- Oh, my opponent! It was a great competition, but the magician must be not only strong but also wise! There are two bottles here, so I suggest to go back to the beginning and repeat the lane, but now just the two of us! Without teams! Just you and me!
- But the keys are caught, the chess is broken, and the troll is neutralized," Hermione said immediately.
- And again, you're right! - Harry whispered with genuine enthusiasm, and Hermione felt that she was pleased to hear it. - Draco! I suggest we consider it a draw, a beautiful draw, in which the power of Youth was so great that no one conceded in its splendor to another! We will return, and I will immediately go to Dumbledore-Donough, and ask him to restore the traps so that we can fight for real!
- Yes!" Neville backed him up, and he didn't keep Trevor from jumping.
He jumped and hid in the flames that were blocking his way back.
- No!" Neville shouted and rushed to follow.
The flame went out and Hermione was relieved to exhale. Neville was chasing Trevor.
- I'll catch up with you! - Neville was screaming. - And if I can't, I'll jump around Hogwarts twenty times!
Hermione laughed and thought she was very lucky to have friends.
- So you didn't get to the last trap? - Dumbledore asked, shining his glasses and looking at Draco and Harry with some strange warmth.
- No, Dumbledore-dono! - bowed down to Harry.
- You do realize that I can't leave that without punishment because you broke into the Forbidden Corridor, can you? - Dumbledore gently said.
- It's all my fault, Dumbledore-donough," Harry worshipped again, "that I called my rival, Draco Malfoy, to this competition! That's why I'm the only one to be punished!
- No, you have to punish us! - suddenly broke into the office of Neville, Ron, and Hermione.
- I wasn't hiding well, and so I climbed far into the forest! - Neville screamed.
- I overheard Hagrid's conversation! - Ron didn't fall behind him.
- I found the information and guessed the philosopher's stone! - Hermione made a strong statement.
- I must be punished! - All four of them declared in unison and chorus.
Draco, who never said anything, felt that Potter's madness was contagious. He wanted to jump up, bow down and say that it was his fault that he had agreed. And that his Youthful Flame was too little to put out the fire of that trap!
- Oh, what a wonderful job and mutual help, - Dumbledore took off his glasses, and wiped them with the tip of his beard, and then put them in place. - I see you have a flame of Hafflepuff's in you!
- We'll try harder! And if we don't manage the new lane, I'll double my training! - Harry said.
- And I will cook a thousand potions during the holidays! - Neville shouted.
- And I will read a thousand books! - Hermione.
- And I will learn a thousand dodges and Quidditch tricks! - Ron joined in.
Draco suppressed his desire to make a promise, too.
- Um, I'm afraid you're going to have to hold off on that," Dumbledore said in a kind manner. - The obstacle course was supposed to be a surprise for someone to come after the Philosopher's Stone, so there's no point in rebuilding it now. But I think that energetic young people like you will find another reason to compete.
Dumbledore smiled cleverly at the Draco over the glasses.
- Especially since soon the end of the year and your little competition with Mr. Potter about the points for the year is coming to an end, Mr. Malfoy.
June 1992, Hogwarts
- Slytherin's faculty won the overall standings - four hundred and ninety-two points! Second place went to Hufflepuff faculty, which has four hundred and sixty-five points! - announced Dumbledore for the entire Great Hall.
When he finished talking about faculty scores and separately announced the results of the individual competition between Potter and Malfoy, Harry jumped up and shouted, pointing his hand at the Draco.
- You win, my eternal rival! I couldn't outperform you by a hundred points, but I will achieve it next year!
With these words, he fell to the floor and began to push-up vigorously.
- Perhaps we should do it after a festive dinner, Mr. Potter," said Dumbledore with kindness.
- I promised I'd do a thousand push-ups and run a hundred laps around the Lake! - Harry yelled at the entire Hall. - I'll still have time to run a hundred laps before the train leaves, for as long as I'm burning with the Power of Youth, I won't backtrack on my promises! This is my Way of the Magician!
And with these words, Harry ran out of the Great Hall.
On July 14, 1992, Malfoy-Manor
- Mistress of Narcissus, Master Draco says he'll be late for breakfast.
- Didn't he get up yet?
- What are you, mistress of Narcissus! The young master woke up very, very long ago
- Where is he, Dobby?
- Master Draco is there, on a bas-relief with mermaids.
- Where?!
Mrs. Malfoy threw a silver fork and knife on the table with a ringing sound. She thought that Sister Bell would have thrown the knife in the other direction in such a situation. However, why do you have to do something that the servants themselves can do well? Dobby went under the eyes of the mistress of the house, mumbled something about the "bad elf" and was doomed to reach for a heavy candlestick.
To be continued...