Chapter 435 - Third Task (2/2)
”So…. on my whistle, Miss Prince and Mr. Delacour!” Amundsen said. ”Three – two – one –!” He gave a short blast on his whistle as Delacour dashed into the hedge, while Rowan leisurely followed afterward.
The towering hedges cast black shadows across the path, and whether because they were so tall and thick or because they had been enchanted the sound of the surrounding crowd was silenced the moment, they entered the maze. Rowan raised her wand and said, ”Lumos,” as Delacour much further ahead did the same.
A fork appeared in the distance as Rowan stopped and closed her eyes as the entire map appeared before her. She saw Delacour take the right, but instead, she traced the quickest path to the center in her mind. The left it was.
Rowan walked forward and took the left path as in the distance she heard the whistle blow. Not in a hurry, she continued at her calm strolling pace. She might as well take her time and enjoy the maze. Whistling as she walked, she took the next fork and went north.
Right away, Rowan came across a scorching fire that stood between her and the path forward. Pointing her wand at the fiery blaze she says, ”Augamenti!” A jet stream of water appears putting the flames out until nothing, but muddy ashes remained. With a wave of her wand, the water turned off as not even a drop of water emerged from the tip of her wand.
Moving forward Rowan went on as and turned at the next two forks, before coming across the adult bleeding figure of Severus. Severus sadly looks at her and whispers, ”How could you fail me, Rowan? You promised to change everything, but you haven't changed anything at all.”
Clenching her wand, Rowan shouts, ”Riddikulus!” With a loud crack, the shapeshifter exploded in a wisp of smoke. Frowning she went forward again and came across a golden like mist. Sighing she stepped into the mist as the world turned topsy-turvy. Walking through the illusion she emerged unscathed on the other side. The golden mist in the moonlight twinkled at her as she soon left it behind.
Pausing at the next junction, Rowan turns left to see a hairy clicking giant spider. The acromantula and her stare at each other for what seems like minutes as its pincers clatter in annoyance. Finally, it takes a step back for her to pass through. Nodding her thanks at it she went forward and left the acromantula behind.
After two more junctures, Rowan merely stares at the magical creature before her. It was a gorgeous unicorn that merely stared at her and she back it. Smiling she walked forward and held out her hand to it as it eagerly sniffed her hand and allowed her to pet it. ”You're a good boy, aren't you?” Rowan cooed to the happy unicorn. She spends a few minutes petting the happy unicorn before leaving the prancing unicorn behind.
Well, so far, her luck had been holding out, which is rather worrisome, actually when she thought about. She had never been very lucky before, and when she was the bill always came due. ALWAYS.
Suddenly red sparks go up in the distance causing Rowan to glance up. Whoever it was, they were out. She rather hoped it was Karkaroff rather than Jean. But she was just being biased to be truthfully honest.