stumble slightly. She turned and gasped, seeing a chain encircling her left wrist and her right ankle, connecting them and hampering her. The chain continued to grow, wrapping around her as soft as silk, trapping her completely. Not only that, her wand was gone from her hand and when she turned back, Evan stood a step away, her wand in his hand and a smile on his lips.
"Be right back," he said and tucked her wand in her right sleeve, in a way where she could not twist to grab it. He ran backwards a few steps, eyes bright and merry.
"I HATE YOU!" Fleur shouted and all could hear without any magical enhancement. Yet through the shout, there was no denying her smile.
Evan turned and ran towards the ziggurat, laughing freely and widely as the crowd roared at the sudden turn of events. He reached into his bag and threw something forward, jumping as the broom returned to normal size. Landing on it with his feet, the broom took off with him surfing it, much to the surprise of most of the watchers. He flew towards the Cup to riotous applause and cheers before he suddenly skidded to a stop, a handbreadth away.
The crowd stopped cheering, murmuring in confusion at why he stopped on the cusp of victory.
"What is he doing?" Narcissa asked, puzzled, as they watched him wave his wand over the TriWizard Cup.
Dumbledore groaned, covering his eyes with a hand. "I think he is checking to ensure it is not a Portkey," he sighed.
"Can you blame him?" Aberforth snorted.
Evan nodded when his spells told him that the Cup was not a Portkey. He wheeled around, flying away a small distance before pivoting back and flew swiftly once more. He leaned down and snatched up the Cup as he passed, flying up and punching the air with one hand and holding the Cup with the other. Fireworks filled the air and the crowd erupted into frenzied cheering as the Fourth Champion became the TriWizard Champion.
Yet again, the watchers were surprised when Evan did not go towards the Champion's dais, tacking away instead and flying down to Fleur who stood there with arms crossed and fighting a smile, the chain having dissolved soon after Evan left. When he came to a stop before her, she pointed down at the ground with one finger, raising an eyebrow.
With that same grin, Evan hopped off the broom and made a show of cleaning the seat before offering a hand. She took it gracefully and sat side-saddle, wrapping her arms warmly and tightly about his middle when he mounted the broom in front of her. She held the Cup for him as he took off but once more, instead of going to the dais, he zoomed over the maze, looking down.
Cedric looked up at his whistle, having stopped when he heard the cheering. With a confused look, he shook his head and grinned when Evan threw down another broom. Then they flew over the maze some more before finding Viktor who had finally come to a rest in a clearing in the maze. They revived him too and with yet another broom from Evan's bag, they flew together into the air and finally headed for the dais to much applause.
The subsequent article about the ending of the TriWizard was just as popular as the one Rita wrote about the end of Voldemort. It was an assessment of the entire Final Task with plenty of snippets provided by the watchers, describing what they saw and felt. There were a plethora of pictures and the most popular of them were of the four Champions flying to the dais together, of each Champion surrounded by friends and family. The most popular of them all was of Evan standing there with a pair of snowy owls roosting in the Cup, with Fleur beside him. He wore a smile of pride and vindication. She wore a smile of genuine warmth and shared glee.
It was a picture of a well-earned victory.