======Catacomb======
=====Location Information=====
  * **Type:** [[Magical Obstacle]] / Enchanted Location
  * **Location:** Within the [[Hedge Maze]] of the [[Third Task]], located on the [[Quidditch]] pitch at [[Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry]].
  * **Owner/Residents:** None. Created by the organisers of the 1994 [[Triwizard Tournament]].
  * **Key Features:** A dark, damp, subterranean passage with an enchantment that inverts a person's perception, making them feel as if they are walking on the ceiling. It was inhabited by a giant spider.
=====Description and History=====
The Catacomb was a magical obstacle featured in the [[Third Task]] of the [[Triwizard Tournament]] in 1994. It was not a permanent structure at [[Hogwarts]], but rather an enchanted space created within the [[Hedge Maze]] specifically for the competition. [[Harry Potter]] encountered it when he took a left turn in the maze and found the path sloping downwards into the ground.
The entrance led into a dark, damp tunnel. Upon entering, a powerful enchantment took effect, making [[Harry]] feel as though the world had turned //upside-down//, and he was hanging from the ceiling. This disorientation was a key feature of the obstacle. The passage was filled with an eerie silence, broken only by the sound of dripping water. This space was patrolled by an [[Acromantula]], placed there by Professor [[Alastor Moody]] (who was, in fact, [[Barty Crouch Jnr]] in disguise) to test the [[Champion]]s.
=====Role in the Story=====
The Catacomb served as the setting for a pivotal moment between [[Harry Potter]] and [[Cedric Diggory]] near the end of the [[Third Task]]. While navigating the maze, [[Cedric]] was attacked by the [[Acromantula]] hiding within this dark passage. His leg was seriously injured, and the spider was about to kill him when [[Harry]] arrived.
Displaying immense bravery and sportsmanship, [[Harry]] cast the [[Impedimenta]] [[Jinx]] on the spider, which only momentarily slowed it down. He then used a stunning spell, `[[Stupefy]]`, which successfully incapacitated the creature and saved [[Cedric]]'s life.
This act of heroism was a defining moment for both [[Champion]]s. Deeply grateful, [[Cedric]] insisted that [[Harry]] should take the [[Triwizard Cup]] as he deserved to win. [[Harry]], however, refused, arguing that [[Cedric]] reached the spider first and that they should tie for first place. Their mutual respect and subsequent decision to touch the [[Cup]] together led them both to be transported via [[Portkey]] to the [[Little Hangleton]] graveyard, setting the stage for [[Cedric]]'s murder and [[Lord Voldemort]]'s return. The events within the Catacomb directly precipitated the tragic climax of the tournament.
=====Behind the Scenes=====
  * In the film adaptation of *Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire*, the Catacomb and the [[Acromantula]] were omitted from the [[Third Task]]. The maze itself was alive, with its hedges attempting to attack and ensnare the [[Champion]]s. The moment of camaraderie between [[Harry]] and [[Cedric]] occurred when the ground attempted to swallow [[Cedric]], and [[Harry]] saved him from enchanted roots. (film)