"You've become the center of media attention, Potter. It seems to have inflated your already careless head even more," Snape said quietly after the rest of the class had quieted down.
Harry didn't respond. He knew Snape was trying to provoke him, to anger him, just as he had done before.
Needless to say, Snape was looking for an excuse to deduct more than fifty points from Gryffindor before the end of the class.
"You probably naturally think the entire magical world is marveling at you," Snape continued in a hushed voice that others couldn't hear.
"But I couldn't care less about how many times your picture appears in the papers.
To me, Potter, you're nothing but an annoying little boy who thinks he can disregard all rules."
Harry clenched his fists in anger, but kept his eyes lowered as if he didn't hear Snape's words at all.
"So, I'll give you a friendly warning, Potter," Snape said in a softer yet more sinister tone.
"Despite your minor fame—if I catch you breaking into my office again—"
"I've never been near your office!" Harry snapped, brushing off Snape's earlier feigned ignorance.
"Don't lie to me," Snape said in a lowered voice, his deep black eyes glaring fiercely at Harry's, "Boomslang skin. Lacewing flies.
Both are from my private stores, and I know who took them."
Harry stared back at Snape defiantly, not blinking or showing any sign of guilt.
Truth be told, he hadn't stolen those two things from Snape.
In their second year, they had taken Boomslang skin—they needed it for brewing Polyjuice Potion—and Snape had suspected Harry, but had no proof.
As for the lacewing flies, someone else had slipped them to him.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Harry said coldly.
"You weren't in your bed the night someone broke into my office!" Snape hissed.
"You can't fool me, Potter! Yes, Moody might have joined your fan club, but I won't tolerate your behavior any longer!
If you sneak into my office again in the dead of night, Potter, you'll see what happens!"
At that moment, someone knocked on the classroom door.
"Come in," Snape said in his usual tone.
The door opened, and the whole class turned to look. Professor Karkaroff walked in, heading towards Snape's lectern.
He nervously twirled his goatee with his fingers, looking agitated.
"We need to talk," Karkaroff said abruptly as soon as he reached Snape.
He seemed determined not to let anyone hear what he was saying, barely moving his lips as if he were a poor ventriloquist.
Harry watched him closely.
The two began whispering at the doorway, and Harry saw Karkaroff lift the left sleeve of his robe to show Snape something on his forearm.
If any trained Dark Wizard catcher had seen it, they would have immediately recognized it as a Dark Mark.
The case of the theft in Snape's office was temporarily put aside, but rumors of Harry and Ron's relationship started spreading wider because of Snape's influence.
Every time young wizards saw them together, they immediately whispered and sent inexplicable smiles their way.
This situation continued even after the end of the Easter holidays when the young wizards returned to school.
Usually, the start of the summer term meant that Quidditch teams from all four Hogwarts houses would intensify their training for the last match of the season.
But this year, due to the third and final task of the Triwizard Tournament, the Quidditch matches were canceled.
On the last week of May, Mr. Bagman gathered all the champions at the Quidditch pitch to tell them what the third task would be.
So, at half-past eight that night, Hermione and Alaric parted ways with Cho Chang in the Ravenclaw Tower and came downstairs.
As they crossed the entrance hall, they happened to see Fleur walking out of the library.
"What do you think it'll be?" the two walked down the steps into the cloudy night, Hermione asked.
"Krum keeps talking about the underground tunnels. He thinks we're looking for treasure."
"That wouldn't be bad," Hermione said, "but I have no idea what I'm talking about. Alaric doesn't tell me anything."
"You're already strong." Alaric shook his head with a bitter smile.
"If you know everything, then there's no point in continuing this game."
They went to the Quidditch pitch through the dark lawn, then through a gap between the stands.
"What did they do here?" Hermione suddenly stopped, curious to ask.
The Quidditch pitch was no longer flat and smooth. It looked like someone had built countless long low walls here.
These low walls were intricate and winding in all directions.
"It's a wall!" Fleur said, bowing her head to carefully observe the nearest low wall.
"Hello!" A cheerful voice shouted.
Ludo Bagman stood in the center of the pitch, next to Harry and Krum.
Hermione and Fleur crossed the last low wall and walked towards them.
"How about you? What do you think?"
Hermione and Fleur walked past the last low wall, and Bagman asked cheerfully.
"Is the progress good? In another month, Hagrid will turn them into twenty-foot tall walls.
Don't worry, after the Triwizard Tournament ends, your Quidditch pitch will be restored to its original state!
Well, I think you probably guessed what we're here to do, right?"
For a moment, no one spoke, and then—
"Maze," Krum said gruffly.
"Yes!" Bagman said, "It's a maze. The third task is very clear and simple.
The Triwizard Cup is placed in the center of the maze. Whoever touches it first gets full marks."
"We just have to get through the maze?" Fleur said.
"There will be many obstacles," Bagman said cheerfully, hopping on his toes.
"Hagrid has provided a lot of animals... Alaric has prepared many magical props for you, and there are some spells that must be resolved... and so on.
In addition, Alaric has slightly changed the rules to give you a surprise. Also, the leading warrior in points will enter the maze first."
Bagman smiled at Hermione and Fleur.
"Then Miss Delacour will go in... and finally, Mr. Krum.
But you all have to strive to succeed, depending on your ability to overcome obstacles. It should be fun, right?"
After that, the warriors observed the maze's periphery and left.
Alaric planned to visit his unicorn, Lurue, in the Forbidden Forest, and he would go there every one or two days, while Fleur and Hermione followed him.
And they also wanted to see the unicorn, of which, Hermione was already familiar with Lurue.
Along the way, the two girls racked their brains to get information about the maze from Alaric's mouth, but decided to keep it secret and Alaric kept turning to the left and right.
Suddenly, Alaric smelled scent of blood, and there was unusual movement in the trees to their left. He instinctively grabbed the arms of the two girls and pulled them over.
"What happened?"
Alaric shook his head and stared at the place where there was movement just now.
At this moment, a man suddenly stumbled out from behind a tall oak tree.Alaric didn't recognize it for a moment...then he realized it was Mr. Crouch.
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