Chapter 34 Figuring Out How to Attempt the Second Task

Harry finally got over his pride and figured out the egg.

As he told us in Charms.

"You said you'd already worked out that egg clue!" Hermione whispered indignantly.

"Keep your voice down!" Harry whispered crossly. "I just need to - sort of fine-tune it, all right?"

I rolled my eyes.

"Meaning he just figured it out and figured telling us in class would be a better bet than telling us in the halls where we could screech to our hearts content." I whispered to Hermione.

She humphed at that.

Harry glared at me as Ron sniggered into his hand.

We were learning the opposite of the Summoning Charm. The Banishing Charm, and Hermione had mastered it but I was struggling just a bit more with it.

It was easy to think of my wand as a fishing pole to get things to come to me, but I couldn't figure out how to get things away from me.

"Just forget the egg for a minute, all right?" Harry hissed.

Professor Flitwick whizzed past us.

Neville was the one who would accidentally send him away.

"I'm trying to tell you about Snape and Moody."

My skin crawled at the name.

It wasn't Moody and I hated that I didn't know who he really was.

Harry had told us that Crouch was in Snape's potions storage and I just couldn't wrap my head around it being Crouch as Moody.

Snape was missing those ingredients that were needed to make the Polyjuice Potion so it made sense how Moody was disguising himself.

"Snape said Moody's searched his office as well?" Ron whispered.

He Banished a cushion and instead of landing in the crate in the middle of the class, it hit Parvarti's hat off.

"What… d'you reckon Moody's here to keep an eye on Snape as well as Karkaroff?"

"Well, I dunno if that's what Dumbledore asked him to do, but he's definitely doing it," Harry waved his wand and his pillow did a weird belly-like flop off his desk. "Moody said Dumbledore only lets Snape stay here because he's giving him a second chance or something…"

"What?" Ron's cushion went spinning into the air, ricocheting off the chandelier, and dropping onto Flitwick's desk. "Harry… Maybe Moody thinks Snape put your name in the Goblet of Fire!"

"Oh Ron," Hermione shook her head in skepticism, "we thought Snape was trying to kill Harry before, and it turned out he was saving Harry's life, remember?"

She Banished another cushion and this one, also, landed perfectly into the crate.

"I don't care what Moody says," Hermione continued on.

I Banished my cushion and it flew a couple of feet before landing on the ground.

I was slowly getting it, but I needed more umph.

"Dumbledore's not stupid. He was right to trust Hagrid and Professor Lupin, even though loads of people wouldn't have given them jobs, so why shouldn't he be right about Snape, even if Snape is a bit -"

"- evil," Ron said promptly. "Come on, Hermione, why are all these Dark wizard catchers searching his office, then?"

"Because no matter how much you try to prove and prove that you've changed, someone's not going to ever believe you?" I asked.

I Banished my cushion again and this time made it into the crate.

"Exactly. Besides, why has Mr. Crouch been pretending to be ill?" Hermione asked. "It's a bit funny, isn't it, that he can't manage to come to the Yule Ball, but he can get up here in the middle of the night when he wants to?"

"You don't like Crouch because of the elf, Winky." Ron sent his cushion into the window.

"You just want to think Snape's up to something." Hermione sent her cushion into the crate again.

"I just want to know what Snape did with his first chance, if he's on his second one," Harry said grimly.

To my surprise, his cushion landed neatly on top of Hermione's.

"Nice one, Harry!" I praised him.


Harry sent a letter to Sirius telling him about Mr. Crouch breaking into Snape's office and Moody's conversation with Snape.

Ron liked the idea of Harry using the Summoning Charm to get some Aqua-Lungs.

Hermione and I didn't think he had the time to learn how to use them.

Hermione had a better argument though. If Harry had learned how to use the Aqua-Lungs within the hour, he still would have broken the International Code of Wizarding Secrecy - it would be too much to hope that Muggles wouldn't notice a flying Aqua-Lung in the countryside to Hogwarts.

"Of course, the ideal solutions would be for you to Transfigure yourself into a submarine or something." Hermione suggested instead. "If only we'd done human Transfiguration already! But I don't think we start until sixth year, and it can go badly wrong if you don't know what you're doing…"

"A submarine? You know he can Transfigure into an animal, right?" I asked.

"Do you think if I ask Moody he'd do it for me?" Harry asked.

"I don't think he'd let you choose what you wanted to be turned into, though." Hermione answered seriously. "No, I think your chance is some sort of charm."

So we buried ourselves in the library. We were there during every waking moment.

Cassius had even joined me in the library but we didn't talk about the Second Task. He didn't know what I was looking up because he didn't ask.

He and I were enjoying each other's company though and I think that's what mattered to me.

"Cassie, can you breath under water?" Harry asked me during lunch.

"I tried to breath under water once, but I don't think I can." I told him honestly.

He blinked at me.

I sighed.

"I'll try. But you better have some hot chocolate ready for me." I pointed my finger at him.

"I promise. I'll even have warm clothes for you!" He nodded thankfully.

"Before dinner then. I'd rather put warm food in my stomach after a cold swim than before." I told him.

"You're the best!" He put his arm around my shoulders and gave it a squeeze.

Then he proceeded to ruffle up my hair playfully.

"Knock it off!" I laughed as Draco joined us with Gregory.

Gregory had joined us again with Draco, and I noticed that several first year Slytherins were mingling with the other tables. One boy had even sat next to a girl at our table.

I was glad to see that it worked.

"What's going on?" Draco asked when he sat down.

"I'm going for a swim later." I told him.

I noticed the way Harry's fingers pressed against Draco's arm when he removed his arm from my shoulders.

"Why?" He asked.

"For reasons I'm not sure we're discussing?" I asked more than stated.

"Cassie here, is going to see if she can breathe underwater." Ron gloated as he pointed his fork at me.

"Why?!" Draco asked, snapping his neck towards me.

"To see if I can breathe under the water." I reiterated.

"I don't understand why?" Draco looked around me towards Harry.

"We need to know if she can breathe under the water so that I have a way to do the second task." Harry answered.

Draco looked between all of his with eyes wide.

"Have you done that before?" He asked me.

"Once. I almost succeeded but I got water in my lungs."

"Then you didn't almost succeed!" His voice cracked.

"I'm not going to die. Harry's going to have warm clothes for me, along with hot chocolate, and if I feel weird at all I'll go straight to Madam Promfrey!" I tried to reassure him.

Line break

That night, between class and dinner. I was at the Black Lake.

Harry was on his way with hot chocolate from the kitchens, Hermione had several articles of clothing for me, and Draco was standing still, his pale face even paler than usual.

"I am not looking forward to this." I told Hermione as I shivered.

It was more from the thought than the cold.

"If it's too cold you come out." Draco was stiff.

"Yes mom." I rolled my eyes at Hermione who giggled.

I saw Harry and Ron walk out of the Great Hall with Fred and George right behind them.

"It's now or never." I said.

I quickly took off my clothes, revealing my swimsuit.

"Cassie, wait!" Fred called out.

"Now!" I said and ran into the cold water.

"Fuck me!" I whispered under my breath.

"Cassie!" Hermione and Draco both gasped at me.

"Cassie! Damn it! Wait!" Fred started to run with George next to him.

I started to shiver from the freezing cold.

"Cassie! Get back here! We have a charm that'll keep you warm!" George said.

"Shit! Why didn't you say so before?" I asked them as I hurried over to them.

Fred tapped my sternum with his wand and muttered a spell.

I was filled with warmth.

"It will only last for ten minutes." George said as he took some clothing from Hermione.

"Thank you." I said.

I went back into the water, but this time it didn't freeze me the minute I felt it.

I only had ten minutes before the charm would wear off so I had to work quickly.

I dove my head under the water and focused on breathing.

Nothing happened at first, I had to come up for air and I went back down.

I didn't want to see if Harry was disappointed with me not being able to breath.

I went up for air a few more times before the cold started to bite at my toes and fingers.

The last time I went up for air I swam my way to them before walking out of the lake.

I let out a wet cough and water started to pour out of my mouth.

I must have done the same thing as I did last time I tried this.

I had managed to get gills but I had inhaled some water.

George and Hermione took turns putting layers on my body as Harry poured me a cup of hot chocolate.

"I should go and see," I took a sip of hot chocolate, "Madam Pomfrey. I think I inhaled water like I did my first year." I took another sip of hot chocolate.

Hermione tapped my hair and it braided itself into a bun on my head.

"Let's go then." George had put a pair of sweatpants on the ground and I stepped into them.

"Can I carry you?" Fred asked.

"Will someone wrap my feet?" I asked.

"I will." George nodded.

"Let's go." I said.

Fred picked me up with ease.

George wrapped another blanket around my feet so that they wouldn't get cold.

Draco followed us as we went to the Hospital Wing.

I noticed several Slytherin's saw me and hurried off.

"Oops." I said as I watched a fifth Slytherin hurry past us with a Hufflepuff after him.

"What is it?" Fred asked.

"Cassius." I said.

Draco stopped in his tracks.

"It's okay! He'll be here soon or later. Stay with us." I called over Fred's shoulder to him.

He looked behind him for a second before following us again.

I noticed the way Fred's nostrils flared at my mention of Cassius.

"Why him?" Fred's voice was low.

"Why not him?" I mimicked his volume.

"George is sorry for what he did." Fred said.

"I'm sure he is, but Fred, he hurt me. Had he asked for some time and space to think about what I told him, I would have been understanding. But he didn't, he assumed things and reacted horribly about it. How am I supposed to trust that he won't do that again?" I asked Fred.

Fred sighed as we all walked into the Hospital Wing.

Well, I was carried.

"What on earth happened to you?!" Madam Pomfrey asked when she saw me.

"I went for a swim." I told her happily as Fred put down next to a bed.

Madam Pomfrey started to mutter under her breath.

She pulled out her wand and summoned a changing screen.

"Where is she?!" Cassius's voice echoed.

When the air hit my skin I gave a hard shiver that made Madam Pomfrey tut.

I heard Hermione calming Cassius down as Madam Pomfrey got to working faster on removing the wet towels, clothes and swimsuit from my body.

I let out a little cough and spat out some water.

"You tried breathing under the water again, didn't you?" Madam Pomfrey gave me a look.

I couldn't help but smile at her sheepishly.

"I had to try again." I told her as I put on a warm set of pajamas she had supplied.

When I was decent she removed the screen and Cassius was standing next to Harry.

"Hello." I grinned at him.

"What were you thinking?" Cassius asked as I got into the bed.

George was glaring at Cassius's back. Fred had his arms folded over his chest but he wasn't glaring at Cassius.

"I was experimenting." I told him as he pulled the blankets over me.

I snuggled into the warmth of the blankets as he sat next to me.

"Come here." He grumbled.

I curled into his side and sighed from the warmth.

Before I could get too comfortable though, I let out a watery cough. Forcing me to sit up.

"And drink some of this." Madam Pomfrey was ready for me.

Cassius had put his hand against my back as I drank the familiar warmth of the potion Madam Pomfrey gave me the last time I was here.

"Why would you try again?" Madam Pomfrey asked me as I handed her the cup.

I looked at Harry and we both looked at Cassius before I turned to Madam Pomfrey.

"Someone asked me if I could breathe underwater, being a metamorphmagus. And I wanted to see if I could. But if I am able to eventually breathe underwater I'll have to practice every day to do so."

Harry blinked at that, but it was Hermione who understood what I was trying to say. She nodded her understanding.

Cassius let out a grumble sound and pulled me into his body.

I was a little flustered at that, especially since he was being like this in front of my friends. But I was enjoying the attention at the same time.

"I don't think you should be practicing in the winter. Once spring comes around and the weather is warmer you can try again." She tutted at me.

"Yes Madam." I nodded to her.

She started to mutter under breath as she walked away.

"Ten minutes and then you all have to go back to your common rooms!" She called over her shoulder.

The crowd made noises of acknowledgment.

"I think we'll head back sooner." Hermione started to pull Harry and Ron with her.

"I'll see you guys tomorrow!" I waved to them.

"Good night, Cassie!" Ron said as they walked out of the Hospital Wing.

"I better head back as well. Good night, Cas." Draco waved.

"Good night, Draco." I waved at him.

Fred and George were both glaring at Cassius, who was returning a cool stare.

"You guys should probably get going to." I told Fred and George.

"We can wait." George spoke up.

"I insist." I was firm.

George flinched but Fred looked at me.

"Are you sure?" He asked.

"Go away you two." I told him.

He nodded at me and then had to pull George out of the room.

"They're protective of you." Cassius said when they had left the Hospital Wing.

"Too protective. I don't understand why. Their mother hates me because of who my father is." I said and I snuggled into his side.

His grip on my side tightened at that.

"Does she really?" He asked, his voice soft.

"Yeah, a complete one eighty turn as soon as the Ministry got word of my full parentage." I told him, my voice also going soft.

"That's awful." He murmured.

"It's whatever, she'll change her mind again. But I won't be so forgiving." I shrugged.

I was enjoying the smell of his cologne. It didn't quite cover his natural scent, instead, it seems to emphasize his smell.

I felt his body move as he nodded.

"So, can you tell me why you took a swim in the Black Lake?" He asked.

"Harry finally figured out the clue. Since he's only a fourth year, he's got a limited amount of knowledge and resources. We figured if I could learn how to breathe underwater, he could do it too. Hermione caught onto what I was trying to say so that's why she took the boys away." I explained.

He didn't respond to that.

When I looked up he was staring at the ceiling.

"What is it?" I asked him.

"I didn't even think about the 'Metamorphmagus Magiga's' potion." He said.

I let out a giggle at that.

"But if you can't get breathing under water on the first try, then I don't think I'll be able to get it on the first try either." He added.

His hand started to move on my side. In an up and down motion and it gave me those good chills.

"You can still try. Unless you already have an idea of what you're going to do." I told him.

He flushed at that.

"We don't have to talk about it if you don't want to." I told him quickly.

He nodded at that.

"Thanks for coming in so quickly." I told him.

He chuckled at that.

"You didn't seem surprised to see me?" He asked.

"When Fred was carrying me here, a few of your housemates saw me and I knew they were going to you." I answered.

"They weren't discreet, were they?" He chuckled.

"Not really." I giggled.

He leaned his head over and gave my forehead a kiss.

I couldn't help my little grin at that.

"You're cute." He whispered.

"Thank you." I whispered back.

He slowly leaned his head back down and as I was moving mine to meet him, we were interrupted.

"Mr. Warrington! It's time for you to go!" Madam Pomfrey said from her office doorway.

He sighed as I let out a little laugh.

"Yes ma'am!" He said and got out of bed.

"Good night, Cassius." I told him.

"Good night, Cassie." He gave me a kiss on my lips and walked out of the Hospital Wing.

"I'll check on you in the morning, Miss Zwart."

"See you in the morning, Madam Pomfrey."


I'm going to be honest with you guys, I'm having fun with Cassie and Cassius.

Shout out to Pamela Hutchins, Awritingbookworm for leaving a review!

Pamela Hutchins: Awe thank you!

Awritingbookworm: COMC? Oh! Care of Magical Creatures! Sorry I was drunk when I responded to your message lol! I'm glad you enjoyed the lesson!