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hem twenty feet high。 Don't worry；〃 he added； grinning； spotting the less…than…happy expressions on Harrys and Cedric's faces； 〃you'll have your Quidditch field back to normal once the task is over！ Now； I imagine you can guess what we're making here？〃
No one spoke for a moment。 Then…
〃Maze；〃 grunted Krum。
〃That's right！〃 said Bagman。 〃A maze。 The third task's really very straightforward。 The Triwizard Cup will be placed in the center of the maze。 The first champion to touch it will receive full marks。〃
〃We seemply 'ave to get through the maze？〃 said Fleur。
〃There will be obstacles；〃 said Bagman happily； bouncing on the balls of his feet。 〃Hagrid is providing a number of creatures。。。 then there will be spells that must be broken 。。。all that sort of thing； you know。 Now； the champions who are leading on points will get a head start into the maze。〃 Bagman grinned at Harry and Cedric。 〃Then Mr。 Krum will enter。。。 then Miss Delacour。 But you'll all be in with a fighting chance； depending how well you get past the obstacles。 Should be fun； eh？〃
Harry； who knew only too well the kind of creatures that Hagrid was likely to provide for an event like this； thought it was unlikely to be any fun at all。 However； he nodded politely like the other champions。
〃Very well。。。 if you haven't got any questions； we'll go back up to the castle； shall we； it's a bit chilly。。。〃
Bagman hurried alongside Harry as they began to wend their way out of the growing maze。 Harry had the feeling that Bagman was going to start offering to help him again； but just then； Krum tapped Harry on the shoulder。
〃Could I haff a vord？〃
〃Yeah； all right；〃 said Harry； slightly surprised。
〃Vill you valk vith me？〃
〃Okay；〃 said Harry curiously。
Bagman looked slightly perturbed。
〃I'll wait for you。 Harry； shall I？〃
〃No； it's okay； Mr。 Bagman；〃 said Harry； suppressing a smile； 〃I think I can find the castle on my own； thanks。〃
Harry and Krum left the stadium together； but Krum did not set a course for the Durmstrang ship。 Instead； he walked toward the forest。
〃What're we going this way for？〃 said Harry as they passed Hagrid s cabin and the illuminated Beauxbatons carriage。
〃Don't vont to be overheard；〃 said Krum shortly。
When at last they had reached a quiet stretch of ground a short way from the Beauxbatons horses' paddock； Krum stopped in the shade of the trees and turned to face Harry。
〃I vant to know；〃 he said； glowering； 〃vot there is between you and Hermy…own…ninny。〃
Harry； who from Krum's secretive manner had expected something much more serious than this； stared up at Krum in amazement。
〃Nothing；〃 he said。 But Krum glowered at him； and Harry； somehow struck anew by how tall Krum was； elaborated。 〃We're friends。 She's not my girlfriend and she never has been。 It's just that Skeeter woman making things up。〃
〃Hermy…own…ninny talks about you very often；〃 said Krum； looking suspiciously at Harry。
〃Yeah；〃 said Harry； 〃because were friends。〃
He couldn't quite believe he was having this conversation with Viktor Krum； the famous International Quidditch player。 It was as though the eighteen…year…old Krum thought he。 Harry； was an equal…a real rival…
〃You haff never。。。 you haff not。。。〃
〃No；〃 said Harry very firmly。
Krum looked slightly happier。 He stared at Harry for a few seconds； then said； 〃You fly very veil。 I vos votching at the first task。〃
〃Thanks；〃 said Harry； grinning broadly and suddenly feeling much taller himself。 〃I saw you at the Quidditch World Cup。 The Wronski Feint； you really…〃
But something moved behind Krum in the trees； and Harry； who had some experience of the sort of thing that lurked in the forest； instinctively grabbed Krum's arm and pulled him around。
〃Vot is it？〃
Harry shook his head； staring at the place where he'd seen movement。 He slipped his hand inside his robes； reaching for his wand。
Suddenly a man staggered out from behind a tall oak。 For a moment； Harry didn't recognize him。。。 then he realized it was Mr。 Crouch。
He looked as though he had been traveling for days。 The knees of his robes were ripped and bloody； his face scratched； he was unshaven and gray with exhaustion。 His neat hair and mustache were both in need of a wash and a trim。 His strange appearance； however； was nothing to the way he was behaving。 Muttering and gesticulating； Mr。 Crouch appeared to be talking to someone that he alone could see。 He reminded Harry vividly of an old tramp he had seen once when out shopping with the Dursleys。 That man too had been conversing wildly with thin air； Aunt Petunia had seized Dudley's hand and pulled him across the road to avoid him； Uncle Vernon had then treated the family to a long rant about what he would like to do with beggars and vagrants。
〃Vosn't he a judge？〃 said Krum； staring at Mr。 Crouch。 〃Isn't he vith your Ministry？〃
Harry nodded； hesitated for a moment； then walked slowly toward Mr。 Crouch； who did not look at him； but continued to talk to a nearby tree。
〃。。。and when you've done that； Weatherby； send an owl to Dumbledore confirming the number of Durmstrang students who will be attending the tournament； Karkaroff has just sent word there will be twelve。。。〃
〃Mr。 Crouch？〃 said Harry cautiously。
〃。。。and then send another owl to Madame Maxime； because she might want to up the number of students she's bringing； now Karkaroff's made it a round dozen 。。。do that； Weatherby； will you？ Will you？ Will。。。〃
Mr。 Crouch's eyes were bulging。 He stood staring at the tree； muttering soundlessly at it。 Then he staggered sideways and fell to his knees。
〃Mr。 Crouch？〃 Harry said loudly。 〃Are you all right？〃
Crouch's eyes were rolling in his head。 Harry looked around at Krum； who had followed him into the trees； and was looking down at Crouch in alarm。
〃Vot is wrong with him？〃
〃No idea；〃 Harry muttered。 〃Listen； you'd better go and get someone…〃
〃Dumbledore！〃 gasped Mr。 Crouch。 He reached out and seized a handful of Harrys robes； dragging him closer； though his eyes were staring over Harry's head。 〃I need。。。 see 。。。Dumbledore。。。〃
〃Okay；〃 said Harry； 〃if you get up； Mr。 Crouch； we can go up to the…〃
〃I've done。。。 stupid。。。 thing。。。〃 Mr。 Crouch breathed。 He looked utterly mad。 His eyes were rolling and bulging； and a trickle of spittle was sliding down his chin。 Every word he spoke seemed to cost him a terrible effort。 〃Must。。。 tell。。。 Dumbledore。。。〃
〃Get up； Mr。 Crouch；〃 said Harry loudly and clearly。 〃Get up； I'll take you to Dumbledore！〃
Mr； Crouch's eyes rolled forward onto Harry。
〃Who 。。。you？〃 he whispered。
〃I'm a student at the school；〃 said Harry； looking around at Krum for some help； but Krum was hanging back； looking extremely nervous。
〃You're not。。。 his？〃 whispered Crouch； his mouth sagging。
〃No；〃 said Harry； without the faintest idea what Crouch was talking about。
〃Dumbledore's？〃
〃That's right；〃 said Harry。
Crouch was pulling him closer； Harry tried to loosen Crouch's grip on his robes； but it was too powerful。
〃Warn 。。。Dumbledore 。。。〃
〃I'll get Dumbledore if you let go of me；〃 said Harry。 〃Just let go； Mr。 Crouch； and I'