Severia Snape

Mermaids

After Severia and Hermione hadn't returned, Harry decided to go to the library alone. He had no choice but to find a way to breathe underwater in order to obtain whatever was stolen from him. The minutes turned into hours and the frustration began to set in. "How important could this treasure really be." He thought.

Harry was woken up by Dobby the house elf in the library the next morning.

"D-Dobby? Why are you here? What time is it?" Harry asked, still in a daze from his sleep.

"I have brought Harry Potter the key to breathing under water, Sir." Dobby said in his high voice as he handed Harry the Gillyweed.

"Oh, Dobby! Thank you!" Harry said relieved.

"Harry must hurry, the task starts in 10 minutes." Dobby warned. Harry ran out of the library while waving another thank you to Dobby.

~~~

He made it to the lake just in time to start the second task. He found Ron in the crowd, but couldn't see Severia or Hermione anywhere. "Maybe they went to look for me in the castle?" He thought, that was the only logical explanation as to why they wouldn't be there.

Ludo Bagman announced that the task had begun and the Champions performed their spells to enter the water. Harry ate his Gillyweed and dove in. Suddenly, his body began to transform, he no longer felt the need to hold his breath as gills formed on his neck and fins attached themselves to him.

Harry swam towards the bottom of the lake, searching for what was taken. Small mermaids were swimming around him as he neared their home. He could see four figures floating in the water. One of these being Hermione and the other Severia.

He wrapped his arms around Severia and tried to untie her. The ropes were too strong, so he found a sharp piece of debris and cut it. He held her hand to keep her from floating to the surface without him.

Next, he attempted to cut Hermione loose, but the mermaids stopped him.

"Only one." Their distorted voices said.

He watched as Viktor Krum, now with a shark's head, untied Hermione and swam to the surface. Then, Cedric Diggory untied Cho. He used the bubble-head charm.

There was still one hostage left, Fleur's. Harry waited for Fleur Delacour, but she never showed up. So Harry pushed through the mermaids and cut her loose. He started to swim up with both of the girls in his arms. However, the gills and the fins were fading away. He was running out of time.

He pushed Severia to the surface first, then Fleur's hostage. As soon as they reached the surface, they woke up. The young girl was struggling to stay above the water. Severia grabbed ahold of Gabrielle, Fleur's sister, and looked around for Harry.

"Harry?" She began to panic. "Harry!"

Harry broke the surface and looked around for Severia. The crowd started to cheer wildly. He swam over to her and the three of them exited the Black Lake.

"Harry! What the hell is wrong with you!" Severia shouted angrily.

"W-What? I just saved your life? Why are you yelling at me?" He asked.

"Harry! Did you really think my father would allow me to be put in a situation that relied on you to save my life? Did you think that Dumbledore would allow his students to be put into that situation?" Severia was furious.

"Oh..." He said, realizing how stupid his actions were. He arrived first and sacrificed points in order to save people that wouldn't have died. It was naive of him to assume the clue was true.

"Harry! That was brilliant!" Ron said, running up to him.

"Always the hero!" Hermione said.

"Hermione!" Ron said, noticing her standing next to him. He hugged her then let go once he realized it. "I... I'm sorry, Mione. I was so worried."

"All is forgiven, Ron." Hermione said and smiled.

Then, Fleur came over to thank Harry for saving her little sister.

"You saved my Grabrielle, thank you." She said. She kissed him on the cheek and Severia immediately went to stand by his side. Her hands found themselves in fists.

"And you! You helped her swim back!" She hugged Severia, but she did not hug back. Once she walked away, Severia turned back to Harry.

"I'm sorry for yelling at you, Harry. I just- you could have- Those mermaids could've pulled you back under and then..." She trailed off, trying to find her voice. "I didn't want you to risk your life for me."

"I would have anyways, Sev." He smiled at her. She looked up and him and hugged him tightly. He hugged her back, this time his hands wrapped around her waist.

"Are- are you cold?" He asked her pulling away from the hug. "Here." He wrapped his towel around her. She thanked him and pulled it tighter.

Severus Snape came to check on his daughter. He put a hand on Harry's shoulder which was as much thanks as Harry would receive.

"My dear, are you alright?" He asked, removing his hand from him.

"Yes, everything is fine. Harry saved me... and then some." She smiled and nodded her head towards Gabrielle.

"I saw. The scores should be in soon. Dumbledore was talking with the merpeople to finalize a few things." He said flatly, somewhat unimpressed or surprised by Harry's actions.

The group nodded and Snape went back to the Professors table.

"After much deliberation," Dumbledore began. "We have come to a conclusion."

Hermione, Ron, Harry and Severia all listened intently. Fleur was in third place, Viktor was in second, and Cedric and Harry were now tied for first with eighty-five points.

"Brilliant, Harry!" Ron said, patting him on the back.

"Wonderful!" Hermione said while hugging him.

Severia nudged his arm and said, "I guess you deserve it."

They all laughed as they walked back to the castle, happily leaving the Black Lake behind them.