"Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear—not the absence of fear."
~ Mark Twain
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The cold, crisp February air filled the Hogwarts grounds as the sun began to rise over the Black Lake, casting shimmering reflections across its dark, still waters…
A thin mist hovered over the surface, curling and twisting as though trying to shield the mysteries lurking below, and who knew, maybe that's exactly what it did.
For most of the castle's inhabitants and its guests, it was just another chilly morning, albeit an exciting one.
But not for the Triwizard champions.
And of course, fate's spittoon was one of the aforementioned competitors…
For them, it marked the day of the second task in the Triwizard Tournament—a day they had been dreading—each for their own reasons.
'There's still an hour before we have to go,' Harry mused and reinforced his grip on Fleur.
"Don't worry, mon amour," Fleur whispered, her breath visible in the frigid air.
The young couple was currently standing on one of the lake's edges, looking at the recently constructed wooden platforms jutting out over the water.
The previous day, during dinner, Dumbledore had made an announcement, explaining that the tall structures in the lake would serve as the starting point for the champions and as viewing platforms for the audience.
Spectators would be able to watch the champions dive into the murky depths and cheer them on from there.
"Isn't the whole idea stupid?" Harry grumbled, feeling a sinking sensation in his stomach.
"We'll be underwater for an hour, encountering god knows what. Do they expect people just to stand there and stare at the mist or something?"
However, despite his words, Harry didn't care.
He couldn't care less about what the audience did and if they enjoyed themselves or not.
His single concern was the girl he was currently hugging from behind.
Harry shook his head, the absurdity of the situation only heightened his nervousness about the impending task.
"We have prepared well, non? And we will face the challenge together," Fleur reassured him, turning in his arms to face him.
Thankfully, there were no rules about champions working together.
'Because if there were…'
Harry's imagination created a scene of a weakened Fleur swimming through the dark depths with countless creatures on her tail.
That thought prompted him to tighten his embrace again…
Fleur was right though, they had indeed spent countless hours preparing, researching underwater beings, breathing techniques and practising defensive spells.
Harry even had a pair of gillyweeds tucked away in his enlarged pockets, a testament to their meticulous planning…
As the cold wind whipped around them, Harry's thoughts turned to his best friend, Hermione.
"Do you think that they'll still get people to participate as hostages?" Harry asked suddenly.
Fleur's brow scrunched.
"I hope not, not after your little speech yesterday… But with the English Ministry involved, who knows? Considering Fudge's stupidity…" she said with obvious disdain in her voice.
"Let's just say that it wouldn't surprise me if they went ahead with their original plan, disregarding all the valid concerns you raised."
Harry nodded in agreement, his mind drifting to the previous day's events.
Right after Dumbledore had announced the last details of the task, Harry had stood up and gave an impassioned talk, arguing against the use of human hostages in the task.
He had gone over the speech with both Fawkes and Ash and even asked Fleur's input, ensuring that his message was impactful.
Dumbledore's face after that was a sight to behold.
Harry briefly wondered what would happen if he tried to power a patronus with that image in mind.
'I bet it would be powerful enough to banish every single dementor in Britain,' he thought with a wry smile.
The memory of Dumbledore's stunned expression brought a brief moment of amusement.
The headmaster's usually twinkling eyes had widened in shock, his mouth slightly agape as he struggled to maintain his composure.
It was clear that Harry's unexpected challenge had caught him completely off guard, leaving him momentarily speechless in front of the entire Great Hall.
In the end, the old man simply said something along the lines of—I'm Dumbledore, I'm never wrong—and brought the dinner to a close.
"Fucking bastard," Harry muttered, wondering if Mr too-many-names was simply spouting nonsense or, heaven forbid, actually believed his own rubbish…
"Oui, he is," she agreed easily, easily guessing who her boyfriend was thinking about.
Harry glanced once more at the looming wooden platforms, then back to the beautiful face of the girl in his arms.
"We should probably get going," Harry said reluctantly and released Fleur from his embrace.
They shared a brief, meaningful look, and turned towards the lake.
They walked together, hand in hand, following the edge of the water as the morning sun cast long shadows across the grounds.
As they moved closer, they encountered more and more groups of students.
Some simply watched them with a mix of awe and curiosity, while others whispered excitedly and pointed at them.
There were even those who waved and called out to Harry, wishing him luck.
He managed a few forced smiles and nods, but his focus remained on the girl beside him.
In no time at all, they made their way to the middle platform and Harry spotted the last two champions—Cedric and Krum.
Cedric was talking with Cho Chang, Harry's previous unfortunate crush, while Krum was listening to an older woman.
As they approached the other competitors, Harry felt Fleur's hand tighten around his.
"Виктор, знаеш какво трябва да направиш. Първо, бъди внимателен и след това ни донеси слава," the older woman said with a stern voice.
'Who do you think she is? I'd say she his mother,' Harry asked Fleur through the twin bond.
His eyes were still on the stern-looking woman, comparing her features with that of the Bulgarian champion when Fleur responded; if she was surprised at the sudden voice in her mind, she didn't show it.
'Definitely a relative,' Fleur mentally replied.
'The resemblance is uncanny, and her demeanour screams "protective parent". So I'd say you are correct.'
Harry nodded, agreeing with Fleur's assessment.
Cedric caught sight of Harry and Fleur and offered a friendly if slightly nervous, wave.
Cho continued standing by his side, her expression unreadable.
Harry gave them a nod, but his attention soon drifted back to Krum and the assumed mother.
Krum stood rigidly as the woman finished speaking to him.
'Whatever she said in the end, it didn't sound like a gentle pep talk,' Harry thought to himself and wondered if all mothers were like that.
'Then again, Petunia couldn't even say no to Dudley. So, I suppose mothers can be quite different.'
As the minutes ticked by, the reality of the task began to resettle.
Madame Maxime had moved closer and eyed Fleur with a disapproving look that promised a stern lecture later.
'God, your headmistress is angry,' Harry told Fleur.
'I bet, she is. After all, I don't have my priorities straight and don't listen to her every whim. Imagine how disappointed she must be with me.'
If looks could kill, Harry was sure that Maxime would fall dead on the spot from the intensity of Fleur's glare.
The French champion's eyes blazed with defiance, a silent challenge to her headmistress's disapproval…
The other heads of the schools were also present, mingling near the platforms as they spoke in low voices.
From the corner of his eye, Harry could see Ludo Bagman, already looking overly enthusiastic, chatting animatedly with several Ministry officials.
"Harry! Fleur!" a familiar voice called out.
It was Hermione, pushing her way through the crowd of spectators with a determined expression on her face.
No mere crowd could stop Hermione Granger when she put her mind into something...
"You two okay?" she asked breathlessly when she reached them, her eyes scanning their faces for something.
"Yes, of course. We were just getting excited about our meeting with the horrors dwelling down there," Harry replied and pointed behind him, managing a small smile.
"Good," Hermione replied, taking the sarcasm as a good sign.
As they exchanged a few words of comfort, and some last minute advice, a loud whistle echoed across the lake, signalling that the task would soon begin, and the champions were instructed to gather at the edge of the platform.
As they took their places on the platform, Dumbledore stepped forward, his voice magically amplified to address the audience.
"Ladies and gentlemen, esteemed guests, and champions," he began, his tone warm.
"The time has come for the second task of the Triwizard Tournament. Our champions have proven their courage and skill, but today, they must prove their resilience, as they venture into the depths of the Black Lake. Each champion has prepared, but only the true test of the lake will reveal their resourcefulness and fortitude."
The spectators went quiet as Dumbledore continued and Harry's annoyance grew.
"This task will test not only their magical abilities but also their adaptability and endurance," Dumbledore went on.
Harry clenched his fists, fighting the urge to interrupt the headmaster's speech.
'The sooner he finishes, the sooner we'll go into the water and the sooner we can put this task well behind us.'
"As you know, our champions will have an hour to finish the task, and they will have to retrieve something precious from the lake."
Harry's inner cursing was immediately stopped and he listened intently.
"Each champion has an individual that has been placed under a sleep charm," Dumbledore announced merrily.
"Despite what you might have heard yesterday, I assure you that we have taken every precaution to ensure their safety."
Harry's jaw tightened as the headmaster turned his attention towards the champions.
"Champions, you must find and retrieve the person most important to you. Good luck."
Harry's blood boiled as he realised the old man had completely disregarded his stand the previous day.
Dumbledore's twinkling eyes now seemed to mock him, daring him to say anything.
And Harry was about to do just that, but Fawkes, who was long since flying overhead, suddenly let out a melodious trill.
The phoenix's song calmed the rising tension in the air and momentarily distracted Harry from his fury.
With a sigh, Harry's hand slowly found Fleur's and tightened around it.
'She's trembling,' he realised with a start.
That was almost enough for him to disregard everything and start shouting at Dumbledore.
Another timely trill from his familiar diffused the situation though.
Luckily, the whistle blew again, loud and piercing, echoing across the lake.
The task had began…
With a final glance at each other, Fleur mouthed, "I love you."
Harry mouthed the magical words back and with a wave of his wand, which had somehow found a way into his hand, he transfigured their clothes into swimsuits.
He gave more attention to Fleur's clothing, making his best to hide those curves as much as he could.
Needless to say, he didn't have much of a success there.
'I know what you did,' Fleur said through their bond, her mental voice tinged with amusement.
Harry flashed an innocent smile at her and tapped the bracelet on her hand.
A soft blue glow emanated from the jewellery and Fleur felt a tingling sensation spread across her skin.
Exchanging a nod, Harry waved into existence a bubble-head charm around his head and dipped into the freezing lake.
The world around him blurred into shades of green and black as he descended, leaving behind an awed crowd and the safety of the sunlit world.
Fleur didn't take long to follow, diving right behind him.
'Is everything alright?' Harry asked through their bond and looked to check on her.
'Yes, I'm fine,' Fleur's voice echoed in his mind, clear despite the surrounding water.
'The charm is working perfectly. Let's go.'
With two quickly castVisus Serpentisfrom Harry, both champions found themselves navigating in the dark depths with ease.
The parseltongue spell was a variation ofLumen Oculis, a spell that enhanced the user's sight in darkness…
The waters stretched out before them, filled with swaying seaweed and ominous darting shadows.
'Point me,' Harry thought and cast the Four-Point Spell wordlessly.
The spell revealed the direction they needed to go, guiding them deeper into the lake.
Harry and Fleur swam side by side, leaving enough room in between them for easy manoeuvre.
That was necessary because knowing the tournament's organisers, the most dreadful magical creatures they read about while going over tomes on the aquatic life, could be very well lurking somewhere nearby.
As they swam deeper, the water grew colder and darker.
'Thank bloody parsel spells. Merlin knows ifLumen Oculiswould allow one to see this far down,' Harry thought, relieved that he had learned the spell.
Suddenly, a flicker of movement caught his eye, and he gestured to Fleur.
'I think I saw movement,' Harry communicated through their bond.
For a while, Fleur did not respond as she scanned the surroundings.
The silence of the underwater world had grown eery, and Harry felt as if a weight was pressing down on his chest.
'Something's closing on us,' Fleur's said.
However, the boy was already on alert and pointing his wand at the approaching threat.
A dark shape materialised from the murky depths, its sinuous form cutting through the water with alarming speed.
Harry had already cast a silent Stunner, the red jet of light illuminating the underwater scene for a brief moment before striking its target.
'There are two more coming from behind us,' Harry informed her.
Fleur spun around her wand at the ready.
With a swift, graceful motion, she cast two nonverbal petrifying curses in quick succession.
The spells connected with their respective target, freezing them mid-lunge.
Harry exchanged a quick glance with Fleur, silently confirming their safety.
They let the creatures, now revealed to be grindylows, be and drift away in the current.
Without wasting a moment, they resumed their journey, following their previous direction.
'Maybe I should broaden my sense a little bit. The grindylows came too close before I spotted them,' Harry thought to himself with a frown.
He closed his eyes for a moment, concentrating on slowly extending his magical senses further.
What he didn't expect though, was for another presence to flash in his mind…
And another, and another.
Quickly, Harry stopped expanding his senses and communicated with Fleur.
'More grindylows coming from underneath us! Be ready.'
Harry's tone was enough to convey the severity of the situation.
The dark waters seemed to close in around them, and Harry felt a chill run down his spine.
New magical signatures kept popping in his mind like candies…
'Merde…' Fleur said, her mental voice tinged with worry.
She tightened her grip on her wand, preparing for the onslaught.
The moment Harry opened his eyes, he almost wished he hadn't.
The water in their near vicinity, which was blue moments ago, had somehow darkened ominously in a few spans of time.
Familiar shapes swam around them, their sheer number enough to overwhelm even the bravest of wizards.
Countless grindylows' long, spindly fingers reached out menacingly, their sharp teeth glinting in the dim light.
And as if that wasn't enough, in the middle of the gathering storm, surrounded by a guard of countless smaller versions of itself, was a monstrous, much larger version of the Grindylows.
'Is that a fucking weapon?' Harry wondered incredulously, noting the massive, jagged sword clutched in the grindylow's webbed hand.
The blade gleamed with an eerie, otherworldly light, its edge promising swift and merciless destruction.
Harry ignored the shivers the figure gave him and turned to Fleur.
He was almost tempted to ask if she ever read about aquatic creatures wielding weapons, but he pushed the thought aside – they had more pressing matters to deal with.
'We need to create a diversion.'
If it was only the grindylows, perhaps they could manage, but that wasn't the case.
Instead, they were facing a small army of water demons, led by their bloody king.
'I'll conjure a swarm of fish to distract them. When I do, swim towards that rock formation to our left. I'll be right behind you.'
Without waiting for a reply, Harry aimed his wand and cast a spell.
In an instant, a massive school of silvery fish materialised around them, their scales glinting in the murky water.
The sudden appearance of the fish caused chaos among the grindylows, momentarily distracting them from their intended prey.
Milking the opportunity for all its worth, Fleur swam swiftly towards the rock formation.
Harry was just a step behind.
His eyes darted between their escape route and the chaotic scene they were leaving behind.
As they reached the rocky outcropping, they watched the grindylows' monstrous leader become entangled in the swirling mass of conjured fish.
'Serves him r—'
Harry's satisfaction wasveryshort-lived…
The grindylow king, with a powerful thrash of its tentacles, burst through the school of fish, its beady eyes now fixed on them.
Harry's response was a bunch of parseltongue variations of the cutting spell.
The spells sizzled through the water, leaving trails of bubbles in their wake.
The big water demon let out a roar and deflected the spells with its sword.
The creature's strength was evident as it effortlessly parried Harry's spells, its eyes gleaming with malice.
'Tenacious bastard aren't you?' Harry thought and ignored the growing sense of unease in his stomach.
'Harry,' Fleur's voice echoed in his mind.
'We need to move. There's a clearing ahead, just beyond those kelp forests.'
Harry nodded, his eyes never leaving the approaching grindylow king.
With a swift motion, he cast a powerful Confundus Charm that barely hit its intended target and momentarily disoriented the pursuing creature.
Taking advantage of the king's momentary confusion, Harry grabbed Fleur's hand and propelled them both towards the kelp forest.
The dense, swaying fronds provided some cover as they swam swiftly through.
As they emerged on the other side, they almost collided with another figure—Cedric Diggory, his face pale with terror, eyes wide as he frantically gestured behind him.
"RUN," he shouted through his bubble-head charm and swam behind them.
Just in front of the couple, a truly massive shape slowly began taking form.
The dark waters parted to reveal a colossal figure emerging from the shadows, its outline gradually coming into focus.
Harry's breath caught as he took in the creature's immense size—larger even than the basilisk.
The menacing water serpent's dark, scaly body wound and twisted through the murky depths, a living nightmare made flesh.
'Where do they even find these things?' Harry thought incredulously, his eyes widening at the sight before him.
The serpent's eyes glowed an eerie green, piercing through the murky depths and stopped on Harry.
Its fanged mouth, large enough to swallow a human whole, opened and closed rhythmically, a silent, ominous warning.
Cedric's panicked shout echoed in Harry's mind.
'Merde,' Fleur's voice trembled slightly, betraying her unease.
'We need to get out of here. Now.'
'You don't have to tell me twice,' Harry replied through their mind link.
They didn't get far, however, when they stumbled on the Grindylow king…
Cedric's face paled as he caught sight of yet another creature.
Harry guessed that his fellow schoolmate was getting tired of his luck, and he couldn't agree more…
Cedric's eyes widened in disbelief, and he instinctively gripped his wand tighter.
"Merlin's beard," he whispered, his voice barely audible through the bubble-head charm.
Harry's attention snapped back to the new presence.
The colossal serpent slithered through the water, its scales shimmering like dark, wet gemstones.
It moved with a quiet, deadly grace.
Its eyes, a piercing green were locked onto Harry with an unsettling intensity.
'Parseltongue', Harry thought, his mind racing.
'I can try to communicate with it… but will it listen?'
He quickly cast a sidelong glance at Fleur and Cedric.
Fleur had her wand gripped tightly, while Cedric's eyes were darting between the two monstrous threats they now faced.
Needless to say, the hufflepuff chose to face the much milder-looking enemy.
The grindylow king gathered its minions around, ready for a coordinated assault…
The serpent moved closer, its massive head tilting slightly, as if studying Harry.
It opened its mouth, revealing rows of jagged, needle-like teeth.
Harry's heart pounded as he heard a sibilant whisper.
"You dare enter my domain, little wizard?"the serpent hissed.
"Why do you not flee like the otherssss?"it asked curiously, its massive head flicking towards Fleur and Cedric's back.
Harry swallowed hard, forcing himself to remain calm.
"We mean no harm. We are here not by our own volition, but for a tassk, sset by our mastersss,"he said, his voice echoing through the cold water.
"Let us passss, and we will leave your waterss asss quickly asss we can."
The serpent's eyes narrowed, its tongue flicking out as it tasted the water around Harry.
"Your wordsss are meaninglessss little wizard. I sssmell fear… and I sssmell power."
Its tail lashed, stirring the water into a turbulent swirl.
"You bring magic here. Sssuch magic. I've not smelt anything like it in many, many yearssss."
Damned Potter luck.
'Great',Harry thought self-mockingly, 'the giant snake is some kind of a magic connoisseur which found me tasty.'
Before he could respond though, the serpent lunged, its jaws snapping shut just where Harry had been a moment ago.
He barely managed to dodge, swimming to the side and raising his wand.
"Diffindo Maxima!" he yelled, sending a powerful slashing spell straight at the serpent; saying the incantations out loud allowed him to channel more power into his spells.
The water parted as the spell surged forward, but the serpent deftly twisted its body, the spell slicing harmlessly through the water.
The serpent hissed again, louder this time, a mocking laughter in its tone.
"Ssssuch feeble trickssss. Do you think you can wound me, little wizard?"
Harry didn't bother replying.
The snake was fast, too fast for straightforward attacks.
As the serpent coiled back, preparing for another strike, he reached out through the mental bond to Fleur.
'I'm going to try and keep the serpent busy. You and Cedric handle the Grindylow king and make us a way through.'
'Don't do anything reckless!' Fleur's worried voice echoed back in his mind.
Harry didn't have time to respond before the serpent struck again.
He rolled, water rushing past as its jaws snapped shut where he'd just been.
'Shit.'
Harry pointed his wand at the serpent's head, which was very close to him, his eyes narrowing in concentration.
"Confringo maxima!"
A fiery explosion erupted from his wand, the spell shooting straight at the serpent's eyes.
This time, the spell hit its mark, the blast causing a shockwave that reverberated through the water.
The serpent's roar reverberated through the dark waters, a low, rumbling sound that sent shivers down Harry's spine, yet its eyes were undamaged.
The serpent had closed its eyelids just in time.
The massive creature's protective membranes had shielded its eyes from the worst of the blast, leaving it momentarily disoriented but largely unharmed.
It glared at Harry, its eyes burning with fury.
"Impressssive… but not enough!"the serpent snarled, baring its teeth.
The serpent lunged again, its movements a blur beneath the dark, rippling water.
Harry barely had any time to react, his wand raised instinctively as he whispered, "Protego Tria!"
He braced himself and poured his magic into the spell, casting the sturdiest shield he could manage.
A shimmering barrier sprang to life just in time, but the force of the serpent's attack sent shockwaves through the water, cracking the edges of the shield and pushing Harry back.
'This thing's relentless,'he thought, trying to steady his breathing.
He caught a glimpse of Fleur and Cedric, who had engaged in a fierce battle with the Grindylow king.
The water around them was filled with flashes of light and dark silhouettes as they fought off the horde…
Harry flicked his wand, quickly casting"Aguamenti Fortissimus!"
An immensely powerful jet of water blasted out, forcing the serpent back and giving Harry a moment of respite.
'I need to hit it with something it doesn't see coming,' Harry thought, his mind quickly rifling through spells.
Meanwhile, Cedric and Fleur had their own hands full.
The Grindylow king bellowed a low, gurgling roar, its minions advancing in a synchronised wave.
Fleur raised her wand and muttered, "Glacius!"
A jet of ice shot from her wand, freezing several grindylows in place, their bodies trapped in crystal-like structures.
Cedric followed up immediately with"Expulso!", causing a blast that shattered the ice, sending shards flying through the water and dispersing more of the creatures.
But the Grindylow king was undeterred.
It lunged at Cedric, swinging its jagged sword, the blade slicing through the water with alarming speed.
Cedric barely managed to block with a hastily castProtego, the shield shimmering as the blade glanced off it.
"Fleur,"he managed to gasp out as he dodged another attack.
The French girl sprang into action, her wand a blur as she cast a barrage of spells.
"Reducto!"
"Expluso!"
"Bombarda maxima!"
The Grindylow king snarled, its bulbous eyes narrowing as it absorbed the impact of the spells, momentarily staggering but far from defeated.
Meanwhile, Harry was still locked in his deadly dance with the serpent.
It circled him, its long, sinuous body undulating through the water with a terrifying grace.
"Incarcerous!"he yelled, suddenly inspired, sending a ginormous magical rope that snaked around the snake's neck, pulling tight…
The humongous conjuration almost made Harry double over.
The sheer power required to conjure and maintain such a massive rope was draining, but he knew he couldn't afford to let up now.
The serpent thrashed, enraged, but Harry took a deep breath, forcing himself to steady his shaking hand.
As he prepared to cast a spell, he raised his wand slowly, his arm moving in a deliberate, sweeping arc, as if he were slicing through the water itself.
With a sharp, fluid twist of his wrist, he brought the tip of his wand back down in a slashing motion, directing all his focus on the serpent.
The movement was swift and precise.
A faint glow began to emanate from the tip of his wand, growing brighter as he channelled his magic into it.
He opened his mouth, effortlessly slipping into parseltongue.
"Perfringo horribilis!"
A burst of light-orange energy exploded from Harry's wand, rippling outward in jagged, erratic lines.
The spell cut through the water like a blazing comet, leaving a shimmering trail of heat in its wake.
It crackled with an intense, searing power, burning fiercely as it raced towards the serpent.
The serpent seemed to acknowledge the danger it was in and redoubled its efforts to break free.
Harry didn't budge though.
The moment the spell struck, it exploded against the creature's scaly hide, sending a wave of fiery orange light cascading over its body.
The serpent let out a deafening roar, a guttural, pained sound as the blast tore through its scales, leaving a deep, smouldering wound across its side.
For a brief moment, the dark waters around them glowed a brilliant orange, illuminating the serpent's agonised thrashing as it struggled to free itself from the conjured ropes
Despite its attempts to escape, the serpent's eyes remained locked onto Harry, burning with a mixture of fury and newfound respect.
"Enough, wizard!"the serpent hissed its voice a rumbling growl that echoed through the murky waters and broke free.
The dolphin swam gracefully towards Harry, its sleek form a stark contrast to the menacing creatures they had been battling. As it approached, Harry noticed something peculiar - the dolphin's eyes glowed with an otherworldly intelligence. Suddenly, a melodious voice echoed in his mind, "Young wizard, your courage is admirable. Follow me, for I know the path to safety."
§ - § - § - § - § - § - § - § - § - § - § - §
Late upload? What late upload?
A LATE (VERY LATE) SHOUTOUT TO THE SUBS ON THE SITE THAT MUST NOT BE NAMED OR WRITTEN:
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Everyone who subs, or even read this far, you are amazing!
[p=a=t=r=e=o=n=.=c=o=m/Mr_0ne] : Chapter 25 - Extraction
Or do a Google search of 'p=a=t=r=e=o=n= Fake Violinist'.
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