Lizard and Hope

"Merlin!" Hermione clapped a hand over her mouth. "Has it been following Harry all this time?"

Ron's face turned grim as well. "Is Wade not even going to spare Harry?"

"Don't say that. They... they're competitors." Hermione clenched her hands until they turned white, her lips trembling. "Trying to defeat each other is... is only right..."

"That's not just defeating someone!" Neville, seated on the other side, muttered. "Look at the state of the others... They have to be beaten half to death before they can withdraw..."

As Harry ventured deeper into the thorn wall, the bluebird flew in after him. The image of the lizard flashed by in an instant, but it made every Gryffindor's heart tighten.

However, the camera had already switched to Clementine.

The girl raced through the dim Forbidden Forest, her robe torn open in several places by branches and thorns. She gulped down air, feeling an iron taste rise from her lungs.

"Roar—"

A howl came from the dense woods ahead, and the cheetah's faintly glowing eyes flickered in and out of sight.

Clementine abruptly changed direction and cast a spell at the same time.

"Incendio!"

Bang!

A pile of rotting leaves caught fire, sending up bluish smoke. Before it could fully ignite, the cheetah stomped it out.

It had rolled itself in mud, making it filthy and ugly, but it no longer had to fear ordinary flames.

The cheetah stood atop a dead branch, its eyes seemingly filled with amusement as it watched the girl flee.

After running some distance, Clementine stopped and leaned against a tree to rest, her legs shaking so badly that she could barely remain standing.

She looked back. The bushes behind her were perfectly still. The cheetah truly had not followed.

This had happened three or four times