The Second Task

Friday morning, Siria put on her aquatard, contacts, and hung her goggles around her neck. She could barely hear Parvati and Lavender over the deafening explosions in her chest. Someone had replaced her heart with fireworks. Fay extended a belt covered in zipper pouches and Siria stared absently at it.

"But where's Hermione?" Siria repeated. "She was supposed to meet me here."

"Haven't you been listening?" Lavender rolled her eyes, "she stayed out last night, probably with Viktor." Lavender broke into another fit of giggles.

"She's probably just down in the Great Hall or already at the Lake," Fay said as she dropped the belt into Siria's lap.

"But—" she tried to argue. There was no way Hermione would break her word. "I don't know if I can do this." Siria confessed. Parvati tugged unnecessarily hard on Siria's hair and tsked.

"What are we?" Parvati asked.

"I just— Hermione," Siria groaned and pressed her forehead to her knees. Siria spared a look to her watch. For a moment, the fireworks paused because at least Sirius was there.

Where exactly "there" was, Siria didn't know. At the edge of the Lake, with the other Champions, Siria shook from the weather or her nerves. Ron and Neville hadn't seen Hermione either, and no one had seen Sirius. Remus tied what looked like a black beach ball around Siria, as he had done with the other Champions. It floated beside Siria. Remus patted her shoulder and whispered "Sirius and Hermione are here," as he pretended to be double checking the leather like rope that bound her to the beach ball.

Warrington fiddled with his wrist like he was adjusting an invisible sleeve. "It's fine," Siria heard him say before he focused on the water. Siria's eyes flickered to the water. Her watch and Remus both said Sirius was here, so Sirius had to be. Fireworks continued to shake her core and turn her stomach. Siria's eyes flickered from the water, to the stands, where she could make out Ron and the other Weasleys from their red hair, but no bushy brown.

At the judges' table, Bagman amplified his voice (B4, 293). Siria pulled her goggles over her eyes. Warrington nodded to her as he pulled out a Draught. Siria nodded back while she tossed her robes off and emptied one of the belt's pockets into her hand. She shoved the gillyweed into her mouth while Warrington chugged down his Draught and Bagman addressed the audience. "The Champions will have one hour, from when I blow the whistle, to recover what's been taken. One the count of three, then." (B4, 493). Siria swallowed the gillyweed and looked to Warrington, who was paler than she had ever seen him. He was focused on the water as Bagman counted down.

On "three" Siria cannonballed herself into the water. There was no sound in the freezing waters. Siria curled herself into a ball and coughed as she tried to breathe. Her body shivered as she tried to rise back up. Then the gills formed and the water felt pleasantly cool (B4, 495). Siria gasped for air through her gills. The black, beach ball like device provided a shadowy light around Siria. She pointed her want toward the surface and "Aguamenti!" As when she practiced, a large bubble came out of her mouth instead of sound, but the spell did as she wanted. A jet of water erupted from Siria's wand and sent her deeper into the lake.

She sent herself, burst by burst, further into the depths of the lake. Siria gasped as something yanked her into tall, yellow weeds by her ankle (B4, 495). A grindylow hissed and bared its fangs from the weeds (B4, 495). "Stupefy!" Siria cried, but a bubble escaped her lips instead. Another grindylow grabbed onto her. She tightened her grip on her wand and squeezed her eyes shut.

Travers's words echoed in Siria's panicked mind: say it with your heart. She could clearly see the electric blue painted nails, with ribbons of smoke like white, rest on Travers's chest. Hermione argued "Siria ought to be casting it with her mind." Patricia had laughed and told them Siria should be casting with both.

Siria's eyes bolted open as two other grindylow grabbed her other leg. She pointed her wand at the first set and focused, more than she had ever done— more than on any of the logic puzzles Sirius had given her, more than on homework, more than she did when she summoned her Firebolt— on "Relashio!" Both the grindylow on her left leg let go and were knocked away. Siria pointed to the others. In her excitement, she said "Relashio!" which released a bubble from her mouth, but blasted a jet of boiling water from her wand (B4 494). The other two grindylow recoiled. Siria kept her wand on them "Aguamenti!" and fired herself away from them.

On the other side of the weeds, she fired herself toward downward until she was nearly at the bottom of the Lake and found, with the gillyweed, she could swim faster than she could run. The strange, black beach ball like orb continued to float and emit a dark light. Siria figured, as Remus had worked on them, they were some sort of safety measure. She looked to her watch and her heart skipped— more than half her time was gone and she felt no where near closer to finding the merpeople or what they took.

She unzipped one of the pockets of the belt and pulled out a small handful of gillyweed. Siria shivered in revolution at having to chew the gillyweed under water. It felt extra slimy and almost alive as it wriggled down her throat. Even if she couldn't find whatever was taken in the time limit, she wasn't coming up without it. Siria reasoned that getting the item late was better than not at all.

Moaning Myrtle told Siria that if she just swam toward the bottom and middle of the Lake, she would eventually reach the merpeople. Further and further she swam, with glance after glance to her watch. More than the time, she wanted to know where Sirius was. Was he watching with Hagrid? Were they routing for her with the others? With the dark, illuminated beach ball and her wand as her light, Siria shook the doubts and questions from her mind and continued further into the Lake.

[Book: B4, 497-498 Siria hears them singing and finds the stone dwellings of the merpeople, with a choir singing their town square, and the gigantic merperson statue]

"DAD!" Siria gasped, but only a large bubble escaped her. Tied to the tail of the massive, stone merperson were three people and a large, black, shaggy dog. Faster than Siria thought she could have, she swam to Snuffles. Trails of bubbles escaped him and the others, who all appeared fast asleep (B4, 498). Siria swam to Hermione and felt her pulse; it was slow, but steady and she didn't appear hurt. The person floating beside Hermione was a tall, broad shouldered woman that had to be Warrington's mother. She was next to a child with silvery hair that was most likely Fleur Delacour's sister (B4, 498).

From another zipper in her belt of pockets, Siria pulled out Sirius's knife. With her wand between her teeth and the knife in hand, she sliced the rope that bound Snuffles to the statue and secured it to the black beach ball. If it was a safety precaution, Sirius would be fine. She looked to her watch— there were fifteen minutes. Her green eyes scanned the water, but she didn't see another champion. A merperson with a spear pointed their weapon at Siria "Your task is to retrieve your own," they told her (B4, 499). She returned the knife to her pocket and shook her head.

Siria took Hermione's hand and treaded between her and Mrs. Warrington. "If nothing else, Sirius can swim," Siria reasoned. "He can take Fleur's sister. Hermione can eat some gillyweed and we'll get Mrs. Warrington out together." She nodded to herself and tightened her grip on her wand. It would work. It had to work or the others would come.

A few of the merpeople with spears glared at Siria while she hovered beside Hermione. She glared back, but wasn't sure they could see it with her bulky goggles on. Ten more minutes went by in silent panic without any sign of another champion. Would Dumbledore really let the merpeople keep the others? "Of course not," Siria shook her head, "but he doesn't exactly make the rules." Her heart sank into her stomach. Siria circled the three, still tied to the statue and worried.

Ron and Siria agreed that Ludo Bagman wasn't all together, but, surely he wouldn't let people lose their loved ones? Barty Crouch was very strict though. She bit her lip and returned to Hermione's side. No one would be losing anyone today, Siria decided as she caught the sickly pale face of Fleur's sister. "Five minutes," winced with her hand over her watch and looked to the darkness around her. "They're just out of sight," Siria told herself and nodded. The merperson who told her to leave had watched her closely. Unless the merpeople tried to fight her, Siria would give the other champions five minutes to rescue their person. "They'll be more thankful their person is safe than upset about the points, right?" she wondered.

Something mostly clear and viney smacked into Siria's chest. She reflexively tried to catch it, but it wrapped around her. The strangely slimy, but smooth texture was unmistakable and Siria tickled the tangle of Giggle Kelp until it released her. Warrington had launched several tangles of the Giggle Kelp as a distraction, to reach his mother. He elbowed Siria in the side and extended his hand. She handed him Sirius's knife, which he used to cut his mother free.

Warrington pointed up and mouthed "Go!" Siria gestured to Hermione and Fleur's sister. He shook his head and pointed into the darkness. She squinted beneath her goggles, but saw no one coming. Warrington sighed and bubbles rolled from his mouth. Siria linked her arm with Hermione's, as they often did when they walked, and held out her other for her knife. She would need it. Warrington pointed, again, to what Siria couldn't see. "They're coming!" He mouthed as more bubbles came out and he slammed the knife into her hand. Siria looked to her watch, there was only a minute left. She shook her head and held Hermione's arm tighter. Siria pointed to Warrington then the surface "You go." He tsked, but Warrington secured his mother to him and pointed his wand at the surface.

Before he was out of sight, time was up and so was Warrington's distraction. The Giggle Kelp shot to the surface, covered with the bubbles of its laughter. Two merpeople yanked Siria, who held Hermione tighter. Siria took hold of her belt with the hand of the arm linked to Hermione. She gritted her teeth together and fought to break free, but they had four arms on her single one. In an instant, Siria's own arm smacked her in the face. The merpeople let go to scatter. Siria pulled Hermione and Fleur's sister by their ropes as a shark sped toward them.

"No!" Siria shook her head and cut Hermione and Fleur's sister from the statue. Hagrid never said anything about sharks. Nearly two months of classes on what lives in the Lake and he said absolutely nothing about sharks— Siria would know; she read all of Hermione's notes on his lessons, even when Hagrid repeated things. The shark circled and Siria gasped.

While the head was unmistakably a shark, much of the rest was not. Siria could see why Cedric was against Siria or Warrington trying to Transfigure themselves. Krum had mostly human arms, but they were flat and grey. In place of his legs were two halves of a tail. Siria tied a loop into Hermione's loop and extended it. He slid one not fully finned arm through the loop and took off with Hermione.

An hour and seven minutes had passed. Siria gave one last glance for Fleur, but there was no sign of her silver hair. The merpeople closed in around Siria, who was tied down with with Sirius tied to the ball, which was tied to her. Siria tucked her arm under Fleur's sister's arm and waved her wand at the merpeople before her. They stopped their advance and some even backed up. Siria leaned toward a spot of three that backed away, who jerked further back. As far as they knew, she could cast silently.

Through her gills, she took a deep breath that filled her with cool and calm. Siria pointed her wand to the surface and closed her eyes. She pictured the tip of her wand acting like a magnet to the surface of the Lake. Siria pushed away concerns for Fleur's points, or guilt that Fleur might be just a minute away, and worry she had completely blown the second task for taking more than Sirius. "Ascendio!"

It was similar to a Portkey in that Siria felt she had been hooked then hurled around. Siria looked down and saw the merpeople close behind. The ones who did not back up were intent on keeping their word. Siria kicked with all her might with her still webbed feet. She kept her wand as upright as she could while her legs flailed under her. "If I can just make it," she told herself. Dumbledore wouldn't let them be taken back under.

When they reached the surface, it felt like someone pulled a plastic bag over Siria's face. She had taken her gillyweed a little later than she needed. Siria ducked her head and under and swam toward Dumbledore the other students. Snuffles swam under Fleur's sister's other arm and helped Siria swim to the bank. Fleur ran into the water to help pull her sister out. Snuffles rushed Remus, while Siria flattened herself in the shallows of the bank and wondered if the merpeople came up to say she threatened them.

Snuffles dipped a draught into the water and let it bump into Siria's head. She took the draught and, with her gills still underwater, drank it. Siria hacked and gagged and wheezed as she downed the draught. It felt like she was drinking through her nose. Then, at the bottle of the bottle, Siria bolted upright and gasped for air. "Good— good boy," she told Snuffles as she pet him with one hand and rubbed her gill-free neck with her other, before she took off her goggles and took her glasses from Snuffles's collar.

[Book: B4, 504-505 Dumbledore talks with the merpeople. Madam Pomfrey fusses over Siria and gives her a Pepperup potion that warms her up. Hermione praises Siria, which causes Krum to try and catch Hermione's attention with the fact there's a beetle in Hermione's hair, but she wants to talk to her friend]

"I can't believe you thought it was real!" Hermione groaned at Siria and pulled the beetle from her hair. "Of course they wouldn't keep someone," Hermione shook her head. She didn't seem to notice she was crushing the beetle.

"Tell that to Fleur!" Siria jerked her head to Fleur, who was practically hysterical as she fussed over her sister. It was like watching Aunt Petunia fuss over Dudley when he tripped as a child: a series of kisses in which she was glued to him and asked how she could make it better.

"Siria, I'm serious," Hermione looked into Siria's eyes. Siria cracked a smile and looked to Snuffles. Hermione replied in a silent, stern expression while Snuggles wagged his tail. He bumped Hermione's hand and she released the beetle. True to his act of dog, Sirius chased after the beetle and snapped at it.

"Look, I get it. I'm an idiot—" Siria began, but Hermione shook her head and hugged Siria.

"You aren't an idiot, just a fool." Hermione smiled and rested her head on Siria's shoulder.

"You're what Krum would miss most" Siria whispered into Hermione's ear. She punched Siria's arm. "What?" Siria asked, but her wide grin gave her away.

"You're ridiculous," Hermione shook her head. Even though she turned away, she couldn't hide the blush that went as far as her ears.

[Book: B4, 505-506 Fleur Delacour thanks Siria for saving Gabrielle and even kisses Siria on the cheek. Then it's time to get their scores. Fleur 25, Warrington 47, Krum 40. Bagman explains what everyone used]

"Ms. Potter returned last, but, as we saw, Ms. Potter was the first to reach the hostages." Bagman said (B4, 507)

"As who saw how?" Siria whispered to Hermione, who pointed to the black beach balls, which Madam Pomfrey had untied when she gave Siria the Pepperup Potion. "They saw?" Siria's jaw dropped and she looked back to Bagman. Everyone saw her make a fool of herself by believing people would be lost forever.

[Book: B4, 507-508 Bagman says that most of the judges (all except Karkaroff) felt it showed her moral fiber & merited full marks. Siria 45 points. Krum tries to get Hermione's attention, but Siria just ranked second and is tied with Warrington for first. They're told the 3rd & final task will be June 20th at dusk. 1 month before, they'll learn what it will be. Madam Pomfrey is going to nurse them a little more, but Siria doesn't have anything else to worry about another task for months]