Counter culture / Hackers Essay -- essays research papers

Why Hackers Do The Things They Do?Hackers. You know them as gangly kids with radiation tans caused by too many late nights in front of a computer screen. Evil beings who have the power to wipe out your source rating, cancel your cable TV, raise your insurance premiums, and raid your affable earnest pension. Individuals who al fashions avert their eyes and mumble under their breath about grisly helicopters and CIA transmissions. Paranoid, social deviants who could start World War III from the retirement of their bedrooms. Or so the mainstream media would have you believe. In reality, most plugs are ordinary people with a great deal of curiosity, above-average skills with a computer, a good catch of human nature, and plenty of time to kill. Hackers have no distinguishing characteristics. Your next-door neighbor could be a drudge, as could your niece or nephew, one of your co-workers, or even the kid who serves you chocolate in the morning. Not all hackers are dangerous and ou t to destroy business or damage lives. The view of the general public toward hackers is mixed. A upstart CNN-poll shows 33% of respondents labeling hackers as "useful," 17% guaranteeing them "as a menace," and the majority (45%) seeing hackers as "both" useful and a menace (CNN, 1999). Why do hackers go through all the trouble to do what they do? Most people in society do not spend the time to kibosh into computer systems. It does not have much appeal to them. Why then do received people spend so much of their time and aptitude accomplishing these feats of technological wizardry? What is the cause that turns those mostly above-average intelligent people to pursue a crook career, and destroy their otherwise actually successful careers? Why do they commit these computer related crimes as an obsession?There are probably as many answers to that question as there are hackers (maybe more). It is classical to realize that these people are individuals with th eir own hopes, fears, desires, and everything else that comes with being human. However, there are general patterns to the motivating behind the computer hackers drive to manipulate technology. The problem of hacker motivation is probably one of the more interesting questions concerning this sub-culture (Hacker-Bible, 1995).Hackers rarely use information to fall upon wealth. This is not considered socially acceptable. C... ... models from the legitimate information security community. musical composition it is wrong to stereotype hackers as evil people with malicious criminal intentions, they cannot be uninspired as compassionate freedom fighters as the hackers like to see themselves. Hackers must(prenominal) also realize that the actions of criminals will always reflect poorly on the hacker community as a whole, until the hacker community tries to practice of law itself, which will never happen. Their actions are by definition, criminal. They can suffer consequences, which in clude being reprehensively prosecuted and hated by the information security community.The information security profession must also be more visible in a way that gets children, before the hacker community gets them. Hacking can be very exciting for a teenager who can be considered a hero by others. in some manner the profession must get together to teach parents and schools that they must teach their children about hacking, before somebody else does.Work CitedChaos Computer Club (January 05, 1995) Hacker-BibleThe raw(a) Hackers Dictionary (Online Edition, 1st edition) World immense Webhttp//www.outpost9.com/reference/jargon/jargon_toc.htmlSUBMITTED BY Bzer118 Counter culture / Hackers Essay -- essays research papers Why Hackers Do The Things They Do?Hackers. You know them as gangly kids with radiation tans caused by too many late nights in front of a computer screen. Evil beings who have the power to wipe out your credit rating, cancel your cable TV, raise your in surance premiums, and raid your social security pension. Individuals who always avert their eyes and mumble under their breath about black helicopters and CIA transmissions. Paranoid, social deviants who could start World War III from the privacy of their bedrooms. Or so the mainstream media would have you believe. In reality, most hackers are ordinary people with a great deal of curiosity, above-average skills with a computer, a good understanding of human nature, and plenty of time to kill. Hackers have no distinguishing characteristics. Your next-door neighbor could be a hacker, as could your niece or nephew, one of your co-workers, or even the kid who serves you coffee in the morning. Not all hackers are dangerous and out to destroy business or damage lives. The view of the general public toward hackers is mixed. A recent CNN-poll shows 33% of respondents labeling hackers as "useful," 17% seeing them "as a menace," and the majority (45%) seeing hackers as "bo th" useful and a menace (CNN, 1999). Why do hackers go through all the trouble to do what they do? Most people in society do not spend the time to break into computer systems. It does not have much appeal to them. Why then do certain people spend so much of their time and energy accomplishing these feats of technological wizardry? What is the cause that turns those mostly above-average intelligent people to pursue a criminal career, and destroy their otherwise very successful careers? Why do they commit these computer related crimes as an obsession?There are probably as many answers to that question as there are hackers (maybe more). It is important to realize that these people are individuals with their own hopes, fears, desires, and everything else that comes with being human. However, there are general patterns to the motivation behind the computer hackers drive to manipulate technology. The problem of hacker motivation is probably one of the more interesting questions concer ning this sub-culture (Hacker-Bible, 1995).Hackers rarely use information to gain wealth. This is not considered socially acceptable. C... ... models from the legitimate information security community.While it is wrong to stereotype hackers as evil people with malicious criminal intentions, they cannot be stereotyped as compassionate freedom fighters as the hackers like to see themselves. Hackers must also realize that the actions of criminals will always reflect poorly on the hacker community as a whole, until the hacker community tries to police itself, which will never happen. Their actions are by definition, criminal. They can suffer consequences, which include being criminally prosecuted and hated by the information security community.The information security profession must also be more visible in a way that gets children, before the hacker community gets them. Hacking can be very exciting for a teenager who can be considered a hero by others. Somehow the profession must get together to teach parents and schools that they must teach their children about hacking, before somebody else does.Work CitedChaos Computer Club (January 05, 1995) Hacker-BibleThe New Hackers Dictionary (Online Edition, 1st edition) World Wide Webhttp//www.outpost9.com/reference/jargon/jargon_toc.htmlSUBMITTED BY Bzer118

Remember Me, by Charles Joyner Essays -- history, unskilled and skilled

Remember me is a description of unskilled and skilled work on plantations, how rice was grown and harvested, and the customs of the slaves on the Georgia strand. Joyner depicts the life of sla truly from the Masters, slave, and outside parities to a batch seldom seen in the education system today. In His book, Remember Me, Charles Joyner relates the slave owner and slave to each other because each needed one other for survival on a daily basis. Joyner explains how some get the hang particularly overseed for their slaves with one example being from Reverend Colcok Jones, Tell all the howdye for me, (19) and other forms of greetings when remote from the plantation. However, Joyner in any case goes into great detail of how some masters mistreated their slaves along with their mistresses. Joyner explains that the Butlers mistress queer the slaves routinely, and as Fanny Kemble On the number one morning of her arrival amongst us, by beating severely, with a raw cow-hide, the black girl who nursed the infant, because the child cried. (20) Many historians believe the reason lying back tooth this was because the plantation owners were having explicit affairs with other slaves, and the wives of orchard owners were not oblivious to this fact. On one hand, most mistresses felt that the slaves were inferior to the white race, so therefore, beat the slaves without a cause. It was common practice, during the slave period in Georgia, that slave owners beat their slaves. On the Contrary, one might also see that some plantation owners, very few, actually cared for their slaves with great lenience and loved their slaves as their own family.As the punitive treatment of slavery carried on, the life of the slave on the Georgia Coast was demanding and extremely... ...mselves. Slaves told stories of how their masters cared for them and made sure they were taking care of, had all the food they needed, and also how some of them had time where they could escape and get away from the reality that they were held against their will. However, slaves also left behind horrific stories of beatings, lynchings, and of infringement their owners did to them. What Remember Me attempts to bring out is the good and the bad of slavery, the cruel harshness one had to endure, and the love and compassion few owners gave to their slaves. In doing this Charles Joyner received a muckle of criticism against his statements, but what he is credited with is bringing out a new light in slavery alongside the Georgia Coast few had ever seen. Works CitedJoyner, C. (2011). Remember me Slave life in costal Georgia. Athens, Georgia The University of Georgia Press. Remember Me, by Charles Joyner Essays -- history, unskilled and skilled Remember me is a description of unskilled and skilled work on plantations, how rice was grown and harvested, and the customs of the slaves on the Georgia Coast. Joyner depicts the life of slavery from the Masters, slav e, and outside parities to a view seldom seen in the education system today. In His book, Remember Me, Charles Joyner relates the slave owner and slave to each other because each needed one another for survival on a daily basis. Joyner explains how some masters particularly cared for their slaves with one example being from Reverend Colcok Jones, Tell all the howdye for me, (19) and other forms of greetings when away from the plantation. However, Joyner also goes into great detail of how some masters mistreated their slaves along with their mistresses. Joyner explains that the Butlers mistress beat the slaves routinely, and as Fanny Kemble On the first morning of her arrival amongst us, by beating severely, with a raw cow-hide, the black girl who nursed the infant, because the child cried. (20) Many historians believe the reason lying behind this was because the plantation owners were having explicit affairs with other slaves, and the wives of Plantation owners were not oblivious to this fact. On one hand, most mistresses felt that the slaves were inferior to the white race, so therefore, beat the slaves without a cause. It was common practice, during the slave period in Georgia, that slave owners beat their slaves. On the Contrary, one might also see that some plantation owners, very few, actually cared for their slaves with great compassion and loved their slaves as their own family.As the punitive treatment of slavery carried on, the life of the slave on the Georgia Coast was demanding and extremely... ...mselves. Slaves told stories of how their masters cared for them and made sure they were taking care of, had all the food they needed, and also how some of them had time where they could escape and get away from the reality that they were held against their will. However, slaves also left behind horrific stories of beatings, lynchings, and of rape their owners did to them. What Remember Me attempts to bring out is the good and the bad of slavery, the crue l harshness one had to endure, and the love and compassion few owners gave to their slaves. In doing this Charles Joyner received a lot of criticism against his statements, but what he is credited with is bringing out a new light in slavery alongside the Georgia Coast few had ever seen. Works CitedJoyner, C. (2011). Remember me Slave life in costal Georgia. Athens, Georgia The University of Georgia Press.

Roy Wilkins and the NAACP: A Life Dedicated to the Civil Rights Movemen

The life of Roy Wilkins is a story of one of the greatest well-behaved rights leaders the United States has ever known. He was an underdog that came from poor beginnings to become a leader of the NAACP, for twenty-two years. A true example of what someone can do if they put their minds to it, no matter what color they are. To begin the journey through Roy Wilkins life, we will start with a little biographical information. Roy was born in St. Louis, Mo. On August 30, 1901, as the grandson of a slave. His mother died when he was three years old, so he and his sister were sent to live with their Aunt and Uncle in St. Paul, Mn. in that respect they raised him in a low-income, integrated community. Although he was poor, he did attend integrated public schools in the city. after(prenominal) graduating high school, Roy worked his way through the University of Minnesota, where he majored in sociology and minored in journalism. He had various jobs to put himself through coll ege. He worked as a redcap (a baggage porter), waiter, stockyard laborer, and a night editor. While in college he worked as the night editor (to help pay his way through) of the Minnesota Daily, the school paper and a black weekly, the St. Paul Appeal. After working each(prenominal) these odd jobs he managed to put himself through college. After graduation, he took a position as a journalist for the Kansas City Call, a black weekly paper. He stayed there for seven years, acting as managing editor from 1923 until 1931. Although the job at the Call was good, he left it in 1931 to join the NAACP as benefactor Executive Secretary, under Walter White, who was Executive Secretary at the time. In his new job, his first assignment was to investigate discrimination on a federally funded englut project in Mississippi, in 1932. Due to his findings of discrimination at that project, he was successful in getting Congress to take action to stop its practices there. After a cou ple of years as Whites assistant, in 1934 Wilkins seceded W. E. B. DuBois as editor of the NAACPs magazine, the Crisis. In that same year, he suffered the first arrest of his civil rights career. During a protest at the Attorney Generals office in Washington, D.C., they were there protesting to get the National Conference of Crime to add Lynching to their schedule of topics. He served as a consultant to the ... ...eir career after his. In a turbulent world, his non-violent means of gaining rights for blacks was a calming one. Works CitedAfrican-American History. Roy Wilkins (1901-1981). http//www.triadntr.net/rdavis/wilkins.htm(Mar. 27, 2000).Altman, Susan. The encyclopedia of African-American Heritage. parvenue York Facts on File, Inc.,, 1997.Colliers Encyclopedia. New York P. F. Collier, 1996.Encyclopedia Americana, International Version. Danbury, Conn. Grolier Inc., 1999.Encyclopedia of Black America. ed., W. Agustus Low, ass. ed., Virgil A. Clift. New York McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1981.Hornsby, Alton, Jr. Chronology of African American History, 2nd edition. From 1492 to the Present. Detroit Gale Research, Inc., 1997.Ploski, Henry A. and Williams, James. editors, The Negro Almanac, A Reference work on the African American, 5th edition. Detroit Gale Research, Inc., 1989.The African American Almanac, 7th edition. ed., L. Mpho Mabanda. Detroit Gale Research, Inc., 1997.The McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of World Biography. New York McGraw-Hill Inc., 1973.The World Book Encyclopedia. Chicago World Book, Inc., 2000.

Othello: the Abnormal Essay -- Othello essays

Othello the AbnormalFive Works Cited William Shakespeares tragic drama Othello presents to the audience a very irregular character in the person of Iago. Also can one classify the epileptic seizure of Othello as normal? Let us in this essay consider the abnormal in the play. The abnormal behavior of the ancient is partly rooted in his misogynism. In Historical Differences Misogyny and Othello Valerie Wayne implicates Iago in sexism. He is one who is almost incompetent of any other perspective on women than a sexist one Iagos worry that he cannot do what Desdemona asks implies that his dispraise of women was candid and easily produced, composition the praise requires labour and inspiration from a source beyond himself. His insufficiency is more surprising because elsewhere in the play Iago appears as a compass rhetorician, but as Bloch explains, the misogynistic writer uses rhetoric as a means of renouncing it, and, by extension, woman. (163) And how about epilepsy? In Act 4 the ev il Iago works up Othello into a frenzy regarding the missing kerchief. The resultant illogical, senseless raving by the general is a prelude to an epileptic seizure or entranced differentiate Lie with her? lie on her? We say lie on her when they belie her. Lie with her Zounds, thats fulsome. Handkerchief confessions handkerchief To confess, and be hanged for his labor first to be hanged, and then to confess I tremble at it. . . . (4.1) Cassio enters right after the general has fallen into the epileptic trance. Iago explains to him IAGO. My lord is falln into an epilepsy. This is his second enclothe he had one yesterday. CASSIO. Rub him about the temples. IAGO. No, forbear. The lethargy must have his quie... ...l find Iago peeping out from many of its pages. Still more, Iagos name will be arrange appearing occasionally in bold print in books on abnormal psychology. (89-90) WORKS CITED Bevington, David, ed. William Shakespeare Four Tragedies. untried York Bantam Books, 1980. Campbell, Lily B. Shakespeares Tragic Heroes. New York Barnes and Noble, Inc., 1970. Coles, Blanche. Shakespeares Four Giants. Rindge, New Hampshire Richard Smith Publisher, 1957. Shakespeare, William. Othello. In The Electric Shakespeare. Princeton University. 1996. http//www.eiu.edu/multilit/studyabroad/othello/othello_all.html No line nos. Wayne, Valerie. Historical Differences Misogyny and Othello. The Matter of Difference Materialist Feminist Criticism of Shakespeare. Ed Valerie Wayne. Ithaca, NY Cornell University Press, 1991.

Rite of Encounter :: encounter

Rite of Encounter      Rite of Encounter is, initially a very dry and imposing story. The lecturer is given same information repeatedly, as if it were not received the root time. This redundancy is an insult to the reader. For instance, in the very first line of the story the narrator tells the reader that, In the third week of his fasting, Singing- schnoz found the white man (258). This information is given quite clearly, until now later the narrator repeats himself by saying, A dog meant white men (259). It is not necessary for the narrator to remind the reader. This spoon-feeding is insulting to the reader. The narration was also preferably dry. There is little description. The story is conveyed to the reader without any details, and quite plainly, the story is simply reported. The omniscient third person narration is also, at times, confusing. The narration now and then dips from third person to first without any explanation. For example, when Singing- Owl is suffering of dehydration, fatigue, and hunger the narrator is reporting the condition of the character. Suddenly, the next line reads, Water. Must get piddle (258). It is unclear who says this. Not suprisingly, Bates, employs this strange tactic again to demonstrate Singing- Owls exhaustion. The narrator comments on Singing- Owls declining condition, then says, Perhaps Im tired. All right. I am tired (261). Again, the reader is left unassured of who is speaking. This intentional alteration of narration only robs the story of unity. There is, however, one manipulation of the characters which is interesting. Smallpox is characterized beautifully. Giving life to a unsoundness gives life to a story, which, from the beginning, is dragging on without such animation. Smallpox mocks our hero, Singing- Owl. This tormenting by a naturally inanimate character saturates the story with fantasy and mysticism. The conclusion of the story, unfortunately, leaves the reader with the same sen se of disappointment with which it was started. Singing- Owl, rather than becoming a hero, becomes a marionette for Smallpox to control. Singing- Owl breaks down and agrees to bring Smallpox arse to the tribe. Even though Singing- Owl does not completely understand the methods of Smallpox, he does understand the negative repercussions. Yet, Singing- Owl grants Smallpoxs wish. This event is disappointing to the reader and degrades the main character. Singing- Owl gains some redemption by trying to infect his enemies, but is not effective and is going to die a dishonored man.

Rite of Encounter :: encounter

Rite of Encounter      Rite of Encounter is, initially a very dry and enforce fabrication. The reader is given same information repeatedly, as if it were not received the first time. This redundancy is an insult to the reader. For instance, in the very first line of the story the bank clerk tells the reader that, In the third week of his fasting, Singing- Owl found the white man (258). This information is given quite clearly, yet later the narrator repeats himself by saying, A dog meant white men (259). It is not necessary for the narrator to remind the reader. This spoon-feeding is insulting to the reader. The narration was also rather dry. There is subaltern description. The story is conveyed to the reader without any details, and quite plainly, the story is simply reported. The omniscient third person narration is also, at times, confusing. The narration occasionally dips from third person to first without any explanation. For example, when Singing- Owl is suffering of dehydration, fatigue, and hunger the narrator is reporting the condition of the character. Suddenly, the next line reads, Water. Must get water (258). It is unclear who says this. not suprisingly, Bates, employs this strange tactic again to demonstrate Singing- Owls exhaustion. The narrator comments on Singing- Owls declining condition, then says, Perhaps Im tired. All right. I am tired (261). Again, the reader is left dubious of who is speaking. This intentional alteration of narration only robs the story of unity. There is, however, one manipulation of the characters which is interesting. Smallpox is characterized beautifully. Giving life to a disease gives life to a story, which, from the beginning, is dragging on without such animation. Smallpox mocks our hero, Singing- Owl. This tormenting by a naturally inanimate character saturates the story with fantasy and mysticism. The conclusion of the story, unfortunately, leaves the reader with the same sense of disappo intment with which it was started. Singing- Owl, rather than becoming a hero, becomes a marionette for Smallpox to control. Singing- Owl breaks down and agrees to bring Smallpox back to the tribe. Even though Singing- Owl does not completely understand the methods of Smallpox, he does understand the negative repercussions. Yet, Singing- Owl grants Smallpoxs wish. This event is disappointing to the reader and degrades the main character. Singing- Owl gains some salvation by trying to infect his enemies, but is not effective and is going to die a dishonored man.

The RSC Production of Beauty and the Beast

When watching the Royal Shakespeare Companys production of viewer and the Beast I notice several aspects of the production that I found particularly impressive.One such aspect was the use of lighting and shadows on stage. Spotlights and floodlights were the main types of lighting used. In umteen of the scenes that did not take place in the Beasts house, a relatively bright yellowy-orange light filled the stage uttering there was no tenuousg particularly burning(prenominal) or magical ab turn up these scenes/ As soon as the audiences attention was required to be focused on a particular spirit, lights would fade out and a spotlight placed on the character.One such example of this was when Mama dies and Beauty sang a solo part. In the Beasts house, lighting was pickings to a much darker level, reflecting the magical and mysterious characteristics of the house. Once particular use of lighting in the house was very loadive, the use of different coloured lights when Beauty and the B east were eating supper. When the bowls were placed on the floor, trapped doors beneath them were opened so that floor lights could flood through the translucent bowls, giving the core group of different magical foods. One bowl lit up red, to which Beauty responded with Oh Strawberries thus, as Beauty put the lid back down, the colour of the lighting changed to docile and then to green.At the same time, the stage was slowly filling with dry ice, which had lights from different places shining into it. This dry ice gave the magical side that the scene needed, and the influence in it added even more mystery and magic. Another effective use of lighting was the mirror b entirely in the room/hall of mirrors. This reflected onto the audience and make them feel more involved in the scene.The music used in the production added a depth of atmosphere, causing slight unrest when in the Beasts home, and a sad, emotional ambience at the death of Beautys pay off. In the Beasts house, a man on the balcony sang notes sort of that words, backed by eastern, slightly oriental instruments. These instruments had the cleverness to make a strange, but somehow welcoming atmosphere feel apparent in the Beasts house something that was important in understanding both the scene and the character of the Beast.The music that played during the dance in which the mother played the horse was sharp and almost violent, mirroring the movements of the horse. At one point, the chorus used mountainous wooden sticks to bang off the floor as a way of backing up the music and adding a stronger beat, by chance shadowing the horses hooves as it ran.When Beautys mother died, she sat on the floor and sang a classic French song that was repeated at certain points in the play. Another time repetition was used was when a woman on the balcony repeatedly sang the word Beauty Beauty Beauty when Beauty sat alone on the stage. both of these examples of repetition get to a slightly eerie, but at the sa me time calming atmosphere, which made me feel rather uneasy in the audience.The set, although rather simplistic, was highly effective, and very symbolic at times. It began with a taut cotton sheet with the front of a Parisian style house painted on. twain workbenches were at either side of the door. This sheet was pulled down, revealing the family standing on more benches, this time of different heights the parents were in the middle, on the highest of the benches, the boys were standing on the right, slightly lower and the girls were on the left and were at the lowest level. When the family lost their wealth the benches were taken away and the backdrop pulled up, leaving an empty stage. A course of coat hangers came down from the ceiling and each family member hung up their expensive clothing. This showed it was the end of an era, and that they had to move on. The hangers going up, rather that just backwards or to the sides, showed that the flavour the family once had was now o ut of their reach and they had no way of getting back to it. This is an imaginative and cleaver way of demonstrate the loss.A swing then came down and the family climbed onto. It swung back and forth and as a way of illustrating the family how the family had to move far away, to the downtrodden cottage in the surface areaside. Having the family on the swing gave time for us to play how each of the characters were reacting to the change, I think this helped the audience to understand the characters on a more personal level. When the family got off the swing, it was onto a silky brown sheet of square that was hooked onto the edges of the stage, around 0.75m off the ground at the back, but slowly sloping down to meet the floor at the front of the stage. This was used to intend the mud near to the cottage a sign of how basic what they actually had was. The chorus had crawled underneath the fabric and when the family stood on the mud, they used their arms and heads to create shapes to show the mud and gloopiness. After a time, the family lay down in the mud and the chorus sat up, cradling the cast in their arms as a way of viewing acceptance from the family and the countryside that this is how things were going to be.When this was got rid of, a house folded up from the floor that used two panels from the floor as the roof and thing, what looked like wooden, panels for the walls. This use of thin materials for the house was a direct symbol of the familys situation and, although the house was very simple, it had a certain fairytale-cottage-like look about it.The Beasts palace was far more profligate and impressive than the familys cottage. When the father first went into the house big bamboo sticks bowed down from the ceiling, with lights inside. This gave a striking, slightly imposing entrance to the palace and led to a eyeshade doorway at the back of the stage that was blacked out, creating a sensation of mystery and curiosity. When Beauty went into the pa lace, and we saw her room, the swing that had carried to the family to the countryside had now turned into a four broadsheet bed, with pink covers, which swung to help relax Beauty and make her feel more welcome. As it swung, the audience could see that Beauty was warming to the palace, which is something we had not seen before this scene. At one point in the play, when the Beast was feeling particularly low, he climbed a ladder on the back wall of the stage and crawled into a venial compartment, only big enough for himself. The fact that he was completely alone in there shows that he wanted to be cut off from civilization, possibly because he did not feel worthy enough to be around humans in his beast-state, however the compartment was above everything so it was symbolic of how he was the compulsory leader of his palace and had overall control. This helped to give us an insight into the characters feelings at the time, which aids our understanding.As if to show a passage of time , when Beauty returned home to the country cottage the house has gained another story and big fans decorated with painted roses were surrounding the house. The overall view of the house gave a sparkling, happy fairytale effect and showed that the family were now more comfortable in the house, that they had settled in and were gaining from the experience.The final aspect I have chosen to look at it the costume designs. At the very start, all the family members were in livid, expensive looking outfits obviously a sign of their status and showing that they are good people. When the family had to hang up their clothes, they stayed in the undergarments they had on for a while, until after they had arrived in the countryside when they put on plain overalls. These overalls may have been a sign that, although they were not best pleased with creation stuck in the countryside, they were aware that they had no choice and were willing to work for their money. Beauty did not change her clothe s, and for the entirety of the play, she wore a plain but pretty flannel dress.The witch, who was played by the same actress as who played Mama, wore an extravagant ball gown that was sparkly and dark, with a very large headdress that showed she was an important character in the story. The dress was very dark, as you would expect a witchs clothing to be, however when the light hit it just right it glittered a lot, which showed to be lighter, which is something that is perchance portrayed in her character.The Beast was wearing brown rags that had hints of a goldy material in them. At times, when the light hit the fabric just right, a detailed patch shone gold and sparkly. This hidden colour shows the character of the Beast well we know he doesnt like who he is, or what he is, but we cannot lead the fact that he is of authority and high status. He wore a claw on his one hand and make up that created the physical aspects of the character. When he became a man, the rags were remo ved and he wore simple leggings with a chiffon type robe that showed off his muscles and body shape, emphasising the fact that he was a proper man.When Beauty returned home posthumous on in the play the family were dressed in bright clothing that looked far less grand this showed that they had accepted their life and lost all horse sense of importance of appearance because they had found true happiness in the countryside.Many of the different examples above give us a better insight into a character, or a place for example, the Beast showed us that he felt isolated and alone at one point in the play precisely by climbing into a compartment only big enough for him. The aspects of the play I have talked about work together in the performance to create atmospheres and to explore characters emotions.An example of atmosphere being created may be how costume and music were entwined to create the sombre moment in which Beauty, wearing her pure white dress and holding the doll that symb olised her for the beginning part of the play, sing almost as a tribute to her dead mother. We are meant to feel sympathy for Beauty, and we do because she looks so pure and innocent in her dress, however if she were in a black dress this feeling may not have been stirred as our basic minds associate white with good and black with bad.Lighting and costume also worked together well, such as in the witchs costume. The headdress was very voluptuary and when the lights shone onto her, a huge shadow fell on a section of the stage. The imposing shadow, with the spikiness and movements made me feel quite unnerved and was an impressive way of showing that she has high importance and power.Every one of the aspects I have discussed came together in the Beasts house. The overall effect was only created well by using fitly magical lighting, the creepy voices and instruments, a good set or in some cases using the chorus line to create the feeling of magical furniture, and costumes that gave us an insight into the character, such as Beautys dress or the Beasts costume, whilst also serving well in the purpose of making the play feel alive. This mix of all the different aspects came together to create an aura of a mystical and scary palace.

Product Life Cycle Essay

DefinitionProducts come and go. A companys ch totallyenge is to hold on to its customers longer than it holds on to its growths. It needs to watch the market life steering wheel and the customer life cycle more than the result life cycle. Someone at Ford realise this If were not customer driven, our cars wont be either. One selects marketing tools that are appropriate to the stage of the products life cycle. For example, publicize and publicity will produce the biggest payoff in the introduction stage of a product their job is to build consumer awareness and interest. Sales promotions and personal exchange grow more important during a products maturity stage. Personal selling can strengthen customers comprehension of your products advantages and their sentence that the offering is worthwhile.Product Development and Life-Cycle StrategiesIn the face of changing customer needs, technologies and competition, product innovation or the schooling of in the raw products has become v ital to a companys survival. Introducing new products, however, is not sufficient. The firm must also know how to manage the new product as it goes through its life cycle that is, from its birth, through growth and maturity, to eventual demise as newer products come along that better serve consumer needs.This product life cycle presents two principal altercates. First, because all products eventually decline, the firm must find new products to replace ageing ones (the problem of new-product development). Second, the firm must understand how its products age and adapt its marketing strategies as products pass through life-cycle stages (the problem of product life-cycle, strategies). We therefore look initially at the problem of finding and ontogeny new products, and then at the challenge of managing them successfully over their life cycles.Innovation and brisk-Product DevelopmentGiven the rapid changes in taste, technology and competition, a company cannot rely solely on its vivac ious products to sustain growth or to maintainprofitability. The firm can hope to maintain market and profit performance only by continuous product innovation. Product innovation encompasses a variety of product development activities product improvement, development of entirely new ones, and extensions that increase the range or number of lines of product the firm can offer. Product innovations are not to be confused with inventions. The latter are a new technology or product which may or may not deliver benefits to customers. An innovation is defined as an idea, product or piece of technology that has been developed and marketed to customers who perceive it as unfermented or new.We may call it a process of identifying, creating and delivering new-product values or benefits that were not offered before in the marketplace. In this chapter we look specifically at new products as opposed to value creation through marketing actions (such as product/brand repositioning, segmentation of current markets). We also need to distinguish amidst obtaining new products through acquisition by buying a whole company, a patent or a licence to produce someone elses product and through new-product development in the companys own research and development department.As the costs of developing and introducing major new products commence climbed, many large companies keep decided to acquire existing brands rather than to create new ones. Other firms have saved money by write competitors brands or by reviving old brands. These routes can contribute to a firms growth and have both advantages and limitations. In this chapter, we are in the main concerned with how businesses create and market new products. By new products we mean original products, product improvements, pnxhict modifications and new brands that the firm develops through its own research and development efforts.Risks and Returns Jri InnovationInnovation can be very risky for a number of reasons1. New-product d evelopment is an expensive affair it cost Tate & Lyle around 150 billion to develop a new sugar substitute pharmaceutical firms spend an average of .100-50 million to develop a new drug while developing a super-jumbo project could cost billions.2. New-product development takes time. Although companies can dramatically shorten their development time, in many industries, such asPharmaceuticals, biotechnology, aerospace and food, new-product development cycles can be as long as 10-15 socio-economic classs. The uncertainty and unpredictability of market environments further raise the risks of commercialization. Roots had to withdraw Manoplex, a heart drug, slight than a year after its launch in the United Kingdom, after a trial on 3,000 patients in the United States and Scandinavia suggested an adverse effect on patient survival. The pharmaeeudeals air division lost nigh 200 million on the drug, which cost nearly 100 million to develop over a period of 12 years, and about S20 mill ion was spent on promoting and marketing it.3. Unexpected delays in development are also a problem. History is littered with grand pioneering engineering projects which have failed to satisfy the original expectations of bankers, investors and politicians. The Seikan rail tunnel, connecting the island of Hokkaido to mainland Japan, was completed 14 years late and billions of pounds over budget the S10 billion cost of the Channel tunnel, which opened on 6 May 994, a year later than originally planned, is more than double the 4,8 billion forecast in 1987.4. The new-product success record is not encouraging either. New products continue to fail at a disturbing rate. One recent study estimated that new consumer packaged goods (consisting mostly of line extensions) fail at a rate of 80 per cent. The same high failure rate appears to afflict new financial products and services, such as credit cards, insurance plans and brokerage services. some other study found that about 33 per cent of new industrial products fail at launch.Despite the risks, firms that learn to innovate well become less vulnerable to attacks by new entrants which discover new ways of delivering added values, benefits and solutions to customers problems.

Discussing Act.1 Scene 7 of Macbeth

The scene takes place in the Madison Squ ar Gardens basketball courts after scheduled training. Chris Anderson, reserve picture guard, a positioning recently appointed to him after Jason Hart sustained a serious injury, considers jeopardising Chauncey Billups position as point guard and captain of the Denver Nuggets. Chris talks to head cheerleader and girl adept Ashley Reynolds and discusses fashions to jeopardise Chaunceys position on the team.(Chris dribbles ball across court to Ashley)Chris If only I could get rid of Chauncey without any suspicions or consequences (Thinks)I could purposely hurt Chauncey in a practise session, but the risk of suspicion would be way too risky. It would be much easier and beneficial to have someone do it for me. (Looks to Ashley in a strange way)Ashley No, no way would I put my cheerleading race in jeopardy, and besides, who am I to do such a thing Im not a violent personChris Theres got be some way I can get his position. My basketball coach in college had a prophecy that one day I would be drafted to the NBA. He also stated that I would proceed a true leader of a NBA team. Ive been drafted now and all there is left to do takeover Chaunceys position and captaincy.(Ashley thinks of ways in which Chris could become captain)Ashley I have a perfect idea.Chris Out with it and then.Ashley Well, I am head of the cheerleading team and ever soyone knows, players loooove cheerleaders.Chris What are you trying to get at? Yes we all delight in cheerleaders.Ashley Well, I could jeopardize Chaunceys position on the team by making false accusations that he sexually assaulted me.Chris (Thinks) No, I couldnt do that to him, Chauncey is a loyal friend and besides, I dont want to ruin his flight. What happens if the plan falls through? Theres a chance it will ruin my NBA career as well. All the NBA endorsement I have received will be lost. I dont think Im ready to throw that all away for a starting position on the team.Ashley You are w rong Chauncey isnt a loyal friend, he is a team-mate and thats all. Nothing bad will happen to you and your career. You dont have to be involved, no one will ever knowChris Ashley, we are a couple now, if news spreads that we are together and then gets linked back to the sexual assault a lot of circumspection will be brought upon me. I dont know what to do, Im only a newly recruited player to the Denver Nuggets, I should be appreciative of what has been given to me. Not everybody receives a deal like mine. Chauncey is very deserving of his position on the team and is a very good role model in which I should purpose to. He is so well respected in the NBA. There would be many assumptions as to why he would sexually assault women, let alone a cheerleader from the same team, besides Chauncey has a wife and is a very good friend of yours.Ashley What are you talking about Chris? Ever since you were drafted to the NBA youve wanted Chaunceys position Youve wanted leadership and you shoul d be granted recognition. What girl doesnt want her boyfriend to show leadership and dominance? I would love you even more if we were to get by this off.Chris No, the Consequences of these circumstances are far too severe. Chauncey has done nothing to me in order for me to jeopardise his position on the team let alone his career in the NBA. If the predications from my college basketball are true, maybe I might get that leadership role as captain of a team, but whos saying that its qualifying to be captain of the Denver Nuggets, who says that its Chauncey Billups position and role of the team in which Im going to overthrow. In time, the prophecy will come true. Its better to hide my ambitions then expose them and run the risk of ruining my NBA career, a friends NBA career or my friendship with Chauncey.

Dettol Antiseptic Liquid

INTRODUCTION * Dettol was eldest used in leading UK maternity hospital in the early 1930s. Shortly thereafter, in 1933, with the endorsement of medical profession, Dettol was launched to the customary public. * Dettol is a brand of Reckitt Benckiser and has stood for its trusted production in India since 1930. * The brand is endorsed by the Indian Medical Association and has been voted among Indias Most Trusted Brand in modern years. Reckitt Benckiser (India) Limited, formerly known as Reckitt Colman of India Limited, has many brands in India, namely Dettol, Veet, Harpic, Mortein, Robin Blue, Cherry, Lizol, Colin, Dispirin, Brasso, Mansion and others. PRODUCTS PORTFOLIO * Antiseptic Liquid * Hand Sanitizer * Medicated Plaster * Saving Cream with voguish fragrance * Body Wash * Soap Original, Skincare, Cool, and Re- Energize * Liquid Handwash- Original, Skincare, Sensitive and Fresh * No Touch Handwash- Original and Cucumber PRODUCTS UNDER injuryPRODUCTS UNDER BRAND APPROVED BY INDIAN MEADICAL ASSOCIATION ANTISEPTIC LIQUID DETTOL ANTISEPTIC LIQUID Dettol Antiseptic Liquid is a proven safe and effective antiseptic that kills various bacteria and provides protection against germs which can cause infection and illness. It can be used safely for gentle antiseptic wound cleansing and excessively for personal hygiene. Dettol Antiseptic Liquid gently cleanses the skin and helps protect against infection from cuts, scratches and insect bites by killing germs. Dettol Antiseptic Liquid can also be used n the wash to freshen linen and nappies and in the bath to leave skin feeling hygienically clean and refreshed (kids older than ennead months). SALIENT FEATURES * Dettol Antiseptic Liquid is a product, which has many uses for protecting the family from germs. * Use with mopping water, to disinfect floors, completely. * Use in washing laundry to disinfect the clothes. * For first aid and personal care uses, Dettol Antiseptic Liquid must always be used, dilute in wate r. * Available in wide range of sizes from 5ml to 5 litre.PROS AND CONS OF DETTOL ANTISEPTIC LIQUID PROS * Versatile * Disinfectant which kills bacteria and provides protection against germs. * Dettol is use to cleanse cuts and stings. CONS * Be careful how you use. * Toxic BUYING MOTIVE OF A CONSUMER * taking into custody antiseptic product. * Secondary uses in the form of bathing, cleaning floor, and shaving. * Cuts and bruises healer. * Concentrated antiseptic disinfectant which kills bacteria and provides protection against germs. REFERENCES * www. google. com * www. dettol. co. in * www. wikipedia. com

Jamcracker Questions Essay

The factors that drive the ASPs emergence are )Increasing greet of specialized software that have far exceeded the price range of small-medium businesses. 2)Usual urgency of a company to fit(p) up a IT capability internally which is similar to the infrastructure already used/developed by many companies 3)Less investment for the base functionalities (which are tind by ASP) of an IT firm 4)Companies urge to support their military services 24*7 unlike the traditional business operations 5)Optimizing the number of IT staff inside the organization so that some of the required functionalities could be cosourced or outsourced to an ASP 6)Companies move towards mobile workforceQ2) How does Jamcracker fit in the ASP space? Explain the Jamcracker business model. Jamcrackers business model was based on the ASP concept. But it wasnt exactly the ASP. Rather, Jamcracker cooperated with ASP partners to combine application services through its enterprise IT solicitude platform Jamcracker Ente rprise- into comprehensive offerings, including technical support and billing. For example, an ASP that provided an email application and another that provided desktop productivity application could, via Jamcracker technology, appear to the customer as an integrated service package.Customers could pick and choose from an a la carte menu of the applications in the virtual ASP cafeteria. Jam cracker would then provide those application services in a IT department in a box. This implies that the customer would maintain a single contractual relationship with the Jamcracker alternatively than numerous relationships with specialized ASPs. Users would login to the Jamcracker platform once rather than separately onto each of the ASP platform.Jamcrackers Business Model The above explained ASP Aggregation methodological analysis accomplished by Jamcracker solved problems inherent in the traditional ASP approach such as high customer acquisition cost, conflict amidst breadth of ASP offerings and scale economies and Data sharing. Revenues -The monthly fees that the customers paid for using Jamcrackers Enterprise -A modest setup fee -Per-user-per-month fee for access to Jamcracker service infrastructure Reason Network EffectCustomers get the suppliers and the suppliers in turn get the customers which could get a better deal for the customers from the suppliers and a lower cost of distribution for the suppliers and end as a virtuous cycle for all the involved parties. Mainly Targeted Areas before targeting the huge clients such as fortune viosterol -The midsized unfortunate 5000 companies since they cant afford huge IT investments and hence would go f$or ASPs -simple applications such as email, expense reporting etc web-native applications Q3) Identify critical challenges that Jamcracker moldiness address to create a credible and sustainable business model. The following challenges must be addressed by Jamcracker to sustain in their business model. -Reselling and stigm atisation issues should be considered in a case-by-case manner and not as a whole -Educating its customers in the details of the new ASP ntegrator approach to write out their IT investments -Making the existing ASP integrator infrastructure more robust as the business grew rapidly -Need for professional services that would help and support its customers to convert their legacy data to ASP based system which would easily confide their trust in ASPs and in Jamcracker through which the customers would avail the ASP integrator services from Jamcracker over the long run. -Addressing the customers concerns over the ASP models service levels, data security and privacy so that the customers would feel secured with the ASP technology.

A Time to Kill (1996) Argumentative Paragraph

A Time to Kill (1996) Violations of the Canadian Charter of Rights & Freedoms In the movie A Time To Kill, many rights & freedoms were break according to the Canadian Charter of Rights & Freedoms. In this paragraph, three very big & important rights and/or freedoms go out be discussed. The first base is section 2 (Fundamental Freedoms), part c. The freedom of peaceful assembly was violated seven times in the movie the most prominent is when the KKK formed extracurricular the courthouse & demanded that Carl leeward be pronounced guilty or else theyre going to get violent, that is in direct violation of that freedom.Section 2, part d (freedom of association) was also violated as the KKK clearly violated that freedom by fundamentally being in existence because the purpose of their association is to hurt or kill anyone who lives in the United States of America and is not Caucasian and does not follow Christianity or Catholism. The second violation is Section 15 (Equality Rights) subs ection 1. This right provides equality beforehand and under the law and equal protection and benefit of the law.Before & during the trial, Carl Lee was held in a segregated prison cell, which isnt so bad but up to now racist, the next unfair treatment to Carl Lee was being put on trial in front of a bias and all white jury. When Carl Lees attorney requested that the venue of the trial be changed due to the fact that the jury is all-white and bias, he hoped it be changed to a venue where the jury will be maybe fifty percent black.The judge, who is white, denied that request quite blatantly and anyways started the trial in Canton with a bias jury, which later on in the movie proved to extremely racist in their reasoning for Carl Lee being guilty. The third and last of many other rights & freedoms that have been violated in this movie is, section 13 (treatment or punishment). Everyone has the right not to be subjected to any cruel and unusual treatment or punishment. This right has been violated and maltreat in so many ways.Chronologically, Carl Lees daughter was raped and brutalized by the two racist red necks, Carl Lee being in a fit of rage procures an automatic rifle with a high ammunition capacity and shot those two men in cold blood enchantment unintentionally severely injuring an officer of the law. If those violations werent enough, the KKK clan tries to punish the white lawyer for representing a black man by almost burning coldcock his house and intentionally abusing and intending to kill that same lawyers paralegal.The clan capped it off by trying to assassinate Carl Lees lawyer with a high-powered sniper rifle, but the assassin missed and killed an officer (state trooper/soldier) of the United States of America. The Canadian Charter of Rights & Freedoms or any other similar organisation of rights and freedoms evidently was not implemented in the time present in the movie, but what is evident is that our society today has learned from those ethic al & moral mistakes of the early(prenominal) and created policies, rights & freedoms to help prevent those mistakes from ever happening again.

Guns in School Essay

There should be no wedges in class room. Be vitrine it may cause more violence in the school and cause more school shootings. Kids may find the gun and use it against others. Also some younger kids may feel threatened with a gun in the class room. However assuming that any teacher and kid would not go on a killing spree yes it could be a good idea, but considering most school shooting are caused by children/teens it is not a logic idea. We do not need more guns in schools I personally think that we need less guns in schools these days.There is no valid reason for in that location to be guns in schools unless it is owned by a police officer. Guns in schools lead to negative things and it should not happen. Say you have a fresh-faced, doe-eyed new teacher, 22 years old and starting their first day as a teacher. Now youve handed them a firearm and tell them that they have to have this gun with them at all times. Now the teacher might have a background with guns and be OK with that, b ut maybe they dont.Perhaps theyre one of these pansy liberals that confirm so much flack in the circles that think they should be armed. Well this teacher now has to make a decision, should they give tongue to a gun on themselves and be forced to keep the student at arms length, thus hampering the learning environment, or should they simply let a multitude of kids get right up against the weapon? Well obviously we shouldnt be giving kids the opportunity to get at the weapon, and we dont want to hamper the learning experience, so lets give the teacher a gun safe to put it in.Now a some months pass and this safe is opened once or twice to check on the gun, because after all gun violence is still very nominal in the US despite what people on FB might shout. However this safe has to be readily available so that the teacher can get to it in times of emergency, but that means its likewise readily available to curious and mischievous kids too. A kid will find a way to get into any loc ked compartment if they are determined to. Anyone who thinks this isnt the case hasnt been around kids. So now we have a kid with a gun, maybe the kid shoots a friend, maybe themselves, maybe the teacher.The point is this policy introduced the capability for gun violence. Now of course you can argue that good kids wouldnt do this. And maybe youre right, but the schools that people always say are most in need for this sort of thing (impoverished, urban, etc) are also those that have the highest amount of children with various mental and behavioral disabilities. If you really think that it is a good idea to bring a gun into a schoolroom to protect students, you havent been in a classroom in a long time, or youre still an ignorant child.

Admission Essay & Medical

Why be you interested in entering this major or athletic field? I am interested for this field because I find it noble and very fascinating. Without the Radiologic Technician, nobody generalises the use of x-rays and how it works. This profession would give me the ability to understand more on x-rays and other associate and important topics.2. What are your goals after you graduate from Harcum? After I graduate from Harcum, I lead immediately practice my profession as Radiologic Technician and serve people who conduct my service. At the same time, I will educate myself more or have an advance studies which is related to Radiology to update myself about newfangled technology and be a better Radiologic Technician. 3. How can Harcum look you in attaining your goals?I consider Harcum as a good match for my learning because it is a college that has so much to offer. I strongly believe that the professors and facilities here are well-equipped which are able to assist and offer the needs of the students.One thing that attracts me most in this college is the way the professors teach their students. This is the college too which has close cooperation with the community which serves to the functioning of modern education. We all know that the community needs the school as a positive rack for social and economic betterment.There are many problems in the community, such as those relating to health, economic, and social problems, that can be solved by educative process. This college is one agency in the community equipped to lead in the solution of problems.I believe that Harcum College can be useful in promoting and improving community life and conditions and which will enable less fortunate people to live richer, fuller, and better everyday lives, as well as on the development of techniques of their studies.I also believe that this college enhanced my skills, abilities, and attitudes to be more learned and extend it to the community. The university does non onl y educate the students academically but it is interested too with the interaction of human individuals and their environment. In addition, the university is concerned with producing growth or changes in human knowledge, skills, abilities, attitudes, feelings, morals, and habits of every type.

Chapter 31 The Third Task

Dumbledore reckons You-Know-Whos getting stronger once again as well? Ron whispered.Everything fire had look inton in the Pensieve, nearly everything Dumbledore had told and sh accept him afterwardward, he had now shargond with Ron and Hermi star and, of course, with Sirius, to whom harry had sent an owl the moment he had left Dumbledores forthice. chevy, Ron, and Hermione sat up late in the common room once again that night, talking it each everywhere until raises mind was reeling, until he mum what Dumbledore had meant ab expose a head becoming so full of themes that it would let been a relief to siphon them bump off.Ron st ard into the common room fire. evoke thought he cut Ron shiver slightly, even though the evening was warm.And he trusts Snape? Ron give tongue to. He re entirelyy trusts Snape, even though he knows he was a Death Eater?Yes, express kindle.Hermione had non spoken for ten minutes. She was school term with her forehead in her hands, doubl e-dyed(a) at her knees. evoke thought she too looked as though she could view as through with a Pensieve.Rita Skeeter, she m addressed fin onlyy.How can you be worrying to the mettle or soest degree her now? express Ron, in utter disbelief.Im not worrying ab erupt her, Hermione said to her knees. Im bonnie c alone ining cogitate what she said to me in the iii Broomsticks? I know things approximately Ludo bagman that would bump off your hair curl. This is what she meant, isnt it? She reported his trial, she knew hed passed information to the Death Eaters. And Winky too, rememberLudo traveling salesmans a bad wizard. Mr. Crouch would pass water been furious he got off, he would progress to talked ab forth it at home.Yeah, simply commercial traveller didnt pass information on purpose, did he?Hermione shrugged.And Fudge reckons Madame Maxime attacked Crouch? Ron said, turning okay to blight.Yeah, said molest, barely hes only give tongue toing that because Crouch di sappe ard near the Beauxbatons cart.We never thought of her, did we? said Ron behind. control heed you, shes definitely got giant blood, and she doesnt wish to admit it-Of course she doesnt, said Hermione sharply, looking up. Look what happened to Hagrid when Rita arrange away about his m opposite. Look at Fudge, jumping to conclusions about her, conscionable because shes part giant. Who needs that sort of outrage? Id probably say I had big bones if I knew thats what Id get for telling the truth.Hermione looked at her watch. We sacrificent done some(prenominal) practicing she said, looking shocked. We were departure to do the substantiation Curse Well have to in reality get set ashore to it tomorrow get on on. Harry, you need to get some sleep.Harry and Ron went slowly upstairs to their dormitory. As Harry pulled on his pajamas, he looked over at Nevilles bed. True to his word to Dumbledore, he had not told Ron and Hermione about Nevilles parents. As Harry took off his glasses and climbed into his four-poster, he imagined how it must feel to have parents still living still unable to recognize you. He often got sympathy from strangers for being an orphan, moreover as he listened to Nevilles snores, he thought that Neville deserved it more than he did. Lying in the darkness, Harry matte up a tutelage of anger and hate toward the people who had tortured Mr. and Mrs. Longbottom.He remembered the jeers of the crowd as Crouchs son and his companions had been dragged from the court by the dementors.He understood how they had entangle.Then he remembered the milk-w totale count of the screaming boy and realized with a jolt that he had died a year later.It was Voldemort, Harry thought, staring up at the canopy of his bed in the darkness, it all came gage to Voldemort.He was the one who had torn these families apart, who had ruined all these lives.Ron and Hermione were supposed(a) to be studying for their exams, which would can on the day of th e three task, further they were putting most of their efforts into helping Harry prepare.Dont worry about it, Hermione said shortly when Harry pointed this out to them and said he didnt mind practicing on his own for a while, at least well get leave marks in Defense Against the Dark Arts. Wed never have found out about all these hexes in class.Good training for when were all Aurors, said Ron excitedly, attempting the Impediment Curse on a wasp that had buzzed into the room and making it stop dead in midair.The wit in the castle as they entered June became excited and tense again. Everyone was looking forward to the third task, which would take intrust a week before the stop of term. Harry was practicing hexes at every available moment. He felt more confident about this task than either of the others. Difficult and dangerous though it would undoubtedly be, dismal was refine Harry had managed to find his dash past monstrous wolfs and enchanted barriers before now, and this time he had some notice, some chance to prepare himself for what lay ahead.Tired of walking in on Harry, Hermione, and Ron all over the school. Professor McGonagall had given them permission to use the empty Transfiguration classroom at lunchtimes. Harry had soon mastered the Impediment Curse, a bewitchment to slow shovel in and obstruct attackers the Reductor Curse, which would enable him to savage unharmed objects out of his way and the Four-Point circuit, a useful discovery of Hermiones that would make his verge point referable north, therefore enabling him to check whether he was going in the slump direction within the internal ear. He was still having trouble with the Shield Charm, though. This was supposed to cast a temporary, invisible wall most himself that deflected underage curses Hermione managed to shatter it with a well-placed Jelly-Legs Jinx, and Harry wobbled just about the room for ten minutes afterward before she had looked up the counter-jinx.Youre still doing really well, though, Hermione said encouragingly, looking down her list and crossing off those spells they had already learned. few of these are bound to pay off in handy. serve and look at this, said Ron, who was standing by the window. He was staring down onto the grounds. Whats Malfoy doing?Harry and Hermione went to see. Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle were standing in the shadow of a tree below. Crabbe and Goyle have the appearance _or_ semblanceed to be keeping a lookout both were smirking. Malfoy was holding his hand up to his mouth and speaking into it.He looks like hes using a walkie-talkie, said Harry curiously.He cant be, said Hermione, Ive told you, those sorts of things dont work around Hogwarts. Come on, Harry, she added briskly, turning away from the window and base back into the middle of the room, lets provide that Shield Charm again.Sirius was direct daily owls now. Like Hermione, he seemed to want to concentrate on getting Harry through the terminal task before they concerned themselves with anything else. He reminded Harry in every letter that whatever magnate be going on out posture the walls of Hogwarts was not Harrys responsibility, nor was it within his power to influence it.If Voldemort is really getting stronger again, he wrote, my priority is to ensure your safety. He cannot hope to lay hands on you while you are under Dumbledores protection, only if all the aforesaid(prenominal), take no risks Concentrate on getting through that maze safely, and thusly we can turn our attention to other matters. Harrys nerves mounted as June the twenty-fourth force turn upr, hardly they were not as bad as those he had felt before the first and s tasks. For one thing, he was confident that, this time, he had done everything in his power to prepare for the task. For another, this was the final hurdle, and notwithstanding well or badly he did, the tournament would at last be over, which would be an awful relief.Breakfast was a very n oisy affair at the Gryffindor h keenness on the morning of the third task. The post owls appeared, bringing Harry a good-luck card from Sirius. It was only a piece of parchment, folded over and guardianship a muddy paw print on its trend, however Harry appreciated it all the same. A screech owl arrived for Hermione, carrying her morning copy of the Daily visionary as usual. She unfolded the paper, glanced at the front page, and pettifoggery out a mouthful of pumpkin juice all over it.What? said Harry and Ron together, staring at her. Nothing, said Hermione quickly, difficult to shove the paper out of sight, scarce Ron grabbed it. He stared at the newspaper headline and said, No way. Not today. That old cow.What? said Harry. Rita Skeeter again?No, said Ron, and just like Hermione, he essay to push the paper out of sight.Its about me, isnt it? said Harry.No, said Ron, in an entirely unconvincing tone. nevertheless before Harry could demand to see the paper. Draco Malfoy sho uted crossways the Great Hall from the Slytherin table.Hey, thrower Potter Hows your head? You tang all a mature? Sure youre not going to go berserker on us?Malfoy was holding a copy of the Daily Prophet too. Slytherins up and down the table were sniggering, twisting in their seats to see Harrys reaction.Let me see it, Harry said to Ron. Give it here. truly reluctantly, Ron handed over the newspaper. Harry turned it over and found himself staring at his own picture, below the banner headlineHARRY POTTER DISTURBED AND DANGEROUS The boy who defeated He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is unstable and perhaps dangerous, writes Rita Skeeter, Special Correspondent. Alarming evidence has recently come to light about Harry Potters strange behavior, which casts doubts upon his suitableness to compete in a demanding competition like the Triwizard tourney, or even to attend Hogwarts School. Potter, the Daily Prophet can exclusively reveal, regularly collapses at school, and is often hear to comp lain of pain in the play off on his forehead (relic of the curse with which You-Know-Who attempted to kill him). On Monday last, midway through a fortune telling lesson, your Daily Prophet reporter witnessed Potter storming from the class, claiming that his scar was hurting too badly to continue studying. It is possible, say top experts at St. Mungos Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, that Potters brain was affected by the attack inflicted upon him by You-Know-Who, and that his jam that the scar is still hurting is an expression of his complicated-seated confusion. He expertness even be pretending, said one specialist. This could be a plea for attention. The Daily Prophet, however, has unearthed worrying facts about Harry Potter that Albus Dumbledore, passkey of Hogwarts, has carefully concealed from the wizarding public. Potter can speak Parseltongue, reveals Draco Malfoy, a Hogwarts fourth year. t knock againsther were a lot of attacks on students a couple of years a go, and most people thought Potter was ass them after they adage him lose his temper at a dueling club and set a ophidian on another boy. It was all hushed up, though. exactly hes made friends with werewolves and giants too. We think hed do anything for a catch of power. Parseltongue, the ability to converse with snakes, has prospicient been considered a Dark Art. Indeed, the most famous Parselmouth of our times is none other than You-Know-Who himself. A member of the Dark Force Defense League, who wished to remain unnamed, stated that he would regard any wizard who could speak Parseltongue as worthy of investigation. Personally, I would be highly suspicious of anybody who could converse with snakes, as serpents are often used in the worst kinds of Dark Magic, and are historically associated with evildoers. Similarly, anyone who seeks out the corporation of such vicious wildcats as werewolves and giants would appear to have a fondness for violence. Albus Dumbledore should sure ly consider whether a boy such as this should be allowed to compete in the Triwizard Tournament. Some fear that Potter might resort to the Dark Arts in his desperation to win the tournament, the third task of which takes place this evening. gone off me a bit, hasnt she? said Harry lightly, folding up the paper.Over at the Slytherin table, Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle were laughing at him, tapping their heads with their fingers, twist grotesquely mad faces, and waggling their tongues like snakes.How did she know your scar hurt in Divination? Ron said. in that locations no way she was there, theres no way she couldve comprehend -The window was open, said Harry. I opened it to breathe.You were at the top of North Tower Hermione said. Your persona couldnt have carried all the way down to the grounds intimately, youre the one whos supposed to be researching magical methods of bugging said Harry. You tell me how she did itIve been causeing said Hermione. But IbutAn odd, moonlit expres sion suddenly came over Hermiones face. She slowly raised a hand and ran her fingers through her hair.argon you all right? said Ron, frowning at her.Yes, said Hermione breathlessly. She ran her fingers through her hair again, and then(prenominal) held her hand up to her mouth, as though speaking into an invisible walkie-talkie. Harry and Ron stared at each other.Ive had an report, Hermione said, gazing into space. I think I knowbecause then no one would be able to seeeven Moodyand shed have been able to get onto the window ledgebut shes not allowedshes definitely not allowedI think weve got her Just give me two secondments in the library just to make sureWith that, Hermione seized her school billfold and dashed out of the Great Hall.Oi Ron called after her. Weve got our History of Magic exam in ten minutes Blimey, he said, turning back to Harry, she must really hate that Skeeter woman to risk missing the convey of an exam. Whatre you going to do in Binnss class read again?Exe mpt from the end-of-term tests as a Triwizard hoagy, Harry had been sitting in the back of every exam class so far, looking up unspoilt hexes for the third task.Spose so, Harry said to Ron but just then. Professor McGonagall came walking alongside the Gryffindor table toward him.Potter, the champions are congregating in the chamber off the Hall after breakfast, she said.But the tasks not till this night said Harry, accidentally spilling scrambled eggs down his front, afraid he had mistaken the time.Im aware of that, Potter, she said. The champions families are invited to watch the final task, you know. This is simply a chance for you to greet them.She moved away. Harry gaped after her.She doesnt channel the Dursleys to turn up, does she? he asked Ron blankly.Dunno, said Ron. Harry, Id better hurry, Im going to be late for Binns. peck you later.Harry unblemished his breakfast in the emptying Great Hall. He adage Fleur Delacour get up from the Ravenclaw table and get together Ce dric as he crossed to the side chamber and entered. Krum slouched off to join them shortly afterward. Harry stayed where he was. He really didnt want to go into the chamber. He had no family no family who would turn up to see him risk his life, anyway. But just as he was getting up, thinking that he might as well go up to the library and do a distinguish more hex research, the approach of the side chamber opened, and Cedric stuck his head out.Harry, come on, theyre waiting for youUtterly perplexed. Harry got up. The Dursleys couldnt possibly be here, could they? He walked across the Hall and opened the door into the chamber.Cedric and his parents were just inside the door. Viktor Krum was over in a corner, conversing with his dark-haired fret and father in rapid Bulgarian. He had inherited his fathers hooked nose. On the other side of the room, Fleur was jabbering away in French to her mother. Fleurs little sister, Gabrielle, was holding her mothers hand. She waved at Harry, wh o waved back, grinning. Then he saw Mrs. Weasley and Bill standing in front of the fireplace, smile at him.Surprise Mrs. Weasley said excitedly as he smiled broadly and walked over to them. Thought wed come and watch you. Harry She bent down and kissed him on the cheek.You all right? said Bill, grinning at Harry and shaking his hand. Charlie cherished to come, but he couldnt get time off. He said you were incredible against the Horntail.Fleur Delacour, Harry noticed, was eyeing Bill with great interest over her mothers shoulder. Harry could tell she had no objection whatsoever to long hair or earrings with fangs on them.This is really nice of you, Harry muttered to Mrs. Weasley. I thought for a moment the Dursleys -Hmm, said Mrs. Weasley, pursing her lips. She had always refrained from criticizing the Dursleys in front of Harry, but her eyes flashed every time they were mentioned.Its great being back here, said Bill, looking around the chamber (Violet, the Fat Ladys friend, winke d at him from her frame). Havent seen this place for five years. Is that picture of the mad knight still around? Sir Cadogan?Oh yeah, said Harry, who had met Sir Cadogan the previous year.And the Fat Lady? said Bill.She was here in my time, said Mrs. Weasley. She gave me such a telling off one night when I got back to the dormitory at four in the morning -What were you doing out of your dormitory at four in the morning? said Bill, surveying his mother with amazement.Mrs. Weasley grinned, her eyes twinkling.Your father and I had been for a nighttime stroll, she said. He got caught by Apollyon Pringle he was the caretaker in those age your fathers still got the marks.Fancy giving us a tour, Harry? said Bill.Yeah, okay, said Harry, and they made their way back toward the door into the Great Hall. As they passed Amos Diggory, he looked around.There you are, are you? he said, looking Harry up and down.Bet youre not feeling quite an as full of yourself now Cedrics caught you up on poi nts, are you?What? said Harry.Ignore him, said Cedric in a low voice to Harry, frowning after his father. Hes been angry ever since Rita Skeeters article about the Triwizard Tournament you know, when she made out you were the only Hogwarts champion.Didnt bother to emend her, though, did he? said Amos Diggory, loudly enough for Harry to hear as he started to walk out of the door with Mrs. Weasley and Bill. Still,youll show him, Ced. Beaten him once before, havent you?Rita Skeeter goes out of her way to cause trouble, Amos Mrs. Weasley said angrily. I would have thought youd know that, working at the MinistryMr. Diggory looked as though he was going to say something angry, but his wife laid a hand on his arm, and he merely shrugged and turned away.Harry had a very enjoyable morning walking over the sunny grounds with Bill and Mrs. Weasley, showing them the Beauxbatons carriage and the Durmstrang ship. Mrs. Weasley was intrigued by the Whomping Willow, which had been planted after sh e had left school, and reminisced at length about the gamekeeper before Hagrid, a man called Ogg.Hows Percy? Harry asked as they walked around the greenhouses.Not good, said Bill.Hes very upset, said Mrs. Weasley, lowering her voice and glancing around. The Ministry wants to keep Mr. Crouchs disappearance quiet, but Percys been hauled in for questioning about the instructions Mr. Crouch has been venting in. They seem to think theres a chance they werent genuinely written by him. Percys been under a lot of strain. Theyre not letting him fill in for Mr. Crouch as the fifth judge tonight. Cornelius Fudge is going to be doing it.They returned to the castle for lunch.Mum Bill said Ron, looking stunned, as he joined the Gryffindor table. Whatre you doing here?Come to watch Harry in the last task said Mrs. Weasley brightly. I must say, it makes a kind change, not having to cook. How was your exam?Ohokay, said Ron. Couldnt remember all the goblin rebels names, so I invented a few. Its al l right, he said, helping himself to a Cornish pasty, while Mrs. Weasley looked stern, theyre all called stuff like Bodrod the Bearded and Urg the unswept it wasnt wicked.Fred, George, and Ginny came to sit nigh to them too, and Harry was having such a good time he felt about as though he were back at the Burrow he had forgotten to worry about that evenings task, and not until Hermione turned up, halfway through lunch, did he remember that she had had a brainwave about Rita Skeeter.Are you going to tell us -?Hermione shook her head warningly and glanced at Mrs. Weasley.Hello, Hermione, said Mrs. Weasley, much more stiff than usual.Hello, said Hermione, her smile faltering at the cold expression on Mrs. Weasleys face.Harry looked amid them, then said, Mrs. Weasley, you didnt believe that rubbish Rita Skeeter wrote in Witch Weekly, did you? Because Hermiones not my girlfriend.Oh said Mrs. Weasley No of course I didntBut she became considerably warmer toward Hermione after that. Harry, Bill, and Mrs. Weasley whiled away the afternoon with a long walk around the castle, and then returned to the Great Hall for the evening feast. Ludo Bagman and Cornelius Fudge had joined the staff table now. Bagman looked quite cheerful, but Cornelius Fudge, who was sitting next to Madame Maxime, looked stern and was not talking. Madame Maxime was concentrating on her plate, and Harry thought her eyes looked red. Hagrid unploughed glancing along the table at her,There were more courses than usual, but Harry, who was starting to feel really unquiet now, didnt eat much. As the enchanted ceiling strike began to fade from blue to a du cant purple, Dumbledore come up to his feet at the staff table, and silence push down.Ladies and gentlemen, in five minutes time, I will be asking you to make your way down to the Quidditch field for the third and final task of the Triwizard Tournament. Will the champions please follow Mr. Bagman down to the bowl now.Harry got up. The Gryffindo rs all along the table were applauding him the Weasleys and Hermione all wished him good luck, and he headed off out of the Great Hall with Cedric, Fleur, and Viktor.Feeling all right. Harry? Bagman asked as they went down the rock-and-roll steps onto the grounds. Confident?Im okay, said Harry. It was sort of true he was nervous, but he kept discharge over all the hexes and spells he had been practicing in his mind as they walked, and the knowledge that he could remember them all made him feel better.They walked onto the Quidditch field, which was now completely unrecognizable. A twenty- clean-high wangle ran all the way around the edge of it. There was a gap right in front of them the entrance to the vast maze. The passage beyond it looked dark and creepy.Five minutes later, the stands had begun to fill the air was full of excited voices and the rumbling of feet as the hundreds of students filed into their seats. The sky was a complicated, clear blue now, and the first stars wer e starting to appear. Hagrid, Professor Moody, Professor McGonagall, and Professor Flitwick came walking into the stadium and approached Bagman and the champions. They were wearing large, red, luminous stars on their hats, all except Hagrid, who had his on the back of his moleskin vest.We are going to be patrolling the outside of the maze, said Professor McGonagall to the champions. If you get into difficulty, and wish to be rescued, send red sparks into the air, and one of us will come and get you, do you understand?The champions nodded.Off you go, then said Bagman brightly to the four patrollers.Good luck. Harry, Hagrid whispered, and the four of them walked away in different directions, to station themselves around the maze. Bagman now pointed his wand at his throat, muttered, Sonorus, and his magically magnified voice echoed into the stands.Ladies and gentlemen, the third and final task of the Triwizard Tournament is about to begin Let me remind you how the points currently stan d Tied in first place, with 85 points each Mr. Cedric Diggory and Mr. Harry Potter, both of Hogwarts School The cheers and applause sent birds from the Forbidden Forest fluttering into the darken sky. In second place, with eighty points Mr. Viktor Krum, of Durmstrang Institute More applause. And in third place Miss Fleur Delacour, of Beauxbatons academyHarry could just make out Mrs. Weasley, Bill, Ron, and Hermione applauding Fleur politely, halfway up the stands. He waved up at them, and they waved back, beaming at him.Soon my whistle, Harry and Cedric said Bagman. Three two one -He gave a short blast on his whistle, and Harry and Cedric hurried forward into the maze.The towering hedges cast black shadows across the path, and, whether because they were so tall and mysterious or because they had been enchanted, the move of the surrounding crowd was silenced the moment they entered the maze. Harry felt almost as though he were underwater again. He pulled out his wand, mutte red, Lumos, and heard Cedric do the same just behind him.After about fifty yards, they reached a fork. They looked at each other.See you, Harry said, and he took the left one, while Cedric took the right.Harry heard Bagmans whistle for the second time. Krum had entered the maze. Harry sped up. His elect path seemed completely deserted. He turned right, and hurried on, holding his wand high over his head, exhausting to see as far ahead as possible. Still, there was nothing in sight.Bagmans whistle blew in the distance for the third time. All of the champions were now inside.Harry kept looking behind him. The old feeling that he was being watched was upon him. The maze was growing darker with every passing minute as the sky overhead deepened to navy. He reached a second fork.Point Me, he whispered to his wand, holding it flat in his palm.The wand spun around once and pointed toward his right, into solid hedge. That way was north, and he knew that he needed to go northwest for the co me to of the maze. The best he could do was to take the left fork and go right again as soon as possible.The path ahead was empty too, and when Harry reached a right turn and took it, he again found his way unblocked. Harry didnt know why, but the lack of obstacles was unnerving him. Surely he should have met something by now? It felt as though the maze were luring him into a false thought of security. Then he heard movement right behind him. He held out his wand, ready to attack, but its beam fell only upon Cedric, who had just hurried out of a path on the rightfulness side. Cedric looked severely shaken. The sleeve of his robe was smoking.Hagrids Blast-Ended Skrewts he hissed. Theyre enormous I only just got awayHe shook his head and dived out of sight, along another path. Keen to put plenty of distance between himself and the skrewts, Harry hurried off again. Then, as he turned a corner, he sawa dementor gliding toward him. Twelve feet tall, its face hidden by its hood, its ro tting, scabbed hands outstretched, it advanced, sensing its way blindly toward him. Harry could hear its rattling breath he felt clammy coldness stealing over him, but knew what he had to do.He summoned the happiest thought he could, concentrated with all his might on the thought of getting out of the maze and celebrating with Ron and Hermione, raised his wand, and cried, Expecto PatronumA silver medal stag erupted from the end of Harrys wand and galloped toward the dementor, which fell back and tripped over the hem of its robes.Harry had never seen a dementor stumble.Hang on he shouted, advancing in the wake of his silver Patronus, Youre a boggart RiddikulusThere was a loud crack, and the shape-shifter exploded in a wisp of smoke. The silver stag faded from sight. Harry wished it could have stayed, he could have used some companybut he moved on, quickly and quietly as possible, listening hard, his wand held high once more. unexpendedrightleft againTwice he found himself facing dead ends. He did the Four-Point Spell again and found that he was going too far east. He turned back, took a right turn, and saw an odd golden mist floating ahead of him.Harry approached it cautiously, pointing the wands beam at it. This looked like some kind of enchantment. He wondered whether he might be able to blast it out of the way.Reducio he said.The spell shot straight through the mist, leaving it intact. He supposed he should have cognize better the Reductor Curse was for solid objects. What would happen if he walked through the mist? Was it worth chancing it, or should he double back?He was still hesitating when a scream shattered the silence.Fleur? Harry yelled.There was silence. He stared all around him. What had happened to her? Her scream seemed to have come from somewhere ahead. He took a deep breath and ran through the enchanted mist.The world turned upside down. Harry was hanging from the ground, with his hair on end, his glasses dangling off his nose, threatening to fall into the bottomless sky. He clutched them to the end of his nose and hung there, terrified. It felt as though his feet were glued to the grass, which had now become the ceiling. Below him the dark, star-spangled heavens stretched endlessly. He felt as though if he tried to move one of his feet, he would fall away from the earth completely.Think, he told himself, as all the blood rushed to his head, thinkBut not one of the spells he had skilful had been de constricted to combat a sudden reversal of ground and sky. Did he dare move his foot? He could hear the blood pounding in his ears. He had two choices try and move, or send up red sparks, and get rescued and disqualified from the task.He shut his eyes, so he wouldnt be able to see the view of endless space below him, and pulled his right foot as hard as he could away from the grassy ceiling.Immediately, the world righted itself. Harry fell forward onto his knees onto the wonderfully solid ground. He felt temporarily limp wit h shock. He took a deep, steadying breath, then got up again and hurried forward, looking back over his shoulder as he ran away from the golden mist, which twinkled innocently at him in the moonlight.He paused at a junction of two paths and looked around for some sign of Fleur. He was sure it had been she who had screamed. What had she met? Was she all right? There was no sign of red sparks did that mean she had got herself out of trouble, or was she in such trouble that she couldnt reach her wand? Harry took the right fork with a feeling of increasing uneasebut at the same time, he couldnt help thinking. One champion downThe transfuse was somewhere close by, and it sounded as though Fleur was no longer in the running. Hed got this far, hadnt he? What if he actually managed to win? Fleetingly, and for the first time since hed found himself champion, he saw again that send off of himself, raising the Triwizard Cup in front of the rest of the school.He met nothing for ten minutes, but kept running into dead ends. Twice he took the same wrong turning. Finally, he found a new route and started to jog along it, his wandlight waving, making his shadow flicker and distort on the hedge walls. Then he rounded another corner and found himself facing a Blast-Ended Skrewt.Cedric was right it was enormous. ecstasy feet long, it looked more like a giant scorpion than anything. Its long sting was curled over its back. Its thick accouterments glinted in the light from Harrys wand, which he pointed at it. engenderThe spell put on the skrewts armor and rebounded Harry ducked just in time, but could smell burning hair it had singed the top of his head. The skrewt issued a blast of fire from its end and flew forward toward him.Impedimenta Harry yelled. The spell hit the skrewts armor again and ricocheted off Harry staggered back a few paces and fell over. IMPEDIMENTAThe skrewt was inches from him when it froze he had managed to hit it on its fleshy, shell-less underside. Panting, Harry pushed himself away from it and ran, hard, in the opposite direction the Impediment Curse was not permanent the skrewt would be regaining the use of its points at any moment.He took a left path and hit a dead end, a right, and hit another forcing himself to stop, heart hammering, he performed the Four-Point Spell again, backtracked, and chose a path that would take him northwest.He had been hurrying along the new path for a few minutes, when he heard something in the path running reduplicate to his own that made him stop dead.What are you doing? yelled Cedrics voice. What the hell dyou think youre doing?And then Harry heard Krums voice.CrucioThe air was suddenly full of Cedrics yells. Horrified, Harry began sprinting up his path, trying to find a way into Cedrics. When none appeared, he tried the Reductor Curse again. It wasnt very effective, but it burned a small hole in the hedge through which Harry forced his leg, resileing at the thick brambles and branches un til they broke and made an possibility he struggled through it, tearing his robes, and looking to his right, saw Cedric jerking and twitching on the ground, Krum standing over him.Harry pulled himself up and pointed his wand at Krum just as Krum looked up. Krum turned and began to run.Stupefy Harry yelled.The spell hit Krum in the back he stopped dead in his tracks, fell forward, and lay motionless, facedown in the grass. Harry-dashed over to Cedric, who had stopped twitching and was lying there panting, his hands over his face.Are you all right? Harry said roughly, grabbing Cedrics arm.Yeah, panted Cedric. YeahI dont believe ithe crept up behind me.I heard him, I turned around, and he had his wand on me.Cedric got up. He was still shaking. He and Harry looked down at Krum.I cant believe thisI thought he was all right, Harry said, staring at Krum.So did I, said Cedric.Did you hear Fleur scream earlier? said Harry.Yeah, said Cedric. You dont think Krum got her too?I dont know, said H arry slowly.Should we leave him here? Cedric muttered.No, said Harry. I reckon we should send up red sparks. Someonell come and collect himotherwise hell probably be eaten by a skrewt.Hed deserve it, Cedric muttered, but all the same, he raised his wand and shot a shower of red sparks into the air, which hovered high above Krum, marking the spot where he lay.Harry and Cedric stood there in the darkness for a moment, looking around them. Then Cedric said, WellI spose wed better go on.What? said Harry. OhyeahrightIt was an odd moment. He and Cedric had been short united against Krum now the fact that they were opponents came back to Harry. The two of them proceeded up the dark path without speaking, then Harry turned left, and Cedric right. Cedrics footsteps soon died away.Harry moved on, continuing to use the Four-Point Spell, making sure he was moving in the right direction. It was between him and Cedric now. His desire to reach the cup first was now burning stronger than ever, bu t he could hardly believe what hed just seen Krum do. The use of an Unforgivable Curse on a associate human being meant a life term in Azkaban, that was what Moody had told them. Krum surely couldnt have wanted the Triwizard Cup that badly.Harry sped up.Every so often he hit more dead ends, but the increasing darkness made him feel sure he was getting near the heart of the maze. Then, as he strode down a long, straight path, he saw movement once again, and his beam of wandlight hit an extraordinary creature, one which he had only seen in picture form, in his Monster Book of Monsters.It was a sphinx. It had the body of an over-large lion great clawed paws and a long yellowish tail ending in a brown tuft. Its head, however, was that of a woman. She turned her long, almond-shaped eyes upon Harry as he approached. He raised his wand, hesitating. She was not crouching as if to spring, but pacing from side to side of the path, blocking his progress. Then she spoke, in a deep, hoarse voic e.You are very near your goal. The quickest way is past me.Soso will you move, please? said Harry, knowing what the upshot was going to be.No, she said, continuing to pace. Not unless you can answer my riddle. Answer on your first guess I let you pass. Answer wrongly I attack. tarry silent I will let you walk away from me unscathed.Harrys stomach slipped several notches. It was Hermione who was good at this sort of thing, not him. He weighed his chances. If the riddle was too hard, he could keep silent, get away from the sphinx unharmed, and try and find an alternative route to the center.Okay, he said. Can I hear the riddle?The sphinx sat down upon her hind legs, in the very middle of the path, and recitedFirst think of the person who lives in disguise, Who deals in secrets and tells postal code but lies. Next, tell me whats always the last thing to mend, The middle of middle and end of the end? And ultimately give me the sound often heard During the search for a hard-to-find word. Now string them together, and answer me this, Which creature would you be unwilling to kiss?Harry gaped at her.Could I have it againmore slowly? he asked tentatively. She blinked at him, smiled, and repeated the poem. All the clues add up to a creature I wouldnt want to kiss? Harry asked.She merely smiled her mysterious smile. Harry took that for a yes. Harry cast his mind around. There were plenty of animals he wouldnt want to kiss his immediate thought was a Blast-Ended Skrewt, but something told him that wasnt the answer. Hed have to try and work out the clues.A person in disguise, Harry muttered, staring at her, who lieserthatd be a an impostor. No, thats not my guess A a spy? Ill come back to thatcould you give me the next clue again, please?She repeated the next lines of the poem.The last thing to mend, Harry repeated. Erno ideamiddle of middlecould I have the last bit again?She gave him the last four lines.The sound often heard during the search for a hard-to-find wo rd, said Harry. Erthatd beerhang on er Ers a soundThe sphinx smiled at him.Spyerspyer said Harry, pacing up and down. A creature I wouldnt want to kissa spiderThe sphinx smiled more broadly. She got up, stretched her front legs, and then moved by for him to pass.Thanks said Harry, and, amazed at his own brilliance, he dashed forward.He had to be close now, he had to be.His wand was telling him he was bang on course as long as he didnt meet anything too horrible, he might have a chance.Harry broke into a run. He had a choice of paths up ahead. Point Me he whispered again to his wand, and it spun around and pointed him to the right-hand one. He dashed up this one and saw light ahead.The Triwizard Cup was shine on a plinth a hundred yards away. Suddenly a dark figure hurtled out onto the path in front of him.Cedric was going to get there first. Cedric was sprinting as fast as he could toward the cup, and Harry knew he would never catch up, Cedric was much taller, had much longer le gs Then Harry saw something immense over a hedge to his left, moving quickly along a path that intersected with his own it was moving so fast Cedric was about to run into it, and Cedric, his eyes on the cup, had not seen it Cedric Harry bellowed. On your leftCedric looked around just in time to hurl himself past the thing and avoid colliding with it, but in his haste, he tripped. Harry saw Cedrics wand fly out of his hand as a gigantic spider stepped into the path and began to bear down upon Cedric.Stupefy Harry yelled the spell hit the spiders gigantic, hairy black body, but for all the good it did, he might as well have thrown a stone at it the spider jerked, scuttled around, and ran at Harry instead.Stupefy Impedimenta StupefyBut it was no use the spider was either so large, or so magical, that the spells were doing no more than aggravating it. Harry had one horrifying glimpse of eight shining black eyes and razor-sharp pincers before it was upon him.He was lifted into the air i n its front legs struggling madly, he tried to kick it his leg connected with the pincers and next moment he was in excruciating pain. He could hear Cedric shouting Stupefy too, but his spell had no more effect than Harrys Harry raised his wand as the spider opened its pincers once more and shouted ExpelliarmusIt worked the Disarming Spell made the spider move him, but that meant that Harry fell twelve feet onto his already injured leg, which crumpled beneath him. Without pausing to think, he aimed high at the spiders underbelly, as he had done with the skrewt, and shouted Stupefyjust as Cedric yelled the same thing.The two spells combined did what one alone had not The spider keeled over sideways, flattening a nigh hedge, and strewing the path with a tangle of hairy legs.Harry he heard Cedric shouting. You all right? Did it fall on you?No, Harry called back, panting. He looked down at his leg. It was bleeding freely. He could see some sort of thick, gluey secretion from the sp iders pincers on his torn robes. He tried to get up, but his leg was shaking badly and did not want to support his weight. He leaned against the hedge, gasping for breath, and looked around.Cedric was standing feet from the Triwizard Cup, which was gleaming behind him. drive it, then, Harry panted to Cedric. Go on, take it. Youre there.But Cedric didnt move. He merely stood there, looking at Harry. Then he turned to stare at the cup. Harry saw the longing expression on his face in its golden light. Cedric looked around at Harry again, who was now holding onto the hedge to support himself. Cedric took a deep breath.You take it. You should win. Thats twice youve saved my neck in here.Thats not how its supposed to work, Harry said. He felt angry his leg was very painful, he was aching all over from trying to throw off the spider, and after all his efforts, Cedric had beaten him to it, just as hed beaten Harry to ask Cho to the ball. The one who reaches the cup first gets the points. Th ats you. Im telling you, Im not going to win any races on this leg.Cedric took a few paces nearby to the Stunned spider, away from the cup, shaking his head.No, he said.Stop being noble, said Harry irritably. Just take it, then we can get out of here.Cedric watched Harry steadying himself, holding tight to the hedge.You told me about the dragons, Cedric said. I wouldve gone down in the first task if you hadnt told me what was coming.I had help on that too, Harry snapped, trying to mop up his bloody leg with his robes. You helped me with the egg were square.I had help on the egg in the first place, said Cedric.Were still square, said Harry, testing his leg gingerly it shook violently as he put weight on it he had sprained his ankle when the spider had dropped him.You shouldve got more points on the second task, said Cedric mulishly. You stayed behind to get all the hostages. I shouldve done that.I was the only one who was thick enough to take that song seriously said Harry bitterly . Just take the cupNo, said Cedric.He stepped over the spiders tangled legs to join Harry, who stared at him. Cedric was serious. He was walking away from the sort of ring Hufflepuff House hadnt had in centuries.Go on, Cedric said. He looked as though this was costing him every ounce of dissolver he had, but his face was set, his arms were folded, he seemed decided.Harry looked from Cedric to the cup. For one shining moment, he saw himself emerging from the maze, holding it. He saw himself holding the Triwizard Cup aloft, heard the roar of the crowd, saw Chos face shining with admiration, more clearly than he had ever seen it beforeand then the picture faded, and he found himself staring at Cedrics shadowy, stubborn face.Both of us, Harry said.What?Well take it at the same time. Its still a Hogwarts victory. Well tie for it.Cedric stared at Harry. He unfolded his arms.You you sure?Yeah, said Harry. Yeahweve helped each other out, havent we? We both got here. Lets just take it tog ether.For a moment, Cedric looked as though he couldnt believe his ears then his face split in a grin.Youre on, he said. Come here.He grabbed Harrys arm below the shoulder and helped Harry limp toward the plinth where the cup stood. When they had reached it, they both held a hand out over one of the cups gleaming handles.On three, right? said Harry. One two three -He and Cedric both grasped a handle.Instantly, Harry felt a jerk somewhere behind his navel. His feet had left the ground. He could not unclench the hand holding the Triwizard Cup it was pulling him onward in a howl of wind and swirling color, Cedric at his side.