Chapter 302 - 302: The Second Task Begins

Upon breaking the surface, Maurise immediately cast a Warming Charm and a Hot-Air Charm on Harry.

Harry instantly felt as though he had been pulled into a blazing hearth, a comforting wave of heat seeping deep into his frozen bones.

Wizards naturally possessed hardier constitutions than ordinary humans. Although it was the dead of winter in Scotland, a brief dip in the freezing lake wouldn't cause any severe illness.

"Thanks," Harry rolled his shoulders, feeling the tension bleed out, and quickly pulled his thick winter robes back on.

Maurise holstered his wand.

Just then, Hermione and Ron rushed over to the edge of the pier.

"You should have warned us before you did something so reckless, Maurise!" Hermione glared at him, clearly displeased. "What if something had gone wrong? I could have helped you!"

"I prefer the element of surprise," Maurise shrugged casually.

Hermione was momentarily rendered speechless. She supposed that was just classic Maurise.

Ron pushed forward, eager to get to the point. "So, Harry? Maurise? What is the secret of the golden egg?"

"It's a song," Harry held the golden egg up. "That awful screeching turns into a beautiful melody underwater. We've figured out the clue for the Second Task."

"What is it?!" Hermione grew tense, leaning in.

"Well..." Harry paused, furrowing his brow as he recalled the lyrics. "According to the song, we have to dive into the lake and rescue our most precious treasure. We have exactly one hour to do it."

"Most precious treasure?" Ron blinked blankly. "What's that supposed to mean? Like, a sack of gold?"

Hermione shot Ron a withering look. "I highly doubt it."

"As for what it actually is," Maurise chimed in, "I'm afraid we won't know until the task actually begins." He was equally clueless. What on earth did he consider his 'most precious treasure'?

---

After parting ways with the Golden Trio, Maurise returned to the Ship in a Bottle.

The moment he stepped into the living room, he was greeted by the bizarre sight of Fred and George frantically tap-dancing in the center of the rug, their faces etched with profound despair.

Tin was perched on the armrest of the sofa, watching them intently, its tail swishing gently in time with their frantic steps.

"What on earth are you two doing?" Maurise asked.

Fred's face was flushed red. He panted heavily, managing to force out words between his frantic kicks. "George... lost a duel... against your cat. We are... serving our punishment."

"It was you who dueled the cat!" George pointed an accusing finger at Fred, still dancing wildly. "I was only the referee!"

"Meow~"

Tin licked its paw and gave it a lazy wave.

The twins instantly stopped dancing, their legs giving out as they collapsed onto the sofa with a simultaneous, long sigh of relief.

Maurise watched them, highly amused. "You two actually lost to my pet cat?" Perhaps Tin's combat prowess was even more formidable than he had estimated.

"I was merely careless!" Fred defended himself righteously, massaging his sore calves. "If we went another round, the result would undoubtedly be different!"

George ignored his brother and turned to Maurise, asking in genuine confusion, "By the way, Maurise, how is your cat able to use magic?"

"That is a trade secret," Maurise replied cryptically.

Tin hopped off the sofa, puffed out its chest, and strutted haughtily in front of the twins, bearing its teeth in a blatant display of triumph.

Maurise promptly kicked it aside.

"Ah! We have to go, George," Fred suddenly scrambled to his feet, checking his watch.

George looked at him, bewildered. "Why the sudden rush?"

Fred shot a quick glance at Maurise and said meaningfully, "Did you forget? We have an appointment with Professor Dumbledore today. We need to head over right now."

Realization dawned on George's face. He really had almost forgotten.

Maurise asked casually, "What does Dumbledore want with you two?"

Fred flashed a mysterious grin and lowered his voice dramatically. "The Headmaster has entrusted us with a massive project."

"A massive project?" Maurise raised an eyebrow.

"Exactly," George picked up the thread, giving Maurise a theatrical wink. "You will find out soon enough. See you later!"

The twins hurried out of the Ship in a Bottle, leaving Maurise feeling thoroughly perplexed.

---

The date of the Second Task of the Triwizard Tournament steadily approached.

Over the next few days, the castle was once again buzzing with fervent discussion. Students debated endlessly about what the task would actually entail and who was most likely to emerge victorious. Judging purely by their performances in the First Task, Maurise was widely considered the overwhelming favorite to win.

Finally, the morning of the Second Task arrived.

"I bet ten Galleons on Maurise winning!"

The moment Maurise stepped into the Ravenclaw common room, he heard Kyle Chesterfield announcing loudly to the crowd. "Anyone care to take me up on that wager?"

The other students merely laughed good-naturedly. Naturally, everyone here supported Maurise. While he might not have been universally beloved by every single Ravenclaw, he was still representing their House. Who else were they supposed to support?

A brisk set of footsteps sounded from the stairwell, and Professor Flitwick bustled into the room.

"It is a brilliant, sunny day today!" He walked up to Maurise, beaming happily. "The task will begin shortly, Maurise. Go and have a hearty breakfast first. Today's challenge will be incredibly demanding; you must ensure you have plenty of energy."

Maurise nodded. "I will, Professor."

"Best of luck to you," Professor Flitwick smiled in deep satisfaction. He turned and took two steps toward the exit before suddenly pausing and looking back. He added with a distinct note of caution, "When the time comes, head straight down to the Black Lake. We will be waiting for you there."

"Understood," Maurise said.

Professor Flitwick quickly bustled out of sight.

Kyle trotted over and clapped Maurise on the shoulder. "Professor Flitwick seems a bit overly anxious, doesn't he?" He glanced at the clock on the wall and added, "I need to go prepare a few things myself. See you later."

Maurise looked at him, slightly puzzled. "Prepare what? You aren't competing."

"Oh, there are many people who desperately need my assistance today," Kyle winked exaggeratedly and quickly darted out of the common room.

Maurise watched him go, feeling that Kyle was acting distinctly out of character today. He didn't dwell on it, however.

'There are still two hours before the task begins... Hmm, I suppose I'll go read in the library for a bit.'

---

Half an hour before the task was scheduled to commence, Maurise finally stepped out of the library, stretching his arms high above his head.

Madam Pince, fully aware he was competing today, had been uncharacteristically kind, repeatedly urging him to head down early to prepare. She had been shockingly gentle, even offering a stiff "Good luck" as he left.

Maurise strolled down the corridors, heading out onto the grounds toward the Black Lake. At some point, Tin had silently padded up to join him, and trailing right behind it was Hermione's massive ginger cat, Crookshanks.

When he arrived at the edge of the lake, he found the area completely transformed.

Several massive tiers of wooden stands had been erected along the shoreline, curving around the dark water. The stands were already packed to the brim with excited students. A large contingent of Ravenclaws were waving massive blue and bronze banners, cheering raucously.

Maurise walked briskly over to the designated Champions' Enclosure. A long table draped in a bright, garish yellow cloth—perfectly matching the color of Ludo Bagman's robes—was set up at the front.

Harry, Fleur, and Krum had already arrived. The panel of judges was also fully assembled.

To Maurise's distinct surprise, since Bartemius Crouch was still missing, his seat had been filled by none other than Cornelius Fudge, the Minister for Magic himself.