Percy Jackson and the Triwizard Tournament (Goblet of Fire)

Chapter 42: Drowning Depths

When Percy stepped out of the water, after snapping at Madam Pomfrey that he was fine and wasn't going to die from hypothermia, he stormed straight towards the judges' table.

Olympe politely clapped, but gave one last disappointed glance in towards her own school's champion, as Karkaroff glared daggers in his direction, obviously bitter that he was the first to arrive from the Second Task.

Ludo Bagman his usual speech towards the crowd, but warily kept a good distance from the champion...

Because Percy was not in a good mood.

"Percy..." Annabeth hastily took the towel from Madam Pomfrey and quickly caught up to him, walking away from the medic tents, "Percy, what is it? You won!"

"That's not the problem!" he turned around to face her, "These competitions are terrible! We could've died!"

She bit her lip, "Okay, first of all, that's an exaggeration... You would've been fine, and the spell-"

"And what? The spell wore off and you were about to drown 100 feet below water? The grindylows attacked us?"

Annabeth's mouth shut quickly, giving him a sorrowful look, "Getting upset isn't going to change anything, just be glad that it wasn't any worse..." Percy's shoulders slouched out of his previously tense position. He sighed, before giving one last irritated glance towards the crowd.

She stepped forward, embracing him in a hug, "We made it."

His face formed into a grim smile, "Yeah, I guess we did."

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Harry's arms ached as he dragged the two potato sacks behind him. Well, technically they were his best friend and a 12 year old girl, but they sure did feel like extra weight.

And that's when his throat began to burn, as he tried to inhale the water.

The Gillyweed was wearing off.

His webbed hands started wilting away first, which actually was slightly helpful and allowed Harry's grip to tighten around the two unconscious people's robes. Then, his "flippered" feet began to decay in the same fashion, making his kicking have much less of an effect. Water filled his lungs, his throat burned, and he was still a good 20 feet below the water.

'Almost there,' he told himself, 'I can make it.'

He kicked again, but his vision began to blur,

'I-I will at least try.'

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"You guys are alive!" Thalia burst into Madam Pomfrey's makeshift tent, lunging into a bear hug towards Annabeth, "I knew you could do it!"

Then, after Annabeth unraveled the bundled towel and draped it over the foot of the iron framing of her bed inside the tent, she smiled and replied in a more hushed tone, "It was slightly reassuring... with the prophecy line and all..."

She chuckled, then turned towards Percy, "Why are you so upset?"

Annabeth scowled, "Percy! Stop freaking out, it all turned out okay."

Thalia looked in between the two, Percy sitting in one of the beds across from her, "Wait, what happened?"

Percy shook his head, "That's not what I'm worried about right now..."

The three demigods gaze turned towards Cedric and Krum on the other side of the room. Hermione was nowhere in sight, probably still waiting along the shores of the lake for Harry, but Cedric was in a deep conversation with Cho, taking up most of the Hufflepuff's attention.