Potter's Girl / Butterfly Effect.

37. The Second Task

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN;

THE SECOND TASK

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

"No, Ron, for the last time," Hermione sighed, "Aqua-Lungs are a Muggle contraption. Harry wouldn't be able to summon such a thing and figure out how to work it within an hour – and think about the International Code of Wizarding Secrecy!"

"Alright, alright," said Ron, finally giving up. "Check the bloody library, I dunno."

And so, that was what Harry left to do. Cassie stayed at the lunch table, resting her forehead on the edge of it, practically asleep by the time Hermione nudged her elbow. She snapped awake with a cuss, blinking quickly and scrambling to pick up her books.

"What'd I sleep through?" she asked worriedly, bending over as she picked up her Astronomy essay.

   "Nothing, unless you count lunch," said Hermione shortly. "What's got you so tired? If it's because you're stressed over that stupid Daily Prophet–"

   "I wasn't, but thanks for reminding me," she mumbled, another stone dropping itself into the never-ending pit of dread in her stomach. "Last night I was talking to my dad. About the task."

   "What'd he say?" Hermione asked as they began to ascend the steps leading to Astronomy. "Anything important?"

   "He said he wants to meet with Harry on the next Hogsmeade weekend – so in two weeks. Not sure how seeing him after the task is going to help him deal with the task," she added, furrowing her eyebrows, then shook her head. "Anyway. I've also been looking for ways to– oh, Neville!"

   Neville turned so quickly that the plant he'd been holding in his arms swung out of its pot and pus splattered all over his side. He groaned softly and wiped it from his eyes as Cassie and Hermione approached.

   "Sorry," he said, tossing his hand to rid it of the pus that now resided on it, "Mimblus Mimbletonia, it's got a horrible defense mechanism. What is it?"

"Neville, do you know any type of plant that can help Harry breathe underwater?" Cassie asked breathlessly. Neville thought about this for a moment, his eyebrows scrunched together in thought, then looked back to Cassie.

"Not off the top of my head, I'm sorry," he said, a slight frown on his lips. "But I can check the book Moody gave me, it's got loads of cool plants in it! Like– like the Wolfsbane plant, it's this really cool flower that, when brewed, stops a–" abruptly, he stopped, his eyes widening as he realized he was speaking to a werewolf's daughter about Wolfsbane. He opened his mouth wordlessly, then closed it, then opened it again. Cassie smiled warmly and gave his arm a squeeze.

"We've got to get to Astronomy," she said apologetically, grabbing Hermione by the hand and pulling her off. "Thank you, Neville! If you find something, tell Harry!"

   Professor Sinistra was in a dreadful mood that day – this, she blamed on the Jupiter retrograde, or something strange like that. She ended up assigning Hermione and Cassie with enough homework to force them to work on it through dinner and until bedtime. They were fully aware that it was the day before the task and by that time tomorrow, Harry was to be underwater for an entire hour, yet they'd still not found a way for him to manage it.

   By the evening before the second task, Cass and Hermione had fully given up on their work and been working tirelessly in the library to find a method for Harry to use.