Trouble → Fred Weasley

XXXi| Second Task

The world beneath the surface was a murky expanse of greenish-blue shadows, illuminated faintly by filtered sunlight. Sapphire's lungs instinctively tightened against the cold water pressing in on her, but the charm held steady, and she pushed forward. Her strokes were strong and rhythmic as she swam deeper, scanning her surroundings.

Her search was anything but peaceful. The eerie melody of the merpeople echoed through the lake, growing louder as she approached their village. A flash of silver darted past her—a grindylow. Sapphire narrowly avoided its grasping claws, her heart pounding in her chest.

Finally, she saw what she was looking for: Alex. He was tethered to the lakebed, unconscious but seemingly unharmed. Sapphire's stomach twisted at the sight. She hesitated for only a second before swimming closer.

The merfolk guarding the hostages hissed and glared at her, their eyes cold and menacing. One brandished a sharp spear in warning. Sapphire forced herself to stay calm. She gestured to Alex, mouthing the words, I'm taking him.

The merfolk didn't interfere as she began untying the ropes. Her fingers worked quickly, numbed by the frigid water. Finally, Alex was free. Looping an arm around him, she kicked off from the lakebed with all her strength, propelling them upward.

The surface seemed agonizingly far away, but Sapphire focused on each kick, determined to get Alex to safety. When they finally broke through the water's surface, she gulped in fresh air as she guided him to the shoreline, where everyone was waiting.

Collapsing onto the bank, Sapphire turned back toward the lake. Viktor appeared slightly after her. 

But there was no sign of Harry.

Sapphire's chest tightened as the seconds ticked by. The crowd began to murmur, whispers growing into worried chatter. Where was he?

"What's going on?" Alex mumbled as a blanket was wrapped around him. "Where's Harry?"

"I don't know," Sapphire replied.

"First, they drown me. Then they make you save me, which is just embracing for me, and now our cousin is missing...great," Alex sighed dramatically.

Finally, just as panic began to creep in, Harry broke the surface, dragging two figures with him: Ron and Fleur's sister. His face was pale, and his movements sluggish. Sapphire bent down and helped Fleur's sister up onto the desk, thankful for the muscles she had from Quidditch.

"Gabrielle! Gabrielle! Is she alive? Is she 'urt?" Fleur's voice echoed.

"She's fine!" said Sapphire after a quick look over.

"It was ze grindylows...zey attacked me...oh Gabrielle, I thought ...I thought..."

"Come here, you," said Madam Pomfrey.

She seized Harry and pulled him over to Hermione and the other. Sapphire could hear the congratulations from Hermione as he got to them, but she was focused on the judges talking to each other. Harry had been last, but he'd saved two people.

"Why did Harry get Fleur's sister?" Alex questioned.

"Got attacked by grindylows," Sapphire replied. "Why are you glaring at Dumbledore?"

"He put me in the Black Lake!"

Suddenly, Cedric appeared at Sapphire's side with a large grin — followed by Fred and George. Sapphire was pretty sure they weren't supposed to be there but she was on the edge of where the champion's area met the general student population.

"You were first!" Cedric beamed. "Wicked charm."

"Thanks," Sapphire smiled.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we have reached our decision," Bagman called. "Merchieftainess Murcus has told us exactly what happened at the bottom of the lake, and we have therefore decided to award marks out of fifty for each of the champions, as follows..."

"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 award her twenty-five points." 

There was applause from the stands but Sapphire could see how upset she was. The Gryffindor gave her a kind smile.

"I deserved zero," said Fleur throatily.

"Sapphire Black, who also used the Bubble-Head Charm, was first to return with her hostage, though one minute outside the time limit of an hour. We therefore award her forty-seven points." 

Sapphire couldn't help but grin when she heard the roar of the grounds. Fred and George seemed thrilled by it, as did Cedric, with the twins' hands finding their way to pat her on the shoulder.

"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 particularly 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 second 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. Most of the judges," and here, Bagman gave Karkaroff a very nasty look, "feel that this shows moral fiber and merits full marks. However... Mr Potter's score is forty-five points."

Fleur was clapping very hard too, but Krum didn't look happy at all. Sapphire gave Harry a large grin.

"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. Thank you all for your support of the champions."

With the new scores, Sapphire and Harry were in a tie. Personally, Sapphire felt a lot better about this because Harry shouldn't have competed in the first place. Safety was all that she wanted for him and if letting him win was doing that, she was happy to do so.

Some things weren't about winning, even though Sapphire always felt inclined to. Even she knew that family was far more important than a trophy or some gallons could ever be.