Percy Jackson and the Triwizard Tournament (Goblet of Fire)

Chapter 39: Swimming

"What are you doing? It's not even February yet!"

Percy's head poked out of the water to find Harry standing at the shores of the lake. 'What? He hasn't seen someone fully dressed in his Hogwarts robes casually swimming around in a freakin' lake mid-winter before?'

Of course that's what he wanted to say, but for the sake of not coming up with a ridiculously long story he just said, "I lost my wand."

"In the lake!?"

Percy cursed mentally, hating having to be actually wet for the sake of "undercoverness" in the freezing water for once, "Yup. Don't ask."

Harry looked bewildered for a moment, before bursting out laughing. Percy awkwardly joined in too, still bobbing in the water.

"So you've just been swimming around? Why haven't you asked someone to use the summoning charm?"

"I... didn't think of that."

"Merlin's beard," Harry regained partial ability to breath, now only chuckling, "So you've just been swimming around in this massive lake looking for your wand under-"

He stopped talking. In fact, Harry's whole posture stiffened as he froze in place. His eyes seemed elsewhere as if mentally putting something together; Percy could literally see the gears clicking in place.

"Underwater..."

Harry practically mouthed the words they were so silent. Then he bolted back towards the castle, screaming on his way back, "Gotta go!

I just remembered something!"

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"I've thought you've already solved it by now!" Hermione hissed in his ear, which Harry hated to admit, but occurred so commonly that he had gotten used to it.

"I wouldn't say I haven't solved it... just... fine tuning it, alright?"

It was a Friday afternoon in charms class. And Harry, Ron, and Hermione were all sitting at a table in the far back corner of the room. Unluckily for their three American friends (well, he didn't suppose Ron had considered them friends, nor had any idea why), they were all sitting in the front of the room for err... the events which had happened yesterday.

Which also brings him to the story of why Percy was still proudly wearing a metallic star sticker on his left shoulder which had the lines saying 'You're a superstar!'

Yesterday was... interesting. It put Seamus' difficulties with spells to shame.

It all started when they had entered the classroom, and Flitwick proclaimed they were going to practice the summoning charm before moving onto other curriculum, while also giving a small speech on how proud he was to see Harry and Percy using their knowledge of charms in the first task.

The students were all lined up, practicing with very large textbooks. And like usual, Thalia was having some difficulties.

"Accio Hogwarts, A History!" Nothing happened, and in a more sterner, hostile tone she shouted again,

"Accio HOGWARTS, A HISTORY!"

From beside her, Harry noticed a book fly into Percy's face. But even if it did sound like a very painful 'thud' when it hit Percy directly in the nose, it only made Thalia angrier. She obviously was getting ticked off that she couldn't get the spell right when Percy could.

She shouted again, and again, and again, until Harry subconsciously looked up at the ceiling. The chandelier was decorated with wax candles, lighting up the entire room. But what didn't seem normal, even for a wizard's standards...