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XVII. THE SECOND TASK
Winnifred didn't feel guilty. She wanted to see it from Cedric's point of view, but she couldn't. Winnifred never felt guilty for being nice. She'd gone to her dorm, letting Sabrina and Prim still have a good time with their dates. Winnie had been crying, in her bed, still wearing her mother's dress. Sabrina returned, confused as to why her friend was crying.
She sat down on the bed next to her.
"Am I too nice?" She asked, her big brown eyes look up to Sabrina. Sabrina didn't know what this was about, but she didn't hesitate to pull her friend into a hug.
"Winnie, you are the sweetest person I've ever met. Your kindness is what makes you, you. What's this about?"
"I danced with Fred. He was alone and sad. I just wanted to be nice, but Cedric got angry." Winnie sighed.
"Oh, Winnie. Don't ever let a boy define who you are. I know Cedric didn't mean any harm by it, but never stop being you."
Winnie hugged Sabrina tighter, thanking her.
***
"Winnie, Professor Mcgonagall says you're needed in Dumbledore's office." Luna said, peeking her head through the door. Winnie opened her eyes, realizing she fell asleep in her mother's dress the night before.
"Are you alright? You've got a lot of wrackspurts..."
"I'm okay, Luna. Just a fight with Cedric." She said, hurrying to get out of the dress, and back into her Ravenclaw robes. She placed the dress carefully back in the box.
"Oh, well if you want, I thought I'd go feed the Thestrals. Would you like to join me?"
"I'd love to. I'll see you when I get back from Dumbledore's office." Winnie waved, making her way out of the common room. She figured this was phoenix business, so she didn't waste any time getting to his office. While on her way, she wondered if Cedric would talk to her today.
When she got to his office, she saw Hermione, Ron, and Clara.
"You wanted to see me, Professor Dumbledore?"
"Ah, yes. Take a seat. Next to Miss Granger. I'm hopeful that your champions had figured out the song inside of the golden egg." Winnie thought back to about a week ago, when the group had gone to the Prefects bathroom, all trying to help Cedric.
"It said something about recovering what's been taken?" Winnie answered, though it came out as more of a question.
"Yes, Miss Black. Something special to each of our champions. Have you any idea what that might be?"
"I mean, I'd say Harry's glasses are pretty special; he can't see a bloody thing without them." Ron huffed. There were chuckles around the room.
"We thought we would take something even more special from them. You four are the the things the champions can not live without."
"I'm sorry?" Hermione asked. Winnie looked around to the adults in the room. Dumbledore, Mcgonagall, Snape, Madame Maxime, and Karkaroff.
"For Miss Fleur Delacour, her sister Clara. Mr. Krum has grown rather close to you, Hermione. For Harry, his best friend, Ron. As for Mr. Diggory, the young girl he loves, Winnifred." Did he still love her? Did he ever love her? They'd never said it to each other.
"Excuse me, professor, I'm not understanding." Winnie shook her head.
"You four will, with your permission, be placed under a bewitched sleep for the second task. You will be put in the bottom of the Black Lake, and the champions will recover you one by one."
"Bloody hell." Ron nearly melted into his chair.
"Professor, is this safe?" Hermione asked.
"I don't fancy drowning. I've got my O.W.L.S next year." Winnie spoke up. Clara was wide eyed, and kept looking to Madame Maxime.
"I can assure you, no harm will come to you. I've spoken to the mer-people myself. You won't wake until you are out of the water."
***
Cedric had looked for Winnifred everywhere. He'd practically searched the whole castle, but couldn't find her. He'd asked Luna if she'd seen her, and she's replied, saying that they were supposed to feed the thestrals together, but she never showed. He desperately wanted to apologize; he had been blinded by jealousy. He knew how Fred looked at Winnie, because it was the way he looked at her, himself. He couldn't blame Fred, Winnie was lovely. She was pretty, good at quidditch, smart, but most importantly; kind. Cedric loved how kind she was, and he had torn her down and made her doubt herself. He felt disgusted with himself. He only hoped she would understand.
When he got on the platform, looking over the Black Lake, he saw Sabrina and Prim in the stands. He rushed towards them, before he had to start his task.
"Have you seen Winnifred?" He asked. He was beginning to worry for her safety.
"No, but I heard what you told her last night." Sabrina crossed her arms.
"I know, it was wrong, and I'm sorry. That's why I need to find her! I have to tell her." He was quickly pulled forward with the other champions, leaving Prim to question what had happened the night before.
The cannon sounded, and Cedric quickly dived into the water. He used the bubblehead charm, something Winnifred and Sabrina had suggested.
It was very cold in the lake, and if Cedric were being honest, he felt like he was swimming in an ocean. He'd managed to get past the Grindylows, which were nasty creatures, and when he saw what the mer-people had taken, he was dumbfounded. Floating about a hundred feet away from him were four bodies. He recognized them all, but one concerned him more than the others. Winnie. His Winnifred was tied at the feet, her eyes closed, and body perfectly still as if she had been petrified. He swam as fast as he could to her, seeing Harry by them, too. He looked distraught. He wanted to save Ron, Hermione, and Winnie. But he felt relief knowing Cedric would save his god-sister. Cedric tapped his watch, telling Harry that his time was running out. He quickly grabbed a rock, cutting Winnie free, and began to swim up to the top.
Once they came bursting out of the water, Winnie awoke with a deep gasp. Cedric helped her onto the platform, grabbing the towel from Madame Pomfrey, and putting it around her.
"Freddie, I'm so sorry. I was stressed and jealous, and I should not have said that to you. Can you forgive me?" Winnie had always been quick to forgive anyway, but seeing Cedric's eyes looking into hers, she knew she couldn't be mad at him any longer.
"It's okay, I forgive you." She said, pulling him into a hug. Winnie looked around, shivering.
