Cloud opened his eyes since a newspaper tickled his nose and face. He looked at it, but it was far too near to read anything, and he pushed away, “What is it?”

Since he was resting his head on Tifa’s thigh, her face was the first that should have come in front of his eyes, but Hermione, holding the newspaper, did. She folded the newspaper, showing him the particular article that made him take the paper and read. She sat up, and Tifa inched closer, reading it too.

Cloud changed the hand he held the paper in, stroking her thigh, wondering if it was numb, but she slapped his hand away. But soon, he furrowed his brows.

Tifa took the paper, closely reading the article on Hagrid and his half Giant Lineage with a hint of anger in her eyes, “How’s he?”

“He won’t see us,” Harry sat down, “He won’t see anybody.”

“Of course, he won’t. This was his secret, one he didn’t share with even us. Did he with you?”

“No,” Harry shook his head, “Ron and I overheard him talking to Madame Maxime…but I doubt she was the one who told Rita.”

“No, she wouldn’t!” Hermione shook her head, “She wouldn’t, right?”

“No, she wouldn’t,” Cloud took a deep breath, “This woman is becoming trouble. Did she overhear them talking?”

“No, there was no one else there, or we would have known. Unless she was invisible too!”

“That reminds me…where is Ron?” Tifa wondered.

“He…” Harry looked towards Cloud and Hermione, sighing when Hermione curled her lips.

“He has been acting strange this year. First, he fought with Harry, even though he knew this might be He-Who-Must- Not-Be-Named doing. And now he is angry at me.”

“Oh,” Tifa raised her eyebrow, realizing what was happening while Cloud seemed oblivious. She looked at the paper, “She has been pitting Aerith against Professor Dumbledore. No one talks about it, but I am sure someone might take offense.”

“Want me to deal with it?”

“No, Cloud. I know the perfect way to deal with this,” Tifa curled her lips, “I don’t like it, but against a bully like her, this might be the only way.”

He didn’t understand it then but didn’t think much about it. Since then, more time passed, and there was a special day between when he got a treat and the day of the second task. Before the task, Tifa was called away, and then Cloud disappeared for a while before coming back and sitting down on the stands.

The seats around the enclosed area during the first trial were now here, near the bank, and the five judges were sitting on the table with a golden cloth.

Though, in Crouch, Percy Weasley sat there, causing many others to question what was going on.

Soon, the stands started to fill in, and the other Professors sat down, and so did the students.

Hermione sat beside him, and Ron snorted to sit with his other classmates.

“Should I ask?”

“No, don’t. It’s stupid,” Hermoine looked towards the judge’s table and the champions that stood beside it, “Will she be ok?”

“I don’t know.”

“What do you mean? Did you find a way to breathe underwater?”

“No. She wasn’t interested in that.”

“Pardon,” Professor McGonagall turned around to look at Cloud, “What do you mean she wasn’t interested?”

“She just shrugged at that thought. I even offered to teach her swimming,” Cloud broodingly looked towards Aerith’s direction, and by now, the rules were clear.

One person close to them had been taken, and they had to dive and stay underwater for nearly an hour to bring them back. From what he knew, Fleur had lost her little sister; Tifa was waiting for Aerith, Cho for Harry, and lastly, someone from their school, a girl, for Viktor.

“Dance partners?”

Professor McGonagall raised her eyebrows, scoffing, “I think you were the one they wanted, but they decided you’d be far too unpredictable to choose you.”

“You give me too much credit,” Cloud shrugged, “If I were so irresponsible, then I would have brought Tifa back to land by now.”

“You wouldn’t,” Hermione leaned forward in disbelief.

“Oh, he would,” Professor McGonagall curled, “Why do you think I am sitting here?”

“I have already been there. I just went to see how she was doing,” Cloud scratched his cheek, “So you can enjoy the show.”

McGonagall let out an audible breath, “Why you…Mr. Strife. The faster, the more you grow, the more you make me worry.”

“You should be worried about them…they are way crazier than me. When those two try…I’d seem like an obedient child.”

Hermione pulled his sleeves, “What do you mean didn’t try in the first round?”

“Those? Those even perform, but there are magics…that only Aerith can because of her instinct for magic. She’s a pure magician, unmatched,” Cloud breathed out.

“Nice, the commentary you have going here,” Angelina changed places with the guy sitting beside Cloud, “Spill more of Aerith’s secrets, please.”

“Right, what do you think will be the outcome of this match? How is Aerith going to win? We are going to bet on it,” Fred and George sat down behind them.

“Yeah, man. Suppose you know something, then tell us. We are going to get rich too,” Lee rubbed his hands, excitedly waiting for Aerith to do something.

The other three champions had already dived into the water; only Aerith was standing there.

Hermione and McGonagall cleared their throats at the same time. Hermione to say that Professor McGonagall was right here, and Professor McGonagall to say she was here.

“I am wondering if there is a relation here,” Cloud asked, and the twins, Lee and Angelina, snickered.

“Yes, that of a teacher and an outstanding student. Now shh, Mr. Strife.”

Fred pulled his head back, whispering, “Hey, Cloud…shh…tell me?”

Cloud shrugged, whispering to him, “I am pretty sure she’s going to use magic never before seen. Does that help?”

“Loads.”

The two of them disappeared as fast as they came, and Ludo Bagman didn’t want to wait any longer. He jumped up from his chair and went to Aerith, asking her while broadcasting his voice.

Aerith had been patiently waiting, though she was tired of standing for ten minutes, when Bagman came to her asking, “Miss Aerith. Aren’t you going to enter? This is a race, you know?”

“Yeah, but since the first task, everyone has been saying that it’s not fair that I am participating, and I agree, that is true. So, this time I decided I would give them a thirty-minute lead before I make my move; sounds fair?”

Bagman raised his eyebrows, hearing the cheers from the crowd, “Haha, yeah. Your fans seem excited about that idea, but they are also worried. Is there anything you would like to say to them?”

Aerith thought and turned around, pointing towards Hagrid in the stands, “Well…the spell I am going to use today. It’s for Rubeus Hagrid, our good friend, and teacher.”

“I see,” Bagman laughed, “You hear Hagrid, this is for you!”

Twenty minutes passed, and the time arrived when Bagman, who was on his seat, started shouting, “The time is upon us!! It’s time, Miss Gainsborough! Why don’t you show us the magic you are so confident of!! Show your fans what they are to see!!”

The corner of Aerith’s lips curved into a beautiful smile as she faced the audience, “I understand.”

She placed her palm on both ends of the wand and squashed it between her palms. She spread her palms out, beautiful silver, Mythril light covered her, and ribbons spread out from the wand, causing staff to appear in everyone’s sight. She effortlessly rotated it on the palm of her hand, turning as she swirled it passing from one hand to the other behind her back and slamming it on the ground.

A light shockwave passed through everyone, and magical green power appeared in everyone’s sight. She opened her eyes, her voice echoing louder than the cheering crowd, “Rise….”

“Oh, what is going on? Is everyone feeling this?! The land!! It’s trembling!! Or is it me who is trembling in anticipation?!”

“I am pretty sure it’s the ground, Mr. Bagman,” Dumbledore raised his eyebrows.

The lake started to churn, the waves rising and falling, and the water overflowed to the bank, but Aerith didn’t stop putting the magic force in the ground “TITAN!!!”

The water rose at the center, and a massive Titan made of stone came out.

“It’s the Earth!!! Elemental Magic!! Fire!!! Then Water!! Now the Earth!!! This is amazing!! This is beyond amazing!! As expected of the one deemed the greatest magician of the next century!! She goes beyond all expectations!!!”

The Titan knelt, and more waves rose, and it opened its palm, placing it in front of Aerith. The creatures caught by the lake jumped into the water, leaving four unconscious, though one of them was starting to wake up.

She opened her eyes, and the first thing that came to her sight was Titan’s head. She slowly raised her body, sitting, holding her head, and her eyes met with Aerith’s, “Don’t you think you went a tad bit too far?”

Aerith clasped her hands together, sweetly smiling, “Ya think? It was for Hagrid. I wonder if he’d like it?”

“Well…” Tifa searched around the stands for Hagrid, who wiped his tear with one hand and waved with another, “If crying and waving are any signs…then yes.”

“Sorry?”

Tifa stood up, walking off the palm, chuckling, “Don’t be. If it was for Hagrid…it can’t be helped. But…don’t you think you finished it too soon?”

“Oh no, I waited thirty minutes.”

Tifa stopped, raising her eyebrow, placing her hand on her waist, “You did what?”

“Oops,” Aerith stuck out her tongue.

“Did you leave me there for thirty minutes!”

“I did not! Ok…I did. Oh wait, I gotta give the statement!”