Annabeth Smith in the Goblet of Fire

Chapter Eleven: The Second Task

As time started to run out, the bond started to pound in Annabeth's ears, screaming louder and louder. The clock chimed for the end of the Second Task just as Ron and Fleur's little sister, Gabrielle, surfaced, but Harry was nowhere to be seen.

"Harry! Harry!" Annabeth yelled. I have to go into the water. I have to save him. She turned to run down to the platform to dive in.

Fred and George held her back. "What do you think you're doing?" George asked his girlfriend.

"Yeah, it's not like you can go jumping in the water after him." Fred told her.

"I have to get to Harry. I have to save him. What if no one's trying to save him?" Annabeth tried.

"I'm sure Dumbledore's on it." George assured her.

"Stay here." Fred ordered.

They watched as Ron helped Gabrielle to the platform where Fleur helped them out of the water. Suddenly, Annabeth's head snapped up when Harry flew out of the water and landed on the platform.. The bond instantly quieted down. Annabeth fell over from relief and George caught her in his arms.

"Oh, thank God!" Annabeth cried out.

Everyone around them, even the twins, start to cheer loud. Then, Dumbledore's voice boomed out as he used the Amplifying Charm. "ATTENTION!" When everyone quieted down, he read out the results. "The winner is Mr. Diggory who showed unique command of the Bubble Head Charm. However, seeing as Mr. Potter would have finished first had it not been for his determination to rescue not only Mr. Weasley but the others as well, we've agreed to award him Second Place for outstanding moral fibre. Because of this, it moves Mr. Krum to Third Place and as Miss Delacour did not complete the task she has come in Fourth Place. That is all."

After Dumbledore's announcement, Annabeth, Fred, and George made their way to the boats to head for the Black Lake dock and go back to the castle. As they reached the boats, they came upon Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Annabeth ran to her cousin and nearly bowled him over.

"Ow." Harry cried out in pain, but Annabeth refused to let go.

"Let the boy breath." George told her before he and Fred pulled her off of Harry.

"I thought something had really happened to you this time." Annabeth explained.

"No, I'm still here, and relatively in one piece." Harry assured her.

"Yes, you are." She said as the group climbed into the boats.

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When they arrived back at the Black Lake dock, Annabeth was standing ahead of Harry on Hermione's right as Fred and George helped Ron out of his boat.

"It's all that moral fibre, eh?" Fred was joking about Dumbledore's speech.

They walked off. "Yeah, well. Well done, Moral Fibre." George told him as Harry came up to Bartemius Crouch. Annabeth, Fred, and George walked off with Hermione and Ron as Harry stopped to talk with the Ministry employee. At first, Annabeth was curious about it, but then George called out to her. "Annabeth? You coming?"

"Y-Yeah." She took his hand and they headed for the castle.

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The news broke of Bartemius's death quickly. A couple of months later, after a Transfigurations class one day, Professor McGonagall stopped Annabeth on her way out. "Professor Dumbledore has asked to speak with you." She turned to Fred and George who had stopped as well. "Go on to your next class, Boys. Inform Professor Moody that Miss Smith will be a bit late as she will be with the Headmaster."

To McGonagall's surprise, the twins didn't fight her on it. George simply stepped up to Annabeth. "Want me to take your books to Professor Moody's classroom so you don't have to take them with you to Professor Dumbledore's office?"

Annabeth smiled at him and handed them over. "Thanks. I'll see you both soon."

"Right." Fred and George said in unison before heading off to Defence Against the Dark Arts.

McGonagall left the classroom with Annabeth following her. When they got to the gargoyle, McGonagall repeated the password and urged Annabeth forward onto the steps before she left. At the top of the steps, Annabeth knocked.

"Come in, Miss Smith." Dumbledore called out. Annabeth opened the door to find Snape there with her Headmaster. She closed the door behind herself knowing exactly whom they would be discussing, and crossed the room to the two teachers. "We have some very important developments to discuss." Dumbledore began to pace. "Harry found the Pensieve." Annabeth had been shown the Pensieve during her first meeting with Snape and Dumbledore and was taught what it was used for. She found it fascinating.

"And? Why is that a problem?" Snape asked. "Unless he found a memory that specifically states the secret, it shouldn't be an issue."

"Perhaps it's not." The Headmaster sighed. "I just hoped he wouldn't have to know about it for a little while longer. Also, he found the memory of when Barty Crouch Junior was discovered at Igor's trial. Now, he knows about Igor's former life as a Death Eater."

Annabeth gasped. "Igor? As in Professor Karkaroff?"

Snape looked to Dumbledore. "Hadn't told your protégé yet?"

Dumbledore sighed again. "No. I forgot I hadn't what with the tournament and Barty's death." He turned to Annabeth. "Yes, Igor Karkaroff, Headmaster of Durmstrang Institute is a former Death Eater, but he's not the same man he was during the war. Igor is now a good friend of mine."

"And you trust him to be near Harry? Even with Harry competing against his own student?" Annabeth questioned.

"I do."

Annabeth thought it over. I trust Dumbledore. If I'm willing to trust Snape, who dislikes Harry simply because of James, but still has his own secret reasons for protecting him, just because Dumbledore trusts him, then what makes Professor Karkaroff any different? I should trust Professor Karkaroff as well. Decided, she answered him. "Very well. I trust you and your judgement. That should extend to him."

"Did you only call us here about the Pensieve?" Snape wondered.

"No, there's more." Dumbledore started pacing again. "Mr. Potter's having dreams, or rather, something more than dreams. They're a connection to Voldemort. He's seeing what Voldemort's doing. Who he's with. I fear it may be the part of Voldemort's soul in him."

"What do we do about it?" Annabeth asked.

"You, Miss Smith, keep an eye on your cousin and monitor how often he's effected by these dreams if you can. In the meantime, Severus and I will prepare for the opportune time when we can train Harry against these dreams. Soon Voldemort will learn of this connection between the two of them and will seek to harness it. When the time comes, Severus will train Mr. Potter to fight against him."

"Why don't we just start training him now?"

"At this point, everyone still believes Voldemort to be dead. We don't want to scare the boy before we have to." Snape pointed out.

"Severus is correct. It's not time yet. But it will be soon." Dumbledore decided.