"You're quite skilled in the area of excuses, aren't you Ellie Darling."
"Don't you two get any ideas."
"The ideas are already flowing, El!"
*Goblet of Fire*
*Book 2*
*Fred Weasley*
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- 10 -
On the morning of the second task, I felt very similar to how I felt on the morning of the first task. Terrified, excited? Mostly terrified. The only thing keeping me from losing my mind with worry was the fact this, unlike the last task, I actually knew what to expect and had been part of the preparation process. Cedric and I had spent weeks preparing and practicing the bubblehead charm that he would be using to breathe underwater. We hadn't quite figured out what he had to retrieve as yet, he hadn't yet noticed anything missing.
I watched from the crowd as Harry arrived on the platform looking worried and out of breath. Suddenly I wished I had had a chance to speak to him before the task. I definitely wasn't keeping my promise to look out for him this year.
"Well, all our champions are ready for the second task, which will start on my whistle. They have precisely an hour to recover what has been taken from them. On the count of three, then. One . . . two . . . three!" Ludo Bagman's loud voice echoed around to stands, booming over top of the excited students. Harry was the first in the water but seemed to be doing nothing other then slowly wading in. Fleur and Cedric both performed successful bubblehead charms. I grimaced at the fact Fleur had performed the same spell, I'm positive the judges would be awarding points for originality. Cedrics only hope at beating Fleur would be reaching his prize first. Viktor waved his wand, and his head suddenly transformed into that of a shark. No doubt he would be given points for the impressiveness of a partial human transfiguration. Harry was soon the only champion above water, and the whispers and laughs were slowly growing in volume. Finally, seconds before I planned on rushing down there and performing the bubblehead charm on Harry myself, he made an odd gasping motion and dived forward into the water.
"You know, they probably could've thought of a more entertaining task," Eli complained, slumping down in his seat. We were half an hour into the task, but nothing exciting had happened. Most students were chatting amongst themselves or playing card games. I suspected that several students had snuck off once realizing that there wasn't anything exciting to watch. I looked across the stands as my boys shot ideas back and forth about what would be more entertaining to watch. Fred was laughing with George and Lee about something. I couldn't help but admire the way his whole body rolled when he laughed. He threw his head back slightly before he leaned back into his laughter.
George caught my eye and smirked at me, nudging Fred to look in my direction. Fred smiled in my direction, though I could see the smirk behind it. Without a doubt, I knew both he and George would be teasing me for getting caught staring. Quickly I turn my attention away from them and find that Jamie's been watching me.
"What was that about huh?" She says, a smug look on her face.
"Nothing," I mutter, but my cheeks betray me and quickly turn red. I look at my boys, they're still preoccupied with their conversation, paying no attention to Jamie and me. "Fred uh... confessed his feelings for me."
