Meteors streaked across the sky above them in their predetermined pattern. Two shooting stars went left, one went right alone.
Several people stood frozen, staring up at the dazzling stars falling continuously from the artificial starry sky like tears from heaven. Their expressions were locked in complete disbelief, mouths slightly open. Was it really that simple? Had the answer been above them the entire time?
Harry's green eyes reflected the light of the shooting stars. But his pale, drawn face gradually contorted as his breathing grew heavier and more difficult.
Ever since Neville's sacrifice had helped them understand the true nature of this round's challenge, Harry had known that Professor Watson must have set up some kind of hidden mechanism somewhere in this space.
After their subsequent desperate search of the platform had yielded absolutely nothing, they had been forced to resort to Viktor's clever little trick with the two-person system.
But deep down in his heart, Harry had known that Professor Watson wouldn't leave such an obvious loophole for them to exploit without consequences.
Sure enough, the professor had installed a cruel failsafe measure in the challenge that prevented them from using simple tricks to pass the competition.
While struggling forward on the glass walkway suspended above the dark abyss, Harry had been constantly thinking about where Professor Watson had hidden his clue. Where was the key? What were they missing?
But after endless contemplation, racking his brain until his head ached, Harry never imagined that the hint had been in such an obvious place!
Right there where everyone could see it just by looking up at the stars. And precisely because of this, because it was so visible and natural-looking, it was so easy to overlook.
Even Hermione, whom he trusted implicitly with her brilliant mind, hadn't noticed the subtle irregularity in those shooting stars that looked so natural against the starry sky's background. They'd all been too focused on survival to look up.
"Professor Watson truly is a master at understanding human psychology," Viktor said weakly after the group began moving forward smoothly again, following the pattern.
"I'm sorry, Harry," Hermione said, her voice was breaking slightly. She bit her lip hard as she turned to look at Harry, who was now positioned at the back of the line in Ron's former place.
Her eyes were red-rimmed and swollen from suppressed tears, her face was full of crushing guilt. "The answer was right in front of us the whole time. If I had just been smarter, if I had looked up sooner, Ron might—"
"This isn't your fault, Hermione," Harry replied in a muffled voice. "Who could have thought of it?"
Fleur who had saved them all with her observation, didn't correct Harry's statement. She too felt exhausted physically and emotionally drained by Bryan Watson's ingenious puzzle.
Although they had finally found the correct method to advance, Ron Weasley's sacrifice had left everyone in a somber, mournful mood. The team advanced quickly in heavy silence. Even the glass panels continuing to shatter behind them no longer created any sense of urgency or fear. They were numb to it now.
"I think we're nearly there," Fleur said, stopping suddenly at the front of the group.
Her words halted the other three teams who had been focused on mechanically jumping from panel to panel, and their gazes all turned in the direction Fleur was looking with her arm raised.
The mysterious glowing object ahead radiated white light that illuminated the surrounding area like a beacon in the darkness.
After two or three dozen more glass panels forming an elegant S-shaped curve through the cosmic space, what awaited them at the end was a wooden platform identical to the one they had first stood on when they arrived in this space. And it bore something wrapped in radiance.
With the finish line finally in sight after so much struggle and loss, everyone's spirits lifted somewhat despite their grief. They all wondered with curiosity what exactly lay beneath that brilliant glow.
The final stretch proceeded without incident, almost anticlimactic after everything they'd endured.
One by one, they climbed from the narrow walkway onto the high platform, their muscles were trembling with exhaustion. When Cedric pulled Harry up with a strong grip and Harry's feet touched the solid, opaque wooden boards, he let out a genuine sigh of relief that emptied his lungs.
As soon as he looked up, still catching his breath, Hermione approached him quickly. She looked distressed, her face was showing the weight of guilt she felt.
After a brief silence where they just looked at each other, Harry stepped forward and embraced her firmly, wrapping his arms around her.
He gently patted her back in comfort. "You did your best, Hermione. You did everything you could. It's just that Professor Watson was too cunning, too clever for all of us."
"But Ron really wanted to stay in the competition until the end," Hermione said tearfully as Harry released her from the embrace. "He was so excited about this. And I failed him."
"So, we need to win, don't we?" Harry said, trying to lighten his heavy heart with a cheerful tone.
"This is..." By this time, everyone else on the platform had gathered around the mysterious light source, squinting as they examined the radiance at the platform's center shielding their eyes.
Fleur frowned slightly with confusion. "What is this thing?"
"Come on, let's go see," Harry said to Hermione with a weak smile.
Taking a deep breath, Hermione forced herself to steady the wavering light in her brown eyes, to push down the grief. She nodded at Harry with determination, and the two of them quickly joined the others gathered beneath the glow.
It was a cluster of pure white light shaped like a torch or flame, magical fire that gave off no heat. Within the flame-like construction, something was hidden at its core.
"A key?" Harry said, his brow furrowing deeply in surprise and confusion. He leaned closer, trying to see better. "But why is there only one?"
Harry's unconscious expression of confusion and his innocent question caused subtle, immediate changes in the expressions of everyone on the platform.
A crisp, clear sound like a wind chime rang in everyone's ears, cutting through the silence. Professor Watson's steady voice arose without warning from nowhere at once. "Now, you may use your wands."
Harry looked around in astonishment, spinning in a circle, but didn't see that young face anywhere.
"This should be a pre-recorded message, Harry," Hermione said softly, her mind was working. She bit her lower lip, and as the sadness quickly faded from her face like water running off glass, cold seriousness began to surface in its place.
Fleur, Viktor, Cedric, and Luna all wore similarly troubled expressions after Professor Watson's voice had spoken those words and then fallen silent.
Silently, the atmosphere among the six people who had just been cooperating closely, working together became delicate and fraught with tension. They could use magic now?
What did Professor Watson mean by giving this reminder at such a moment?
Undoubtedly, the bronze key floating up and down gently within the torch-like light was a critical item that would surely be essential in the upcoming stages of the tournament.
But the key issue, the problem that made everyone's stomach clench, was that there was only one key. Which meant only one team could possess it.
Hermione unconsciously moved closer to Harry and at the same time, the two of them subtly moved away from the torch and the members of the other three teams creating distance.
Meanwhile, Cedric and Luna, as well as Fleur and Viktor, did the same without any prior agreement or discussion.
The six people from four teams remained tense and silent while remaining vigilant of the others, watching for sudden movements. Before they fully realized it, everyone had already gripped their wands tightly.
Would there be another brutal confrontation?
If so, Fleur and Viktor would have absolutely no realistic chance of victory. Both Durmstrang and Beauxbatons had only their respective champions left standing.
The numerical disadvantage of being two against four, combined with the significant difference in individual dueling skills, left them with no chance of winning in a straight fight, unless...
Obviously, Fleur and Viktor realized this tactical reality as well.
After becoming aware of this sobering fact, the two champions standing on opposite sides of the platform slowly moved closer together, forming an alliance. They watched Hogwarts's two teams warily, defensively.
This made the four students from Hogwarts somewhat awkward and uncomfortable, but they understood perfectly why Fleur and Viktor would make such a choice.
Hermione and Cedric exchanged a glance across the space. Their eyes met for only an instant before looking away quickly. There was competition within Hogwarts itself, after all. A thick sense of distrust weighed heavily on everyone's hearts.
Harry frowned deeply, his face was troubled. He didn't like this feeling at all.
So then, an unavoidable question arose: which team would get to possess this key?
Professor Watson had already given them the answer, hadn't he? They could use their wands now. Which meant they would have to fight for it!
However, this wasn't a pleasant option or an appealing prospect. After all, they had just been working together harmoniously in cooperation, saving each other's lives. Did they really have to fight now? Turn on each other?
Harry's heart was torn. This was deeply different from the earlier challenge in the Forbidden Forest against Slytherin. That had been clear—an obstacle to overcome together. This was undoubtedly another one of Professor Watson's psychological schemes. No, not a scheme but an open strategy!
Harry glanced at Cedric, trying to gauge the opinion of the other Hogwarts team captain with his eyes.
To his relief, he could easily read the struggle on Cedric's face without much effort. Clearly, Cedric was also unwilling to use force to determine ownership of this key.
The silence seemed to last even longer than their agonizing time on the glass walkway, stretching and stretching.
After understanding the full situation and its implications, no one dared act rashly or make the first move.
"I think," Harry began, his voice cutting through the tension.
As time passed in heavy silence, Harry's initially hazy thoughts grew increasingly clear, and he finally spoke up. Harry's voice immediately drew everyone's attention like a magnet, including Hermione beside him who looked at him sharply.
The moment their eyes met, Hermione immediately understood what Harry was thinking from the clarity and determination in his green eyes. She hesitated for just a moment, then responded with a subtle nod and a supportive look.
With Hermione's support and approval, Harry's remaining hesitation dissipated. He smiled genuinely and looked directly at Fleur. "This key should belong to you, Fleur."
Upon hearing this, Cedric's eyebrows shot up immediately in surprise. But just a second later, he regained his composure and smiled warmly. He simultaneously tucked his wand back into his sleeve.
"To me?" Fleur couldn't believe her ears. This key might represent the ultimate victory in the Triwizard Tournament. And Harry Potter was generously saying it should go to her? Just like that?
"A very reasonable suggestion, Harry," Cedric said with a genuine smile, nodding his agreement.
He also looked at Fleur with respect. "It rightfully belongs to you, Fleur. If you hadn't deciphered Professor Watson's hint, if you hadn't looked up at exactly the right moment and noticed the pattern, we would all be eliminated by now. Every single one of us. Your contribution was the greatest."
"But if it weren't for Longbottom's sacrifice..." Fleur's voice trailed off. She certainly wanted to possess this. But she also knew that just because she had helped everyone through this round of difficulty didn't mean the spoils should automatically go to her.
This was the competition arena of the Triwizard Tournament, after all, not a place for false modesty and excessive politeness. This was about winning.
"Oh, that's a different matter," Cedric said with a sad but understanding smile.
As only his team was truly qualified to speak about Neville's sacrifice, he continued carefully,
"Even without Neville's sacrifice, we would have eventually figured out how the glass walkway worked through trial and error. It would have cost us, but we'd have learned. But without your flash of insight, Fleur, without your realization about the shooting stars, we would all be finished. There's no question."
Harry, Hermione, and Luna all nodded in solemn agreement.
After a long period of silence, Viktor also quietly left Fleur's side, breaking their temporary alliance.
He nodded slowly as well. "I think Hogwarts is right, Fleur. This key truly should belong to you. You saved us all. But this doesn't mean we're giving up on the competition or conceding victory. In the challenges ahead, I will still do everything in my power to fight for victory for my school!"
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