What Happened Underwater

~Searching~

I don't own the Harry Potter series, or any of the characters, franchises, or concepts you may recognize. Thanks for reading!

Harry

The final swallow, the leap and then a shock of green ice that I didn't feel, the muffled cheers of the crowd- my head was spinning, and on reflex I breathed in, then realizing what I'd done, clutched at my throat, only to feel gills growing there. I almost smiled then, because I could just picture dobby saying 'I told yous so, Harry Potter. I told yous so!'

I shook myself then, and realized that none of us had moved. We were just treading water, 6 feet under (pardon the pun). I looked around at all their faces, and saw that the lake had washed away their façades, as it had mine.

So I finally allowed myself to think of their loved ones, and I knew I couldn't do it. Heaving a huge internal sigh, I closed my eyes and thought about some possible solution where everyone could be saved. Nothing, then a jolt of understanding, and as if in a movie, I saw the marauders map, my mind's eye rapidly moving past the common room, past the towers, through the tunnel, out to the lake- and to a cavern on the north shore. All of a sudden my eyes opened, and I did a quick Point Me, and I knew. I silently thanked my dad, knowing it wasn't logical, but doing it all the same.

No one had moved, so I moved an arm around, drawing their eyes. Slowly and deliberately, I made the universal sign for truce, and then, without waiting to see if they followed (because I knew I couldn't bear it), I swam off to the north.

Sneaking a glance back, I saw to my surprise, Viktor Krum, shark's head and all, following close behind. Behind him, Cedric, and then Fleur, all following me. I swallowed my relief, and kept swimming, my new webbed feet helping immensely. I was honestly trying not to think about that, it just seemed rather unnatural.

We passed creatures of all shapes and sizes, looking at us curiously, but not hostilely, and Fleur developed a trail of kelpies following her until she irritably shook them off. Catfish's whiskers would brush our feet when we sank too far down. It was all so surreal, and I had a vivid memory of the time the Dursleys had gone to London, and I'd fallen in the Thames. Or rather, Dudley pushed me into the Thames. But I didn't come up for about 5 minutes, because I was having a grand old time watching the fish under the water. About a week in the cupboard for that one. I'd been pretty young, four, maybe five. I shook my head, wondering how I'd never remembered before.

The water dredged up memories, conscious and unconscious, and in the clear green water I could hear the laughter, see the flash and the fear in those eyes that were so, so familiar…. I sank for a moment, lost in the thoughts and memories, until Cedric nudged me, and I realized the others were staring at me, and I shook it off and kept on going.

So we swam, not looking at each other, not looking behind, and all that existed was the cold clear water and your regrets.

Cedric

Harry had better know what he's doing.

As we all swam in a diamond formation, lost in our thoughts, I began to wonder what tricks were up their sleeves, because of course it's too easy. It's never that easy, I'd learned that from my father. It's never that easy, and you've always got to be better. If there was one thing Amos Diggory was good at, it was expecting things. Things that sometimes, I fell short of. But if the expectations were impossible, how could you not fall short?

I was shaken out of my reverie by a tug on my sleeve, and Fleur shot me a look. I hadn't noticed that everyone else had stopped. There was a hole, not directly above us, or to the side, but a bit above my shoulder. There was a light shining out of it, almost blinding after the darkness of the lake floor. What lay at the end? What was Harry planning? I didn't want to think it was something negative, but even the naive Hufflepuff's got to show a bit of worldly distrust.

Harry glanced back at us, and he didn't need to signal. He resignedly swan into the light, and after a moment or two of looking at the other two, I followed. Fleur was looking a bit incredulous, and so was Viktor-or, well, as incredulous as a Bulgarian quidditch star with the head of a shark can look, anyways.

I heard, or rather felt them swim after me, and after about a minute of swimming progressively upward, I broke the surface. I thought for a moment I was mistaken, because all was green still, but then my eyes came into focus, and I had a moment of panic- the walls were getting closer, crashing in, pulsating- but it was only the tides and swells. I reversed the charm and climbed out of the water, breathing raggedly.

I looked around in wonder- we were standing on a platform of stone surrounded by walls of water. It was like someone had cast a giant bubblehead charm on this whole area. I looked directly up, and saw the sun through a wavering layer of water. I heard a screech from behind me and spun around, drawing my wand, but it was only Fleur, white-faced, her arm held by Viktor as the giant squid nonchalantly swam an inch from their faces.

Well, I thought ironically, at least we're out of that damn lake.

Fleur

My god, what eez that! It's 'ideous, how can zey allow it to roam freely- in a school, no less! Oh, and Gabrielle is somewhere in these waters, the thing is near her!

I shook off the arm of the Durmstrang boy, who looked hyper-aware of the beast inches from our face. Zen, the little champion says to me "Er, Fleur… that's the giant squid. Don't worry, he's actually quite friendly."

Cedric nodded as Viktor and I gaped. "Friendly?! How can that thing be friendly?! It looks like a monster in a muggle storybook!"

"Well, it is. It rescues the first-years that fall out of the boats, and enjoys being tickled once in a while." said Diggory, making light of the monster.

I suppose I did not look convinced, because Potter says to me almost sharply. "Here at Hogwarts, we don't judge things on their appearances. You'll find there's a lot more to the world than you think, if you'd only have a mind open enough to see it." That stung a bit, particularly because at Beauxbatons, appearance was everything. And to a veela… it was the only thing

Cedric elbowed him "Eh, Harry, you've been hanging out with the Lovegood girl a bit too much, haven't you?"

In an even odder tone of voice, Harry added "Just enough to learn to look at what's right in front of me." He pointed to the squid, and so we all looked at it searchingly, and with a start, I noticed that it was pointing-pointing in a very specific direction, where you could just see a flash of light, and the outline of several forms-human, and non-human.

And then, the thing turned its head, and I could swear- I could swear- that it winked. Then it shot off in a cloud of ink to the unknown depths of the Black Lake, leaving us utterly confused.

Harry took a deep breath and turned to us. "Look, I know what they've got. I know what's at stake, and I know you guys know it too. And I think they've crossed the line. They're messing with our families, our friends- and really, they're the same thing. So I don't want to give them a show, I don't want to compete with you when our loved one's lives are the prize. And if you do, then god knows I won't stop you. But the way I see it, we can all get them back, we can all succeed, and they won't have a winner or a loser."

Diggory stepped forward "Harry's right. This isn't a game anymore, they've got people we love, and they're in danger. No title matters, not anymore."

Viktor too, stepped forward. "I'm with you, Potter. I know that the both of us have something to lose in Hermione."

I closed my eyes for a moment, and Madame Maxine's words echo in my head. 'Win for Beauxbatons' The face of my sister, Gabrielle, the girl, Cho I sat with at lunch, the stupid redheaded boy who I caught unawares in my veela charm- even the bushy-haired girl I hardly knew. I did not want anyone to lose what they loved so very much, for then we would all be broken. And a world of broken people can never be whole again.

I step forward, ashamed of the quaver in my voice. "And I as well. Gabrielle is caught in this game- she is but eight. But how, Mister Potter, are we to get her back again?"

Harry looked rather put out. "Well… I hadn't quite gotten that far. Yet." he added sheepishly

I hardly need tell you the glares he received, and he said defensively "What? The truce wasn't even a premeditated thing, I can't be expected to have a plan all the time!"

I threw my hands up in the air and sat down on the floor. 'Zees Brits will be the death of me, but oh, do they have spirit. And love. There is no shortage of love, no matter the language in which the words are spoken - for so many remain inside.

Krum

Vell, it was getting exciting for a minute there. Then, Harry admitted to not having a plan, and everyone's raised morale crashed to the ground. But then I realized, we were ignoring what was right in front of us. I said in a hoarse voice "Swim towards the light." Everyone looked at me, startled as I found my voice. "The squid- it pointed us towards the light. I can see shapes over there. Perhaps they are our people-or at least can offer us some information about them."

Diggory, despite seeming rather put-out that he didn't think of it first, jumped to his feet. "Of course! The squid was obviously trying to send a message."

Harry stood up "Seems like the logical place to start."

Fleur sighed and got to her feet with a long-suffering air. "If we must take a squid's advice… It seems our best hope."

We looked at one another uncertainly, and I had the mad urge to do a quidditch cheer; 'Wands in, everyone! One-two-three- BULGARIA!'

I quickly shook it off, and re-transfigured my head, and dove straight through the wall. I heard and felt the others follow me, Harry stuffing the last of his gilly-weed in his mouth. Lucky he'd though to save some.

So we swam again, but this time with a goal in mind- the light at the bottom of the lake, where human-like figures danced. Every stroke brought me closer to Hermione. Hermione.

Her name became a mantra to me, my shark's head diluting my thoughts until they were singular. It was ironic, I reflected when I chose the spell, how fitting it was. Sharks have to keep swimming to survive. Seekers must always be searching. And I must ever be moving towards something, searching for something, because if I found it, then who would I be? What would I be?

That's why, amidst the thrill of a win, the triumph of catching the snitch, I always feel a pang of bitter loss and emptiness that gets more and more overwhelming every time I catch it, because the journey's over. I'm no longer the seeker. I'm the catcher.

And I don't know who Viktor Krum is when he's not seeking something- on or off the broom.

So I will keep moving, like the shark that I may well be, a shark in human skin. But this is one catch that won't leave me feeling empty-handed, this catch will fill all the holes the other ones left in my heart. I will find her, I will find Hermione, for my sake as much as hers, because after her there is no more searching, no further goal in mind.

When I find her, I will finally be able to stop.

~end~

A/N: Okay, so how terribly mad would you guys be if I took this in a Harry/Hermione direction? Or, if I made another story that was Harry/Hermione, (because admittedly this one may not work out, and I never meant for it to be a romance anyway), would you read it?

It's just I'm becoming disillusioned with Romione. I don't have anything against it, but I always thought they should end up together, and Fanfiction has convinced me further. Also, look up 101 reasons to ship Harry and Hermione. Beautiful video.

So after my little ship spiel, here's the update! Sorry it took so long, I just… Ugh. There are 65+ people following me, I need to get better about updating. By the way THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for all your reviews, follows and favorites. You people are amazing.

Fanfictioners are some of the most open-minded, dedicated, passionate, talented, kindest people I (don't) know, and it's like we know each other through our words and the feelings behind them. Thank you for yours, and mine will keep coming.

Love, Leviosa