It was the night before the second task, and Ginny was helping Harry, Ron and Hermione frantically search through books in order to find something that would help Harry breathe underwater. They'd even looked in the restricted section using Harry's invisibility cloak, and found nothing. It was now eleven in the evening and they were the only students still in the library. Ginny hadn't had a chance to talk to Cedric about what he was using and Hermione had pointed out that it wouldn't help anyway because it would be too obvious that they had cheated if Harry and Cedric both used the same charm.
At half past eleven, they were all lying on the desks, positively exhausted. Ginny sat next to Harry, whose face was turned sideways, watching her. He looked so hopeless, his green eyes drooping closed. Ginny sighed and grumbled, "I wish we could Accio the right charm to us!" This elicited a bleak smile from Harry and she clutched his hand in support. She hated to see him looking so worn out.
Hermione grumbled irritably, "If that were possible Ginny, trust me I would have done that hours ago!" They'd been there for five hours already and Ginny was exhausted, as were the other three. Suddenly, a loud thudding sound came into the room which made all three of them sit up anxiously. It was mad-eye moody who told them, "Miss Weasley, Miss Granger, Professor Dumbledore would like to see the both of you in his office right now." Hermione protested, "But Sir, the second task is only hours away and…" Moody interrupted him vehemently and sighed, "Exactly, so surely Mr Potter is well prepared by now and could do with a good night's sleep. You two, head to the headmasters office, please."
Ginny sighed and kissed Harry's messy locks before she whispered, "You can do this. I believe in you. Goodnight." He whispered, "Thank you." Then Ginny and Hermione headed out the library and towards the Professor Dumledore's office. Moody didn't follow them, so Hermione whispered to her frantically, "Do you think he knows Harry's not ready?" Ginny nodded solemnly as they walked at a fast pace, "Of course he knows! It's pretty obvious to anyone who saw us in there tonight. At this point I wouldn't have minded asking Cedric what he was doing if it meant keeping Harry alive!" Hermione sighed as they reached the Phoenix statue, "I know what you mean."
The phoenix lifted its wings and revealed a hidden stairway to them. They climbed up the stairs, and when they got there, the professor was smiling at them and two others from behind his desk. He said joyfully as they stepped in, "Ah! Miss Weasley and Miss Granger, would you take a seat please?" They nodded and sat beside…Cho and a blonde haired girl who looked like Fleur in miniature. Ginny frowned and Professor Dumbledore continued, "Well now, you four are here today because you each mean a great deal of importance to each one of the champions:Miss Gabrielle is Fleur's sister, Miss Chang is Mr Diggory's best friend, Miss Granger, you mean a lot Mr Krum, and Miss Weasley is important to Mr Potter. Now, for the second task, each champion must rescue you-their treasure. Unless you strongly object, Professor Snape will place you under a sleeping draught that will keep you in a sleep-like state and will allow you to breath under water for an hour. You will be protected by mer-people and the champions must rescue you from them. Depending on their timing, they will be awarded a first, second, third, or fourth place in the running for the third task. Does anyone object?"
The room had gone silent. Ginny shook her head without even thinking about it. Gabrielle asked quietly, "Vat happens if zey do not rescue us?" Professor Dumbledore smiled kindly at her and shrugged his shoulders, "Then you merely float up to the top of the water and the second your face hits the surface then you wake up." Ginny nodded in understanding and she looked at Hermione who seemed to be uncomfortable. The professor noticed and asked, "What's the matter, Miss Granger?" he asked with a kind smile. Hermione grimaced and replied, "Professor, are there any after effects of the potions? I mean…it's not addictive or anything is it?" The professor shook his head, "Not at all, Miss Granger. In fact, I made this potion myself." This caused Hermione's face to relax.
Professor Dumbledore smiled kindly at the four of them and said, "Professor Snape is here to administer the dosages for each of you." Ginny hadn't even seen Snape until he was mentioned. Maybe because he was stooping in a far corner pouring the black liquid into glasses for each of them.
Suddenly Ginny felt worried. Something about Snape set her on edge. Maybe it's because she knew how much Harry disliked him and distrusted him. Maybe she felt the same way. But the look Snape gave her was one of pure distaste. Ginny was pretty certain that the look she was giving him was a replica.
She clutched the chair as the professor slowly approached her, levitating four vial's in the air towards them. Ginny took hers, then Hermione, then Cho, and finally Gabrielle. Ginny looked around the room nervously as Hermione asked again, "So…we just sleep? How will you put us in the lake?" Professor Dumbledore nodded patiently, "I will levitate each of you to the lake when morning comes. You need to be in a deep sleep in order for this to work, you see. Then we will deposit you into the lake and the mermaids will take good care of you from there on. They will attach your bodies to the floor of the lake with a rope to prevent you from floating upwards. The draught lasts twenty four hours, but I can guarantee you, it is perfectly safe." Suddenly Ginny started to panic! Harry didn't even have a method of getting to her! How was he going to get through this task?" She asked the headmaster worriedly, "Excuse me, Professor Dumbledore, but what happens if the champions don't complete the task?" The headmaster grimaced and replied, "They fall further behind in the tournament. For the third task, they will start in accordance to their rankings of the second task." Ginny nodded, panic flooding through her. She looked at Hermione who looked just as worried. Professor Dumbledore continued, "I would just like you to sign a document each for me, please."
The headmaster turned to his desk and pulled out a form. It read:
I Ginevera Molly Weasley … (sign) declare that I have agreed to participate in the Triwizard Tournament as Mr Harry James Potter's "treasure" in the second task. I leave my fate in the hands of Headmaster Professor Albus Percival Wilfric Brian Dumbledore (signed: Albus Percival Wilfric Brian Dumbledore) as I trust him with my life and I consent to using the Sleeping Draught potion.
I, Molly Weasley (signed : Molly Weasley) and Arthur Weasley (signed: Arthur Weasley) give permission for our daughter (Ginevra Molly Weasley) to use the Sleeping Draught potion for the purposes of the
Below was the Hogwarts Crest and stamp. Ginny grimaced. She was not used to signing papers involving her life. The headmaster smiled again, "We need to get your permission in print as we had to visit each of your parents and asked them to sign a form of consent, just as a precaution.
Ginny was given a quill to sign and as she did so, the letters turned gold and the parchment scrolled itself up. Then the professor collected each of their signed documents and smiled, "Thank you all for your cooperation! It makes things a lot easier. Anyway, bottoms up!
Ginny quickly drank the sleeping draught and she felt like gagging from the taste of it. The stuff was disgusting. Professor Dumbledore levitated them each a glass of water and they eagerly drank it as he smiled, "To get rid of the taste and also to hydrate you. You should be feeling sleepy any second." Before he'd even finished his sentence, Ginny began feeling exhausted, like all of her energy had been sucked out of her. She felt her eyes drooping shut as she quickly fell into a dreamless sleep. The last thing she thought was that she was glad she had wished Harry good luck for the task tomorrow. She smiled and she remembered kissing him on the head.