That Durmstrang girl (Harry Potter)

Chapter 17

There was only a few hours before the second task and Harry still couldn't find anything to help him breath underwater for an hour. I was using a Bubble-Head Charm, as was Cedric and Fleur. I told Harry about the charm but he didn't have enough time to learn it, as it was a difficult spell they hadn't studied yet. I tried to help him with his quest to find something, we all did, but we came to a dead end.

"Harry, I think you're going to need to learn the Bubble-Head Charm." Hermione said as she fell onto the couch in the common room.

"She's right mate, at this rate you'll find nothing." Ron said.

"I don't have time to learn that spell, the task is in a few hours." Harry groaned as he flipped through another book in hopes to find something that could help him.

Harry had a point. The spell was complex, but Durmstrung taught their students more advanced spells at an earlier age. I had familiarised myself with the charm and practiced it being my best option to survive under water.

At this point, Harry wouldn't be able to compete in this bloody task.

The portrait swung open and entered Professor Moody with Neville in tow. The common room went silent, professors were rarely seen in the common rooms without a proper reason.

"Miss Granger and Mr Weasley, come with me. McGonagall needs a word with both of you." Moody said looking anywhere but Harry and I. I turned to Hermione and Ron, a confused look on my face. What had they done?

"But Professor, the second task is only a few hours away..." Hermione trailed off.

"That's right Miss Granger. I'm assuming Potter and Krum have everything under control. Now off you two go. Neville, help Mr Potter put his books away." Moody ordered and headed out of the portrait once more.

Hermione and Ron looked at each other before heading out the portrait towards McGonagall's office. Neville dropped down and started to sort Harry's books.

"You know, if you're interested in plants you'd be better with Gorshok's Guide to Herbology. Do you know there's a wizard in Nepal whose growing gravity resistant trees?" Neville ranted on with a distant smile on his face. Herbology was his favourite subject and he was the best in the class, better than Hermione.

"Not to be rude Neville, but I couldn't care less right now. Unless there is a Tibetan turnip that can allow me to breathe underwater for an hour, you can't help me." Harry said bluntly. I turned and slapped him over the head and glared at him. He glared back at me and rubbed the back of his head.

"I don't know about a turnip but you can always use Gilliweed."

"Neville you are a genius!"

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Harry, Neville and I were heading to the lake, Harry holding a green, slimy plant that could be identified as Gilliweed in his hand. The George was shouting at everyone who past, trying to take bets. I rolled my eyes, of course the he would be running a betting station. But where was Fred? I looked around expecting him to be somewhere else taking bets but I couldn't see him anywhere.

The twins were always with each other, it didn't make sense for Fred not to be here. A frown found its way upon my face.

Hermione and Ron were nowhere to be seen as well, which confused me. They were supposed to be here but we hadn't seen them since they left the common room. I looked around the stands to try and find them but I couldn't find them.

"Neville are you sure about this?" Harry asked, taking me out of my thoughts.

"Yes Harry."

"For an hour."

"Most likely."

"Most likely?!" Harry stopped abruptly, his eyes widening.

"Well there is some debate among herbologists as to the effects of freshwater versus saltwater." Neville tried to reason, which didn't help the situation.

"And you're only telling me now. You have got to be joking." Harry deadpanned.

"Calm down Harry, he was only trying to help. At least you have something now." I tried to reason but my nerves were on a high as well so it wasn't going to well.

"You two seem a little tense." Neville commented.

"I didn't realise Neville." It was my turn to be sarcastic. I didn't mean to be rude, I was on edge. I went to apologize but I was cut off by Dumbledore.

"Welcome to the second task. This morning something was stolen from each of our champions. A treasure of sorts. These five treasures, one for each champion, now lie on the bottom of the black lake. In order to win each champion need only find their treasure and return to the surface. Simple enough. Except for this, they will have one hour to do so and one hour only. After that they'll be on their own." Dumbledore's voice boomed through the crowd.

His words tumbled around in my head, piecing . It didn't seem too hard to achieve the end goal. Something of ours must be at the bottom of the lake and we need to retrieve it within the hour.

I looked at Harry and gave him a small smile to reassure him that we had each other's backs before I faced the lake and muttered the charm. Instantly a bubble surrounded my head and the world surrounding me had become more muffled.

"You may begin at the start of the cannon." I barely made out.

I turned to face Harry again, but I found him choking down the Gilliweed. It had seemed as though he could breathe out of water, similar to a fish. I hurried over to him and pushed him into the water just as the cannon went off before I threw myself in after him.