Chapter twelve ~ Firecrabs and Falling

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Looking warily around her, Lily took a deep bow, watching the hippogriff in front of her. It cocked it's head to one side, then slowly bowed down. She went forward slowly, still glancing around her nervously. Muttering in sindarin, she stroked the creature and leapt onto it after the short moment of affection. Albus was also on, he nodded and they both kicked their mounts forward to rise into the air.

Then a bright red jet of light was fired at Lily, and the task had truly begun.

''Protego!'' She halted the spell in it's tracks and caught sight of Albus, who was near to the portkey - for a moment. A large spider halted him in his tracks and he was driven backwards before expelling it from the area. A cloud of cornish pixies then hit Lily, but she was covered.

''Petrificus Totalus!'' Albus yelled, and the pixies froze. Lily pushed them away and tried once more to get to the portkey. Albus was nowhere near though, and she realized that it was no use her getting to it if he wasn't with her. He was currently protecting himself from a large snake, and she flew over to help, hurridley stunning it four times before it fell and disappeared. Another spell was sent at Albus, but they both chorused ''Protego!'' and it didn't hit either of them.

Whilst all this was going on, there was the extremely distracting commentary blaring out across the arena. Katie Bell was enjoying herself very much. Madam Maxine and Krumm, however, were looking slightly displeased. Neither champions had a scratch on them yet.

Speaking to soon - a spell hit Albus from behind and a large gash appeared in the side of his face. Lily had only time to glance at it before they're side-by-side flying was interrupted with a spell that forced them ten metres apart. She had no time to help him,a dementor was heading her way, and she hastily cast a patronus, the silvery wolf racing round the space. 

And they were still nowhere near the portkey! She looked at Albus again, who was trying, without much hope, to fend of a Manticore. She tried to join him and help, but there was some sort of barrier between them. She battled wildly with it, trying to move forward, failing to notice the creature making it's way over to her...

The angry firecrab was advancing, flames shooting towards Lily, who was hovering near to the ground. She turned just in time to be greeted by a flame that rolled over her leg.

The audience emitted a gasp as the champion froze and slipped off the side of her mount. The hippogriff, scared by the flames, shot up and disappeared into the forbidden forest. 

Lily looked up with a faint expression in her eye, face blank and shocked. She saw Albus, standing by the portkey with blood rolling down his cheek. She saw Katie Bell, speechless. She saw Professor Mcgonagall, making her way out of the judges panel with Madam Pomfrey.

''No!'' Her cry was only audible to Albus, but what happened next everyone saw. She leapt up with inhuman speed and grace, bounding towards the portkey. It happened in a flash, but Albus saw her face. Her face was different, her whole body was different. 

She slammed onto the portkey, giving Albus a dazed smile before blacking out.