"Come seek us where our voices sound,

We cannot sing above the ground,

And while you're searching, ponder this:

We've taken what you'll sorely miss,

An hour long you'll have to look,

And to recover what we took.

But past an hour - the prospect's black

Too late, it's gone, it won't come back"

The words of the Golden Egg echoed hauntingly in Harry's head as he went to sleep the night before the 2nd task. Earlier in the week and not knowing what he would do, he'd been sick with nerves. Fortune smiled on him when, walking along the lake and trying to think, he had a chance encounter with Neville Longbottom, whose Herbology expertise had been exactly what Harry needed.

He had then called Dobby and asked him to bring some Gillyweed from Snape's private stores on the day of the task; it was a plant found in highland lochs that would give whoever ate it fish-like traits, and Dobby had been only to happy to oblige. Harry was now content with their course of action, but when he laid down at night, he'd always come back to ponder those words "We've taken what you'll sorely miss,"

Naturally, he knew what he would miss the most: Cho Chang, his girlfriend. But no, he thought before he drifted off to sleep, surely they wouldn't be that crazy.

The following morning was relatively normal and didn't betray the drama that would be taking place later in the day.

The Second Triwizard Task would start at noon.

But Harry, and the rest of the champions were ready.

Grim determination aside, they still had a hard time eating breakfast.

"Come on!" urged Cho, as Harry just moved around the eggs and sausage "You need to eat. Open up."

He unconsciously obeyed, and Cho shoved half a slice of toast in. He almost choked, but manfully swallowed it. Above regret, his girlfriend merely smiled at him with a smug expression on her pretty asian face "You'll thank me for it later."

He couldn't help but see the wisdom of her words. Well damn those Ravenclaws.

In the short weeks following the Yule Ball their relationship had blossomed. It was hard to find one without the other outside of class, and the couples contentment was so great that it made those with weaker stomachs sick after too much exposure.

Couples aspired to be like them, while guys and girls sighed in envy. They were, commented Cho's best friend one night, quite the fetching couple. Many of the same people who sighed in envy also muttered jealously whenever the pair walked by, hand in hand.

They didn't care.

Harry remembered the day when a particularly irritated Ron decided to put his foot down.

"You don't even talk to me any more," he complained, after Harry had a particularly Cho filled day. Not paying attention, he continued to mentally relive the walk along the lake that he'd taken with her. It may have been the middle of winter, but the grounds were no less beautiful for it.

"Oi!" yelled Ron, but Harry still didn't respond.

"OUCH!" Harry shot up, grabbing his arm. Ron had thrown a book at him and was now looking at Harry with a successful expression.

"Ron," said Hermione warningly. The argument during the Ball, had, surprisingly, not done much to their friendship. They were slightly more polite to each other than they would have been, but Harry didn't see this as cause to worry. In fact, it was a welcome reprieve to their daily sessions of bickering.

"What?" said Harry distractedly.

"I said that we barely talk any more!"

"That's not true," Harry tried to protest, but memories came unbidden into his head. Him and Cho at breakfast, lunch and dinner. Him and Cho during breaks. Him and Cho between classes.

"Well okay, maybe a little!" he said hurriedly, when Ron opened his mouth to make an angry retort.

"Ronald's right Harry," admonished Hermione "I think you two need to spend a little more time together."

They both looked at her like she was mental, and she colored. "What?! That's what you've been telling me Ron!"

He looked highly affronted, "Yes but not like that," Ron spluttered, "I was just- it was completely- Harry do you want to play a game of chess?"

"Sure!" he responded immediately, eager to avoid any more of Ron's and Hermione's disagreements. They flipped a coin to decide which side they would be, leaving Hermione to mutter darkly about boys.

Naturally, Ron buried Harry time and time again, but he didn't care. He'd forgotten just how good his friends were, and quietly resolved to balance out his time a little more.

"Checkmate," said Ron for what seemed like the millionth time that day. Harry groaned, but secretly enjoyed the mental challenge.

But now it was the day of the Second Task, and thoughts like these were pushed out of his mind as he succumbed to nerves.

"You'll do brilliantly," said Cho in a firm voice as she stroked Harry's head. It was only a few hours before the task, and she sat with Harry on a couch, surrounded by Ron, Hermione, and her best friend Samantha.

Samantha and her had been close for ages, they'd met their first day on the train and she'd hit it off surprisingly well with Harry and his friends. She was a medium sized girl of Welsh decent, very pretty with blonde hair and blue eyes. Her and Ron were embroiled in a particularly intense game of chess that Hermione watched with interest, occasionally offering advice to whichever side needed it.

"Miss Chang?" came an unexpected voice. They all turned to regard Professor McGonagall, and her normally stern look was almost... nervous. And that made Harry nervous as well.

"Yes?" Cho replied skeptically.

"An important matter has come up, and I'll need to see you immediately. You too Miss Granger," said the Transfiguration teacher, resorting to her normally brisk and professional manner.

"Okay," they both said, rather hesitantly.

"You'll understand soon enough," responded McGonagall to the questioning looks on their faces, and she favored them all with a rare smile.

"Well, Harry," Cho turned to look at him apologetically. She kissed him deeply on the lips for a few seconds, then whispered "Good luck" into his ear before standing up to leave. Samantha and Ron made gagging noises, and as she walked by, Cho's foot 'accidentally' hit their chessboard, overturning all their pieces. Laughing, Hermione wished Harry good luck as well then went with Cho to accompany McGonagall.

Harry briefly wondered where they were going, before Ron asked if he wanted to play. Shrugging, Harry agreed, but Samantha found him so terrible that she ended up playing for him.

She won, and Ron's appalled expression was almost enough to make up for the absence of two of their friends. Almost.

Time seemed to act in much the same way as during the first task, and in what seemed like mere minutes, Harry found himself headed towards the Black Lake. Gleeful and excited students surrounded him, but try as he might he couldn't bring himself to acknowledge their "Knock em' dead Potter!"'s and "You get em' Harry!"'s.

The Gillyweed was clutched in his left hand, feeling like strings of cold, wet spaghetti.

He felt strangely detached, as though he were watching everything through another person's eyes. Combing the bleachers, he found no hint of Cho or Hermione, in fact he was so intent on finding them that he was nearly late.

"Ah, the last Champion!" boomed Ludo Bagman enthusiastically when Harry showed up, out of breathe.

Krum and Fleur both wished him luck, but Cedric just gave him a hard look before turning away.

"AND HERE ARE YOUR CHAMPIONS!" boomed Bagman's magically enhanced voice as they walked slowly into the water, led by Harry and Krum who had the most points. The chilliness of the water nearly took his breathe away. "THEY WILL HAVE ONE HOUR, I REPEAT ONE HOUR TO COMPLETE THEIR TASK."

"LET THE GAMES BEGIN! CHAMPIONS READY? ALL RIGHT THEN! IN THREE, TWO, ONE, GO!"

Harry quickly shoved the Gillyweed into his mouth and chewed hard. He swallowed it, and it appeared to be having no affect. Embarrassment quickly grew in his stomach as several people laughed. Cedric, Krum and Fleur had disappeared into the water over 10 seconds ago. All of a sudden, Harry couldn't breathe. It was as though a pillow was pressed over his nose and mouth and he sides of his neck felt strangely cold and open.

Bringing his hands up to check it, he felt something that would've made him gasp in surprise had he been able to breathe. Lining his neck on each side, were several rows of gills. He heard people on the bleachers gasp, but he had already ducked his head into the lake, understanding.

Cold water flooded his gills, and he found he could breathe once more.

Far from freezing, the Lake's green water suddenly felt light and airy, caressing him with cool fingers.

Looking at his hands once more, he saw that green webbing connecting his fingers. His feet had extended into flippers, each three feet long. Kicking out, he twisted through the water, adept as any dolphin.

He dived, and noticed with interest that his eyes seemed to adjust to the levels of low light. There were large rocks to one side, and green underwater plants to the other. Instinctively knowing that the rocks were not the way to go, he swam in the opposite direction.

Weaving through forests of kelp, Harry searched for the Merpeople he knew to be down here, listening intently for any sudden sounds.

He turned his head quickly, seeing a shape dart past the corner of his eye. Had he been above water, he would have screamed. The giant squid was moving past him, easily 100 feet long. He felt the jets of water that came from it blow him back, and he shivered in fear when a tentacle wider then a car whipped past his head, missing by inches.

It's great eye fixed on him, and then with huge jet, it swam away, leaving a steadily expanding cloud of black ink.

Somehow, Harry knew this was bad news, and he swam away from it as quickly as he could. His paranoia was confirmed when he saw the black cloud envelop a fish. Instead of brushing past it, it stuck to it like glue. The fish lost the ability to breathe when the ink covered its gills, and it began to slowly float up to the surface.

After several minutes of frantic racing, Harry finally outdistanced the black glue and watched it gradually sink towards the bottom.

Harry kicked his flippers, heading towards a raised hill. He kept his ears open for any snatches of Mersong, but if there were any, they escaped him.

Scanning the floor of the lake from his elevated position, a flash of silver caught Harry's attention. He swam towards it, threading his way between the sharp rocks that jutted out of the floor. The first thing his eyes saw were multitudes of thin, orange and whip like tentacles. Chancing closer inspection, the found that they were Grindylows.

He was ready to swim away when the flash of silver came again, this time from the middle of the mob of grinning water demons. Trapped, a young Merperson reached out to Harry for help with a green hand, before yet another Grindylow latched onto it and pulled her down some more.

Kicking forward with his legs, Harry brandished his wand like a sword. Whenever it made contact with one of the creatures, there was a flash of light, and they would swim away ill-temperedly, burns on the area that Harry's wand had brushed.

The grabbed onto him with long fingers, but after Professor Lupin's class last year, Harry had no problem breaking their grips. Realizing that they couldn't fight him, the orange animals left in droves.

Finally free, the Merperson, a young girl, looked at Harry with grateful, sea green eyes. "Thank you," came a lovely voice, resembling that which he'd heard from his egg, and he looked the Mermaid girl in shock. He tried to say "You're welcome" but all the came out was a bubble of air. Giggling, the Mermaid girl beckoned with sharp nailed hands. "Come. They're this way."

Who's this way? he wanted to ask, but underwater he was mute as a rock.

She led him over a deep scar in the bottom of the lake, with water cold enough that even Harry was chilled. Then over a great underwater garden, covered with brightly colored plants that waved in the currents.

She pushed him behind a rock when several big shapes began to drift their way. Peeking out, Harry saw large reptiles, larger even than crocodiles, at least 20 feet long. They were a deep blue in color, but gore coated their massive jaws. After several tense minutes, they left their hiding place, swimming low and fast.

Finally, after diving through a shoal of glittering trout, Harry found himself in the strangest village he'd every seen.

Huts were erected under the water using slabs of stone, and Merpeople like the one Harry had just rescued floated outside of them. They glared at Harry with cunning eyes, much wilder in appearance than his escort. Green hair floated around them in clouds and several held vicious looking spears.

Strange, manatee-like creatures were tethered to some huts, and Harry reasoned that they must provide some form of food.

"There" the girl beckoned, indicating the center of the village. Harry braved the hostile stares and swam forward, but the sight that greeted him stopped him in his tracks.

Tied to long wooden poles in the center of the Merpeople's village were 4 people. Only one mattered to Harry. Cho was there, eyes closed as if in sleep, her raven hair in a nimbus around her.

Glancing at the other poles however, he was shocked to see Hermione, Cho's friend Marietta, and a stunning young blonde girl, who he could only imagine as Fleur's sister.

Concentrating first on Cho, he used Diffindo! to slash through the ties holding her. When he moved on to the others however, an abnormally large and fierce looking Merperson swam up to brandish her weapon at him.

"Only one!" the haunting tones cried sharply. Harry tried to explain that he cared about all of them, brandishing his wand trying to get a point across. What he thought was the Chieftain backed up, looking apprehensively at the stick in Harry's hand. The girl that had brought him there went to calm her people down, while Harry began to resume freeing his friends.

"You may take them, if you do not use that wand," she told Harry in gentle words.

He nodded, grateful for her help. She gave him a sharp toothed smile, and then all the Merpeople swam away in to their houses, leaving Harry quite alone.

Once he was finished, he grabbed all of the ropes that had held them and used them to tow the unconscious people to the surface.

He was almost sorry to be leaving the watery world. It was beautiful, and the feelings he felt down here were almost as though he was flying. However he knew his time was running short, and he kicked even harder.

The gills in his neck closed up when his head broke the surface, and he was suddenly freezing.

The four people he had saved bobbed up around him, and as soon as they took their first breathe they awoke. "Harry!" screamed Cho, while the rest of them said similarly shocked statements.

Judging from Hermione's and Marietta's hysterical yells, they couldn't swim. The tiny little blonde was in shock at waking up in the water, and couldn't seem to collect herself.

Absurdly tired, Harry, with Cho's help, managed to pull the babbling blonde girl and a terrified Hermione and Marietta to the edge of the lake, upon which time the judges descended to help them.

"What are you doing with them!?" cried Karkaroff in fury, gesturing towards the three girls that weren't Cho.

"Well I wasn't going to leave them down there," said Harry hotly.

"They were not yours to save!"

"Well I saved them anyway!"

Giving a roar of irritation, he walked away, threatening the air.

Just then Cedric surfaced, followed closely by Victor.

They swam towards them quickly, and whereas Victor looked thankful and relieved, Cedric's handsome face was mottled with anger.

"Potter!" he walked straight up, wrapping his hands around Harry's collar and nearly lifting him off the ground. "What do you think you're playing at!" he hissed. "It wasn't enough to take Cho from me? You have to try to take her too?"

"Excuse me," said Cho sharply, "Harry didn't take me from you! There never was a me and you."

"There-"

"Enough," came a quiet voice. Everyone stopped to look at Dumbledore, who was walking towards them, the picture of serenity.

"Cedric," the Hufflepuff boy inclined his head "I'm going to need to request that you calm down," he looked away, abashed.

"And Harry," Dumbledore continued "I must ask why you brought them all up. Surely you knew that only Miss Chang was yours to save?"

"No..." he mumbled, looking at his feet. Shame washed through him, strong and untainted, it was all so obvious now.

"Ere' is my seester?" said the tiny blonde girl suddenly, and Harry realized that he too had not seen Fleur for sometime.

"I as' wondering za same zing myself!" said the Beauxbatons Headmistress throatily.

Just then, the Merperson who Harry had saved came to the surface of the lake. She urgently screeched some harsh syllables at Dumbledore, who paused with a thinking look before responding in kind.

The exchange continued on for several minutes, and Harry grasped that she was recounting the events to the Headmaster.

However, after a particularly long string of Mermish, Dumbledore gasped, and tears shone in his eyes.

"Professor, what-?' Harry began, but he stopped him with a cut of the hand.

The Merperson finished up her narrative, then looked at Harry and said, with extremely disjointed and accented english "Thank you."

"Don't mention it," he replied, while Cho looked at him strangely. The girl nodded at him, and then submerged herself into the water.

"Sonorus," Harry heard Dumbledore quietly murmur. His voice though, when he spoke, far from being boisterous and joyful like Ludo Bagman's, was sad and reserved.

"It would appear," the Headmaster said "That the Beauxbatons Champion, Ms. Fleur Delacour, has fallen." Not a sound was made as his voice permeated the Black Lake and the area around it, but you could see the surprise in everyone's faces. Even the Slytherins appeared taken aback at the news.

"The Giant Squid is a magnificent creature," he sighed, "Magnificent, but dangerous. It's easily spooked, and Miss Delacour had the misfortune to run into it during such a time. She fought heroically, but by the time the Merpeople had arrived, it was already too late. She will be missed. I do not believe that it is assumptious of me to ask you all to join me in a moment of silence, for the Beauxbatons Champion."

For several minutes, only the howling wind and stifled sobbing could be heard, and as black as the lake was, the mood was darker still.

"Thank you." said Dumbledore, after the silent reflection, "For the moment, the Triwizard Tournament is on hold, until we can perform a memorial honoring this brave, brave young woman. Further information will be posted within the Common Rooms or distributed by your Heads. Congratulations to our remaining Champions, Mister Potter, Mister Krum, and Mister Diggory. You are all dismissed."

"Quietus," he murmured, and his voice returned to normal.

Madame Maxime, a shocked look upon her elegant features, escorted the sobbing blonde haired girl towards their carriage. The rest of the school too, slowly left, but Harry stood, frozen, holding a tearful Cho tightly.

Cedric left too, his face blank, and Krum followed shortly after with a sad look on his surly brows.

"Harry," Dumbledore called when the last of the spectators had left, "a word, if you please."

Cho, wrapped in a blanket and clinging to his side looked pleadingly at Dumbledore, who nodded allowing her to stay.

"I'd just like to tell you what an outstanding job you did. Saving the Merchieftain's daughter." Harry simply nodded numbly. How close had he come to death that day? If he had made one wrong move, why... He could barely think about it. And Fleur... he had seen the Giant Squid as well. Maybe, just maybe...

"Do not blame yourself for Miss Delacour's death Harry," said Dumbledore sharply, catching the look on his face "It was neither your fault, nor within your ability to save her. Sometimes the world simply chooses people to leave us. Think of the good. You did a wondrous thing today, you should be proud. A Merperson is alive and swimming in that lake because of your courage and ability. That is, I believe, the fourth life you've officially saved."

Cho looked at Harry with pride, and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

The Headmaster's face relaxed and he smiled, "Ah, to be young again. Do not worry Harry, this was beyond your control. In fact, it was beyond mine's as well."

"It's just..." said Harry, and his voice sounded close to breaking "I saw the Giant Squid as well. It was right in front of me."

"I do not teach this," said Dumbledore firmly, "But sometimes, pure luck dictates outcomes."

Just then Cho gave a particularly violent shiver, and Harry held her tighter. "Oh, I'm sorry, pardon my thoughtlessness." He waved his wand at Harry and Cho, and suddenly they were warm and dry, smelling slightly of springtime.

"Now come," he said, "Let us go back to the castle."

Harry slowly nodded, and a calm acceptance filled him. There wasn't anything he could have done. What he could do, was honor her memory by competing to the best of his abilities in the coming task.

And holding each other, Harry and Cho marched slowly up to the castle, sad, but at peace.

Author's Note: Yes. I killed her. I didn't even realize I was going to until the Champions surfaced. For all of you Fleur fans well... sorry. haha. I think it's interesting, my interpretations of the book. Or rather, what I thought the book should have been. The main points will be the same, I'm just going to reshuffle them a bit, in my image. Please read and review! Leave my any questions or comments, but NO FLAMES. Please. And will the merpeople play a part later? I'm not sure. Maybe. Coming up is Fleur's Memorial. The third task was going to be next, but due to how events unfolded, that's just not going to work. Thanks for everyone who's been reading!- sasansan