Time appeared to be going slower than usual. Harry couldn't help but be impatient, knowing that Ginny was in the lake. At breakfast, no one knew really what to say, sensing that they were not in the mood to chat. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, it was only half an hour until the start of the task.
Harry made his way out of the castle to the Black Lake. The cold winds stung his cheeks as they quietly strolled to the lake.
The second task was more than a mere test of wit, it was also endurance and strength. After all, no one in their right mind would go swimming in the Black Lake during winter.
Despite the harsh weather, a large crowd had gathered by the Black Lake to cheer on their Champions. The stands that surrounded the dragon enclosure during the first task now stood at the banks, the clear waters of the lake reflecting the excited crowd. A long golden table stood at the edge of the lake and he could see several of the judges sitting there. Professor Karkaroff, Madame Maxime, Harold Shipman, and Headmaster Dumbledore were already present. Harry inwardly shuddered as he walked past the lake and joined the three other champions at the judge's table. He tensely smiled at Shipman when he excitedly flashed two thumbs-up at him.
Harry told Fleur she dropped something. He had done the same thing with Victor. Fleur, like Victor put the necklace on.
"Good luck," said Fleur, giving Cedric and Harry a nervous smile. They returned it before moving off to do their warm-ups together.
Shipman set the four champions by the edge of the lake, ten feet apart from one another. He gave Harry a gentle squeeze around the shoulder when he reached him.
At precisely twelve, Mr. Crouch arrived. He looked even paler and sicklier than the last time Harry had seen him. In a crisp and surprisingly strong voice, he addressed everyone succinctly.
"Welcome to the Second Task. The Champions will have precisely one hour to retrieve the thing that they have lost and time starts now."
The large clock that stood by the judge's table began to tick.
Fleur and Cedric immediately cast bubblehead charms over themselves before diving into the lake with a large splash. Viktor waded into the lake; and cast a spell on himself before diving deep into the water. Harry jumped into the water almost leisurely. Once in the water, he paddled to the ledge he had jumped from. Then he lifted himself out of the water and grabbed a towel.
"What are you doing, Harry?" Dumbledore demanded.
"Well between thinking the best I could get points-wise is 5 now. Then there is the fact my egg was stolen from me. Add to that, I cannot swim, why should I risk my life on a task I cannot do?"
"But if you don't get her, she will die!" Dumbledore screamed.
"I will die if I try. So you expect me to die failing to rescue that bint?" This left Dumbledore speechless.
"You will earn zero points, young man," Maxime said.
"Better zero points than my death," Harry said. "I don't care about points. I don't plan on even trying to win. Since I must participate, why should I try?" Harry asked without any care. "Since the goblet hasn't taken my magic, it must think I did my best."
{s}
"Ah, director Bones, thank you for coming," Harry said.
"What is she doing here, Harry?" Dumbledore again demanded.
"Let's start. None of the hostages that we were supposed to rescue were asked before they were put in stasis and put under the lake. Nor were their parents, legal guardians, or magical guardians. Gabrial Delacour is only eight years old. Dumbledore put an eight-year-old female Veela in the middle of a Mer-Village. Merfolk that are part of the Mediterranean clans. The same clans, that per the treaty of Cypress, did not allow any Veela near them, let alone entry into the village. I also sent for Apolline and Jacques-Yves Delacour. You know the head of the French Veela enclave and head of the French DMLE who will see this as kidnapping." Harry said while watching Dumbledore's face go white.
"Then there are these snacks. They were sent to me by Molly Weasley. They are laced with love, lust, and loyalty potions. I would like her to be brought here and arrested. That is why Missus Weasley is the thing I miss the most. "
"Shacklebolt, I want to see Molly and Arthur, here now." Amelia Bones demanded. The Auror visibly did not like this order.
It took a stare-down between Amelia and Kingsley for the Auror to apparate out. "Anything else, Mister Potter?"
"No, ma'am. We will just have to wait and see. I am sure more things will come to light." Harry said.
Amelia noticed a note caught on the edge of the pier.
{m}
Fleur
You need to not visibly respond to this.
1: the necklace will give you a glamour. That way the merfolk will not realize you are a Veela. The clan in the Black Lake is from the Mediterranean.
2: It is not your sister in the Lake. It is a polyjuiced volunteer. If the merfolk harmed your "sister" don't let it throw you off.
3: Your sister is actually at the dock, under an invisibility cloak. I let your parents know. They are coming. The plan is for one of your dad's personal protection detail to portkey her out before the screaming starts.
4: Two bull sharks have been brought in just to kill us all. Don't worry, the giant octopus that lives in the lake killed them this morning. That is also why Victor has a necklace, his partial shark transformation will not trigger the octopus.
5: All the kelp beds around the village are full of grindylows.
Harry Potter
{s}
Why did Harry set this all up but not have a way to save Ginevra Weasley? Amelia wondered. She was sure that someone this cunning could have saved her. Then it hit her. Ginny was trying to potion this boy. There had to be more, but that was part of it.
That was her last thought before the half-shark returned a bushy-hair brunette. Then he transformed back into Victor Krum. Then Cedric Diggory came back with a lively Asian girl. Then Fleur popped out of the water. In her hand was a dead body. The body looked like it was a young relative. Blood was leaking from both parts of her crotch. It was also leaking from various bite and claw marks. Fleur handed the body to someone who port-keyed out. Then she saw another person portkey out. His hand had another small hand on it.
Then the large clock over them gonged. Then another body of a redhead appeared on the dock. She had drowned and died in terror.
"Well Madam Bones, here is an accidental death. Dumbledore did not do the stasis charm right. Unlike using minors as hostages, this is a crime you can prosecute even here at Hogwarts."
"Ahh, here are the last two Weasleys. Molly, here is your son." Harry said.
Then a wooden boat appeared at the dock. It smelled horrible and sickly sweet. Everyone could see the bugs, honey, and milk. There was a body in the boat, sealed in there with a board over it.
"Molly, your son had a duel with me. He put his body on the line so I would put my firebolt and trust vault. He lost. So I took him to Lake Upemba. Which is outside both the British and ICW jurisdiction. I put him in stasis. Then, twenty days ago, I woke him up. I filled the boat you see with milk and honey. I made sure he was covered with the mixture. I had a house elf continually feed him that mixture. He died a few days ago. The anti-magic rune on the top piece that sealed him into the boat kept your clock from seeing him. I also told the horntail she would not be in danger if she killed Charlie. I also went to Egypt in the summer. I had a duel with William. He is dead. I cannot claim your other children. I believe the headmaster's arrogance in not killing Salazar's pet killed Percy. Dolores Umbridge sending dementors at me killed the twins. Last, Dumbledore, not casting a spell wrong in a task involving me, got your baby girl killed." Harry said in a taunting tone.
"You bastard. Diffindo." Molly shouted.
"Bombarda, Bombarda" Harry retorted as he threw himself flat. Barely dodging the curse sent at him. His spells hit true.
"Thank you, Madam Bones. You can go now." Harry said as he stood up. He noticed Millie had summoned the butt plug. It was now a hollow plug, Designed to allow water to mix with the water-reactive lubricant he used.
"Why?"
"Albus signed a betrothal contract between me and Ginny; three days after my parents were killed," Harry stated.
"Aren't you afraid Dumbledore will hitch you towards another bint?" Amelia asked. She knew Harry wanted all this public. He also had to have a plan.
"When my magical guardian, and director at the ministry, demanded a minor participate in an of-age tournament, it automatically emancipated me. Because it has been over ninety days; the ICW would enforce that now." Harry said.
"Amazing," Amelia said. Despite the torture of Ronald, the boy, no the man had this all planned out. At this point, all she could do was investigate and eventually try Albus for letting a child die at Hogwarts. That was the only thing Albus could go to trial for.
"You are dark, Harry. First, you torture a fellow student. Then you hunt another person down. Then you let poor Ginevra die."
"And? When you put an orphan in an abusive home, what do you expect? Just like when you refused to let Voldemort, oops Tom Marvolo Riddle stay in the castle rather than at the orphanage where he was abused. Or when you screwed over your ex-lover Gellert Grindelwald by blaming him for killing Ariana. If I become the next dark lord, you have to blame yourself, Albus." Harry said as he walked back to the castle.