The Lake
"This cloak is more special than you could ever imagine."
It was.
Harry smiled as he relived the memory of Henry Potter, son of Jack and Persephone handing the cloak to his own son, William. The boy had been enthralled by the garment, had spent his youth begging his father to use it, and had finally been granted the honour of owning it the day he started Hogwarts.
Jack and Persephone had gone on to live a peaceful life at the beach house, though Henry had opted to remain in Godric's Hollow with his wife Claire who hailed from the Goldstein family.
Unlike many of the other generations that had come before them, there had been no conflict nor war the Potter patriarch had needed to confront.
It made for quite the reprieve for Harry to witness what most would consider to be a normal existence. Between the invasion, budding Dark Lord's, and other problems faced by the Peverells and Potters over the course of the centuries, it was nice to see that not every Lord of the family would be plagued by violence.
Harry, however, did not fall into that rather exclusive category.
If anything, he expected that it would be him embroiled in a violent war unlike anything else his forebears had faced, and yet, he was so used to notion that it scarcely filled him with the same dread it once had.
It seemed that he was indeed destined to live a cursed existence; violent, turbulent, and unpeaceful, but he was always preparing for what he knew would one day come for him.
Perhaps after all was said and done, he could have a semblance of that peace for himself.
If he was to live to see the end of his many enemies.
Harry was pulled from his thoughts by a loud thud and the sound of splashing liquid. Looking up, he saw Malfoy sprawled across the ground from where he had been hurled out of his seat by the force of the exploding jug of pumpkin juice.
That would serve him right for attempting to bully a second year Hufflepuff the previous day.
Harry had been watching the boy closely, ensuring that whenever he stepped out of line, repercussions followed swiftly.
In the six weeks that had passed since the students had returned, Draco had found himself on the receiving end of Harry's ire no less than a dozen times. Not that anything could be traced back to him.
Harry was a Potter after all, and even though no one else knew about it, with the blood of the cunning Slytherin flowing through his veins.
'You could be great, you know, it's all here in your head, and Slytherin will help you on the way to greatness…'
Had the hat somehow sensed the connection?
Harry didn't know much about how it worked, so he wouldn't even hazard a guess.
"Was that you?" Hermione's voice broke into his thoughts.
"Me?" Harry questioned. "I have no idea what you mean."
Hermione hummed in disbelief, and Harry smirked at the sight of Draco being dragged to his feet by an irate Professor Snape, though it was another pair of eyes transfixed on him that caught his attention next.
Daphne quirked an amused eyebrow at him before tucking into her breakfast.
Harry did not know what to make of the girl.
She now made it a point to talk to him during their Runes classes, and sometimes sought him out in the owlery if he was visiting Hedwig. She was not impolite or imposing in any way, but the change in her behaviour was quite noticeable.
The girl seemed to be curious about him at the very least, and sometimes, when she seemed to relax into a conversation, she would make what Harry thought were quite flirty comments.
Daphne would then catch herself and revert back to her more reserved persona, the one she had undoubtedly developed to survive the politically driven house of snakes.
It was odd, but Harry had more than enough to focus on without pondering the mysterious Daphne Greengrass more than their passing conversations.
"What's first?" Ron yawned, spearing a sausage onto the end of his fork.
'You have Divination," Hermione informed him.
Ron groaned irritably.
The two of them had somewhat resolved their differences after the heated argument at the ball. They were still rather cool towards one another, but Harry tended to not pay attention to it.
The last thing he wished to do was probe into the delicate truce and cause another argument between them.
"Are you ready for tomorrow?" Hermione asked.
"As ready as I can be."
Hermione frowned.
Harry knew she had been helping Viktor in the library with his own approach to the task. He didn't take it personally. The two of them got on well enough, and Krum wasn't one to take advantage of Hermione's brilliance.
Harry had no doubt he had long-since figured out the clue to the egg, and had even spotted him swimming in the lake, practicing for the task ahead as early as the beginning of January.
It would be an interesting competition, and Harry, though still displeased by his inclusion, was keen to get the second task over and done with.
It felt as though he had been preparing for it forever, and he would be pleased to see the back of it, leaving him with only one more to go.
His dedication to emerge victorious had not wavered, and he had every intention of being true to his word, even if he had been entered against his will.
Harry would continue to prove the others wrong, and that it had been unwise for whomever to enter him if it was indeed their desire to see him killed during the proceedings.
He had his doubts to the latter, however.
There was too much left to chance and Harry had begun to believe that the person who had entered him either was relying too much on his misfortune, or there was something else afoot, that the tournament was merely serving a secondary purpose.
A plan within a plan.
He frowned at the thought.
Had he spent too much time around the paranoid Moody?
It was a sequence that the man would likely conjure within his own mind.
Harry looked towards the former auror. He was a strange fellow, warped by years mixing it up with the most unsavoury elements of society, and then being thrown into a war when none could be sure if they could trust their own family members.
It was no wonder that Alastor Moody had turned out the way he had.
Still, there was something unsettling about the scarred man that Harry couldn't quite put his finger on. Maybe it was the missing eye, the wooden leg, or how Moody was quite content with discussing his part in the war against Voldemort and the Death Eaters, or maybe it was that the man was a self-confessed killer of more than his fair share during those years.
Whatever it was, Harry had chosen to be careful around him.
He didn't believe for one moment that Moody intended to hurt him, but it almost seemed that he was ready to attack at any given moment.
Harry wondered if he would be like that in the years to come.
He hoped not. He couldn't imagine living his life from one moment to the next, jumping at every sound, and refusing to eat any food without fully investigating it first.
No, that was not a life he would relish.
"Come on, we'll be late for Runes," Hermione pointed out.
Harry nodded and snatched another piece of toast.
He would need his energy for what was to come tomorrow, and when the task was done, the end of this farce would finally be on the horizon.
Nonetheless, he needed to survive his journey into the lake first, and Harry would not take it for granted.
Anything could happen in the depths, and he hoped beyond hope that all of his preparations would be enough.
(Break)
"Miss Bell, a word if you don't mind."
"Oh, someone's in trouble."
"Shut up, Alicia," Katie muttered.
"She doesn't look happy, does she?" Angelina asked.
McGonagall's lips were thin and her eyes gave none of the warmth Katie had seen when the Quidditch team emerged victorious from a match, or someone successfully managed to impress her during a Transfiguration lesson.
"Wish me luck," Katie sighed as she followed her Head of House who said nothing as they walked from the seventh down to the fifth floor where her office was situated.
She had only been here twice before.
The first time had seen her being given her spot on the team, and the second had been to discuss her homework.
McGonagall's expression gave nothing away, and Katie wondered what she could have done to warrant being brought here. She had been on her way to the library with the others, and as far as Katie knew, she had done nothing to provoke the ire of the woman.
"Is something wrong, Professor?"
McGonagall shook her head, though she looked no less displeased.
"No, not as such," she murmured. "I have been asked to discuss something with you that must stay between us if you are uncomfortable with it."
"What is it?" Katie asked cautiously.
"Tomorrow," McGonagall said simply. "The Champions will be tasked with retrieving a hostage that will be placed at the bottom of the lake, under the care of the merepeople. It is understood that you and Potter have grown rather close."
Katie was taken aback by what she had heard.
"You want me to be Harry's hostage?"
"I am asking you to volunteer," McGonagall corrected. "You are not obligated to. There are others that can take the position."
"Does Harry know what the task is?"
McGonagall snorted, showing the first sign of amusement since the impromptu meeting began.
"I expect he not only knows of it but has a very good idea on how he is going to tackle it, Miss Bell."
Katie nodded.
Of course Harry would know. He'd evidently deciphered the screeching egg he'd retrieved during the first task and learned of what would be next.
"Did you say at the bottom of the lake?"
"I did," Professor McGonagall confirmed. "You will be placed in an enchanted sleep and will wake once you have been rescued by your chosen champion. As I said, you do not have to agree."
Katie released a deep breath.
She didn't like the idea of being underwater, but she could not deny that being rescued by Harry from such a situation did not hold a considerable amount of excitement for her.
The thought of Harry swimming through the lake the depths of the lake to get her made her blush and she did her best to hide it.
They had been growing close, much closer than she'd anticipated.
Not a day went by that Harry would not seek her out so that they could spend some time together. It was what Katie looked forward to most, and the more it happened, the more she got to know him.
She learned quickly that there was much more to Harry Potter than he showed the world.
He was confident, capable, and undoubtedly a mischief-maker, but that was only a part of who he was.
Below the surface, he was kind, caring, and sweet, but there was also this edge of something Katie couldn't quite identify.
Sometimes it seemed to make him almost melancholic, and others, it emboldened him.
In a way, it made him seem quite dangerous, and Katie wished she had the ability to see into his mind.
It would, without doubt, be a fascinating place.
"I'll do it," she agreed.
Despite her concerns, there was no one she would trust more to ensure her safety in such a situation, and if she was honest with herself, she didn't want anyone else to be in that position.
Katie was Harry's to rescue, and she wouldn't have it any other way.
"Professor Dumbledore will be relieved," McGonagall sighed. "Come, he is waiting."
"Now?"
"Now. Miss Bell," McGonagall said with a smirk.
With a nod, Katie followed the woman until they reached the gargoyle on the floor below.
"Liquorice Torpedoes," McGonagall murmured. "It is best not to raise the topic of confection with the Headmaster. It is a conversation that will seemingly never end. Come along."
Katie had never been in Dumbledore's office, and as she was shown in, she took in her surroundings.
There were many others milling around the room including Cho Chang, Hermione Granger, and a blonde girl she had seen with the French champion. With them was the entire judging panel, with Professors Moody and Snape.
"Ah, Miss Bell, thank you for agreeing to volunteer," Ludo Bagman greeted her. "If you could join the others, we will begin shortly."
Katie did so and Granger offered her a smile.
"So, you're going to be Harry's hostage?"
Katie nodded, and the blonde girl looked at her speculatively.
"I am," she confirmed.
"It's terrifying but exciting at the same time," Chang declared. "Hold on, they're coming over."
The judges approached with Snape holding a tray of steaming goblets, one for each of them it seemed, and Katie suddenly felt the nerves wash over her.
"The potion is a brew to place you in a deep sleep," Dumbledore explained whilst the Beauxbatons Headmistress translated for the blonde. "You have my deepest assurances that you are in no danger. If a Champion fails to retrieve you within the allotted time, you will be brought back by the Chieftain of the merepeople. "Are there any questions?"
None spoke, and Snape handed each of them a potion.
Katie eyed the liquid sceptically before downing it, along with the others. It took a moment, but the room grew suddenly hazy, and the last thing she remembered was an odd chanting from Dumbledore as she felt herself slipping into unconsciousness.
(Break)
Harry had no appetite.
Despite having been awake for much of the night completing his lastminute preparations for the second task, he could not shake the feeling that something was wrong. Thus, he found himself pacing back and forth in the room on the seventh floor, centring himself as best he could.
It was no good.
No matter what he did, every fibre of his being was on edge, and the feeling of imminent danger would not shift.
Was he thinking about the task too much?
No, it wasn't that he was overprepared nor underprepared. There was an air of danger lurking, prodding at him warningly.
Nonetheless, there was nothing that could be done.
He was required to be at the shore of the lake in only fifteen minutes, and with that in mind, he took his leave of his sanctuary, the feeling of unease growing only stronger the closer to the lake he got.
The students from all three schools had already taken their place in the stands by the time he arrived, and it seemed that the other champions were as troubled as Harry.
Cedric was pacing back and forth with Krum, and Delacour simply stared out towards the middle of the lake, her gaze unblinking and unmoving.
Harry said nothing as he waited for the judges to approach, offering Cedric only a nod of acknowledgement.
The boy was quite pale, but before he could question him, the judges arrived, each of them looking considerably more uneasy than they had during the first task.
Much of this was out of their control, after all. If anything was to go wrong in the lake, it would not be so straightforward to intervene on a champion's behalf if needed.
"Gather round, gather round," Bagman urged, his smile weak and apprehensive. "Now, Professor Dumbledore will explain what you must do."
Dumbledore nodded gravely as he stepped forward and cleared his throat.
"I expect you have an idea of what lies ahead having been given a clue in the form of the egg," he began, eliciting a nod from each of the champions. "You will have one hour to locate and retrieve a hostage that has been placed within the lake."
Harry's jaw clenched at the revelation.
He had, of course, considered such caveat, but a small part of him had held on to hope that it would not be so.
"Mr Diggory, Miss Chang is yours to retrieve."
Cedric nodded tightly.
"Miss Delacour, your sister, Gabrielle, has kindly volunteered for this task."
Fleur cursed in her native tongue and immediately began to fidget in discomfort.
She needed to remain composed. If she did not, she would make mistakes.
"Mr Krum, Miss Granger awaits you."
Harry's gaze snapped towards the headmaster at the announcement.
"And Mr Potter, Miss Bell is acting as your hostage."
Harry took a deep breath, though it failed to calm him at all.
The moment Katie's name had been uttered, he felt something erupt within his chest; anger, worry, fear…
He couldn't be certain which was the most prominent, all he knew was that he needed to get her out of there. What the girl was thinking volunteering for this, Harry did not even care to ponder.
With what he felt coupled with the sense of imminent danger, there was no hesitation, and as he took his spot by the edge of the lake along with the others, he took a knee and bowed his head.
"Come Death, come," he whispered, hearing nothing of the explanation Bagman gave to the waiting crowd.
Only the sound of the claxon pulled Harry from his thoughts and he flicked his wand into his hands, holding back as the other champions immediately dived into the frigid water.
(Break)
Barty frowned as Potter remained kneeling by the edge of the lake, and he looked on, cursing the boy for his reticence.
"Move it, boy," he muttered to himself.
Potter could not afford to fall so far behind. Even with Barty's intervention in this task, the boy needed to proceed hastily, more so, if anything.
Barty had watched the other champions closely when it had been possible to do so. Delacour and Diggory did not concern him. Krum, however, had spent much time in the lake preparing for the task.
Potter had not been seen near the place, and Barty had become worried that the boy had failed to decipher the clue. As such, he had taken his own precautions to ensure the champions would not be granted a moment of peace whilst within the lake.
Barty was acutely aware of Potter's ability, and that the boy would handle himself well enough. The others, he hoped, would crumble under the pressure and onslaught they would face.
"Bloody hell, Potter, move!" he urged in a harsh whisper.
What awaited him in the lake would not be so easy to navigate, but Barty had seen no other choice. A few potions and spells had served his purpose and would make the creatures within much more aggressive, feral, and uncooperative.
So long as Potter got a move on, the task should provide Barty. with some much-needed entertainment also.
He'd spent a decade as his father's prisoner, and now, he was all but one in the school.
Despite the severity of the situation, his faith in Potter had not wavered, and Barty felt that he had earned a little fun.
The tournament could use some chaos.
Nonetheless, when Potter still did not move at his urging, he grew apprehensive until the boy stood suddenly and whipped his wand upwards.
Barty would swear until his dying breath that he felt the ground tremble as an enormous orb of water rose before Potter and he manipulated it into the form of a Thestral.
The robes he wore were smouldering, and as he stepped into the lake, they blew away like dust in the wind.
Potter had been burned, but he was seemingly unfazed as he mounted his creation and it began galloping across the surface of the lake, leaving the audience, and Barty, in a state of awe.
He breathed a sigh of relief as the crowd erupted in cheers, and Harry Potter quickly became little more than a dot heading towards the horizon.
(Break)
The only thought running through Harry's mind as he and his steed bounded towards the centre of the lake was getting to Katie, and yet, he knew he could not allow his emotions to overwhelm him the same way Delacour had.
He needed his mind clear and took several breaths to calm himself.
As he neared where he needed to be, he began the process of transfiguring his feet before shifting his attention to the bubblehead charm he had altered to be better suited.
With it in place, he checked the shield that gave it a golden hue, and the metal mail he'd added for additional protection against physical attacks.
Creatures that dwelled in the water did not rely on magical attacks, but physical ones.
The Grindylows possessed vicious claws that would make short work of a standard bubble, and Harry was not willing to bet that the spindly yet vicious beasts he would face.
The merepeople themselves would be armed, as would anything else he may happen upon.
Harry was taking no chances.
Standing atop the conjured Thestral, he took a final breath before diving into chilly lake, the unintentional burns caused by his robes being immolated stinging unpleasantly and causing him to wince.
They would likely need attention when the task was over, but he needed to finish it first.
With that in mind, he did his utmost to ignore the discomfort and swam downwards, lighting the tip of his wand and keeping his wits about him.
It would not do to be ambushed whilst he was out of his element.
Further and further he descended until all traces of light from above vanished, plunging Harry in darkness, save for the feeble light that only seemed to grow dimmer.
A flick of his wand conjured a much-needed brighter orb, and he was certain the creatures that had come to investigate his presence had scattered into the shadows where they could not be seen.
He did not belong here.
That was the most pressing impression Harry got as he proceeded, his gaze sweeping back and forth, even when he heard the faint chanting of the very clue that had brought him here.
He ignored the ominous words, not wanting to consider what would happen to Katie if he was to fail.
Surely Dumbledore would not allow the hostages to be harmed?
It calmed Harry somewhat realising that the headmaster would not, though only negligibly.
There were too many factors that were out of Dumbledore's control, including the fact that there was someone who wished to cause Harry harm, and that did not necessarily equate to physical pain.
Harry swallowed deeply at the thought of Katie being harmed merely to get to him, and his stroke quickened.
He maintained the pace until he reached what appeared to be an underwater village of sorts and he was greeted by the sight of dozens of humanoid creatures, though they barely resembled what muggles often depicted them as.
The merepeople were a greyish blue, their eyes bright yellow, and their hair wild; far from the beautiful sirens spoken of in children's stories.
Harry paid them little mind, only glancing as each one as he passed to ensure none attempted to cleave him in two with a monstrous sword many held or stab him with the tridents the others possessed.
Even here, he did not feel welcome.
The merepeople did not trust him, and the feeling was mutual.
There was something feral about them, almost as though they were exercising every ounce of self-control to not attack him.
It was disconcerting to say the least, but as Harry spotted a large pillar only a short distance away with four females tied to it, he forgot all about his discourteous hosts.
He immediately headed towards the still form of Katie and cupped her cheek in relief at finding her.
Wasting no time, he cut her free from her bonds and took his leave of the village, being sure to check that none of the merepeople were following him.
They didn't, and as Harry kicked his way through the water, he wondered where the other champions were.
His pondering was answered only a few moments later as a disfigured form cut through the water a little to his left, a human body with the head of a shark. Krum had completed a partial transfiguration that seemed to be working for him.
Harry pressed on, holding Katie close to his chest as he kicked his way through the deep another hundred metres or so before the signs of a disturbance ahead gave him pause.
Grindylows.
He frowned as he watched a large group of them like a school of piranha in a feeding frenzy.
It was strange behaviour.
From what Harry had learned from Lupin, Grindylows were ambush creatures that would lie in wait, snatching their victims into the reeds when the opportunity rose.
These ones had ventured a considerable distance from their dens below to attack.
His frown deepened as he edged closer, his eyes widening as what was occurring became clear.
Delacour.
Harry didn't know how long the girl had been fighting off the hoard, but blood was flowing from several wounds around her neck and face. Heavy bruising could be seen around her throat where they'd attempted to throttle her, and worse still, she seemed to have nothing in place to breathe underwater.
Had she opted for the bubblehead charm?
It mattered not.
The French Champion was in real trouble and Harry knew if he didn't intervene, she wouldn't make it out of the lake.
Casting a protective shield around Katie, Harry released her as he brought his wand to bear and took aim.
Hitting Delacour with a banishing spell, the Grindylows turned towards him, their teeth bared and arms outstretched in anticipation of seizing Harry by the neck.
They, however, would get no such opportunity.
As they hurled towards him in droves, Harry was ready. The force erupting from his wand displaced a sizable amount of water as it froze, creating several long, icy projectiles.
With the focus of the Grindylows firmly on him, they paid no mind to them until it was too late.
The water ran red with the blood of the creatures, and the lifeless bodies began floating to the top. Those that escaped the first onslaught remained unfazed and fell victim to the second or third wave of Harry's attack.
When none remained, the lake had only grown murkier, and errant limbs and even the odd head floated morbidly in the purgatory between their home and the surface of the lake.
With a shake off his head, Harry rushed towards the unmoving Delacour and cast the bubblehead charm on her.
He needed to get the girl out of the water as quickly as possible.
Apologising internally, he summoned Katie towards him and took hold of both girls, kicking with all his might upwards. By the time he saw the first glimmer of light appearing above, Harry was already exhausted from his efforts, but pushed through the discomfort until he broke the surface.
Immediately, Katie gasped as she woke and looked around in confusion smiling at the sight of Harry who was checking Delacour over.
"What's happening?" Katie asked worriedly.
Harry shook his head as he aimed his wand at Delacour's chest.
"She's not breathing," he murmured.
Releasing a deep breath, Harry unleashed a spell he had only intended to use on himself if it became necessary to do so.
It was not pleasant, but it may just save Delacour's life. It was one that healers would use to clear the lungs of any fluid.
Her body stiffened, and Harry took hold of a handful of her hair in preparation, lifting her forward as her fearful eyes opened.
Delacour proceeded to vomit, a mixture of the water she'd ingested and whatever paltry breakfast she'd managed that morning.
"Breathe!" Harry urged as she fought to do so.
It took a moment, but eventually, it evened out and Harry felt himself flooded with relief. Delacour was injured, still bleeding, but alive.
"Come on, you need to get help."
"No, I must get to Gabrielle!"
"You will not make it there and back," Harry retorted firmly, holding her to him as she attempted to break free.
Fleur was furious and tears began to spill from her eyes in desperation.
"You don't understand," she sobbed. "If she is left in the water too long, it could damage her magic. She is a creature of fire and she hasn't experienced her maturity."
"Ah, bollocks!" Harry cursed, wracking his brain for what could be done.
All the while, a pale Katie looked on in shock at what she had just witnessed and Harry offered her an apologetic smile as he raised his wand.
"I will get her," he assured Fleur as he created another Thestral from the surrounding water. "Get back to the shore, I will bring Gabrielle to you."
Fleur did not seem convinced, but she could no longer fight the exhaustion and trauma she was experiencing and allowed Harry to help her atop the Thestral.
"You too," he urged Katie.
The girl merely nodded and when both were mounted, Harry sent them on the way at a fast gallop, taking a moment to gather his strength for his next venture into the lake.
If Gabrielle was vulnerable to being in the water for so long, why had she been allowed to do so?
Checking his watch, Harry realised that the task would officially end in around fifteen minutes. There wasn't a moment to lose, and with that in mind, he reapplied his charms and dived.
Without the burden of dragging two others, he made it back to the village quickly where he found that both Hermione and Cho had been rescued by Cedric and Viktor.
Still lashed to the base of the statue, however, was Gabrielle who appeared to simply be sleeping.
Was she truly in as much danger from the water as Fleur believed?"
Perhaps not, but as Harry freed her from the bindings, he realised that the water was now the least of their concerns.
Surrounding them with their weapons drawn was a score of merepeople, their eyes now a murderous red instead of the yellow hue they had been.
What was happening?
It was only then that Harry did not remember hearing the chanting as he approached, nor was there any of the villagers in sight. Now, however, they were here, and somehow less welcoming than before.
Holding up a hand, Harry gestured to himself and then to Gabrielle before pointing upwards, only for the merman clad in bronze armour and a headdress of sorts to shake his head.
With a single gesture of the trident he carried, the others began to close in on them, and Harry's grip tightened around his wand.
He'd foolishly thought that things couldn't get any worse, but he had been proven wrong.
Once more, it seemed that Fate had another test for him, though this one saw him so far out of his element that he did not see how he could survive and protect Gabrielle Delacour at the same time.
Nonetheless, Harry was no stranger to fighting for his life.
He had not bowed to the Death Eaters, nor to Voldemort and Quirrell, nor would he do so now. If this was to be the end, it would be costly for his foes.
'Come Death, come,' he murmured internally.
(Break)
Had Katie not been nearly catatonic from what she had witnessed in the last few moments, she would perhaps be in a state of awe at the fact that she was being carried across the lake by a creature Harry had created out of water, or even focused on the act the boy had carried out whilst she had frozen.
She glanced towards Delacour who was shivering with tears still flowing freely down her cheeks, yet, because of Harry, she was breathing.
Katie didn't know how long she they had been travelling towards the shore before they were deposited on the ground and the horse-like creature collapsed into a puddle of water and simply mingled with the rest of the lake.
"Miss Bell?"
Katie looked into the concerned gaze of the headmaster.
"Miss Bell, can you tell me what happened?"
Delacour was again distraught but was being attended to by Madame Pomfrey and Madame Maxime wo was trying to make sense of the girl's rambling in French.
"She was dead," Katie managed to whisper.
"Miss Bell, what happened?" Dumbledore pressed.
Katie shook her head.
"I-I don't know," she whispered. "When I woke up, Harry was there with her. She wasn't moving or breathing. He did something and she came back."
All that had happened in the passing moments suddenly weighed down on her and Katie found it hard to breathe as she pondered all the possible outcomes they could have faced.
"Severus, a calming draught!" Dumbledore requested.
The liquid poured into her mouth was sweet, and though she felt much more relaxed, Katie could not stop trembling.
"Miss Bell, where is Harry?"
"He went back for the girl," Katie explained. "The little Veela."
It was only then that she noticed the other Champions had returned.
Krum was sitting with Hermione, and Diggory was with Chang, all of them wrapped in blankets to stave off the cold.
"She will be alright, Albus," Madam Pomfrey sighed as she joined them.
The headmaster continued to look worriedly across the lake as he nodded.
"Any long-term damage?"
Madam Pomfrey shook her head.
"There will be some scarring and she has a few broken ribs. She was damned lucky, Albus. Whatever Potter did saved her life. Miss Delacour will need to rest, but she is refusing to accept any further treatment until her sister is returned."
Dumbledore nodded as he drew his wand.
"Igor, if you wouldn't mind?"
The Durmstrang headmaster stepped forward.
"He is almost ten minutes late," he informed Dumbledore.
"Then we shall…"
"THERE!" a startled voice shouted.
Katie stood and fought her way in front of Dumbledore and Karkaroff, choking in relief as she spotted Harry stepping out of the lake carrying the unmoving Delacour girl.
The crowd roared in approval, though Katie's smile fell as she noticed something wasn't right.
It was then that Harry fell to one knee, and the wounds that had been washed by the water of the lake began to bleed.
There was one so deep across his chest that the bone could be seen, and from his back, protruded a trident that was embedded deeply.
Nonetheless, Harry forced himself back to a standing position, only to collapse forward as he reached the shore.
One scream from the audience was all it took for Dumbledore and the others to spring into action, and all Katie could do was look on as Madam Pomfrey tended to him.
"Harry?" she whispered as she stepped forward, only to be held back by a strong pair of arms. "Get off me!"
"Miss Bell, you are in no position to help him," was the firm reply she received.
Professor Snape had always been sallow skinned, but in this moment, he was almost white from fear.
Katie felt helpless, and just as Delacour had earlier at the thought of her sister, she sobbed uncontrollably, begging, and pleading for Harry to show a sign of life.
"It's not good, Albus," Madam Pomfrey explained as she frantically attempted to stem the flow of the bleeding. "Come on, Potter, you need to help me with this."
"Please, Harry," Katie whispered desperately.
What happened next was something that she would never forget for as long as she lived. Just as Madam Pomfrey seemed to be on the verge of giving up, an icy chill washed over them, sending an unrelenting shiver down Katie's spine.
It happened to the others that were nearby too, and as they began to look around questioningly, Harry's eyes opened and he breathed laboriously.
"Come Death, come," he whispered faintly, though Katie heard every syllable he uttered before he once more fell unconscious.
A flurry of activity followed, and before Katie knew what was happening, Harry was being carried away by Madam Pomfrey, Professor Dumbledore, and Professor Snape.
"What is happening?"
Katie turned to be faced by Angelina and Alicia, and once more, she found herself unable to speak.
How could she explain it? How could she make anyone truly understand what it was she had equally witnessed and endured?
She couldn't, and unable to focus on one of the many warring emotions she felt, Katie could only break down in tears and plead to be taken to wherever Harry was going.