Pre Prep

Sal needed a break. After the constant buzz of the castle and the endless whispers following the first task, the idea of silence—and maybe answers—was too good to ignore. Grabbing his golden egg, Sal slipped away from Hogwarts and used his key to unlock the portal to the tower.

The moment he arrived, the calming hum of the magical sanctuary eased the tension in his shoulders. He made his way to the pool, thinking a soak might help him clear his mind and figure out this blasted egg.

To his mild surprise, Tonks and Tulip were already lounging on floating chairs, laughing softly over something he couldn't quite hear.

Tonks spotted him first, grinning lazily. "Well, well. Seems we all had the same brilliant idea."

Sal nodded as he set the egg on the pool's edge. "It helps when we all live together."

Tulip raised an eyebrow, setting her book down on her lap. "Have you told anyone yet?"

Sal shook his head, letting out a breath. "There hasn't been a right moment."

"Sooner or later you'll have to," Tonks said, stretching. "Secrets like that don't stay buried."

Sal shrugged and slid into the water with a splash. "Maybe. But right now, I need to figure out this egg."

He plucked the golden egg from where he'd left it on the pool's edge and, with a determined breath, opened it.

Instantly, the shrill, ear-piercing screech filled the room.

"Merlin's beard!" Tulip winced, covering her ears. "Shut it, shut it!"

Sal fumbled to close it, but in his haste, the egg slipped from his wet hands and plopped into the pool.

They all stared after it.

"Well… that's one way to be rid of it," Tonks joked, rubbing her ears.

But then Sal frowned.

"Wait… do you hear that?"

Tulip paused, looking around. "I don't hear anything right now except the ringing in my ears."

"No," Tonks whispered, tilting her head. "It's… music?"

Sal's brow furrowed. "It's coming from the water. Where the egg fell."

Without hesitation, Sal dived beneath the surface.

The water embraced him, the sounds of the outside world fading instantly. And there, clear as day, the melody rose. Voices—soft, haunting, and melodic—sang in a language that felt ancient.

"Come seek us where our voices sound,

We cannot sing above the ground,

And while you're searching, ponder this:

We've taken what you'll sorely miss."

Sal surfaced, blinking water from his eyes.

"It's a clue," he said breathlessly. "It only works underwater."

Tonks gave a slow, impressed whistle. "Clever."

Tulip nodded. "Looks like we know what your next task involves."

Sal leaned against the edge of the pool, staring thoughtfully at the egg.

"Looks like I'm going swimming."

Sal set the golden egg on the pool's edge as he pulled himself out of the water, sitting between Tonks and Tulip, water still dripping from his hair.

"So… underwater. That explains why I couldn't make sense of it before," Sal said, running a hand through his hair. "It also means I'm going to need a plan for the actual task."

Tonks tapped her chin thoughtfully. "The lake, right? That's the only real body of water big enough at Hogwarts. Makes sense. Bet the merpeople are involved."

Tulip leaned back on her chair, propping her feet on the edge. "You think they'll just let you swim around down there? I doubt they'll make it that easy. They're bound to throw some obstacles in."

Sal nodded. "Agreed. And the song said something about taking something I'd sorely miss. It's a rescue mission."

"Oh… so they're going to take something… or someone," Tulip realized.

"Exactly," Sal confirmed. "They'll hide them in the lake, and we'll have to find and free them."

Tonks groaned. "This tournament is absolutely mental. And here I thought dueling was dangerous enough."

"Welcome to my life," Sal muttered.

They all sat in silence for a moment, the weight of the task settling in.

Then Tulip perked up. "So… what's the strategy?"

Sal exhaled, thinking aloud. "First off, I'm going to need a way to breathe underwater long enough to find whoever they've taken. Gillyweed comes to mind, but the problem is getting enough and ensuring it's fresh."

"I can look into getting some," Tonks offered. "I've got contacts who might be able to help."

"Perfect," Sal said. "If we can't get Gillyweed, we'll need a backup plan. Maybe an enchanted bubble or a charm to create an air pocket, but sustaining that for the entire task might drain my magic fast."

Tulip snapped her fingers. "And you're going to want to train in the lake. Find out how strong the currents are, how deep it gets, and see if the merpeople are lurking around already."

Sal nodded. "Brilliant. I can work that into my routine. The armor I made from the basilisk skin is waterproof, so that might give me extra protection."

"Now you're just showing off," Tonks teased with a smirk.

Sal grinned. "What can I say? Might as well use everything I've got."

Tulip stood up and stretched. "Alright, we'll handle the logistics. You just focus on not drowning."

"Appreciate it," Sal chuckled.

Tonks clapped him on the shoulder. "You've got this, Sal. If you can chat up a dragon, I'm sure a dip in the lake will be nothing."

Sal smirked. "Let's hope you're right. Because something tells me this is only going to get harder."

They left the pool, the planning underway, knowing they only had a limited amount of time to prepare for whatever mysteries—and dangers—were waiting beneath the Black Lake.

Back at the tower, Sal sat at his workbench, scribbling intricate designs into parchment while Tonks and Tulip watched from nearby, half-curious and half-worried.

"You're seriously not going to use Gillyweed?" Tonks asked, raising an eyebrow.

Sal shook his head. "It's fine for emergencies, but if I want freedom of movement and full control over my magic, I need something better. Besides, this is the perfect excuse to test a theory I've been working on."

"Of course you have a theory," Tulip said, smirking.

Sal held up a thin, curved metal plate inscribed with glowing blue runes. "This is a Waterbreathing Rune array. It should siphon ambient magic from the lake and convert it into a breathable air pocket around my head. I'm merging it with an advanced Bubble-Head Charm to keep the pressure regulated. Plus, I added a Night Vision enhancement for the depths."

Tonks blinked. "You made a magical scuba suit."

"Pretty much." Sal smirked.

He fastened the rune plate into the collar of his basilisk armor. When activated, the armor would channel the runes, keeping an invisible bubble of air around his face without limiting his movement or senses.

"The best part?" Sal added, tapping the chest piece. "It draws power from the surrounding water's ambient magic, so I won't run out of air as long as I stay within a magically rich environment like the lake."

Tulip leaned over the table, examining his notes. "Leave it to you to make a fashion statement out of surviving the second task."

Sal laughed. "If I'm going to swim with merpeople and whatever else is down there, I'd rather do it in style."

The tower's private pool shimmered under the enchanted ceiling, reflecting a night sky full of stars, even though it was mid-afternoon outside. Sal knelt beside the water, carefully adjusting the final rune inscriptions on his basilisk armor, his fingers glowing faintly as he traced the last sigil into place.

Tonks lounged on a chair nearby, watching with a lazy grin. "You sure you want to test that in here? I'd hate to fish you out if it backfires."

"Oh, ye of little faith," Sal muttered, securing the rune plate at his collar. "This will work. The theory is sound. It's all about magical cycling—the runes draw in environmental magic, sustain the air bubble, regulate pressure, and even filter toxins. Better than Gillyweed and a whole lot more dignified."

"Says the guy talking to his armor," Tulip teased from the other side of the pool. "Go on, genius. Impress us."

Sal stood, rolling his shoulders as the basilisk armor sealed smoothly around him. The runes activated in a soft pulse of green and blue light, spreading like veins across the suit. He took a deep breath.

"Alright. Here we go."

Sal dove into the pool.

Instantly, the Waterbreathing Runes flared to life. Around his head, a near-invisible bubble shimmered into existence, perfectly holding a pocket of air. Sal opened his mouth, breathing effortlessly. The air smelled faintly of ozone, fresh and clean.

Then came the real test.

Sal dove deeper, twisting through the water like a serpent. The rune array kept the bubble completely stable, and the Night Vision enhancement activated automatically, casting the pool into sharp clarity, as if he were gliding through crystal.

"Perfect," he thought. "Now for the movement test."

With a simple spell fed through the armor's auxiliary runes, his boots adjusted for better propulsion, boosting his speed without needing to cast full-body swimming charms. The armor responded as though it had been made for the water.

He did a long lap across the pool, circled back, and shot to the surface.

Breaking through the water, he grinned at his friends, water dripping down the dark green scales of his suit.

"Well?" he asked. "Any objections?"

"Okay, that was actually kind of cool," admitted Tonks. "You looked like some kind of underwater knight."

Tulip tossed him a towel. "Just make sure you don't put the rest of us to shame during the task. You know how people get."

Sal smirked as he toweled off. "I'm not aiming to outshine anyone. I'm just making sure I don't drown."

Tonks snorted. "Sure, that's all this is about. Totally believable."

Scene: Final Preparations

The moonlight shimmered over the Black Lake, casting long shadows on its glassy surface. Most of the castle was asleep, but Sal wasn't quite ready to rest. Tomorrow was the second task, and he knew better than to leave anything to chance.

With his armor sealed and the runes glowing softly along the seams, Sal adjusted the Waterbreathing array one last time before diving into the dark, icy water. The lake embraced him like a void, silent and endless.

"Alright… show me what I'm up against," he muttered to himself as he descended.

It didn't take long. From the silt and shadows, the grindylows stirred. Dozens of them, their greenish bodies slithering through the water with unsettling speed. Beady eyes locked on him, and then they attacked.

Sal had anticipated this.

With a flick of his wrist, bursts of defensive magic shot from the rune channels along his gauntlets, blasting back the first wave of attackers. For a few moments, he held his ground, the Waterbreathing Runes keeping the air bubble perfectly intact while his spells handled the swarm.

But then one of the grindylows broke through. A sharp, clawed hand scraped across his shoulder and jabbed the bubble's outer edge. Sal felt the sudden pop as the air hissed out, his lungs compressing against the weight of the lake pressing in.

"Damn it," Sal thought as he shot back to the surface, coughing as he broke through the water. He dragged himself onto the shore, the cold night air biting at his damp skin.

"Alright. Change of plans."

He knelt down, his fingers working quickly. He retrieved a spare rune plate from his satchel and began etching. A helmet—not just an air bubble, but a full helmet integrated into the basilisk armor. Not his usual level of craftsmanship, but strong enough to hold, at least for the task.

After nearly an hour of carving, aligning, and binding the magic, the helmet snapped into place over his head with a satisfying hiss of sealing magic. He tapped the side and watched as the interior filled with breathable air.

"Not perfect… but it'll work," he said to himself.

Still, perfection could come later. Survival was the priority.

"Alright, one more test."

Back into the lake he went, the grindylows sensing him almost immediately. This time, they attacked again—faster, more aggressive. But the helmet held. His vision stayed clear, the air remained fresh, and his hands were free to cast without worrying about losing protection.

Sal spun through the water, unleashing sharp blasts of force to drive the creatures back. When they scattered into the dark, he hovered, heart pounding.

"Good. That's better."

Pushing back to the surface, Sal finally allowed himself a small, satisfied smile. "Ready."

By the time he got back to the tower, Tulip and Tonks were already asleep on the couch, books and maps of the lake spread out around them. Sal covered them with a blanket, quietly stowed his gear, and glanced out the window one last time toward the lake.

Tomorrow, he'd make sure nothing—not even the depths of the Black Lake—could stop him.