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Cedric had been looking for Lori all morning, not finding her face among the Gryffindor table at breakfast, nor on the walk down to the boats which would take them down to the second task.
Ellie and Danny were at his side, also looking for the red haired girl, but failing to find her amongst the excited gaggles who were running towards boats.
"Harry?" Cedric caught sight of the other Hogwarts champion, "Have you seen Lori today?"
He shook his head, "I can't find Ron or Hermione either."
The two of them were herded into a separate boat, with Krum and Fleur, by Barty Crouch, who gently pushed the boat away from the pier, it magically rowing itself.
"Have any of you seen my sister?" Fleur asked urgently.
The others shook their heads, "We can't find Ron, Hermione or Lori."
Cheers rang as their boat docked, the four of them being helped out by Ministry wizards who lined them up against by the edge of the platform, Harry on the left, then Cedric, then Krum, then Fleur.
"Welcome to the second task!" Dumbledore's voice boomed over the three towers, "Last night, something was stolen from each of our champions. A treasure of sorts. These four 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."
Ellie and Danny had been allowed onto the main platform as friends of the champions, both holding towels in their arms.
"Simple enough, except for this: they will have but one hour to do so, and one hour only. After that, they'll be on their own. No magic will save them. You may begin at the sound of the cannon."
It erupted, Fleur, Krum and Cedric diving into the water, Harry being shoved in by Moody as he choked on Gillyweed.
Cedric cast the Bubble-Head Charm instantly, a white sheen blocking the water from filling his lungs as we swam away from the base of the tower.
Seaweed choked at every surface, Cedric parting various reeds to swim deeper towards his apparent treasure. He suddenly heard the voice again, from the egg when it had been underwater and had sung sweetly to him and Lori.
The memory soured in his mind, Lori hadn't come to see him, and was probably hiding in the castle and reading a book in the Library.
He shook the thought away and swam deeper.
A sudden flash of colour up ahead caught his attention, a mermaid swimming away from his gracefully. A set of arches, all covered in green weeds, suddenly loomed into view, then another, then another. Mermaids watched as he swam closer, intrigued at the bubble surrounding his mouth and nose.
