Hello everybody! I hope you're excited for chapter NINE!

First off, thank you all for the reviews and follows and favorites! I'm surprised that this story has gotten as popular as it has, and I thank you all for the support!

Second matter, some of you had some questions, so... Q&A time!

MegaKiraraLover: Thank you very much! And Zack hasn't, yet anyways. Haha. As for Kunsel... My guess is when Sephiroth attacked Shin-Ra HQ, that Kunsel was one of the ones who got killed... :(

SakuraLisa: I agree. I can't see how Hermione even fell for him in the first place, stupid idiot(Ron, not Hermione).

Hikagi: Haha, I agree. I wasn't sure when I started this, if I wanted Zack in Fifth Year or Fourth, and the TwiWizard Tournament made more sense than Fifth Year. I'm sure that Zack has a lot of flashbacks while he's spending his time at Hogwarts. As for finding a Beta, it's hard enough for me to keep to a single type of writing style, but to find someone else who can keep up with my constant changes would be a miracle, not to mention the fact that I'm very picky when it comes to people I trust with my writing... As for your question.

Voldemort wants Harry Potter dead, D.E.A.D. Dead. I'd like to point out the fact that, since Sirius handed over Peter Pettigrew, Pettigrew didn't have the chance to tell Voldemort that Harry Potter was 'missing' or 'dead'. There's also the fact that BC Jr. has been under the influence of the Imperius Curse for over ten years. I'm surprised that nothing truthfully happened to Canon BC Jr.'s mind, I mean, having your own free will taken away for that long? It HAS to leave some kind of damage, right? And then there's the fact that BC Jr.'s teaching at Hogwarts, he didn't know if Harry was being raised in someplace like Germany, or America. So, he put Harry's name in the Goblet.

As for your second question... The things that happened in books 1 and 2 didn't happen, you see, it happened in the first place because of choices. Maybe Quirrell decided to not go to Albania, and maybe Voldy didn't have the chance to take over his body, so, the SS was safe and didn't need to be moved to Hogwarts. As for book two, Lucy(Malfoy Sr.) didn't give Ginny the diary, which, didn't cause the Chamber to be opened. SOOOooo... Moral of this story is, the choices we make can make small or big impact on people's lives.

And thank you for your support! Your questions and opinions got me to thinking, and it helps! Thank you!

Kiri Kaitou Clover: No, no it's not. :)

SleepyHeadManga: I won't forget! And a few of them probably will, but there are the ones like Fred and George who are really attached to their families so, they'd probably not all go with Zack back to Gaia.

Kai19: I didn't notice that... Well... To answer your question. In a new headcanon of mine, Remus gets lost in the floo. ALL THE TIME. James and Sirius probably teased him about it when they were at Hogwarts, and even after leaving Hogwarts. The ash messes up Remus' senses so he gets out of the wrong floo or gets lost for a little while or so.

Jostanos: Knowing Dumbles, and Zack... He probably will. As for your two questions... If I told you, you'd get spoiled for later on! ;)

6TailedNinja: Truthfully..? I don't really like Cissnei. I did when I first started playing the game, but towards the end... Cissnei was the only one who knew where Zack and Cloud were heading, so... How did SOLDIER/Shin-Ra know where they were going to be? As far as we know, Zack didn't contact anyone else... So, in my mind. She's a traitor.

Kisa: ... That is a very good question...

Anyhow, that's it with the Q&A~

I hope everyone will enjoy the chapter!

Also, for those of you who are interested in my writing, I've made a second AO3 account under the name Lyhtma. I've been having a really bad writers block, so I decided to work on a 100 words challenge using my own characters from a book I'm currently writing, so for those of you who like my writing and are interested in my Original Work, go check it out! a rchiveofourown works/1436812/chapters/3 021685 ( MINUS THE SPACES!)

And! FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE SHERLOCK FANS, I've been a crocheter since I was nine years old, and recently I've been bored around the house, so... I made a crochet Sherlock plush/doll! I've been in need of a little money lately and thought that I could put my crocheting talent to good use, so, if you have the time, please at least check it out here at my new Etsy store! listing/ 186141667/crochet-sherlock-doll. (MINUS THE SPACES!)

Enjoy!

~Snow.

I do not own Harry Potter or Final Fantasy VII. Sadly...

As the next month passed quickly, the excitement of the Yule Ball faded and the nerves of rapidly approaching Second Task took its place.

To his horror, Zack realized on the tenth of February that he hadn't gotten any further on figuring out the egg clue. In fact, he had hardly thought of the egg and didn't dare open it, the first time that he had, he had lost his hearing for a few hours because of the high-pitched wailing coming from inside the egg.

"What's your secrets?" Zack hissed in annoyance as he had a staring contest with the large, golden egg early in the morning of the eleventh, a scowl on his face.

He sat at the table in his rooms, the golden egg sitting on the table in front of him as the dark-haired Ex-SOLDIER glared darkly at the egg. Zack groaned in frustration, nearly burying his face in his hands as he tried to figure out what it was.

Banshee maybe? If it was, then he'd probably lose his hearing for good.

What could wail like that?

Sighing, Zack stood up, only to jump at hearing a cackle.

"Is Fair-Potty stuck on his clue?" Peeves, the poltergeist that haunted Hogwarts and didn't listen to anyone, well, almost anyone.

Peeves sort-of listened to the Twins and Zack, something that had surprised almost everybody when Peeves had done it the first time when Zack got after the poltergeist for teasing Luna.

Apparently, Peeves had known and respected Zack's blood-father, which made the poltergeist respect Zack, in a way. The poltergeist, while sometimes listening to the dark-haired man, would still annoy and bug Zack until the Ex-SOLDIER was close to exploding.

"Yeah, I am Peeves." Zack said hotly, his glowing blue eyes looking up at the floating poltergeist as Zack's temper was starting to get the better of him. "Stuck and it sucks."

Peeves cackled and floated his way over to the table, eyeing the golden egg with amusement. "Then let old Peevies Weevies help you!"

And before Zack could even move, the poltergeist snagged the egg and flew off, causing Zack to chase the poltergeist around his rooms.

"Peeves! What in Ifrit's balls are you doing?!" Zack yelled angrily as he chased the poltergeist into his bathroom, his face paling slightly at seeing Peeves' hand on the handle to the top of the golden egg. "Peeves?"

The poltergeist just cackled as Zack clamped his hands over his ears, and dropped the wailing egg into the water of the giant pool-like bathtub before zooming away.

"Peeves!" Zack moaned unhappily, starting to pull off his boots, before removing most of his clothes, knowing that he had to retrieve the egg from the water. Hopefully, if he was lucky enough, the wailing wouldn't be too loud, and he'd keep his hearing.

Zack pulled off his shirt and tossed it onto the growing pile of clothes as he undid his belt and tossed it - and his pants after pulling them off - aside as well. Standing there in only his boxers, Zack closed his eyes, saying a silent prayer to the Goddess before he jumped into the deeper end of the pool-like tub.

Opening his eyes under the water, they widened at hearing the sound that came out of the egg, the singing…

The egg sang underwater? Well, that was certainly new.

As Zack swam closer to the egg, picking it up in his hands, he listened to the song a couple of times before he closed the egg, his lungs almost burning as he surfaced for air, the cool air happily filling his lungs as he placed the egg on the side of the pool-like tub before he climbed out.

An hour long he would have to look for an item he'd surely miss or it wouldn't come back. Taking by a creature that couldn't sing above the ground. Zack snorted slightly. A creature that could only sing in water? Sounded like some kind of mermaid.

Mako eyes blinked as the thought hit him. "Are there such things as mermaids here?" He mused aloud, standing up he carefully picked up the (somehow) dry egg and made his way back into his bedroom. Grabbing a towel off a hook near his door, Zack started to dry his hair. "Mermaids… One hour underwater, even Seph couldn't do that…"

Zack dressed quickly as he cast a Tempus, seeing that Hermione would be at the library by now he rushed down the hallways and towards the library.

Hermione was indeed, sitting in her favorite chair at their table in the back of the library, her brown eyes widened slightly as she took in the sight of the damp Zack Fair.

"What happened to you?" She asked, closing the book she had been reading up on for her Runes class.

"Peeves, but never mind that. 'Mione, do you know a spell, or anything, that'll help be breath underwater for an hour?"

"What about the Bubble-Head charm?" Cedric asked, glancing up from a book and over at his younger(except for Zack) friends, the book of Charms in his hand had praised the charm happily.

"Can't remember? His magic-"

"Goes bonkers at times-"

"And will probably cancel itself in the middle of the Task." The Weasley Twins chorused, a sigh escaping their lips as they glanced at the Tempus Hermione had cast only an hour ago.

It was nearing nine in the morning on February fourteenth, otherwise known as, Valentines Day.

For the past few days, everyone had gotten up early and had spent as much time as they could in the library, looking up anything to help Cedric and Zack with being able to breath underwater for an hour. Cedric having figured his clue out on the same day, was happy to help as the oldest of them all.

"Oh I just don't know." Hermione sighed n frustration, nearly slamming the book in her hands down on the table. "There just isn't a good enough spell, besides the one Cedric found, to help you…" She said miserably, rubbing an eye.

Zack frowned slightly as he glanced around then at the Tempus. "I suppose we'll just have to look later then." He shrugged, closing his book. "Don't you four have dates? Or rather, Cedric has Cho and you three have each other?" He smirked at Hermione and the Twins.

The Twins grinned while Hermione flushed lightly.

"Besides, it's Valentines Day! A day for love! So get going! Don't worry 'bout little old me, if anything, I can figure something out with my Materia." Zack stood up, grabbing Cedric and Hermione lightly by the arms, and nearly marched them out of the library, the Twins laughing silently behind them.

"But…" Hermione frowned.

"No buts 'Mione!" Zack said sternly. "I'm going to personally escort you four to the doors. And maybe we'll run into Luna… Does anyone know where she is, by the way?" He asked curiously, glancing around for his odd, Cetra-Descendant friend.

"On a date." Hermione almost giggled and everyone looked at her in surprise. "Do you believe it? Draco Malfoy asked Luna Lovegood to Hogsmead for Valentines Day!"

"What?" The Twins, and Cedric, gaped at her while Zack looked pleased.

"As long as she's happy."

"Oh, she is! She was beaming all day yesterday after he asked her." Hermione said happily and continued to talk about Luna and Draco, and about well, a lot of stuff as the group continued their path down the stairs and through the corridors towards the Entrance Hall.

"And, that's why you never mix those two hexes together, I found that it…" Hermione trailed off in the corridor just outside the Entrance Hall, blinking in surprise as she looked back, catching the Twins' – who had moved to walk next to Hermione, one on each side as they listened to their girlfriend chat happily – and Cedric's – who had been lagging slightly - attention.

"Zack..?" She called out worriedly, looking at the suddenly pale-faced man, who had stopped in the middle of the corridor, looking like Death itself was standing in front of him. "Zack, what's wrong?"

"Don't move, just back away slowly!" Zack called out to them, his eyes showing his inner panic as his voice went up a few octaves and held a hysterical note to it.

The four others looked at each other in confusion.

"Hurry! Before it notices you!" Zack almost screamed, backing away from the four, pointing at something that hadn't caught their attention beforehand.

A toad, Trevor, if the Twins guessed correctly.

"It's just a toad, Zack." Cedric said in confusion as the dark-haired man quickly shook his head.

"No it's not! It's pure evil! Satan's spawn! Get away from it! Get it away from ME! Don't touch it!" Zack nearly wailed as Hermione bent down to pick up Trevor.

"It's harmless Zack, see? Just a toad." Hermione said in a soothing tone, while Zack stared at her as if she had grown two heads.

"It… It won't urn you into a toad..?" He asked in confusion, making the others exchange more looks of confusion while Hermione shook her head, petting Trevor's head.

"Nope, just a toad. It belongs to Neville, if I remember right… Will you take him back to Neville, Zack?" Hermione asked while Zack slowly made his way over to the others, suddenly feeling very silly for nearly having a panic attack.

Though, with the fact that a Touch-Me nearly got him killed when he was a kid, he had a very good reason to avoid and fear them.

"I suppose…" Zack flinched as Hermione held the toad out to him, but he carefully took it from her anyways, biting back a grimace and the urge to kill the toad in his hands.

"Thank you, Zack." Hermione smiled at the spiky-haired man. "I think Neville was back in the library." She told him, and Zack nodded, turning around he called back ot he others.

"Have a good time at Hogsmead!" Before setting off back towards the library at a trot.

It didn't take Zack long to reach the library again, if anything, it had taken him less time to get back to the library than to get to the Entrance Hall.

He quickly skimmed through the isles before finding the round-faced boy he knew as Neville.

"Hey." Zack smiled in amusement at seeing Neville jump slightly and Zack held up Trevor. "Is this yours?"

"Trevor!" Neville nearly cried in relief. "I was looking everywhere for him! Thank you." The boy said honestly, happily taking the escape-happy toad from Zack – who nearly cried in relief – and smiled widely.

"What's that book you got there?" Zack asked curiously, looking at the book of 'Water Plants and their Uses.' That Neville was holding.

"Oh… Well, you see." Neville was blushing. "My best subject is Herbology, this book tells about all kinds of plants that grow in the water, and their uses. Like Gillyweed, or example. It lets you breathe underwater, it makes you grow gil-"

"Did you just say it lets you breathe underwater?" Zack asked, hope shining in his eyes as he looked very-much like a happy puppy that he was often called.

Neville looked at the suddenly bouncing man in a bit of confusion and nodded.

Zack grinned widely and he lightly threw an arm over Neville's shoulders. "Tell me more, about this Gillyweed, will you?"

"Say, do you guys know how to get your hands on some Gillyweed?" Zack asked the next day, sitting down at their usual table in the library – only Hermione and Cedric were there as the Twins were testing their latest product and Luna had Potions - causing Hermione to look at him in surprise and Cedric smacked his forehead.

"Why didn't I think of that?" Cedric smacked his forehead again, "It's a Sixth Year herb we learn about in Herbology… Who told you about Gillyweed?" He asked curiously as he looked over at Zack.

"Neville, he was holding a book about water plants when I returned his toad to him," Zack wasn't able to suppress a shudder at the mention of Trevor, and it didn't go unnoticed by the other two – who shared a look of concern – "And we got to talking and he told me about Gillyweed."

"I think Professor Snape has some in the students cupboard, it's a ingredient we use in Potions in Seventh Year." Cedric said helpfully before asking, a hint of worry in his tone. "Zack? Why do you shudder when you talk about toads?"

"And freaked out when you saw Trevor in the hall yesterday?" Hermione asked, her own lips turned downwards in a worried frown.

Zack, nartually opened his mouth to lie – he didn't really like anyone knowing of one of his worst fears and childhood terrors – but then he saw the concern on their faces and sighed silently.

"In Gongaga, where I grew up, there's a lot of toads or Touch-Me's around. They're only found in the Gongagan area, so as I was growing up, I got into a lot of trouble with them, usually by accidentally finding their nests… Once, when I was about ten, I accidentally stumbled upon a HUGE group of them, and got turned into a Touch-Me." Zack smiled grimly, and chuckled weakly at seeing the look of surprise on Cedric and Hermione's faces. "That's what a Touch-Me does, it turns you into a Touch-Me. It's normal for moms in Gongaga to have a couple of Maiden's Kisses, the potion that reveres the affects of turning into a Touch-Me…"

"Well, anyways. I stumbled across a large group when I was ten, and I accidentally got turned into a Touch-Me. And it's really hard to tell a normal Touch-Me from a turned Touch-Me, and there were these fighters passing through and saw me as I was on my way back to Gongaga to get to my Ma… I was nearly killed thanks to the Touch-Me's and I've been scarred ever since that day." Zack said, "Since then, I've run away almost every time I've been up against a Touch-Me…" He smiled sheepishly, but Hermione and Cedric were giving him looks of understanding.

"It seems a reasonable thing to do." Hermione said soothingly, and Cedric nodded in agreement, giving Zack a gentle smile.

"Now, I believe we were talking about Gillyweed…"

The day of the Second Task, on February Twenty-Fourth dawned darkly. Storm clouds hung overhead as Zack made his way around his rooms, grabbing a pair of swimming trunks and a tight fitting shirt with the number 'Four' on it.

He barely heard the well wishes from the students - who too - were making their way down to the Black Lake, where the Second Task would take place.

Zack nodded at Viktor and Fleur, who were at their spot on the docks, opposite of Cedric, who gave him a weak smile before they turned to face the dark waters of the Black Lake.

He hardly heard Bagman's words as the round man had started to talk, beaming widely around at the stands that stood at the edges of the waters of the Black Lake. Nerves twisted at the inside of Zack's stomach and he suddenly felt ill, but knew he had to do it. He had to, he needed to. To get back to Gaia he needed to get through the TriWizard Tournament.

In his fingers he held a piece of Gillyweed, which he twisted around in his fingers while he waited for the sound… The sound that would probably send him to his doom.

They didn't know how Gillyweed would react to Zack's magic, and the J-Cell's and Mako inside of him, and Zack, only prayed for the best.

Closing his eyes, Zack silently prayed to the Goddess that he would get out of this alive, that he would live to see the next day and perhaps, just hopefully, the day that he'd return back to Gaia.

BOOM.

Zack's eyes snapped open at the sound of the cannon's ring and he shoved the piece of Gillyweed into his mouth and started chewing as the Second Task started.