Paradox Number 23

This is my longest chapter yet for this story and it is also the last one.

If there were anything that you would like to see, let me know and I will add them as extras.

Not Beta-ed. If you find anything let me know so I can fix it.

Fifth Change:

Harry stood at the edge of the large maze that used to be the quidditch pitch. The third task of the tournament was about to start and Harry had a very bad feeling about it. Something bad was going to happen. The last few weeks he had a feeling like he was being followed. Someone was watching him and he had a feeling that they just might make their move today. The maze would be a good place to kill him if they were able to infiltrate the teachers and officials watching for trouble.

Victor Krum headed into the maze first. He strode forward with the all confidence he could muster. He wanted to win. He had to win. He would bring honour and fame to his name, family and school. He would prove to the world that he was important and should be respected. He also wanted to win for Hermione. To show her that he could protect her and was good enough for her. He had felt a connection to her when they had first met and he wanted to keep her interested in him. He would not let some other man take her away from him. If he survived the maze he intended to ask her to spend the summer with him. Maybe even one day he would ask her to marry him. She was the kind of girl he would happily spend the rest of his life with, intelligent, beautiful, strong magically with many other desirable traits.

As he turned left for the third time he heard to the crowd cheer again as Cedric entered the maze. He had to hurry. He couldn't let the other boy win. What he didn't know was that by rushing he would lose.

Cedric entered the maze with one last look at Harry. He would win this tournament for Harry, to prove that he was a good match for the boy-who-lived. He also wanted the money so that he could start his own business. He did not want to go into the ministry like his father. He had wanted to open his own store. He had always dreamed to open his own jewellery store. He had a talent for moulding metal, stones and gems into beautiful jewellery. His father didn't approve, always telling him that having his own business was not a good enough job for someone of standing. If he could get enough money, he could start one without his father having to help him. He could do it by himself. Maybe even with Harry at his side in the future.

Getting his head back into the task ahead, Cedric turned right, left, and right and then right again. He was soon stopped in his tracks by a creature he remembered being mentioned in class a few months ago. While trying to remember how to get passed it he heard clapping as Fleur entered the maze. He hoped Harry would be all right as he managed to put the creature to sleep.

Fleur was not very confident as she entered the maze. She didn't care about winning anymore she just wanted all of this to be over to she could go back to France. When she had first entered she had hoped to win and gain the glory of being a champion but now she realised that she still had a lot to learn. Victor and Cedric were much stronger than her she now realised. Harry was braver than her. At his age she would have broken down but Harry was trying his best even though he was now in last place.

Fleur had made many self discoveries while had been here at Hogwarts and when she got back to France she was going to concentrate on her exams and aim for being a healer. She had decided that she wanted to help people. Being a champion was all rather well and good but it didn't mean that she was going to be garneted a good job in the future. She was going to do her best within the maze and would be happy to just make it out alive.

Fleur jumped out of the way as a boulder rolled passed her, then another and another, each bigger than the last. When the last one rolled past she was pretty much inside the hedge. She heard the announcer send Harry into the maze as she tried to pull herself free of the hedge that seemed to try and hold her down.

Harry entered the maze and was suddenly surrounded by the tall hedges. They towered over him making him feel really small. He walked carefully along the edge of the path. He didn't walk in the middle as he had no idea when might just running down it. He was glad he did when the path suddenly seemed to give way in the middle with only just enough room for him to slink by on the edge. He had to be careful that he didn't fall in though. The hole took up a long stretch of the maze and he was glad to be able to walk again after three turns but he was stopped again by a swamp. When he managed to get though the swamp he was wet and muddy. The bad feeling was increasing too. He must be getting closer to the centre as the maze kept trying to send him backwards.

Harry heard a scream and then saw red sparks in the sky not too far from him. Then it was announced that Fleur had been injured pretty bad and was unable to continue. Harry was now in third place. Not long after Fleur red sparks went up again and Victor was rescued from a swarm of fist sized bees. Harry was bumped up to second place. He must bet getting closer to the centre now. He had fought his way though a few more pretty easy obstacles. Somehow the obstacles where very easy, like someone was cheating for him. Someone was making sure he would reach the centre.

When he reached the centre he saw on the other side Cedric emerge from one of the paths on the other side. Cedric was about to say something to him when he was pounced on by a giant spider. As he fought the spider Harry moved to help him but Cedric told him to take the cup so that the task could be over.

As soon as Harry's finger tips touched the winners' cup he felt a strange tugging sensation and was whisked away from the maze. The last thing he heard before he blacked out was the crunching of dried twigs as someone approached him. When he came back around he was tied to statue of some kind. He couldn't tell when it was of but it was much larger than him. It left old too with lots of cracks in the stone. Looking around his surroundings Harry realised that he was in an old graveyard. There was crumbling graves all around him. In front of him there was a large black cauldron that looked like it could hold a fully grown human. He heard footsteps to his left and from around a drying tree a Death Eater came into view. They were wearing the traditional mask so that he would not see his face. The Death Eater was caring a small bundle wrapped in a thick cloth. He Death eater did not talk to him as he started a ritual of some kind. The cauldron was filled with a silverly liquid and then the bundle was placed inside it. The Death Eater started a chant not paying any attention to him.

While the Death Eater chanted and concentrated on adding things to the cauldron Harry wiggled his was out of the ropes that were holding him to the statue. The Death Eater hadn't done a very good job at tying him up. Once Harry was loose he picked up a big rock and kit the Death Eater over the head and pushed over the cauldron. The potion went flying over the old graves and the bundle crashed into a pile of rocks that looked like they used to be an angel statue. Harry wasn't too sure on when he had just interrupted but he had a feeling that it was the right thing to do. He did not want to die by some outrageous Death Eater trying to bring back his mater.

Harry grabbed onto the cup and was surprised to be taken back to Hogwarts. He was expecting to have to find another way back. When he landed back into the centre of the maze he was surrounded by his teachers asking questions. He was overwhelmed by them and was relieved when he was taken to the infirmary.

The bruise around his waist where he was tired up was healed and was then approached by Headmaster Dumbledore, "Hello Harry, I trust you are feeling better? Do you think that you could tell us what happened to you after you touched the cup?"

"I'm feeling better Sir. I blacked out after I touched the cup and woke up to find myself tied to a statue in a graveyard. There was a Death Eater there with a huge cauldron. He was also carrying a bundle of some kind. He started to make some potion with a ritual; he didn't seem to pay any attention to me so I was able to escape from the ropes and I hit the Death Eater over the head and pushed over the cauldron. I think the Death Eater is still alive tho. I don't think I could have hit him that hard. Then I touched the cup and found myself back here."

The Headmaster nodded and asked his a few more questions before he was allowed to rest. Harry was told that some auroras would be sent to the graveyard once the figured out the co-ordinates to check out his story. Harry was instructed to rest and that he could have visitors once had had slept some more and eaten.

When he awoke again it was dark outside but he wasn't alone. Sitting next to his bed were Hermione and Cedric. Hermione was reading a book and picking at a plate of food in her lap, while Cedric was watching him while he ate is dinner. Sitting on his bedside table was a plate of food what was still steaming away under a heating charm. Cedric smiled and handed him his dinner once he was sitting up, "You better eat sweetheart. Dumbledore already told us a little about what happened. He also said he will speak to you again tomorrow. They found the graveyard you went to so I think they just want to confirm some information or something. Don't worry about it though; I'm just happy you're still alive."

"Oh... Do you think that they were really trying to bring back the Dark Lord?" Harry asked as he started on his dinner.

"No idea. I'm sure Dumbledore knows more about it."

"Oh Ok... I'm happy you're ok too. Do you know who won the tournament?"

"You did!" answered Hermione.

"WHAT! How did I win?"

"You did reach the cup first even though you were taken away the officials decided that you are the winner. They are going to hold an official ceremony tomorrow night."

Harry made a face at the news of the ceremony causing Cedric and Hermione to laugh, "It won't be so bad. The rest of us champions have to be there too."

"I still don't want to go and I really don't need the money either. As far as I'm concerned you won Cedric. I wasn't even meant to be it in and you did reach the centre before more."

"As far as I'm concerned you won Cedric. I wasn't even meant to be it in and you did reach the centre before more."

"We reached at the same time and it doesn't matter if you were meant to be in it or not you were and you won! Enjoy it!"

"But..."

"But nothing, it's your money now and you're the champion live with it!" pipped in Hermione.

"I don't want any more money..." Then an idea came to Harry... "Why don't you have it Cedric? You can use it to open your store this summer."

"What! I can't take it"

"Yes you will! I don't won't it if I don't give it to you I will find a way to throw it away."

Amazed by Harry's generosity Cedric kissed harry causing the two younger teens to blush, "Fine. I'll take it but you are going to let me buy you things with it!"

"No! You're not meant to buy me things!"

"I'm still doing it. It's my money now so I can use it how I like. I think first we are going to buy you some nice clothes and anything else I fancy."

Harry tried to argue back but Cedric wasn't hearing it. He was going to spoil Harry and that was that.

So there you have it. A paradox was created when Harry didn't tell Cedric about the dragons. A new world took place, a better world, one where Cedric lived and the Dark Lord was prevented from returning. No one knows what the future will hold but for now the world is safe and Harry Potter was happy and loved.

The End!