Chapter Thirty Four
"Harry! You told me that you'd already worked it out!" Hermione huffed, "Weeks ago!"
"Shhh!" Harry hissed at her.
Madam Pince had walked by three times already, glaring at them for making to much noise in her library. It was after a long and tiring school day and Harry finally had the time to tell them about the clue in the egg.
"Sorry." Hermione mumbled, "I just think you've left this really late, there's only a week to go."
Harry knew that, the painful knot in his chest had returned with a vengeance at the thought of how close the next task was.
"I've already worked out a lot," Harry said, a little defensively, "There are Merpeople in the black lake so that's where the challenge with be. Anyone know how to hold their breath for an hour?"
"Yes." Neville said.
Harry, Daphne, Pansy, Draco and Hermione looked at him in confusion.
"Well no," Neville said, "But I know something that could let you breath under water. Gillyweed."
"Oh course!" Pansy said, she then sighed, "But it's really rare."
"What's Gillyweed?" Harry asked.
Neville dug out a book on Mediterranean plants, "Professor Moody gave me this."
He opened the book to a page on a rather slimy looking water plant. Harry scanned over the page but it had a lot of technical Herbology words in it that were far beyond what he's learnt at school.
"Basically it lets you breath underwater, and conveniently it lasts just over an hour so you'll only need one dose." Neville said, "Pansy is right though, it is pretty rare."
"Well assuming we can get some, what do I have to do with it?" Harry asked, fearing he already knew the answer.
"Eat it." Daphne said, "I'm right aren't I?"
"Yep." Draco said, pointing to the book, "Manducor. Means eat in Latin."
Harry laughed, "Doesn't look very nice. Well that's the main issue sorted anyway."
"Harry…" Hermione looked a little nervous, chewing her bottom lip, "You know you can't ask Professor Snape. Teachers aren't allowed to help, even if he does have some."
Harry nodded, "I know. I'm not planning on asking Dad. I was going to ask Dobby to steal some."
"Harry!" Neville said, slightly louder than he'd intended, "That's worse!"
Harry huffed, "I know that. But it's not like I really have a choice! Hermione said it as well, I can't ask Dad."
Neville rolled his eyes, "Fine, but I'll get it for you. We've got potions tomorrow morning, That gives us a chance to think of plan B if he hasn't gotten any."
Harry nodded, "Thank you."
"We're still not finished, what's all this about them taking something?" Pansy asked.
Harry shrugged, "I don't know. It has to be something that's not going to get wrecked under water, and something we'll really miss."
"Well there are plenty of spells that would protect something under water." Pansy pointed out.
Harry felt his heart sink, "I gave Professor Moody my map last night, he said he'd need it, it would be exactly what he needed."
"Oh Harry." Draco sighed.
"Well we don't know for sure." Hermione said, comfortingly.
"I just didn't think. He said Dumbledore asked him to look around, I thought he'd be helping me. Not sticking one of the few things I had that was my fathers at the bottom of a lake!" Harry huffed loudly.
"Will you six please quieten down! Or I will have to ask you to leave." Madam Pince informed them harshly.
"Sorry." they mumbled and bent their heads lower.
Harry spent the next day miserable at the idea of the Marauders Map being lost to him forever. His mood was slightly raised however when dinner came the next day and Neville told him to meet him in an unused classroom.
Harry slipped into classroom number twelve and flicked his wand to light the candles. Neville arrived, with Hermione, a few minutes later.
"We got it." Neville said happily, holding up a bag of green slimy seaweed.
"Brilliant, well," Harry said, "Doesn't look very appetising but, you're sure it will do the job?"
Neville nodded, "There is some debate about fresh verses salt water but the lake is fresh water so it's going to work perfectly. You're only going to have just over an hour with this dose, so I suggest you take it just before you jump in."
"Will do. Thank you so much for your help. Did you get seen or anything?" Harry asked, shoving the stuff into his bag.
Hermione shook her bushy hair, "Nope. Nearly, Neville was still in the store cupboard when Professor Snape was coming back but Professor Moody showed up and distracted him. Very good timing."
Harry grinned, "Well, at least I have a good chance of getting my map back."
Hermione hopped up onto one of the desks, "Are you sure it's going to be your map? I know you really like it but it doesn't seem like something that important."
Harry frowned, "I don't know. The map does mean a lot to me as it was my Dad's and I would really hate to loose it. I don't understand how I'm going to be able to find something so small in a huge lake though."
Neville shook his head, his hair had grown much longer than he normally left it this year and hung around his ears, ruffling every time he moved his head, "I'm not sure you were meant to work out that bit of the clue. It could mean too many things."
Harry had a horrible feeling he was right.
As the last few days ticked down to the task, Harry started to go off his food again. He couldn't concentrate on his lessons. Hagrid was now back teaching, continuing Professor Grubbly-Plank's lessons on unicorns; a fact which should have made Harry very happy but he was barely able to pay attention at all as Hagrid showed them the shinning golden foal.
The night before the task found Harry, sitting Slytherin common room trying to come up with some half decent Divination homework.
"Harry, please focus!" Daphne scolded him, "Mars and Pluto can't be seen in the sky together at the moment. She might not look over our homework particularly well but she will notice such an obvious mistake. You'll have to come up with another reason you're going to be beheaded next week."
Harry sighed and scribbled out the offending ling. Half of his parchment was scribbled out currently.
The common room door opened and Severus walked in. Harry smiled and waved him over.
"You OK Dad?" Harry asked, pushing his work away from him.
Severus nodded, he seemed tense and rather unsure about something, Harry could tell there was something on his mind.
"Yes everything is fine. I need a word with you Mr Malfoy." Severus said.
Draco looked up and frowned, "Umm, of course. Can I just put my things away?"
Severus nodded, "Yes. You wont need your bag so I suggest you run it upstairs."
Draco packed away his homework and nodded. He returned down to the common room a minute or so later and looked to Harry.
"Sorry Harry," Severus said, "You'll have to stay here this time; I need to talk to Mr Malfoy alone."
Harry nodded begrudgingly and sat back down.
He felt painfully aware of the clock ticking behind him. Hours past and Draco still hadn't returned.
"You need to get some sleep." Daphne said as the clock chimed midnight.
"I want to wait up for Draco." Harry mumbled.
They'd tried to ask Severus where he was but there had been no answer at his office. Harry was still cursing himself for giving up the map and being able to find out exactly where his friend was.
"We'll stay up for him." Pansy promised him, "But you really are going to need your rest for tomorrow."
Harry nodded and walked slowly up the stairs. He felt totally empty, dreading tomorrow so much it was as if his body couldn't manage to feel any more.
He changed into his pyjamas and tucked himself between the sheets. It was still cold enough that a house elf had placed a warming pan between the sheets at some point so the whole bed was toasty warm.
He couldn't remember falling asleep, only waking up at the sun streaming into the room from the tops of the windows. Draco's bed was empty and hadn't been slept in Harry was sure; Draco had never been one for making his own bed.
He dressed quickly, putting on a warm vest and his swimming trunks under his normal clothes. Daphne and Pansy were already up, clearly not having had much sleep.
"He didn't come back did he?" Harry asked.
Both Daphne and Pansy shook their heads.
"One of us was up all night." Pansy said, "There was no sign of him."
Harry felt a heavy weight in the bottom of his stomach, "Draco wouldn't just disappear. Even if he'd been kicked out or something, he would have let us know."
Daphne nodded, "Lets go and see if he's in the Hall already."
She said it hopefully enough but Harry could tell she doubted it very much. Harry also knew she was worried when she piled his plate with everything she could reach.
He didn't eat much but knew that he was going to regret not having the energy later. Neville wondered over and slipped into a seat next to Harry while the teachers weren't looking.
"Have any of you seen Hermione?" He asked.
Harry shook his head, "No. Why?"
Neville looked uneasy, "I know you've got a lot to think about today and I'm sure it's nothing."
"Neville what's wrong?" Daphne asked.
"She's kinda missing." Neville said, "Well, she can't be really missing, Professor McGonagall called her out of the common room last night and I've not seen her since. I don't think she came back last night."
"You're joking?" Pansy said, "Professor Snape did the same with Draco last night, and he definitely didn't come back as we waited up for him."
Harry felt his scar prickle and he rubbed it hard, "I can't believe they would just disappear. Especially not today. Is anyone else missing?"
They scanned around the tables but it was difficult to tell, not everyone would even be at breakfast at the same time after all.
"Maybe it's just a group project or something, that needs different houses." Neville suggested, "Both Draco and Hermione are some of the best in our year."
Harry tried to convince himself that Neville was right. He was ashamed to admit it but his mind was quickly distracted by other things, namely how quickly time seemed to be going towards the second task.
If time had been moving in slow motion last night while they were waiting for Draco it was making up for it now. It seemed like Harry had barely finished his breakfast before heading to the library, hardly sitting down and then walking down to the edge of the lake.
The seats that had surrounded the dragons' enclosures in November were now arranged on the other side of the lake from a smart judges table.
All five of the judges were sitting smartly at the desk; Mr Crouch was once again replaced with Percy Weasley.
"Where's Mr Crouch?" Harry asked, standing next to Fleur.
"He's ill still. Don't worry I am more than able to fill in for him." Percy said, his nose so far in the air Harry was surprised he didn't fall backwards off the chair.
"I suggest you go and find some good seats you three." Dumbledore said kindly to Neville, Pansy and Daphne who were hovering around Harry.
"You've got the stuff right?" Neville whispered.
Harry nodded and pulled out the small bag from his pocket. Neville patted him on the back before walking away, Pansy and Daphne on either side.
Fleur looked nervous and kept twirling her wand between her fingers, muttering under her breath. She looked like she was about to cry, Harry wondered if the pressure was starting to get to her.
It wasn't long before Cedric and Krum arrived and stood with Harry and Fleur. They were all a few minutes early and watched as the stands filled up.
Clearly it was time for the Task to begin as Ludo Bagman stood up and pointed his wand to his throat.
"Sonorus!" Bagman beamed at Harry before turning to the crowd across the lake, "Well, all four of our champions are almost ready for the second task in this Triwizard Tournament!"
There was a large cheer from across the lake. Harry saw the other three students stripping of their clothes to their swim wear and did the same. It wasn't very cold that day but there was a chill in the wind that made Harry very happy he'd put his thickest vest on that morning.
"Right! They have exactly one hour to retrieve what has been taken from them! On the count of three, one, two… three!" Bagman yelled.
Harry stuffed the Gillyweed into his mouth and forced himself to chew quickly. He managed to swallow and waded into the water.