DISCLAIMER: THE BOOK BELONGS TO J. I HAVE ONLY BORROWED BOTH CHARACTERS AND PLOTLINE.

CHAPTER 64

"I know how to open the egg Harry" Cho said running up to him and pulling him to a more secluded place.

"Wha…Cho, you're serious?" Harry asked stunned "You really know how to open it?"

"Yeah, well um…Cedric was the one who found out how to do it actually and I just came to tell you about it since he owes you guys apparently for the last time and since you're my friend" Cho said reluctantly.

"So how did he do it?" Harry asked "How did he find out?"

"Funny story really" Cho said grinning "He had taken the egg with him to the prefects bathroom to think things over when it slipped and fell into the water! When he dove under to retrieve it, he found that it had opened up and there was a song coming from within it and realized that the song was the clue!" she said excitedly, grabbing his hands.

"So has he figured out what the task is? Or am I going to have to dunk my head in a bucket or something?" Harry asked, thinking wearily about the cumbersome schemes that Dumbledore came up with.

"No, I know what it is, Cedric thinks you guys are going to have to go into the lake and get something precious to you from underneath it. All this within an hour's time."

"Right" Harry said sighing, "That's not bad then I suppose, unless we have to fight off a Kelpie or something."

"Um…Harry could you tell Darren for me?" Cho asked hesitantly "He's still mad at me for dating Ced even though we broke up, I don't think he'll listen if I tell him who found out about it."

"Are you happy with him?" Harry asked, looking at her bowed head.

"I…I am Harry. Not that I wasn't with Darren! But things had started to change between us, he has so many secrets Harry, and he never revealed a single one to me but he always told Hermione no matter what, like I'm stupid or can't understand. It really pissed me off."

Harry nodded and understood, he'd had similar feelings until recently, himself.

"Don't worry, I'll tell him. Also please thank Cedric for me; he just made things so much easier for us."

"Will do" Cho said hugging him and walking away.

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"You have only an hour to bring back what has been taken from you from beneath the lake, how you do it does not matter, just know that once the hour is up, the surface of the lake will become frozen solid making your escape very difficult" warned Dumbledore, who was standing in front of the champions at shore of the lake.

This time the school had been allowed to watch since there was no danger of them getting injured and they sat cheering loudly for them by the sidelines. Harry stood on his toes trying to locate Draco's telltale blond hair in the crowd wondering where the hell he'd been gone all morning.

"Right on the count of three you may begin" said Crouch holding up his hand.

The four champions walked into the shallow end of the lake shivering in the cold and waited for the countdown to begin

"Three… two… One!" cried Crouch, bringing his hand down in a chopping motion and the next instant they were off.

Harry and Hermione had used simple, but effective bubble-head charms to be able to breathe under the water, while Darren had decided to use Gillyweed and Cedric had gone with transfiguration once again, transfiguring his own head into a fish's!

Diving into the freezing waters, Harry cursed Dumbledore inside his head for choosing winter for this task, they had been told that whatever it was that they had to find, was at the very bottom of the lake so they were all headed in that direction when a group of pale green Grindylows came out of nowhere and attacked them.

Turing to face the clutchy creatures, Harry shouted 'Relashio' inside his bubble and sent several of them away at one go. Looking around he saw Hermione was completely surrounded by them so he went to help her. In the end only he, Cedric and Hermione were left fighting since Darren the lucky guy, had managed to escape after fending off only a few of them, giving him the headstart.

Suddenly in the middle of being strangled by them, the Grindylows without any provocation let go of their victims from within their tight grips and swam speedily away as if in fear of something. Turning around, they saw the giant squid that dwelt in the waters come hurtling towards their tiny group with its reddish, spear-shaped head directed right for them!

Scattering, they let it pass through and were about to swim away from it when they realized that when it had swam past them, it had fixed one if its suckers imperceptibly on Cedric and whipping around it dragged him towards its open mouth where its tongue lined with razor sharp spicules rolled around around waiting eagerly to grind its new-found prey.

'Ugh! Cedric and his stupid transfiguration obsessions! He just had to wear a fish's head today and become perfect squid bait!' Harry thought, swimming back hurriedly towards him.

He pushed Hermione away on the way indicating for her leave when he saw that she was already injured from the Grindylow attack and turned to face the now struggling Cedric who was firmly clamped within the arms of the squid, alone.

Swimming towards them, Harry decided to go for a surprise attack when the squid squirted dark ink in his face and blinded him. Panicking for a second, Harry tried to get away from the darkness but found that it was hopeless.

Hitting upon an idea he said 'Partis Temporus' and rejoiced when the darkness parted for him and let him through.

Now suspended in clean waters again, Harry looked around and found that the squid had pulled Cedric a little away but was having a little trouble holding on to him due to his frantic flailing.

Deciding that he couldn't use any firing charms at the squid, because of its close proximity with Cedric, Harry decided to use a more docile tactic. Swimming above its head Harry said 'Carpe Retractum' and watched as a thick rope shot out of the end of his wand and wind itself over the spear-like structure pulling the squid towards him forcefully.

Shocked by the sudden jerk, the squid let go of Cedric for an instant but regained its senses rapidly and was about to reclaim its prey when out of the blue a pair of strong green hands wrapped around the middle of the rope and held it steadily keeping the eight armed creature away from Cedric.

Harry found himself staring at the face of what he thought was a Merperson and let go of the rope in shock. The squid by then on finding itself almost surrounded, thrashed against the rope and pulled away, quickly heading into deeper waters.

Unable to look away their new companions, Harry cautiously swam over to where Cedric was while keeping a suspicious eye on the wild looking Merpeople when one of them tapped him on his arm and indicated that they would guide him to his destination.

Nodding, Harry did a quick inventory of Cedric's injuries and found that he had initially found breathing a bit difficult due to being recently crushed, but apart from that was completely fine but for a few scratches and suction marks here and there.

Following the Merpeople down towards the bed of the lake, they passed by Darren and Hermione on the way, they were tightly holding on to an unconscious Ginny and Ron respectively and swimming towards the surface stopping to wave at them before going ahead.

He noticed that Cedric had increased his speed and was deigned to do the same 'The precious things were people! What kind of sick game was this?' Harry wondered and swam downwards with increased determination.

They saw that tied to two poles were Cho and Draco both unconscious, with their heads enveloped in bubbles which were bobbing gently with the movement of the water around them.

Hurrying over to them, Harry and Cedric freed them from their bonds and dragged their bodies to stand a little away from the Merpeople not knowing what to do next, Harry bowed in gratitude a move which Cedric quickly mimicked and carrying their burdens they headed towards the surface as well.

Suddenly, Cedric who was a little ahead of him turned around and frantically pointed to the surface, it was completely frozen with a thick layer of ice!

Harry and he tried to use several charms to break the ice but found to their dismay that they were being completely deflected. Starting to get nervous, Harry was about to give it a second try when he felt Draco dislodge his arm from around him and streak past him towards the the translucent barrier lashing out viciously at the ice with something pointy.

The thick sheath cracked and broke, revealing a bright morning sky. Heaving a sigh of relief, Harry saw that Draco was now smirking at him through his bubble, holding on to his black dagger 'Aegisess' that disappeared immediately and was replaced by his wand.

Harry shook his head smiling and gratefully swam up to the surface glad to be free of the stifling quiet under the lake.

They heard shrieks and screaming from the audience and felt themselves being hauled out of the water by strong hands. Walking shivering toward the bank they saw Madame Pomphrey hurrying over to them. She threw two large warm rugs at Harry and Cho who wrapped up themselves and Draco and Cedric inside its cozy warmth happily.

Cho was getting the first check up since she had looked almost frostbitten, while the others were waiting for their turns patiently, gradually becoming warmer with time.

Harry pulled the rug tighter around him and Draco causing their bare shoulders to bump together and was about to lean towards him to ask him to move closer to the fire in the middle of the enclosure when Draco turned a bright shade of red and threw the rug away from him standing up abruptly as if burned.

"What?" Harry asked, baffled by his behavior.

"I…I need some air" Draco said, and almost ran out of the the makeshift room without any further explanations.

"But it's cold…outside!" Harry shouted getting up and realizing that Draco had already left and turned open mouthed to the others inside the enclosure.

"Did something happen, Harry?" Cedric asked him curiously.

But Harry just stood staring wordlessly at him wondering what the hell had made Draco run from his side so suddenly!

"Um…Harry…thanks a lot for the help down in the lake, I thought I was a real goner for those few minutes" Cedric said, with a look of gratitude but Harry still stumped from what had just happened nodded tersely and grunted in response still trying to reassemble his thoughts desperately.

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