After the ball, it seemed to Ed like the time decided to fast-forward to the second task. But when the moment came, he was ready. He was taken, with the four other champions, to a platform in the middle of the dark lake. There, Dumbledore amplified voice explained the rules of the task. The spectators had gathered on other platforms, and Ed looked for the Narnians.

"Where's Lucy?" He asked as he didn't see her.

The question was meant for Peter, who he had chosen to escort him to the starting point.

"She stayed in bed. She said she wasn't feeling good. Probably something she ate. Drink your potion, now."

Ed nodded, but had a doubt regarding the real reason for his sister's absence. He drank his potion, emptied his mind, and when the cannon sounded, dived head first into the lake. He guessed his objective was in the middle of the lake, and therefore took that direction. Even though the lake was deep and wide, it shouldn't take him too long to reach the middle. He had a short time of adaptation, needing to get used to the fact he could breathe under water, but he rapidly got on his way. He was slowed down by the many creatures that passed his road, some of them even attacking him. At some point though, he saw one of these creatures, bound to a post by an alga. It seemed to be watching over a group of smaller creatures. He soon saw buildings in the bottom of the lake. He had reached a merpeople village. He wondered for a second if the Dark Lake's merpeople had the same ways as the Narnian ones. But right now was not the time for such considerations. He put his wand back in the ankle holster he had been given. He knew he wasn't in hostile territory anymore, and the merpeople could take badly any sign of potential ill intentions from his part. He swam through the watery streets, and noticed some mermaids and younglings in their garden, settled as if they were watching a race. One of the little girl even waved at him, and he waved back with a smile. They were watching the competition. He soon reached the heart of the village. There, in a distance, near a tall, church-like building, he saw five silhouettes peacefully floating. He had reached his destination. He immediately knew what he was gonna find there. Lucy. She was the treasure they had taken from him. He started swimming faster, being careful not to fall in a trap. There she was, sound asleep, and he couldn't help thinking he had already lost her because she was precious to him. He chased the thought away. Next to Lucy was the young Hermione, Ron, the Asian girl that had accompanied Cedric at the Yule ball, and a girl probably no older than ten. Edmund guessed she must be Fleur's sister. He remembered what Hermione had told him just before the task. Take only his own treasure. He hence concentrated to untie the knot formed by an alga around his sister's ankle. As he was doing that, he saw Harry arriving. Ed finished setting his sister free, took her in his arms, and swam with her to the surface. At the exact moment when they broke through the surface, Lucy came back to herself.

"Are you alright?" He asked in a rather rough, worried tone.

"Yes. I'm okay."

"Good. Swim."

The terraces exploded into applause, while the Narnians sounded their contestation. Once she was out of the water, and after letting herself be wrapped in a warm, thick blanket, Lucy decided to intervene.

"You people are out of your mind!" Peter was bawling. "You put the life of a child in danger without telling anyone, and without any consent...!"

"Peter!" Lucy shouted. "Will you stop your scene? My life was never in danger, and I have been told everything I needed to know before they put me to sleep. No one is in danger!"

"But..."

"Besides, I don't need your permission to enter a lake or not! I am a Queen too, I can make my own decision. Now, shut it, and watch the rest of the competition!"

"But..."

"Right now!"

And, having shut him up, she returned to Mrs Pomfrey, who gave her a hot chocolate augmented with pepperup potion, all the while mumbling about stupid ideas. The argument had turned the attention to them, and therefore, the people on the barge only noticed that Cedric had successfully returned when they heard the applause. Ed also noted the Fleur had also come back, although quite far from the village, and without her sister. Cedric was soon followed by a gigantic shark head that soon turned into Viktor Krum, holding the young Hermione against him. Harry was still nowhere to be found.

"What is he doing?!" Ed nervously asked. "He was right behind me!"

"He's playing the hero..." Hermione said.

"What if it is the Shadow?"

"Don't worry. Moody is keeping his eye on Harry."

After a moment of anguish, to silhouettes broke through the surface. Ron, and Fleur's little sister. Still no Harry. Ed gave Hermione a look, ready to dive back in. she held him back. Harry finally burst out of the water, and landed on the platform, under loud acclamations. Then came the time for the jury to deliberate. Ed decided it was fair to interfere, and, with Cedric's support, told the Jury that Harry would have been second if it was not for his urge to save everyone. The information was then confirmed by the merpeople king. Ed was hence considered first, followed by both Cedric and Harry in second place, and then Viktor Krum, who, unlike his headmaster, sportively accepted the Jury's decision, and went to shake Harry's hand, before going away with the young Hermione for a private conversation.