Exponent: A Fred Weasley Love Story

Exponents- Chapter 17

Chapter 17-

The Golden Egg

To be honest, I thought that I'd never be the same after my dad died. I'm not over it, but at least I don't cry as much as I used to anymore. The one thing on my mind, is the Second Task.

Most people would have thought that getting the clue from the egg would be easy. It isn't. Whenever you open the egg, a horrible noise comes out. Spells and charms don't help.

"Ari, have you figured the clue out yet?" Fred asks.

"No. I have a lead to what might help me, but I doubt it. It's too simple." I reply. He nods.

"Maybe after class we can try to figure it out, together?"

"Sure. What class do you have?"

"Divination."

"Oh, I have potions. I'll meet you by the Black Lake?"

"Sounds like a plan."

"Bye, Fred."

"See you."

During potions, I wanted nothing more than to get out. When the time came to leave, I was the first out the door. Professor Snape musn't have been too happy about that, but who cares.

Since I'm not a freak that carries the egg around everywhere, I had to very quickly go to the Ravenclaw tower to get it. When I returned to the Black Lake, there was a very impatient looking Fred there.

"Took you a while." He muttered.

"Well I'm sorry that I can't fly."

"You can apparate."

"Have you learned nothing from Hermione Granger? You can't apparate inside of Hogwarts!"

"You sound- angry."

"I'm angry because you seem mad at me."

"I've just been having a bad day. I'm sorry, Ari."

"What happened?"

"I may be failing Divination."

"Fred! I want you to go study right now."

"You sound like my mother."

"Oh gosh I do. Never mind that. You shouldn't be failing. I'll tutor you if you'd like."

"But you need help with the clue."

"It can wait!"

"Ari, no it can't. I was really scared during the First Task that you might get hurt. And you did. You have a scar on your face."

"Fred, don't worry about me."

"Arielle, I have to worry about you."

"Well then, lets attempt this. I had this conclusion, that the sound must change underwater."

"Sounds like a plan. Do you want me to throw you in the water?"

"I was actually hoping that maybe you'd go."

And that's when Fred realizes that making him get in the freezing water was my plan all along.

"Ari, I love you. But there is no way I am getting in there. Absolutely not."

Then we argue about who should go, and we come to the conclusion that I should just try it in a bath. so I go into one of the girls baths, and take the egg with me. It's probably not going to work, because it seems too simple.

But then, it does. It sings a song.

'Come seek us where our voices sound, 

We cannot sing above the ground, 

And while you're searching ponder this; 

We've taken what you'll sorely miss, 

An hour long you'll have to look, 

And to recover what we took, 

But past an hour, the prospect's black, 

Too late it's gone, it won't come back.'

Well this is interesting.

** Next Day **

"Fred, I figured it out." I say as I walk over to the Gryffindor table. He smiles.

"And no one had to freeze to death!" We both laugh.

"It's simple. The egg had a song, and it said something about seeking 'us' where their voices sound. It also said they can't sing above the ground. It was simple. Mermaids. They're going to be taking something that we'll miss. I don't know what, but I'm guessing it's pretty valuable. We have an hour, and if we don't retrieve the item, it's gone. So we're going to be looking for something in the Black Lake."

Fred seems a bit confused.

"Wait- You have to search for an hour underwater? I hate to break it to you Ari, but most people can only hold their breaths for thirty seconds."

"I could just use the bubble-head charm."

"How are you so smart Ari?" Fred asks. I giggle.