Chapter 56
Disclaimer: I don't own anything.
AN1 IMPORTANT, PLEASE READ, IMPORTANT: So I'm having some serious computer issues, so bad that I'm going to have to use my brother's until he gets home from a holiday on Monday night, after that I'll figure something out. So if I miss any updates that's why.
Thank you for the support.
February 23rd 1995
It has been about a month since Harry, Hermione, Neville, Fred and George had a run in with Bagman and Skeeter in Hogsmeade before trying to get Hagrid to see that he shouldn't keep himself locked in his hut.
It is now the night before the second task and Harry, Hermione, Neville, Fred and George are walking back to Gryffindor Tower, having spent the last couple of hours with Remus and Sirius.
"So, you two ready for tomorrow?" George asks curious.
"I think we're as ready as we'll ever be." Hermione answers.
"Good. You've got a lot of bets on you." Fred tells Harry and Hermione.
"Is that meant to help?" Hermione asks curious.
"Yep." Fred and George say together.
"It definitely should, I have two galleons on you two." Neville reveals, causing Harry and Hermione to look at him in shock.
"Really?" Harry and Hermione ask together.
"I was being supportive." Neville explains, with a shrug.
"By betting?" Hermione asks, giving him an odd look.
"I'm going to pretend that I'm not hearing this." Minerva says, as the five of them almost walk straight into their head of house.
"Professor." Fred and George say together.
"Minerva." Harry, Hermione and Neville say.
"I need to talk to Harry and Hermione." Minerva reveals, "Fred, George, Neville, they'll meet you in the common room." She reveals.
"Yes, Professor." Neville, Fred and George say.
"You two with me." Minerva says and Harry and Hermione follow Minerva.
A little while after Minerva meet Harry and Hermione the three of them walk into Minerva's office where they find Albus waiting too.
"What's going on?" Hermione asks confused.
"There are two parts to the second task, two roles." Albus reveals, "Now, I assume you've both figured out the clue and know what it means." Albus comments.
"Yes." Harry and Hermione say together, wondering what is going on.
"For this task, one of you will be the thing sorely missed and the other one of you will complete the task to get you back." Albus explains.
"Which one of us will be which?" Harry asks curious.
"That's up to you." Minerva answers, "Well give you a couple of minutes to decide." She says and she and Albus walk over to the other side of the room.
"What do you think?" Hermione asks Harry curious.
"I think you should be the one to complete the task, you're the stronger swimmer, it would be better for you to do it." Harry informs Hermione.
"Okay." Hermione says with a nod.
"I'll be the thing sorely missed." Harry says, stepping forward.
"Okay Harry, then you come with me and Hermione you go back to the Gryffindor Common room." Albus say.
"Okay." Harry and Hermione say together.
"I'll see tomorrow." Harry says before hugging Hermione.
"See you tomorrow." Hermione responds and once they break apart Hermione heads out of the room while harry goes with Albus and Minerva.
February 24th 1995
After a restless night's sleep Hermione gets up early and spends while just sitting by the fire in the common room, thinking about what she is going to have to do
"Hey Mione." Neville says, sitting down next to Hermione a while after she's been sitting by the fire.
"Hey." Hermione responds.
"You doing okay?" Neville asks concerned.
"Probably as okay as I can be." Hermione admits.
"You'll be okay; you can do this." Neville tells Hermione.
"Thanks Nev." Hermione responds and the two of them drift into silence, Hermione feeling grateful for the support and comfort her friend gives her.
After spending a while with Neville, and then Fred and George once they got up, Hermione headed down to the lake, getting their just as Krum, Cedric and Fleur did.
"Where's Harry?" Cedric asks curious.
"Long story." Hermione responds, and Cedric just looks confused.
As they wait for the task Hermione notices that Crouch once more hasn't shown up and Percy is sitting at the judges table. As she waits Hermione can feel herself becoming more and more nervous as during the last task she had Harry by her side, but this time she is all alone and he's counting on her to save him, and she has to because she cannot let him down.
After what feels like a really long time Hermione and the other champions strip down into the swimwear and Hermione has the Gillyweed in one hand while she puts her wand in the holster that her parents got her for Christmas.
A few minutes later Bagman moves Hermione and the other champions into specific positions along the bank, there being ten feet between each of them, Hermione being at the end of the line with Krum next to her.
"All right, Hermione?" Bagman whispers, "Know what you're going to do?" he asks.
"Yes." Hermione confirms and Bagman gives her shoulder a squeeze before he walks over to the judges table, where he points his wand at his throat, just like he did at the Qudditch World cup and says, "Sonorus." Causing his voice to boom out across the ark water and towards the stands.
"Well, all our champions are ready for the second task, which will start on my whistle. They have precisely an hour to recover what has been taken from them. One the count of three, then. One…. Two….. three!"
Bagman says before the whistle echoes shrilly though the cold, shrill air, causing the stands to erupt with cheers and applause.
As the whistle blows Hermione puts the Gillyweed into her mouth and walks towards the lake. The second she walks into the lake Hermione decides that she would like to curse whoever idea it was to hold an event in the lake during February as the water is so cold that the skin on her legs feel more like they are on fire rather than icy water.
Not being completely sure how long it will be before the Gillyweed starts to work Hermione continues to walk, purposely ignoring the catcalls and jeering from the Slytherins, and then quiet suddenly, once she is about waist deep in the water Hermione feels as though an invisible pillow is being pressed over her mouth and noise.
There being only one thing she can think to do Hermione tries to take a breath but it just makes her head spin as her lungs are empty and then suddenly she feels a piercing pain on either side of neck. Reaching up Hermione clamps her hands around her throat and she realises that she has gills. Knowing what she has to do Hermione flings herself into the water and as she gulps in the water it feels almost like a breath of life. As she goes into the water Hermione's head stops spinning and as she takes another great gulp of water she feels it pass smoothly through her gills, sending oxygen back to her brain. Stretching out her hands in front of her Hermione realises that they look green and ghostly under the water and they have become webbed. Twirling around Hermione sees that they have become elongated and webbed, looking like flippers.
Knowing what she has to do Hermione swims forward and as she does Hermione realises that the water doesn't feel icy anymore, instead it feels pleasantly cool and very light, and as she swims she realises that she doesn't even need to blink anymore.
Not being able to see the bottom anymore Hermione dives deeper, knowing that she needs to get to the bottom as that's where Harry will be. As she swims Hermione realises that she can only see about ten feet in front of her and as she swims Hermione can't help but be amazed at the sight, but because she knows that she doesn't have a lot of time Hermione just swims deeper and deeper.
As she swims Hermione notices a plant that she recognizes, Grindylow, and so she swims to avoid to avoid it as she really doesn't want to get caught in that, but as she swims Hermione gets a feeling that tells her that she is only going to find Harry if she goes through. Even though it is a strange feeling Hermione believes that she should trust the feeling and so she pulls her wand and continues to swim.
As she swims Hermione gets caught by the Grindylow and because she knows that she won't be able to cast spells Hermione just completely focuses on one word, "Relasho." But the spell doesn't work how she intends as instead of causing sparks to come out of her wand what seems to be boiling water comes out of wand and instead causes angry red patches to appear on the green skin. Even though it wasn't what she was intending the boiling water does work to a degree as it causes the Grindylow to loosen it's grip on her and she is able to free.
Once she is free Hermione just starts to swim faster, shooting more of the boiling water over her shoulder, occasionally kicking herself free before the Grinylow can get a strong grip until she is beyond where the Grindylow can reach.
Once she is out of the Grindylow's reach Hermione stops and just starts to tread water. As she does Hermione closes her eyes and focuses on the feeling she felt earlier, as she does Hermione feels the feeling once more, a feeling that tells her that a member of her family, or actually the feeling is making her think member of her pack, which makes Hermione make a note to talk to Remus once this task is over, is nearby. Focusing on that feeling Hermione starts to swim in the direction that the feeling is telling her to go in, knowing that if she didn't have more important thing going on then she would be worried about what the hell is going on.
For at least twenty minutes Hermione swims, swimming over vast expanses of black mud, until she finally hears,
"An hour long you'll have to look,
And to recover what we took…."
From the second she hears that Hermione starts to swim fast and very soon after Hermione sees a large rock emerging out of the muddy water ahead. It has a painting of merpeople on it; they are carrying spears and chasing what looks like a giant squid, and seeing that Hermione just keeps swimming, following the mersong as well as the feeling.
"… your time's half gone, so tarry not
Lest what you seek stays here to rot…"
Suddenly out of the gloom a crude stone dwelling that is stained with algae. Here and there at the dark windows, Hermione sees faces that bear no resemblances at all to the painting of the mermaid in the prefect's bathroom. The Merpeople have grayish skin and long, wild, dark green hair. Their eyes are yellow, as are their broken teeth and they wear thick ropes of pebbles around their necks. As Hermione swims pass they leer at her and one or two swim out from their caves to watch her better, their powerful, silver fish tails beating the water with spears clutched in their hands.
Pushing past her fear Hermione swims on, going even faster, soon the dwellings become more numerous; there are gardens of weed around some of them and she even sees a pet grindylow tied to a stake outside one door.
As she swims on Hermione notices that more Merpeople are emerging on all sides now, watching her eagerly, pointing at her webbed hands and gills as they talk behind their hands to one another.
Speeding around a corner a very strange sight meets Hermione's eyes. A whole crowd of merepeople are floating in front of the houses that lines what looks like a mer-version of a village square. A choir of merpeople are singing in the middle, calling the champions towards them, an behind them rises a crude sort of statue; a gigantic merperson hewn from a boulder. Four people are bound tightly to the tail of the stone merperson.
Harry is tied between Ginny and Cho Chang and there is also a girl who looks no older than eight, whose clouds of silvery hair makes Hermione feel pretty sure that she is Fleur's sister.
All four of them appear to be in a very deep sleep. Their heads are lolling onto their shoulders, and fine streams of bubbles keep issuing from their mouths. Seeing them Hermione speeds towards the hostages, honestly expecting the merpeople to lower their spears, but they don't. The ropes of weed stying the hostages to the statue are thick, slimy and very strong, making Hermione very much wish that she thought to bring something with her.
Looking around Hermione realises that the spears that the merpeople are holding are pretty sharp but she very much doubts that they will let her use them and she figures that there is no point in asking, so instead she just keeps looking around until she spots the rocks at the bottom of the lake.
Diving down Hermione picks up a particularly jagged one and swims back to the statue and starts work on the vines, hacking at them. After several minutes of hard work they break apart and Harry floats unconscious, a few inches above the lake bottom, drifting a little in the ebb of water.
Even though Hermione knows that she should just take Harry and go Hermione can't help the nagging feeling she has that tells her that she can't leave the other and so she turns back to the others and starts to hack at the bindings that are holding Ginny.
As soon as Hermione start to hack several pairs of strong grey hands seize her and half a dozen mermen pull her away from Ginny, shaking their green-haired heads and laughing.
"You take your own hostage." One of the mermen says to her, "Leave the others…."
"I can't.." Hermione attempts to say, but only large bubbles come out of her mouth.
"Your task is to retrieve your own friends leave the others…"
"She's my friend too!" Hermione yells, gesturing to Ginny, "And I don't want them to die either!"
As she waits Hermione looks around, trying to figure out what to do. There is a part of her that tells Hermione that there is no way Albus will let anything happen to the hostages there is another part of her that tells Hermione that neither of her parents, or Harry would leave until they were sure that everyone was safe, and so she comes to a decision, she won't leave until everyone is safe.
Just as she comes to that decision Hermione notices the merpeople pointing upwards and following the looks Hermione sees Cedric is swimming towards her with an enormous bubble around his head.
"Get lost!" Cedric mouths, looking panic-stricken, "Fleur and Krum're coming now!"
Feeling enormously relieved Hermione watches as Cedric pulls a knife out of his pocket and he cuts Cho free, pulling her upwards and out of sights.
Looking around Hermione waits, wondering where Fleur and Krum are. Suddenly the Merepeople starts to screeching and those holding Hermione loosen tier grip, staring behind them. Looking to where the Merepeople are Hermione sees something monstrous cutting though the water towards them: A human body in swimming trunks with the head of a shark, it is Krum, he appears to have badly transfigured himself.
The shark-man swims straight to Ginny and begins to snap and bites at her ropes, but the trouble is that that Krum's new teeth are positioned very awkwardly for biting anything smaller than a dolphin, and Hermione is quite sure that if Krum isn't careful he's going to rip Ginny in half.
Darting forward Hermione hits Krum hard on the shoulder and holds up the jagged stone. Seizing it Krum uses it to cut Ginny free. Within second he has done it and he grabs Ginny around the waist and without a backwards glance he begins to rise rapidly towards the surface.
As Hermione watches Krum and Ginny swim away she can't help but wonder "Now what?" as there is no sign of Fleur, nothing to say that she is coming and she can't just leave the girl alone, even though she wants to believe Albus wouldn't let them get hurt she knows that just leaving the girl behind would be wrong.
Realising what she has to do Hermione snatches up the stone that Krum drops, as she does the mermen close in around Harry and the little girl, shaking their heads at her, causing Hermione to pull her wand.
"Get out of the way!" Hermione says, but only bubbles fly out of her mouth, but the fact that the mermen suddenly stop laughing, look afraid and their eyes fix on Hermione's wand she gets the impression that they get the message. Even though she knows enough to know that she should feel bad about this, and she does to a degree, Hermione doesn't focus on that as she knows that she has to get Harry and the little girl to safety.
"You've got until three." Hermione shouts, causing a stream of bubbles to burst from her, a she holds up tree fingers "One." Hermione says, putting down one finger, "Two." She says, putting down another and as she does the Merpeople scatter.
As soon as they do Hermione darts forward and begins to hack at the ropes binding the small girl to the statue until she is free at last. Once she is Hermione seizes the little girl around the waist, and grabs the neck of Harry's robes before kicking off the bottom.
As she can no longer use her webbed hands to propel herself forward Hermione works her flippers furiously, but Harry and Fleur's sister are like potato-filled sacks dragging her back down but Hermione just fixes her eyes skyward, though she knows that she must be very deep as the water below her is very dark. As she rises Merpeople rise with her and she can see them swirling around with ease, watching her struggle through the water and as she does she can't help but wonder whether they will pull her back down soon?
As she swims Hermione's legs start to seize up with the effort to keep swimming; her shoulders are aching horribly with the effort of dragging Harry and the girl. Just as Hermione starts to realise that the water is thinning and she starts to see daylight above her Hermione feels the pain on the side of her neck again and she starts to become very well aware of how wet the water is in her mouth.
Having no other choice Hermione just starts to kick harder, but as her feet are once more feet again rather than flippers the affect is lesson. Water starts to flood through Hermione's mouth and into her lungs, she starts to feel dizzy but as she realises that light and air are only ten feet away she just keeps kicking, even though her muscles start to scream in process, as her brain feels waterlogged Hermione just keeps swimming, having no other voice.
Then finally Hermione feels her head break the surface, and wonderful cold, clear air hits her face, causing her face to sting. As she takes a deep breath of the wonderful air Hermione pulls Harry and the little girl up with her. All around her, wild, green-haired heads are emerging out of the water with her, smiling at her.
In the stands the crowds are making a great deal of noise, shouting and screaming, all of them seemingly on their feet.
"You did it." Harry says, smiling at Hermione, "And you saved her too." He says.
"It was the right thing to do." Hermione answers, "It's what you would have done."
"Yeah, it is." Harry confirms, "We better help her." He says as it becomes clear to Harry and Hermione that the little girl can't swim that well.
"Yeah." Hermione confirms and the two of them pull Fleur's sister through the water, back towards the bank where the judges are standing, watching, as they go back twenty merpeople accompany them back like a guard of honour, singing their horrible screeching songs.
As they get closer Hermione sees Poppy fussing over Ginny, Krum, Cedric and Cho, all of whom have been wrapped in thick blankets.
Standing on the bank Albus and Bagman are beaming at Hermione and Harry as they get closer and Percy is looking surprised and suddenly Hermione sees two figures splashing over to them, figures that she quickly realises are Rems and Sirius.
As they splash forward Madame Maxime is attempting to restrain Flue who is clearly quiet hysterical as she fights tooth and nail to get to the water.
"Gabrielle! Gabrielle! Is she alive? Is she 'urt?"
"She's fine." Hermione attempts to tell her, but she is so exhausted that she can hardly talk, let alone shout.
Once they meet Sirius and Remus grab Harry and Hermione and drag them back to the bank.
"I'm okay, just tired." Hermione assures her fathers as Fleur breaks free of Madame Maxime and hugs her sister.
"It was ze grindylows, zey attacked me, oh Gabrielle, I thought, I thought."
"Come here, you." Poppy says, seizing Hermione and pulling her over to Ginny and the others, once she is right next to them Poppy wraps Hermione so tightly in a blanket that it feels like a straightjacket as she forces a hot potion down her throat that causes steam to gush out of her ears.
"Hermione, well done!" Ginny cries, "You did it, you found us!"
"Yeah." Hermione answers, now she is out of the water her mind is on how she found Harry and even though she would like to ask both her father's what happened, as they have just down next to her, Hermione knows it's not the time, especially considering a very unhappy Karkaroff is pretty close by.
"You haff a water beetle in your hair, Ginny." Krum says, attempting to draw attention back to himself, something which works perfectly.
"You were well outside time limit, Princess." Sirius tells his daughter as he and Remus both wrap their arms around her, "Did you have trouble finding them?"
"No, I found them easily." Hermione answers, "It's just…."
"Just…?" Remus starts to ask.
"Even though I wanted to believe that Albus wouldn't let anything happen to anyone I couldn't leave the others without being sure they would be rescued." Hermione explains to her parents, "Neither of you would have, and neither would Harry."
"No, we wouldn't have." Sirius confirms.
As Hermione talks to her parents she notices Albus deep in conversation with what seems to be the chief merperson, talking in the same screeching voice, which is clearly mermish. After a little while Albus suddenly stands up.
"A conference before we give the marks, I think." Albus says and he and the other judges go into a huddle.
After Poppy makes sure that Harry and Hermione are both okay she goes to Fleur and attempts to clean the cuts that Fleur has all over her face but Poppy won't allow her.
"Look after Gabrielle." Fleur tells Poppy before she turns to Hermione, "You saved 'er." She says breathlessly, "Even though she was not your 'ostage."
"I had to." Hermione tells Fleur, "I couldn't leave her behind."
"Thank you." Fleur says before hugging Hermione tightly, and places kisses on each of Hermione's cheeks,
"And you too, you 'elped." She tells Harry.
"Not really, it was Mione." Harry says, but Fleur still kisses him on the cheek too.
Suddenly Bagman's voice booms from beside them, causing them all to jump, and the crowd in the stands go quiet.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we have reached our decision. Merchieftainess Murcus has told us exactly what happened at the bottom of the lake and we have therefore decided to award marks out of fifty for each of the champions, as follows." Bagman reveals, "Fleur Delacour, though she demonstrated excellent use of the Bubble-Head Charm, was attacked by Grindylows as she approached her goal, and failed to retrieve her hostage. We award her twenty-five points." Bagman says, causing applause to break out from the stands.
"I deserved zero." Said Fleur.
"Cedric Diggory, who also used the Bubble-Head Charm, was first to return with his hostage, though he returned one minute outside the limot of an hour." Bagman says as enormous charms break out from the hufflepuffs in the crowd, "We therefore award him forty-seven points."
"I'm sorry." Hermione says to Harry, "I would have been way outside the time limit." Hermione says to Harry.
"It's okay. You did the right thing." Harry assures her.
"Viktor Krum used an incomplete form of Transfiguration, which nevertheless effective, and was second to return with his hostage. We award him forty points." Bagman reveals, causing Karkaroff to clap and look particularly superior, "Hermione Lupin-Black, on behalf of herself and Harry Potter used Gillyweed to great effect." Bagman reveals, "She returned last, and well outside the limit of an hour. However, the Mercheftaines informs us that Miss Lupin-Black was first to reach the hostages, and that the delay in her return was due to her determination to return all hostages to safety, not merely her own." Bagman reveals, "Most of the judges." Bagman says, giving Karkaroff a very nasty look, "Feel that this shows moral fiber and merits mull makes. However…. Miss Lupin-Black score is is forty-five points."
"We're tied in first place." Harry says to Hermione as Sirius and Remus start to join in on the applause.
"The third and final task will take place at dusk on the third of June." Bagman reveals, "The champions will be notified of what is coming precisely one month beforehand. Thank you all for your support of the champions." Bagman says before ending the spell.
"Come on you two. Let's get you two upstairs and warm." Sirius says to Harry and Hermione, both of whom nod and the family of four head upstairs, Neville joining them on the way.
It has been an hour and a half since the Second Task ended an ever since Hermione has been in her father's quarters with her parents, Harry and Neville. As they know that the party that Fred and George has been organizing would be ready by now Hermione, Neville and Harry are getting ready to leave.
"I'll catch up with you guys." Hermione says to Harry and Neville.
"Is something wrong?" Harry asks concerned.
"No, I just need to talk to Dad and Papa, I'll be there soon." Hermione explains.
"Okay, see you soon." Neville says and he and Harry leave while Hermione walk back over to her parents.
"Is something wrong, Princess?" Sirius asks concerned.
"I'm not sure." Hermione admits as she sits back down on the couch, "When I was in the lake something happened." Hermione reveals, "It was like I just keep which way would lead me to Harry and when I focused on the feeling I it was like I knew a member of my pack was nearby." Hermione explains, "What's going on?" she asks her parents, sounding worried.
"We were going to talk to you about this once the tournament was over." Remus reveals as he and Sirius exchange worried looks, neither of them expecting this to have happened so soon.
"Why? What's going on?" Hermione asks, looking between her parents.
"You are the daughter of a werewolf and because of that as you get closer to the age of sixteen there are traits, abilities in some ways, that you could start to gain." Remus explains to his daughter, and Hermione looks concerned.
"Will I transform?" Hermione asks worried.
"No." Sirius and Remus say together.
"We were once worried that you would but as you never have you won't now." Sirius explains to his daughter as while there is a lot they don't understand they do know that Hermione won't suddenly start to transform, not unless she gets bitten.
"What is likely to happen is that you will be more sensitive to the luna cycle, something which is already happening." Remus reveals, "You're hearing is likely to improve, greatly, and you'll be able to sense me, your Dad, Harry and maybe even Neville, I'm not completely sure." He explains, "You'll be able to tell where we are or maybe even eventually if we are hurt or in danger." he explains to his daughter, "Your other sense, and reflexes, may also improve but I don't know for sure. Honestly there is a lot I don't know." Remus admits.
"How long have you known this was could happen?" Hermione asks her parents.
"Your whole life." Sirius answers.
"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" Hermione asks, looking at Remus, "Didn't you think I had the right to know?"
"Of course you did, but we didn't know for sure that this would happen to you." Remus explains, "We were going to wait and see what happened, we knew that if by sixteen, the year before adult hood, nothing happened then you weren't going to gain any trait so there was no point you knowing that it was a possibility." Remus explains, "After how worried you get around the full moon I believed that there would be a very strong chance that you would gain traits and abilities, but considering the tournament we didn't want you to worry."
"So you've known, my whole life that I may gain werewolf traits and abilities and you never thought to tell me?" Hermione asks, sounding angry.
"We didn't want you to worry. We didn't want you to be afraid of something that may never happen." Sirius explains.
"We're sorry, Hermione. We were doing what we thought were best, we were trying to protect you, stop you for hurting." Remus explains to her daughter.
"Yeah well, you failed." Hermione says, pain and anger both in her voice, "I've got a party to get to." Hermione says before getting up and walking out of the quarters, leaving Sirius and Remus looking upset.
"She hates us." Remus says, tears coming to his eyes.
"No, Rem, she doesn't she just needs time." Sirius explains to his mate as he puts his arm around him.
"I should have told her; I should have told her everyone." Remus says, before starting to cry. Having no idea what else to do Sirius just pulls his mate in closer and holds him while he cries as even though he is upset and hurting too he knows Remus needs him to be strong.
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