A/N: I don't own Harry Potter
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
This is for the Insane Prompt Challenge: Location – swimming pool
Word count: 318
Cedric stared at the piece of parchment in his hand. "I thought I could do better than this," he muttered at the large red A on the top of the page. He had been trying to pull his grades up since the tournament began, but there was just so much going on. It didn't help he was distracted not only be the fact he'd been chose as a champion, but by the nightmares he'd been having.
He had never told anyone about his fear of water. He was fine in showers, and could tolerate the prefects bath as long as there were more bubbles than water. He just had a horrible sinking feeling that one of the tasks would somehow involve the lake.
They had just finished the first challenge and Cedric had yet to figure out the secret of the golden egg. He decided to think in the bath. The hot steam and the smell of the cinnamon bubble tap always helped him clear his head.
He glanced around, the annoying mermaid was awake this time. He'd hoped he'd come late enough to not deal with her, but there she was, flipping her hair. He remembered stories of sirens that had drowned men. He shuddered... yes somehow he was going end up in the lake. Maybe he should just forfeit, could he even do that?
He started to get out of the bath when he accidentally smacked the egg with his elbow, it split open and fell into the water. At first he was puzzled as to why it wasn't screaming like usual. He dove down to the bottom to get it and then realized it was singing. Mermaids... well, he'd always known he'd end up in the darn lake as part of this tournament. He made a vow then and there between him and the mermaid that starting tomorrow, he was going to conquer his fear!