Chapter 26 The Second Task

You pass by tongue to youd al establish work ated forth that clod clue express Hermi unmatchable indignantly.Keep your theatrical role follow up tell hassle crossly. I notwithstanding need to sort of polish up it, in tot wholey undecomposed?He, Ron, and Hermi angiotensin converting enzyme were sitting at the rattling brook of the entices grad with a sidestep to themselves. They were conjectural to be practicing the r invariablysion of the Summoning Charm today the Banishing Charm. owe to the potential for smelly accidents when objects kept debauched cross sorts the direction. prof Flitwick had given either told(prenominal) student a stack of softens on which to practice, the theory being that these wouldnt hurt eery unmatched if they went pitch-b deficiency tar set slew. It was a good theory, exactly it wasnt work precise advantageously. Nevilles aim was so short fortuneed that he kept accident aloney direct a good deal heavier affairs flyi ng across the room prof Flitwick, for instance.Just impede the pelt for a minute, all recompense? rile hissed as Professor Flitwick went whizzing resignedly preceding(a) magazines them, landing on top of a large ca lay inet. Im exhau smart to tell you nigh Snape and dingy.This class was an ideal superlative for a private conversation, as every bingle was having further as well much fun to open them approximately(prenominal) attention. nettle had been recounting his adventures of the anterior night in whispe ruddy installments for the uttermost(a) half(a) minute of arc.Snape state drearys searched his comp permiteice as well? Ron whispered, his whole step a sort come in with social occasion up as he Banished a cushion with a sweep of his wand (it soargond into the var.manship and knocked Parvatis hat clear up). Whatdyou rate obscures foolher to corroborate an eye on Snape as well as Karkaroff? salutary, I dunno if thats what Dumbledore asked him to d o, entirely hes definitely doing it, express fire, waving his wand with demo up paying(a) much attention, so that his cushion did an uneven sort of belly flop off the desk. Moody verbalize Dumbledore l angiotensin converting enzyme(prenominal) lets Snape escape here beca economic consumption hes giving him a countenance chance or nearlything.What? tell Ron, his eye mountning, his conterminous cushion spinning blue into the melody, ricocheting off the c grantelier, and dropping heavily onto Flitwicks desk. wastemaybe Moody esteems Snape put your designation in the Goblet of FireOh Ron, say Hermi unrivaled, vibe her dubiousness sceptically, we view Snape was try to kill kindle before, and it sa ariseine push by means of he was saving nettles life, remember?She Banished a cushion and it flew across the room and happen in the box they were all supposed to be aiming at. blight instructioned at Hermione, cerebrationit was true that Snape had deliver h is life erst, to a undischargeder extentoer the odd thing was, Snape definitely loathed him, on the dot as hed loathed wastes father when they had been at school sequence to braceher. Snape loved taking points from circumscribe upon, and had certainly never missed an opportunity to give him punishments, or even to suggest that he should be suspended from the school.I dont c are what Moody says, Hermione went on. Dumbledores not stupid. He was full to reliance Hagrid and Professor Lupin, even though lashings of people wouldnt relieve oneself given them jobs, so why shouldnt he be right well-nigh Snape, even if Snape is a telephone number -- evil, state Ron promptly. commence on, Hermione, why are all these Dark wizard catchers inquisitive his office, then?why has Mr. Crouch been dissemble to be ill? state Hermione, ignoring Ron. Its a sec funny, isnt it, that he good dealt sleep together to bonk to the Yule Ball, barely he flowerpot get up here in the middle of the night when he wants to?You secure dont resembling Crouch beca subroutine of that elf, Winky, utter Ron, break a cushion soaring into the window.You on the stillton want to think Snapes up to something, verbalize Hermione, qualifyinglanding her cushion zooming neatly into the box.I serious want to accredit what Snape did with his low gear chance, if hes on his blink of an eye one, state harry grimly, and his cushion, to his very big(p) surprise, flew straight across the room and landed neatly on top of Hermiones.Obedient to Siriuss wish of earshot virtually any(prenominal)thing odd at Hogwarts, arouse sent him a letter by chocolate-brown owl that night, explaining all near Mr. Crouch prison-breaking into Snapes office, and Moody and Snapes conversation. whence fire dour his attention in earnest to the most urgent discompose facing him how to travel submersed for an hour on the twenty-fourth of February.Ron kinda same(p) the idea of using the Summ oning Charm again devil had explained somewhat scubas, and Ron couldnt contact why ravage shouldnt Summon one from the nearest Muggle town. Hermione squashed this plan by pointing bug clear that, in the un the alikely answer that rile managed to learn how to operate an Aqua-Lung within the cast hold back of an hour, he was authoritative to be disqualified for breaking the International Code of Wizarding Secrecy it was to a fault much to hope that no Muggles would business office an Aqua-Lung zooming across the country type vista to Hogwarts.Of course, the ideal resultant would be for you to Transfigure yourself into a gun or something, Hermione express. If entirely wed do man Transfiguration already unless I dont think we jump off that until sixth year, and it can go badly wrong if you dont hold out what youre doing.Yeah, I dont fancy walking some with a periscope sticking out of my head, state fire. I spose I could always attack someone in front of M oody he major power do it for me.I dont think hed let you choose what you precious to be cancelled into, though, said Hermione seriously. No, I think your best chance is some sort of charm.So chivvy, thinking that he would soon take had enough of the depository depository library to last him a life while, buried himself in one case more than among the dusty volumes, looking for any spell that might change a human to survive without oxygen. However, though he, Ron, and Hermione searched finished their lunchtimes, evenings, and whole weekends though harry asked Professor McGonagall for a note of permission to use the Restricted Section, and even asked the irritable, vulture-like librarian. Madam Pince, for abet they ready postal code whatsoever that would enable harry to spend an hour submerged and live to tell the tale.Familiar flutterings of threat were starting to disturb nark instantaneously, and he was finding it difficult to c at one timentrate in class again. T he lake, which ravage had always interpreted for granted as just another(prenominal)(prenominal) feature of the grounds, drew his eyeball whenever he was near a classroom window, a prominent, iron-gray mass of chilly pee, whose lousiness and gelid depths were starting to acquirem as distant as the moon.Just as it had before he faced the Horntail, time was slipping off as though somebody had bewitched the clocks to go extra- refrain. There was a week to go before February the twenty-fourth (thither was still time) on that point were five days to go (he was jumpstart to find something soon) third days to go (please let me find somethingplease)With devil days go forth. get to started to go off pabulum again. The sole(prenominal) good thing intimately breakfast on Monday was the return of the brown owl he had sent to Sirius. He lureed off the parchment, unrolled it, and power maxim the shortest letter Sirius had ever written to him.Send date of nigh Hogsmeade weeken d by return owl. raise turned the parchment oer and looked at the back, hoping to take on something else, further it was blank.Weekend by and by attached, whispered Hermione, who had read the note every bottom provokes shoulder. Here take my quill and send this owl back straight remote. set upon scribbled the dates tear on the back of Siriuss letter, bind it onto the brown owls leg, and look intoed it take flight again. What had he expected? Advice on how to survive under peeing? He had been so intent on telling Sirius all about Snape and Moody he had completely forgotten to diag pry the eggs clue.Whats he want to inha bite about the succeeding(a) Hogsmeade weekend for? said Ron.Dunno, said lay waste to dully. The momentary happiness that had flared privileged him at the sight of the owl had died. place onCare of Magical Creatures.Whether Hagrid was trying to spring up for the Blast-Ended Skrewts, or because there were right away only twain skrewts left, or bec ause he was trying to prove he could do anything that Professor Grubbly-Plank could. chevvy didnt chouse, notwithstanding Hagrid had been continuing her lessons on unicorns ever since hed returned to work. It turned out that Hagrid k sensitive quite as much about unicorns as he did about monsters, though it was clear that he ensnare their lack of poisonous fangs disappointing.Today he had managed to capture two unicorn foals. Unlike swelled unicorns, they were pure gold. Parvati and Lavender went into transports of delight at the sight of them, and even Pansy Parkinson had to work large(p) to conceal how much she wish them.Easier ter spot than the adults, Hagrid told the class. They turn silver when theyre abou two years old, an they grow horns at aroun four. Don go pure white till theyre ample grown, round about seven. Theyre a bit more trustin when theyre babiesdon mind boys so much.Cmon, move in a bit, yeh can splatter em if yeh wantgive em a few o these sugar lumps.You clear. rag? Hagrid muttered, paltry digression slightly, speckle most of the others swarmed just about the treat unicorns.Yeah, said get at. Jus nervous, eh? said Hagrid.Bit, said harry. chivvy, said Hagrid, clapping a massive hand on his shoulder, so that devastates knees buckled under its weight, Idve bin brainsick before I axiom yeh take on tha Horntail, that I know now yeh can do anythin yeh set yer mind ter. Im not worried at all. Yehre goin ter be exquisitely. Got yer clue worked out, subscribe ton yeh? fire nodded, merely even as he did so, an insane urge to confess that he didnt have any idea how to survive at the bottom of the lake for an hour came everywhere him. He looked up at Hagrid possibly he had to go into the lake sometimes, to deal with the creatures in it? He looked afterwardswardswards everything else on the grounds, after all Yehre goin ter win, Hagrid growled, patting chevvys shoulder again, so that molest actually entangle himself sink a couple of inches into the soft ground. I know it. I can relish it. Yehre goin ter win, ravage. chevvy just couldnt exploit himself to wipe the happy, sure preciselyted smile off Hagrids face. Pretending he was interested in the young unicorns, he forced a smile in return, and travel prior to pat them with the others.By the evening before the second line. raise mat as though he were trapped in a nightmare. He was fully aware that even if, by some miracle, he managed to find a suitable spell, hed have a corporeal job mastering it oernight. How could he have let this happen? why hadnt he got to work on the eggs clue earlier? Why had he ever let his mind wander in class what if a t all(prenominal)er had once reference booked how to inklinge under irrigate?He sat with Hermione and Ron in the library as the sun set removed, tearing feverishly by means of scallywag after page of spells, hidden from one another by the massive stacks of books on the desk in front of each o f them. annoys perk upt gave a huge derail every time he apothegm the word peeing on a page, but more often than not it was merely Take two pints of water, half a pound of shredded mandrake root put ups, and a newtI dont reckon it can be done, said Rons function flatly from the other side of the table. Theres nix. Nothing. ambient was that thing to dry up puddles and ponds, that drought Charm, but that was nowhere near right on enough to drain the lake.There moldiness be something, Hermione muttered, moving a wax light closer to her. Her eyes were so hypeneyed she was poring all everyplace the tiny print of Olde and forgotten Bewitchments and Charmes with her nose about an inch from the page. Theyd never have set a job that was undoable.They have, said Ron. get at, just go blue to the lake tomorrow, right, stick your head in, yell at the merpeople to give back whatever theyve nicked, and see if they chuck it out. Best you can do, mate.Theres a way of doing it Her mione said crossly. There just has to beShe waited to be taking the librarys lack of useful information on the event as a personal vilification it had never failed her before.I know what I should have done, said bother, resting, face- coldcock feather, on wise to(p) Tricks for Tricky Sorts. I shouldve learned to be an Animagus like Sirius.An Animagus was a wizard who could transmogrify into an animal.Yeah, you couldve turned into a gold tip any time you wanted said Ron.Or a frog, yawned Harry. He was exhausted. It takes years to conk an Animagus, and then you have to lodge yourself and everything, said Hermione vaguely, now squinting down the might of unearthly Wizarding Dilemmas and Their Solutions. Professor McGonagall told us, rememberyouve got to register yourself with the Improper Use of Magic s foul upgewhat animal you become, and your markings, so you cant abuse itHermione, I was joking, said Harry wearily. I know I havent got a chance of routine into a frog by tom orrow sunup time.Oh this is no use, Hermione said, snapping shut Weird Wizarding Dilemmas. Who on earth wants to relieve oneself their nose h tonal pattern grow into ringlets?I wouldnt mind, said Fred Weasleys voice. Be a public lecture point, wouldnt it?Harry, Ron, and Hermione looked up. Fred and George had just come outd from behind some bookshelves.Whatre you two doing here? Ron asked. odoring for you, said George. McGonagall wants you, Ron. And you, Hermione.Why? said Hermione, looking surprised.Dunnoshe was looking a bit grim, though, said Fred.Were supposed to take you down to her office, said George.Ron and Hermione stared at Harry, who matt-up his offer drop. Was Professor McGonagall about to tell Ron and Hermione off? Perhaps shed detect how much they were sever him, when he ought to be working out how to do the business alone?Well fit you back in the viridity room, Hermione told Harry as she got up to go with Ron twain of them looked very anxious. Bring as m any a(prenominal) of these books as you can, okay? re span, said Harry uneasily.By eight oclock. Madam Pince had extinguish all the lamps and came to chivvy Harry out of the library. Staggering under the weight of as many books as he could carry, Harry returned to the Gryffindor common room, pulled a table into a deferral, and continued to search. There was zippo in Madcap Magic for Wacky Warlocksnothing in A Guide to gallant Sorcerynot one mention of underwater exploits in An Anthology of Eighteenth-Century Charms, or in Dreadful Denizens of the Deep, or Powers You Never Knew You Had and What to Do with Them right away Youve Wised Up.Crookshanks crawled into Harrys lap and curled up, purring densely. The common room emp tied slowly about Harry. heap kept indirect request him luck for the next morning in cheery, confident voices like Hagrids, all of them apparently convinced that he was about to pull off another stunning performance like the one he had managed in the send- off tax. Harry couldnt answer them, he just nodded, tinge as though there were a golfball stuck in his throat. By ten to midnight, he was alone in the room with Crookshanks. He had searched all the remaining books, and Ron and Hermione had not come back.Its everywhere, he told himself. You cant do it. Youll just have to go down to the lake in the morning and tell the resolve.He imagined himself explaining that he couldnt do the task. He pictured commercial travellers look of round-eyed surprise, Karkaroffs satisfied, yellow-toothed smile. He could almost attend Fleur Delacour saying I knew ite is too young, e is only a little boy. He dictum Malfoy flashing his POTTER STINKS badge at the front of the promote, saw Hagrids crestfallen, skeptical face.Forgetting that Crookshanks was on his lap. Harry stood up very abruptly Crookshanks hissed angrily as he landed on the floor, gave Harry a disgusted look, and stalked away with his bottlebrush tail in the air, but Harry was alre ady hurrying up the corkscrew staircase to his dormitory.He would grab the invisibility Cloak and go back to the library, hed stick to there all night if he had to.Lumos, Harry whispered fifteen legal proceeding later as he unresolved the library door.Wand tip alight, he crept on the bookshelves, pulling down more books books of hexes and charms, books on merpeople and water monsters, books on known witches and wizards, on magical inventions, on anything at all that might include one passing reference to underwater survival. He carried them over to a table, then set to work, searching them by the narrow circularize of his wand, occasionally checking his watch. unmatched in the morningtwo in the morningthe only way he could remark passage was to tell himself, over and over again, next bookin the next onethe next oneThe mermaid in the acheting in the prefects bathroom was laughing. Harry was bobbing like a cork in bubbly water next to her rock, while she held his Firebolt over his head. execute and get it she giggled maliciously. Come on, jumpI cant, Harry panted, snatching at the Firebolt, and struggling not to sink. Give it to meBut she just poked him painfully in the side with the end of the broomstick, laughing at him.That hurts get off ouch -Harry potter essential wake up, sirStop poking me -Dobby essential poke Harry monkey virtually, sir, he mustiness wake upHarry undecided his eyes. He was still in the library the invisibility Cloak had slipped off his head as hed slept, and the side of his face was stuck to the pages of Where Theres a Wand, Theres a Way. He sat up, straightening his glasses, blooming(a) in the bright daylight.Harry potter round needs to hurry squeaked Dobby. The second task starts in ten minutes, and Harry thrower - 10 minutes? Harry croaked. Ten ten minutes?He looked down at his watch. Dobby was right. It was twenty past nine. A large, dead weight seemed to fall through Harrys chest into his turn out.Hurry, Harry ceramicist squeaked Dobby, plucking at Harrys sleeve. You is supposed to be down by the lake with the other champions, sirIts too late, Dobby, Harry said hopelessly. Im not doing the task, I dont know how -Harry Potter forget do the task squeaked the elf. Dobby knew Harry had not found the right book, so Dobby did it for himWhat? said Harry. But you dont know what the second task is -Dobby knows, sir Harry Potter has to go into the lake and find his noisy - bring my what?- and take his Wheezy back from the merpeopleWhats a Wheezy?Your Wheezy, sir, your Wheezy-Wheezy who is giving Dobby his sweaterDobby pull off at the shrunken maroon sweater he was now wearing over his shorts.What? Harry gasped. Theyve gottheyve got Ron?The thing Harry Potter will miss most, sir squeaked Dobby. But past an hour-- the prospects foul, Harry recited, look, horror-struck, at the elf. Too late, its foregone, it wont come back. Dobby whatve I got to do?You has to eat this, sir squeaked the e lf, and he put his hand in the easy lay of his shorts and drew out a ball of what looked like slimy, grey-headed- course-propelled plane rat pursue. Right before you go into the lake, sir gillyweedWhats it do? said Harry, sodding(a) at the gillyweed.It will make Harry Potter breathe underwater, sirDobby, said Harry frantically, listen are you sure about this?He couldnt quite forget that the last time Dobby had well-tried to assist him, he had ended up with no bones in his right arm.Dobby is quite sure, sir said the elf earnestly. Dobby hears things, sir, he is a house-elf, he goes all over the citadel 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 WheezyHarrys doubts vanished. Jumping to his feet he pulled off the Invisibility Cloak, stuffed it into his bag, grabbed the gillyweed, and put it into his pocket, then tore out of the library with Dobby at his heels.Dobby is supposed to be in the kitchens, sir Dobby squealed as they burst into the corridor. Dobby will be missed good luck, Harry Potter, sir, good luckSee you later, Dobby Harry shouted, and he sprinted a dour the corridor and down the stairs, three at a time.The entrance hallway contained a few last-minute stragglers, all leaving the Great Hall after breakfast and heading through the figure oak doors to watch the second task. They stared as Harry flashed past, move Colin and Dennis Creevey flying as he leapt down the stone step and out onto the bright, chilly grounds.As he pounded down the lawn he saw that the sit that had en traffic circled the dragons enclosure in November were now ranged along the opposite bank, ascending in stands that were packed to the bursting point and reflected in the lake below. The provoke babble of the crowd echoed strangely across the water as Harry ran flat-out or so the other side of the lake toward the proves, who we re sitting at another gold-draped table at the waters edge. Cedric, Fleur, and Krum were beside the judges table, reflection Harry sprint toward them.Imhere Harry panted, skidding to a halt in the mud and accidentally splattering Fleurs robes.Where have you been? said a bossy, disapproving voice. The tasks about to startHarry looked around. Percy Weasley was sitting at the judges table Mr. Crouch had failed to turn up again.Now, now, Percy said Ludo traveling salesman, who was looking intensely relieved to see Harry. Let him catch his breathDumbledore smiled at Harry, but Karkaroff and Madame Maxime didnt look at all pleased to see him.It was obvious from the looks on their faces that they had position he wasnt going to turn up.Harry bent over, custody on his knees, gasping for breath he had a hoist in his side that snarl up as though he had a knife between his ribs, but there was no time to get rid of it Ludo Bagman was now moving among the champions, spacing them along th e bank at intervals of ten feet. Harry was on the very end of the line, next to Krum, who was wearing fluent frames and was guardianship his wand ready. on the whole right. Harry? Bagman whispered as he moved Harry a few feet farther away from Krum. Know what youre going to do?Yeah, Harry panted, massaging his ribs.Bagman gave Harrys shoulder a quick squeeze and returned to the judges table he pointed his wand at his throat as he had done at the populace Cup, said, Sonorus and 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 retrieve what has been interpreted from them. On the count of three, then. OnetwothreeThe whistle echoed bitingly in the cold, still air the stands erupted with cheers and applause without looking to see what the other champions were doing, Harry pulled off his shoes and socks, pulled the handful of gillyweed out of his pocket, stuffed it into his mouth, and waded out into the lake.It was so cold he matte up the skin on his legs searing as though this were fire, not icy water. His sentimental robes weighed him down as he walked in deeper now the water was over his knees, and his promptly numbing feet were slipping over clog and flat, slimy stones. He was chewing the gillyweed as hard and fast as he could it matte unpleasantly slimy and rubbery, like octopus tentacles. Waist-deep in the halt water he give the sack, swallowed, and waited for something to happen.He could hear laughter in the crowd and knew he must look stupid, walking into the lake without display any sign of magical power. The part of him that was still dry was covered in goose pimples half immersed in the icy water, a cruel breeze lifting his hair, Harry started to shiver violently. He stay offed looking at the stands the laughter was be attack louder, and there were catcalls and rally from the Slytherins.Then, quite suddenly, Harry mat up as though an invisible pillow had been press over his mouth and nose. He tried to draw breath, but it do his head spin his lungs were empty, and he suddenly felt a piercing pain on all side of his make do Harry clapped his give around his throat and felt two large slits just below his ears, flapping in the cold air.He had gills. Without pausing to think, he did the only thing that do sense he flung himself forward into the water.The firstborn gulp of icy lake water felt like the breath of life. His head had stopped spinning he took another great gulp of water and felt it pass smoothly through his gills, displace oxygen back to his brain. He stretched out his hands in front of him and stared at them. They looked green and ghostly under the water, and they had become netted. He twisted around and looked at his perfect(a) feet they had become elongated and the toes were web too It looked as though he had germinate flippers.The water didnt observe icy any lon g-term eitheron the contrary, he felt pleasantly cool and very light.Harry struck out once more, marveling at how far and fast his flipper-like feet propelled him through the vater, and noticing how intelligibly he could see, and how he no long-acting seemed to need to blink. He had soon swum so far into the lake that he could no longer see the bottom. He flipped over and dived into its depths. closeness pressed upon his ears as he soared over a strange, dark, foggy landscape. He could only see ten feet around him, so that as he sped throuugh the water new scenes seemed to loom suddenly out of the immersion darkness forests of rippling, tangled black weed, wide plains of mud littered with dull, glimmering stones. He swam deeper and deeper, out toward the middle of the lake, his eyes wide, agaze through the eerily gray-lit water around him to the shadow beyond, where the water became opaque.Small fish flickered past him like silver darts. at once or twice he opinion he saw somet hing larger moving up of him, but when he got nearer, he discovered it to be nothing but a large, blackened log, or a dense clump of weed. There was no sign of any of the other champions, merpeople, Ron nor, thankfully, the ogre squid.Light green weed stretched ahead of him as far as he could see, two feet deep, like a meadow of very overgrown grass. Harry was sodding(a) unblinkingly ahead of him, trying to secernate shapes through the gloomand then, without warning, something grabbed hold of his articulatio talocruralis.Harry twisted his body around and saw a grindylow, a slender, horned water demon, poking out of the weed, its long fingers clutched tightly around Harrys leg, its pointed fangs bared Harry stuck his webbed hand quickly internal his robes and fumbled for his wand. By the time he had grasped it, two more grindylows had risen out of the weed, had seized handfuls of Harrys robes, and were attempting to drag him down.Relashio Harry shouted, except that no sound came out.A large bubble issued from his mouth, and his wand, instead of sending sparks at the grindylows, pelted them with what seemed to be a jet of boiling water, for where it struck them, angry red patches appeared on their green skin. Harry pulled his ankle out of the grindylows grip and swam, as fast as he could, occasionally sending more jets of hot water over his shoulder at random every now and then he felt one of the grindylows snatch at his foot again, and he kicked out, hard netly, he felt his foot connect with a horned skull, and looking back, saw the dazed grindylow drift away, cross-eyed, while its fellows shook their fists at Harry and sank back into the weed.Harry slowed down a little, slipped his wand back inside his robes, and looked around, listening again. He turned full circle in the water, the silence pressing harder than ever against his eardrums. He knew he must be even deeper in the lake now, but nothing was moving but the rippling weed.How are you getti ng on?Harry thought he was having a heart attack. He whipped around and saw Moaning myrtle undirected hazily in front of him, gazing at him through her recondite, pearly glasses.Myrtle Harry tried to shout but once again, nothing came out of his mouth but a very large bubble. Moaning Myrtle actually giggled.You want to try over there she said, pointing. I wont come with you.I dont like them much, they always chase me when I get too close.Harry gave her the thumbs-up to show his thanks and set off once more, careful to swim a bit higher over the weed to avoid any more grindylows that might be lurking there.He swam on for what felt like at least twenty minutes. He was passing over vast expanses of black mud now, which swirled murkily as he disturbed the water. Then, at long last, he heard a snatch of relentless mersong.An hour long youll have to look, And to come up what we took Harry swam faster and soon saw a large rock emerge out of the muddy water ahead. It had paintings of m erpeople on it they were carrying digs and chasing what looked like the giant squid. Harry swam on past the rock, following the mersong.your times half gone, so tarry not Lest what you seek stay here to rot. A thud of coarse stone dwellings stained with alga loomed suddenly out of the gloom on all sides. Here and there at the dark windows, Harry saw facesfaces that caliber no resemblance at all to the painting of the mermaid in the prefects bathroom.The merpeople had grayish skin and long, wild, dark green hair. Their eyes were yellow, as were their broken teeth, and they wore bass ropes of pebbles around their necks. They leered at Harry as he swam past one or two of them emerged from their caves to watch him better, their powerful, silver fish tails beating the water, spears clutched in their hands.Harry sped on, staring around, and soon the dwellings became more numerous there were gardens of weed around some of them, and he even saw a flatter grindylow tied to a stake in ternational one door. Merpeople were emerging on all sides now, notice him eagerly, pointing at his webbed hands and gills, talking behind their hands to one another. Harry sped around a corner and a very strange sight met his eyes.A whole crowd of merpeople was drifting in front of the houses that lined what looked like a mer-version of a village square. A choir of merpeople was singing in the middle, profession the champions toward them, and behind them rose a crude sort of statue a gigantic merperson hew from a boulder. Four people were keep tightly to the tail of the stone merperson.Ron was tied between Hermione and Cho Chang. There was in addition a girl who looked no older than eight, whose clouds of euphonous hair made Harry feel sure that she was Fleur Delacours infant. All four of them appeared to be in a very deep sleep. Their heads were lolling onto their shoulders, and fine streams of bubbles kept issuing from their mouths.Harry sped toward the suretys, half exp ecting the merpeople to lower their spears and charge at him, but they did nothing. The ropes of weed tying the hostages to the statue were thick, slimy, and very strong. For a fleeting second he thought of the knife Sirius had bought him for Christmas locked in his trunk in the palace a pull of a mile away, no use to him whatsoever.He looked around. Many of the merpeople surrounding them were carrying spears. He swam swiftly toward a seven-foot-tall merman with a long green beard and a pinch of shark fangs and tried to mime a request to borrow the spear. The merman laughed and shook his head.We do not help, he said in a harsh, croaky voice.Come ON Harry said fiercely (but only bubbles issued from his mouth), and he tried to pull the spear away from the merman, but the merman yanked it back, still shaking his head and laughing.Harry swirled around, staring about. Something crackinganythingThere were rocks littering the lake bottom. He dived and snatched up a especially jagged o ne and returned to the statue. He began to hack at the ropes binding Ron, and after several(prenominal) minutes hard work, they broke apart. Ron floated, unconscious, a few inches higher up the lake bottom, drifting a little in the ebb of the water.Harry looked around. There was no sign of any of the other champions. What were they playing at? Why didnt they hurry up? He turned back to Hermione, raised the jagged rock, and began to hack at her bindings too At once, several pairs of strong gray hands seized him. half(prenominal) a dozen mermen were pulling him away from Hermione, shaking their green-haired heads, and laughing.You take your own hostage, one of them said to him. Leave the othersNo way said Harry furiously but only two large bubbles came out.Your task is to retrieve your own friendleave the othersShes my friend too Harry yelled, gesturing toward Hermione, an wide silver bubble emerging noiselessly from his lips. And I dont want them to die eitherChos head was on He rmiones shoulder the smallish silver-haired girl was ghostly green and pale. Harry struggled to fight off the mermen, but they laughed harder than ever, retention him back. Harry looked wildly around. Where were the other champions? Would he have time to take Ron to the surface and come back down for Hermione and the others? Would he be able to find them again? He looked down at his watch to see how much time was left it had stopped working.But then the merpeople around him pointed excitedly over his head. Harry looked up and saw Cedric swimming toward them. There was an terrible bubble around his head, which made his features look oddly wide and stretched.Got lost he mouthed, looking panic-stricken. Fleur and Krumre coming now whimsey enormously relieved, Harry watched Cedric pull a knife out of his pocket and stinger Cho free. He pulled her upward and out of sight.Harry looked around, waiting. Where were Fleur and Krum? Time was getting short, and according to the song, the h ostages would be lost after an hour.The merpeople started riot animatedly. Those holding Harry loosened their grip, staring behind them. Harry turned and saw something monstrous cutting through the water toward them a human body in swimming trunks with the head of a shark.It was Krum. He appeared to have transfigured himself but badly.The shark-man swam straight to Hermione and began snapping and biting at her ropes the trouble was that Krums new teeth were positioned very awkwardly for biting anything smaller than a dolphin, and Harry was quite sure that if Krum wasnt careful, he was going to rip Hermione in half. Darting forward. Harry hit Krum hard on the shoulder and held up the jagged stone. Krum seized it and began to cut Hermione free. Within seconds, he had done it he grabbed Hermione around the waist, and without a backward glance, began to rise rapidly with her toward the surface.Now what? Harry thought desperately. If he could be sure that Fleur was coming.But still no sign. There was nothing to be done exceptHe snatched up the stone, which Krum had dropped, but the mermen now closed in around Ron and the little girl, shaking their heads at him. Harry pulled out his wand.Get out of the wayOnly bubbles flew out of his mouth, but he had the distinct look that the mermen had understood him, because they suddenly stopped laughing. Their yellowish eyes were set(p) upon Harrys wand, and they looked panic-stricken. There might be a lot more of them than there were of him, but Harry could tell, by the looks on their faces, that they knew no more magic than the giant squid did.Youve got until three Harry shouted a great stream of bubbles burst from him, but he held up three fingers to make sure they got the message. One (he put down a finger) two(he put down a second one) They scattered. Harry darted forward and began to hack at the ropes binding the small girl to the statue, and at last she was free. He seized the little girl around the waist, grabbed the neck of Rons robes, and kicked off from the bottom.It was very slow work. He could no longer use his webbed hands to propel himself forward he worked his flippers furiously, but Ron and Fleurs sister were like potato-filled sacks draw him back down.He fixed his eyes skyward, though he knew he must still be very deep, the water above him was so dark.Merpeople were rising with him. He could see them swirling around him with ease, watching him struggle through the water.Would they pull him back down to the depths when the time was up? Did they peradventure eat humans? Harrys legs were grasping up with the effort to keep swimming his shoulders were aching horribly with the effort of draw Ron and the girlHe was drawing breath with extreme difficulty. He could feel pain on the sides of his neck againhe was becoming very aware of how irritated the water was in his mouthyet the darkness was definitely thinning nowhe could see daylight above him.He kicked hard with his flippers and discovered that they were nothing more than feetwater was flooding through his mouth into his lungshe was starting to feel dizzy, but he knew light and air were only ten feet above himhe had to get therehe had toHarry kicked his legs so hard and fast it felt as though his muscles were screaming in protest his very brain felt waterlogged, he couldnt breathe, he needed oxygen, he had to keep going, he could not stop And then he felt his head break the surface of the lake wonderful, cold, clear air was do his wet face sting he gulped it down, feeling as though he had never breathed flop before, and, panting, pulled Ron and the little girl up with him. All around him, wild, green-haired heads were emerging out of the water with him, but they were smiling at him.The crowd in the stands was reservation a great deal of noise shouting and screaming, they all seemed to be on their feet Harry had the video they thought that Ron and the little girl might be dead, but they were wrong both(p renominal) of them had opened their eyes the girl looked scared and confuse, but Ron merely expelled a great spout of water, blinked in the bright light, turned to Harry, and said, Wet, this, isnt it? Then he spotted Fleurs sister. What did you bring her for?Fleur didnt turn up, I couldnt leave her, Harry panted.Harry, you prat, said Ron, you didnt take that song thing seriously, did you? Dumbledore wouldnt have let any of us drownThe song said -It was only to make sure you got back inside the time limit said Ron. I hope you didnt waste time down there acting the heroHarry felt both stupid and annoyed. It was all very well for Ron hed been asleep, he hadnt felt how eerie it was down in the lake, ring by spear-carrying merpeople whod looked more than capable of murder.Cmon, Harry said shortly, help me with her, I dont think she can swim very well.They pulled Fleurs sister through the water, back toward the bank where the judges stood watching, twenty merpeople accompanying them like a guard of honor, singing their horrible screaky songs.Harry could see Madam Pomfrey fussing over Hermione, Krum, Cedric, and Cho, all of whom were wrapped in thick blankets.Dumbledore and Ludo Bagman stood beaming at Harry and Ron from the bank as they swam nearer, but Percy, who looked very white and somehow much junior than usual, came splashing out to meet them. lag Madame Maxime was trying to restrain Fleur Delacour, who was quite hysterical, struggle tooth and nail to return to the water.Gabrielle Gabrielle Is she alive? Is she urt?Shes fine Harry tried to tell her, but he was so exhausted he could hardly talk, let alone shout.Percy seized Ron and was pull him back to the bank (Gerroff, Percy, Im all right) Dumbledore and Bagman were pulling Harry vertical Fleur had broken free of Madame Maxime and was hugging her sister.It was ze grindylowszey attacked meoh Gabrielle, I thoughtI thoughtCome here, you, said Madam Pomfrey. She seized Harry and pulled him over to Hermione and the others, wrapped him so tightly in a blanket that he felt as though he were in a straitjacket, and forced a appraise of very hot potion down his throat. go gushed out of his ears.Harry, well done Hermione cried. You did it, you found out how all by yourselfWell - said Harry. He would have told her about Dobby, but he had just noticed Karkaroff watching him. He was the only judge who had not left the table the only judge not showing signs of enjoyment and relief that Harry, Ron, and Fleurs sister had got back safely. Yeah, thats right, said Harry, raising his voice slightly so that Karkaroff could hear him.You haff a water overhang in your hair, Herm-own-ninny, said Krum. Harry had the impression that Krum was drawing her attention back onto himself perhaps to remind her that he had just save her from the lake, but Hermione brushed away the hammer impatiently and said, Youre well outside the time limit, though, Harry.Did it take you ages to find us?NoI found you okay.Ha rrys feeling of stupidity was growing. Now he was out of the water, it seemed perfectly clear that Dumbledores prophylactic precautions wouldnt have permitted the death of a hostage just because their champion hadnt turned up. Why hadnt he just grabbed Ron and gone? He would have been first back.Cedric and Krum hadnt atrophied time bothering about anyone else they hadnt taken the mersong seriously.Dumbledore was crouching at the waters edge, deep in conversation with what seemed to be the chief merperson, a particularly wild and ferocious-looking female. He was making the same sort of screechy noises that the merpeople made when they were above water clearly, Dumbledore could speak Mermish. in the long run he straightened up, turned to his fellow judges, and said, A conference before we give the tag, I think.The judges went into a huddle. Madam Pomfrey had gone to rescue Ron from Percys clutches she led him over to Harry and the others, gave him a blanket and some Pepperup Potion , then went to fetch Fleur and her sister. Fleur had many cuts on her face and arms and her robes were torn, but she didnt seem to care, nor would she allow Madam Pomfrey to clean them.Look after Gabrielle, she told her, and then she turned to Harry. You saved er, she said breathlessly. Even though she was not your ostage.Yeah, said Harry, who was now heartily wishing hed left all three girls tied to the statue.Fleur bent down, kissed Harry twice on each cheek (he felt his face burn and wouldnt have been surprised if move was coming out of his ears again), then said to Ron, And you too-you elped -Yeah, said Ron, looking extremely hopeful, yeah, a bit -Fleur swooped down on him too and kissed him. Hermione looked simply furious, but just then, Ludo Bagmans as if by magic magnified voice boomed out beside them, making them all jump, and causing the crowd in the stands to go very quiet.Ladies and gentlemen, we have turned our decision. Merchieftainess Murcus has told us exactly what happened at the bottom of the lake, and we have therefore decided to booty marks out of fifty for each of the champions, as follows.Fleur Delacour, though she demonstrated excellent use of the Bubble-Head Charm, was attacked by grindylows as she approached her goal, and failed to retrieve her hostage. We represent her twenty-five points.Applause from the stands.I merit zero, said Fleur throatily, shaking her magnificent head.Cedric Diggory, 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. Enormous cheers from the Hufflepuffs in the crowd Harry saw Cho give Cedric a glowing look. We therefore award him forty-seven points.Harrys heart sank. If Cedric had been outside the time limit, he most certainly had been.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.Karkaroff clapped particul arly hard, looking very superior.Harry Potter used gillyweed to great effect, Bagman continued. He returned last, and well outside the time limit of an hour. However, the Merchieftainess informs us that Mr. Potter was first to reach the hostages, and that the delay in his return was due to his determination to return all hostages to safety, not merely his own.Ron and Hermione both gave Harry half-exasperated, half-commiserating looks. nigh of the judges, and here, Bagman gave Karkaroff a very nasty look, feel that this shows example fiber and merits full marks. HoweverMr. Potters score is forty-five points.Harrys stomach leapt he was now tying for first place with Cedric. Ron and Hermione, caught by surprise, stared at Harry, then laughed and started applauding hard with the rest of the crowd.There you go. Harry Ron shouted over the noise. You werent being thick after all you were showing moral fiberFleur was clapping very hard too, but Krum didnt look happy at all. He attempted to engage Hermione in conversation again, but she was too active cheering Harry to listen.The third and final task will take place at dusk on the twenty-fourth of June, continued Bagman. The champions will be notified of what is coming precisely one month beforehand. convey you all for your support of the champions.It was over. Harry thought dazedly, as Madam Pomfrey began herding the champions and hostages back to the castle to get into dry clothesit was over, he had got throughhe didnt have to worry about anything now until June the twenty-fourth. succeeding(a) time he was in Hogsmeade, Harry decided as he walked back up the stone steps into the castle, he was going to buy Dobby a pair of socks for every day of the year.