It was not only the Champions who noticed the changes in the Maze around them. The spectators staring intently at the Image Projection Screen could see it just as clearly: the thorny hedges were dropping at a speed visible to the naked eye.
"That's too underhanded!" Terry Boot said indignantly when he saw the thorns and hedges sinking lower and lower. "They must have thought of this. Vizet and the others would get the Trophy."
"That's why they made this arrangement! First they made the seventh-floor Maze disappear, then they removed all the obstacles around them. That turns Vizet and the others into everyone's target."
"If not for these rules, Vizet would have reached the seventh floor ages ago, taken the Trophy, and come straight out. How could there be so much trouble..."
"It's too underhanded! How can they be that underhanded!" The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. He raised his arm furiously and pointed a finger. "It must have been Karkaroff!"
"I'm guessing it was him too..." Anthony Goldstein shrugged. "But at this point, we can only look at it another way..."
His tone was somewhat helpless. "The reason they came up with rules like this... is simply that they thought there was no way to beat Vizet by normal means."
"That's why they made such roundabout rules, to increase the chances of the other schools winning. This is the Five Champions Tournament, after all. It's only normal to be competitive."
"Anthony's right!" Chris Moen nodded. "No matter what, all we have to do is believe in Vizet!"
"Beauxbatons' Alchemy truly is remarkable!" Karkaroff rubbed his hands together, his voice full of anticipation.
"All the Champions gathered in one place... I guarantee it! This will absolutely be the most exciting Tournament yet! Dumbledore, what