"What do you reckon she wants to see us for?" Whispered Ron to Hermione.
They were a few steps behind the twins. Professor McGonagall's office wasn't far from the library. They didn't have time for a real conversation during the few turns they took on the first floor. They all knew the way and swiftly reached it, in the first-floor corridor, right next to a staircase ascending to the Serpentine Corridor.
Hermione shrugged. "Did you do anything?"
"No!"
"Then maybe it's about Harry." Suggested the bushy haired girl.
"It has to be. Do you think we'll get in trouble for helping him too much?"
George knocked on the door before opening it. Fred spoke. "Here they are professor."
"Thank you Mister Weasley." Acknowledged the Gryffindor head as Ron and Hermione made their way in.
The younger Gryffindor students heard George comment about two Mister Weasley as he closed the door behind them. "Take a seat." Ordered their professor.
Hermione took in the scene in front of her. A fire was lit in the large fireplace, giving that small office a strange glow. Four chairs had been set in front of McGonagall's desk, two were occupied, one by Cho Chang, the other by a Durmstrang student Hermione had come to know as Thiomir, Viktor's best friend, they were like brothers. Hermione felt dread pool in her stomach as she sat down with the others, this was about the second task and it wasn't good.
Dumbeldore was standing next to his teacher. "I'm sure you're wondering why you've all been brought here." He paused as he observed them and stopped on Hermione. "Maybe not all of you." They all looked at her.
"It has to do with the second task. I thought…" She sighed; the champions weren't going to go after some trinket. "We are what's been taken, or what is about to be. The champions are supposed to rescue us from the lake, are they not?"
Dumbeldore's eyes twinkled as his usual mysterious smile appeared. "Once more you are correct Miss Granger, but fear not, you will be perfectly safe. You'll be placed into a bewitched sleep until you're be back above water."
Ron eyes grew wide before he turned to Hermione. She couldn't look at him knowing he most likely had put them together, each student sitting here with a respective champion, which meant he was here for Harry. Harry, who when they left, still had no idea how to even begin this task. When he didn't get anything from his friend he turned to the teachers, going from Dumbeldore to McGonagall, obviously distressed. " What…what happens if we are not…rescued?" Ron gulped as he finished his question.
"What are you suggesting Mister Weasley? That we'd leave you at the bottom of the lake? Don't be ridiculous! The merepeople won't want to keep you." Said McGonagall.
"If one of you is still underwater when the second task is over, you'll be brought up by the merepeople. There is really no need to be scared, no harm will come to you." Added Dumbeldore.
"Professor?" Intervened Hermione. "I…" She knew she wasn't allowed to share any information she might have learned about Veelas, but how was she supposed to express her worries when it came to Fleur's reaction without disclosing anything confidential. "Fleur is a Veela and we…I mean…is this a good idea?"
"Miss Delacour is only a quarter-Veela, we've discussed it amongst the judges, and agreed that it would be without consequence to the competition." Explained Dumbeldore.
Hermione bit her lower lip. She couldn't explain to them that Fleur's blood had been awaken after meeting her mate. She took a deep breath. It had to be fine, she wouldn't be in any real danger. It was just a stupid game. She nodded.
Fleur had been told early on by Madame Maxine that she couldn't leave the carriage until the next day, when she argued that she was supposed to meet with her girlfriend she was informed that Miss Granger couldn't do that in any way. The Hogwarts headmaster had requisitioned her for an important project. Fleur would only be able to see her again for the second task.
The blonde was doing her best not to pace in her room. She made sure everything was ready and perfect. Her suit, her robes, her towel, how she would put her hair. She was mumbling some spells. She was so nervous. She had to do her school proud; her family would be there, and Hermione.
Thinking about Hermione, she could feel her nerves too, something was making anxious. Fleur smiled as she thought about Hermione. She closed her eyes to try and send her some calming vibes when everything stopped.
Fleur's eyes snapped open; she raised her hand to her chest. Hermione was just gone. She tried to concentrate on their link; the longer she felt this hollowness, the more she could feel the Veela rattling its cage, meaning her.
She focused on her breathing, slowly in and out. Hermione was gone! Maybe she was asleep? No, she could still feel something when that was the case. This couldn't be happening!
She felt tears fill her eyes. Breath in. Breath out.
It wasn't working.
She ran out, she had to find Laetitia, she would help calm her down. She pushed a few students out of the way but without caring. It was weird it was like she could… smell her. She couldn't leave the carriage, she never wondered if she was there with her and not in Hogwarts. As she kept on looking for the raven-haired girl, she knew, if she couldn't find her, she'd just summon her clothes with the Accio charm. She'd have to come back if she was naked. She doubted it for a second, it was Laetitia, she wasn't shy and she might find someone to lend her clothes. She didn't have to think about it anymore, she had just found her.
Laetitia was discussing with whoever, Fleur didn't care, she stepped in between them. "Laetitia, I need you. Now!" She grabbed her forearm before dragging her back to her room, and all the way Laetitia was mumbling, not that Fleur could listen because of how she felt. It didn't take long for the blonde to push her friend in the room before slamming the door shut. Fleur rested her back on the door as soon as it was closed.
"Are you finally going to tell me what's going on?!" Asked Laetitia, then Fleur opened her eyes, their colour shifting, then she added. "Hé merde."
"I can't feel Hermione anymore!" Breathed out Fleur as she tried to compose herself.
"What do you mean you can't feel her anymore?"
"I just…can't! I felt her nerves then nothing. And she is not asleep! It's…nothing! And I can't leave the carriage! And even if I could what…I could search through this school, through the grounds…I can't…what if something happened? What if…I could go crazy. Do you think I'm going insane?" Fleur was breathing faster and her hand were pressing against the door behind her.
"Fleur. Deep breath, we're going to figure this out. What happened? Was she in pain?"
"No! Just…anxious."
"Okay. Okay." Nodded her friend. "So she wasn't hurt…"
"She is gone!" Fleur cut Laetitia off.
"I…what do you feel?" The raven-haired girl raised her index finger to let her friend know she wasn't finished. "I mean…your Veela, does she feel sad…as if…" She couldn't finish her sentence, she wasn't sure how the blonde would react at that moment with the mere mention of the possible death of her mate, but Fleur understood.
"No." She frowned as she tried to get her sensations in order. "It's like she is lost, but not gone. At least, it doesn't feel like she is, but she's…I am desperate to get our connection back."
"That's good then, right?" Asked Laetitia.
"No, it's not good! It means… it could be worse. That interdiction to leave this carriage be damned. I'm going to look for her." Fleur turned but Laetitia asked as she opened the door.
"Where will you look?" Enquired Laetitia, ready to help her friend, they'd be able to cover more ground together.
"Everywhere! How can I stay cooped up here when she's disappeared! I don't care about this freaking tournament! How can I even think about going for a swim to retrieve som…" Fleur froze, her eyes grew wide before she softly closed the door and turned to her best friend.
"What?" Asked Laetitia.
"This is it! Madame Maxime said I couldn't see Hermione because Dumbeldore needed her, that I'd see her for the second task! It's Hermione! I have to free and take Hermione back from the merepeople!"
Laetitia's mouth formed a silent O. Fleur's eyes finally settled, electric blue. The blonde grabbed her hair, tied them before reaching for her swimming suit.
"What are you doing?"
"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm getting Hermione back." Stated the champion.
Laetitia stepped forward, she put her hand on the swimming suit her friend was holding. "Fleur you can't. You don't even know if she is down there yet. She might still be in the castle." They didn't move while Fleur desperately looked at Laetitia, who tried to make her see reason. "She is safe. Hermione is safe. You'll be able to get her back tomorrow at the second task. You need to keep your mind on it."
"Right. You are right. I need to stay focused." Fleur closed her eyes as she did another breathing exercise. This was helping, then she frowned before opened her eyes. "Who do they think they are?! Using her like that!?"
Laetitia sat on the bed and stayed with her friend while she paced and talked things out, from how mad she was at the teachers, how worried she was about everything, her family coming and meeting Hermione, only if she managed to rescue her…
Laetitia was there for some input, like reassure her that there was no way she'd leave Hermione behind, or that her parents would love her mate. She was her mate after all. Sometimes she agreed with her, about the teachers, she always told her you could know things and still be stupid. Sometimes she disagreed, about rushing out to speak a piece of her mind to Madame Maxime. She'd like to see it, but didn't want her friend to get in trouble.
They spent their evening like that, talking, they laid on the bed when they were tired and fell asleep together.
Fleur eyes cracked open, immediately she thought about Hermione and she was completely awake. It happened a few times until she looked at the clock and realized it wasn't the right time yet. She rolled back and did her best to sleep.
This time she opened her eyes to see light under her door. People were awake. She looked at the clock and it was a little past seven. She turned back around to tell Laetitia but stopped.
Fleur had no idea why, but her friend had turned during the night, next to her on the bed a huge wolf was resting on its back, front paws stretched above her head, back paws spread open. She laughed as she got up. She knew how the raven-haired girl, well wolf at that moment, could be when it was time to get up. A pillow thrown at her she could handle, however she never had to wake a wolf, she didn't want to get bitten.
"Laetitia." Fleur called. She did it a few times before the wolf on the bed whined, huffed and turned around, trying to slip her big head under the pillow, a paw was supposed to help then press it down, when it didn't work Laetitia opened her eyes to realize she had changed. She sat up instantly with a whine. Fleur laughed; it didn't help when Laetitia barked.
The Lycan huffed before twisting on the bed, she grabbed the cover in her mouth and tried to cover herself. Fleur understood, she got closer and did it for her.
Laetitia changed back as Fleur looked away, she really didn't like the noises the bones where making and wondered if she could change, would she make the same sounds?
"Merci." Said Laetitia as she got up, turning meant her clothes were torn. She was decent enough under the cover. "May I borrow some clothes?"
A special breakfast had been organized for Fleur; Madame Maxime made sure she could spend some time with her family, so of course she had taken her best friend with her. Fleur ran to them, she hugged each of them, before they all sat around the table.
It was her grandmother who caught on the fact that something was amiss with Fleur. "What's wrong Fleur? I can feel your Veela energy, it is all over the place."
Fleur looked straight into her eyes as she explained. "They took her."
"Who my dear?"
"Hermione." Simply said Fleur.
"They took your mate?" The surprised was evident in Marguerite's tone
"I was hoping you'd introduce us this morning" Said Marcel Delacour, her father. He had this look on his face, like he planned something bad.
"Is it really useful to give the shovel talk to this Hermione? I mean she's Fleur's mate. There is nothing much you can do." Argued his wife, Apolline.
"It's the second task. I have to rescue Hermione within an hour." Explained the champion.
Marguerite patted her granddaughter's hand. "Just a few more hours child and you'll just have to follow your connection straight to her."
"That's the thing mamie, it disappeared. I guess she is under some kind of spell..." Trailed off Fleur.
Marguerite tightened her hold on Fleur's hand. "Very few Veela would remain…sane if their connection to their mate was severed. I'm impressed."
"It came close. Until she knew where Hermione was, she was ready to go on a warpath, I don't think she would have left any stone here unturned." Added Laetitia through her mouthful of bread butter and jam. She washed it down with some hot cocoa. "I just think she is lucky their bond isn't complete. If her recently mated partner had went off the radar like that, I think Fleur would have gone completely berserk."
"Berserk?" Repeat Fleur.
The raven-haired girl gave her a look. "Would you prefer batshit crazy?"
"Laetitia! Language." Scolded Apolline, she didn't need to point at her youngest daughter.
"Sorry." Apologized Laetitia, before repeating it to Gabrielle. "Sorry."
"I hear worse at school." Gabrielle paused. "Or from mom when she breaks something."
Appoline glared at her daughter while Marcel laughed, which didn't help.
"Does this mean we won't get to meet your soulmate?" Asked Gabrielle as she looked up at her sister sitting next to her.
"Of course, you will. You'll just have to wait a little bit longer." Reassured Fleur. She needed it too, to tell herself she'd see Hermione soon. That everything was fine.
The rest of their breakfast was pretty ordinary. They parted shortly before nine so Fleur could get ready in her room. Madame Maxime came to get her, so they could make their way towards the lake together. She tightened her robes around her, she was wearing a simple swimsuit underneath and wanted to cast her warmth spell later, she hoped it would last at least until the end of the task.
The seats that had encircled the dragon's enclosure in November were ranged along one side of the bank, rising stands were starting to fill and reflected on the lake below; the voices echoed strangely across the water.
Madame Maxime walked up to the judges table, Fleur by her side. Once they arrived the French headmistress smiled. "I know you'll make us proud." She chose to say it in english, obviously she wanted the others to understand.
She left to join the other and take her seat. Fleur turned to the only champion there before her. "Viktor." Was all the greeting she gave him.
He nodded. "Fleur."
They stood there awkwardly in their robes. Waiting, until the Bulgarian broke the silence. "Do you have any idea what we're looking for? I didn't really see anything missing."
"For me, it's Hermione." Her gaze was fixed on the lake, she couldn't see anything below the dark surface. No clue as to where to look, the deepest part maybe. Krum's head turned towards the blonde immediately. "What?"
"They took Hermione." She clenched her jaw as she turned to look at him, he was frowning for a second before he seemed to curse in his language. He took a deep breath. "I couldn't find Thiomir this morning, I just thought…" He trailed off as he turned to glare at the judges.
Fleur didn't ask who this Thiomir was, but he or she had to be someone important to her opponent. It was when Cedric Diggory joined them, but kept to himself and remained a little farther away. He greeted them with a simple hello, which they returned.
Minutes passed and the crowd was pretty much settled. Many voices were heard, some in conversations, others were cheering. Fleur looked at the time annoyed, it was going to be 9:30 soon and they were still missing one champion.
"If he's not on time, I'm not waiting for him." Announced an annoyed Fleur.
The tall man by her side was looking, it was obvious the blonde was very anxious, he was nervous too but kept his mind on the prize. Saving his best friend. He needed Fleur to be able to save Hermione too, so he tried something. "Here I thought it was the French, who could never be on time." Teased Viktor with a smile.
Fleur tensed as she heard Krum speak, her first instinct was to bite his head off, but she had Hermione on her mind. Hermione who vouched for him and asked her to make an effort. He helped at the ball… "And I thought Bulgarians were so stern they couldn't make a joke." Fleur glared at him, before a small smile appeared.
She felt slightly lighter, as it felt for the first time that she wasn't so alone in this. Krum and Diggory were in this just like her. She didn't count Harry, it was different. It felt strange to have a moment with Viktor Krum, but she took it in stride. Hermione would be happy.
Finally. Harry Potter was sprinting towards them. He was more disheveled than usual, his hair looked as if he had barely gotten out of bed, his robes were rumpled and his tie barely hanging in place. He ran all the way around the lake, then came to a skidding halt in the mud and splattered Fleur's robes. She glared but didn't say anything.
Harry was breathing hard. He panted. "I'm…here…"
"Where have you been?! The task is about to start!" Percy Weasley was sitting at the judge's table, Mr Crouch had failed to turn up again.
"Now, now Percy. Let him catch his breath." Said Ludo Bagman, who was looking intensely relieved to see Harry, he wasn't the only one, though some didn't seem happy to see him.
Harry bent over, hands on his knees, gasping for breath for a while.
Fleur glared, fearing that some would want to postpone the beginning of the second task for the boy who lived.
It wasn't the case, Ludo Bagman quickly came to place the champions, spacing them along the bank at intervals of ten feet. Once in position Fleur quickly disrobed, Laetitia who had come to join her took her robes. She glanced at the others to see all of them were ready. She quickly cast her warmth spell as she stood facing the lake. She closed her eyes as she tightened her hold on her wand.
Bagman's voice boomed out across the dark water 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. On the count of three then. One…two…three!"
The whistle echoed shrilly in the cold still air, the stands erupted with cheers and applause as Fleur cast the Bubble-Head Charm before diving.
She blinked fast as she got used to being underwater. It was very quiet and still. She couldn't see far, maybe ten feet. She slowly went farther into the depths of the lake. New scenes seemed to loom suddenly out of the oncoming darkness: forests of rippling, tangled black weed, wide plains of mud littered with dull glimmering stones.
She was gliding through water, looking everywhere for a glimpse of Hermione, or any clue as to where she might be.
Small fishes flickered past her like silver darts. A few times she thought she saw something to be disappointed as she found out it was nothing but a large, blackened log, or a dense clump of weed. No sign of the others, merepeople or anything else. Wasn't there supposed to be a giant squid?
She ended up doubting herself when she saw something once again. For a second, her eyes turned to slits as she did her best to see. She felt so many emotions, joyous to have found something, hopeful that it would soon be over…
She could see shapes, clusters of crude stones. She could see people, merepeople
Fleur pushed herself to swim faster. She could hear voices, a song so similar to the one she discovered in the egg. Light green weed stretched ahead of her, like a meadow of very overgrown grass. It was the quickest way to her mate so she'd go through it. She was nearly there, when without warning, something grabbed her arm, the one she was holding her wand with. She shuddered.
She pulled her arm closer to her, there it was. A small, horned water demon. A Grindlylow. Its long fingers clutched tightly around her limb; its pointed fangs bared. It was difficult to move her arm and hand properly to cast a spell, and when she did, she was dismayed to see that nothing happened. This spell didn't function underwater?
It was like they were coming out of nowhere, the weeds providing a perfect cover for the attack. Two more Grindlylows turned into five, then eight. She could barely move anymore. This couldn't be it, she couldn't lose. There was an easy spell they had been taught to do if they ever wanted or needed to resurface, but that would mean forfeiting. She could not leave without her mate. Her mate who was so close, she knew it. She was terrified, she had to save her mate. This fear in the pit of her stomach turned into heat as she got angry. Angry at herself for failing. Angry at the people who organized this…this trial by ordeal. She was mad at so many things, so many people. Including these water demons.
Suddenly she could perfectly see. It wasn't blurry or dark. She could have been back on Beauxbatons' grounds in the middle of the day, she wouldn't have been able to see clearer.
The struggle stopped, it was like the Grindlylows froze, she moved her arm to try once more to shake one off, and it worked. Her eyes grew wide as she saw her hand, the skin had changed, it was darker and seemed to be made of something harder than skin. She could see her nails grow. Her hands were turning into talons.
She felt like she was bloated, then something snapped.
Turned out, the second task was pretty boring. Who thought it would be a good idea to gather a crowd to look at still water for one hour? Most people were just talking to each other while drinking and snacking. Some were making bets and a few were running quite a lot of these bets, the Weasley's twins were quite busy. Several students were playing games in small groups.
Laetitia spent some time with Fleur's family; after a while Ginny showed up and the Lycan made sure not to look at Marguerite in the eyes. She knew Fleur and her grandmother kept in touch; they had even gotten closer once her Veela heritage kicked in. She had seen a small smirk appear on the elderly woman's lips. While Ginny was speaking with Gabrielle, Laetitia was contemplating the dark surface of the lake when something happened.
It had been a bit less than 40 minutes when the whistle was blown and the second task started. A hole was appearing in the water, a whirlpool was forming, it got bigger for a few seconds, although it seemed longer as people held their breath.
Until something jumped out of the water and stopped a few feet above it.
Laetitia heard Marguerite cruse next to her. She couldn't believe what she was seeing.
Long scaly wings spread and flapped. The scales slightly triangular, thick; it reminded Laetitia of a dragon. The scales' junctions were darker. The top of the wings wasn't black as she had first thought, but blue. A deep dark blue, a midnight blue. The inside had the same colour around the edges, but was growing lighter as it got closer to the shoulders from which they sprung, the last few ranges seemed white.
The creature was bigger than most humans, and held in its scaly arms, was a very confused Hermione Granger.
Laetitia knew it was Fleur, and at the same time it wasn't. Her skin had turned to white scales at the exception of her extremities. Her hands and feet had pretty much turned into talons as dark as the top of her wings, with big black claws.
Just like for the wings, the forearms were white on the inside, however her elbow was of a pale turquoise, getting darker until it reached the talons.
The strong body wasn't wearing any clothes anymore. The pale scales coved everything; two small bumps were the only thing that suggested there were breasts, no genitals to be seen either.
Instead of Fleur's delicate features there was a long thin beak, slightly curved. Obviously sharp. It was as gold as her eyes. Cold golden eyes were looking at the people bellow.
Fleur's hair had turned into very thing white feathers, disheveled and hair-like, hanging loose; it seemed it had the same length as before the transformation. Water drops kept on falling off them, it didn't seem wet.
The spell had been lifted as soon as Hermione was above water. She squinted at the bright light. It took a second for her brain to catch up, she wasn't in the water. She expected a swim.
She kept on hearing that flapping noise. When she was finally able to see clearly her mouth dropped open. She knew it was Fleur, she could feel it, even if their connection was slightly different at the moment. She was being carried bridal style. "Fleur?"
She didn't get any kind of response. The Veela's head was barely moving as her eyes scanned the area. She made her way down and landed next to her family.