A/N: I just wanted to thank you all for the (mostly) kind reviews. This is just a project I'm writing because my original works are giving me a nasty case of writer's block and I've spent too long not writing anything, but it's been a fun little time-killer. So, I'm glad some people out there are enjoying the story, and that you've been kind enough to review and say so. Reviews are like coffee, writers need them to live.

Chapter 9: The Second Task

Harry sat down the great hall while Hermione went on ranting about Bagman. He'd offered to give Harry some help with the egg, and while Harry already had his solution, he was more curious in exactly why Bagman had offered him help. Sure, he'd claimed that it was because Harry was the youngest competitor and he hadn't signed up, but Harry very much doubted that it was just out of the goodness of his heart.

He wanted to talk to Daphne about it, but she was still in charms with the Hufflepuffs. It was a little odd, but now that they'd kissed, he really did feel closer to her, and wanted to keep her close. Talking to her had become increasing easier, and more than once, he'd debated talking to her about the Dursleys, but he always pushed the idea away.

Best case scenario she'd just feel sorry for him, and worst case she'd be disgusted with him.

As he nodded to himself, he heard the doors open and he looked over to see Rita Skeeter walking into the hall.

"Disgraced ex-head of Magical Games and Sports, Ludo Bagman! It's a good title, just need to find a story to fit it."

Harry had been working on his temper, he really had, but this woman pissed him off; and that was before he'd read Hagrid's article that meant he couldn't teach them anymore.

"Trying to ruin someone else's life?!" he called out to her, standing up as his fists were shaking.

"Harry!" hissed Hermione nervously. "Don't do it!"

Rita Skeeter whoever looked like she'd just stumbled upon a sack full of galleons.

"Harry, dear! How lovely! Why don't you come and join me for a spot of lunch?"

"I wouldn't come near you with a ten-foot-broomstick!" he shouted. "What did you go and do that to Hagrid for, eh?"

She sighed and pushed her glasses up.

"Readers have a right to the truth, Harry."

"So what though? There's nothing wrong with him! Who gives a damn if his mum was a giantess. He's never hurt anyone. If you've got such a big problem with someone due to blood you should go join Voldemort's little parade!"

She looked momentarily shocked, but recovered quickly, pulling out her quill and a piece of parchment.

"How about telling me about he Hagrid you know, Harry? The man behind the muscle, and all that?"

"I rather think you've caused enough trouble as it is," said a voice from the front door. "Harry, I believe you agreed to visit Hagrid with me, right?"

Harry looked and saw Daphne standing there, her Ice Queen face in full effect. He had to stop himself from grinning a mile wide. Of course, he hadn't promised her any such thing, but she was giving him an out and after reading the article he actually did want to go and see the man.

The traveled down the cabin and Harry banged on the cabin door as hard as he could.

"Hagrid!" he called out. "Come on out. No one cares about what the stupid…" the door opened. "cow wrote about… Oh, hi sir."

Instead of Hagrid, Harry found himself staring at professor Dumbledore.

"Why don't you and your friends come in Harry?" he asked, kindly.

A month later, Harry found himself down by the edge of the lake, nervously adjusting his stance every minute or so. It was still very cold, but he was in a pair of swim shorts and a tank top because they were supposed to be swimming.

To his surprise, the bubble-head charm really hadn't been that hard for him to learn. He'd gotten it down in a week, so they'd spent the rest of the time since Christmas break teaching him to swim in the early hours of the morning. Luckily he'd already mastered warming charms or he was sure he would've frozen solid. Still, even with the warming charms the water was positively frigid.

Ron stood behind him, smiling broadly.

"Don't worry Harry," he said, trying to make him feel better. "You got past your dragon no problem didn't you? I reckon his will be just as good. What do you think they might've stolen anyway?"

Harry shrugged, wishing Daphne and Hermione were there. Where they might've gone, he had no idea, unless they'd simply overslept. He had kept them out late last night going over the bubble-head charm again just to be safe. He supposed it wasn't impossible that they were still asleep, but it still hurt a little not to have them at his side. Ron had offered to go wake up Hermione, only discover it wasn't possible for him to get into her dormitory. Defeated they'd come down without her.

"Alright champions," came Ludo Bagman's voice. "I hope you're ready to recover what's been stolen from you, as you have one hour to retrieve it from the bottom of the lake. So then, on your marks, get set… go!"

There was a bang, not unlike a gunshot and Harry immediately cast both the warming charm and bubble-head charm on himself and dove into the water.

The second the water hit his chest he screamed aloud, but his voice came out strange and muffled. It took him several long seconds but he eventually got himself together and began to swim deeper and deeper into the dark waters.

He was grateful that Cedric had suggested the charm, because it allowed him to still cast spells properly and helped him see through the water, almost like a pair of goggles. Despite the fact that he was basically swimming in a lake full of ice water, he felt a pang of loss from his childhood. He clearly remembered the Dursleys taking Dudley to the pool or the beach, but he'd never been permitted to go, and certainly had never been swimming.

Swimming was wonderful and freeing. He mentally noted that he'd have to take this up when the water was warmer, because it was like flying without the broom… albeit a fair bit slower.

He cast lumos from his wand and looked down into the depths and immidaitely had to swim up to avoid a pack of grindylows that he hadn't seen in the water's depths. They reached towards him with long, spindly fingers and gnashed their teeth.

"Bombarda Maxima!" Harry shouted, shooting out the curse at any of the beasts that got too close.

The first one he hit was subject to several small explosions all over its body and the others swiftly understood to leave him alone. He swam deeper and deeper into the waters and to his surprise he eventually heard singing that sound very like what he'd heard coming for the egg when he'd put it under the water.

Your time's half-gone, so tarry not

Lest what you seek stays here to rot.

That sent an unpleasant shiver through him, but he moved towards the throaty singing as fast as he could manage. To his surprise he came across Cedric and nearly cursed him out of reaction, only stopping himself a second before actually casting a spell.

"How you getting on then?" he asked smiling.

"I guess I owe you now," said Harry, smiling back at him.

"I think we can call it even. Reckon we're near the mermaids then?"

"Got to be, if we can hear the singing."

Cedric nodded and the pair moved forward together. As they moved still deeper into the lake, Harry sudden saw a huge statue with several merpeople standing guard with weapons. He was nervous at their presence then what he saw made his heart stop.

Daphne and Hermione were tied to the statue, along with Cho and a girl with silvery hair that he didn't recognize, but expected was probably related to Fleur.

Cedric saw Cho and darted forward, quickly severing her bonds before turning and glancing at the others. He appeared to be wrestling with a decision as Harry began to cut Daphne's bonds. He placed her on his shoulder and moved to Hermione's only to see the mermaids swim around him, pointing spears and swords in his direction.

"Only take your hostage!" they shouted in harsh voices. "Leave the others!"

"Like hell!" Harry shouted back. "She's my friend," he pointed to Hermione. "And I can't leave her to die either."

"Harry!" called Cedric down to him. "We can't fight them off and bring all of them to the surface. Besides, we haven't see Fleur or Krum yet!"

"I'm not leaving them here!" Harry growled at the Hufflepuff.

To his surprise the other boy nodded, pulling out his wand and looking towards the mermen. While he didn't say anything, his behavior was clear. Cedric had no more intention of leaving the others than Harry did. Luckily the mermen didn't seem keen to attack two wizards, so as long as they both stayed put, there was no battle.

Around ten minutes later, they saw Krum swimming up and it was only due to Cedric that Harry didn't jinx him. He'd transfigured himself into a terrifying figure of a half-shark, and upon seeing Hermione, he swam forward very quickly, chopping at her bonds. Harry panicked and moved to cut her free himself so that Krum didn't accidently hurt her. To his relief the moment she was free, Krum swam towards the surface with her.

Still Cedric and he waited at the bottom of the lake. Harry had mentally been keeping track of roughly how much time they had left and figured there was only about ten minutes or so. He glanced around again but didn't see Fleur anywhere.

"What now?" he asked Cedric.

"Even if she gets here soon, she'll be hard-pressed to actually get the girl and get back up the surface and I can't spot her. Reckon you can hold off some of these mermen if I can carry the girls up with me?"

"Can you carry three?"

"I won't be very fast, but I doubt the little girl weighs much and I can use the levitation charm to move them with me. I just need you to make sure I don't end up with any extra holes in me."

Harry nodded and looked right into the Hufflepuff's face before saying, "Cedric… thank you. I know you don't have to do this, and I doubt the other champions would."

"I'm a Hufflepuff," Cedric said, simple. "Loyalty and hard work, Harry!"

At that, they both moved forward as Harry handed Daphne to him and he cut the little girl free the mermen flew into action, swimming towards him.

"Stupefy! Impedimenta!" Harry shouted, sending curses at any of the mermen he could see while Cedric began to move upwards. "Bombarda! Stupefy!"

They flew up, and Harry did everything he could to make sure the mermen were kept far away from Cedric. It wasn't easy, and Cedric wasn't lying when he said that the extra hostages would slow him down. Nevertheless, as the water changed to a lighter blue color, the mermen fell back and Harry let out a long sigh of relief, nursing a small cut on his shoulder from one of their spears.

"Cedric!" he called. "I think we're good!"

"Great!" said Cedric. "Give me a hand then."

Harry joined him and together the two Hogwarts champions broke the surface of the water, and when Harry saw the timer that had been displayed, his heart sank a little. They'd missed the window by ten minutes.

As soon as the air hit their faces, Daphne, Cho and the French girl all awoke and Daphne was the first to put everything together.

"Harry!" she all but shouted. "Are you ok? I'm so sorry! I didn't know! It was all…"

Harry kissed her swiftly and smiled at her.

"It's ok, Daphne. We got you out just fine. It's all ok."

Still, even as he said it, Harry couldn't help but wonder what was wrong with Dumbledore and the other heads of the schools. Daphne and the others could've been seriously hurt… but they wouldn't have just let that happen, right?