House: Slytherin

Year: 5th

Class: Potions

Prompt: [Creature] Sphinx

Category: Drabble

Word Count: 818

Title: Of All Things, Really?

A/N: Slight OC on Harry, but it is still him. Set during the Tri-Wazard Tournament.

The creature was tall, she towered over him yet did not reach the top. She would probably have been a sandy color, but in the darkness she was nothing more than a shadow. Her tail flicked back and forth as she waited for a foe to appear. Most all the other creatures avoided her due to her stature. Though she would rather do riddles all day, she was there to waylay students.

A burly student stopped before her, his eyes glazed as he raised the wand at her.

She could hear players yelling and shouting, crashing through the hedges and foliage. The entrance she guarded was much narrower than she, but still she prowled. It was total darkness where the wizards had summoned her, though not so dark she could not see dim glowing. Just as she was about to lay down, one of the students crashed through the hedge before her.

It was time for her to begin, and the most fun she would have with him.

Harry could not believe what was standing in front of him. One moment he'd been running through the maze, fighting for his life against the dangerous creatures that Hagrid was no doubt responsible for, while dodging the other Champions. Everyone had it out for each other. He hadn't realized the competition would be so blood thirsty, despite knowing that participants had died.

But of all things, really? They had to bring a Sphynx into it, it did not bode well for him at the end of the tournament. Why hadn't they just thrown them into the maze with a werewolf or a vampire, it wasn't like he knew much about them either. He suddenly wished he was a Ravenclaw, as they would know how to deal with a beast like this.

"Welcome small challenger. The item which you seek is just beyond me. However if you wish not to try my challenge, then you may leave. But there is only one other entrance, but it is heavily guarded." Her voice was rather light, given their situation.

Harry gulped, great so his options were to get through either a Sphinx or some other obstacle. He nodded grimly, "What is the challenge?"

Her smile was positively malicious, but Harry was sure she hadn't meant it to be. "You must answer a number of riddles from me."

The teen groaned, it had to be riddles, but he nodded in determination. "Alright, let's hear it then."

She leaned down closer to him, Harry could tell that she had a very pretty face, and she was indeed a sandy color. "First think of the person who lives in disguise, Who deals in secrets and tells naught but lies. Next, tell me what's always the last thing to mend, The middle of middle and end of the end? And finally give me the sound 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?"

Harry grunted, something like that right out of the gate. He tried to zone out the Sphinx as he muttered to himself. "The first part is Spy."

She chuckled, laying down before him, he tail swishing in anticipation. "And the second?"

"Obviously D," He chuckled to himself. " Is the whole riddle: Spider?"

Sphinx stood, towering over him. He could barely see thin trails of sand falling off her. Harry idly wondered where she'd been summoned from, he would bet Egypt. "You are correct. There is one more. Would you like to hear, or turn back?"

The teen could guess that the Sphinx was lonely, and he wasn't in a big hurry, it didn't really matter if he won or not. "Yes, let's hear it."

"What goes on four legs in the morning, on two legs at noon, and on three legs in the evening?" She purred at him, resuming her position on the hedge floor. Sphinx just stared at him in waiting.

"Man, I wish Hermione were here. I'm no good at hard riddles." Harry muttered as he watched the Sphinx's tail flick to and fro, he should have paid attention in some sort of class.

The Sphinx leaned closer to him, her large paws walling him in. "Do you surrender small student?"

Harry just glared at her for a moment before sighing. "Is it a creature?"

Sphinx stood slowly, laughing loudly. "You are funny, you have already passed the requirements. That which you seek is just ahead."

"What was the answer, then?" The teen asked, just incase he could use it against Hermione.

"A human."