Disclaimer: I don't own HP/PJO/HoO

Harry POV

I spent most of dinner pondering what Cedric meant by "stick the egg underwater", but didn't get very far in thinking before Dumbldore stood up to announce something.

Beside him, Brunner was twisting a napkin in his hands, looking resigned. The other headmasters and mistress looked annoyed.

The New World students were once again splitting between the Hufflepuff and Gryffindor tables. The orange-caped students sat with the Gryffindors and the purple-caped ones were with the Hufflepuffs. However, they all sat as close to the teachers' table as they could, and kept whispering amongst themselves.

Dumbledore cleared his throat for attention.

"It has come to the attention of the judges, myself, and the other heads that we have a slight issue with the second task."

Murmurs rose from the crowd.

"Yes, yes, i know. However, this only affects the New World Academy students."

That got more murmurs. And a lot of annoyed loooks to the New World lot too.

"As you know, the New World champion is Percy Jackson. However, due to the nature of his speciialized branch of magic, as well as some...more personal reasons, we have decided that we will be switching out champions."

It was several minutes before everyone settled down.

"How is that possible? The contract is binding!" Hermione asked.

"Maybe they have some way to switch champions but not completely leave them out?" I wondered.

Dumbledore got the room silent again before speaking.

"Percy Jackson will, indeed, compete. However, he will instead be given a different task that will not be judged but still keep with the contract set by the Goblet. As the Tournament is meant as a competition between schools, we will choose another champion to take Mr. Jackson's place in the second task. We will, however, not use the Goblet but instead randomly pick out a name from those who submitted and that are still here."

As Brunner brought out a closed wooden box, people started talking, complaining, or acting nervous-the last part applying most to the New World students. Percy himself looked a little apprehensive-after all, he probably already knew what the second task was but now he had a totally different task ahead of him. And he had less time, too-the second task was just over a month away.

Dumbledore waved his wand and a piece of paper flew out and landed in his hand .The whole Hall was silent in anticipation.

"The replacement champion for New World Academy is...Leo Valdez."

The curly-haired Latino elf who was Leo Valdez whooped. "Oh yeah, the Supersized McShizzle's in da house, baby!"

The rest of the group groaned but clapped anyways. Brunner looked like he couldn't decide if this was a grand joke or a good omen.

Dumbledore dismissed everyone and people started leaving. Leo was surronded by his classmates and looked pretty pleased with himself.

"I heard he's a troublemaker." Hermione said quietly to Ron and I over the noise. "But he's also very smart, I heard him talking with some Ravenclaws and he clearly knew what he was talking about."

"Doesn't matter what he's like, can't be worse then what I'm up against. I'm going to find out what Cedric meant tonight." I told them as we left the Great Hall.

(linebreak)

The next few days and weeks were filled with preparing for the second task. Cedric had been right, hearing the singing of the mermaids underwater changed everything. Even if I didn't know what I'd miss most and have to reclaim. Hedwig? My broom? One of my friends?

I sure hoped not.

Hermione was dividing her time between Vikror Krum, helping me train, and homework. Ron looked annoyed whenever she brought up Krum, though he didn't mind helping me train for whatever was coming up now that I'd done the first task. I supposed it was because he figured I got what I deserved, whatever that was. I mean, I definitely did not put my name in that Goblet.

The weird thing, though, was that Di Angelo kid.

He skipped classes like nobody's buisness yet still passed everything. He literally appeared everywhere and anywhere, without warning usually. I sometimes even saw him sitting around someplace with one of the ghosts, just chatting like it was perfectly normal.

Most people steered clear of him, except for his classmates. Now and then I saw the youngest (or the one I thought was the youngest) girl in the group walking with him. I was pretty sure she was with the large Chinese guy but both she, Di Angelo, and Zhang seemed fine that she was hanging out a good bit with Di Angelo.

Once in a while, Percy Jackson or Jason Grace would be spotted trying to get him to come to the Great Hall and "be sociable", though that only someitmes happened.

And everyone in the castle seemed to knew that Will Solace, the ever-cheerful blond who helped out Madame Pomfrey quite a bit, was close with Di Angelo, though why I didn't know since they were practically opposites, even more then Malfoy and I.

Speaking of white, Malfoy was staying pretty quiet. Way too quiet.

"He's got to be planning something, or knows something, I just know it." I told Hermione and Ron as we sat in the common room one night a few nights before the second task.

"Or he could be scared of the Di Angelo kid. Blimey, that kid is eerywhere, it's like he knows this place even better then us." Ron said, copying my homework.

Hermione glared at Ron's homework, then turned to me. "Harry, you can't worry about Di Angelo or Malfoy. The second task is in just three days. You need to focus and figure out-"

"What I'm gonna do. Right. Yeah, I'm working on it, Hermione." I sighed. "But I-"

"Don't even say it." Hermione told me. "You'll put together some kind of conspiracy that'll distract you. You can think all you want about those two after you win the Second Task."

Hermione and Ron definitely wouldn't let the matter of that underwater task go and I didn't really have any other excuse I could use to talk about Malfoy, who skirted away whenever he saw Di Angelo nearby and generally left me and my friends alone, though he glared from a distance. So I just nodded and agreed, though inside I was trying to put everything together.

Because nothing made sense. Especially when it came to the New World kids...and in particular, Nico di Angelo.

Sorry about continuality and stuff. Honostly? I don't know what I'm doing during this second task. Review, and let me know what y'all think :) thanks for reading!