The final results are out, among the nearly one hundred and sixty or seventy young wizards from both grades, nearly half of them have chosen to give up. Among them, the most are from Hufflepuff and Slytherin colleges, followed by Ravenclaw, while the least are from Gryffindor.
This result is not entirely surprising. Amorta quickly sorted out the names of the young wizards who were signed up and divided them into teams. Counting them carefully, there are ten groups for the first-year students, and more for the second-year students, for a total of twenty-one groups.
Harry and Draco were standing together with dark expressions on their faces, looking at each other with disdainful glances.
"If you were to kneel down and beg me now, Potter, when you're stuffed into the maw of some monster later, I might show some mercy and pick your minced flesh back for you to return to... your idiot friend, so at least they'll have something to remember you by!"
Malfoy, with a curl of his lips and a harsh tone, said.
"How astonishing," said Harry.
Staring into Malfoy's grey eyes, Harry, who had 'achieved' his dream, stood firm.
"I thought you couldn't even walk straight after you lost those two big bodyguards of yours!"
At this moment, Amorta, who had finished assigning the teams, returned to the door of the classroom. "Time is precious, everyone. Is there anyone who wants to step forward and lead the way?"
No one spoke. The young wizards, having already used up their courage, stared at their toes, afraid to look into Professor Blaine's eyes.
"Since that is the case..."
Amorta swept his gaze around twice without getting a response and felt slightly disappointed. He looked at Harry and Malfoy, who were staring each other down, and smiled happily,
"So, please allow Mr. Potter and Mr. Malfoy to demonstrate their brilliant courage and wisdom to everyone!"
As it came down to it, Harry felt a bit regretful for having impulsively signed his name on the contract. He tilted his head and noticed that Ron, Hermione, and Neville, who were at the back of the queue, were watching him with concern. To not worry them too much, Harry forced a smile that was more of a wry grin. Then, in the eyes of everyone present, he took a deep breath and reached for the doorknob.
"Is that...?"
And Malfoy also no longer had that snide expression. He breathed heavily, almost pleadingly looking at Amorta, hoping to get some hints.
Amosta ignored Malfoy's plea for help and merely raised his voice slightly to look at Harry, who was turning the doorknob.
"Most dark creatures don't like light, Potter. The room might be a bit dark, so be careful not to stumble --"
If it hadn't been for the encouragement of Hermione and Ron from outside, and if Malfoy hadn't fully closed the door behind him yet, Harry might not have been sure whether he was still inside the castle!
He stupidly stared at the room in front of him, scratching his head and trying to recall every spell he had learned or heard of, pondering which one could turn a normal classroom into a circular maze as large as a Quidditch pitch!
Click---
As Malfoy closed the door, the light and sounds from the outer room were completely cut off, and the space inside the classroom immediately became dark and gloomy, as if it was a rainy day with the sun about to set.
The air was thick with cold mist and filled with the stench that Harry had smelled at Nicolas's birthday party, the smell of rotting meat. The room was quiet, and there was no sound of speaking. In the distance, all that could be heard was the drip-drop sound of water on brown stone.
In this situation, Harry's vision was severely restricted. He dared not move forward boldly, only holding his wand tremblingly in front and struggling to open his eyes wider to see more.
Fear and the unknown temporarily put aside Malfoy's hatred for Harry. Unconsciously, he stepped closer to Harry, his voice no longer as arrogant and haughty as usual.
"What do you think will be waiting for us ahead, Potter?"
"I know as much as you do, Malfoy," Harry replied, his tone less forceful. His gaze did not waver, and he struggled to pierce through the thin mist that filled the air in front of him.
"Come on, Draco--"
At this moment, a familiar sinister voice from behind the mist was heard by both Harry and Malfoy. This voice instantly rejuvenated Malfoy's spirit and also caused Harry's already nervous heart to sink to the bottom of the valley.
"And you, Potter, do you think you can waste ten minutes by dilly-dallying? Unfortunately, as long as I don't announce the start and end, you will have to stay in this room forever!"
Snape spoke in an extremely disdainful tone again, but Harry was used to it by now. In fact, in this unfamiliar and dangerous environment, he even felt a bit of comfort from Snape's disdain!
"Professor, are you here to guide me on how to defeat the dark creatures behind the walls?"
Malfoy ran to the entrance of the maze and turned to Snape, who was always kind to him in school, beaming with excitement and asked, "Professor, are you here to guide me on how to defeat the dark creatures behind the walls?"
"You can tell me what's inside, and how to deal with...?"
"You have to figure it out for yourself, Draco. Professor Blaine also made me sign a magical contract, forbidding me from revealing any information."
Thinking back to the process of being forced to sign the contract by the friendly Amorta, Snape's face was calm. The words he said next erased any joy on Malfoy's face completely.
"Headmaster Dumbledore and Professor Blaine have arranged for me to be here to try and minimize the casualties in this dangerous project..."
Snape looked at Harry, who was standing five feet away, nervously eyeing the entrance to the maze. A wicked smile formed on his lips, and he spoke in the light, airy tone he used in class.
"But you have to know, Draco, sometimes if danger suddenly arrives, I may not be able to save both of you from the monsters' mouths..."
Harry knew that Snape's words were really directed at him. If both he and Malfoy were in danger at the same time, it was obvious who Snape would save first!
"Professor..."
Harry pretended not to understand Snape's deliberately pointed words. He pointed his wand at the sticky brown substance slowly dripping onto the wall to the right of the entrance, his voice sharp and unexpected, even to himself.
"That... Could it be... bloodstains?"
Sss!
Harry's guidance made Malfoy also notice this, and he immediately inhaled coldly, turning to run out of the door in a panic. However, Snape grabbed his shoulder.
"The magical contract signed by Professor Blaine has a very strong restriction. Once signed, it cannot be abandoned. Draco, your father will not be pleased to see you become an expelled student..."
..........
Regardless of the circumstances, once they had stepped into this classroom, there was no room for regret. Harry and Draco, despite their fear, entered the foreboding maze with nervous steps under Snape's stern gaze, disappearing into the darkness that seemed to seek them out...
