Chapter 194

Having just freed himself from the excruciating agony of the Cruciatus Curse, Cedric barely had a moment to catch his breath before thick Devil's Snare wrapped around him like a phantom, binding his entire body and mercilessly dragging him deep into the gloomy maze of hedges. Cedric gripped the ground with all his might, his fingertips digging deep into the soil. Pain and despair intertwined within him, yet his heart held only one unwavering conviction: *I cannot lose.* Amidst his desperate struggle, he raised his gaze toward Harry with great difficulty. In those eyes filled with a plea for help and bitter resentment, words choked deep in his throat, unsaid. Harry stood not far away, his eyes wandering between the Cup and Cedric, his inner turmoil and anxiety plain to see. At that critical juncture, Harry raised his wand, preparing to cast a charm to shatter the rampant Devil's Snare. Yet at that very moment, Cedric made an astonishing decision. Summoning every last shred of magic left within his body, his form suddenly shrank, transforming into a vigorous Russian wolfhound. This sudden transformation instantly freed him from the grip of the vines, his agile shape weaving effortlessly through the hedges.