Chapter 17: Second Task
January 22, 2002 – Tuesday
Charms Classroom
"You said you'd already worked out that egg clue!" Hermione said indignantly, her voice laced with frustration.
Harry responded, his tone cross, "Keep your voice down! I just need to—sort of fine-tune it, all right?"
Dawn, Harry, Ron, and Hermione were sitting at the very back of the Charms class, their hushed conversation filled with a sense of urgency and secrecy. Harry, Ron, and Hermione had a table to themselves, while Dawn sat at the next table over, close to Hermione.
"Just forget the egg for a minute, all right?" Harry hissed urgently, his emotions a whirlwind of concern and determination. Professor Flitwick, seemingly resigned to their antics, whizzed past them and landed on top of a large cabinet.
Dawn rolled her eyes, her thoughts focused on her own worries about the egg and how she was going to manage to stay underwater for an hour.
"Snape said Moody's searched his office as well?" Ron whispered, his voice filled with curiosity. "What…d'you reckon Moody's here to keep an eye on Snape as well as Karkaroff?"
"Well, I dunno if that's what Dumbledore asked him to do, but he's definitely doing it," Harry explained, his voice tinged with uncertainty. "Moody said Dumbledore only lets Snape stay here because he's giving him a second chance or something…"
Ron's eyes widened with a sudden realization. "What?" he exclaimed. "Harry… maybe Moody thinks Snape put your and Dawn's names in the Goblet of Fire!"
Dawn looked up at Ron's suggestion, her expression a mixture of concern and intrigue.
"Oh, Ron," Hermione interjected, her voice carrying a sense of reason and skepticism, "we thought Snape was trying to kill Harry before, and it turned out he was saving Harry's life, remember?"
Dawn shook her head, her worry persisting. "Hermione, we know there is someone in the castle that knows who I am. It's either one of the students or the staff."
"I don't care what Moody said," Hermione continued, ignoring Dawn's comment for the moment. "Dumbledore's not stupid. He was right to trust Hagrid and Professor Lupin, even though loads of people wouldn't have given them jobs, so why shouldn't he be right about Snape, even if Snape is a bit—"
"—evil," Ron chimed in promptly, his skepticism evident. "Come on, Hermione, why are all these Dark wizard catchers searching his office, then?"
"Why has Mr. Crouch been pretending to be ill?" Hermione pondered aloud, her voice filled with curiosity and suspicion. "It's a bit funny, isn't it, that he can't manage to come to the Yule Ball, but he can get up here in the middle of the night when he wants to?"
Ron, ever quick to defend those he liked, responded, "You just don't like Crouch because of that elf, Winky."
Dawn recalled what Harry and Ron had shared with her and Hermione about Winky supposedly being the one to conjure the Dark Mark at the Quidditch World Cup, and she couldn't help but wonder about the whole situation.
Hermione, not one to back down from a debate, countered, "You just want to think Snape's up to something."
Harry, his expression serious and determined, weighed in on the discussion. "I just want to know what Snape did with his first chance, if he's on his second one," he said grimly.
Buffy's Suite
That evening, the group gathered in Buffy's cozy sitting room, their attention focused on the mysterious golden egg. They sat in a circle, their expressions a mix of curiosity and determination, while Buffy and Dawn engaged in a lively sparring session nearby.
Buffy moved with a grace that was both mesmerizing and deadly. Her punches were lightning-fast, and her kicks were executed with precision. Her eyes never left Dawn as she anticipated her sister's next move.
Dawn ducked and weaved, avoiding Buffy's blows with a mix of athleticism and anticipation. Her determination to keep up with Buffy was evident in the sweat on her brow.
Their sparring was a dance of combat, each move calculated and deliberate. Buffy and Dawn exchanged quick punches and kicks, their bodies moving in perfect synchrony. The sound of their blows echoed in the room, creating a rhythmic percussion that mirrored their fierce determination.
Ron was enthusiastic about the idea of using the Summoning Charm again, especially after Harry had explained the concept of Aqua-Lungs. He couldn't see why Harry and Dawn shouldn't summon one from the nearest Muggle town to solve their underwater challenge.
However, Hermione quickly dismissed this plan with a practical argument. She pointed out that if, by some miracle, Harry or Dawn managed to learn how to operate an Aqua-Lung within the limited hour they had, they would surely be disqualified for breaking the International Code of Wizarding Secrecy. It was simply too risky to have Muggles witness an Aqua-Lung zooming across the countryside to Hogwarts.
"The ideal solution would be for you two to Transfigure yourselves into a submarine or something," Hermione suggested thoughtfully. "But we don't start human Transfiguration until the sixth year, and it can go badly wrong if you don't know what you're doing. Besides, I'm not too thrilled with my sister trying to transfigure herself."
Dawn chuckled as she deftly dodged a punch thrown by Buffy.
"Yeah, I don't fancy walking around with a periscope sticking out of my head, and I doubt Dawn would either," Harry chimed in. "I suppose we could always provoke someone in front of Moody; he might do it for us…"
Hermione, always the voice of reason, shook her head seriously. "I don't think he'd let either of you choose what you wanted to be turned into, though. No, I think your best chance is some sort of charm."
February 23, 2002 – Saturday
Library
By the evening before the second task, neither Harry nor Dawn had come up with a way to breathe underwater. They sat side by side with Hermione and Ron in the library, their frustration palpable as they pored over page after page of spells and enchantments, hidden from each other by the towering stacks of books on the desk in front of them.
"I don't reckon it can be done," Ron admitted with a sigh. "There's nothing. Nothing. Closest was that thing to dry up puddles and ponds, that Drought Charm, but that was nowhere near powerful enough to drain the lake."
Hermione, her determination unwavering, muttered, "There must be something. We have to find something. I'm not letting my sister drown because of some stupid task. They'd never have set a task that was undoable anyway."
"They have," Ron insisted. "Harry, Dawn, just go down to the lake tomorrow, right? Stick your heads in, yell at the merpeople to give back whatever they've nicked, and see if they chuck it out. Best either of you can do."
Hermione, frustrated by their lack of progress, snapped, "There's a way of doing it! There just has to be!"
Dawn glanced at her twin, a shared determination in their eyes. "There has to be," she agreed, her voice filled with a hint of desperation. "I so don't want to try holding my breath for an hour."
Harry, deep in thought, voiced his regret, "I know what I should have done. I should've learned to be an Animagus like Sirius."
Ron chuckled, finding humor in the situation. "Yeah, you could've turned into a goldfish any time you wanted!" he quipped.
"Or a frog," Harry added with a yawn, his exhaustion evident.
Hermione, ever the bookworm, interjected with practical information. "It takes years to become an Animagus, and then you have to register yourself and everything," she explained vaguely. "Professor McGonagall told us; remember… you've got to register yourself with the Improper Use of Magic Office… what animal you become, and your markings, so you can't abuse it…"
Dawn couldn't help but roll her eyes at the thought of bureaucracy in the face of their imminent challenge.
"…Hermione, I was joking," Harry clarified wearily. "I know neither Dawn nor I have a chance of turning into a frog by tomorrow morning…"
"Oh, this is no use," Hermione grumbled in frustration. "Who on earth wants to make their nose hair grow into ringlets?"
Dawn couldn't help but chuckle at her sister's exasperation, reaching over to ruffle Hermione's hair affectionately. "Lighten up, 'Mione."
"I wouldn't mind," chimed in Fred Weasley's mischievous voice. "Be a talking point, wouldn't it?"
The quartet of Harry, Dawn, Ron, and Hermione looked up in surprise. Fred and George had just emerged from behind some bookshelves, wearing their trademark mischievous grins.
"What're you two doing here?" Ron asked, clearly caught off guard.
"Looking for you," George replied nonchalantly. "McGonagall wants you, Ron. And you, Hermione."
"Why?" Hermione and Dawn asked in unison, their curiosity piqued.
"Dunno… she was looking a bit grim, though," Fred replied, his usual jovial demeanor slightly subdued.
"We're supposed to take you down to her office," George added.
Hermione exchanged a quick look with her twin, and then they both nodded. "We'll meet you back in the common room," Hermione said to Harry and Dawn. "Bring as many of these books as you two can, okay?"
Harry nodded uneasily, while Dawn simply nodded in agreement as she watched her sister and Ron walk off with the Weasley twins.
McGonagall's Office
Buffy, Hermione, and Ron found themselves standing in Professor McGonagall's office, the stern professor wearing her usual severe expression. They exchanged nervous glances, wondering why they had been summoned.
"Please, sit down," Professor McGonagall said, gesturing to the chairs in front of her desk. Once they were seated, she began to explain the purpose of their meeting.
"The time has come for me to divulge the nature of the second task of the Triwizard Tournament," she began, her tone serious. "In this task, the champions are required to retrieve something of great importance that has been taken from them."
Hermione's brow furrowed with confusion, and Ron looked equally perplexed. Buffy, however, had a feeling where this was headed.
"Mr. Weasley," Professor McGonagall continued, her gaze fixed on Ron, "you will be the object that Mr. Potter must retrieve from the lake. You will be placed at the bottom of the lake, under an enchantment to allow you to breathe and to keep you safe."
Ron's eyes widened in shock, and he exchanged a stunned look with Harry, who was clearly taken aback.
"Hermione," Professor McGonagall said, turning her attention to Hermione, "you will be the object that Mr. Krum must retrieve."
Hermione's expression shifted from confusion to realization, and she nodded, her determination shining through.
"And Buffy," Professor McGonagall continued, her eyes now on her fellow professor, "you will be the object that your sister must find."
Buffy turned toward Dumbledore, who sat in a chair nearby. Concern etched across her face, she voiced her worry. "This will take three of the people watching out for Dawn out of play until after the task. And with Harry doing the task himself…"
Dumbledore nodded solemnly, fully aware of the challenges and risks involved. "I know, Buffy," he acknowledged, his gaze steady. "I will be keeping an eye on Dawn myself for this task as much as I can. And since Dawn and Harry are tied for first place with Mr. Diggory, Harry will be able to remain at her side throughout the task. There is no way around this, Buffy."
Buffy's Suite
By eight o'clock, Madam Pince had extinguished all the lamps in the library and ushered Dawn and Harry out. Staggering under the weight of as many books as they could carry, the exhausted duo returned to the Gryffindor common room. They pulled a table into a quiet corner and continued their relentless search for a solution.
Hours passed, and frustration filled the air as they scoured through the numerous volumes in hopes of finding a way for Harry to survive underwater.
Dawn eventually sighed, feeling the weight of exhaustion and worry pressing down on her. She got up and announced that she was going to find Buffy. Despite knowing she shouldn't go anywhere alone, she needed some time alone to think. When Dawn reached Buffy's suite, she found it empty. With a heavy heart, she laid down on her sister's bed and quickly fell asleep.
Dawn's dreams were troubled, haunted by images of merpeople taking something precious from her and refusing to give it back. The impending second task weighed heavily on her mind, and her restless sleep offered no respite from the anxiety that had gripped her.
February 24, 2002 – Sunday
Gryffindor Common Room
The next day, Dawn woke up alone in Buffy's room, the remnants of her restless dreams still clinging to her thoughts. She quickly realized the urgency of the day and hurriedly got ready for the second task. As she made her way back to the Gryffindor Tower, a sense of unease gnawed at her.
Upon entering the common room, Dawn was surprised to find Dobby talking to Harry. The house-elf's voice was filled with urgency as he squeaked, "Harry Potter needs to hurry! The second task starts in ten minutes, and Harry Potter -"
"Ten minutes?" Harry's voice quivered with shock. "Ten - ten minutes?"
Dawn's eyes widened in alarm as the realization hit her like a tidal wave. She had overslept, and from the look on Harry's face, he had too. Panic set in as they both understood the gravity of the situation.
"Hurry, Harry Potter!" Dobby squeaked anxiously. "You are supposed to be down by the lake with the other champions, sir!"
Desperation filled Harry's voice as he muttered, "It's too late, Dobby," and he turned to Dawn, knowing that neither of them had found a solution in time. "Dawn and I are not doing the task, we don't know how -"
But Dobby interrupted him, his squeaky voice filled with determination. "Harry Potter and Dawn Summers will do the task!" The elf's eyes sparkled with an unusual resolve. "Dobby knew Harry Potter and Dawn Summers had not found the right book, so Dobby did it for them!"
"What?" Harry exclaimed in disbelief. "But you don't know what the second task is -"
"Dobby knows, sir!" the determined house-elf interrupted. "Dawn Summers and Harry Potter has to go into the lake and find his Wheezy and her—"
"Find our what?" Harry interrupted, his confusion growing.
"—sistie and take them back from the merpeople!" Dobby explained urgently.
Harry's eyes widened in shock. "What's a Wheezy?" he asked, utterly perplexed.
"Your Wheezy, sir, your Wheezy-Wheezy who is giving Dobby his sweater!" Dobby replied, plucking at the shrunken maroon sweater he was now wearing over his shorts.
Understanding dawned on Harry, and he gasped, "They've got…they've got Ron?"
Dawn's eyes also went wide with realization as the pieces fell into place. "That's why Hermione and Ron didn't come back last night," she whispered, her voice filled with worry. "Maybe even the reason Buffy didn't return. She was probably watching Hermione." Little did Dawn know, she was only half right, and there was more to the situation than they could yet comprehend.
"The thing Harry Potter and Dawn Summers will miss most, sir!" Dobby squeaked urgently. "'But past an hour—'"
"—the prospect's black," Harry recited, his voice growing more panicked. "Too late, it's gone, it won't come back. Dobby—what've we got to do?"
"You both have to eat this, sir!" Dobby squeaked, and he reached into the pocket of his shorts, producing a ball of what looked like slimy, grayish-green rat tails. He held it out to Harry and Dawn.
"What's it do?" Dawn asked, her curiosity mixed with apprehension.
"It will make Harry Potter and Dawn Summers breathe underwater, miss!" Dobby explained.
Harry, his voice filled with concern, asked, "Dobby, are you sure about this?"
"Dobby is quite sure, sir!" the elf insisted earnestly, his loyalty to Harry and Dawn unwavering. "Dobby hears things, sir, he is a house-elf, he goes all over the castle as he lights the fires and mops the floors. Dobby heard Professor McGonagall and Professor Moody in the staffroom, talking about the next task… Dobby cannot let Harry Potter lose his Wheezy! Or Dawn Summers to lose her sistie!"
Dawn's eyes widened with concern as Dobby mentioned her sister, and her heart raced with the urgency of the situation. She knew they had no time to lose.
"'Mione!" Dawn exclaimed, her voice filled with worry. In an instant, she raced up the stairs, changed into her swimsuit, and sprinted back down to meet Harry. Together, they rushed as fast as they could to reach the lake.
Black Lake
"We're… here..." Harry panted as he and Dawn skidded to a halt before the judges' stand.
"Where have you two been?" said a bossy, disapproving voice. "The task's about to start!"
"Now, now, Percy!" Ludo Bagman interjected cheerfully. "Let them catch their breath!"
Dumbledore, his gaze filled with sympathy, looked at Dawn. He understood the weight of the task ahead, knowing that both her sisters were now at the bottom of the lake. He didn't envy Dawn in this moment.
Bagman raised his wand to his throat and announced, "Sonorus!" His voice boomed out across the dark water toward the stands. "Well, all our champions are ready for the second task, which will start on my whistle. They have precisely an hour to recover what has been taken from them."
Harry turned to Dawn, his voice low as he handed her some of the gillyweed. "Stay close. We'll do this together."
Dawn nodded, her determination matching his as they faced the daunting challenge ahead as a team.
"On the count of three, then. One… two… three!" Bagman's voice resounded as he blew the whistle.
The shrill sound echoed in the cold, still air, and Harry and Dawn wasted no time. They quickly stuffed the gillyweed into their mouths and waded into the lake.
As they submerged themselves, Dawn suddenly felt as though an invisible pillow had been pressed over her mouth and nose. Panic set in as she struggled to draw breath, her head spinning from the lack of oxygen. The piercing pain on either side of her neck made her realize what was happening. She watched as slits formed on Harry's neck, and in that moment, she knew why she was having trouble breathing. Reacting instinctively, she pushed him underwater as she, too, dived.
Once underwater, Dawn's head stopped spinning, and she took a great gulp of water, feeling it pass smoothly through her newly-formed gills, sending precious oxygen to her brain. She turned to Harry, relief washing over her. "You okay?" she asked.
Harry looked at Dawn in wonder, equally amazed by their newfound ability to communicate underwater. He nodded and smiled. "Shall we go?" he replied, ready to embark on their mission to rescue their friends from the depths of the lake.
Dawn nodded, and they swam together toward the middle of the lake. The murky water limited their visibility to just ten feet around them, so as they sped through the underwater darkness, new scenes emerged suddenly and unexpectedly.
They delved deeper into the lake, and Dawn's eyes scanned the surroundings, desperately searching for any sign of Ron or Hermione. The underwater world was filled with small, darting fish, and once or twice, Dawn thought she saw something larger moving ahead, only to discover it was a deceptive log or a dense clump of weed.
Suddenly, something wrapped around Dawn's ankle, and she gasped in alarm. Twisting her body around, she saw a grindylow, its long fingers gripping her leg tightly. Harry, aware of Dawn's predicament, reached for his wand with a webbed hand. With some effort, he finally grasped it and shouted, "Relashio!"
Instead of sparks, a jet of what seemed like boiling water shot out from Harry's wand, scalding the grindylows. Angry red patches appeared on their green skin as they released their hold on Dawn. She swiftly pulled her ankle free from their grasp and swam as fast as she could, with Harry close behind her.
"How are you getting on?"
Startled, Harry and Dawn whipped around in the water, their gills fluttering with surprise. There, floating hazily in front of them, was Moaning Myrtle, gazing at Harry through her thick, pearly glasses.
"Myrtle!" Harry said, surprised to see her in this underwater realm.
"You want to try over there!" Moaning Myrtle suggested, pointing a vague, translucent finger. "I won't come with you… I don't like them much; they always chase me when I get too close…"
Dawn smiled at Myrtle and nodded in appreciation for her guidance. She and Harry swam in the direction Myrtle had pointed. They continued swimming for what felt like at least twenty minutes, their hearts pounding with anticipation. Then, at long last, they heard a snatch of haunting mersong echoing through the depths of the lake:
"An hour long you'll have to look, And to recover what we took…"
Harry and Dawn swam faster, their anticipation growing as they approached a large rock emerging from the muddy water ahead. Paintings of merpeople decorated the rock, depicting them carrying spears and chasing what looked like the giant squid. Without hesitation, they swam past the rock, following the haunting mersong that echoed through the underwater realm.
"…your time's half gone, so tarry not lest what you seek stays here to rot…"
Suddenly, Harry's sharp eyes caught sight of faces in the distance. He nudged Dawn, and she nodded in acknowledgment, indicating that she saw them too.
They sped forward, their hearts pounding with hope and anxiety. As they continued, they noticed more and more dwellings, evidence of a mermaid village. Turning a corner, they encountered a truly bizarre sight.
A gathering of merpeople floated in front of the houses, forming what resembled a mer-version of a village square. A choir of merpeople sang in the center, their melodious voices beckoning the champions toward them. Behind them, a crude but massive statue of a merperson stood, carved from a boulder.
However, what caught Harry and Dawn's attention were the five individuals bound tightly to the tail of the stone merperson. Ron was tied between Hermione and Cho Chang, while Buffy was bound next to Hermione. The fifth person, a young girl no older than eight, was also bound with them. All five appeared to be in a deep slumber, their heads lolling onto their shoulders, and fine streams of bubbles escaping from their mouths.
Harry and Dawn swam toward the group of hostages, their hearts racing with a mixture of hope and apprehension. They half-expected the merpeople to lower their spears and charge at them, but the merfolk remained passive, allowing the champions to approach.
Dawn looked between Hermione and Buffy, her anxiety evident. "Which one is supposed to be mine?" she asked, struggling with the difficult choice thrust upon her.
Harry, feeling the weight of the decision, offered his opinion. "Buffy."
Dawn looked at Harry, her curiosity piqued. "Why?" she asked, seeking his reasoning.
"Because Hermione is likely Krum's," Harry explained, his expression solemn. He knew that Krum had shown interest in Hermione, and it was the most logical deduction.
Dawn's eyes widened as the realization dawned on her, and she nodded in agreement. Harry was right. Making the choice to save Buffy made the most sense under the circumstances.
The ropes of weed tying the hostages to the statue were thick, slimy, and incredibly strong. Harry and Dawn exchanged worried glances, realizing the daunting challenge they faced.
Many of the merpeople surrounding them were armed with spears, and Harry swam swiftly toward a particularly imposing seven-foot-tall merman with a long green beard and a choker of shark fangs. He tried to mime a request to borrow the spear, but the merman responded with laughter, shaking his head vigorously. "We do not help," he croaked in a harsh voice.
"Come on!" Harry urged, growing frustrated. He attempted to pull the spear from the merman's grasp, but the merman yanked it back, continuing to laugh and shake his head.
Desperation setting in, Harry looked around for an alternative. He noticed jagged rocks scattered across the lake bottom and swiftly dived to retrieve two particularly sharp ones. Returning to the statue, he handed one of the rocks to Dawn, and together, they began to hack at the ropes binding Ron and Buffy.
After several minutes of hard work, they managed to break the bindings, and Ron and Buffy floated, unconscious but free, a few inches above the lake bottom, gently drifting with the water's ebb.
Dawn looked around, growing increasingly anxious. There was no sign of the other champions. What were they doing? Why weren't they hurrying to rescue their friends?
Turning her attention to Hermione, Dawn raised the jagged rock and began to work on her bindings as well. However, before she could make any progress, several pairs of strong gray hands seized her, and half a dozen mermen pulled her away from Hermione. They shook their green-haired heads and laughed, preventing her from freeing her twin.
"You take your own hostage," one of the mermen insisted, addressing Dawn. "Leave the others…"
Dawn's anger flared, and she vehemently protested, "No way!" She was not about to abandon Hermione, Buffy, and the others.
But the mermen remained insistent. "Your task is to retrieve your own friend…leave the others…"
Dawn's voice quivered with emotion as she retorted, "She's my sister! I don't want to lose one sister at the expense of the other."
She continued to struggle against the mermen's grip, wondering why Harry wasn't doing anything to free her from their grasp. It was then that she noticed that they had also captured Harry.
However, the situation took an unexpected turn when the merpeople surrounding Dawn and Harry suddenly pointed excitedly over their heads. They looked up to see Cedric swimming toward them, an enormous bubble around his head that distorted his features.
Cedric urgently mouthed, "Got lost! Fleur and Krum are coming now!"
Relief washed over Harry and Dawn as they watched Cedric skillfully cut Cho free from her bindings. He swiftly pulled her upward and out of sight, a glimmer of hope in their challenging task.
They anxiously scanned the underwater surroundings, waiting for any sign of Fleur and Krum. Time was slipping away, and the countdown to the hour was relentless. According to the mersong, the hostages would be lost if they couldn't free them within the allotted time.
The merpeople around them suddenly erupted in animated screeches, their hold on Harry and Dawn loosening as they stared behind them in alarm. Harry and Dawn turned to see a monstrous figure cutting through the water, a human body clad in swimming trunks but with the head of a shark. It was Krum, who appeared to have transfigured himself, albeit with less finesse.
Krum, in his shark-headed form, swam directly to Hermione and began awkwardly snapping and biting at her bindings. His shark teeth were ill-suited for the task, making it difficult for him to free her. Dawn, realizing the urgency of the situation, darted forward and struck Krum hard on the shoulder with the jagged stone.
Krum nodded seeing the pain in the young woman's eyes. He brushed her hair comfortingly for but a moment before grabbing the jagged stone from her.
Dawn smiled and nodded, "Thank you."
Krum understood the unspoken message in Dawn's eyes—the pain of having to choose between her sisters. He nodded in acknowledgment and took the jagged stone from her, determined to help Hermione.
Dawn offered Krum a grateful smile and whispered, "Thank you."
Krum wasted no time; he swiftly and efficiently freed Hermione from her bindings. With Hermione securely in his grasp, he began to ascend rapidly toward the surface, leaving the lake's depths behind.
Dawn was convinced that Fleur was not coming to their aid. Determined to rescue Buffy and the little girl, she snatched up the jagged stone that Krum had dropped. However, the merpeople surrounding Buffy and the child blocked her way, shaking their heads in refusal.
Seeing the dire situation, Harry pulled out his wand and pointed it at the merpeople. His voice carried a tone of authority as he warned, "Get out of the way!"
The mermen stopped their laughter, and their yellowish eyes locked onto Harry's wand. Fear and uncertainty reflected in their expressions. Although they outnumbered him, they clearly had no knowledge of magic beyond the awe-inspiring surroundings of their underwater world.
Dawn was relieved that Harry was with her, as she believed that the mermen would have easily restrained her if she had been alone.
With a firm tone, Harry declared, "You've got until three!" He began counting, "One… two…"
In response to Harry's threat, the mermen scattered, their fear of the unknown magic driving them away. Harry immediately darted forward as Dawn finished freeing the little girl from her bindings.
"Get Buffy. I will get Ron and her," Harry instructed, indicating the unconscious child.
Dawn nodded, clutching her sister tightly, and began to swim upward toward the surface.
As Dawn and Buffy broke the surface of the water, the effects of the gillyweed began to wear off, and Dawn gasped for air. Buffy, regaining consciousness, looked around in confusion for a moment before her gaze settled on Dawn. A smile of relief and gratitude spread across her face.
"I'm sorry," Buffy said, her voice filled with remorse. "That they made you choose between me and Hermione. I swear I didn't know we would both be used for this task. I thought they would have you rescue Hermione."
Dawn understood Buffy's sentiment and shook her head. "I know. It was unfair. They should have known there would be two people who are most precious to me," she replied. Together, they swam toward the shore where Hermione was still unconscious.
Upon reaching the shore, Hermione rushed to help Buffy and Dawn out of the water, providing them with much-needed support. Dawn, her frustration evident, approached Dumbledore, determined to voice her complaint.
"I have a complaint to lodge," Dawn stated firmly. "It is unfair to me to have had to make me choose between my sisters. Even if one of them would be rescued by another champion. You should have known that both are precious to me. They are literally the only family I have."
Dumbledore nodded, his eyes filled with understanding and sympathy. He turned to the other judges, engaging in a conversation about the matter Dawn had raised. It was a valid point, and they needed to address it, especially considering the emotional toll it had taken on her.
Dawn turned back to Hermione and Buffy as Ron, Fleur's sister, and Harry swam to the shore, joining them.
Ron immediately scolded Harry, his frustration evident. "Harry, you prat," he said, shaking his head. "You didn't take that song thing seriously, did you? Dumbledore wouldn't have let any of us drown!"
Dawn, still feeling a mix of emotions, protested, "The song said—"
But before she could finish, Ron interrupted her, explaining, "It was only to make sure you got back inside the time limit! I hope neither of you didn't waste time down there acting the hero!"
Dawn turned to Buffy, seeking confirmation. "Is what he said, true?"
Buffy nodded, understanding the concern. "Yes. The time limit was to make sure you got there and back in under an hour. We were never in any real danger. Though the complaint you just made to Dumbledore, I said the same thing last night when we were pulled into Minerva's office and given our instructions."
Amid the commotion on the shore, Fleur rushed to her sister's side, her voice filled with concern. "Gabrielle! Gabrielle! Is she alive? Is she 'urt?"
Harry tried to reassure Fleur, calling out, "She's fine!"
Percy intervened and began pulling Ron back toward the bank, while Dumbledore and Bagman helped Harry to his feet. Fleur, finally released by Madame Maxime, embraced her sister tightly, overwhelmed with relief.
"It was ze grindylows…zey attacked me…oh Gabrielle, I thought…I thought..." Fleur recounted, her emotions evident.
Hermione, still beaming with pride, congratulated Harry and Dawn. "Dawn, Harry, well done!" she exclaimed. "You both did it, you found out how all by yourselves!"
"Well—" began Harry and Dawn in response to Hermione's question.
"Yeah, that's right," Harry confirmed.
Then, Krum pointed out something in Hermione's hair, saying, "You haff a water beetle in your hair, Herm-own-ninny."
Dawn smiled at Krum and thanked him, saying, "Thank you for rescuing my sister."
Krum nodded in acknowledgment of her gratitude.
Hermione, still curious about their experience, remarked, "You both were well outside the time limit, though, Harry, Dawn… Did it take you ages to find us?"
Dawn shook her head and explained, "No…we found you okay… It's just I couldn't leave you down there, Hermione. It was unfair of them to make me choose Buffy over you. You're both precious to me. The only family I have. And of course, Harry wouldn't leave my side. Even down there, he stayed to protect me."
Hermione sighed and nodded, understanding the depth of her sister's feelings. She then hugged Dawn tightly, grateful for the bond they shared.
Dumbledore was crouching at the water's edge, deep in conversation with what seemed to be the chief merperson. The atmosphere was heavy with anticipation, and the cold mist rising from the lake only added to the tension. Finally, he straightened up, turned to his fellow judges, and said, "Another conference before we give the marks, I think." His voice held a note of contemplation, mirroring the uncertainty that hung in the air.
The judges went into a huddle again, their faces etched with a mixture of curiosity and concern. Their whispered discussions carried an undertone of gravity, as if they were deliberating the fate of the world.
Fleur turned to Harry, her eyes shimmering with a blend of relief and gratitude. "You saved 'er," she said, her voice quivering with emotion. "Even though she was not your 'ostage." Her words were filled with admiration and a touch of wonder as she looked at Harry.
Harry shook his head, his expression a mix of humility and honesty. His voice was steady, carrying the weight of truth. "I only brought her to the surface," he explained, his words touched with a hint of regret. "The person who cut the rope was Dawn."
Fleur's gaze shifted to Dawn, her eyes widening with surprise and appreciation. Dawn, standing there with a determined yet selfless look, confirmed Harry's words. "When you didn't show up, I couldn't leave her down there," she said, her voice soft but resolute.
Fleur's smile was radiant, her gratitude overflowing. She pulled Dawn into a fierce hug, her embrace filled with warmth and thankfulness. "Thank you," Fleur whispered, her voice filled with a depth of emotion that words alone could not express.
Ludo Bagman's magically magnified voice boomed out beside them, making them all jump, and causing the crowd in the stands to go very quiet. The weight of anticipation hung heavily in the air as everyone awaited the judges' verdict. It was a moment of both anxiety and excitement.
"Ladies and gentlemen," Bagman's voice echoed, filling the stadium with a sense of finality. "We have reached our decision. Merchieftainess Murcus has told us exactly what happened at the bottom of the lake, and we have therefore decided to award marks out of fifty for each of the champions, as follows…"
As the scores were announced, a mixture of relief and disappointment washed over the champions and their supporters. Fleur Delacour, who had faced a treacherous ordeal in the depths of the lake, received her score of twenty-five points. The crowd held its collective breath, waiting for her reaction.
"I deserved zero," Fleur's voice, throaty and emotional, broke the silence, and her stunning head shook with self-criticism. Her words were filled with a touch of self-blame, but also a genuine recognition of her own efforts.
Dawn, standing by her side, couldn't let Fleur's self-deprecation stand unchallenged. She shook her head firmly, her eyes filled with determination. "No, you didn't," she said, her voice unwavering. "If you hadn't tried at all to rescue your sister, you would have deserved zero. For trying to rescue her…"
Fleur nodded in understanding, her gaze shifting to Hermione and Buffy. There was a silent exchange of understanding between them, a bond formed in the crucible of the Triwizard Tournament. She knew exactly what Dawn was conveying without her needing to spell it out.
"Cedric Diggory," Bagman continued, his voice resonating throughout the stadium, "who also used the Bubble-Head Charm, was first to return with his hostage, though he returned one minute outside the time limit of an hour. We therefore award him forty-seven points."
The crowd watched with bated breath as Cedric's score was announced, a mix of admiration and sympathy in their eyes.
"Viktor Krum used an incomplete form of Transfiguration, which was nevertheless effective, and was second to return with his hostage. We award him forty points."
Krum's stoic expression revealed little, but there was a subtle sense of pride in his posture.
"Dawn Summers and Harry Potter both used gillyweed to great effect," Bagman continued, his tone carrying a sense of anticipation. "Ms. Summers returned next, and Mr. Potter was not far behind her, and both well outside the time limit of an hour."
The crowd leaned forward, eager to hear the outcome.
"However," Bagman's words took a pointed turn, "the Merchieftainess informs us that Ms. Summers and Mr. Potter were first to reach the hostages, and that the delay in their return was due to their determination to return all hostages to safety, not merely their own."
There was a murmur of approval from the crowd, and even some of the judges exchanged approving glances.
"Most of the judges," Bagman continued, his voice carrying a hint of disdain as he glanced at Karkaroff, "feel that this shows moral fiber and merits full marks." The crowd erupted into applause, recognizing the valor in Dawn and Harry's actions.
"However," Bagman paused for effect, "only Ms. Summers gets full marks of fifty due to the unfair nature of the task for her. She had to choose between both her sisters on who to save. And Mr. Potter's score is forty-five points."
Dawn blinked as the realization set in that she was now in first place. She turned to Harry, her eyes shining with gratitude and pride. "Congratulations, Harry," she said, her voice filled with genuine warmth and happiness.
Harry beamed and embraced his best friend, his joy and admiration for her evident in his eyes. "Congratulations, Dawn," he replied, his voice tinged with pride and camaraderie.
"The third and final task will take place at dusk on the twenty-fourth of June," continued Bagman, his voice echoing through the stadium. The date hung in the air, a reminder of the challenges that lay ahead. "The champions will be notified of what is coming precisely one month beforehand. Thank you all for your support of the champions."
As Bagman's announcement concluded, Dawn looked between her sisters, a radiant smile on her face. The three of them walked back towards the castle together, their bond stronger than ever.
