Whispers in the Dark-Fred Weasley

I gasp for air, breaking through the icy surface of the water, the shock of the cold hitting me like a brick wall. My lungs burn as I cough violently, expelling the frigid lake water that had invaded them. Instinctively, my arms and legs flail to keep me afloat, but my soaked school robes cling to me like dead weight, doing little to protect me from the freezing bite of the water.

The sunlight reflects off the rippling surface, blinding me momentarily. I squint, my vision sharpening just enough to make out rows and rows of people standing along the dock. Students and staff, their figures blurred by the sunlight, clap and cheer while some announcer's voice echoes over the scene, declaring something I can't quite process. My brain is too fogged with cold and confusion.

Then, a splash beside me. I twist, startled, and my heart sinks as I recognize Cedric Diggory swimming beside me, panting as he pulls himself upright in the water. His expression is as composed as ever, but there's something uneasy in the way his gaze shifts when it meets mine.

"What..." My teeth chatter violently as I try to form words, my voice shaking as much as my body. "What is going on?"

"Second task," Cedric explains, his tone breathless but steady. He hesitates, glancing away as though he doesn't want to say the rest. "It's about retrieving something—or rather, someone—important to us."

I stare at him, uncomprehending. The freezing water feels like it's wrapping around my brain, slowing my thoughts to a crawl. "What does that have to do with me?" I snap, though the sharpness of my tone is dulled by the trembling in my voice.

Cedric looks awkward now, rubbing the back of his neck even as he treads water. "Well... they didn't think you'd volunteer," he admits, his words careful, but they strike me like a blow anyway. "It was Mad-Eye's idea."

The reality crashes down on me in a tidal wave of dread and fury. I was used. Manipulated. Tossed into this freezing hellscape like a pawn in someone else's game. My stomach churns as I glare at Cedric, though I know he isn't the one to blame.

"You've got to be kidding me," I mutter, the anger in my voice barely masking the tremor of fear. My limbs feel sluggish as I start swimming toward the dock, the icy water dragging at me with every stroke.

Cedric swims beside me, keeping pace easily despite my uneven movements. "Serena," he starts cautiously, his tone placating, "I'm sorry. I didn't know they'd—"

"Save it," I snap, cutting him off. "Just save it." I don't have the energy for pleasantries, not when my head is spinning, my body trembling, and every fiber of my being screaming at me to get out of this lake.

As the dock comes into view, the cheers from the crowd grow louder. My ears ring with the sound, but it only makes the knot in my chest tighten. My thoughts race, tumbling over each other in a chaotic mess.

How did I even get here? The last thing I remember is McGonagall, her wand, the muttered spell. And now this? What the hell is going on?

When I finally reach the dock, I grab hold of the wooden edge with shaking hands, pulling myself up with more effort than it should take. Cedric follows suit, hauling himself out of the water with ease and offering me a hand. I ignore it, dragging myself onto the wooden planks and collapsing in a shivering heap.

"Serena..." Cedric starts again, but I shake my head violently, cutting him off once more.

"Don't," I hiss, my voice low and trembling with barely restrained anger. "Just don't."

The announcer's voice drones on in the background, congratulating Cedric and detailing the "courage" and "determination" displayed during the task. I barely register the words as I sit there, soaked and freezing, my fists clenched so tightly my nails bite into my palms.