Slavery And The Slave Trade - 1453 Words

For this assignment, I have decided to write about slave ships. There is an extreme amount of sadness and cruelty that surrounds the slave trade. I am very passionate about this subject because I don’t think that slaves are given the proper recognition that they deserve. I don’t think people think about what it was like to actually be on one of these slave ships. I think it is important to keep the history of the slave trade alive since we will never fully know what life was really like on a slave ship and to honor those who died on the voyage and those who died once reaching their destination. The beginning of slave ships started with the Portuguese making voyages to the west coast of Africa in the fifteenth century. On these voyages the†¦show more content†¦Larger ships had a third or fourth mate, a few mates for the doctor, and a few more seamen and landsmen (Rediker, 2007, p.57). Compared to the number of slaves on the ship the crew was undermanned usually with only six to eighteen crew members, including the captain (Greene, 1944, p. 347). The captain was responsible for managing the navigation and everything related to the cargo, voyage, and sailors (Rediker, 2007, p. 57). He had the responsibility of hiring the crew members, he oversaw the loading of the original cargo, and he conducted all of the business of the voyage, such as the buying of slaves in Africa until their sale (Rediker, 2007, p. 57). There was a doctor present on slave ships as well. The doctor’s job was to make sure that the crew and slaves survived the voyage from one side of the At lantic to the other side (Rediker, 2007, p. 59). The doctor attended to slaves daily, tried to answer any complaints they had, diagnosed their illnesses, and even prescribed them medications that were in stock onboard (Rediker, 2007, p. 59). The doctor also treated the crew since any illnesses the slaves had could easily spread to the crew members. The doctor, however, also assisted in the purchase of slaves. He would carefully inspect each one for signs of illness or debility (Rediker, 2007, p. 59). Healthy Africans had a better chance of surviving the stay on the African coast and during

The Role of Technology in Quality Education - 1774 Words

THE ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY IN QUALITY EDUCATION Dr.R.Sivakumar Assistant Professor Department of Education Annamalai University Introduction Quality education is a universal goal. It is common to hear arguments that instructional technology will be the key to educational quality as we enter the new millennium. Investment in educational technology is urged upon policy-makers as the path to educational quality. In fact, enthusiasts for educational technology argue that quality has and will continue to increase rapidly, creating a new educational culture Whatever problems exist are seen as ones which can be handled through better administrative and technological planning - that is, technology believers perceive no intrinsic†¦show more content†¦Students frequently feel the need for ongoing communication with their instructor. A commonly expressed student need is that for very clearly and explicitly articulated course learning objectives. That is, online pedagogy seems more associated with cyber distance than with virtual community, and students quickly become motivated to seek to overcome cyber distance through incr eased course structure, reducing learning autonomy. Online education is part of a cost reduction effort, requiring human resources to be stretched to cover more credit hours, faculty resignation to the training mentality of outcome-based evaluation is all but assured except, of course, in environments which do not even bother to attempt to enforce quality assurance standards. Online Education and Critical Thinking Online education can handle instruction-to-facts more easily; drill-and-practice is the forte of computer methods. Ironically, in contrast, traditional education with its supposedly uncreative lecture hall methods has prided itself in its ability to inculcate critical thinking skills. Distance education administrators are aware that critical thinking of online methods. Therefore it is not unusual to find that quality assurance standards forShow MoreRelatedThe Role of Technology in Quality Education1760 Words   |  8 PagesTHE ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY IN QUALITY EDUCATION Dr.R.Sivakumar Assistant Professor Department of Education Annamalai University Introduction Quality education is a universal goal. It is common to hear arguments that instructional technology will be the key to educational quality as we enter the new millennium. Investment in educational technology is urged upon policy-makers as the path to educational quality. In fact, enthusiasts for educational technology argue that qualityRead MoreBusiness Strategy Towards Global Education1234 Words   |  5 Pagestowards education (Pearson, n.d.). Pearson employs approximately forty thousand employees with one-third located in emerging markets (SEC, 2015). 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Journal Business Social Review In Emerging -Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Journal Business Social Review In Emerging? Answer: Introducation The purpose of this report is to analyze different communication skills used by individuals and the ways in which such skills will result in improvement in communication. This report focuses on the particular communication skills which are essential for success of a business organization. This report further analyzes the tools of communication which are essential for developing a communication system. It is to be stated that the report aims to provide a concept of communication which is brief and also focuses on various models and issues which are related to communication. In addition this report also will also provide a reflection which is based on interpersonal communication skills of the researcher. Such reflection will take into account the results that are obtained by using the tools of communication. In this report five communication skills have been used to obtain the results. It is to be mentioned that the tools of communication help individuals in figuring out the flaws and errors in their communication skills. It also assists people in finding out the qualities they lack. It is to be said that questionnaires which provide an insight into the confidence possessed by people while communicating with others and personality of people are used to understand and assess the personality of people (Shwom and Snyder, 2015). The tools used to assess communication skills in this case are: People skills Non Verbal communication Presentation Skills Verbal communication Self Perceived Communication Competence scale(SPCC) It can be mentioned that each of these skills test is essential as it helps me to assess the areas which need improvement and also the style of communication which has been adopted by me. Each of the communication tools uses a different set of questionnaires which aims to assess the different factors of communication skills and allows individuals to rectify their communication skills based on the results of such questionnaires. People skills test- The first test that has been undertaken by me to assess my communication skills is the people skills test. It is to be stated that in modern times the people skill test is one of the most important tools that helps to evaluate and assess how good people are in communicating with others. According to Shwom and Snyder(2015), it can be said that possessing a skill to converse with people effectively is essential in every profession. The people skill test is also known as the soft skills test. People skills are an important aspect in all professional environments. People skills or soft skills are essential when leading a group or applying for jobs at managerial levels. It is to be stated that the result of this test ranges from 16-80. However the result of the test undertaken by me came to be 57. This result indicates that I prefer to collaborate with groups. However this shows that I stay under a lot pressure in critical and tense situations. (Refer to appendix 1 for results) Non verbal Communication test- It is to be said that the individuals communicate more with others non-verbally. Sixty percent of human communication is done non-verbally. Non verbal communication includes the usage of facial expressions, gestures and body language. People consciously and unconsciously use the aforementioned gestures to attract the attention of the listeners. Using gestures and facial expressions while conversing with someone also helps in attracting the listeners attention and make such listener feel strongly about what the speaker is saying. Non-verbal communication is of utmost importance in the professional field as much is lost between what is said and what is understood. The results of the nonverbal communication test ranges from 15 to 40 points. The result of the test undertaken by me lies between the range of 35-40 points. This indicates that I am an excellent communicator. (Refer to appendix 2) Presentation Skills test- This tool helps to assess the confidence level of individuals while making presentations. It can be said that this tool also assesses the level of relaxation and confidence possessed by people while giving a presentation. It can be said that presentation skills are important in the professional field as most of the business deals and meeting are done by making presentation. The result of this test ranges from 14-70. However, my result of this test falls in the range 52-70. Therefore, it can be said that I am excellent when it comes to giving presentations. The presentations demonstrated by me are very interesting and well suited for the audience. (Refer to appendix 3) Verbal communication test- It is to be mentioned that the verbal communication test is conducted to assess how easily people carry out a particular task without anyones help. This test indicates to what extent an individual depends on others for getting a particular task done. The results of this test ranges from 20 to over 110. However my score in this test falls in the range of 81-110. Therefore, it can be said that I can and am willing to work with people but my skills are not as refined as my co workers. However, I need to work on accurately paraphrasing work, ability to remain calm in tense situations and non verbal cues. (Refer to appendix 4) Self Perceived Communication Competence Scale (SPCC) test- This test is used to analyze the nature of individuals and the way they perceive others. It can also be used for assessing how people change their communicating style and react in different situations (Argenti, 2015). This test also analyzes the competency level which is required by people to communicate at different aspects of life. My overall score of this test came to be 87.5. This score is relatively high which indicates that I am competent to communicate freely with people. However, it is to be mentioned that competency to communicate varies in case of communicating with different people. It can be noted that a high value of competency level indicates that self perceived communication of an individual is strong. In my case it is clearly evident that I am more competent in communicating with friends and acquaintances. Therefore after analyzing the results of these five tests I have been able to identify the areas of communication which needs improvement. I need to improve my soft skills and need to communicate with people I work with more freely to be a more successful manager in the future. I have to ensure that I remain calm in tense and challenging situations so that I can handle them smoothly. I also need to work on my verbal communication skills. I need to refine my verbal communication skills to work efficiently with my co workers and remain calm in challenging situations. It can be said that I have witnessed a few incidents where my communication skills were put to test and I had failed to perform. The reason for failure to demonstrate good communication skills in those situations can be attributed to a few issues. One of the issues faced by me was the failure to understand non-verbal cues. During one incident I had failed to understand a gesture made by companion. He was using hand signals in order to communicate with me and ask me to move an object. He was using hand gestures as he was inaudible at the time. He had warned me about the presence of sharp object lying on the stage. However, my inability to understand the same resulted in sustaining severe injuries by one of the performers. This incident occurred about two months ago. It caused commotion and I was reprimanded for not understanding the hand gesture of my companion. It can be said that the occurrence of this unfortunate incident was an eye opener as it made me realize the importance of understanding non-verbal gestures in professional environment. On another occasion I was presented with the challenge of giving a presentation of a business Idea to large group of people. Although I had put in a lot of time preparing the presentation, I was not be able to explain some of the key concepts and ideas of the presentation to the people. Although the presentation had covered all the relevant points, it failed to create a lasting impression in the minds of the people. In spite of the containing all the important information such presentation failed to attract the attention of the people. They looked disinterested and distracted which in turn adversely affected my confidence further. This incident made me realize the importance of having good people skills without which it is impossible to envision myself as a good manager or leader. Communication concept and issues faced According to McQuail and Windahl (2015), one of the easiest ways of conveying information, thoughts and feelings to others is communication. It is to be mentioned that people feel the need to communicate with others to discuss their thoughts with others and add purpose to their lives. Communication is done both verbally and non verbally. Verbal communication is the most widely used mode of communication. However, it can be said that verbal communication is not possible in many instances, therefore individuals communicate with the others using non verbal methods of communication. Non verbal communication involves the use of gestures and facial expressions to communicate feelings, thoughts and information to others. On the other hand verbal communication involves the usage of words for communicating messages. It is to be stated that several tools have been developed to assess and evaluate the areas in which communication can be improved. As opined by Hampf and Mller-Pohl (2013), it is essential to understand the drawbacks that exist in the processes of communication in order to ensure that proper communication takes place on a global and regional level. According to Peleckien Polajeva (2016), it can be stated that people often fail to understand and interpret sign languages correctly and this can be regarded as a general flaw in communication. It can be said that most people fail to decipher sign languages as they are not trained to do so. Verbal communication is not possible when the speaker and the listener is at a distance. In such a case, both the speaker and listener need to communicate using sign languages and it is important for both the speaker to make the right gestures and the person, to whom the gestures are made, to understand them. Another important communication flaw which is noteworthy is the lack of confidence in people when communicating with others. As stated by Popp, Raneburger and Kaindl (2013), confidence is instrumental in making a proper and effective presentation and also addressing people in large group. It can be said that making a proper and descriptive presentation is also important describe the ideas and thoughts which cannot be clearly expressed in words. It can be said that confidently presenting ideas and thoughts to people in large groups using the pictorial medium is important as people understand the messages better when have access to visual presentation of the ideas. However, explaining the messages as displayed in the presentation to the people is important to attract the attention of the people, as people tend to feel bored and disinterested if they are not directly addressed while the presentation is being demonstrated. Therefore to sole this issue, it is important for to make the mes sages in the presentation very clear and bold and it is also important for the person giving the presentation to explain and interact with the audience while such presentation is going on. Models of communication It is to be stated that effective communication between individuals helps remove flaws and gaps in understanding (Chaney and Martin, 2013). In order to ensure that effective communication takes place between individuals, it is essential to discuss certain models of communication that have been developed for the same purpose. Belos model is one such model of promoting effective communication. This model is commonly referred to as the SMCR model because the factors of this model are similar to those of the Belos model. Both the models state that the receiver and sender need to be alert while communicating so that they interpret the messages correctly. However, basic understanding of the messages is required for interpretation and transmission of the same. According to Evans et al. (2017), it can be said that the channels used for communication will include the assistance provided by the basic senses of human beings. The basic senses include smell, taste, feel, hear and sight. It can be said that the functioning of all the five senses together is essential the development of a persona and the transmission of messages. Therefore, proper training of people needs to be given to individuals encoding and decoding messages in sign languages. It can be mentioned that Belos model provides that messages composed must be precise and consist. If the messages are clear and concise they can be easily understood. The responses of such messages can also be communicated through the aforementioned channels. This model also ensures that interpersonal communication skills are developed by individuals. This model can be applied to the individuals at the entry level who seek to improve their communication skills. The skill level of every individual is asse ssed and analyzed by this model which ensures the development of proper communication techniques. Such techniques are beneficial to the people as they help them to pursue a successful career in future. However contrary to the advantages of this model Thill Bove (2013), expressed that Schramms model could be used more effectively than the aforementioned model to enhance communication skills of individuals. It is to be mentioned that in order to develop a communication system which is effective, it is essential to assess and identify a source of communication which is proper. According to Rentz and Lent (2013), a proper source of communication aims to ensure that the developments taking pace in the communication system happens in a orderly and systematic manner. The aforementioned model is effective in identifying different segments which are related to the components of communication. The components of the communication system ensure a steady flow of messages between sender and receiver. The sender encodes the messages in the form of cryptic ones so that the messages cannot be read and understood by anyone except the receiver. The receiver upon receiving such cryptic message decodes such messages. According to Fleisher and Bensoussan (2015), this model of communication is the ultimate model which is used for the purpose of communication. It can be mentioned that this form of communicat ion style is effective in organizations which use internal facilities for sending and receiving messages. However, according to Schramm perceived and believed communication to be a continuous process. It is one of tools which are quintessential for the survival of humankind. Schramms model ensures that communication between people is carried on in an effective manner. Schramms model ensures maintenance of effective communication in all the spheres of life. This model aims to develop the listening ability of the individuals as the messages transmitted by this model are mainly encrypted. It can therefore, be said that the individuals need to understand the messages properly in order to decode them in a proper manner. This model involves a flow of messages which is continuous from both ends. Both the sender and receiver need to posses abilities in order to be effective in business scenarios. Behavioral an conceptual skills which are needed It can be said that individuals are required to apply practical and theoretical knowledge so that they can develop their communication skills. It is to be mentioned that theoretical aspect of a persons knowledge helps such person in understanding the topic in details and in broader manner. A analysis which covers all the details of a particular subject helps individuals to gain in-depth knowledge about such topic. However, practical knowledge of individuals can help people gain experience. It can be said that in the todays world individuals need to possess a wide range of experience in different fields so that they can apply for a wide range of jobs in different sectors (DiSanza and Legge, 2016). Individuals are required to assess the level of improvement needed by them in order to be successful in business. It is to be mentioned that individuals are required to develop professional skills in order to assess the issues faced by them. According to Argenti (2015), the lack in the skill set of the individuals can be identified by the different tools of communication as discussed above as well as the implications of the principles of various modes of communication. Misunderstandings in the workplace are to be avoided as they create a negative impact on the minds of the people. Misunderstandings often adversely affect the emotions of the individuals which inturn have negative impacts on them. According to Sadia et al. (2016), it can be said that people who have good listening skills and those who are emotionally competent are the ones who gain success in business. This claim can be substantiated by the fact both of the aforementioned characteristics help individuals to realize the fullest of their potentials and help them be more successful in their careers. It can be said that managers and leaders and managers are required to deal with the problem of the employees therefore, a proper understanding of the needs of the employees is essential prior to taking any decisions. Therefore it can be mentioned that having proper people or soft skills are essential to ensure that employees are encouraged. It is to be mentioned that issues faced in the process of communication can be solved by being aware of the surroundings of the individuals and by being confident. Learning how to communicate with people non-verbally is not required for most people however, understanding sign langu ages can help the communication skills of individuals to improve. Therefore it can be mentioned that people develop their communication skills depending on the capabilities and qualities possessed by such persons. Communication skill tests help individuals assess their flaws and also identify the techniques required to rectify the flaws and improve. Action Plan After doing a thorough analysis of the issues existent in my method of communication, an action plan has been developed by me to effectively improve my method of communication. The aforementioned action plan assesses the issues and suggests measures to rectify such issues. In order to develop my talents I have sought the help of the experienced teacher Violet Dhu. Mrs. Dhu has over 15 years of teaching experiences. She has a diploma in communication counselling. I have enrolled for a eight week counselling course with her. It can be said that the professional advice Mrs Dhu is expected to help me identify the flaws in communication skills and also rectify such flaws and improve my overall communication skills. Apart from seeking professional expert advice I have also consulted some books to improve my skills in communication. Some of the books that have been consulted by me are: Active listening 101: How to turn down your volume to turn up your communication skill by Emilia Hardman, 2012 Communication Apprehension, Avoidance, and Effectiveness by Richmond, Wrench and McCroskey "Power Listening: Mastering the most critical business skill" written by Bernard, T. Ferrari, 2012 It can be mentioned that by reading these books I have been able to assess how I can communicate effectively with others. For example I have been able to develop my people skills and verbal communication skills. I have been able to achieve remarkable progress in demonstrating presentations and addressing people in large groups. I have also enrolled in courses such as Diploma in communication management which will aim to improve my confidence while addressing large and small groups. Activity July August September October November December Making entries in journals about activities and progress Finding a teacher to help and advise me in my course Accessing relevant books required for improvement Enrolling in courses that provide information about of communicating with people Table: Gantt chart (Source: Created by author) Reference list Argenti, P. A. (2015).Corporate communication. McGraw-Hill Higher Education. Cardon, P. (2015).Business communication: Developing leaders for a networked world. McGraw-Hill Higher Education. Chaney, L., Martin, J. (2013).Intercultural business communication. Pearson Higher Ed. DiSanza, J. R., Legge, N. J. (2016).Business and professional communication: Plans, processes, and performance. Pearson. Evans, D. R., Hearn, M. T., Uhlemann, M. R., Ivey, A. E. (2017).Essential interviewing: A programmed approach to effective communication. Nelson Education. Fleisher, C. S., Bensoussan, B. E. (2015).Business and competitive analysis: effective application of new and classic methods. FT Press. Hampf, M., Mller-Pohl, S. (Eds.). (2013).Global communication electric: business, news and politics in the world of telegraphy. Campus Verlag. McQuail, D., Windahl, S. (2015).Communication models for the study of mass communications. Routledge. Peleckien, V., Polajeva, T. (2016). Towards sustainable entrepreneurship: role of nonverbal communication in business negotiations.Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Issues,4(2), 228-239. Popp, R., Raneburger, D., Kaindl, H. (2013). Tool support for automated multi-device GUI generation from discourse-based communication models. InProceedings of the 5th ACM SIGCHI symposium on Engineering interactive computing systemspp. 145-150 Rentz, K., Lentz, P. (2013).Lesikars Business Communication: Connecting in a Digital World. McGraw-Hill Higher Education. Sadia, A., Salleh, B. M., Kadir, Z. A., Sanif, S. (2016). The Relationship between Organizational Communication and Employees Productivity with New Dimensions of Effective Communication Flow.Journal of Business and Social Review in Emerging Economies,2(2), 93-100. Shwom, B. G., Snyder, L. G. (2015).Business communication: Polishing your professional presence. Pearson. Thill, J. V., Bove, C. L. (2013).Excellence in business communication. Pearson. Tuna, G., Gulez, K., Gungor, V. C. (2013). The effects of exploration strategies and communication models on the performance of cooperative exploration.Ad Hoc Networks,11(7), 1931-1941

Solubility of potassium chlorate Essay Example

Solubility of potassium chlorate Essay My plan is to find the determination of solubility curve of potassium chlorate.PredictionMy prediction is to find that the solubility of potassium chlorate (kClO3) increases as the temperature increases.ApparatusThe apparatus that I used during the experiment were* Bunsen burner* Tripod* Gauze* Safety goggles* Heat resistance mat* A boiling tube* A test tube rack* Thermometer* Burette* Two glass beakers* Two grams of potassium chlorateSafety measuresWear safety goggles and lab coat.When do the experiment stand up dont sit down.Use caution when dealing with chemicals.Hot boiling tubes and beakers can cause burns.Do not move around the lab during the experiment (stay at your work station)Scientific information on solubilityThe solubility of a solute in a solvent at a given temperature is the number of gram of that solute which can dissolve in 100g of solvent to produce a saturated solution at that temperature. In this experiment I will see how the solubility of potassium chlorate (KClO 3) changes as the temperatures changes.ProcedureI will explain my procedure in bullet points* Set up the Bunsen burner, tripod, gauze and the rest etc. as shown on the diagram sheet.* Put 2 grams of potassium chlorate into a boiling tube.* Add 4ccm of distilled water from the burette. ( the burette is more accurate to use)* Place the boiling tube in boiling water and allow the solid to dissolve.* Remove the tube from the boiling water when the KClO3 is dissolved.* Stir the contents with a thermometer record the temperature at which the KClO3 crystals first reappear.* Add another 4ccm distilled water from the burette to the boiling tube and stir the contents with the thermometer and record the temperature at which the first KClO3 crystals reappear.* Repeat this step another three times using the same boiling tube.* Then take another boiling tube and add 2 grams of potassium chlorate and repeat the whole experiment in same way to obtain a second set of results.DiagramCalculationsSolub ility (g/100g of water) = mass of solute (g) x 100Mass of water2/4 x 100 = 502/8 x 100 = 252/12 x 100 = 16.672/16 x 100 = 12.52/20 x 100 = 10 average temp = (temp1 + temp2)Results and also see my graphMass of KClOVolume of water ccmSolubility g/100 ccm waterTemperature(`c) at whichcrystals reappearTemperature(`c) at which crystals reappearAverage temperature(`c)2g4ccm50g/100ccm91 `c92 `c91.5 `c2g8ccm25g/100ccm59 `c55 `c57 `c2g12ccm16.67g/100ccm45 `c42 `c43.5 `c2g16ccm12.5g/100ccm33`c31 `c32 `c2g20ccm10g/100ccm25 `c27 `c26 `cConclusionFrom performing this experiment I have found that the solubility of potassium chlorate (KClO3) increases as temperature increases. Every thing happened as I predicted it.I also concluded that most solids that dissolve in water behave like potassium chlorate, although the amount that dissolves will be different.EvaluationAfter doing the experiment and concluding that the solubility of potassium chlorate increases when temperature increases and also findi ng that other solids behave like this I feel that the experiment was successful. By using accurate apparatus like the burette and thermometer I believe that I have obtained reliable results. By also repeating to get a second set of results and finding the averages has also made my results reliable. From the graph I can clearly see it is a solubility curve as is should have drawn a line of best fit to suit my results.There are also other experiments that could be done to obtain results for the solubility of potassium chlorate and surely the same conclusion would be drawn up. But I think that the experiment I did was not so accurate but reliable enough.

Personal information Essays

Personal information Essays Personal information Paper Personal information Paper Give your name, address, telephone numbers and e-mail address. There is no need to give your gender, marital status or number of children, if any. No need to mention your age either, but if you are young it is a good idea to put your date of birth as there may be jobs you are not eligible for because of you age.  Work history  This is where you list all your employment, starting with you current or latest job. If you have never has a job, include any periods of work experience or voluntary work you have done. For each job give the job title, the name of the company and what it does, if it is not well known. Add a list of your responsibilities in that position, list them too. Education  List your qualifications. As with work history, start with your most recent qualification or course. Include schools from secondary onwards. Do not include GCSEs below C grade. Writer the name of the college/ school and against it the qualifications you achieved there.  Skills  List any other skills you have. Examples include languages, with an indication of your level, driving, licence, and first-aid certificate or lifeguard qualifications. Include your key skills and IT qualifications here too. For IT, and you should also talk about which software packages you can use. References  It is usual to include the name and addresses of two referees. One must be an employer or tutor. Alternatively, you can state that referees are available on request this gives you time to ask referees for permission to give their contact details.  Profile  Some people choose to start their CV with a brief personal profile. It sums up your skills and experience and gives the employer an instant idea of whether you are suitable for the post. It can easily be adapted to fit a particular post. In personal information sector I have put down my name, address, telephone numbers and e-mail address. I have not put down my gender, marital status, because there is no need for me to put it down in a CV. I also dont have to mention my age, but sometimes you are young it is a good idea to put your date of birth as there may be jobs you are not eligible for because of you age. Work history  This is where I have listed all my employment, starting with my current or latest job. This includes all the work experience I have done. For each job I have given the job title, the name of the company and what it does, if it is not well known. I also have added a list of my responsibilities in that position.  Education  I have listed all my qualifications. Starting with my most recent qualification or the course I am doing. I have also talked about my secondary school education onwards. I have not included my GCSEs below C grade. I have also put down the name of the college/ school and against it the qualifications I have achieved there. Skills  I have listed all the other skills I have other than my education. Examples include languages, with an indication of my level. I have also included my key skills and IT qualifications too. For IT, I have motioned about the software packages I can use. References It is usual to include the name and addresses of two referees. One must be an employer or tutor. In my CV have put down that the referees will be available on request this will gives me time to ask referees for permission to give their contact details.

10 Facts About the Element Chromium

10 Facts About the Element Chromium Here are 10 fun and interesting facts about the element chromium, a shiny blue-gray transition metal. Chromium has atomic number 24. It is the first element in Group 6 on the Periodic Table,  with an atomic weight of 51.996 and density of 7.19 grams per cubic centimeter.Chromium is a hard, lustrous, steel-gray metal.  Chromium may be highly polished. Like many transition metals, it has a high melting point (1907 degrees C, 3465 degrees F) and high boiling point (2671 degrees C, 4840 degrees F).Stainless steel is hard and resists corrosion due to the addition of chromium.Chromium is the only element which shows antiferromagnetic ordering in its solid state at and below room temperature. Chromium becomes paramagnetic above 38 degrees C.  The elements magnetic properties are among its most notable characteristics.Trace amounts of trivalent chromium are needed for lipid and sugar metabolism. Hexavalent chromium and its compounds are extremely toxic and also carcinogenic. The 1, 4, and 5 oxidation states also occur, although they are less common.Chromium occurs naturally as a mix of three stable isotopes: Cr-52, Cr-53, and Cr-54. Chromium-52 is the most abundant isotope, accounting for 83.789% of its natural abundance.  19 radioisotopes have been characterized. The most stable isotope is chromium-50, which has a half-life of  over  1.8Ãâ€"1017  years. Chromium is used to prepare pigments (including yellow, red, and green), to color glass green, to color rubies red and emeralds green, in some tanning processes, as a decorative and protective metal coating, and as a catalyst.Chromium in air is passivated by oxygen, forming a protective layer that is essentially a spinel that is a few atoms thick. The coated is metal is usually called chrome.Chromium is the 21st or 22nd most abundant element in the Earths crust. It is present at a concentration of approximately 100 ppm.Most chromium is obtained by mining the mineral chromite. Although it is rare, native chromium also exists. It may be found in kimberlite pipe, where the reducing atmosphere favors the formation of diamond in addition to elemental chromium. Additional Chromium Facts Uses of Chromium About 75 percent to 85 percent of the chromium that is commercially  produced is used to make alloys, such as stainless steel. Most of the remaining chromium is used in the chemical industry and in foundries and refractories. The Discovery and History of Chromium Chromium was discovered by  French chemist Nicolas-Louis Vauquelin in 1797 from a sample of the mineral crocoite (lead chromate). He reacted chromium trioxide (Cr2O3) with charcoal (carbon), which yield needle-like crystals of chromium metal. Although it wasnt purified until the 18th century, people had been using chromium compounds for thousands of years. The Qin Dynasty of China used chromium oxide on their weapons. Although its unclear whether they sought the color of the compounds or the properties, the metal did protect the weapons from degradation. Naming Chromium The name of the element comes from the Greek word chroma, which translates as color. The name chromium was proposed by French chemists Antoine-Franà §ois de Fourcroy and Renà ©-Just Haà ¼y. This reflects the colorful nature of chromium compounds and the popularity of its pigments, which may be found in yellow, orange, green, purple, and black. The color of a compound may be used to predict the oxidation state of the metal.

Case Brief Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Case Brief - Essay Example She was also expected to reserve $ 200.00 every month for taxes and pay-- collecting the rents, paying for the net rentals towards the mortgage debt. However, On November 29, 1938, the mortgagee threatened foreclosure of the property after the reorganization of the interest grew to $ 15,857.71. Mrs. Crane, therefore, decided to sell it to a third party for $ 3,000.00 cash and paid $ 500.00 expenses of sale. She reported a taxable increment of $ 1,250.00. She argued that her property acquired from 1932-1938 was only the equity. She claimed that the equity was of zero worth when she acquired it. No depreciation could be taken on a zero value. Secondly, neither she nor her vendee ever assumed the debt; therefore, upon selling the equity, the amount she realized on the sale was $ 2,500.00. Nonetheless, he Commissioner determined that petitioner realized a net taxable gain of $ 23,767.03. He argued that, in addition to the net cash accounted by the petitioner, the amount realized should a lso contain the standard amount of the mortgage of $250,000 when sold. Issues: First, how the gain or loss on the sale of a physical property acquired by bequest subject is determined. Secondly, how the amount realized on the sale of a physical property is calculated and lastly, whether there are any depreciation allowances from the value of a property at the time of gaining. Analysis: The tax court first established the selling price comprised of the land and the building although the building is not a â€Å"capital asset†. The whole gain should, therefore, be taxed after the adjustments of the property were and tear has been made, under  §113 (a). The first question, the court determined that, under section  § 113 (a) (5), unadjusted basis for determining loss or gain on sale of a physical property. Mrs. Crane should determine her property value undiminished by the amount of the mortgage. In the second question, under  § 111 (b), the "amount realized" is calculated as the

Equity Valuation in the Style of Warren Buffet Project Essay

Equity Valuation in the Style of Warren Buffet Project - Essay Example The strategy is proved to be effective over time and prevents investors from making costly and foolish investment losses. The investment strategy uses both quantitative and qualitative factors which finding a good stock. The company chosen for financial analysis is Apple Inc. (Ticker Symbol AAPL) which is a Fortune 500 company whose shares are publicly traded. Apple Inc. is a leading hardware and software company which has headquarters in Cupertino, California, U.S. The company has over 400 global retail stores spread in over 14 countries and it is listed in NASDAQ as a publicly traded company. The Four Filters Approach Filter 1 – Understanding of a company and its products The company sells its products globally through retail outlets, online stores and direct sales with the help of third party distribution networks. The company is best known for its innovative hardware products and next generation media including iPhone, iPad, iPod, Smart Phones, and so on. The companyâ€⠄¢s products and services also include MAC, iCloud, App stores, Apple TV, App Stores, MAC App Stores and iBookstores. Their software services include iOS operating system, OS X, iTunes, iWork and iLife production and creativity suites. The company’s customers are small and medium sized businesses, retail customers, enterprises, educational institutions, and government customers. Filter 2 – Competitive Advantage Apple Inc. is the second largest company in information technology sector in the world. In terms of revenues, only Samsung Electronics (leading Korean company and key competitor of Apple) exceeds the consolidated revenue of Apple. In the year 2008, Fortune magazine name the company as the most admired company in United States as well as globally. Filter 3 – Ability and Trustworthiness of Management The company delivers innovative products and services to customers that include software, hardware, peripheral, and applications. Apple is committed to providi ng best user experience by leveraging its ability of producing unique design. The company continuously invests in marketing, advertising, research and development in order to boost sales and produce innovative products and technologies. The company’s long term strategy includes expansion of distribution network for reaching more customers globally in developing countries and providing them with high quality sales and support experience. Filter 4 – Intrinsic Value Analysis Free-Cash Flows The free cash flows are used to measure the financial performance of the company and it is calculated by subtracting capital expenditures from operating revenues. The free cash-flow represents the company’s ability to generate money required for expanding asset base and hence they are important to identify opportunities that can enhance shareholders’ value. Cash is very important to invest in new products, make M&A, reduce debt and pay dividends. The FCF is calculated usi ng the following formula: In order to determine the

Miseducation of Filipino Essay Example for Free

Miseducation of Filipino Essay Prof. Renato Constantino, in his essay entitled â€Å"The Miseducation of the Filipino†, writes about the coming about of the miseducation and the consequences of such action in the lives of the Filipinos, then, now, and perhaps the future. Promoting and imposing the â€Å"unFilipino† identity in Filipinos was the miseducation that Americans pursued during the time when they â€Å"posed† as a benevolent ally to the Philippines, and they proved victorious indeed because they had completely subjugated the Filipinos, both in minds and in hearts. Education is a very vital factor for one’s development. And as we all know, through education, one’s mind is molded because of the teachings, ideas, and values taught to him. Due to this fact, it’s only either of the two that will happen: the person will become productive provided that he was taught with the right things, or, the person will become otherwise since he acquired negative things. Personally, I learned and realized many things about the history and relationship between the Americans and the Filipinos upon reading this paper. It is quite intriguing what the main reasons really were the Americans in taking power over the Philippines. Was it for the good of the Filipinos or the Americans’ good? Whatever it was, they succeeded in almost every aspect of conquering the land because they knew the most effective way to subjugate Filipinos minds: by controlling our education. They created a new generation of good colonials, the â€Å"unFilipino† Filipinos. The indigenous ways of life of Filipinos had been changed to the American way of life. That was ridiculous because certainly, America and Philippines vastly differed from each other in so many ways, and therefore, their ways of life based on their differing needs should be entirely different. But the Americans insisted on creating a â€Å"carbon-copy† of themselves in Filipinos through the imposition of their language in their education. I went to elementary and high school in the Philippines, and I know for a fact they used both English and Tagalog as the media of teaching. In the long run, I think this resulted in both positive and negative ways — positively, because I was uprooted to the U. S. and I was able to use the â€Å"smattering† English I know to communicate with others, and negatively, because as I have just realized, I feel the â€Å"impediment† in my thought process because I cannot think consistently in one language. All in all, I liked this piece because it reiterates the importance of education to not only produce literate people but also to produce people who would use that education to better their nation.

Essay --

â€Å"Different Shades of Achilles Character† ​This paper is based on a great poem named â€Å"The Iliad†. This poem has various difficulties for the readers and based on many characters. In fact this poem covers many different themes such as interaction between fate and free will, pride, pursuit of glory and glory of battle and horror of war are the key themes that covers by the author. These themes are very difficult and complicated for the reader who read this poem first time. The key and main character of this poem is Achilles; we can say that he is the hero of this poem (Russell Selva 18.92-4) ​Achilles is a child and portrayed by the author as a resentful, proud and insignificant character. The character of Achilles provides to exhibit heroic qualities even in today society. When his one of the best and most loyal friend Patroclus dies, we can see a sudden change in Achilles character drastically. In fact he tackles with a very drastic horror of death, so he puts his all immature ways to fulfill duty to his friend, competitors and his principles. In a way we can say that the character of Achilles is an analogy for the evaluation from youth to maturity level of life (â€Å"N.S. Gill’s Ancient Classical History†). ​In fact Achilles possesses his character as a superhuman and strengthen person of this world with close relationship with the gods. Achilles has the marks of great warrior and shows by his personality in the mightiest man in the Achaean army. The depth of his character flaws in very consistent manners which has hampered the ability to act with nobility and integrity of Achilles throughout the poem. In fact he has no idea and no strength to control his pride that flow up with that pride is injured. This attribute of this poem leave... ... his youthful brashness mercilessly insults Agamemnon in the same book of this author. Because the refusal is to let him go his anger and concern for his own future and also very helpful to indicate a more adolescent or young adult viewpoint while his childless. When prime comes to retrieve the Hector Achilles treats him respectful manners. He is finally seen to the heart of his fury and pointless and distractive individual. He shows that who he treats his enemies with respect and courtesy because they are human as well and he also treat them as a loyal and good human. In this whole poem the progress of Achilles character can be seeing very easily from child to an adult. He is the spiteful rage in the beginning to the compassionate respect in the end of epic, so Achilles development mirrors of a stereotypical human from childhood the level of maturity (Homer, 13-16).

Costco Case Study Essay

Jim Sinegal and Jeff Brotman in Seattle Washington founded Costco Wholesale in 1993. Costco merged with Price Club, and doubled their market share in the wholesale industry. They became an immediate leader in the industry. Costco’s sales model is to sell a wide variety of products for low prices at a high volume. These brand-name products are sold at a discounted price to their members. Customers of Costco must pay a membership fee in order to purchase their merchandise. Their focus is on customer satisfaction and a guaranteed low price for its members. They have managed to maintain a large customer base using this balance where both small business and personal needs can be met simultaneous. Problem Statement Costco could increase their shareholders return on investment by making changes to their business model. They are currently doing favorably with their customers and employees, but need to maximizing their potential and increase revenue. Costco seeks to increase more of the market share in the industry from Sam’s Club, their largest competitor. This can be accomplished by continuing with their growth strategy to open more warehouses, increase their membership, and to upgrading their merchandising techniques to motivate members to shop more often. Analysis * Costco currently has 429 warehouses US; 82 warehouses in Canada; and 81 warehouses internationally * They have realized an increase in comparable warehouse sales of 7% in the US and 16% internationally * 14.2% increase in net sales * Costco currently employs 92,000 full-time employees and 72,000 part-time employees * Members include: Gold star 25,000; business 6,300; business add-on primary4,000; and additional card holders 28,700 * The gross margin has increased by 10.69% as a percent of net sales Alternatives * Costco can increase revenue by raising membership fees * Revenues can also be increased by removing the 15% on product markups * Reducing the number of employees receiving health benefits will increase revenue Recommendation The recommendation for Costco is to implement changes in their wages for their employees, benefits packages, and raising membership fees. Implementation The recommended changes can be gradually implemented throughout the company. The increase in membership fees would be the easiest to do first. Negotiating new rates for employee benefits will help reduce these costs associated with providing insurance. Costco can pay their employees less to be more competitive with the wages of Sam’s Club. Summary Costco’s current growth strategy is to open warehouses, execute merchandising techniques to increase customer shopping, and to increase their membership. These efforts are an attempt to increase their shareholders return on investment. Costco has focused more on customer satisfaction and pleasing their employees. They have managed to increase their revenues annually without building many stores as Wal-Mart. Costco has 417 US warehouses while Wal-Mart has 3,800. Wal-Mart has been aggressive in pursuing international acquisition by increasing the human spirit South Africa and the UK. Strategy to attract more members relies on the members doing a larger percent of their shopping with Costco. Chief Executive Officer Craig Jelinek has been keeping prices low and adding more service areas, such as vision centers, to increase store visits. (Townsend, 2012) They want to reward these members by allowing them the opportunity to purchase big-ticket items at a low price. The members will be motivated to return on a weekly or monthly basis in order to have the opportunity to purchase these limited deals. Costco has been using the term â€Å"treasure hunt† for years to explain why up to a fifth of its stock is limited-quantity items that are in the store for as little as a week. (Gibson, 2011) This strategy has shown some increases, but will need modifications. Strengths Costco currently has about 64 million cardholders and members. The company has managed to provide great customer service, which has resulted in members renewing their subscriptions. Employees receive an array of benefits within a month of their starting date. The generous benefits package that employees receive help build loyalty to the company and its mission to their customers. Members are taken care of by the employees, and employees are taken care of by the organization. This is fostered a positive environment that has landed Costco several awards. Costco provides their customers with one-time opportunities to purchase products and services that may not be available at other warehouses. The merchandise sold to Costco’s members has value to be of high quality and low price. They continue to be dominant in the retail wholesaler market because of the selection and quality of the merchandise offered. Weaknesses Costco faces the burden of finding adequate merchandise in the current financial crisis. Consumers are not buying large ticket items due to a decrease disposable income. The demand for large volume purchases has decreased with the increase of single-parent families. The high-volume low price model has continued to work, but the economic recession has slowed its growth. Costco’s employees make a higher wage than Sam’s employees do. These employees also benefit from a multitude of costly benefits. These expenses have caused the company to accrue less revenue. It will be difficult to maintain their profit margin under the circumstances. Any decline in membership renewals would decrease revenues. The plan to increase warehouses may infringe on their current stores. The expenses associated with building the warehouse could negatively affect their sales in such tough economic times. Although they are behind Sam’s Club in number of facilities, this is not the best time to expand. Opportunities Costco has the potential to continue to expand on their diverse offerings. By refining their business model, Costco have the opportunity to ride the broader economic trends to bigger profits and take customers from their rivals. Consumers are being more selective among the discounters such as Costco and Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart has seen an increase in competition from Costco for market share. Despite efforts by rival Sam’s Club, a unit of Wal-Mart Stores Inc., to improve merchandise in its warehouse clubs, Costco continues to notch higher revenue out of fewer stores in the U.S. (Zimmerman, 2011) Providing value to its members could result in Costco stealing Sam’s Club’s customers. There are still opportunities for Costco to expand the number of warehouses. This is a major part of their growth strategy to assist in building a larger customer base. There are reasonable expansion ideas that will help Costco. They can increase their brand internationally through expansion and by becoming a leader in social responsibility. Threats A major threat for Costco is potential for continued economic downturns. Customers are being more selective with their disposable income, and have chosen to downsize. Smaller quantities products have become more attractive due to these bad economic times. Costco must continue to market to the more affluent customers. The presence of price competition amongst customers and vendors will require Costco to carefully negotiate reasonable prices for the merchandise. Costco has to walk a fine line between absorbing the costs and passing them to customers because of its positioning as a warehouse club that, while catering to generally higher-end consumers, does have a reputation for offering decent prices. Competing internationally, poses the threat of economic instability abroad. Costco does not have a global presence and Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club. Sam’s Club and BJ’s will always pose a threat to Costco. Solution Our recommendation to the Costco management would be to implement an increase in the membership fees. â€Å"While the increased fees could add 20 cents to 25 cents to earnings per share over the next two years as memberships are renewed, Janney analyst David Strasser expects roughly half of the fee increase will be used to hold down prices†(Wohl, 2011). Costco employee’s compensation should be adjusted competitively to their competitors. The number of employees receiving benefits reduced to relieve expenses. We recommend that Costco increased to 15% placed on the product markups to 20%. Implementing these recommendations will result in an increase in company revenue and the shareholders return on investment. Implementation * A 10% increase in membership fees will begin in the next quarter * Increased the product mark up from 15% to 20% * Adjust the employee compensation to 10% of the market value * Increased revenue will be added to the shareholders return on investment References Gibson, E. (2011, July 09). Stores find success by focusing on the bargain hunt. USA Today. Retrieved from http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/money/industries/retail/2011-07-09-stores-bar gain-hunt_n.htm Talley, K. (2011, May 26). Costco feels inflation’s effect.WSJ. Retrieved from http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304520804576344900721794900.html Townsend, M. (2012, October 10). Costco profit tops estimates as low prices drive traffic. Bloomberg Businessweek. Retrieved from http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-10-10/costco-profit-tops-analysts-estimates-as-prices-drive-traffic Wohl, J. (2011). Costco raises membership fees; profit misses view. Reuters, Retrieved from http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/10/05/us-costco-idUSTRE7942D620111005 Zimmerman, A. (2011, September 02). Costco ceo to step down. WSJ. Retrieved from http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111903895904576544883964721042.html

Chapter 31 The Third Task

â€Å"Dumbledore reckons You-Know-Who's getting stronger again as well?† Ron whispered. Everything Harry had seen in the Pensieve, nearly everything Dumbledore had told and shown him afterward, he had now shared with Ron and Hermione – and, of course, with Sirius, to whom Harry had sent an owl the moment he had left Dumbledore's office. Harry, Ron, and Hermione sat up late in the common room once again that night, talking it all over until Harry's mind was reeling, until he understood what Dumbledore had meant about a head becoming so full of thoughts that it would have been a relief to siphon them off. Ron stared into the common room fire. Harry thought he saw Ron shiver slightly, even though the evening was warm. â€Å"And he trusts Snape?† Ron said. â€Å"He really trusts Snape, even though he knows he was a Death Eater?† â€Å"Yes,† said Harry. Hermione had not spoken for ten minutes. She was sitting with her forehead in her hands, staring at her knees. Harry thought she too looked as though she could have done with a Pensieve. â€Å"Rita Skeeter,† she muttered finally. â€Å"How can you be worrying about her now?† said Ron, in utter disbelief. â€Å"I'm not worrying about her,† Hermione said to her knees. â€Å"I'm just thinking†¦remember what she said to me in the Three Broomsticks? ‘I know things about Ludo Bagman that would make your hair curl. ‘ This is what she meant, isn't it? She reported his trial, she knew he'd passed information to the Death Eaters. And Winky too, remember†¦'Ludo Bagman's a bad wizard.' Mr. Crouch would have been furious he got off, he would have talked about it at home.† â€Å"Yeah, but Bagman didn't pass information on purpose, did he?† Hermione shrugged. â€Å"And Fudge reckons Madame Maxime attacked Crouch?† Ron said, turning back to Harry. â€Å"Yeah,† said Harry, â€Å"but he's only saying that because Crouch disappeared near the Beauxbatons carriage.† â€Å"We never thought of her, did we?† said Ron slowly. â€Å"Mind you, she's definitely got giant blood, and she doesn't want to admit it-â€Å" â€Å"Of course she doesn't,† said Hermione sharply, looking up. â€Å"Look what happened to Hagrid when Rita found out about his mother. Look at Fudge, jumping to conclusions about her, just because she's part giant. Who needs that sort of prejudice? I'd probably say I had big bones if I knew that's what I'd get for telling the truth.† Hermione looked at her watch. â€Å"We haven't done any practicing!† she said, looking shocked. â€Å"We were going to do the Impediment Curse! We'll have to really get down to it tomorrow! Come 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 Neville's bed. True to his word to Dumbledore, he had not told Ron and Hermione about Neville's parents. As Harry took off his glasses and climbed into his four-poster, he imagined how it must feel to have parents still living but unable to recognize you. He often got sympathy from strangers for being an orphan, but as he listened to Neville's snores, he thought that Neville deserved it more than he did. Lying in the darkness, Harry felt a rush of anger and hate toward the people who had tortured Mr. and Mrs. Longbottom†¦.He remembered the jeers of the crowd as Crouch's son and his companions had been dragged from the court by the dementors†¦.He understood how they had felt†¦.Then he remembered the milk-white face 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 back to Voldemort†¦.He was the one who had torn these families apart, who had ruined all these lives†¦. Ron and Hermione were supposed to be studying for their exams, which would finish on the day of the third task, but they were putting most of their efforts into helping Harry prepare. â€Å"Don't worry about it,† Hermione said shortly when Harry pointed this out to them and said he didn't mind practicing on his own for a while, â€Å"at least we'll get top marks in Defense Against the Dark Arts. We'd never have found out about all these hexes in class.† â€Å"Good training for when we're 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 mood in the castle as they entered June became excited and tense again. Everyone was looking forward to the third task, which would take place a week before the end 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, Moody was right: Harry had managed to find his way past monstrous creatures 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 spell to slow down and obstruct attackers; the Reductor Curse, which would enable him to blast solid objects out of his way; and the Four-Point Spell, a useful discovery of Hermione's that would make his wand point due north, therefore enabling him to check whether he was going in the right direction within the maze. He was still having trouble with the Shield Charm, though. This was supposed to cast a temporary, invisible wall around himself that deflected minor curses; Hermione managed to shatter it with a well-placed Jelly-Legs Jinx, and Harry wobbled around the room for ten minutes afterward before she had looked up the counter-jinx. â€Å"You're still doing really well, though,† Hermione said encouragingly, looking down her list and crossing off those spells they had already learned. â€Å"Some of these are bound to come in handy.† â€Å"Come and look at this,† said Ron, who was standing by the window. He was staring down onto the grounds. â€Å"What's Malfoy doing?† Harry and Hermione went to see. Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle were standing in the shadow of a tree below. Crabbe and Goyle seemed to be keeping a lookout; both were smirking. Malfoy was holding his hand up to his mouth and speaking into it. â€Å"He looks like he's using a walkie-talkie,† said Harry curiously. â€Å"He can't be,† said Hermione, â€Å"I've told you, those sorts of things don't work around Hogwarts. Come on, Harry,† she added briskly, turning away from the window and moving back into the middle of the room, â€Å"let's try that Shield Charm again.† Sirius was sending daily owls now. Like Hermione, he seemed to want to concentrate on getting Harry through the last task before they concerned themselves with anything else. He reminded Harry in every letter that whatever might be going on outside the walls of Hogwarts was not Harry's 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 Dumbledore's protection, but all the same, take no risks: Concentrate on getting through that maze safely, and then we can turn our attention to other matters. Harry's nerves mounted as June the twenty-fourth drew closer, but they were not as bad as those he had felt before the first and second 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 however well or badly he did, the tournament would at last be over, which would be an enormous relief. Breakfast was a very noisy affair at the Gryffindor table 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 bearing a muddy paw print on its front, but Harry appreciated it all the same. A screech owl arrived for Hermione, carrying her morning copy of the Daily Prophet as usual. She unfolded the paper, glanced at the front page, and spat out a mouthful of pumpkin juice all over it. â€Å"What?† said Harry and Ron together, staring at her. â€Å"Nothing,† said Hermione quickly, trying to shove the paper out of sight, but Ron grabbed it. He stared at the headline and said, â€Å"No way. Not today. That old cow.† â€Å"What?† said Harry. â€Å"Rita Skeeter again?† â€Å"No,† said Ron, and just like Hermione, he attempted to push the paper out of sight. â€Å"It's about me, isn't it?† said Harry. â€Å"No,† said Ron, in an entirely unconvincing tone. But before Harry could demand to see the paper. Draco Malfoy shouted across the Great Hall from the Slytherin table. â€Å"Hey, Potter! Potter! How's your head? You feeling all right? Sure you're not going to go berserk 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 Harry's reaction. â€Å"Let me see it,† Harry said to Ron. â€Å"Give it here.† Very reluctantly, Ron handed over the newspaper. Harry turned it over and found himself staring at his own picture, beneath the banner headline: â€Å"HARRY POTTER† â€Å"DISTURBED AND DANGEROUS† The boy who defeated He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is unstable and possibly dangerous, writes Rita Skeeter, Special Correspondent. Alarming evidence has recently come to light about Harry Potter's strange behavior, which casts doubts upon his suitability to compete in a demanding competition like the Triwizard Tournament, or even to attend Hogwarts School. Potter, the Daily Prophet can exclusively reveal, regularly collapses at school, and is often heard to complain of pain in the scar on his forehead (relic of the curse with which You-Know-Who attempted to kill him). On Monday last, midway through a Divination 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. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, that Potters brain was affected by the attack inflicted upon him by You-Know-Who, a nd that his insistence that the scar is still hurting is an expression of his deep-seated confusion. â€Å"He might even be pretending,† said one specialist. â€Å"This could be a plea for attention.† The Daily Prophet, however, has unearthed worrying facts about Harry Potter that Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts, has carefully concealed from the wizarding public. â€Å"Potter can speak Parseltongue,† reveals Draco Malfoy, a Hogwarts fourth year. â€Å"There were a lot of attacks on students a couple of years ago, and most people thought Potter was behind them after they saw him lose his temper at a dueling club and set a snake on another boy. It was all hushed up, though. But he's made friends with werewolves and giants too. We think he'd do anything for a bit of power.† Parseltongue, the ability to converse with snakes, has long 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 â€Å"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, â€Å"anyone who seeks out the company of such vicious creatures as werewolves and giants would appear to have a fondness for violence.† Albus Dumbledore should surely 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. â€Å"Gone off me a bit, hasn't 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, pulling grotesquely mad faces, and waggling their tongues like snakes. â€Å"How did she know your scar hurt in Divination?† Ron said. â€Å"There's no way she was there, there's no way she could've heard -â€Å" â€Å"The window was open,† said Harry. â€Å"I opened it to breathe.† â€Å"You were at the top of North Tower!† Hermione said. â€Å"Your voice couldn't have carried all the way down to the grounds!† â€Å"Well, you're the one who's supposed to be researching magical methods of bugging!† said Harry. â€Å"You tell me how she did it!† â€Å"I've been trying!† said Hermione. â€Å"But I†¦but†¦Ã¢â‚¬  An odd, dreamy expression suddenly came over Hermione's face. She slowly raised a hand and ran her fingers through her hair. â€Å"Are you all right?† said Ron, frowning at her. â€Å"Yes,† said Hermione breathlessly. She ran her fingers through her hair again, and then held her hand up to her mouth, as though speaking into an invisible walkie-talkie. Harry and Ron stared at each other. â€Å"I've had an idea,† Hermione said, gazing into space. â€Å"I think I know†¦because then no one would be able to see†¦even Moody†¦and she'd have been able to get onto the window ledge†¦but she's not allowed†¦she's definitely not allowed†¦I think we've got her! Just give me two seconds in the library – just to make sure!† With that, Hermione seized her school bag and dashed out of the Great Hall. â€Å"Oi!† Ron called after her. â€Å"We've got our History of Magic exam in ten minutes! Blimey,† he said, turning back to Harry, â€Å"she must really hate that Skeeter woman to risk missing the start of an exam. What're you going to do in Binns's class – read again?† Exempt from the end-of-term tests as a Triwizard champion, Harry had been sitting in the back of every exam class so far, looking up fresh hexes for the third task. â€Å"S'pose so,† Harry said to Ron; but just then. Professor McGonagall came walking alongside the Gryffindor table toward him. â€Å"Potter, the champions are congregating in the chamber off the Hall after breakfast,† she said. â€Å"But the task's not till tonight!† said Harry, accidentally spilling scrambled eggs down his front, afraid he had mistaken the time. â€Å"I'm aware of that, Potter,† she said. â€Å"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. â€Å"She doesn't expect the Dursleys to turn up, does she?† he asked Ron blankly. â€Å"Dunno,† said Ron. â€Å"Harry, I'd better hurry, I'm going to be late for Binns. See you later.† Harry finished his breakfast in the emptying Great Hall. He saw Fleur Delacour get up from the Ravenclaw table and join Cedric as he crossed to the side chamber and entered. Krum slouched off to join them shortly afterward. Harry stayed where he was. He really didn't 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 spot more hex research, the door of the side chamber opened, and Cedric stuck his head out. â€Å"Harry, come on, they're waiting for you!† Utterly perplexed. Harry got up. The Dursleys couldn't 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 mother 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. Fleur's little sister, Gabrielle, was holding her mother's hand. She waved at Harry, who waved back, grinning. Then he saw Mrs. Weasley and Bill standing in front of the fireplace, beaming at him. â€Å"Surprise!† Mrs. Weasley said excitedly as he smiled broadly and walked over to them. â€Å"Thought we'd come and watch you. Harry!† She bent down and kissed him on the cheek. â€Å"You all right?† said Bill, grinning at Harry and shaking his hand. â€Å"Charlie wanted to come, but he couldn't get time off. He said you were incredible against the Horntail.† Fleur Delacour, Harry noticed, was eyeing Bill with great interest over her mother's shoulder. Harry could tell she had no objection whatsoever to long hair or earrings with fangs on them. â€Å"This is really nice of you,† Harry muttered to Mrs. Weasley. â€Å"I thought for a moment – the Dursleys -â€Å" â€Å"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. â€Å"It's great being back here,† said Bill, looking around the chamber (Violet, the Fat Lady's friend, winked at him from her frame). â€Å"Haven't seen this place for five years. Is that picture of the mad knight still around? Sir Cadogan?† â€Å"Oh yeah,† said Harry, who had met Sir Cadogan the previous year. â€Å"And the Fat Lady?† said Bill. â€Å"She was here in my time,† said Mrs. Weasley. â€Å"She gave me such a telling off one night when I got back to the dormitory at four in the morning -â€Å" â€Å"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. â€Å"Your father and I had been for a nighttime stroll,† she said. â€Å"He got caught by Apollyon Pringle – he was the caretaker in those days – your father's still got the marks.† â€Å"Fancy giving us a tour, Harry?† said Bill. â€Å"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. â€Å"There you are, are you?† he said, looking Harry up and down. â€Å"Bet you're not feeling quite as full of yourself now Cedric's caught you up on points, are you?† â€Å"What?† said Harry. â€Å"Ignore him,† said Cedric in a low voice to Harry, frowning after his father. â€Å"He's been angry ever since Rita Skeeter's article about the Triwizard Tournament – you know, when she made out you were the only Hogwarts champion.† â€Å"Didn't bother to correct 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. â€Å"Still,†¦you'll show him, Ced. Beaten him once before, haven't you?† â€Å"Rita Skeeter goes out of her way to cause trouble, Amos!† Mrs. Weasley said angrily. â€Å"I would have thought you'd know that, working at the Ministry!† Mr. 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 she had left school, and reminisced at length about the gamekeeper before Hagrid, a man called Ogg. â€Å"How's Percy?† Harry asked as they walked around the greenhouses. â€Å"Not good,† said Bill. â€Å"He's very upset,† said Mrs. Weasley, lowering her voice and glancing around. â€Å"The Ministry wants to keep Mr. Crouch's disappearance quiet, but Percy's been hauled in for questioning about the instructions Mr. Crouch has been sending in. They seem to think there's a chance they weren't genuinely written by him. Percy's been under a lot of strain. They're 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. â€Å"Mum – Bill!† said Ron, looking stunned, as he joined the Gryffindor table. â€Å"What're you doing here?† â€Å"Come to watch Harry in the last task!† said Mrs. Weasley brightly. â€Å"I must say, it makes a lovely change, not having to cook. How was your exam?† â€Å"Oh†¦okay,† said Ron. â€Å"Couldn't remember all the goblin rebels' names, so I invented a few. It's all right,† he said, helping himself to a Cornish pasty, while Mrs. Weasley looked stern, â€Å"they're all called stuff like Bodrod the Bearded and Urg the Unclean; it wasn't hard.† Fred, George, and Ginny came to sit next to them too, and Harry was having such a good time he felt almost as though he were back at the Burrow; he had forgotten to worry about that evening's task, and not until Hermione turned up, halfway through lunch, did he remember that she had had a brainwave about Rita Skeeter. â€Å"Are you going to tell us -?† Hermione shook her head warningly and glanced at Mrs. Weasley. â€Å"Hello, Hermione,† said Mrs. Weasley, much more stiffly than usual. â€Å"Hello,† said Hermione, her smile faltering at the cold expression on Mrs. Weasley's face. Harry looked between them, then said, â€Å"Mrs. Weasley, you didn't believe that rubbish Rita Skeeter wrote in Witch Weekly, did you? Because Hermione's not my girlfriend.† â€Å"Oh!† said Mrs. Weasley â€Å"No – of course I didn't!† But 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 kept glancing along the table at her, There were more courses than usual, but Harry, who was starting to feel really nervous now, didn't eat much. As the enchanted ceiling overhead began to fade from blue to a dusky purple, Dumbledore rose to his feet at the staff table, and silence fell. â€Å"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 stadium now.† Harry got up. The Gryffindors 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. â€Å"Feeling all right. Harry?† Bagman asked as they went down the stone steps onto the grounds. â€Å"Confident?† â€Å"I'm okay,† said Harry. It was sort of true; he was nervous, but he kept running 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-foot-high hedge 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 deep, clear blue now, and the first stars were 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. â€Å"We are going to be patrolling the outside of the maze,† said Professor McGonagall to the champions. â€Å"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. â€Å"Off you go, then!† said Bagman brightly to the four patrollers. â€Å"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, â€Å"Sonorus,† and his magically magnified voice echoed into the stands. â€Å"Ladies and gentlemen, the third and final task of the Triwizard Tournament is about to begin! Let me remind you how the points currently stand! Tied in first place, with eighty-five 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 darkening sky. â€Å"In second place, with eighty points – Mr. Viktor Krum, of Durmstrang Institute!† More applause. â€Å"And in third place – Miss Fleur Delacour, of Beauxbatons Academy!† Harry 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. â€Å"So†¦on my whistle, Harry and Cedric!† said Bagman. â€Å"Three – two – one -â€Å" 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 thick or because they had been enchanted, the sound 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, muttered, â€Å"Lumos,† and heard Cedric do the same just behind him. After about fifty yards, they reached a fork. They looked at each other. â€Å"See you,† Harry said, and he took the left one, while Cedric took the right. Harry heard Bagman's whistle for the second time. Krum had entered the maze. Harry sped up. His chosen path seemed completely deserted. He turned right, and hurried on, holding his wand high over his head, trying to see as far ahead as possible. Still, there was nothing in sight. Bagman's 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. â€Å"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 center 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 didn't 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 sense 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 right-hand side. Cedric looked severely shaken. The sleeve of his robe was smoking. â€Å"Hagrid's Blast-Ended Skrewts!† he hissed. â€Å"They're enormous – I only just got away!† He 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 saw†¦a dementor gliding toward him. Twelve feet tall, its face hidden by its hood, its rotting, 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, â€Å"Expecto Patronum!† A silver stag erupted from the end of Harry's wand and galloped toward the dementor, which fell back and tripped over the hem of its robes†¦.Harry had never seen a dementor stumble. â€Å"Hang on!† he shouted, advancing in the wake of his silver Patronus, â€Å"You're a boggart! Riddikulus!† There 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 company†¦but he moved on, quickly and quietly as possible, listening hard, his wand held high once more. Left†¦right†¦left again†¦Twice 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 wand's beam at it. This looked like some kind of enchantment. He wondered whether he might be able to blast it out of the way. â€Å"Reducio!† he said. The spell shot straight through the mist, leaving it intact. He supposed he should have known 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. â€Å"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, think†¦ But not one of the spells he had practiced had been designed 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 wouldn't 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 with 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 couldn't reach her wand? Harry took the right fork with a feeling of increasing unease†¦but at the same time, he couldn't help thinking. One champion down†¦ The cup was somewhere close by, and it sounded as though Fleur was no longer in the running. He'd got this far, hadn't he? What if he actually managed to win? Fleetingly, and for the first time since he'd found himself champion, he saw again that image 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. Ten feet long, it looked more like a giant scorpion than anything. Its long sting was curled over its back. Its thick armor glinted in the light from Harry's wand, which he pointed at it. â€Å"Stupefy!† The spell hit the skrewt's 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. â€Å"Impedimenta!† Harry yelled. The spell hit the skrewt's armor again and ricocheted off; Harry staggered back a few paces and fell over. â€Å"IMPEDIMENTA!† The 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 legs 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 parallel to his own that made him stop dead. â€Å"What are you doing?† yelled Cedric's voice. â€Å"What the hell d'you think you're doing?† And then Harry heard Krum's voice. â€Å"Crucio!† The air was suddenly full of Cedric's yells. Horrified, Harry began sprinting up his path, trying to find a way into Cedric's. When none appeared, he tried the Reductor Curse again. It wasn't very effective, but it burned a small hole in the hedge through which Harry forced his leg, kicking at the thick brambles and branches until they broke and made an opening; 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. â€Å"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. â€Å"Are you all right?† Harry said roughly, grabbing Cedric's arm. â€Å"Yeah,† panted Cedric. â€Å"Yeah†¦I don't believe it†¦he 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. â€Å"I can't believe this†¦I thought he was all right,† Harry said, staring at Krum. â€Å"So did I,† said Cedric. â€Å"Did you hear Fleur scream earlier?† said Harry. â€Å"Yeah,† said Cedric. â€Å"You don't think Krum got her too?† â€Å"I don't know,† said Harry slowly. â€Å"Should we leave him here?† Cedric muttered. â€Å"No,† said Harry. â€Å"I reckon we should send up red sparks. Someone'll come and collect him†¦otherwise he'll probably be eaten by a skrewt.† â€Å"He'd 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, â€Å"Well†¦I s'pose we'd better go on†¦.† â€Å"What?† said Harry. â€Å"Oh†¦yeah†¦right†¦Ã¢â‚¬  It was an odd moment. He and Cedric had been briefly 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. Cedric's 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, but he could hardly believe what he'd just seen Krum do. The use of an Unforgivable Curse on a fellow human being meant a life term in Azkaban, that was what Moody had told them. Krum surely couldn't 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 voice. â€Å"You are very near your goal. The quickest way is past me.† â€Å"So†¦so will you move, please?† said Harry, knowing what the answer was going to be. â€Å"No,† she said, continuing to pace. â€Å"Not unless you can answer my riddle. Answer on your first guess – I let you pass. Answer wrongly – I attack. Remain silent – I will let you walk away from me unscathed.† Harry's 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. â€Å"Okay,† he said. â€Å"Can I hear the riddle?† The sphinx sat down upon her hind legs, in the very middle of the path, and recited: â€Å"First think of the person who lives in disguise, Who deals in secrets and tells naught but lies. Next, tell me what's always the last thing to mend, The middle of middle and end of the end? And finally 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. â€Å"Could I have it again†¦more slowly?† he asked tentatively. She blinked at him, smiled, and repeated the poem. â€Å"All the clues add up to a creature I wouldn't want to kiss?† Harry asked. She merely smiled her mysterious smile. Harry took that for a â€Å"yes.† Harry cast his mind around. There were plenty of animals he wouldn't want to kiss; his immediate thought was a Blast-Ended Skrewt, but something told him that wasn't the answer. He'd have to try and work out the clues†¦. â€Å"A person in disguise,† Harry muttered, staring at her, â€Å"who lies†¦er†¦that'd be a – an impostor. No, that's not my guess! A – a spy? I'll come back to that†¦could you give me the next clue again, please?† She repeated the next lines of the poem. â€Å"‘The last thing to mend,'† Harry repeated. â€Å"Er†¦no idea†¦'middle of middle'†¦could I have the last bit again?† She gave him the last four lines. â€Å"‘The sound often heard during the search for a hard-to-find word,'† said Harry. â€Å"Er†¦that'd be†¦er†¦hang on – ‘er'! Er's a sound!† The sphinx smiled at him. â€Å"Spy†¦er†¦spy†¦er†¦Ã¢â‚¬  said Harry, pacing up and down. â€Å"A creature I wouldn't want to kiss†¦a spider!† The sphinx smiled more broadly. She got up, stretched her front legs, and then moved aside for him to pass. â€Å"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 didn't meet anything too horrible, he might have a chance†¦. Harry broke into a run. He had a choice of paths up ahead. â€Å"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 gleaming 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 legs – 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 – â€Å"Cedric!† Harry bellowed. â€Å"On your left!† Cedric looked around just in time to hurl himself past the thing and avoid colliding with it, but in his haste, he tripped. Harry saw Cedric's wand fly out of his hand as a gigantic spider stepped into the path and began to bear down upon Cedric. â€Å"Stupefy!† Harry yelled; the spell hit the spider's 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. â€Å"Stupefy! Impedimenta! Stupefy!† But 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 in 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 yelling â€Å"Stupefy!† too, but his spell had no more effect than Harry's – Harry raised his wand as the spider opened its pincers once more and shouted â€Å"Expelliarmus!† It worked – the Disarming Spell made the spider drop 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 spider's underbelly, as he had done with the skrewt, and shouted â€Å"Stupefy!†just as Cedric yelled the same thing. The two spells combined did what one alone had not: The spider keeled over sideways, flattening a nearby hedge, and strewing the path with a tangle of hairy legs. â€Å"Harry!† he heard Cedric shouting. â€Å"You all right? Did it fall on you?† â€Å"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 spider's 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. â€Å"Take it, then,† Harry panted to Cedric. â€Å"Go on, take it. You're there.† But Cedric didn't 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. â€Å"You take it. You should win. That's twice you've saved my neck in here.† â€Å"That's not how it's 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 he'd beaten Harry to ask Cho to the ball. â€Å"The one who reaches the cup first gets the points. That's you. I'm telling you, I'm not going to win any races on this leg.† Cedric took a few paces nearer to the Stunned spider, away from the cup, shaking his head. â€Å"No,† he said. â€Å"Stop being noble,† said Harry irritably. â€Å"Just take it, then we can get out of here.† Cedric watched Harry steadying himself, holding tight to the hedge. â€Å"You told me about the dragons,† Cedric said. â€Å"I would've gone down in the first task if you hadn't told me what was coming.† â€Å"I had help on that too,† Harry snapped, trying to mop up his bloody leg with his robes. â€Å"You helped me with the egg – we're square.† â€Å"I had help on the egg in the first place,† said Cedric. â€Å"We're 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. â€Å"You should've got more points on the second task,† said Cedric mulishly. â€Å"You stayed behind to get all the hostages. I should've done that.† â€Å"I was the only one who was thick enough to take that song seriously!† said Harry bitterly. â€Å"Just take the cup!† â€Å"No,† said Cedric. He stepped over the spider's tangled legs to join Harry, who stared at him. Cedric was serious. He was walking away from the sort of glory Hufflepuff House hadn't had in centuries. â€Å"Go on,† Cedric said. He looked as though this was costing him every ounce of resolution 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 Cho's face shining with admiration, more clearly than he had ever seen it before†¦and then the picture faded, and he found himself staring at Cedric's shadowy, stubborn face. â€Å"Both of us,† Harry said. â€Å"What?† â€Å"We'll take it at the same time. It's still a Hogwarts victory. We'll tie for it.† Cedric stared at Harry. He unfolded his arms. â€Å"You – you sure?† â€Å"Yeah,† said Harry. â€Å"Yeah†¦we've helped each other out, haven't we? We both got here. Let's just take it together.† For a moment, Cedric looked as though he couldn't believe his ears; then his face split in a grin. â€Å"You're on,† he said. â€Å"Come here.† He grabbed Harry's 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 cup's gleaming handles. â€Å"On three, right?† said Harry. â€Å"One – two – three -â€Å" 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.