A certain Hogwarts professor of runes.

He was stunned for two seconds before realizing what had happened and the significance of doing so.

"My God! Unbelievable! Potter, Potter actually found this method... His two teammates are closing in quickly, even faster than Harry was before, they're chasing the light!" Bagman's face flushed red, and he excitedly unbuttoned his collar. "Although I hate to admit it, the game is already half over... The other half depends on the other teams, they need to hurry."

Collins, Cedric, and Roger stood at the entrance, looking bewildered. What had Harry and his friends done to earn such a evaluation from the judges? All the warriors simultaneously realized that Harry's group had gained a huge advantage, and they had to catch up.

Another short whistle blew, and the second group of warriors entered the field. They unanimously adopted a more aggressive strategy.

……

Harry sat on the vine steps, casting two healing charms on himself. The soreness in his legs lessened considerably, and his chest no longer felt like it was about to explode. He silently counted, and as he approached 100, footsteps approached. Hermione appeared from around the corner, walked up to Harry, smoothed her hair, and chuckled, "Harry, you really did it."

A dozen seconds later, Ron burst out from another side road, looking somewhat disheveled, his clothes covered in mud.

“We ran too fast and ran into a huge pit. I wonder who did it… What a jerk.” He said, half-jokingly, as he reached out and pulled Harry up from the steps. He looked at the entrance above him with surprise on his face. “We’re almost at the second floor? Too bad we can only use it once.”

“Yes, let’s go,” Harry said.

Chapter 482 The Labyrinth Castle (Part Two): Dialogue on the Seventh Floor

An hour passed in the blink of an eye.

"The competition is getting more and more exciting, and the outcome is still uncertain. Let me give a summary—"

"Harry's group is still in the lead. The three of them quickly reunited, giving them an absolute advantage. They easily overcame the Boggart, the Devil's Vine, and the Inverted Trap, and have just entered the fifth level of the maze."

"The three warriors from the second team have also arrived at the fourth level, but they haven't met up yet. One of the warriors just came in, and they probably won't meet until the fifth level. Some viewers might wonder why the warriors didn't use the amplification spell. That's because the hedges are enchanted, which greatly weakens sound and light... Potter's spell is an exception."

"The Vargadu warriors maximized their strengths. Let's remember the name Rashon Eifendi. He displayed the most ferocious power of the African savanna in the first two challenges, but this time he showed us the exquisite control he has over his transformations! As the third team to enter, Eifendi used the vibrations of the elephant to locate his teammates, successfully meeting them in the first level of the maze. Then, Brandzigo transformed into a blue eagle and quickly found the entrances to the second and third levels. His teammates again used vibrations to locate their positions and headed straight for the entrances with astonishing efficiency, even closing in on Porter's team. However, the Vargadu warriors encountered some difficulties on the fourth level when the blue eagle got entangled in a wall of thorns. Now they have sent Nona Ribert to scout ahead—this girl is also incredibly fast, and they are the only team that has a chance to surpass Porter's progress."

"Next up is Beauxbatons. They're on the third floor, almost at the fourth; we might meet at the entrance."

"Demstrong's strategy is clearly different. Krum has been on the fourth level for a while now, but his two teammates are on the third. It seems they have a plan. That's right! Adim Bwick stopped at the entrance to the third level; he's waiting for the other person. I see! Their intention is to have the strongest person keep pushing forward, while the two weaker ones go together. A smart move! Keep in mind that the third level of the maze isn't dangerous, and it's also a third smaller than the first level..."

"Finally, it's Iphamoni. They've only reached the second level, after all, they entered half an hour late. No, they adopted the same strategy as Durmstrang! It's just that they chose to go in groups of three. Although they were delayed earlier, judging from the combination magic they demonstrated in the first two projects, their speed will be very fast from here on out."

The audience stared intently at the screen, clutching various small flags in their hands, and even the judges on the judging panel were watching closely.

"Will they meet? Will they?" Mrs. Granger covered her face, scratching herself with her nails.

“I think... a battle is inevitable,” Sirius murmured to himself.

……

“The fifth floor is too dark,” Ron muttered. The first three floors had blue-flame candles, but the intervals between them became longer and longer. By the fourth floor, they could barely make out the color of the hedges in the darkness, and now there wasn’t a single ray of light.

He and Harry held their wands, ready to respond to any sudden danger. Hermione was slightly behind, controlling a ball of white flame that enveloped them and illuminated a small area nearby. They struggled for ten minutes, constantly pulling their legs off the vine-covered ground, before finally crossing the long corridor.

“I don’t believe there’s anything more outrageous ahead,” Ron said.

"Don't jinx it."

They rounded a corner, and suddenly the world spun around them. Harry found himself upside down, standing on the ceiling. Blood rushed to his head; he had a similar experience—in the second level of the maze, he had been caught in a golden mist that had hung him upside down, with endless void below him. That trap was a test of the warrior's courage; all he had to do was pull his legs out...

He tried, raising one leg high, but there was no reaction. He was still standing on the ceiling, and almost fell because of his unsteady footing—not falling down, but falling onto the ceiling. Blood pounded in his eardrums, making it impossible for him to think. At that moment, he heard Hermione say beside him, "I think we need to get out like this."

Harry was about to ask for directions when he saw Hermione inching forward. She walked for almost a minute before falling off the ceiling.

“Yugadim Leviosa!” She landed lightly in mid-air, looking at Harry and Ron. “Just treat the ceiling as flat ground and keep walking forward. Of course, you’ll have to put up with the discomfort of your blood rushing to your head.”

Soon, Harry and Ron were also safely rescued.

"It's strange, gravity is still there, but we're being held up to the ceiling by an even stronger force..." Hermione looked back longingly.

“What is gravity?” Ron asked.

“It’s the force that allows us to stand firmly on the ground,” Hermione said simply.

"Isn't this obvious?" Ron asked, puzzled.

"Keep your voice down, or you'll attract monsters," Harry warned them.

Over the next ten minutes, they encountered a quicksand trap. Ron remembered the levitation charm Hermione had used before and easily got through it. Then they came to a log bridge, but instead of water, there was a bottomless abyss below. The levitation charm failed, and Harry crossed it without much effort. "This is much easier than Quidditch."

Ron was a bit slow, but he still made it through smoothly. When it was Hermione's turn, she hesitated. "I, oh, I'll try..." She glanced down, trembling, and quickly looked back.

Harry and Ron exchanged a glance—Hermione seemed to rarely use her flying broom.

"Don't worry, it's not dangerous at all—"

"Yes, you've taken flight lessons and passed the exam!"

“I only got a passing grade,” Hermione whispered. “Wait, let me think.” She came up with an idea: she conjured a rope with magic, threw one end to Harry and Ron, and tied the other end to herself. “If I fall… you must hold me back.”

She walked shakily onto the log bridge; the twenty-foot distance felt like an insurmountable chasm. Reaching the last step, she mustered her courage and leaped to the other side.

"That's fantastic, Hermione!"

"Oh, I'm a little dizzy..." Hermione said, rubbing her head. "Let's keep going."

"Whoosh!"

A shadow used the wall twice to propel itself across the log bridge, disappearing into the darkness in a few leaps.

"What was that just now?" Ron asked in alarm. If it had suddenly attacked, they probably wouldn't have been able to dodge it.

“A cheetah,” Harry said.

“The person who gave you the amulet?” Ron remembered. “It’s the one whose name is…” He looked to Hermione for help.

“It’s Nona Ripper!” Hermione exclaimed. “It seems she’s chosen to leave her teammates and venture out on her own. She’s too fast; we need to hurry!”

They started jogging, and after encountering two dead ends, they came onto a narrow, rugged road, where a huge object blocked the middle of the road.

“It’s the Sphinx,” Hermione whispered.

They ventured forward, the white flames illuminating her body. She lowered her beautiful head, seemingly lost in thought. Hearing the noise, she raised her head, took two steps forward, and spoke in a low, hoarse voice.

“You’re very close to the next step. The fastest way is to get there from me. As long as you—”

"What season is the shortest?" Hermione interrupted it.

The Sphinx blinked its beautiful eyes, and Hermione continued, "What is something that is clearly yours, yet everyone can use it?"

"Well--"

"There are always fake news stories in newspapers, but what is definitely true?"

The Sphinx fell into deep thought once again.

Hermione waved to them and cautiously passed by, the Sphinx ignoring her. Harry and Ron also made it through without incident. They walked a long way, barely daring to breathe, and only breathed a sigh of relief when they saw the stairs leading to the sixth level of the maze.

“Hermione, how did you know?” Harry asked breathlessly.

“Hagrid told us, have you forgotten? If you’re the first to say three riddles, it will be stumped. I didn’t really believe it before…”

Outside the maze castle.

“Someone caught up with Potter and his group. It was a warrior from Vagado. However, Potter and his group entered the sixth level of the labyrinth first. But that doesn’t mean anything. Nona Ribert is too fast. She is covered with many protective spells, which were cast on her by her teammates.”

"Nona has taken a longer route, and the sixth level is just around the corner! Maybe she can get to the seventh level first, then Porter and the others will be at a disadvantage!" Bagman shouted. "The other warriors are also gradually joining their teammates, with most of them gathered on the fourth level. Porter and the others' early advantage is rapidly shrinking. Who will win the championship? Let's wait and see!"

……

The seventh level of the maze was only half the size of the school auditorium, and it was completely empty on all sides. In the center of the maze lay a stone. On the stone was a trophy.

Felix sat on the rock and said softly, "The trophy was indeed enchanted. It didn't change the original destination, but added a transit point in the middle... It's a very clever method, and you can't find it unless you look closely."

“Yes, Professor.” A muffled voice came from inside the hat on his head.

Chapter 483 The Labyrinth Castle (Part 3): The Trophy Within Reach

"Is a free-for-all about to begin?"

"Only three people made it up. Nona grabbed the trophy, I... I stopped her, then Viktor came up, and finally Cedric. We fought our final battle on the sixth floor of the labyrinth."

"I understand."

Silence fell. "Professor—are you really alright? I saw it with my own eyes—"

"Oh, I'm sorry to have worried you. I haven't told anyone about this new ability I recently acquired."

"But—the side effects of the potion—?"

“It’s not a big problem, at most I’ll be in a period of weakness, but,” Felix hesitated for a moment, “I might get invited for a chat.”

"Want some tea?"

"It means cooperating with the investigation. After all, I'm too much of a suspect, whether it's the theft of the time-changer or what's going to happen tonight... Fudge finally managed to seize the opportunity."

That's not your responsibility at all!

“Don’t worry too much, Miss Granger. I’ve made some preparations in advance. If things go according to plan, Fudge will be in that position for who knows how long. Tonight will be a test for both of us. If he makes the wrong choice, he will be removed from office.”

"Oh—okay, what can I do?"

"Hurry up and improve your strength. Although Voldemort is destined to fail, there will definitely be a long war. You know, because of the Horcruxes... In chaotic times, strength is the most important thing. Also, do me a small favor."

"What is it?" the voice inside the hat asked impatiently.

"I've put some contraband in my ring, and to prevent the Ministry of Magic from taking it, I need you to keep it safe for me."

"No problem, Professor, I will definitely hide it well."

"The contents inside aren't actually that important, just a bit sensitive... I specifically left some magical script information behind; you can take a look, just in case..."

"Just in case what?" The hat shifted uneasily.

Felix paused for a moment, then smiled and said, "Of course, it's in case something dangerous happens while I'm away."

Just then, Felix looked up. "Someone's coming." He stood up, pointed his wand at himself, and his body became blurry and transparent, blending into his surroundings. He quietly slipped into a corner.

A lithe figure rushed in, incredibly fast. The seventh level of the maze was well-lit, and Nona Ripper spotted the gleaming trophy immediately. She transformed into a cheetah, nimbly turned, grabbed the handle of the trophy in her mouth, and ran out like the wind.

The sixth level of the maze did not have hedges that were more than ten feet high and close to the ceiling. Instead, there were clumps of shrubs that were half a person tall, which were trimmed into long strips.

Harry stared at a stone statue. They had been in the sixth level of the maze for a while now, and apart from encountering a group of big-headed monsters disguised as stone and cloaked squirrels the size of rabbits, they hadn't encountered any danger.

This was the first time they had ever seen a Sulley in real life. At first, they thought these "round stones" were part of the maze, until the three of them became inevitably depressed, triggering Harry's Occlumency surgery, and he realized the problem.

Harry used the Sharp Blade spell, and golden energy shot from the tip of his wand, condensing into the shape of a longsword. He tapped the stones with the back of the sword, and they immediately jumped up, scattering in all directions with their bald, gray heads bouncing around. Harry noticed that their furry bodies were quite noticeable when they moved.

Ron also shook off his dejected mood. He angrily nudged the last straggling big-headed monster with his foot. This creature, which was only a foot tall, had a very poor sense of balance. If you pushed it, its huge head would tilt forward. Ron tried a few times, and the big-headed monster simply curled up into a ball and rolled away like a stone.

“Strange creatures. It’s hard to imagine that Mr. Scamander scared them away with the noise of his kettle,” Ron said.