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The air around the Hogwarts Quidditch pitch buzzed with excitement as students gathered in anticipation of the first match of the newly introduced Triwizard Tickle Tournament. The idea of such a bizarre competition had been received with a mix of confusion and amusement. There had been Quidditch tournaments, dueling, even the daring tasks of the traditional Triwizard Tournament, but tickling? No one quite knew what to expect.

Whispers traveled through the crowd, Hogwarts students mingling with those from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang, as everyone settled into the stands. Some speculated that the tournament was merely a test of one’s endurance against laughter, while others believed it would demand a whole new kind of strategy.

“I heard Harry’s been practicing non-stop,” said one Gryffindor student to her friend.

“Cedric’s got the advantage though,” the other replied. “He’s strong and quick. This’ll be interesting.”

On the field, Harry Potter and Cedric Diggory stood at opposite ends, each eyeing the other with determination but sharing a smile. Both boys were known for their friendly rivalry, but today, they would be pitted against one another in a contest unlike any they’d ever faced.

Professor Dumbledore stood in the middle of the pitch, his long silver beard blowing gently in the autumn breeze. His eyes twinkled behind half-moon spectacles as he addressed the audience.

"Welcome, one and all, to the inaugural match of the Triwizard Tickle Tournament!" Dumbledore's voice rang out, magically amplified. The students cheered wildly, their excitement palpable.

"The rules are simple," Dumbledore continued, his tone still playful. "Our champions will engage in a test of agility, endurance, and tickling prowess. The goal is to make your opponent surrender through laughter. No spells, no wands—just good, old-fashioned tickling. The first to admit defeat loses the match. Let the battle commence!"

The crowd roared with laughter and applause, the absurdity of the competition only adding to the thrill. Harry and Cedric stepped forward, shaking hands, both grinning.

“Good luck, Harry,” Cedric said, though his tone carried a hint of friendly challenge.

“You too, Cedric,” Harry replied, adjusting his grip on the hem of his Quidditch robes.

The two backed away, taking their starting positions. The energy was palpable, and the absurdity of the situation only made them more determined to win.
Dumbledore raised his wand, a small firework shooting into the sky to signal the start of the match. Harry and Cedric circled each other cautiously, neither quite sure how to make the first move. The crowd hushed in anticipation.

Cedric was the first to strike. With a swift motion, he lunged at Harry, fingers aimed for Harry’s ribs. Harry dodged, but just barely, laughing as Cedric’s fingers brushed the sides of his robes. Cedric didn’t let up, following Harry with surprising speed.

“Come on, Harry,” Cedric teased, his fingers wiggling in the air. “You can’t dodge forever!”

Harry knew Cedric had the upper hand in terms of size and strength, but he had agility on his side. He twisted and ducked, narrowly avoiding Cedric’s hands. But Cedric was relentless. With a sudden burst of speed, he managed to grab hold of Harry’s arm, pulling him close. Before Harry could react, Cedric had him pinned to the ground, fingers digging mercilessly into his ribs.

Harry burst out laughing, the sensation overwhelming. Cedric had found his weak spot almost immediately. Harry’s knees buckled as he squirmed under Cedric’s grip, trying to pull away.

“Got you now!” Cedric grinned, tightening his hold. His fingers danced over Harry’s sides, eliciting uncontrollable giggles.

For a moment, it seemed like Cedric would win. Harry’s legs wobbled as he struggled to maintain his balance. His laughter was so intense that tears formed in the corners of his eyes. The crowd cheered wildly, some shouting encouragement for Cedric, others for Harry.

Harry wasn’t done yet. Summoning every ounce of determination, he managed to twist his body, slipping out of Cedric’s grasp. Gasping for breath, he scrambled backward, putting some distance between them.

“Close one,” Harry panted, wiping his eyes, but there was a mischievous gleam in his gaze now. Cedric chuckled, but he could see that Harry was planning something.

Now it was Harry’s turn to be on the offensive. He darted forward, using his smaller frame to slip past Cedric’s defenses. Before Cedric could react, Harry dropped low and grabbed Cedric’s leg, pulling it out from under him. Cedric let out a surprised yelp as he toppled to the ground, landing with a thud on the soft grass.

The crowd gasped, then burst into cheers.

Harry wasn’t about to waste the opportunity. He quickly moved, pinning Cedric to the ground by sitting on his back. Cedric wriggled beneath him, trying to shake Harry off, but Harry had the advantage now. With a triumphant grin, Harry grabbed Cedric’s right foot and pulled it back.

“No way—Harry, don’t you—” Cedric began, but it was too late. Harry’s fingers brushed lightly against the sole of Cedric’s foot, and Cedric’s reaction was immediate.

He roared with laughter, his body shaking as Harry’s fingers danced across the sensitive skin of his foot. Cedric kicked out with his free leg, but Harry dodged it easily, keeping his grip firm. Cedric’s laughter was uncontrollable now, loud and booming, as Harry tickled mercilessly.

"Give up, Cedric?" Harry teased, his fingers never pausing in their relentless tickling.

Cedric tried to respond, but all that came out were gasps and more laughter. The tickling was too much, and Harry had found the perfect spot to exploit.

Harry switched tactics, moving his fingers from Cedric’s heel to his toes, wiggling them with precision. Cedric’s laughter rose to a fever pitch. His arms flailed, his face was red with exertion, and his body convulsed with helpless laughter. Even the crowd was laughing along, the sight of the two champions engaged in such a ridiculous battle was too much to bear.

"Okay, okay!" Cedric finally shouted between gasps of laughter. "I give up! I give up!"


At Cedric’s surrender, Harry immediately released him, rolling off Cedric’s back and standing up. He was panting, his own sides aching from laughter, but a wide smile spread across his face.

The crowd erupted into cheers and applause, the sound echoing across the pitch. Harry extended a hand to Cedric, who took it gratefully, still catching his breath.

“You got me,” Cedric said with a good-natured grin as he stood up. “I didn’t know you were so good at tickling.”

Harry chuckled. “I didn’t either, honestly.”

Dumbledore stepped forward, his eyes twinkling with amusement.

“And there we have it, ladies and gentlemen, our winner, Harry Potter!” The crowd cheered even louder, some students chanting Harry’s name.

Cedric, ever the good sport, clapped Harry on the back. “Well fought, Harry. I’ll get you next time.”

“I’ll be ready,” Harry replied with a grin.

As the two champions walked off the field, still laughing and joking, the crowd slowly began to disperse, already buzzing with talk of the next match. The absurdity of the Triwizard Tickle Tournament had captured everyone’s imagination, and it was clear that this strange competition was here to stay.

For Harry, it had been a victory that felt oddly satisfying—he had outwitted Cedric with quick thinking and determination, even if the method was as unconventional as it got. But above all, it had been fun. After the trials and tribulations of the traditional Triwizard Tournament, this was a welcome change.

Back in the Gryffindor common room that evening, Harry was greeted with more cheers and laughter from his housemates. Ron, of course, had endless jokes about the match.

“Never thought I’d see the day,” Ron said, grinning, “where you’d win a tournament by tickling someone."

Harry rolled his eyes but laughed along. “It’s all about strategy, Ron. You’ll see when it’s your turn.”

Ron paled at the thought. “I’m not sure I’m ready for that kind of battle.”

As the evening wore on, Harry reflected on the day with a sense of satisfaction. He had won the first round of the Triwizard Tickle Tournament, but more than that, he had done so with a light heart and a smile, something he hadn’t experienced in competitions for a long time.

For once, it wasn’t about life or death, but just a bit of good-natured fun.

And as for Cedric, well, Harry had a feeling he’d be back with a few tickling tricks of his own for the next round.