The nippy air ran through all of them as they made their way down toward the lake. As if its deep dark emptiness held the darkest secret that none of us wanted to admit everyone who was a participant had all realized when they were in the Great Hall. Fleur kept looking to Harry as they stood there before Harry's eyes would move to Krum and Cedric who looked at him worried and into the water. Everyone's blood nervously chilled.
They arrived on the platform over the Black Lake. Then that damned bearded goat in human skin announced loudly what we all feared.
"Welcome to the second task." His voice had started to become annoying to Harry. " Last night, something was stolen from each of our champions. A treasure of sorts. These four treasures, one for each champion, now lie on the bottom of the Black Lake. In order to win, each champion need only find their treasure and return to the surface. Simple enough, except for this: They will have but one hour to do so, and one hour only. After that, they'll be on their own. No magic will save them." Dumbledore finished his intro for the Second Task. "On the sound of the cannon You may start Contestants!"
Harry glanced over and saw Krum rolled his wrists popping them in anger at the fact Hermione was taken for this tournament as it was clear to the champions now what or more exactly who was the four treasures hidden within the Black Lake.
"One!"
One thing was assured to Harry he'd find a way to get back at Dumbledore for this and the fact that Hermione and whoever was under for him was used in this blasted Tournament.
"Two!"
Maybe he'd find a magic spell to make all those socks Dumbledore gets for christmas to tie around his arms and legs like a magician's handkerchief that just keeps going…and going….and going…and going…and going….and going.
"Thr-"
"WAIT!" A secondary voice rang out from nowhere as a man came flying to the platform upon the lake on a broom. He landed and gasped for air. "Wa-...Wait!"
"Excuse you sir, We are in the middle of the Second Task of the TriWizard Tournament. Who do you think you are?" Dumbledore came down with Ludo and the other judges.
"I….I am a representative from the International Confederation of Wizards." He finally caught his breath. "Mr. Beau Vidal, Representative of the French Ministry…and I must call this Trial to question."
"Understood but as is known the ones in charge of deciding what the trials do is by the tournament hosts and judges." Ludo smiled as he stated.
"And all approve of it." Dumbledore nodded to this.
"Every Judge? Did the ones you put in the water also approve?
"Yes." Dumbledore stated firmly as suddenly Luna gasped. "Miss Lovegood?" He asked and saw she was pointing toward the castle.
Everyone in the stands and platforms turned and looked as they saw a light moving quickly from the castle down towards the platform.
"What in the name of Merlin?" Hagrid asked, confused as we all saw it approaching. We watched as a boat arrived where the flame was, unmanned, and it set sail toward us. When it arrived everyone knew what this was. It was none other but an ancient magical artefact.
The Goblet of Fire. The lake seemed to rise and the boat tilted, slipping the Goblet onto the platform. Its flame turned an angry purple hue as it stood there, the planks of the wood shifting and pushing it forward til it was in front of them all.
"How in the name of aggressive negotiations did it get here?!" The ICW representative looked aghast as it stood there and slowly approached as the flame seemed to beckon him to approach. And thus he did and when he stopped he raised his hands and pressed them to the goblet feeling it's surprisingly cold exterior beneath his fingertips. The imperfections in the wood where when it had become sentient that none could remove from it. As if it's own magic said 'This is me. ACCEPT IT.'.
"Sir?" A voice spoke up and a quick look from the ICW representative saw a blond haired girl approaching. "My name is Luna Lovegood."
"Lovegood? As in Pandora?" Beau asked them softly, causing Luna's eyes to open wide in surprise.
"You knew my mother?" She asked cautiously.
"Indeed. I did know your mother…go on what did you have to say Miss Lovegood?"
"It's about the Goblet sir. It's sentient and right now it feels challenged by your objection to the Trial Set for the Triwizard Tournament."
"It does?" Cedric asked before being shushed by Harry.
"It wishes to know what is in conflict that has caused this questioning." Luna explained straightforwardly as if she had simply said the temperature for the day.
The ICW turned to the Goblet, instantly nodding in understandment.
"Surely you will not take the word of a young child Representative?!" An enraged Igor spoke out against this interference.
"Shut up." Is all the ICW representative stated before he stepped before the goblet and pulled some parchment from an inner pocket of his robes. "This here is a copy of the treaty between both Merpeople and Veela. Contestant Fleur is not permitted to be in their territory just like the merfolk are allowed to enter veela territory." He entered it into the flame. "Now as for the individuals involved."
"As I stated all contestants have consented when they entered the tournament." Dumbledore held up his hands like he was explaining something once again to a child.
"But have the people in the water?!" The ICW representative argued louder. That got the contestant's attention.
"Damn it, I was hoping We were wrong…" Krum frowned before a nod to Cedric and Fleur and they were diving into the water.
"What are they doing?! The Trial hasn't started!" Ludo yelled.
"Answer the question to Supreme Mugwump Dumbledore, have they confirmed their desire to participate in this trial?" Beau Vidal asked again to no response from the Headmaster of Hogwarts. This caused him to pull out his wand before Harry held up his hand.
"I have this."
"Young sir please step to the side and allow-" The fire from the cup grew louder and three tendrils launched themselves to the ground and spun around before Krum, Cedric, and Fleur all were dropped onto the platform.
"What is going on?! We need to get-" Krum yelled
"I got this." Harry smiled and spoke calmly. "Uh Forge? Gred? A little ambiance please?"
Fred and George grinned at each other. "Right away Harry." Their voices overlapping with each other before taking off their wands and turning to the stands. "Come on everyone from the bottom of your voices…something ethereal please?"
As they began to orchestrate and started singing themselves slowly the people in the stands began to join in confused at first but mostly interested to see the outcome. Harry walked out over the water and raised his hands up. At first nothing seemed to happen but slowly four figures began to rise out of the water stretched out almost angelic like spread out before they were slowly floated to the platform as Harry walked back. Fleur instantly fell to her sister's side and shook her looking at her. Krum dropped by Hermione's wiping her face, and Cedric was holding Cho in his lap trying to get her to speak to him ...and the final person…Harry felt his blood boil for he knew this person would never EVER have said yes to this.
Andromeda Tonks. Harry turned and glared at Dumbledore as a flash of Pink hair rushed to the woman's side. Her daughter Nymphadora sliding to check on her mom frantically.
"What's wrong with them?" Nymphadora asked desperately.
"It is a spell in which it suspends their needs until they reawaken." Dumbledore explained.
"How long do the effects last?" Fleur asked him.
"Typically it depends on the strength of the castor."
"So there's no set time!?" Krum yelled. "Are you ….how did Herminny put it…. Daft?"
"Yes, that would be how she puts it, Kurm." Harry nodded in confirmation.
"We felt assured it would last till the end of the trial?"
"But did you know for sure?" asked Mr. Vidal.
"We felt assured." Dumbledore stated firmly.
"DID?! YOU?! KNOW?! He asked more firmly as he stared into the eyes of Dumbledore and when nothing changed he grunted. "Release the spell."
"It can not until the spell runs out." Dumbledore excused.
"What?! And what would have happened if time had run out." Cedric yelled to no response from the mighty wizard. As if reacting to the lack of response the fire glowed brightly. Harry looked at it and turned his head.
"Harry?" Luna asked.
"Do you guys hear that?"
"Hear what Harry?" Fleur asked frantically. He didn't say anything as he walked closer and put his hand on the goblet as the ICW representative had the previous moment before his mouth opened and the fire spun in the air and swirled into Harry's mouth causing him to cough and fall back on bent over for a bit coughing. "Harry!" She screamed as Luna ran to his side and wrapped an arm around him to help stabilize him before he looked up with blueish white fire glowing in his pupils before he opened his mouth. Fourth swirls of black fire jutted out and forced its way down into the throats of the four people who were held as hostages to this trial. Their mouths closed until the fire pushed its way back out and as it escaped it and reentered Harry. The hostages lurched forward coughing and spitting out water that had rested deep into their lungs from being tied down in the water. The four that had been held them seemed to pull them tighter to them.
"You…" Coughed Andromeda. "son of a lecherous goat!" She forced herself up using Nymphadora's shoulder to steady herself.
"harry?..."
"Andromeda, my dear-" Albus spoke trying to calm the woman.
"Don't you dare 'Andromeda, my dear-' me!" She scowled as she kept coughing. "You invited me because you said you believed something pertaining to Harry had occurred!" She placed her hand on her chest to steady her breathing and lifted her hand to her mouth wiping her clammy lips. "And then when I come through the fireplace you cast that spell at me?! Where did you even learn that?! It was a Black Family Spell!"
"A what?" Beau asked.
"Harry?..."
"Ut Rigida Mortis." Andromeda said. "It's a Black Family spell that was used to fake death or keep someone immobile in the olden days." She scowled. "Now how do you know the spell?!" She questioned the headmaster.
"I….well…you see Phineas-"
"PHINEAS?!" Andromeda snapped and almost leaped at him if she wasn't held back by Nymphadora. "That son of a bastard. I'm gonna burn his portrait to smithereens!"
"Ac…actually Mrs….Tonks." Hermione coughed as well as she was helped to a sitting position by Viktor. "Since he is the headmaster….the portraits are forced to….obey his demands. It says so in….Hogwarts…..a History." She coughed as she spoke and that seemed to calm the formerly Miss Black.
"Well…then he is more forgiven….but as for you Dumbledore!"
"I have done as is in my right as Headmaster." Dumbledore argued back.
"HARRY?!" Finally people turned as Luna had been holding a convulsing Harry. His eyes glowing with the blueish-white flame normally in the goblet his mouth opened.
"Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore….we deem this trial Null and void. A new Second Trial must be presented to us." A whisper like voice exited Harry's lips and sounded like the flickering of a flame. "One that does not break any treaties formed by the ICW andis about finding something."
"This trial was about finding something!" Albus argued.
"The trials of the contest are as stated. A test of Courage….a test of intelligence…and a test of magical ability." The Goblet's voice spoke through Harry. "A test of Courage was facing the Dragon and collecting the egg was acceptable. Although your final trial for that of magical ability is acceptable, the one of intelligence did not follow such. "
"How?" Ludo asked.
"First, hostages were not allowed to participate in this Tournament due to them not being any of the judges, the organizers, or the participants. Secondly, the trial was that of courage once again by making the thing a person you have made them exert courage to jump and find their loved one. Due to this by order of old magic a new Second Trial must be designed and submitted for judging. Due to the interference by Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore it is in our impartial decision that the new trial must be submitted by the International Confederation of Wizards. So I have spoken."
Harry beant backward as black fire escaped his mouth swirling in the air before landing back into the goblet now the blueish white flame flickers with specs of black. Harry, meanwhile, tilted forward coughing out puffs of black smoke.
"That….was weird…" He coughed out black smoke.
Luna held him patting his back as he coughed trying to comfort his pain. Andromeda turned and pointed at Dumbledore.
"I will be pressing charges for myself, Miss Chang, and Miss Granger!" She shouted at him.
"Not only that but you will be brought to questioning at the ICW's next meeting due to the endangerment of not only Miss Delacour, but also endangering that of a treaty with the Merfolk and the Veela. Due to this, You shall be suspended from your duties as Supreme Mugwump. Until the trial, which shall be done before the next Trial." Beau Vidal spoke before turning to the others. "I trust i will be able to call upon all of you at it."
Harry nodded as he pounded on his chest coughing up the black dust. "Yes….we can be there…i'd bring the Goblet as well."
They looked at him confused but after what he had just seen Beau Vidal would not argue and nodded. "Until then, Lord Potter."
Harry nodded as the man turned, getting other reports before Harry was torpedoed by a hug.
"Are you alright Harry?!" Hermione asked frantically.
"I….maybe…" He coughed. "That felt so….weird." Harry admitted holding his chest. He stood though and walked with them, and the Tonks back to the boat together. Harry only stopped for a moment to look back at the Goblet…and see the black swirls in the blue and white flame. "Very Weird."