The clear voice of Scottish witch Basil Rathbone comes through Wireless sets all over Britain and Ireland, and indeed across Europe and America in this exclusive Tournament coverage.

Good evening, witches and wizards of the world!  This is Basil Rathbone bringing you exclusive live coverage of the second task of the TetraWizard Tournament.  I'm here in Hogwarts Castle and will be your source all night for the proceedings of this evening's events.  Due to venue constraints, this task is not open to public spectation and so it stands to me, Basis Rathbone, and the Wizarding Wireless Network to provide up-to-the-second coverage! So stay with us!

We're here in a Hogwarts castle corridor and from what I can see it's not immediately clear where the task will take place.  As we get situated, let me take this time to tell you who we have here:

From Hogwarts our very own Headmaster Herschel Reid stands with a Hufflepuff and a Gryffindor.  The Gryffindor, Raine Almasy, is a last minute substitution.  She will join her teammate young Mr Figaro Sellaphix.  Also visiting in support of Hogwarts today is Minerva McGongagall, former Headmistress of Hogwarts and recent recipient of the Order of Merlin First Class.

Durmstrang's champions are here as well - two stury-looking young wizards by the names of Heinrich Faust and Fyetka Strelnikov.  They look serious, and if their reputation serves them, they will be difficult challengers.

From Beauxbatons the Goblet has chosen a set of sisters: Elodie and Cecile Fontaine.  They look nervous but poised.  I get the impression that none of the champions have much idea of what to expect this time around.

And it appears that Salem has been deemed eligible to compete after all - their two champions are present intact and Dragon Pox free.  Good for them.  Louise Parker and Milton Steinbeck will be competing for good ol' USA.

Alright, we're moving now - how strange!  Stay with me here, we're being directed... we're being directed into a lavatory.  Yes, we are being led into the girls' bathroom. 

I'm not sure what this is about.  Is it a mandatory bathroom break or could we be looking at a challenge of toilet and tile?  We'll find out after a word from our sponsor.

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Would you like to continue this live coverage of the event? Anyone is welcome! Contact a Curator now. 

And we're back and just in the nick of time.  I apologize for my hushed tones but we simply must be able to hear every word as it happens.

We have just hear that the task will take place in the Chamber of Secrets! This is incredible, witches and wizards: the Chamber is being opened for the first time in a decade as the venue for the second task.  We can't even begin to speculate what challenges face these young people! We can only hope the Goblet has chosen well.

The Tournament official has just introduced professor Bai Li Yang from Salem Institute.  She is an expert of magical wildlife of all kinds and she strikes an imposing stance.  I think she is - yes! She has been tapped to open the Chamber of Secrets.  If we may remember our History of Magic correctly, the Chamber is opened by expertly dictated Parseltongue! 

And silence falls on we gathered. 

In the silence there is only static for a moment, a quiet crackle of anticipation.  And then, through the Wireless comes a sharp, clear hissing.

Remarkable! Remarkable! I hope you could hear that at home, folks, but Professor Yang just spoke in Parseltongue and the sink is tranforming into a passage way before our very eyes.  And now we're being led inside.  The way is narrow and the going is very-

At this point, the Wireless cuts out!

Two long minutes later the crackling static ends with a crackle-snap! and the clean, clear voice of Basil Rathbone returns again.

And we're back.  The Chamber of Secrets has been none too friendly for the Wizarding Wireless Network, but some careful Arithmancy and some charmwork and we are back on the air!  This is Basil Rathbone with the WWN bringing you live coverage of the Second Task of the TetraWizard Tournament, broadcasting now from the Chamber of Secrets.

The champions have just been given their instructions - in their teams of two, they will choose one of four passageways and journey forth together.  They are marked GLORY, WEALTH, KNOWLEDGE, and BEAUTY.  From here, we can hardly see a thing.  The tunnels are either dimly lit or entirely dark.  I'm not sure how the champions will decide, but it looks like Durmstrang is first.

Heinrich Faust is speaking up for Durmstrang and he's chosen... Knowledge!  And now the choice falls to Salem - Milton Steinbeck and Louise Parker.  They seem to be conferring...

And Salem has chosen! The American students will pursue the path of Wealth.  Aand... there they go!  Into the darkness. 

Hogwarts is now left to choose - and if you've been following, they will essentially not only choose their own path, but what option to leave for the witches of Beauxbatons.  Very interesting indeed.  They are conferring and well, that was quick.

Hogwarts will take Glory and that leaves Beauty for the Mesdemoiselles Fontaine!

And the last of the champions disappear into the catacombs and now we are left here in the Chamber of Secrets.  I wonder now how will we be able to follow their progress. Well, it seems that those of us present will be able to view some of the proceedings via four large mirrors.  At this point ... we can see nearly nothing.  Yes, not much at all...

If you're just tuning in this is Basil Rathbone with live coverage of the Second Task of the Tetra-Wizard Tournament!  At this point all four sets of champions have branched off into their chosen tunnels and no doubt there will be challenges for them indeed.

Four mirrors have been unveiled and although the view isn't perfect it appears we can see the progress of each duo as they progress.  We'll be watching closely and giving you the up-to-the-minute updates of their accomplishments or accidents!

Let's tune into the sisters of Beauxbatons first who have opted for the path of BEAUTY.  Ah, it's very dark - all the mirrors are still quite dark, but the Fontaine sisters are coming up on some light.  Yes, they've come upon a large chamber and there are pools of water all over.  One of the sisters - Cecile - she's approached on and is looking in.  What could she be seeing? They're both looking around now, looking into the water.  What will they do?

My word!  Merlin's booming voice! Dear listeners, something has happened! Élodie Fontaine is being pulled into the water by a dark tendril!  There is always real danger in these challenges! We can only hope they are prepared for what awaits!  Beautiful! Cecile Fontaine has cast a brilliant spell and freed Elodie. 

We cannot hear a word of what they're saying between them, but it looks as if - yes! They've concocted a plan.  Elodie has cast the Bubblehead Charm, and is preparing to enter one of the pools.  She has and from what we can see something has emerged!  It looks exactly like her but soemthing isn't right - wait!  Cecile is wasting no time and has dove in as well. 

Shock and horror, we can see nothing  in the mirror now!  Perhaps we should turn our attention to another...

Looking now to the mirror that is showing us the path of KNOWLEDGE, the path chosen by the sons of Durmstrang Fyetka Strelnikov and Heinrich Faust.  My notes tell me both boys are considered what Durmstrang called Oberteil - outstanding in every way! Good for them, I suppose!

Looking in now, this mirror shows us a series of lights... unearthly lights.  But Mr. Faust is carefully inspecting an inscription on the wall.  Well we had to know there'd be a reading in a tunnel called Knowledge...

What are they up to now.  Heinrich Faust is attempting to capture the balls of light with what looks to be a trusty Flame-Freezing Charm!  Careful now! Careful! And Strelnikov to the rescue!

Faust is - yes, Faust is on his feet not to worse for wear from the looks of it.  And it seems that they've made progress - those nasty balls of light have gone.

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Might be a good time now to check in with our home-town champions!  Our Champions from Hogwarts who have chosen Glory.  Glory, indeed.  Now, let's see where they're at...

I'll describe what i'm seeing here, because you may not believe me - it's what looks like a gallery of portraits and Raine Almasy of Gryffindor and Figaro Sellaphix of Hufflepuff seem to me making a careful lap of the room.  Now I can't hear what's going on, but they're looking around them - the portraits all seem to be saying something.  You'd think magic would find a way to get sound from a mirror, but perhaps in the next century?  I'm looking at you, Department of Mysteries!

Ah, there's something else there.  And you know, what is that, then? There's a large piece of furniture there in the middle that's got their attention now.  I can't quite see from this angle. 

A voice can be heard  'off-stage' and Basil has a short side conversation.

Ah ha! My sources here in the Chamber of Secrets inform me that what the Hogwarts Champions are inspecting is a valuable artefact indeed! A true treasure of Hogwarts School known as the Mirror of Erised.  It has the ability, they who have seen it say, to show you your heart's greatest desire.

I wish I had more to report, but both of them seem quite taken with what they're looking at. 

We'll come back to you lot later.  Onto Salem!

For those of you just tuning in, this is our live coverage of the Second Task of the Tetra Wizard Tournament and we're just about to look in on the progress of the Champions from Salem Witches' Institute, Mr. Milton Steinbeck and Miss Louise Parker. 

By now nearly a half hour has elapsed since they all went forth towards their hoped-for victories, so as we look to the mirror set up for a select few spectators down here in the Chamber of Secrets at Hogwarts, we can see Salem is already engaged in the Task.

I see a well-lit corridor and the two of them standing at a rope blocking their way.  Surely it's a magical rope or they might have hopped it already.  It looks like Louise is returning with a pair of scissors.  Beautiful as they are... oh! Well, fancy that, it's done the job and they're off.

My oh my, is this hallway just bedecked like the British Museum itself.  There are artefacts and treasures lining every inch of the wall.  Louise and Milton seem to be proceeding carefully, not too slowly, not much of a rush...

Blimey! Pardon my language, but a goblin has appeared.  And... and... wait? Where is Louise?  Louise Parker's missing.  She was just there. 

There is a small commotion to be heard in the background and in a moment, Basil Rathbone returns to the microphone.

Well, I'm pleased to say that Louise Parker is alive and well, but sadly for her, she's out of the competition.  It looks like Milton will have to deal with that goblin on his own...  From the looks of it, they're having a discussion.  The goblin seems quite irate, but honestly you can't ever tell with them just by looking.  He's pointing...

Well, I don't know just what was said, but they're off again together. 

And now a short message from our sponsor.

And we're back!

We now bring our coverage back round to Beauxbatons in the tunnel of Beauty where there's been an interesting development in the last few minutes.  When last we saw them they had entered one of the black pools and the mirror went dark.  But now we can see that they've arrived safely in what looks like a normal room.  The floor looks to be hardwood and there is wallpaper on the walls.

Both Champions are now inspecting a writing desk but something seems to be distracting them.  They're looking all around them.  What could they be hearing? As we observe, they appear to be listening carefully but they don't seem at all worried.  Young Cecile even has a smile on her face...!  Must be lovely whatever they're hearing, or perhaps it's a rare magical siren's ballad which will kill them in moments while they languish in happy delusion.

Basil pauses for effect.

Ah, no.  They're still alive.  I guess we can say that's lucky for them!  And we have some action, it looks like!  Cecile is at the desk and has taken quill to paper.   She's writing something down, but I can't quite make it out from our view.  Oh, but what I can see now - the parchment is going completely black... a new message has appeared as if by magic!

Dear me, they're looking distressed now, looking towards a door in the far wall.  I can see them chattering to each other, looks like they're shouting something.  An answer to a question, perhaps? A riddle's solution?  Looking quite frantic now!  Merlin's bones, what's going on? But now! Merciful Draught of Merciful Notions the doors have opened and look out, girls! Something's coming right at them, horrible creatures! 

Wait, dear listeners, wait... it's Veela!  Oh, I can't tell you my relief.  Whatever the girls have done, they've done it in the nick of time.  The creatures have turned into lovely Veela and quite nude, I must say.  Thank Merlin for the medium of radio during times like this.

But for the moment I must tear us away for something is happening in the Salem tunnel.

I'm looking now into the window where Salem Champion Milton Steinbeck has followed a goblin into lovely round chamber.  I see there are three pedastals set up behind with a variety of artefacts displayed as if in a museum.  It's a strange assortment - some paintings, a suit of armor, an axe and a strange little - Merlin what is that thing?

And before Milton himself and the goblin is a table upon which I can see a thick ledger.  The goblin speaks and steps away, leaving Milton with quill to paper.  Ah yes, dear listeners, this task is less about wands than words quite clearly.  The lad is hard in thought.    This could take awhile. 

And so for the moment I shall take us back to Durmstrang in the path of Knowledge.

The lads two look to be in an underground forest - this Chamber is full of secrets! There is a massive gnarled oak and nearby a living campfire giving off many hued smoke.   There's a cauldron nearby as well with something brewing inside.  A far cry from anything we've seen in a Tournament challenge before, wizards and witches listening in, what will the Champions make of this?

After a discussion between the two, a discussion the mirror cannot relay to us, the young wizards from Durmstrang are moving about the clearing searching for something.    Faust has found gigantic snail - and my word! Watch out, lad!  Fyetka Strelnikov is under assault by a nasty bit of shrubbery! Nothing is as it appears, folks!

Faust has grabbed up the snail and thrown it towards the predatory bush.  A bizarre choice when I think any normal person would have gone for their wand but ah - it's working! There must be come ancient feud between shell and shrub and it appears to be helping.

Ah yes - there's the wandwork! The beastly plant has shriveled to nothing more threatening than a daisy.  As we watch, Heinrich Faust has gone to work, carving something into the tree.  Stars and garters!  The great tree has taken up its roots and walks to the left.  It's revealed a door.   

These two are industrious sorts and Heinrich is the clear leader of the pair.  I would go on but Merlin's Beard if you could see what I see.  There is a centaur.

We stop in now to check up on the Hogwarts Champions! Last we left them, they were gazing into the Mirror of Erised and it didn't look like we'd see any action from them anytime soon.  But looking in now, they seem to have progressed! And not a moment too soon - they are well behind the others in completing their task.

And we're just catching them now going through a door!  Where did that come from? Clever turnips must have discovered it and revealed it somehow.  Let's watch as we follow them in...

...Ladies and gentlement, this is truly and amazing sight! I wish I could accurately describe what I'm seeing - they've... stepped into a painting!  All around them the world is made of brush strokes on canvas.  Even the two of them look like moving portraits of themselves.  It's astonishing!  Oh, well, looks like their wands won't work in there.  Now that's a bit of trouble the other Champions have not yet faced. 

Ah now, someone's approaching!  It's a knight on horse back.  Well, looks more like I pony, I reckon.  He's brandishing a sword and from the look of him, he's a no-nonsense kind of knight.   They're talking, they're talking...

...oh, well.  That didn't go well!  The knight's engaging them! Making ready to charge! This isn't good - what did they say to set him off, I wonder?  Without their wands they've just started running!  In opposite directions - a good idea if they have a plan. 

Oh bother! We must tear away for a moment for a message from our sponsors.

I absolutely had to bring us back to Durmstrang and the centaur they've come upon.  He really is an impressive beast, but these boys could be in very real danger.  Centaurs are known for their volatility and dislike of we witches and wizards.  Oh, be you careful, boys!  Do they have centaurs near Durmstrang, I wonder?

As we watch in our enchanted mirror, the centaur his making no move to gore the champions with his hooves, instead we can see that he is speaking to them.  The Champions themselves look calm.  What could be happening?

Merlin's bones! Yes!  The centaur has rewarded them with the way through!  All attention has turned away from the mirrors and back towards the mouth of the KNOWLEDGE tunnel.  And there they are!  Applause all around!  They're safe, and more importantly - they're first!  Bravo, Durmstrang!  Bravo!

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But I cannot neglect what is going on with the lone Salem Champion and as I turn now to the mirror - watch out! Watch out!  Things must have escalated quickly from whatever writing task Mr. Steinbeck had been set to because we now watch in horror as he does battle with a fully armed suit of armor! By my wand! That axe is huge! 

Milton is firing shot after shot, and dear Merlin, the leviathon is relentless!  Behind me the Salem delegation is shouting at the mirror in vain, suggesting spells but moreover that he get the hell out of there! 

Oh my! The lad's attempting some kind of self-transfiguration!  It's gruesome but perhaps it will help him - his arm has taken on the shape of a medieval mace.  A wretched weapon made even more grim by the fact that it's growing out of his own shoulder. 

Dear me, it's not as useful as we all could have hoped.  Run, lad! Run!  Thank Merlin, he's retreated back out of the room back into the main corridor.  And it appears the suit of armor can't or won't pursue. 

Oh! And here he is!  Milton Steinbeck of Salem Witches Institute is alive and has emerged from the WEALTH tunnel!  Who can tell he'll fair considering he lost his partner and he retreated, but he's here and second place will surely bring him some reward. 

Well done, Salem! Well done! You've made it out alive and in your predicament, perhaps that's enough to be thankful for.

With Durmstrang and Salem having finished, we must turn again and check on the sisters from Beauxbaton who face the perils of BEAUTY. 

Last we left them, they were staring down Veelas three after nearly being devoured.  Ah, some words appear to be exchanged and it looks as if we're just in time.  Cecile is making a move for it and she's chosen one of three keys.  I can barely see, but the key is a beautiful thing.  Silver and delicate. 

The Veela let them pass and our magical mirror follows them as they move onward into a new room, through the same doors the Veela emerged from.  And snap my wand if there aren't three more doors here!  The strong choose-your-own-adventure theme continues, dear listeners, but this time it's for keeps!  Who can know what lies beyond the wrong two doors!

The sisters do not hesitate! They've chosen the most beautiful of all, and... and...  they're free of it!  However they chose, they chose well.  They're coming up the tunnel now, back to us here in the Chamber of Secrets.  There are congratulations all around.  They've finished third and you can see the disappointment, but their supporters seem proud just the same. 

But that leaves Hogwarts last.  They can still finish if they hurry, still earn some glory for their house.

Checking in now, they're still tangling with that knight.  Figaro Sellaphix is now on a full run towards the castle, painted in the distance.  And Raine Almasy - watch out! - the knight is gaining on Raine Almasy who's - oh my word!

Listeners, the young witch from Hogwarts must be an Animagus! For those unfamiliar, that is challenging magic indeed!  She's turned fully into some sort of large cat-like creatures.  I'm no magizoologist, so I couldn't tell you for sure, but that is no easy magic.  From the reactions of everyone here, it seems as if Raine's even surprised her own teachers.  This is a strange turn of events indeed!

With the extra speed, Raine has caught up with Figaro and they leave the knight in the dust.  For how long we don't know.

But here in the safety of the keep they're faced with - you guessed it.  Doors!  A choice to be made and if signs tell us right, there is a riddle here in two portraits of kings.  They must know that their time is running short - they'll need to hurry if there's any chance of salvaging this task.

They deliberate.  And ah - ... yes, it seems they've come upon an agreement.  And... and...! 

Yes! They've chosen correctly!  I hear them now! Coming up the tunnel, Hogwarts has finished safely!

Ladies and gentlemen, witches and wizards, and all those listening - the Third Task is complete![/i] And it's there that this broadcast will end.  Stay tuned for a post-Task analysis by Jellico Freedman from the Department of Magical Games and Sports.  We expect the final outcome of the Task to be announced at the fantastic Yule Ball to be held at Hogwarts on the 19th of December.  Sorry, invitation only, but you can count on the Wizarding Wireless Network to always bring you the best coverage of the past, present, and events yet to come!

This is Basil Rathbone.  Thank you for listening.