Harry ignored the sudden increase in noise and trotted into the maze. The path in front of him continued straight for quite a distance, and Harry had to walk for longer than he'd thought before he reached the first corner. He glanced down the path to the right, just to see where it led, and started when he saw a hole cut in the hedge. Had one of the other Champions gone that way? Or had someone else managed to get into the maze and cheat to help them after all?
Harry shook his head. Well, maybe they had, but it wasn't his business. He ignored the temptation to investigate that unexpected side tunnel, and turned around. He thought he'd done enough to satisfy the Goblet of Fire.
Red sparks dazzled him. Harry blinked and looked up. They were coming from further inside the maze. He vaguely remembered Bagman saying something about how the Champions should send up red sparks if they were in distress.
Well, still not his business, even though Harry found himself worrying about the others. They had still chosen to put their names in the Goblet, and they were still legal adults. They had survived dragons. They could probably survive this.
He stepped forwards, and someone moved in front of him. Harry had his wand drawn before he even recognized the odd gait as belonging to Professor Moody.
"Get the fuck out of my way," Harry said in a flat voice he barely recognized. It felt as if another person was waking up in him, maybe the person that Ted drilled over and over again in fighting for his life.
Moody didn't bother saying anything. He simply threw something at Harry. Harry tried to dodge, but it was aimed at his leg, and he wasn't fast enough.
The pebble—was it a pebble?—touched him, and the world turned brilliant with the colors and swirling motion of what Harry knew was a Portkey seconds later.
....
Harry was rolling the minute the Portkey dropped him on hard, grassy ground among what looked like rounded stones a second later.
When you are in an unfamiliar area, assume your life is in danger every second, Ted's voice murmured in the back of his head.
Harry ducked behind one of the rounded stones as a Stunner shot past him, scraping the earth where he'd been a few seconds before. He grabbed the sides of the stone and vaguely noted that it looked like a monument for someone dead, complete with an angel on top, before another Stunner angled towards him.
Harry rolled again, and put the stone between him and the Stunner. Bits and splinters went flying off the top.
Get on your feet as soon as you can. Like we practiced.
Harry scrambled up and gripped his wand. He and Ted had run through their defensive routines again and again, because Ted was convinced that Harry's main problem would be not reacting fast enough when deadly spells were coming at him. But lately, they'd also started practicing so that Harry was the one casting the deadly spells.
Go!
As Harry shot out from behind the stone, he heard the faint, shrill sound of a bell ringing. He might have smiled if he wasn't so focused on taking the man in front of him out.
He might have stumbled when he recognized Peter Pettigrew, except that Ted's training was guiding his hands, and Harry couldn't hesitate. He aimed his wand straight at Pettigrew and let loose with a Blasting Curse at his wand.
Pettigrew dodged with a cry, and Harry missed the wand. But he saw blood and bones flying, and knew that he'd blown a few fingers off his hand.
Pettigrew stood in place, staring down at his own blood. Harry took the time to catch his breath and aim. He had to strike Pettigrew on the hand this time, had to disarm him as soon as possible. He might have tried Expelliarmus, but Ted said that it didn't work often enough to be worth it.
"Diffindo!"
But Pettigrew moved the minute Harry spoke, rolling to the ground and darting off behind a stone of his own. Harry swung around, trying to find him, and a grey spell nearly took his leg off. He hurtled into hiding, pressing his shoulders against the stone and trying to listen for Ted's voice against. The bell on his back was going mad.
It's good if you can envision a chain of spells and use them. But you have to be prepared to break from the chain at any point. And remember: the point to a fight is to end it as soon as possible.
"Confringo!"
....
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