Chapter 13
Chapter 13
The Third Task
June 24th, Hadrian was really not prepared for Madam Maxime to tell him he was expected just outside the Great Hall after breakfast because the Champion's families would be visiting. He had no family to speak of, and she knew so.
He'd taken a bit longer than necessary at breakfast and watched as Fleur and Cedric and Krum all rushed out, and Hadrian followed after them more slowly.
Krum stood with two people Hadrian assumed were Krum's parents. He'd inherited his father's hooked nose, and his mother's dark hair. The resemblance was clear. They were speaking in rapid Bulgarian together in a corner.
Hadrian spotted Fleur with Gabrielle, who was happily holding her mother's hand. Gabrielle was 11, but she seemed younger to most people. He knew her better. They'd met more than once before she'd started at Beauxbaton officially, because she kept visiting Fleur during holidays, and Harry had classes with Fleur. Gabrielle had a talent of sneaking onto the grounds, even if it was against the rules. They'd crossed paths and became unlikely friends. When Gabrielle had showed up at Beauxbaton in September, she'd become his friend much more quickly than he'd expected, already knowing him well. The Delacour's were all chatting away in French, happy and undisturbed.
Cedric was with a man he assumed was his father, but there was no resemblance. The man looked ruddy with his mud brown beard and beady eyes. Cedric looked embarrassed, and the woman Hadrian assumed to be his mother looked amused and proud.
Hadrian then spotted more blonds. A man who looked remarkably like Draco had spotted him as well, and was making his way over. He was followed by a woman with blonde hair who looked posh as if she'd been vaguely insulted by something.
"Lord Black, I assume?" The man drawled. Hadrian eyed him cautiously.
"You must be related to Draco. He came off as snobby at first as well." Hadrian said in French, smiling. "Hello, you must be Lord and Lady Malfoy. Well met." He bowed his head politely. The woman curtsied lightly and her husband nodded.
"Well met. Draco tells me you are a cousin of his?" The man raised a brow.
"Yes, that's correct. My father Sirius and your wife are cousins, which makes me and Draco second cousins." He smiled at the woman. "Lovely to meet you, my Lady." He reached for her hand and kissed it lightly.
"A gentleman, how lovely." She smiled, looking him up and down. "Draco tells me you grew up with Muggles, is this true?"
"Yes, Lady Malfoy." He assessed her for a moment before smiling. "I left when I was 11, fortunately. I'm a year ahead in my Etiquette lessons at Beauxbaton as well." She seemed immensely pleased. He’d pegged her correctly then.
"Yes, but why not come to Hogwarts?" Lucius Malfoy asked, eyes piercing. “Your father attended.”
"I don't really trust a Headmaster so powerful." He said lightly. "Do you?" Lord Malfoy didn't respond.
"How about a walk?" The blonde woman smiled prettily.
Hadrian walked with them calmly and slowly across the grounds, pointing out where they'd been doing their lessons in Care of Magical Creatures, the Whomping Willow which he'd learned about from Theo, and eventually mentioned his many adventures into the Lake.
"You actually go swimming... here?" Lord Malfoy said pointedly. Hadrian nodded easily.
"Yes sir. I enjoy it, the water is icy but pleasant. I nearly drowned the first time. Grindylows." The pair didn't seem thrilled.
When they returned to the castle for lunch they neared with a smug looking Draco. The Slytherins looked apprehensive and several straightened as if Snape was next to them.
"Thank you for this Draco." Hadrian said before he sat down, pulling his cousin into a hug. "I was definitely surprised."
"Family first, Hadrian." Draco grinned and they sat down to enjoy the food. Draco ate much more slowly and carefully than usual. Not that he was a messy eater usually, but he definitely wasn't usually the pompous nitpick he was in front of his parents. Hadrian found it curious to see. Was this normal parent behavior? Hadrian was starting to learn each parent had their own odd little things. The Weasley woman burning her sons' hopes and dreams, the Malfoys making all of Slytherin and their son seem stuck up…
Hadrian then left with the Malfoy couple again, this time to walk around the indoors of the school. He showed them his classes, telling them all about his proper levels and what he'd learned in each class. They seemed to value intelligence and stature, and were impressed by his accomplishments. He was pleased they approved.
Hadrian genuinely enjoyed his time with them. He learned a lot about the Black and the Malfoy history from them. Near the end of the tour, Hadrian did less of the talking and Narcissa, Lady Malfoy, took over. It was very informative.
When the evening feast approached, they once again seated themselves at the Slytherin table where upper years pretended they were eating with the Minister. Hadrian wanted to sit with Cedric, but didn't want to interrupt the boy’s visit with his parents.
Hadrian enjoyed the meal as best he could, but nerves were beginning to hit him and he clutched his cousin's hand with a white-knuckled grip. Before he knew it, Dumbledore was standing and silence fell across the Hall.
"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 follow Mr. Bagman down to the stadium now." Hadrian stood as Dumbledore sat back down.
Draco got up too, as well as Theo. Hadrian kissed Theo's cheek before grabbing Draco's hand and hugging him tightly. He waved politely to the Malfoy parents and turned away, rubbing his palms together anxiously. He started towards the dias where the others were headed, but he paused.
Before he could think better of it, he walked briskly for Gryffindor and his Weasleys. The twins, spotting him, got to their feet and caught Hadrian in a huge hug.
“You got this. One more win, beautiful.” Fred whispered.
“No sweat. You’ll do great!” George encouraged, ruffling his hair. Hadrian nodded shakily.
“Okay. Okay, thanks!” He then turned away and rushed after the other Champions.
He joined the other three Champions as they headed outside, grinning sheepishly at their confused glances. As they neared the pitch, Cedric looked like he was mourning the field, since it was completely unrecognizable when they did spot it. The whole thing was covered in thick twenty foot tall hedges, and they twisted and spread all the way 'round it. There was a gap before them, an entrance to the maze, looking ominous and foreboding.
They waited, not so patiently, as the five minutes ticked down and people started streaming into the stands. Hundreds of stomping feet and excited voices thundered past and filled the Quidditch stands surrounding the maze. Hadrian fidgeted every minute of it, watching as Krum sulked, Cedric paced, and Fleur got steadily paler. He was suddenly reminded of the First Task, and resisted an anxious and slightly crazed laugh.
Professor McGonagall, Moody, and Flitwick approached them suddenly, bustling over as the clock ticked down. "We are going to be patrolling the outside of the maze." McGonagall said shortly. "If you get into difficulty, and wish to be rescued, send red sparks into the air and one of us will come and get you. Do you understand?" She stared them all down as they agreed.
"Off you go then!" Bagman beamed, shooing them forward. "Ladies and gentlemen, the third and final task of the Triwizard Tournament is about to begin!" His magically loudened voice boomed. "Let me remind you how the points currently stand! In first place we have Hadrian Black of Beauxbaton Academy, with 91 points!" The crowd went wild. "Second we have Cedric Diggory of Hogwarts School with 85 points!" Cheers split their ears. "Third we have Viktor Krum of Durmstrang Institute with 80 points!" People pounded on the benches with their feet. "In fourth place we have Miss Fleur Delacour, also of Beauxbaton Academy, with 68 points!"
The crowd was screaming and cheering as Hadrian tried to focus on the entrance of the maze. His eyes went to Bagman, who was beaming at him. He wished the man wouldn't, Hadrian was nervous enough as it was.
"So... On my whistle Mister Black!" He exclaimed happily, incorrectly announcing Hadrian's title once again. "Three, two, one!" A sharp whistle went off and Hadrian sprinted through the entrance gap and into the maze of 20ft tall hedges.
The crowd was immediately silenced, likely due to an enchantment, and he was surrounded by dark and silent hedges in every direction except for behind him. "Lumos." He whispered. Light lit the tip of his wand as he continued until a fork, and he headed left. A sharp whistle indicated Cedric had entered the maze.
He walked briskly but didn't run anymore, eyes searching but seeing nothing. He walked down the path and heard another whistle. Krum. He saw another fork and paused.
"Point me." He murmured the Four-Point spell. Hadrian liked to call it the compass spell. It pointed north, and he needed northwest. He turned left. Another whistle meant Fleur was in, and everyone was playing. He walked on.
Hadrian reached the next fork and turned right, not knowing if he was lucky or unlucky for not encountering any obstacles. He probably jinxed himself with the thought, because Hadrian suddenly heard movement behind him. Directly behind him. He spun, wand out, but it was only Cedric. Hadrian sighed in relief and lowered his wand.
"Hagrid's Blast-Ended-Skrewts!" Cedric gritted out, sleeve smoking and face pale. "They're enormous! I only just got away!"
"I thought they were all dead." Hadrian tilted his head warily. Cedric rushed off in the opposite direction, and Hadrian sighed before continuing.
Hadrian then turned a corner and came face to face with.... himself. It was Harry Potter. He looked like a 14 year old version of the 11 year old glamour Hadrian left behind him. Hadrian screamed, immediately taking a panicked step backwards. The boy stared at him, and Hadrian stared, horrified, right back at him.
He had huge green eyes covered by thick round glasses with tape on the bridge. His hair was messy, sticking up in every direction and uncared for. He was scrawny, starved with little muscle and a blank expression. He looked… he looked sort of like a kicked puppy come to haunt Hadrian.
"You killed me." The boy said.
"Yes." Hadrian's lip wobbled.
"You killed me!" Harry Potter yelled. Hadrian took a step back, before realizing this was definitely an obstacle.
“No, shut up!” He screamed, and covered his ears to think. It had to be a shapeshifter. What shapeshifters had he heard of? A metamorphmagus could change their shapes at will... No... It had to be a creature that could read his mind somehow. Seek his fears.
"You'll never be real, nobody cares about Hadrian Black. Harry Potter is real, and Harry Potter is dead. You'll be dead soon too." The not-Harry advanced, and Hadrian remembered. Boggarts could shapeshift into a person's worst fear. They were confused by large numbers and had a convenient banishing spell. "You should've died with me!" The monster shrieked.
"R-Riddikulus!" Hadrian commanded wobbly. He didn't even notice he had started crying. The boggart disappeared in a puff of smoke and Hadrian stood there as he let his tears dry. He continued on, swallowing soft cries as he blinked away tears. Deep breathes, one foot in front of the other.
Left, right, left again, until he realized he was moving East, the complete wrong direction and corrected himself. He needed to remain calm. Hadrian doubled back and turned right. He suddenly stopped short, golden mist floating lazily in the air in front of him. He went to turn back but heard a scream.
Hadrian whipped around. "Fleur!" He shouted. Her scream had been short, and then cut off into nothing. He steeled himself, remembering that Dumbledore had people to rescue the Champions; Hadrian turned away and ran. That gold mist was trouble, and he wasn't making the same mistake as Fleur. He turned left, leaving the mist firmly behind.
For the next while he found nothing, compass charm leading him in circles until he paused and found a new path. Hadrian jogged down it until he was covered by a shadow. He froze, swallowed, and looked up and up and up. It was a massive Blast-Ended-Skrewt, at least 10 feet tall, and it was even more horrifying than Hadrian remembered them being. He couldn’t help another shout, several words he rarely used spewing from his lips as he cursed the Skrewt and backed away. It had thick armor and looked more like a scorpion than it used to, pale armor and two deadly limbs on either end.
Hadrian ran down the hedged alley in the opposite direction. He heard scuttling and looked over his shoulder to see it was chasing after him, all terrifying eight legs scuttling along behind him. He shrieked, and pointed his wand over his shoulder. "Impedimenta!" He shouted in fear as it hissed at him. It bounced off his armor and nearly smacked him in the face as it rebounded towards him. He ducked with a shriek and ordered again, "Impedimenta!" This time it hit the gross underbelly and the monster froze. The Impediment Jinx froze or slowed down enemies, and he was suddenly glad he'd learned that sixth year spell already.
He sprinted away swearing, not knowing how long it could hold a thing that large. Hadrian didn’t pay attention to which way he continued on, just heading… away. One too many dead ends later, he forced himself to stop, breathe, and re-find the northwest. He continued at his brisk walk, instead of running. He needed to be calm. Calm.
He heard Cedric yell from the path beside him, and froze. "What are you doing? What the hell d'you think you're doing!?" Hadrian turned slightly towards the sound.
"Crucio!" Krum shouted. Cedric started screaming bloody murder, and Hadrian's blood pounded in his ears.
“Cedric?!” He yelled, panic bleeding into his voice. "Cedric!" There was no response beyond those horrifying screams and fear uncurled in his stomach. He needed to get to Cedric now. He threw a wordless curse at the hedge and a hole blasted through it, branches snapping and leaves smoking. He dove through the hedge and burst out the other side, ash all over his silver robes.
"Stupefy!" He shouted at Krum's back. The boy froze and fell on his face in the grass. Hadrian gasped and rushed over to Cedric who was twitching on the ground. He saw flashes of Wormtail in the same position, crucioed and sobbing. His vision flashed, Cedric on the floor one moment and then tombstones with a dark marble wall, before he shoved the visions away. Hadrian really needed to focus. "Cedric, Cedric you need a medwitch." He insisted, kneeling next to his pained friend. Hadrian’s hands shook as he surveyed the panting boy.
"I don't believe it." Cedric breathed heavily, "He crept up on me... I heard him, I turned around, and he had his wand on me..." He panted some more and Hadrian refused to let him stand.
"Ced, stop, you need -"
"I can go on, I can.." Cedric breathed.
"You can't! The Cruciatus Curse causes muscle spasms and chronic damage afterwards that needs treatment!" He cried, indignant, as Cedric stood and wobbled in place.
"I got this. Still opponents, right?" He panted. Hadrian took a deep breath and tried not to listen as the screams replayed in his ears. He didn’t have time for a breakdown.
"Fine. Don't you dare die, I'm already worried about Fleur; I think she's out." He pointed his wand up and blew red sparks above Krum's body without another word.
They walked together for a while, Cedric leaning on Hadrian as they walked. The hedges were dark, and Hadrian squeezed Cedric's shoulder lightly for comfort as they seemed unending.
When a fork in the hedges appeared, Cedric limped to the right while Hadrian turned left, glancing back until he saw Cedric disappear.
Hadrian turned Krum's behavior over in his head as he walked. Krum was decent, usually. He was quiet and didn't like people besides Hermione, but he wasn't openly hostile towards the Champions. He never attacked them as a shark in the lake, for example. Maybe he was an obstacle? A fake? Hadrian shook his head. He needed to focus.
Hadrian froze, looking up and seeing a sphinx in front of him, completely blocking the path forward. The body of a huge lion, the head of a woman. He didn't raise his wand, and she didn't attack. She was simply blocking the path, and Hadrian doubted turning back was the correct response.
"You are very near your goal." She told him blandly. "The quickest way is past me."
"Riddles then?" He huffed. Hadrian hated those.
"Answer my riddle your first guess, I let you pass. Answer wrongly, I attack. Remain silent, I will let you walk away from me unscathed." She was still staring blankly.
"Okay, riddle me." He prompted.
"First think of a person who lives in disguise, who deals in secrets and tells naught but lies. Next, tell me what's always the last to mend. The middle of middle and end of the end? And finally give me the word often heard during the search for a hard-to-find word. Now string them together, and answer me this, which creature would you be unwilling to kiss?"
Hadrian turned it over in his head, gears spinning. A person in disguise was a thief, or a spy, or something. He moved to the middle of middle and end of the end. He had no clue. The next part was probably 'um' or 'er' or 'uh'.
Thief um? Thief er? Spy uh? Spy um? Spy er? Spy... Er... Spider.. A creature unwilling to kiss. He nodded to himself.
"A spider." He said tonelessly. She smiled broadly and stood. She slunk to the side and he grinned at her. "Thanks."
He jogged now, she said he was close. He cast the compass charm and went right. Hadrian was still jogging when he spotted the Cup. He grinned as he started sprinting. He'd solved that riddle quickly, and he only hoped Cedric was okay.
He got his answer as Cedric appeared, spotting the cup, and also started running for it. Hadrian suddenly then caught sight of something to his left and yelled "Look out!" He and Cedric both unintentionally froze as the Acromantula came barreling through the left pathway. They were very deadly, wild, and huge. Hadrian remembered the Blast-Ended-Skrewts, and panicked at the thought of armor he didn't know about. "Stupefy it's underbelly!" He shrieked, stumbling backwards towards Cedric and raising his wand. "It's an Acromantula!"
The spider snapped at them, jaws and pinchers alike. Eight eyes bore into them as Cedric raised his wand. The spider lunged and Hadrian dove to the side, landing on his stomach painfully. The breath whoosed out of him, and he struggled to gasp in air. He faintly realized he didn’t have his wand in hand anymore.
Cedric shouted “Stupefy!” but the spider didn’t go down. Hadrian, regaining his breath, looked up to see the Acromantula less than 6 feet away from his face. With a scream, Hadrian rolled to the side as the creature charged. He wasn’t fast enough, and felt something sharp ripping into his arm and he ended up gasping as pain exploded in his arm.
“Hadrian!” Cedric shouted as Hadrian tumbled to the ground, clutching the wound. His arm burned, pain harsh and head splittingly dizzy. Gasps of pain spilled from his lips and he resisted a scream as the pain continued building. “Hadrian! Hadrian move!” Cedric screamed. Hadrian saw the spider coming once more and he shrieked.
"Stupefy!" Hadrian shouted without his wand. Red light flashed blindingly, and the spider keeled over before knocking into the side of the hedge and rolling. They were both panting, Cedric still vaguely trembling and Hadrian slowly losing color. He tried to examine the wound but there was too much blood.
“Your arm!" Cedric shrieked, running over with his wand in hand. Hadrian grimaced, squeezing his eyes shut. “You’re bleeding!” He fell to his knees at Hadrian's side, and helped Hadrian sit up.
“It’s not that bad.” Hadrian winced and tried to reach out, but as the pain intensified and spots formed in his vision as he sat up. “Okay, I was wrong.” His head was spinning and the hedges around him looked as if they were moving.
“Why is there so much blood?” Cedric cried as he pushed Hadrian’s sleeve out of the way. A warped slice from ragged pinchers was exposed, from his elbow to his wrist. Cedric's face went pale.
“It’s just some blood, it’s okay.” Hadrian mumbled dizzily, trying to reassure as Cedric started ripping off the rest of Hadrian’s sleeve and pointing his wand at it.
“Ferula.” Cedric ordered. Bandages sprang from his wand and wrapped around his arm. The bandages harden to a sort of cast. The pain eased slightly, but Hadrian’s world still spun. “That’s the best healing spell I know and it's not good enough.” Cedric was very pale, examining the arm with heavy scrutiny. Hadrian smiled at Cedric in thanks. The boy rummaged around and found Hadrian’s wand where it had fallen in the grass.
“You should grab the Cup.” Hadrian said tiredly.
"You take it, you should win. That's twice you've saved my neck, just in the maze." Cedric was staring at him stubbornly. Hadrian said nothing. "You told me about the dragons. You told me about the egg. You saved me from Krum and now a spider." His jaw was firm and Hadrian sighed.
“You bandaged my arm.” Hadrian said, pointedly eyeing the bandage.
“I’m not budging, and you need medical attention.” Cedric glared. “Real, professional, medical attention.” Hadrian sighed.
"Help me up?” Cedric stood, pulling Hadrian to his feet. “Hold on, don’t move.” Cedric grabbed him as Hadrian swayed, knees buckling. Hadrian’s vision warped, the ground swaying underneath him as Cedric held him still. His stomach jerked uncomfortably, and he breathed heavily. “Okay, yeah, medical attention.”
"Go, Hadrian. I'll touch it after you. Someone will come get us." Cedric released him reluctantly when Hadrian was sure he wouldn’t collapse, and Hadrian grabbed the Cup lightly. He gasped then, nearly doubling over at the yanking feeling in his stomach. A portkey. He looked at Cedric, terrified, before he was yanked off his feet and pulled away in a swirl of color and wind.
Hadrian landed roughly and collapsed, Cup falling nearby. His arm throbbed and his vision dimmed, but he realized the maze was gone. Hogwarts was gone. There were no mountains and no castle in sight. Hadrian was instead looking at a graveyard, and it was dark. Darker than the maze which had been slightly lit by the moon. The clouds were heavy wherever he was, and he could barely make out a boarded up old house up the hill.
Hadrian was laying on his stomach, arm throbbing underneath the bandages. He shifted, trying to sit up, and nearly screamed from the effort. Sitting, he squinted into the darkest before he lifted his wand in his good hand. "Lumos." Hadrian ordered. The graveyard lit up, graves and dark hills to be seen all around him.
Directly in front of Hadrian stood a sort of wall. It was large, nearly six feet high and made of solid marble. It read, Tom Riddle. This was where he'd seen when he'd accidentally seen images from Voldemort and of Cedric on the ground. Which meant...
He paused his assessment, hearing a sound, and watched as someone approached. The person walked oddly, as if shaking and twitchy, clutching a bundle that could've been a baby, weaving through graves not at all quickly. Hadrian raised his wand in ready, eyes flickering to the Cup nearby, and waited. The figure stopped as it reached the giant headstone.
They watched each other, Hadrian never lowering his wand. He felt a prickle in his scar and did nothing, not even once as they stood facing each other. He needed to get away, and he needed to bring the Cup, and get medical attention. His head was spinning and his vision was fading.
"Is this... Harry Potter?" A cold and whispering voice he so vividly remembered floated in his direction.
"You just missed him. Try again tomorrow." Hadrian said over the throbbing in his wrist and arm. He really needed medical attention.
"Beauxbaton... Wrong boy... Kill the spare..." The voice hissed, and Hadrian rolled instinctively. The hooded figure whipped out a wand as Hadrian rolled.
“Avada Kedavra!” A flash of green flew by Hadrian, missing him by an inch due to his roll, and his fingers grasped the Cup. The portkey tugged his stomach, and this time he was glad as he was pulled away.
Hadrian landed roughly once again, vision fading in and out. He was on his stomach again, and he pushed up with his good arm to see several shapes running for him. He tried to move but ended up crying out as his arm gave out.
“Hadrian!” He registered Cedric’s voice and hands pulling him to sit against his chest. “Are you okay? What happened?” Hadrian tried to breathe. He should not be moving this much after losing so much blood.
“A portkey.” Hadrian gasped, vision getting a little clearer as he breathed deeply. Bagman ran over with Dumbledore, both looking worried and relieved.
"Mister Black! Where do you go?!" Bagman cried as he approached.
"The Cup’s a portkey." Hadrian sighed. "I didn’t really see where I ended up." Hadrian winced. “I got back here when I touched the Cup again.” Bagman looked relieved, while Dumbledore highly suspicious.
"Excellent job, regardless of the malfunction. Do you require medical attention?” Hadrian nodded, head spinning.
“Yeah, I do.” Hadrian admitted. “I lost quite a bit of blood before Cedric bandaged it.” He tried to focus his eyes as he shifted and tried sitting up farther.
"Well then," Bagman clapped his hands together, "I'll send someone for blood replenishers and announce the points, your win, and then you can be swept off to the hospital wing for a proper evaluation." He beamed at Hadrian, who gave him a wobbly smile, and then he shuffled off with Dumbledore in tow.
Hadrian stood, leaning on Cedric and trying his best not to pass out when he heard a shout. "Hadrian!" He whipped his head around at the sound of Fleur's voice, and regretted it when his vision swam.
"Fleur, are you okay?" She reached him and he caught her in a one armed hug. As his vision cleared again, he examined her. She was covered in dirt and grass and her beautiful hair was tangled. "I heard you scream!"
"I got caught by this strange mist, it lifted me upside down and dragged me into the hedge." She shuddered. "Anyway, Cedric scared everyone by saying you disappeared after touching the Cup. Everyone thought you were kidnapped!"
"It was probably just an accident or something." Hadrian said dismissively. She exhaled in relief at the lie, much like Cedric had.
Hadrian was then ushered towards where Krum was still seated and where Fleur and Cedric had come from. Krum looked miserable as Cedric refused to look at him. He eyed Hadrian, his bandaged arm, and then looked down in shame.
"I don't remember what happened in the maze. I think I was cursed." He sulked, more downtrodden than usual. Hadrian sat, Cedric supporting him slightly from his own seat.
"It could've been the Imperious," Hadrian suggested, sluggishly, "Moody has been teaching 4th Year students to resist all year apparently."
"You think so?" Krum perked up a little. Hadrian nodded even though his head was getting lighter.
"Definitely. Cedric has a right to be mad, you used the Cruciatus on him, but don't blame yourself if it wasn’t even you." They smiled at each other and Hadrian tried to focus on his breathing.
“Mister Black!” Hadrian turned to see Pomfrey rushing his way with a bag of clinking vials. He waved with his good arm, more tired than he was just a moment before. “I have your blood replenishers. I’m giving you three, which is a good start. It should last you until the end of the night, and we only need to wait until the end of the ceremony.” Hadrian took the vials with shaky and cold hands.
“Thanks.” He tipped his head back and downed each vial one after the other. Hadrian grimaced at how thick it was, but he was pleasantly surprised by the warmth that bloomed in his chest afterwards. Had he really been so cold without even noticing…?
Only a moment later Bagman's enhanced voice was booming through the stadium.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the final scores of the third and final task of the Triwizard Tournament have been decided!" The crowd screamed and the Champions clapped politely, Hadrian just trying to focus as his spotty vision slowly improved. "We award Fleur Delacour 32 points, for bravery and daring but failing to get to the Cup. This gives her a total of 100 points! Let's hear it for fourth place!" The crowd cheered and Fleur stood to bow, a fake smile in place.
"Stupid mist." She growled, crossing her arms as she plopped back down.
"Viktor Krum we award 35 points for beating the most obstacles, but he failed to make it to the end. He has a total of 115 points, and landed in 3rd place!" The crowd banged on the stands as Krum stood and stonily waved before sitting again.
"They didn't mention the mind control, which is convenient." Cedric muttered darkly.
"Next we have Cedric Diggory! We award him, 48 points! He technically made it to the Cup first, and made it through numerous obstacles as well as healing a fellow Champion! He is second place with 133 points!" The applause was massive, centered around Hufflepuff which was beaming and screaming with joy.
"I brought pride to Hufflepuff." Cedric murmured to Hadrian as sat down from his bow. "Even in second."
"You deserve to be proud. Not just of Hufflepuff, but of yourself." Hadrian smiled tiredly at the boy.
"And finally, in first place we have Hadrian Black!!" Beauxbaton screamed in joy with everyone else applauding like mad. He winced and wished he could cover his ears. "He's been awarded 45 points, he got to the Cup and found his way past several obstacles! He is at a whopping 136 points!" Bagman finished over the deafening crowd.
"We almost tied, you earned more points for this task than I did." Hadrian gave Cedric a tired smile. The boy grinned in response, and stood.
“Come on, Hospital Wing.” He and Fleur helped Hadrian stand, and the three made slow progress as Hadrian followed Pomfrey back up to the castle on shaky legs.
For some reason, Professor Moody kept trying to steal him away. He’d offered to walk him to the Hospital Wing, offered to visit him the next day, anything. He seemed twitchy and desperate, but Hadrian’s escorts did their job well and warded him off. Madam Pomfrey even threatened the man to leave her patient alone, or else she’d tell Dumbledore he was harassing students.
From the bed he was ushered into, Hadrian watched as Fleur left, and Cedric sat down a few beds away. Hadrian smiled wobbly before giving the medwitch his attention. She was bustling around him in a fuss.
“Mr. Diggory saved your life with this Bandaging Charm.” Madam Pomfrey informed him with a huff. She spelled it away and immediately began working with pastes and vials of all sorts. “You’d have bled out in five minutes, and you very nearly did anyway.”
“Any idea about Acromantula venom?” Cedric piped up. “Hadrian was sliced by a pincher.” Madam Pomfrey frowned unhappily.
“I have no idea, the research on it doesn’t say much. People usually avoid living Acromantulas.” She admitted warily. “I’ll be administering bottled phoenix tears, which should cure any type of venom in your system, if it’s there.” Hadrian nodded in acceptance and leaned back into the pillows.
As he drifted into unconsciousness, he felt warm again and he smiled. He’d survived.