"Stop looking around," Fleur said.

"Sorry," Harry said as he swallowed a load. "I'm just very nervous."

"I can tell," she said.

"Do you want a little calming draught?" Viktor asked taking out a small vial from his pocket which surprised everyone in their little group.

"Why do you have that?" Cedric asked as Hermione, Fleur and Cho looked at him mortified.

"I am a Quidditch star," Viktor said. "Do you know how nerve wracking it is to go to all these interviews and fans' meets? It helps."

"Thanks but no thanks," Harry said as Viktor simply shrugged and put the vial back. Harry sighed when the doors' lock clicked.

"Ouch, okay, Harry, you're holding my hand a little too tightly," Fleur said as Harry immediately let go of her hand.

"Sorry," he muttered.

"It's alright," she said as the doors to the great hall opened and the six got ready. "Just follow my lead, alright?" Fleur said as they all gracefully entered the hall.

Viktor and Hermione were in the front followed by Cedric and Cho Chang from Ravenclaw. Harry and Fleur were last and as soon as the three pairs entered the great hall they all went to separate directions, already starting to sway slowly.

Harry was almost confused where everyone was going when Fleur pulled him and he followed her before anyone could notice. Once in position Fleur guided his hands on her shoulder and waist as the slow music began.

"I think they're not happy," Fleur said looking at the boys who were all looking at Harry angrily.

Harry, however, was looking at the students' crowd searching for Daphne. He didn't know whom she'd come to the dance with. He saw Neville and Susan in one corner who both waved at him as he smiled at them.

A few minutes later the music stopped and everyone clapped lightly. The champions and their partners then left the dancing area as other students gathered and began to dance.

Harry went straight for the glass of water as he, Fleur, Cedric, Viktor, Hermione and Cho sat around a big round table. "Wow, he is nervous," Cho said as Harry put down the empty glass of water and sighed in relief.

"Better?" Hermione asked as Harry nodded.

"We didn't know that you two would be coming together," Cedric asked looking at Harry and Fleur.

"Let's just say we both helped each other a lot by coming here together," Fleur said as she watched her younger sister dance with a third year Gryffindor. "It's lovely to see that Gabrielle has made a new friend from Hogwarts. I always forget his name though."

Harry smiled looking at the two young students dancing without care and worry. "He's Colin Creevey," he said. He couldn't help but chuckle a little seeing the young boy's camera hanging from his neck as he danced awkwardly with Gabrielle who was a year or two younger than him.

"He seemed like a really sweet boy when I talked to him the other day," Fleur said. "And he took pictures of me and my sister. He is a great photographer."

"That he is," Cedric said knowing of Colin's talents. "So, did you guys found the clue?" he asked looking at them.

"Harry told me," Fleur said.

"Well, you guys helped me by telling me about the first task so I thought about returning the favor," Harry said. "So, how did you found out?" he asked looking at Cedric.

"Well, it was actually Moody who hinted me about it by telling me to have a bath with the egg," Cedric said. "He specifically said to take bath in a bathtub though and not in shower. Do you think its cheating…him helping me?"

"Well, we don't know," Viktor said with a smirk as Harry, Fleur and Cedric smiled as well.

"Are we missing something?" Hermione asked.

Their smiles only widened when Viktor said, "I haven't found the clue though. What is it? The egg…it just shrieks."

"Well, all you have to do is open the egg under water," Cedric said. "I heard a song when I opened it inside the bathtub."

Harry looked at him when he heard that. "Did the song say anything about finding something important within an hour?" he asked. Cedric nodded. "I thought that maybe we'd all get different clues. Was yours the same?" he asked looking at Fleur who nodded. "Well, it looks like we'll all have to find something that's important to us inside the black lake within one hour then."

"Black lake?" Cedric asked surprised. "We'll have to go inside the black lake?"

"Didn't you figure that part out?" Fleur asked. "It was pretty simple to be honest."

"So it's like what, they're gonna hide something of yours underneath the lake?" Hermione asked.

"Seems so," Harry said before reciting the song's lyrics as Hermione listened carefully.

They all talked about the second task as the song came to an end before another one started playing. Harry noticed that Daphne had come with Astoria as her partner and the youngest Greengrass was quite ecstatic to be there. Tracey had come with Blaise Zabini who was amongst the quietest Slytherins known despite him being close friends with Draco.

A few minutes later Harry joined Hermione for a dance as Fleur danced with her sister Gabrielle seeing Daphne and Astoria while Cedric and Cho danced another round as well. Viktor just watched them all while sipping on some butterbeer.

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It was about a week later since the Yule Ball as Harry woke up early in the morning to prepare for the second task. Taking a quick shower and freshening up he came out of the bathroom and saw Neville's bed was empty. Wondering where he'd gone Harry grabbed his egg and the gillyweed that Neville had given him before putting them both in a shrinking pouch and left the dorm.

He came out in the common room to find it completely empty. It was weird since it wasn't that early and was about six in the morning. He was expecting to at least see Hermione by the fireplace where she'd often sit and study starting early morning. It was weird to not see her there, especially today when the second task was going to take place.

Wondering where his friends were he decided to look for them outside the common room when his eyes fell on a small piece of paper pinned on the notice board. It was addressed to him or rather the champions as he read it.

'The second challenge starts at nine. Something valuable of yours has been taken. You will be told what the second challenge is and if you have solved your clue then you will be able to find your missing thing. You are to report to the docks of the black lake at least half an hour before the start of the challenge. The Tri Wizard Committee wishes you luck and may you be victorious.'

Harry wondered what they could've taken from him. His wand, cloak and the marauders' map was still in his trunk as he'd checked a few minutes ago. None of the other items that he owned he considered that important for which he'd dive in unknown dangerous waters of the black lake. As he stood there thinking about it, his eyes widened as he thought about something.

Running back to his dorm he quickly took out the marauders' map and looked for Hermione. She wasn't anywhere in the castle and neither was Neville. He felt a chill as he thought whether they were the ones he needed to find as part of the challenge. He could only confirm it one way as he put the map back in the trunk and headed for the great hall.

Once there he saw Cedric, Viktor and Fleur there who was crying as Viktor and Cedric tried to convince her that everything will be alright. "What happened?" Harry asked walking up to them.

"Gabrielle is missing since this morning," Cedric said, "as is Cho."

Harry didn't need to be told what was happening as he told them how Neville and Hermione were missing as well. "Maybe by 'something important' they meant someone important," he said. "Viktor, are any of your friends missing?" he asked. Viktor shook his head which confused Harry before he realized something. "The ball!" he said as everyone looked at him. "Cedric, you went to the ball with Cho who is missing since this morning. Because Fleur and I went together they couldn't take anyone of us because we're both champions so instead they took Gabrielle for Fleur and Neville for me. As for Viktor…"his expressions darkened as he trembled a little in anger, "you have to save Hermione."

"Are you sure about that?" Cedric asked.

"I can't relate them missing to anything else," Harry said. "I looked for Neville and Hermione throughout the castle this morning and couldn't find them anywhere," he lied. He obviously couldn't tell them about the map. "The other thing is why would they take something from us as in an object? Compared to people objects hold little value. Fleur's sister Gabrielle, Cho, Hermione and Neville. They are all important to us which is why they took them and that is what we have to do – we have to find them."

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It was close to eight thirty and Harry was standing on one of the four platforms built around the black lake for the champions as Viktor, Cedric and Fleur had also taken their position. He was looking at the water wondering if his friends were alright as he took out the gillyweed that Neville had given him a few days ago. Apparently it helped one to breath under water for about an hour. He looked at Fleur who was the most nervous amongst them all. Being a veela which was a fiery creature water weakened her, especially if it was as cold as the black lake during this time of the year. They had planned to stick together because none of them knew what lay beneath the lake. All of their clues were the same so the people that they had to find would also probably be in the same place.

As the audience gathered to watch the tournament Crouch Sr wished the champions luck before firing the cannon which signaled the start of the second challenge. Harry took out the gillyweed and looked at it. It looked slimy and disgusting but he had no other choice but to swallow it whole. It was as big as the size of his palm and wondered how he would swallow it but once he put it in his mouth it went in pretty easily. He decided to wait a couple of seconds to feel for any changes as he saw his competitors.

Cedric and Fleur had also relied on some form of edibles. Cedric's allowed him to have flapped legs to swim better while Fleur's caused her to have a sort of filter around her mouth and nose to probably breathe under water. As for Viktor, much to Harry, Cedric and Fleur's surprise, he transfigured the top half of his body into that of a shark. Everyone knew he was rather good at transfiguration and conjuring magic and if put enough power they could last for hours.

Cedric went in first followed by Fleur, Viktor and then Harry at the end. He was still nervous as he felt nothing after eating the gillyweed but the moment he was inside the lake his neck began to itch really bad. As he scratched it he felt deep cuts on it as he realized he was able to breathe under water. He then looked at his hand and saw a very thin film of skin between his fingers like that of a duck's legs as his legs also developed like the swimming shoes that a scuba diver wore. He felt something in front of his eyes and found out that just like his hands and legs a thin film of skin was covering his eyes allowing him to see better in the dark water of the black lake.

He looked around and saw Viktor in the distance and followed him. Catching up to him they swam together when they began to hear the very same song that they'd heard from the egg. However, it was very faint but as they swam deeper and deeper it got louder.

Soon they caught up with Fleur and Cedric as they neared the village of the merpeople. Looking around carefully to see if they could find their friends and families Fleur's shout for help suddenly caught their attention as they turned around and saw her legs stuck in some water weeds. Viktor fired a slicing hex freeing her when she saw from Cedric, Harry and Viktor's behind a group of merpeople coming towards them as she pointed at them with wide, frightened eyes.

The three turned around, their wands in hands as they began firing at the merpeople who dispersed in the blink of an eye. Harry realized that fighting them in their own turf would be disadvantageous so he told everyone to evade and take turns helping Fleur who was already feeling weak because of the water and couldn't cast her own magic because of it.

Cedric was by her side in an instant as Harry and Viktor took the front and back firing spells at any merpeople they saw coming towards them as the four swam towards the source of the song which got louder as they covered the distance. They were near the source.

Sometimes later the merpeople stopped coming after them so they increased their speed and could soon see four posts on which four bodies were tied. Viktor pointed at them to let the others see when out of nowhere a trident came and impaled him on his left leg, letting out a cloud of red blood as he shouted in pain.

Cedric, Harry and Fleur were instantly on their guard but could see nothing around them when another trident flew towards them or rather Cedric who barely dodged it before firing a spell from where he'd seen the trident come. Signaling Harry and Fleur he told them to go free the others as he and an injured Viktor took care of any of the attacks from the merpeople.

Harry nodded and grabbing Fleur's hand swam towards the four posts as fast as he could with his other hand holding his wand with which he'd cast a shield charm around them. Covering two people inside a full-body shield was exhausting and to do so under water was even more difficult but as he saw Neville, Hermione, Cho and Gabrielle a few meters away from them it gave him confidence when he saw at least twenty or so tridents coming towards him and Fleur.

His eyes widened as he knew his shield would not be able to stop them when he felt a tug and saw Fleur had pulled him back. Before he could wonder what was happening he saw her eyes and found it glowing like red charcoal as her blond hair started to turn fiery red and her finger tips glowed throwing red sparkles.

As if she'd jumped at super speed Fleur dived towards the incoming tridents before clapping her hands as hard as she could. Harry saw a sphere of bubbles and steam form around her as the tridents went inside it before the sphere exploded. The shockwave almost pushed him back as he saw the bubbles clear and to his shock he saw broken and molten bits of the trident fall down towards the lake's unseen bottom. His eyes then went over to Fleur whom he saw was unconscious. It seemed she'd used up all of her powers so without wasting any more time he swam up to her and cast a bubblehead charm seeing whatever it was that she'd taken in order to breath underwater had also stopped working because of her explosive powers.

Once sure that she was fine with the bubblehead charm in place Harry took her to Viktor before going towards the four posts. He saw eight merpeople guarding them so he swam downwards to use the darkness to his advantage. He didn't know if it would work but there was nothing else that he could try. Casting a full body shield had taken a lot out of him and he could feel the exhaustion coming to him already. With Fleur out of commission and Viktor and Cedric busy fending off tens of merpeople it was up to Harry to free the four he saw tied on the posts as he fired carefully aimed slicing hexes towards them.

He freed Gabrielle on the first try but one of the merpeople noticed him and informed the other seven who all dived towards him. Harry panicked, his mind frozen as he didn't know what to do when he saw something…or rather nothing as his grip around the wand tightened as he pointed it towards them.

"Lumos maxima!" he shouted as a bright light flooded the place where he was at. The merpeople coming towards him screamed as they tried to block the bright light falling into their eyes. He smiled as his theory was proved right. Anything living in this lake was accustomed to living in little to no light so when faced with bright light they wouldn't be able to see for some time.

Grabbing the opportunity he swam towards the posts and quickly freed Hermione, Cho and Neville, too before taking them all to where Cedric and Viktor were still fending off the merpeople with an unconscious Fleur. Harry fired off another lumos charm which scared away the merpeople as Viktor and Cedric realized what had happened.

Armed with the lumos charms and their friends freed they swam as fast as they could towards the surface of the lake as the hour neared its end. They were attacked by the merpeople a few more times but a combined attack of their lumos charms pushed those water creatures away and after sometime they stopped pursuing them.

Coming out of the water they heard cheers and applaud from the audiences before Harry and Cedric helped Viktor get on the platform first after which he pulled up an unconscious Fleur. Cho, Hermione, Neville and Gabrielle had woken up as soon as their heads popped out of the water so they all swam towards the platform as well while a team of healers checked on Fleur and Viktor.

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Neither of the three could believe at what they saw. Sure, a huge place like this underneath the castle was one thing but to see an eighty foot long basilisk carcass was a completely different experience as Neville, Hermione and Tracey walked around it trying to take a closer look while Harry and Daphne watched them with amused eyes.

"So, still in first place," Daphne said.

"I can't control the scores," Harry said.

"Well, look at it this way," Daphne said, "you didn't want to be in the tournament but someone put you in it and you got selected. You didn't and still don't have any interest in winning this thing but in both the challenges you've come out on top. I still don't know how they ranked you all after the second task though."

"We were ambushed by a bunch of merpeople," Harry said. "We were later told that it was because we four decided to complete the task as a team rather than completing it ourselves. You know what happened with Fleur and Viktor. Cedric and Viktor fended off the merpeople with an unconscious Fleur to protect while I was the only one left to free our 'missing someone'. Seeing that I was the only one who freed Cho, Hermione, Neville and Gabrielle they gave me the first spot followed by Cedric, Viktor and ultimately Fleur. Adding to our previous scores I am still on top followed by Cedric, Viktor and Fleur."

Daphne nodded without saying anything as Tracey, Hermione and Neville came over to them. "This is amazing!" Neville said.

"It sure is," Harry said. "So, starting day after tomorrow we have our winter holidays so Daphne and I were thinking that after the holidays we all come down here in our free times and break this carcass into smaller parts. Seeing it's a basilisk's skeleton it requires a bit extra effort to break it down which is why we need your help. Also, it's a good practice for casting your spells…and ours."

"And we'll get a hefty price once we sell its parts," Daphne said.

Everyone agreed and after spending some more time they all decided to leave the chamber. As Hermione, Tracey and Neville walked ahead Daphne called Harry. "What is it?" he asked.

"Mom wanted to ask me, you know…ever since Sirius was proven innocent and got his lordship of house Black he wants you to go live with him," she said.

"You mom wants to know whether I would go," he said. "I received her letter yesterday and I have already replied."

"And what did you reply?" she asked slowly.

Harry said nothing for a minute as they all climbed the latter and came into the cave section where the basilisk's skin was. "Can I tell you something?" he asked her slowly as she looked at him. "I like your company. I like it when we spend time together and I think…" he stopped.

"You think what?" she asked slowly as Harry noticed there was vulnerability in her tone when she asked him that.

"I think I like you."

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Thanks for reading…