A Professor of Magic at Hogwarts
Chapter 483: The Maze Castle - Enormous Advantage

Harry felt a rush of excitement as he restrained the urge to clap, his eyes fixed on Felix.

"Ahem," Bagman sounded a bit uneasy, "Well said, Felix. Can I repeat your words after the match? Just kidding, truth be told, wouldn't a hug be better?"

"Exactly, Professor!" Roger Davies cheered, "What we really need is a hug."

Harry agreed with Roger, seeing Hermione's eyes sparkle. However, Felix hesitated for a moment, smiling as he shook his head. "Let's wait until after the match."

He stepped out of the tent, the smile fading from his face. "Professor's peculiar speech before the match and refusing the embrace—done. Now, it's just about waiting quietly, minimizing contact with them... right?"

He paused, as if waiting for a response, then smiled faintly and walked away.

Back at the stands, an air of cheerful excitement filled the atmosphere. At one entrance of the Maze Castle, selected champions strolled into the darkened gateway.

The outside voices became almost inaudible in an instant. Felix wandered through the maze, quietly contemplating—animagus transformation, could he really do it? He should, just needs a bit of pressure... after all, he had successfully mastered the first seventh-level spell.

On the fifth level of the maze, a pacing Sphinx spotted Felix. Its body resembled a fearsome lion: massive paws, a yellow elongated tail with tufted fur, yet it bore a woman's head.

The Sphinx blocked his path, its voice hoarse. "You're close to the entrance of the next level—"

Felix glanced at it, a silvery glint in his eyes. The Sphinx froze in place as Felix passed by.

"Animagus transformation... How should I proceed?" He pondered as he walked away.

...

"Ladies and gentlemen, the final challenge of the Triwizard Tournament is about to begin! Let me update you on the current score! At this time, the first group of champions can take their positions... Hogwarts, Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, total score 128, leading the pack! With a five-minute interval between teams..."

"Five minutes!" Harry felt a surge of excitement, eyes fixed on the pitch's dark entrance. He realized he had a lead of half an hour over the last position! This advantage was immense. With a short, sharp whistle, Harry hurried into the maze entrance.

He knew, at that moment, Hermione and Ron had also entered.

Everything around was eerily quiet and dark. The high hedges almost touched the towering ceiling, casting vast shadows. Blue-flamed candles hung at intervals from the ceiling, their light dim, offering Harry only a limited view.

"Lumos." He waved his wand, illuminating the area. Feeling uneasy, he dimmed the light. Walking several meters along the only path, he encountered the first junction.

"Guide me." He whispered to his wand. The wand spun and pointed right, the northern direction. "Alright." He quickly set off, glancing left and right.

The first maze level should be the simplest—they discussed this. He recalled their strategy: replace the passage to the second level as soon as possible.

This was critical for the match's outcome!

Another junction. Harry chose the left path this time. He caught a glimpse of a dark figure on the right side and swiftly turned away.

No time for unnecessary detours; the first five minutes were crucial.

...

"The first team has entered; let's see—Oh? They've adopted a different strategy," Bagman exclaimed, eyes widening. "Granger used a Disillusionment Charm, remarkable at her age!"

Draco, on the stands, snorted disdainfully, arms crossed, eyes fixed on the huge screen.

"Weasley's moving steadily. He paused—spotted a trap, perhaps? False alarm, might've been the wind. Not too many traps on the first level, meant to let the champions acclimatize, real dangers lie ahead—" Bagman ducked as a pebble flew by.

Professor McGonagall angrily shook her fist at him, drawing a chorus of boos from the stands.

"Ah! My apologies, an unintended slip. Let's focus on the smallest champion, oh, look!" Bagman swiftly redirected, "He's sprinting in the maze. Has he figured it out?"

The crowd hushed, fixated on the screen. Harry wasted no time, using the Direction Hex at every intersection, swiftly moving forward. "Look, Harry's encountered a Blast-Ended Skrewt!" Simon shouted.

Ludo Bagman noticed it too, rising excitedly.

"Will Potter dodge it? No, he hasn't. He's chosen to fight—Silent Disarmament Charm! Oh dear, the spell bounced, an excellent Binding Hex. The Skrewt's temporarily trapped, but what's next—Oh, Potter didn't continue the attack. He's chosen to leave, and the Skrewt escaped the pit, losing track of Potter!"

Bagman was ecstatic. "Less than five minutes into the match! Potter is nearing the entrance of the next level; his two teammates are far behind. Other teams haven't entered... Does he want to be the first to reach the Cup within the maze? It might not be wise; his teammates can't keep up."

The crowd speculated, understanding Harry's race against time but clueless about his intentions.

"He wants to be the first to the Cup, fits his personality, doesn't it?" Draco commented. "Always seeking attention."

"But the Cup's on the seventh level, it'll get tougher. He's setting himself up for a big setback," Daphne remarked, perplexed, eyes glued to the screen.

...

"Phew... phew..." Harry breathed heavily, feeling like his chest might explode, but it was all worth it. With a brilliant smile, he approached the vine-made steps, a concealed entrance hidden in the ceiling.

He struggled up the steps, feeling light-footed, as if stepping on soft cotton candy, barely using any force. Climbing halfway, he nearly tumbled down.

Yet, he stood atop the highest point, his head almost touching the ceiling, revealing about a foot's gap between the hedges and the roof. Harry grinned, his palm extended, wand glowing and forming a milky-white orb.

Outside the Maze Castle, everyone stared, wide-eyed.

The orb drifted slowly, Harry sat on the steps, gazing at it for two seconds, softly saying, "Blast." The orb expanded rapidly, an endless flash of light—

The milky-white radiance spread through the maze. The hedges suddenly flickered with faint light. Under this glow, Illuminating Charms' effects rapidly diminished, but it was enough. At different locations on the first level, Hermione and Ron simultaneously looked up towards the explosion's direction. Following that, the path before them brightened, stretching ahead.

"Brilliantly done, mate!" Ron pumped his fist, excitedly yelling. He dashed forward; the maze was now as bright as day, and he had noticed the light fading, precisely what he wanted—he could chase the light.

Outside, from the judges' seats to the stands, there was utter silence.

"This is cheating!" Karkaroff exclaimed in frustration.

"Karkaroff, they haven't violated any rules,"

Bagman countered habitually. "This magic isn't on the prohibited list, and it's non-lethal. Even though... well, its range is quite extensive."

It took Bagman a moment to realize what had happened and its significance.

"Good heavens! Unbelievable! Potter, Potter has found this method... His two teammates are catching up rapidly, faster than Potter before. They're following the light!" Bagman's face reddened; he excitedly unbuttoned his collar. "Though reluctant to admit, the match is nearly half decided... The rest depends on the other teams; they need to hurry."

Collins, Cedric, and Roger each stood before their entrances, bewildered. What had Harry's team done to earn such praise from the judges? All the champions simultaneously realized that Harry's team had gained a significant advantage, and they needed to catch up.

With another short whistle, the second group of champions entered. Unbeknownst to each other, they all opted for a more aggressive approach.

...

Harry sat on the vine-made steps, casting two Healing Charms on himself. The soreness in his legs lessened considerably, and his chest no longer felt ready to burst. He counted silently; nearing 100, footsteps approached, and Hermione emerged from the corner. She walked up to Harry, ran her fingers through her hair, and chuckled softly. "Harry, you've really done it."

After a dozen more seconds, Ron rushed out from another passage, looking a bit disheveled, covered in dirt.

"Ran too fast, stumbled into a big hole, wonder who made it... sneaky." He half-joked, extending a hand to help Harry up from the steps. He glanced at the entrance above them, a look of surprise on his face. "Are we almost at the second level? Shame it's a one-time deal."

"Yeah, let's go." Harry agreed.

>

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