Author's Note: I do not own Harry Potter
The three of them, Harry, Sirius, and Dora, were staring at the Golden Egg with some annoyance. Harry had returned to Sirius' house a couple of days after the Yule Ball and had brought with him more than schoolwork - the prize from the First Task.
"Why does it screech?" Sirius asked hollowly. "Why though?"
Dora had her face scrunched up with residual pain as she held her hands over Harry's ears, the boy sat upon her lap prior to the opening of the Egg. "I have no idea. Almost reminds me of when Mum would get annoyed at me and Dad… Please don't tell her I said that."
"I'm just glad I soundproofed the room when you told me. I don't think I could survive a screaming match between an egg and my mother. That was a sentence I never thought I would ever say out loud.
"You okay, Harry?" Sirius asked with some concern.
"Yeah, I think I'm a bit used to the sound now. I just wish I knew what it was all about."
His face must have visibly dropped because Dora jumped in to help cheer him up. "C'mon, Harry, I think its enough for today. I'll ask mum and dad if they know anything about screaming eggs." His brow quirked in barely veiled amusement at her words. "Shut it. Anyway, a little birdy, or kitty cat it seems, informed thick and scraggly over here about some attention you've been getting from the gentler sex." Her grin was growing at the same pace as the feeling in Harry's gut. Sirius' face matching hers did not help matters either. There was a flash of something dangerous in Dora's eyes, however, that was more terrifying. "Care to spill the beans?"
"Go on, Pup, tell us all about it." Sirius laughed lecherously as he grinned at his Godson. "Oh, James would be so proud."
If Harry were to guess, Sirius and Dora were acting in a twisted reflection of how James and Lily would have acted, only with the current situation being that of a far more dysfunctional family. 'A paternal influence is a traumatised man-child, and a maternal one is a ditzy girl barely older that I am.' But he would not change it for anything in the world.
"I would rather not."
"Don't care, Pup, I would rather you do."
Dora's grip got tighter as Harry tried to squirm out of it. "Listen to the mongrel, Harry," 'Hey!' "Even a broken clock is right twice a day, and I would really like to hear about these." Her voice quietened slightly, but Harry definitely heard, through the muffled voice of his big sister, 'Hussies'.
"Some girls wanted to go with me to the Yule Ball." Silence met his answer. "And a boy." More silence.
"Harry, what about the girl you went with, Katie?"
"She's my friend." Silence again. "She is!"
Sirius shook his head. "I, we, know that, but from some of the rumours… and what of that Veela I've been hearing about?"
"Her name is Fleur," Harry said with some heat, shocking all three of them with the slight intensity.
"Sorry. Fleur."
Harry gained a bashful look, attempting to hide himself away but finding himself unable to do so, leaving the trio in a small aura of awkwardness.
A clatter and crash echoed in the room as a twitchy Tonks knocked over a stack of dishes, their glasses and mugs of drinks, and the golden egg, causing the two others to snap their necks in her direction. Said girl simply chuckled and scratched the back of her head bashfully. "Oops."
Sirius sighed, waving his wand, and muttering a "Reparo" to easily fix the mess. "Damn it, girl, you're lucky Lily made me learn that or I swear that'd be coming from your wages.
"But you don't pay me."
He returned her cheeky grin with a flat look. "Don't tempt me, Nymphadora."
"Or what, dogbreath?"
"Come on, you two, play nice," interrupted Harry.
"But she started it," Sirius whined. He sighed when all he got in return was a blank, hard, stare. "Fine." He blinked and looked at the table. "Where's the egg. Tonksy, you blast it to oblivion or something?"
"Hardy har."
Harry shushed them both, "Listen." The three ceased all sound they could make. "Can you hear that? It sounds…"
"Harry, the egg's open, but it isn't screaming at us," Dora pointed to the floor by her feet.
"It's open a crack, but the opening's in Tonksy's flooding of my kitchen seems to be covering it. Maybe the water is doing something to it?" The three closed the egg, with Sirius vanishing the liquid away and then summoning a sphere of water to hold in the air. "Nymmy, I need you to help me hold this up. I'm still a little rusty, and even though I could create the damn thing, there's no way in all hells I can maintain it. Harry, open the egg inside and see what you can hear."
The other two nodded their heads and got into position. Harry took a deep breath, his hands affixed to the egg, and with one fell swoop, he became half submerged in water.
Come seek us where our voices sound,
We cannot sing above the ground,
And while you're searching ponder this;
We've taken what you'll sorely miss,
An hour long you'll have to look,
And to recover what we took,
But past an hour, the prospect's black,
Too late, it's gone, it won't come back.
"Sounds to me like it could be the Black Lake," Harry muttered. "It has to be at Hogwarts, and combined with the water theme… 'We cannot sing above the ground.' That's the Lake. It's below the surface and the only place with water, and as the Egg only functions properly inside it, it's a simple conclusion."
"It's Mermish," Sirius uttered, after asking Harry to repeat what he had heard. "There's a township in the Lake, meant to be one of the only freshwater one's in the world, and they only speak human-tongue when submerged. Why did I not remember that? Hah, me and Moony played havoc down there one night. They probably never forgot it!"
"An hour long you'll have to look?" Dora poked her chin lightly as she thought aloud. "Sounds like you're going to have to hunt for something down there. From what I've been told, the Lake is enormous. Like, magically expanded enormous. Kiddo, you're going to need to grow gills or something, because that hour line isn't overexaggerated."
"Forget learning to breathe, I need to learn to swim first."
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"See, it's easy enough, is it not, Harry?" came the warm, soothing voice of Tracey Davis.
Harry smiled brightly, ever thankful for his friend and her assistance.
Sirius and Dora had begun the initial steps on teaching him to swim, allowing the basics to enter his brain before he had to return to Hogwarts at the beginning of the new year. Mumblings had been passes around the Gryffindor Common Room as to how best to assist with the further teaching, before Ginny piped up that maybe going to see McGonagall would be the best bet.
"Learn to swim?" she asked with some curiosity. "I wonder what may have brought this on Mr Potter. I am unaware of the details of the Second Task, but I would be a fool to refuse the idea that perhaps water may be involved with it?" Harry began to stutter incomprehensible sentences out in an attempt to justify his desire to learn, only to be halted with a patented Minerva look. "Peace, Harry. I am passed my swimming years, I believe, though I am aware that mayhaps Filius could be aware of who to assist you. He is, of course, head of the extra-curricular activities board."
Harry and company changed persons, and their diminutive Charms Professor came through for Harry once more. "Oh, marvellous! One of my Prefects charges the Swimming Club, there are only a few members, though Miss Williams would be delighted to have someone else to partake, even if it is only to learn."
The Prefect, Williams, frowned upon his arrival, and was hesitant to aid him in his endeavours, only to be interrupted by Tracey exiting the Club's sectioned of partition of the Black Lake.
"Harry? I only overheard the last, but I can teach you, if you want me to."
Harry had simply smiled and nodded his head, much to the chagrin of a couple of his female companions, with Katie refusing to leave the area so as to keep an eye on him.
"What kind of magic is this to keep this water so warm?" he questioned.
Tracey grinned at him as she glided around him in the water. "How do you mean? As in, how does it seem to keep heated without a visible energy supply?" Harry agreed with her question with a throaty hum. "Runes, and a healthy dose of the ambient magic absorbed by Hogwarts itself."
Tracey would help him get stronger and better in the water, being a calm and compassionate teacher the whole time. Eventually, she 'graduated' him from beginner to the pleased look of all who wished him to succeed. His friends had been helping in attempting to help with him remaining underwater for an hour, while Harry took a back seat in that to concentrate on learning to swim, but with Tracy confident in Harry being able to at least complete the challenge, he now had to focus completely on the matter at hand.
"Potter… Harry." He looked at Tracey expectantly, unnerved slightly by her troubled look that she was dismally trying to hide from him. "Good luck, Harry. And remember, when you have come out of the other end of the next Task, you can reward me then for assisting your success." There was no real bite to her words, as a nervous looking grin developed on her, which Harry reflected back. She had walked past him, leaving a mark of warmth upon his cheeks where her lips brushed sweetly, leaving Harry slightly stunned.
"Of course, Tracey. You know I will."
He had rushed to the library as soon as was feasible, covertly making his way through the castle, avoiding the rush of students of which many had been extremely verbal of their dislike of him even at this point of the tournament.
He could feel the smoothness of the interior of his father's Invisibility Cloak caress him with beautiful familiarity, allowing him to become a king amongst shadows. He crept, as silent as a mouse, around familiar Hufflepuff's led by Susan Bones, Hannah Abbott, and Justin Finch-Fletchey, each one a side villain in Harry's story arc. Names and faces moved beyond him, and outside of his Circle, there were friendly motives few and far between.
He contemplated them with mute curiosity as he slid into a library chair, wedged between Fay and Neville, both quietly arguing over who had the best idea. Hufflepuff had become a no-go zone, with only Cedric himself being the only person within the House who he could talk to. Though that may have been due to Cedric's personality crossing with his friendship with Harry.
Ravenclaw had always been a mixed bag with Harry. Half respected his skill and drive, while the other half expressed a sort of jealousy he could not comprehend. Luna was ever supportive of him, and Harry found himself drawn to the odd girl every now and then, relishing in an innocence and out-of-the-box way of thinking with a smile affixed to his face. Some nameless boys and girls would remain neutral of him in this fight, taking no side with either his entrance to the Tournament, nor the attacks on his reputation from Skeeter at the Prophet. Said newspaper had been practically barred from any form of Gryffindor hands, especially after one disgusting article forced Katie away from lessons for a couple of days; not only had she suffered taunts and jibes from other students, whose behaviour was vile, she also received Howlers from people she had never met before, and a disappointing and strongly worded letter from her parents. Skeeter's character attack of Harry was the main foundation, but her other drives of those around him was simply the icing on the cake.
"Gillyweed, Fay! All he needs is to take some and there you have it, instant gills. He'll be blasting about the Lake like he was born there."
Fay had her arms crossed over her chest, black hair, wild and unkempt from stress and tiredness, in a near-mirror image of Harry's own, especially now she had had it cut shorter in the last week. "And I'm telling you, Neville Longbottom, that to get Gillyweed is a problem in of itself, and Harry is skilled enough to use the Bubblehead Charm. Even Professor Flitwick seems to think so!"
Neville huffed petulantly as he sharply turned his head to his friend. "What do you think, Harry? We've all got an idea for how to help you."
"I think that each idea will be great, but I don't know, Nev. Still, even if I pick one, it is still a good idea to have a back-up. I only turned up when you were arguing over which one was best, but I think they're both brilliant."
Fay looked slightly smug at his words, her eyes burning bright as she spoke. "Well, at least you won't be taking Fred's advice to heart. Ride the Giant Squid to the bottom of the Lake, what a joke."
"I actually like the idea," said Harry, a ghost of a grin beginning to grow. "It'll be funny, at least, to see everyone's reactions to it."
"Harry," Fay intoned seriously, eyes locked with his own, making sure to avoid Neville's humour-filled face, "I swear to all things holy, that if you ride the Giant Squid to the bottom of the Lake…"
Harry laughed loudly, hushing himself as he remembered the potential fury of Pince, who popped her head around a bookshelf quickly after the noise was made. "Sorry, Madam Pince, that was my fault."
Her hard eyes softened slightly at his humbled words, before nodding her head once to show her agreement. "See you better it does not, Mr Potter. I would hate to have to throw you out."
When the woman had walked away, Neville shook his head with some mirth. "Only you, Harry, could make one of the meanest women in the school forgive so easily. But anyway, I think you should go for it, but trust me, Gillyweed is simple enough to get, and is tried and tested to work every single time it's used."
Harry sat there; a book of the Black Lake of Hogwarts open before him as he listened the bickering of his two best friends discuss animatedly how best to keep him alive.
As the night drew ever onwards, and the sconce's light began to flicker and fade to symbolise the waning of the hour, Madam Pince shooed them away, a faraway look upon her face as her eyes glazed and thoughts bounced off her skin. "I think the three of you have been cooped up here for long enough. Get! The night grows old, and you should all be abed."
Harry thanked her with a whisper, his stress and tiredness keeping a smile from his lips, though his words were sincere.
The trio escaped the smell of paper and leather, traipsing back the veritable distance between the library and their Common Room. A rare sight of another student hurrying the halls came by them intermittently, most of them looking at Harry with a sneer, though the hardness of their stares had lessened of late, Fay still took it upon herself to clasp his hand tightly to show him she was still there for him.
By the time they entered the Portrait Hole, the Fat Lady uttering her 'good nights' after the password had been spoken, Harry was ready to collapse, and only by leaning upon his two friends was he able to keep standing.
"I'm just going to sit here for a while, you two go to bed, I do not think I'll be able to do it quickly."
Neville frowned at his friend as Harry slid into the armchair by the fireplace. "I don't know if that's a good idea, Harry."
He shook his head in response, "No, I mean it."
"You're knackered. How would you get back up to bed without help?" Neville pressed on.
Harry's eyes softened at the visages of concern he was receiving. "Neville. Fay." The looks continued. "I'm going to be okay. I… I just want some solitude for a while. Just to get my head around what comes tomorrow. We've narrowed the options down, but there's only so much preparation that I can do before the event begins, and I appreciate everything you have done for me, but really, I just need to be on my own for a while. Please understand." The last two words were uttered with a mute desperation that caused Neville and Fay to falter in their argument.
"If I catch you down here later, Harry, you will have me to deal with. Understand?"
Harry looked down the pointed finger of Fay Dunbar, who had closed the gap considerably. He could see the flickering of her pupils, hear and feel her short, rapid, breaths, and sense the uneasiness of her magic as she struggled to keep it contained. Harry reached out with two small hands, gently taking Fay's trembling fingers into his own. "You don't need to worry about me."
"Oh, Harry. You know we always will."
Neville took a step forward and brought a hand onto his shoulder. "I don't think we'll ever stop, mate."
The fire had become crackling embers by the time Harry had started to begin his deep sleep, having lightly dozed for the last while. It was when he heard the noise of footsteps upon the carpeted floor that he regained his consciousness.
Through blurry eyes he looked forward, meeting only a blue that brought a calm to his body and soul. His hand, which had been resting atop his heart, was enveloped in a warm grip, while an unsteady warmth caressed his face. A lingering wetness struck his brow as soothing breaths of air swept across his ear. Mumbled words caused shivers to strike him, though not unpleasantly. The feeling hit his brow once more, and for a brief, wonderful, moment he felt weightless.
The next thing he knew, he had awoken in his bed within the fourth-year dormitory, pyjama clad and tucked in tightly.
Orbs of blue were all that he could remember, as a shimmering gold burnt his vision, and bell-like laughter encompassed his ears. A figure haunted his minds eye, and his heart bled a heat that echoed throughout his head, fading away into near nothingness as he tried to hold on to that immediate thought, only letting go as it vanished into the aether. He felt a calm sort of joy, recalling the feeling of the waking dream his had had, connecting thought, feeling, and reminiscence into one form. And yet…
Deep within the recesses of his memories, a dark voice whispered honeyed poison.
'What would you sacrifice?'
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The dawn did not awaken him. The room drank in the oft forgotten early morning darkness greedily, the stones of the foundations lapping up the absence of light. It did not wake him for he was already awoken in a rush of nerves, stress, and uncovered fear.
Harry was sat upon the bed, legs crossed underneath him. He was deeply breathing in and out in an attempt to halt the gathering storm of emotions spilling out.
'Every time,' he thought to himself. 'Every time this gets harder and harder, and yet easier and easier. Can I not just have a single year? A single time? Just once, can I not just be me? Just Harry?'
"Okay."
The whisper went unheard apart from a solitary House Elf who was glancing at Harry with slight reverence and concern as it went about its morning work. Harry would usually greet the being who was assigned to morning Dormitory cleaning, with a polite smile, a friendly hello, and even talk with it on some occasions. To the House Elf community of Hogwarts, Harry Potter was considered one of their favourite humans.
Harry stared into the distance of an unseen horizon, acting as if he were a zombie trudging along for no reason whatsoever. He made his way down to the Great Hall, eyes constantly scanning for a friendly face, finding only ones garbed in red and gold amongst a sea of doubt.
Neville and Fay were trying to pry food into his mouth, though his stomach twisted and roiled. "Where's Katie?" But no answer could be given.
Bile would form, but he kept it all down. The pre-event adrenaline was coursing through his veins, and, even though this was once again to be most likely a harrowing experience for him, his mind began its slow course to collection and calm.
Red and Gold span bright words and sunshine attitude. Yellow, Blue, and Green, attempted to spin their webs of misery, blocked at every turn by a champion of virtue and bravery.
McGonagall eventually made her way over to him, her eyes looking up and down his thin, tiny, body. Her lips were pursed, and concern shone in the glass of her eyes. "Harry, it is time. I will wait for you by the doors, be quick about it."
She turned on her heel, moving her way quickly through the dissipating crowd. Each person loudly braying about who will emerge victorious from this, as yet unknown task.
"Harry, you'll be amazing." Fay's words were breathless, and Harry could feel her trembling as she latched onto him like a lifeline.
The rest of the Circle each gave him their support, and each one showed their reassurances enough to bring his mood up from underneath the surface.
"But where is Katie?"
None could answer him.
The thought that something had happened to her phased through his body, wrenching his guts less than a secondary image running into his brain of her not caring enough to come down.
The courage and normalcy that had been forming had cracked and was now becoming a hindrance more than a saving grace.
He was shaking upon the wooden pier, and not just from the cold. His hands, once blue yet now warmed thanks to a warming charm, still were shaking. The Lake looked half-frozen; Harry could see his and Katie's rock in the distance, though barely through the dense creations for the audience to stand upon.
He could feel the sounds that created a loudness that set his teeth on edge, begin to dissipate as the seconds ticked on by. The three other champions began to remove their outerwear before the assembled crowd, though Harry refrained from doing so until the very last moment. Cedric's form was clear, though a heavy weight removed itself completely when Harry saw the scars littering Krum's body. He stood there proud and unmoving, and it was enough for Harry to remove his top and trousers and shoes, revealing his own swimwear below it all.
A hush was visible from his solitary podium, but Harry did not hide himself. To his right stood Fleur, and she was staring open-mouthed at his array of marks.
His hand was clenched, as he instinctively kept the black spot from view, though there was no hiding the others. Quidditch and Hogwarts and life had created a pattern of vicious pink lines that intersected and corrupted his form, though none were as terrible as the wound delivered by Basilisk's maw. He knew they were looking at him: his small, frail, body, looked even more unhealthy and weak without his clothing covering him up. His hand idly rubbed against his right thigh, where the evidence of Ripper's bite laid bare for all to see.
"'Arry." It was only a solitary whisper, but the emotion it held was enough to snap Harry out of the trance he was creating.
"Ladies and Gentlemen!" Harry shuddered at the boisterous sounds of Ludovic Bagman. He smiled far too much and was far too jolly for his liking. Whenever he spoke, the voice and screams of Lockhart echoed within his mind. "I thank you all for joining me, us, on this frosty February morning." His teeth were shining far too white for that to be natural. "The four champions have been arrayed behind me, and each have studied their prize from the last challenge, the Golden Egg! Creating screams and warbles unheard in common places, but was, in fact, a clue! This clue has brought them, and you, here today. For you see, the clue explains that something has been taken from each of them. Or, well, someone!"
Harry froze. His brain struggled to keep up with what he had just been told, but eventually it caught up. All four of them stared at the man as he spoke. Someone asked, or demanded, who had been taken, followed by a dark scream that caused the man to pale. He could feel the heat begin to build up beside him from the French Champion, while his own magic began to pulse erratically.
"Ah. Yes, well… Each Champion has had the person taken from them that it is believed would elicit the greatest response. Mister Krum has lost Zhivka Krum, his mother; Mister Diggory has had taken from him, his own father, Amos Diggory; Miss Delacour has the unfortunate task of recovering her little sister, Gabrielle Delacour; and our Mr Potter must seek the depths for his closest person, Miss Katie Bell." Harry became focused on the surface of the water, his plans accelerating within. "All four have only a single hour before the time expires. Now!" A large boom from a faraway cannon reverberated throughout the lake, causing the timid ripples to increase, and become a rapidly expanding force, seeking only to taunt Harry as he had fleeting memories of his sweet times beside this body of water.
"Glacius!"
The others had dived straight down, while Harry's plan was initiated. His feet took one step in front of the other as he ran upon the increasingly growing ice that rested now firmly upon the water.
"Point Me."
He followed the wand's course, using it as if it were a magnet. It near pulled him forward and to the right, passed the stands and deeper into area of the lake. The wood in his hand felt hot to the touch as it vibrated faster and faster, eventually angling downwards until it pointed directly below him.
He began waving his wand in an intricate pattern, muttering an incantation of non-Latin origin. The ancient Norse words had no meaning in the present day and age; however, it was the only language the Kraken below could understand.
The thickened sheets of ice began to crack as screams took to the air. One tentacle followed by another, and another, soared high above the Lake, while the body of the Giant Squid below, breached the surface. A single, enormous, eye, positioned itself in front of Harry, who was standing taller than he ever had before. A single, pleading, nod of his head was the only signal the creature needed. It began its descent into the murky waters as Harry grasped on to a tentacle, which wrapped itself around him gently.
They had joked about using such a tactic, but Harry had built a special sort of friendship with the beast over the years. Being consistently outside by the Lake's shore with Katie, the two of them would oft bring food to gift to the Giant Squid. It did not take much persuasion for Harry to acquire a mode of transport to move swiftly through the deep. In fact, it was such a quick transition from surface to underwater, that he barely had time to utilise the Bubblehead Charm to be able to breathe.
The Kraken made a groaning sound that shook Harry to the core, not too long into their submersion, and he felt the grip of it begin to slacken. He oriented himself as the pressure disappeared completely, and reflexively uttered a "Lumos" so he could see the area that was devoid of the fleeting sunlight far above them.
It was quiet and held an aura of creepiness that caused a shiver to go down his spine that was not due to the icy cold that surrounded him. He extended the reach of his wandlight, creating a great stream of brightness to show what was around him.
Mermaids and Mermen all floated aimlessly, tridents, spears, hooks, and more cruel shaped weapons, were raised at his person. 'They look nothing like the storybooks say.' The thought crossed his mind unbiddenly, as he pushed his arms in front of him in a short mockery of swimming, as his legs kicked behind him to propel his mass forward. An image of Tracey came to the forefront of his mind as he once more promised himself that he would buy her the best present she could ask for, for her assistance.
Only a quick sixty seconds went by until he saw the four beings held to the bottom of the Lake by evil seeming chains. He went pale and his nerves shook. In his shock and stress, he saw only death before him.
They were all of them, chalk white. Their eyes were half-lidded, and all of them seemed to be too corpselike for his own liking. He cast a quick 'Tempus' to determine that it had only been seven minutes into the full hour that had been allocated to this task that had passed. Tentatively, he swam closer to the group before him, wary of the staring Mer that surrounded the stone buildings and bas-reliefs that that dotted the Lake floor.
He recognised Mr Diggory well, his glasses askew upon his face as he bobbed about the water in an unseen dance. The woman who must have been Viktor's mother, who held a rugged, Amazonian, beauty to her, seemed to be made from porcelain as she floated in place.
Harry uttered "Relashio", causing the chains encapsuling his friend to splay outwards into a three-pronged fork of metal; he could see some Mermaids that had been creeping closer flit back behind a line of what must have been blue-finned warriors. Like a magnet reacting to its opposite pole, Katie gracefully came into Harry's arms, and he breathed a heavy sigh of relief that it was over.
He raised his wand, and the Ancient Norse began to stream from his lips, though it was in near no time at all that he had become surrounded, with a tip of a trident pointed directly at his throat.
Harry seized up, grasping tighter to his catch, spinning in a circle to avoid the weapons directed at him.
"No, human. We could sense the power of the frozen devils above our sky, but in our home, in the bubblefields and saltless plains, such a cursed tongue will not be spoken." It was a large Mer that spoke, covered with battle scars and many tribal tattoos. "Do you understand? We have an agreement with the old one above, and his ministers, but this is our home. Our world. And it is our rules."
Harry only nodded his head; his mouth was frozen shut as he stared blankly. 'What am I going to do now? I'm still slow at swimming, and if Hagrid is right, then between here and the end of the task, there would be creatures everywhere. There is no way that I would be able to get myself back, let alone me and Katie!'
His brain raced as fast as it could, thankful for the charm that allowed him to breathe so far under the water. Minutes ticked by as he dallied away his time.
Fifteen minutes had gone by when he felt the water displace, and a partially transfigured Krum accelerated in a half-shark form towards him. With a sharp bite, the chain restricting Mrs Krum was severed, and the prisoner was taken in hand by the Bulgarian Seeker. A gnashing sound emanated from the boy, and, as Harry looked at him, despondently, Cedric appeared close by, sending a red beam of light to release his father.
"Harry!" he shouted through his own bubble. "I have no idea how you got here so fast, but it is definitely great to see you!"
Harry's voice was small as he spoke to his friends. "My plan wont work. It helped me get here, but how to get back… Did Viktor help you get here?"
"He tried, but only after me and Delacour got ambushed by some creatures in the water grasses. Drowners, Harry, and Grindylows! Maybe I would understand the latter, but the former! Are they trying to kill us? Krum came upon us on the way down here, I grabbed onto a fin, and we got away."
"And Fleur?" his stomach filled with dread at the thoughts rushing about inside.
Cedric shook his head, "Fire and water don't mix, mate. I think being under here for too long dampened her magic, no pun intended, and sort of, maybe, weakened her a little. She could barely breath when she caught up to me, and she was constantly shaking. Harry, if her sister is here…"
"Did she get out?"
"Yeah, her Headmistress jumped in. Never mind! Harry, I…"
A trident shot out, nicking Cedric in the side, causing a stream of blood to gush out of him. Cedric's face contorted in pain, and he let go of his father as his hands attempted to stem the flow of ichor. "Gah," he spat, the bubble head charm dissipating through his pain. Krum took one look at the immediate threat, as the Mer began to close ranks around them.
"Harry." His call was guttural, though Harry was awed as he swam in place, knowing the intrinsic difficulty of wandless Transfiguration of something as complex as a voice box in such a circumstance. "Get away from the girl! They do not like it when we are near her."
"Fire and water," Harry whispered. "Ced… Viktor, she'll die down here!"
"And so vill Cedric!" He was quick with his movements, his form bulking up to a grand hybrid of human and shark, his muscles bulging with the strain as he grew. With a strength that was greater that anything Harry could produce, he shifted his mother, so she rested atop his shoulder, grabbed the Diggory's, and set off at speed. "You need to go. I cannot take you all, and Cedric will be more worse if I do not get help. Good luck, Harry, and go! Go now!"
"Viktor," he spoke to only the Merfolk that remained, stewing in their rage, "I can't just leave her." He faced the mass of fins and scales. "Please, let her go. She has done nothing to you!"
"She is of the heat and has no water within her Mana. She is heat, those winged creatures who drove us from our homes so, so long ago. She stays here." The grin was terrifying to bear, but Harry could wait no longer. He extended his magic outwards and sensed the small embers deep inside the girl begin to rot away into nothingness.
"I will not let her die." He moved Katie so she rested within the embrace of his left arm, wincing slightly at the abnormal rigidness of her head lolling about. "I will ask once more," he readied his wand, not thinking of the consequences in his desperation to help someone innocent, "Let us leave in peace."
"You will leave in pieces, instead."
The light blinded every being there except Harry, who had prepared himself for the extension of the Lumos. With a speed he did not know he had, and a strength he was unaware he possessed, with one fluid move, he blasted the thick chains away from the girl, took her into his other arm, and pushed forward.
The enraged screams followed him as he used the ascension spell to propel himself into the direction of the finish line. Yet with the three magical systems being pulled along, and due to the nature of the spell pulling his magic along like a bungee cord, he began to tire quickly. The minutes were clocked, and his breathing was becoming ragged. He could feel the pull of the magic on his face as the bubble head charm began to fail. The screeches were becoming louder and louder, closer, and closer, until they came upon him.
The first spear struck his cheek, slicing a thin cut as he turned his body so he could cover the girls with whatever part of his body he was able to. The swarm of Mer was only there for seconds when the inhuman screams began.
He glared through blood-soaked lashes at the noises, hitching his breath when he saw what must have been the introduced Drowners begin a deadly battle with the Merfolk.
He did not hesitate, choosing only to flee, fighting through the pain of a hundred scratches – it seemed as though they did not aim to kill, at least, not him.
He could see the dwindling sunlight of the February morning come into view. The clouds were still low on the Earth, and a dull grey too. He shouted through the pain as he felt the water slide into his lungs, causing him to cough and splutter. His magic has near run dry, with the ascension spell, continuous usages of magic within the day, and his unconscious use of throwing his magic throughout his body to enhance his muscles and bones. He had become exhausted, and every movement was almost pure agony, yet he could not stop, for the girl, Gabrielle, was fading away to nothingness in his arm.
With one final push, he became dead weight, but a last burst of magic was propelled out of him. Katie and Gabrielle were blurred in his vision as they breached the surface, himself travelling in the opposite direction, sinking back down into the depths, a small smile upon his face as he realised, he had saved them.
He felt weightless as he sank. His heartbeat was dwindling into nothing as the blackness began to enshroud his eyes. 'What was I so afraid of?' he mused, 'This isn't so bad.' The oxygen in his brain was limited at present, and the hallucinations started with fervour.
The claws scratched at his back, yet he felt no pain anymore. Black and red cocooned him in a sphere of bloodied evidence of the fractured terrors of the deep. A deep blue face measured only inches away from his own. Yellow fangs rested within a ravenous mouth. Harry tried to scream with the pain as jagged claws scraped down his chest, down towards his guts, leaving a hollow valley where skin had split. If he had been more aware, Harry could have seen the pure joy that the creature was displaying at the success of its catch.
He was no longer falling now, he had been captured by a superior predator and was unable to escape its clutches, something he doubted he could do even if he was not so banged up as he had been.
The fringes of his sight became attracted to something, however, that he could not quite believe, when the shimmering sky, visible beyond the growing numbers of Necrophages, exploded with pressure, with two forms breaching it and headed towards him.
The water began to boil, searing his skin, and eliciting a sharp hiss of pain. The Drowners swam in all directions, inhuman and guttural noises vibrating the water into a cacophony of misery. He felt himself being pulled upwards – faster and faster – a rattling gasp coming from his tired throat when the cold, winter, bite of air struck him suddenly.
"Quick, get him over here!"
He tried to look at where the distinct words had come from, but he could not make it.
"Merde, we need to get 'im on to dry land."
"I got it… I got 'im. Just focus on making sure we aren't followed."
Two female voices. He recognised them both, but he did not know how.
"Madame!"
"Get 'im up 'ere! Dumblydoor, your medic!"
In and out of consciousness he went, slipping closer and closer to a desperate end. Suddenly, he was warm, and he felt a burst of energy erupt from his core. He shot up, knocking painfully into a figure who leaped backwards and away from him as he coughed out a concoction of water and blood and bile.
"Harry!" A force struck him bodily. Black hair covered his sight and warm lips pressed against his cheek, while salty tears dripped onto his collarbone. "You stupid, stupid, stupid boy!"
"Katie?" he whispered. "You're okay."
"Of course Im okay, you fool." She pulled back, and he could see the redness of her eyes and shredded lips and deep gouge marks in her cheeks. "You have no idea what you just put me through."
She was gripping his arms tightly, but Harry was happy for different reasons. That Katie was safe was one of them, another being that it felt good to feel something other than numbness.
"Was it you who…?"
"Not just me. As soon as we saw what happened," the noise of the others were distant rumbles as he focused upon Katie, "everyone went silent. I came out of the water, and there was so much cheering and noise, but it wasn't you who was coming out with me, it was that blonde girl. Then… the water turned red. It was so red." Her voice cracked as she uttered the last few words. "Cedric and Krum, the both of them, were so tired and they said what had happened down there. And Fleur. She was screaming and crying, all of them knew what was going to happen to her sister, she wouldn't stop saying that we had nearly killed her.
"Then someone asked where you were, and Fleur just stood up, looking into the Lake. Then she just, sort of, jumped straight in. she must have seen the water," she paused for a long while. "Harry, I thought you had left me. I believe you were gone. But then, I realised my inner Gryffindor, and I jumped in after her."
"You both saved me."
"And I would do eet again, 'Arry." The French Champion looked terrible, but nothing compared to the little girl who was clinging to her with what appeared to be all of her strength. She gently nudged Katie aside, much to her chagrin, and placed her hands lightly under his jaw, her fingers splayed as her thumbs stroked his cheeks in wonder. "You saved my seester. You saved 'er life. Veela are not meant for water," she spat the last part out quickly, changing her tone back to the soft one she began with when Harry flinched in response. "The fire eenside of us burns bright. Too bright for ze Mer 'oo leeve below. Ze beests 'oo are down zer, zey would 'ave keeled 'er, and me, eef you 'ad not 'elped. You reesked everyzing." One kiss touched his right cheek. "And you 'ave no idea 'ow much I zank you for eet." A second kiss touched his left cheek. A final one landed upon his forehead, lingering there for what seemed like an eternity, while Harry blushed a burning red.
"Merci," Gabrielle whispered from behind her sister. Harry smiled at her, causing her to stutter out sentences in French that he could not keep up with.
Fleur let out a throaty laugh. "Eet seems she eez quite taken with 'er saviour." She stood up, holding out a hand, which Harry took, along with Katie's, and allowed the two girls to pull him on to his feet. He suddenly fell into Katie, as he remained unsteady, and looked between the two of them. "Your 'Eeler eez very good, but I zink you need a lot more rest. Zey 'ave zaid you 'ave used a lot of magic in ze task. Eet waz lucky zat ze wounds were not deep."
He looked at her through slowly drooping eyelids. The shining blue, one piece swimsuit was in near tatters, and there was evidence of rapidly healing scratches and massive bruising across her body. She pulled tightly at the thick, towelled, robe as she noticed his concern.
She shook her head, and looked with some exasperation at Katie, who simply chuckled as Harry began to drift off into Morpheus' embrace where he stood. Katie whispered soothing words into his ear, which was overturned by the booming, rage filled, sound, of Albus Dumbledore.
Harry's eyes shot open as a dense aura of magic became visible; Albus Dumbledore's magic shone a great, fiery, red, as she growled at the Merfolk whose heads were bowed as they were being reprimanded. The water rippled and the earth shook at the pure intensity of the man's anger, and Harry was shown for the first, true time, why the man was considered a living legend.
"Albus, I think you've scared them enough," Crouch shouted at him, though a stern frown was all Harry could see from the short distance he was away from him.
Harry couldn't hear what Dumbledore said, but the pressure vanished as quickly as it came, and nodded his head at Harry, concern striking his features as he took him in. The Headmaster made towards him, as if to say something, but then stopped just as suddenly. The old man wiped single finger underneath his eye, made a coughing sound, and turned and walked towards the judge's table.
Harry did not care for the points here. He just wanted a nice, steaming, cup of strong tea, and a nice comfy bed.
"Everyone, listen up," Ludo Bagman's voice was increased by the magic of the spell he had just performed, allowing everyone to hear his words clearly. "The judges have deliberated and come to the conclusion of which Champion is to be allocated what points. Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts. Olympe Maxime, Headmistress of Beauxbatons. Igor Karkaroff, High Master of Durmstrang. Garnet Alexandros, Ambassador for Greece. And finally, Han Jee-Han, Head of the South Korean Research and Development Group. Judges, what is your decision?"
The five of them talked in hushed tones, in some cases it became heated as they deliberated the outcome of the Second Task.
With a cough, Madame Maxime rose to her great height to speak first. "Az she 'as not been able to compleete 'er task, though fighting bravely through the water feelds, battling een conditions not suitable for 'oo she eez. We geeve Fleur Delacour, thirty-two points.
The girl was crying, though it did not appear from the results. She was gripping her sister as if she would disappear if she let go, but all Harry could feel, other than Katie's arms wrapped around him from behind, holding him just as tight, was her hand in his.
Karkaroff stood next. "For a splendid display of magic, rescuing his captive, and bringing two more to the surface as well as his own, we give Viktor Krum the full fifty points available."
There was a roar of approval from all schools at this. Apparently, the Merfolk had relayed to Crouch and Dumbledore exactly what had happened in their home and the rest of the Lake, and this was enough to influence their final decision.
Albus Dumbledore was the next one to speak. He raised his hands high, then lowered them slowly, which caused the noise to die down to near nothing. "Cedric Diggory, for combating the beasts of the Lake, making your way to rescue your own hostage, and attempting save another, who was at grave risk, and therefore being unjustly wounded, even if you managed not to save them, we grant you thirty-nine points."
Dumbledore sat down, gesturing to the Greek representative, who then spoke is a lilting Greek accent, but with heavy English undertones. "It has been a long time since I have laid eyes upon the Black Lake of Hogwarts, of which I was not expecting to turn crimson upon this day. Harry Potter. You have shown a courage, a bravery, today, which I have not seen in my whole life. For someone to be able to witness such powerful displays of magic, then to hear the tales of what occurred down there." The black-haired woman shook her head mournfully. "You rescued not only your own, but a child who by all rights, should not have been down there." Her eyes darkened as she turned her eyes briefly towards Crouch, who stood at attention with a neutral visage. "Though we wished, as a majority, to award you the full marks available, those among us acknowledged the fact that you were saved by outside sources. Yet these people were part of the task itself, allowing us to grant you a high total of forty-six points."
The air split with the raucous display of energy. The crowd burst into song and shouts.
Bartemius Crouch cleared his throat, with his wand to his throat. "This concludes the Second Task. Time will wait for the Third Task to reveal itself, yet until then, all may disperse. Champions and hostages, I would advise seeking medical consultation. Farewell."
Madame Pomfrey was quick on the mark, rushing to all four of the participants, as well as the ones they were sent to rescue. "Hospital Wing! Now! Don't you 'yes woman' me, Mr Diggory. You may not be a student here, but my rules are to be followed in relation to your health, do you understand me?"
Harry, Katie, and Fleur looked at each other tiredly, but burst into laughter at the simple absurdity of it all.
Katie pecked the top of his head, nuzzling her chin into his thick hair with practiced precision. "We better do what she says, right, Harry?"
"Your 'eeler is quite a woman," Fleur said with some respect. "But your friend eez right, 'Arry. Laisse-nous partir?"
Harry agreed with all three statements, and, after Fleur had secured Gabrielle by her side, the group made their way slowly to some Thestral drawn carriages to assist them back to the castle for some rest and recouperation.
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Harry remained in the Hospital Wing for four days, with each one becoming more unbearable than the last. The constant boredom and overbearingness of the Medical Matron was enough to drive even the most patient up the wall, though Harry simply laid in his bed and bared with it.
Cedric and Viktor remained only twenty-four hours alongside him, though Fleur and Gabrielle had to remain due to something akin to an allergic reaction from the ambient Water-Based Magic they had been submerged in for so long. Pomfrey had seen enough of Katie worrying over her (favourite) patient far too many times to refuse her stay alongside him, so she had set up a bed next to Harry's for the remainder of his stay with her. Gabrielle left not too long into the second day, as she was not meant to remain at Hogwarts, and was, when she was stated fit for travel, allowed to floo home with support from a Beauxbatons Professor.
It was on the third day that Madame Pomfrey relented, and finally allowed visitors to come in to see them all. Fred and George were the first, being the only one's brave (foolish) to abandon Flitwick's lesson to come see their favourite Potter – Filius Flitwick would claim later that he "had no idea that the two troublemakers had even disappeared from his class".
They were boisterous in their approach, both sporting large, mischievous, grins upon their faces when they entered and saw the littlest Delacour perched at the end of Harry's bed, talking his ear off in rapid French.
Katie was sat on the bed opposite the end of Harry's, arms folded as she tried, and failed, to stop herself from chuckling quietly, an action that Fleur, whose bed she was sat on, was mimicking poorly.
"Well, Harrikins," began Fred.
"I see your legend spreads even further," George took over from his brother.
"Would this mean that?"
"You have become some sort of fairy tale Prince Charming?"
The duo laughed at Harry's reddening face but softened when he eventually smiled and greeted them.
"Don't think that Hedwig quite knew where you were, Harrikins."
George elbowed his brother, silently communicating with him to remind him that Harry's owl meant a great deal to the boy. "Not to worry though, we fed her plenty of bacon, just how she likes it. She was circling the Hall for ages before we coaxed her down. You got a hefty letter here. Might be a friendly one."
"From our experience, anything that isn't red and explody in letter form, is usually not something you'd enjoy reading."
"It is either Sirius or Dora." Harry went silent and thought for a moment. "I'm going to say Dora." He unsealed the envelope, drawing out the letter within. "Yeah, this handwriting's Dora's."
Fred bounced over to the bed, revealing his signature smirk as he did. "Someone like Tonks fawning over you? Harry, my friend, I wouldn't say you had it that bad."
"Was Hedwig okay?" he asked, trying to steer the conversation away from Dora and her potential written wrath. "Her guidance sense has never really been the same since the start of last year. Miss Eilhart tried her best, but she said there would be issues after."
She had said more than that and had explained in full exactly the problems that Hedwig would have from that point, but Harry was adamant that he did not wish for another owl. His heated defence of Hedwig had drawn a bright smile from the woman, which had shocked Tom the Barman when Harry told him about it.
"Hedwig was fine," George answered for them, quirking his lip ever so slightly at the uncomfortableness that Harry was exuding. Harry could see the two female faces staring at him – both were looking at him intently, though pretending not to. "Angie took her personally back to the owlery, and Fay told Hagrid about her confusion, so he said he was going to have a little look and apparently ask some people some questions"
"Thank you, but if Miss Eilhart couldn't help, I don't know who else can."
Harry must have looked how he felt, because Katie was over by his side in a flash. He saw her glare at the twins for a split second, before intertwining her hands with his own. He saw her look triumphant for the briefest of moments, but then turned to face him. "It's okay, Harry. We know that Hedwig is perfect the way she is."
"Zat owl is beautiful. You are right, Katie."
"Thank you, Fleur," she said with a forced-looking smile.
"Aaaaannnyway," intoned George, Fred chuckling alongside him. "We can go if you want, but we wanted to see how you were doing,"
"You really fucking scared us, mate."
Harry had never head either of them swear before, so Harry was a bit more alert while they spoke. "Guys…"
The two of them sat on Katie's bed at the soft look they were getting from Harry, and the hidden, intense, look from Katie herself, whilst mouthing 'sit down'.
Harry grinned bashfully, bringing the duo into a casual conversation, wishing for a sense of normality, with the only differences to normal being that the look and smell of the hospital was not the same as the comfort of the Common Room.
Fred and George were still in the room, causing raucous laughter with all involved, when Angelina and Alicia arrived.
"Ali, Angie! Troublemakers, are we? Never thought to see the two of you bunk off," laughed Fred, still finding his brother's joke at the forefront of his mind.
"Don't call me Angie, numbskull. Besides, lessons are over. Flitwick says that neither of you will be getting detention for not turning up but wants a whole load of work done for him."
"Urk," the two made the noise in unison.
Alicia stepped towards Harry, bending down slightly to give him a tight hug. "How are you doing?" Quieter, she whispered in his ear, "You may want to let me stay between you and Angelina. I can't remember the last time I ever saw her so angry, so I would prepare for a telling off if I were you."
"I think Dora is ahead of you there," he grumbled, though good-naturedly. "I've had a look through the letter she has sent me. I don't think she's very happy with me."
"Is she your sister or you mother?" she could not keep the humour out of her question.
Harry simply smiled in response.
"And what are you smiling at, brat?"
His face went taut, quickly realising that the instinctive response was not needed, and relaxed as he saw the concern oozing from his friend. "I'm just happy to see you, Angie."
Angelina had always been a bit of a hot-headed character ever since Harry had first met her. If he were to liken her to someone else, he would make a comparison with Hermione Granger, though a whole lot more charismatic and sociable. This behaviour would usually boil down to a desire to be the best one in the room, where she always felt like she had something to prove. That would then transpose to a frighteningly bossy attitude, that Harry was happy he never really had directed at him. Until now, that was. However, Harry was a soft spot for most Gryffindor's, and Angelina Johnson was not an exception to the rule.
The girl sighed and shook her head with exasperation. "What am I going to do with you? Katie! You need to keep a better hold on your man, he's likely to kill himself by the end of the year without you holding his hand."
The Weasley's snorted at the truth of the matter, while Harry bowed his head. "It isn't like I go looking for trouble."
Alicia snorted in an amused manner. "Harry, to quote a Muggle phrase. You are a shit magnet."
"Harsh," he winced, "But I suppose that is fair."
A light peal of laughter came from the other side of the room, and a suddenly red-faced Angelina turned sharply to glare at the French Champion.
"And what the hell are you laughing at, bitch?"
"Excusez-moi?"
"Excusez-moi? Is that all you have to say." She sliced her hand through the air with rage, interrupting Fleur's response. "You have spent, every single day since you arrived here, doing nothing but offend and demean. Not just Hogwarts itself, but Harry. Harry, who has been nothing but polite and courteous to all of you. You think we haven't heard what has been said, what you have said?"
"But I…"
"No. No, no, no." Harry wanted to interrupt, but Alicia, who had a hand on his shoulder and a frown on her face, was shaking her head at him, pleading with her eyes to get him to keep quiet. "You do not get to defend yourself. You have been nothing more than a selfish cow, who has been bitter and vile. And now what? You think you can just be all 'pals' with Harry because he helped out your sister? Don't make me laugh."
Angelina turned around, ignorant to the silence that smothered the room. "I think that was too far, Angie."
"No, Harry, I don't think it was."
"Fleur didn't deserve that," he said back to her.
Angelina shrugged her shoulders at his rebuttal. "Maybe, or maybe not. I have made my feelings known on the matter, and that's it." She sat down on the other side of his bed, ignoring the intense stare from her friends. "You are far, far, too lenient, Harry. You have a pure heart, but that leads to naivety way beyond something I can agree with."
Harry sighed, knowing that no matter what he wanted to say, it would not sway his friend, so he instead resorted to an apologetic look over to Fleur, who was staring down at her lap while nodding along to Katie's hushed words.
Fleur was still quiet later that evening, not looking in his direction a single time, even when Katie had been ordered by Professor McGonagall to return to her dormitory, albeit with a ghost of a smile as she told her to go.
Though, as Katie left, and the heavy double doors closed, two figures appeared out of thin air, causing both Harry and Fleur to jump in place.
"Nev! Fay! Hang on, is that my cloak?"
"Haha," Neville chuckled awkwardly, "Well, you see, we really wanted to come check on you, but apparently there were too many visitors."
"Please don't be angry with us, Harry. We would never use it normally, and it isn't like we could ask for permission. This is the only time we've used it, and we really, really, wanted to come down to see you."
"Guys, I'm not angry." He was not feeling that way either. His two best friends had come to see him in the dead of night, risking punishment from the teachers, just so they could see him. He was more touched than any other emotion. He spared a single glance at Fleur, whose eye he could see shimmering in the fading light directed at the trio with what appeared to be curiosity.
They sat there, talking in hushed voices so as not to alert any passers-by of their presence there, for what seemed like hours. All three relishing in the time they were spending together without the fear of the impending Tasks dooming their peaceful unity.
"Did Fred talk to you?" Fay mumbled sleepily. "I don't think he's shut up about you riding the Squid down to the bottom of the Lake since we saw it happen."
"I never thought you would actually do it, Harry. Madness and brilliance, just like Professor Dumbledore says."
"Katie and I have always gotten along with the Kraken. Whenever we go out to the lakeside, we always bring food for it. One day we tried to teach it noughts and crosses. I mean, it lost every game, but it kept playing with us." Harry remembered a time too, when the Squid would play a game on Katie, that had Harry in stiches, whereby it would lightly tap a tentacle on her shoulder, then quickly duck back underwater. The dam eventually burst after a couple of minutes, which had Harry near rolling around the floor in laughter, especially when two tentacles rose high into the air and waved at them both. "So, I thought it would work. I need to thank Tracey as well, for helping me learn to swim."
"That girl's been gloating all day," Fay sighed. "Keeps smirking at everyone, only told Malfoy why apparently, after he asked her at breakfast. Don't quite know what happened after, but the rumours say that Lilith Moon has got a quick draw, Malfoy won't look at Davis without shivering, and Greengrass is having to go to get a new wand."
"Another day in Slytherin," quipped Neville.
"Or Hogwarts." Harry paused, before all three of them burst into a choir of giggles.
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Fleur knew that she was not the most friendly or approachable of people in the world. She could be horrible, bitchy, and vicious, and sometimes that reflected on her actions to people she interacted with on a day-to-day basis.
As she lay on her bed in Hogwarts Hospital Wing, she raced through her memories of every interaction she had ever had with Harry Potter. 'Even when I was civil, had I ever been nice, friendly, or someone decent?' The answer was no. Even if Harry had not picked up on her tone of voice, she still came across as belligerent and obnoxious in their limited conversations. Her apology towards him, after she had witnessed his friend kiss him, was not the most heartfelt of sorrys that had ever been spoken before, and all this combining was causing an awful feeling in her gut.
She turned to lie on her back, propping herself up on her elbows as she looked over to the boy opposite her. That brave, charming, stupid, stupid boy. The one who had thought nothing of his own safety as he brought her beloved little sister from the brink of annihilation and back to her arms. He had known, as well, the issues of Veela and Aqua Magic, which the Black Lake was teeming with. The creatures within had near killed her, and him, just to protect one little girl who meant nothing to his life. Everything she had ever thought about him, talked about him, and said to him, was nothing more than a fiction at this point.
When she and Gabrielle first had time alone, the girl would not stop talking about how brave her prince of a saviour was, and her girlish wonder only made Fleur die further inside. The girl was enamoured with him, and during her stay, would not stop pestering him the majority of the time. 'He's a brilliant big brother!' she had whispered to Fleur, 'He reminds me of you.'
It made Fleur's heart melt when she saw how kind he was being with her, although her mind betrayed her. 'No one can naturally be that gentle and that sweet. There has to be a flaw.' But there was not a single one to be found. At least, not one that she could identify as a negative.
"'Arry, are you awake?" she whispered across to him.
"Fleur? What is it?"
She threw back the covers of her bed, taking her wand from the table and lighting the tip of it to guide her over cleanly. She pulled a chair over so she could seat herself next to the bed, as Harry sat up with his back against his pillow.
"Deed you know, zat when I first met you, I zought you were a leetle brat? Zomeone 'oo deed not deserve my time?" Harry remained silent, and the strength of his stare almost made her stop in her tracks. 'No, I have to keep going.' "Zen, I 'eard all zeese stories about you. Zey told me zat you 'ad done ziz and zat, and 'ow much of a liar you were. Zat you took credit for all zese zings zat ozzers 'ad done. Zat you were a coward and a failure.
"I 'ad known your story, all boys and girls everywhere know 'oo you are. Zen zere was ze Quidditch… zo many people zought zat you were eezer an 'ero or a fraud. I was ze one of the last."
"Why are you telling me this?"
"Because I was wrong." She saw his look of surprise, and a fleeting glimpse of what she believed to be gratitude shine down upon her. "I was wrong about zo many zings. But none of zem 'ave 'urt my 'eart as much as what I 'ave done to you. I was zo wrong and ze guilt of 'ow I 'ave acted tears me up eenside. I 'ave said zat I apologise, but now… now I truly mean eet. I am zo, zo, zo, zorry. I understand eef you 'ate me, and eef you never wish to see me again. But after you saved my seester… After you saver 'er at what could 'ave been lost… I was zo wrong. I do not deserve to be forgiven, but I…"
"I forgive you, Fleur."
He meant it too. She could see the kindness in his eyes, the true purity of who he was, hidden poorly behind a beautiful colour of green. She looked deep within him, releasing her Veela Aura tentatively, trying to get a small feel of his magic and intention, just to be sure.
She gasped audibly, noticing how there was no reaction from him, not a single part of his body or magic was reacting to her power. But she could sense it, the emotions, the feelings of the boy who was in front of her, and she was awed by it.
'This. Is this what they see when they are around him? Is this what that girl sees when she looks at him? How could I have been so blind?'
"Zank you." It was inaudible, throaty, and choked with emotion. "I don't know 'ow I can ever repay you for everyzing you 'ave done. Not just forgiving, but for saving my seester."
"You don't need to do anything."
She could see his hand atop the sheets, and for a fleeting moment she desired to grab it, hold it in her own hand, and not let go. She threw off the urge quickly, thinking to herself with humour, 'I wonder if that was his own type of aura?'
"Do you know anyzing about Veela, 'Arry?"
He shook his head in denial, "I am afraid not. I know little bits, bolstered by Viktor's knowledge, but no, I can't say I do."
"I zought not." She sighed deeply, knowing that maybe, if she got this off her chest, Harry may understand why she had been the way she portrayed herself. She knew that he had forgiven her, but still, she wished to assuage the sundering of her heart. "Veela are not beings of lust or love, like zo many zay. We exist as beings of passion, ze fire of our magic eez ze burning of zat passion."
"Then why do people react like they do?"
"Because zey cannot control zere passions. Zey do not 'ave ze will een zere 'earts to resist eet. Zey look at us as ze target of zere passion, and zo we get ze full force of zere wants." She let out a solitary laugh, closing her eyes briefly, then opened them to stare directly at him. "You 'ave a will stronger zan zo many I 'ave seen. 'Arry, Dark Magic eez created by what eez known as ze Seven Seens. Each Seen eez somezing zat we, as beings zat 'ave such power, must try to stop in our own 'earts. Ozzerwise we weel be, what eez ze word?"
"Overwhelmed?"
"Oui, overwhelmed, by ze world. Wrath, lust, envy, gluttony, greed, sloth, and pride. We fight zese zings every time we use magic, even eef we do not know eet. Veela bring ze passions of men, and zey show us zere Seen zo we judge zem for eet. You… your Seen is zo weak, and your will is so strong. I did not zink I could ever zee zomeone like you, but 'ere I am.
"I 'ave been 'urt, 'Arry, by boys and men, who I zought were true, but 'ave been, overwhelmed, as you zay, by zere passions. I 'ave become strong because of eet, but 'orrible, too. I know eet eez not enough for excuses, but I zought you should know why Veela act like we do. Why I act like I do."
"I'm sorry."
"Why are you zaying sorry for?" she asked, bewildered.
"Because I can't imagine what it must have been like, living your life. Viktor's cousin married a Veela, and Viktor told me about it. How men act disgusting around you, while women end up jealous and spiteful. If I ever said or did anything that made you feel bad, then, I'm sorry."
"You idiot," she said softly. "You 'ave done nozzing wrong."
"Fleur?"
"Oui, 'Arry?"
"Are we friends now?"
She could not bear to match his hopeful gaze, knowing that just the look would overpower her completely. "Of course we are." That was it for her now. "Why would I ever turn zat offer down?"
His smile was radiant, and she giggled louder than she intended when his arms hurriedly brought themselves around her in a brief hug, which she willingly reciprocated.
'How could I ever have been so stupid as to despise this boy? He is too precious for this life.'
She made a promise to herself in that moment.
Fleur Delacour would never again see to it that she would be the cause of pain for Harry Potter, and that her heart would never again stray from her true self, as it was no longer hers to keep locked away.
Author's Notes
So I'm responding to a review that I received, questioning why Harry's whole 'personality' changed in Second Year regarding the Chamber incident, and it is indeed a good point well made. Why did it change? For starters, life is not always on a set path – canon Chamber still needed to 'sort' of happen, and Harry's life is anything but normal. Ron and Hermione were hidden characters at the time, and because I did not focus upon them, they were blank canvas' who could be moulded into acting how I made them while still retaining measures of their canon selves. I believe wholeheartedly that without Harry's influence, the two of them would have been minor villain pieces rather than the side-by-side heroes they are in the books. And returning to life not being on a set path, George Martin does it best by introducing the randomness of the world amidst the chaotic nature of existence. Sometimes a spanner is thrown into the works and what would be seen as 'random' or 'improbable' by the very nature of how the universe is, is in fact something well within the realms of possibility. And if the complaint is about how Harry acted in that, and other, situations, then I have two answers. Number 1, other than this being fiction and a fanfiction at that, I return to the randomness of the world. Harry was not really acting with precision in the situations that evolve, and instead he goes into fight or flight subconsciously. The second is that with the trauma of his history, followed up with his continuing advancement of his life improving, connected too by the fact that he is experiencing the overwhelmingness of magic being still new in his life, as well as going through puberty, his mind is not the most stable of places. I hope that this clears some things up for you, and others who have been reading and are confused still.
Also, thinking about it, I have decided to change the way I will be writing the story. The plan I have already created for the whole fic – distracting myself for a moment, each element of the story has already been pre-planned since before I even started typing a single word of chapter one, what I write is just that all fleshed out. I also means that I have the ending of this fic all planned out as well.
Anyway, I digress, I plan to change the way I write, and it will hopefully be for the better. Prior to this, apart from the brief hiatus, I wrote and put out chapters because I felt like I had to, almost for the sake of it. However, some days I just don't feel like writing. Like this chapter, where I did not want to write for ages just because I did not feel like it. If I had typed the story at that time, it would come out sub-par, and not very good at all. This has been shown in some of my previous chapters already, where this has been done before. Therefore, I am only going to write when I feel like writing. This means that there may be longer delays between chapters, however, (the author says) this will mean a greater improvement of content. At least, that is the hope.
By the way, I am not fluent in French, so please do not get mad at my phrases if they are wrong or something, I am trying my best. I will take criticism on them, and if anyone has more correct ways of saying what I am trying to put, I would appreciate being informed of what they are. Thanks.
Next Chapter: 3rd Task