-18-

In the weeks that followed the first task, Harry spent most of time with his family and friends; as they tried to figure out just what the outcome of the first task would be.

They had already figured out how to open the golden egg, thanks to Hermione noticing the intricately drawn mermaids on the outside of the golden egg. And the riddle itself was very easy to figure out, so they were aware that someone was going to be chosen for Harry to rescue...but the question remained over just who it would be that would be chosen.

They knew it was going to be someone very important to Harry but as for just who, no one seemed to know. They knew that Harry loved all of them equally so they didn't see the need in trying to figure out which of them meant more to him; because as far as they were aware, they all meant the same.

Perhaps they should have thought more of the subject at hand, because what awaited them the morning of the second task was something that none of them could have prepared themselves for.

The Morning of the Second Task

A horrifying scream ripped through the silence that sounded Hogwarts on the cold, autumn morning; waking everyone in the castle and around it.

Harry, Draco and Severus all jumped out of their beds, wands at the ready as they ran to where they had heard the scream come from...Elle's nursery.

The three stood wide-eyed as Ambrosia turned towards them, empty blanket clinched in her hands and tears streaming down her face. And it was then that they realized what exactly had happened...Elle had been the one that had been chosen for the Second Task.

Severus rushed forward as Ambrosia seem to finally lose her strength to stand, and knelt beside her; holding her close as she began to cry loudly into the tiny blanket. Tears came forth to his eyes but he refused to let them fall, knowing that he had to be strong for his wife.

Draco and Harry remained silent, even as Sirius and Remus rushed in behind them, making their way to their friends on the floor; asking what had happened. As Remus looked back to ask the boys what was going on, his words died in his throat as he saw the sheer rage that could be seen on both of their faces. He had never seen them like that and couldn't help but ask Merlin to never see the sight again.

The rage that Draco and Harry were feeling couldn't be described in any words. They couldn't believe it, out of everyone that could have been chosen to for the Second Task, it had to be their little innocent sister. And the more that they thought about it, the more the anger grew and the more their magic began to manifest around them; streaks of green and silver striking the air around them.

"Mom," both boys spoke in a calm voice that seemed to echo loudly throughout the quiet room.

The four adults in front of them looked at them, wide-eyed at what they were all seeing.

Ambrosia had managed to calm down enough to where only tears were falling down her face but her focus was on her two boys; as they made their way to her, kneeling before her as they held their wants over their chest with their heads down.

"Mom, I swear upon my magic that Elle will be back, safe and sound in your arms before the sun sets," Harry swore as his eyes met hers, his glowing bright green as his magic surrounded both him and her; fulfilling his oath to her.

"Harry…" Ambrosia began, ready to admonish him fro taking such a oath but she stopped as she saw the look in his eyes. She smiled softly as she reached up a hand and placed it against his cheek; nodding her head. She knew that he would keep his oath to get her little one back to her; she knew she didn't need to doubt him at all.

The family stayed together in silence, Harry and Draco on guard as their parents just held each other as Sirius and Remus watched on; both wondering exactly how far these two young men would go for their family.

The Second Task

By the time the Second Task was set to begin, everyone in Hogwarts had been made aware that their youngest resident had been the one taken; and it was clear that no one was happy about it.

As the stands began to fill with students and visitors, they were oddly quiet. No one was speaking as everyone present seemed content to glare at the officials and faculty who had this event even occur.

Barty Crouch shivered at the glares he could feel digging into his back. He gulped as he turned to glare at Dumbledore.

"Albus...the next time you suggest taking a toddler for such an event, I'm going to set your bloody beard on fire," he muttered angrily through his teeth.

"If there is anything left to set on fire," a ministry assistant muttered and Crouch couldn't help but to silently agree with that statement.

As the Champions made their way to the lake, everyone took notice of how the other three Champions had seem to surround Harry and his family; as if they were a first line of defense. It was clear that they were making a statement, one that was easily able to read by those observing the action.

Parents in the stands couldn't help but hold their children tighter to them as they observed Ambrosia, being held up by her husband and clenching a tiny blanket in her hands. The other Champions nodded their head to Harry and his family as they separated from them, giving the family some privacy.

Harry gently pulled his mom into a hug, one that spoke volumes even through they shared no words between them. As Harry pulled away from his mom, he looked at his dad and gave him a quick, strong hug as well. His father said nothing but held his son tight to him for a moment before releasing him as he turned his attention back to comforting his wife.

Harry turned and looked at Draco, a quick glance and nods were all that passed between the two brothers; as Draco stepped up on front of his parents, shielding them as Harry made his way to the platforms that had been built over the last few weeks. Before going further, Neville passed Harry a small satchel to which Harry nodded his thanks as he palmed the small satchel.

His path however, was blocked by Dumbledore and a few ministry officials.

"Harry, I…"

"Save it!" Harry growled out, his magic snapping around him as if fueled by his anger towards the older wizard in front of him; as he moved to stand directly in front of Dumbledore, his eyes meeting the others head-on.

"It is only for my mother's sake that I don't rip you apart and feed you Aragog and his children. Whatever forgiveness you thought you would be getting from me or my family is gone. Now get out of my way, old man so I can save someone that has more worth in her little finger than you do in your entire body."

Dumbledore couldn't find any words to respond as Harry stepped around him, continuing his way to the platforms. Dumbledore then decided that he would try and talk with Severus and Ambrosia; to try and get them to see that he didn't have a choice, to try and make them understand. He began to make his way towards the couple when he once again found himself eye to eye with a young wizard; one with ice cold blue eyes.

Draco had seen the interaction between Harry and the Headmaster, knowing what the old man was going to try and do next; Draco decided to head him off. He stood between his parents and the older wizard, arms crossed and his magic striking and snapping around him as his eyes seem to glow a silver color. He knew he made quite the image and that was exactly what he wanted. He wanted others to know that in order for them to get near his family that they would not only have to through Harry, but they would have to go through him as well.

"Draco, please let me…" Dumbledore started but was once again interrupted.

"I thought my brother already made it clear that you aren't welcome around our family," Draco said, his voice steady and cold as ice.

"Draco, you must all understand. There wasn't another choice," Dumbledore tried to explain as he began to try moving forward, his hands out at his side to show that he was not a threat.

Draco and his magic did not appreciate the fact that the older wizard was trying to get closer; as Dumbledore went sliding a few feet back as Draco's magic lashed out at him. The other professors moved to reprimand Draco but Dumbledore just waved them off; stopping their advances to reprimand Draco.

Dumbledore then looked on at the scene in front of him as the true result of his actions seemed to slap him right in the face. He looked on sadly as Ambrosia shook in way that he hadn't seen her since the night Lily and James were killed; he also took notice of just how tightly she held onto the tiny blanket in her grasp - her knuckles bright white. He knew that she didn't realize it of course, as her eyes were too busy scanning the surface of the lake, as if trying to locate her missing child beneath the cold dark waters. He then moved his focus onto Severus, holding his wife tightly as if she were going to disappear as well. He noticed that while Severus' face didn't show any emotions, his eyes gave him away as they were glazed over in unshed tears and worry for his youngest. Draco caught his attention again as he watched the young wizard stand between his parents and the rest of the world; ready to defend them and attack if need be, a deadly sentinel he was in this moment. He also knew without glancing behind him that Harry was watching him carefully from the platforms, ready to jump in to defend his parents and brother as well.

Dumbledore seem to finally grasp fully what he had allowed to happen. He knew that if he had fought hard enough that the judges and magic of the Tournament would have chosen someone else, someone older than little Elle was. And he knew that forgiveness was something long gone from the hearts of the family before him...and he couldn't blame them at all. For once in several decades, he began to fill his age and he couldn't help but wonder if he was ever going to be able to make it up to Harry and his family. What a foolish old man he was; such a senile, old fool.

As Dumbledore finally moved to joined the rest of the judges, Harry finally let himself relax fully; turning his attention to the dark lake waters before him as he tightened his grip on the tiny satchel that Neville had given him.

Gillyweed, his friend had told him. This would be able to give him the ability to breathe underwater for a certain amount of time; more than enough time for him to find his precious little sister.

As he heard the alarm blare, signaling the beginning of the Second Task; he quickly shoved the Gillyweed into his mouth, swallowing it as he dove off of the platform. If he noticed that the other Champions had waited for several moments before joining him in the lake, he took no note of it; his mind on other things.

As he felt gills sprout on either side of his neck, he sent out his magic in search of Elle's as he dove deeper into the lake. He didn't have to wait long until his magic alerted him to Elle several meters down in the water's depths; the more he swam down, the more enraged he became with this bloody tournament.

He took little notice of the world around him, keeping his focus on finding his little sister as soon as possible; his magic leading him to the depths of the lake as he silently wondered if he were ever going to reach the bottom.

Finally after what seemed like hours, he came upon what looked to be a village with several creatures going in and out of what appeared to be huts.

'Mer-people and Grindylows,' he thought to himself as he sent out a wave of his magic to get them to move out of his way. He was in no mood to ponder of their existence in this moment, especially the Grindylows; he had heard how vicious the little beasts could be.

The surrounding creatures made no move to stop him, instead choosing to watch him curiously; possibly wondering how he was breathing without an air-bubble around his head, Harry couldn't even begin to guess. All he cared about was finding his little sister and getting her back into his arms again.

He turned this way and that, until he came upon what he could only describe as a courtyard of some sort as it seemed to be in the middle of the village.

He took minor note of the others who had been taken, Cho Chang who was obviously Cedric's girlfriend, a young blonde girl who he could only assume was Fleur's little sister and a dignified looking older woman, who he assumed had to be some relation with Victor. But his focus was not on them, rather the tiniest floating figure that quickly caught and held all of his attention. And what he saw made him shake more with rage, his magic striking out; scaring several Mer-people that were gathered around him.

While the others were chained by one foot with an air-bubble around their heads to keep them from drowning, Elle was not. Instead, his little innocent sister was fully encased in a bubble that was fully attached to the chain below her. There was also a major difference between her and the others, while the others seemed to be sleeping...

Elle was awake.

She was fully awake and crying loudly from the look of her face. Her eyes were squeezed tightly shut so she could not see that she was no longer alone in this strange, dark world; her body shaking badly as her face got even more red and more tears came. As if she was hoping by sheer will power that someone would hear her cries and come to save her.

Harry eyes softened as he lifted a webbed hand and gently placed it on Elle's bubble. His magic encasing the bubble, giving it a greenish hue as he reached through their familial bond to see if he could calm his hysterical little sister.

'Elle...hush now luv. Big brother is here now,' he spoke to her softly, his magic reaching out and pulling at hers.

The change was instant.

Elle immediately stopped crying and opened her eyes; smiling widely and waving her little arms up and down in excitement. She began to babble happily as she bounced in the bubble as much as she could. While she could not speak to Harry, that didn't stop her from communicating with him in her own way; sending him image after image of him, Draco, their parents, Remus and Sirius.

Harry smiled again, as he nodded his head. He didn't need words to know what Elle wanted...no, what she needed. He glanced down at the chain and with a twitch of his hand, the chain broke as he grabbed onto the end of it; using his magic to reinforce the bubble so that it wouldn't pop as soon as they reached the surface.

'Let's get you back to mom and dad,' Harry sent softly through their link as she squealed with excitement again.

And as they made their way back to the surface, Harry noticed that the other Champions had made it to the village as well as he nodded to them in passing.

On the Lake Shore

Draco's head snapped towards the center of the lake as he sensed Harry's magic reaching out for his, he couldn't help the big smiled that spread across his face.

"He's got her," Draco whispered before looking at his parents. "He's got her mom! She's safe! He's bringing her up right now!" He exclaimed as he raced down towards the lake shore, his parents closely following behind him.

Then as if by magic, Harry broke the surface of the water followed by Elle's little bubble that floated beside him as he began to swim towards shore; ignoring the judges that were beckoning him to come towards the platforms.

Draco met Harry as he walked out of the lake as the bubble now floated near him, held there by Harry's magic. Draco's magic reached out and wrapped around the bubble as well, pulling it towards him as he produced a fluffy blanket from thin air. Once the bubble was safely close to him, the bubble popped on its own as Elle fell just meters into Draco's hold and was immediately wrapped up in the warm blanket as he cuddled her closely to him. Draco let out a sigh of relief as he nuzzled into her hair, inhaling her scent.

Draco didn't have her for long as Ambrosia rushed towards him, grabbing at her youngest and holding her close; tears running down her face in happiness at having her back in her arms. Severus pulled both of his girls into his arms and he silently thanked Merlin that none of his children had been hurt today.

Draco and Harry stood together as Draco wrapped a heated towel around his brother; both more than happy to sit back and watch their parents hold their tiny sister close to them.

Sirius and Remus made their way over to the boys, both hugging Harry tightly and telling him what a good job he did keeping Elle from getting wet and getting her back safely.

Harry smiled and nodded before he and Draco made their way towards their parents as he shivered slightly from the cool wind that was now coming off the lake. His thoughts were interrupted, however as his mom pulled him into an embrace with Draco following soon after.

It wasn't until then that Harry and Draco allowed themselves to fully relax into their parents; trusting Sirius and Remus to keep watch over them as they took this time to be fully reunited with their family.

They took no notice of the cheers that emerged from the stands as the other Champions emerged from the water successfully. And they certainly didn't hear that Harry had earned the number one spot for the quickest time.

No, instead they just stood there; no one speaking as they just held each other close. Happy that they were together once more and each promising that nothing would tear them apart again.

A/N: I have had this chapter written since before the end of 2019 but sadly due to an unexpected death in my family, I just didn't have it in me to post. But now that I have had time to grieve and come to terms, I feel like now is the time to post it. Thank you for understanding and I hope you enjoy it.