PART THREE
CHAPTER FOURTHTEEN: WHAT THE MERPEOPLE TOOK
Every day, the Second Task was coming closer and still Neville had not managed to produce a satisfactory Bubblehead Charm. He kept sneezing which was causing the bubble over his nose and mouth to burst into tiny drops of vapour. But they were practising in the Prefect's bathroom and Harry was convinced that Neville's sneezing was due to the heavy perfumes that filled the room.
"You'll be alright in the lake," he said hopefully to Neville as they were wiping the humidity off their faces one evening. "Just in case, though, we have a plan B."
"I really think the Bubblehead Charm's my best bet," said Neville nervously.
"Maybe," replied Harry. "I'm still going to have some Gillyweed handy just in case."
He would have preferred Gillyweed to be the first option, but Neville was firmly against it. He didn't seem to like the idea of having gills and fins for an hour. But Harry had still stolen some Gillyweed from Snape's cabinet during their last Potions class and he was intending to bring it along just in case Neville could not perform the Bubblehead Charm perfectly on time for the task. The Gillyweed was sealed in an empty ink bottle that he kept it in his pocket at all times.
A week before the Task, Neville asked Harry's dad if they could use the Defence against the Dark Arts classroom to practice Stunning Spells which could prove useful against Grindylows. James Potter was so glad that Neville was getting good preparation, and from his son nonetheless, that he could not refuse. Surprisingly, Neville was quite good at Stunning Spells. After a few days, he could reach every target at a considerable distance.
"My dad's taught me," he explained to Harry after Stunning a spider that was now lying flat on its belly as though it was dead.
"It's very good," said Harry happily. "Now you have more time for you Bubblehead Charm."
"I wonder what they've taken, though," said Neville pensively.
"Err… It must be a treasure of some sort," answered Harry uneasily.
In Harry's mind, it was quite clear who the Merpeople's hostages were going to be. Viktor Krum's friend Elisa Lord had arrived the previous evening saying that she had been given a special permission to attend to the Second Task. Harry had immediately thought that she had been selected to be Krum's hostage in the Black Lake. Fleur Delacour and Neville would both be rescuing their sisters: Gabrielle Delacour and Eleanor Longbottom.
"Why don't you try that Bubblehead Charm again?" said Harry quickly before Neville could wonder more about what would happen in the Black Lake.
Neville took out his wand, pointed it to his mouth, then made a sort of loop with the tip of his wand and a transparent bubble erupted to cover half of his face.
"Don't sneeze," said Harry warningly.
Neville raised both his hands and started a countdown on his fingers from ten to one, then he pointed his wand at the bubble and it evaporated instantly on his command.
"That's it," he said, short of breath. "It didn't burst."
"I think you did it," said Harry with a large grin on his face.
Harry was so relieved that Neville could now perform the Bubblehead Charm that all his other worries seemed to vanish away. Everything finally seemed to be falling into place, for the Second Task at least. He didn't want to think about what lay ahead next. "One thing at the time," he kept reminding himself as he was walking up the stairs towards the Gryffindor Common Room the evening before the Second Task.
"Harry! Neville just told me!"
It was Ginny. She was running up the stairs. When she caught up with him, she instantly slipped her hand into his, as it had now become her habit. Harry squeezed it gently in response.
"I guess Nev won't need Gillyweed after all," she said, smiling broadly. "A good night's rest and he will be as ready as he'll ever be."
"I really think he can pull it off," replied Harry quietly to make sure they were not being overheard. "Grindylows won't be a problem," he continued to say in a lower voice. "He can Stun them easily; I've seen him do it with smaller targets. Ginny, he has a chance to take the lead."
"I'll be happy if he just makes it out of the Third Task alive," Ginny replied gravely. "With Dumbledore watching, I don't think he's really in any danger, you know, but still I'd sleep better if…"
She couldn't finish her sentence. Harry had sealed her lips with a kiss, never letting go of her hand.
"You didn't have to do that," Ginny whispered, looking around shyly at the other Gryffindor students that were passing by.
"I did," said Harry, staring at her. "I wanted to."
It had just occurred to him how easy it was to talk to Ginny. She seemed to know his every thought, to understand him better than anyone. He wanted to spend more time with her. How he regretted to have missed that final dance at the Yule Ball. He wanted to make it up to her.
"I want to go a on a date with you," he said at last.
She smiled.
"There will be a Hogsmead visit after the Second Task," she replied. "Easter weekend or earlier. Let's do something then."
She kissed him on the forehead and walked away, releasing his hand only when they were no longer within arms' reach. She disappeared in a crowd of third year Gryffindors who were walking through the portrait hole. Harry remained behind, leaning on the rim of the staircases, gazing dreamily at the moving crowd below.
"A moment of your time, Potter?" called a familiar voice a few steps away from him.
It was Professor McGonnagal. Harry straightened up and turned around. To his surprise, Elisa Lord was following the Deputy Headmistress, wearing what appeared to be her school's robes. It was a below-the-knee length grey skirt with high burgundy boots. She also wore a white top with large sleeves and a heavy dark blue cloak thrown on her shoulders with a white Fleur-de-Lys blazon on the right side.
"You will accompany me and Miss Lord to the Headmaster's office, if you please, Mr Potter."
It was all too clear. It was the evening before the Task. Professor McGonnagal was gathering the hostages together. But why him ? It didn't make sense. Yet he couldn't say anything but a nervous "Yes, Professor," as he followed her and Elisa down the staircases and along the corridor leading to Dumbledore's office. Elisa threw him a few inquiring looks, but Harry kept looking straight ahead, ignoring her completely.
"Butterbeer," said McGonnagal when they arrived at the statue. The secret door was revealed and Harry soon found himself facing the door to Dumbledore's office.
He had not expected to find that many people assembled there. Mr and Mrs Longbottom were standing besides Dumbledore's desk, and so were Harry's parents. Karkaroff stood apart from the rest and seemed deep in conversation with Snape. Madam Maxim was also in the room. She was laying a protective hand on the shoulders of a beautiful blond girl that Harry recognised immediately as Gabrielle Delacour, Fleur's sister. Finally, Bartemius Crouch was sitting on a chair, next to the wall, and looking quite disconnected from the discussion at hand.
"James, I cannot possibly let Eleanor go down there where I can't watch them both," said Frank Longbottom as McGonnagal was hushing Harry and Elisa forward into the crowded office. "We've been through this. My decision is final."
Harry could feel his heart pounding in his chest. If Neville was not going to rescue Eleanor, then…
"Frank, can't you think of someone else?" said Lily Potter. Her voice sounded uncommonly off, in Harry's opinion, and she looked paler than usual. Harry's dad bent over to whisper something to her ears. Harry thought he saw her press her lips together as though she was trying to stop herself from saying more.
"There you are, Harry," said Dumbledore loud enough to cover the voices of everyone else in the room. "And Miss Lord, of course. Welcome back to Hogwarts."
Harry distinctively saw Karkaroff throw one unfriendly look at Elisa, but the young Canadian girl seemed totally unconcerned by it.
"Are we going to be participating in the Second Task, Headmaster?" she asked, staring at Dumbledore.
"Absolutely," said Dumbledore. "You, the young Miss Delacour, and Mr Potter have been chosen for your affinities with the three Champions."
"We're what the Merpeople have stolen!" said Elisa in a triumphant voice. "The Champions have to rescue us! It's a test of bravery," she concluded. Then, seeing how the teachers in the room were staring at her, she added, blushing: "Viktor told me the song."
"But why me?" Harry asked openly. He thought of the ink bottle full of Gillyweed in his pocket. What if Neville couldn't produce the Bubblehead Charm? What if he was too nervous to do it?
"Well, Harry," said Frank Longbottom happily which was a contrast to the tone he had been using a minute before, "you are Nev's best friend since you started Hogwarts together. It's a logical choice."
Mr Longbottom was right, of course. It was indeed a rational choice. After all, Ron had been Harry's hostage to rescue. "If only I had thought about it before," thought Harry bitterly. "I would have given the Gillyweed to Ginny…"
"It's a logical choice to you," replied Lily Potter so that she caught the attention of everyone in the room. Her eyes were watery. She looked on the verge of tears and angry all at once. Harry had never seen her so shaken.
Before she could say another word, James ceased her by the shoulders and forced her to face him. He threw a rapid look at Dumbledore and started to whisper words of comfort to her again, pulling her apart from the others as he did so. Harry couldn't hear what they were saying, but he felt slightly annoyed that his parents were so protective of him. He knew that he was not going to be in any danger down in the lake. He couldn't understand why his mother was reacting so strongly. Then again, he had never had parents before. Perhaps this was a normal reaction, he wondered.
"The choice," said Dumbledore, breaking the silence, "belongs those who are about to participate. So what do you say, Miss Delacour?"
Madam Maxim murmured something in French in Gabrielle Delacour's ears, after which the young girl nodded positively.
Elisa Lord didn't wait for Dumbledore to repeat the question.
"Just tell me what I have to do, Headmaster," she said excitedly.
Then all eyes turned to Harry.
"You can count me in, Professor," he said as convincingly as he could.
A few minutes later, his mother kissed him on the forehead and all went dark as he fell into a dreamless sleep.
