"Harry, tell me again!" Hermione ordered, wandering about in circles as she held onto the Golden egg. They were all now in the library after Harry told them about the hint he had gotten from the egg. Cedric had advised him to put it underwater to hear the given hint which was also...
"Come seek us where our voices sound," the boy replies, repeating the poem for the hundredth time.
"That's the black lake. Obvious!" she exclaimed, passing by Ron who was peacefully snoring, clearly too bored to listen on. The girl clicks her tongue and shoves the egg to the red-headed boy, causing him to jump awake, muttering a short curse under his breath. "Will you help a little, Ronald?" she asks, annoyed.
"Will you stop going round and round? You're making me dizzy!" he snaps back, causing Hermione to glare at him.
"Alright, enough. You two love birds," Aine sighs, catching the egg that Ron had tossed over to her.
"An hour-long you'll have to look..." Harry uttered on, tapping his chin on the dusty thick book, he already felt defeated even before the second task began.
"Again, obvious. Though, admittedly, potentially problematic," Hermione frowns and Harry jerks to her, "Potentially problematic? When's the last time you held your breath underwater for an hour, Hermione?" he retorted, his anger rising again and Hermione shuts her mouth, realizing that she was only fuelling his anxiety.
Aine patted his hand, calming him down as he sighs loudly, "The plan now is to figure out how you can hold your breath long enough."
"Yeah, how? We barely got a day to learn a new spell that could help!" the boy groans, pulling his hair as he slumps his face back onto the book.
"We'll figure something out," Aine reassures, eyes gazing blankly at the thousands of towering books and yet she wasn't thinking about books. She was thinking about what could help with holding your breath underwater. Spells obviously wouldn't work since there wasn't enough time for her friend to master it as he did before in the first round. This means they had to use another approach that doesn't include learning spells or enchanting, but all the methods Aine could think of involves enchantments and incantations. There's the transfiguration method and the bubble-head charm, but time is limited. She chewed on her lips, there must surely be another way...
"Look, Harry, we can do this. The four of us can figure it out!" Hermione consoles the boy before a voice echoed from behind, "Hate to break up the skull session. Professor McGonagall wants you in her office," said Professor Moody, Harry immediately standing up only to be shot down, "Not you, Potter, just... Weasley and Granger."
Aine exchanged glances with her two friends who shrugged, before Hermione interjected, "But, sir, the second task is only hours away, and—"
"Exactly. Presumably, Potter is well prepared by now—" Moody turns to the champion, "and could do with a good night's sleep. Go. NOW!" he barked, Ron flinching at the sudden outburst and Hermione huffs, rage in her eyes but she said no more but sharing one last look to Harry and Aine before stomping away with Ron.
"Longbottom! Why don't you help Potter put his books back?" The professor instructed without turning to look at the boy who was behind him, minding his own business.
"Oh, yeah. Sure," Neville replies, walking over as Moody clumps away, eyeing Aine who stares back at him. He grins and she raises a brow before the man shook his head, turning down the library shelving as he left.
When he was gone, Aine placed the egg back onto the table before helping Harry in placing the massive books back with the guidance of Neville. The atmosphere was awkward and solemn as the three Gryffindors return them, Neville, taking the courage to talk, finally spoke out, "You know, if you're interested in plants. you'd be better off with Goshawk's Guide to Herbology," he introduces to Harry, pointing at the book he was reading earlier.
"Oh! I'll have a read at that!" Aine beams, running towards the most solid book she's ever yet to read, flipping a few pages as Neville recommended a few other Herbology books to her. Sure, Aine was brilliant at Potions, but there were lots of plants and exotic flowers and ingredients she has yet to learn about which could help her in her area of interest. "Thanks, Nev!"
The boy smiles shyly, scratching the back of his head as he was happy that he could offer some help, turning to Harry, he went on, "Do you know there's a wizard in Nepal who's growing gravity-resistant trees?"
Harry instantly told him off, his tone making Aine a little annoyed, "Neville, no offence, but l really don't care... About plants, or any sort of stuff you just said. I'm only interested in something that allows me to breathe underwater right now." he said, and the smile on Neville's face fell, Aine darted at her friend, "Don't be mean, Harry. He was just helping, like the rest of us."
The boys swallowed and Aine continues to flip the pages of Goshawk's Guide to Herbology, the deafening silence looming around them. She ignores the little puffs of sigh that Harry was giving before he spoke again, "If there's a Tibetan turnip that will allow me to breathe underwater for an hour. Then great! But otherwise—"
Neville's face lighted up as soon as he has an idea of what Harry might be looking for, "l don't know about a turnip... But you could always use Gillyweed!"
"Gilly what now?" Harry replies, not in the mood for a lecture about strange plants and their dubious names.
"Gillyweed, Harry!" Aine cheers, looking to Neville who nodded, "That same plant we saw the other day! I'm sure it allows you to breath underwater for quite some time! You're genius, Neville!" she said, clasping her hands.
"But I'm not sure if they're ready for harvest, Aine. I mean, they do take a long while to mature..." Neville trails off, and Harry smacks his head with the book again, "It's no use! I'll never be able to find it anyways! Maybe I should just give up on this next task."
"Nonsense!" Aine scolds, slapping Harry's back and making him straighten up, "Ow! Jeez, Aine!"
"You head back to the common room to rest up! Neville and I will go check on the Gillyweed we found last time! Understood?"
"But—"
"You need to rest before the second task, Harry! We'll figure something out!"
"Are you sure...?"
"Yes. Now run along!" she orders, rushing Harry out of the library, earning a small glower from him, "You're acting like Hermione now."
"You'll thank us later," she smirks, waving at Harry who toddles back before turning to Neville, "Let's go check some Gillyweed, shall we, Nev?"
~
After a long search for Gillyweed, only did both Neville and Aine realize it wasn't ripe enough. However, their search wasn't in vain as Moody had caught on, taking Neville along with him as they chatted about the fascinating plant that could help Harry in breathing underwater for the next task; leaving Aine stranded in the middle of the Hogwarts grounds as she walks back dejectedly to her common room.
Soon later, it was finally time for the second task to begin. Aine, hand in hand with Ginny approached the Black lake. It was already time for the trial to begin and yet ever since Moody had instructed both Hermione and Ron to visit McGonagall, they were nowhere to be seen. "I'm sure they're just loitering somewhere, maybe snogging," Ginny teases and Aine snorted, "I doubt that."
"Any bets? Any bets!" Aine watches as Fred and George snuck around with a trunk hanging around their necks and a big grin on their faces as they asked around, "Come on, place your bets!"
"Step up, mates! Don't be shy!"
"Three lads!"
"One lady."
"Four go down!" Fred shouts.
"But do four come up?" the other twin raises an amused brow, wiggling it.
Shaking their heads, Ginny purposely bumped through them and they turned to their little sister, "Don't be so mean," she scolded, eyeing them in disbelief while Aine simply gave up trying to stop them, knowing that it never works. Not even once.
"Have you two seen Ron and Hermione?" Aine asks them and they looked at each other, shrugging, "Probably snogging somewhere," Fred replies and the girl groans, running her nails through her hair, "You are all definitely related," she comments, pointing at the twins and her best friend.
George snickers, ruffling her hair, "Don't know what that means, but any bets, Ai?"
"Nope. I'm good," she told them, unwilling to bet on anyone.
"Boring!" booed Fred before Ginny lightly punched him from behind, earning a loud yelp before they quickly escape their sister's clutches. "Fleur's 1 0-1," they continue advertising.
"Why are they like this, it's embarrassing," Ginny said, rolling her eyes and Aine chuckled, "You tell me."
The girls took a short boat ride deeper into the Black Lake where three towers stand tall in the middle of it. Aine grabs onto Neville's hand as she climbs up the stands, meeting Harry there who purses his lips, tensed and not speaking. "He has the Gillyweed!" Neville told the girls who snapped their heads to him, "You found it?" Aine asks, relieved that Harry wouldn't be drowning without it.
"Yeah, Moody gave it to me!" he whispers to them both, making Aine blink back her surprise. She didn't know how he managed to get it since they were searching around the Hogwarts waters for it but to no avail. Either way, she was glad that the professor was helping Harry, although it does seem a little suspicious as to how he could achieve the plant.
"Maybe he asked Professor Snape for it!" Ginny chimes and Aine shook her head, "Snape rarely shares anything with the other professors other than Professor Dumbledore and McGonagall, and sometimes Madam Pomfrey."
"And you!" the red-headed girl said, and Aine groans, "Yeah, except for me cleaning his classrooms and left-over cauldrons!" She throws her head back and meets the eyes of Aion who waved with a smile.
"Good luck, Fleur!" the girl whisper-shouted to the Beauxbatons champion who grins stiffly, shaking her hands as she stretches.
"Good luck to you two, Ced— Krum," she added, giving them both a polite fist pump as they nodded and returned a friendly smile.
Aine and Ginny walked up to their friend, shivering from both the brutally cold wind and nervousness, "You got this, Harry!" they cheered, patting him on the back. The boy gave a slight smile but it soon faded as he gazed in the bleak dark lake, thoughts running wild in his head as the Headmaster announced, "Welcome to the second task!"
"Last night, something was stolen from each of our champions. A treasure of sorts. These four treasures, one for each champion, now lie on the bottom of the Black Lake. In order to win—each champion need only find their treasure and return to the surface. Simple enough! Except for this, they will have but one hour to do so, and one hour only!"
"An hour-long you have to look, to recover what we took," Aine mutters to herself, that was the clue that Harry had gotten from the Golden egg. An hour-long?! In this massive lake? Godric knows how deep it could even be!
She glanced at her friend, growing worried for him and she wonders if he could make it. Shaking her head, she rejects all of the floodings overthinking thoughts she has, reassuring herself that Harry would be fine. He's battled a bloody Basilisk, hundreds of Dementors, a Hungarian Horntail, what could be harder, right...?
Gulping, she clenches Ginny's hand and her best friend squeezes hers back, feeling the creeping fear over their shoulders. She watches as Harry placed the Gillyweed in his mouth, gagging and coughing like he was choking on it.
"Are you alright, mate?" Cedric asks him, realizing his schoolmate and fellow champion's contorted face and Harry simply nodded awkwardly, trying to swallow the disgusting plant. It seemed that he was having a rather hard time downing the plant that Moody was smacking his back to help him with it.
Well, figured. It was mentioned in books that the Gillyweed was effective but also awfully gross to eat due to their taste.
"After that, they'll be on their own. No magic will save them. You may begin at the sound of the cannon!" Dumbledore added, and immediately, a loud booming sound erupted out of nowhere, catching everyone off guard as they watch the champions dive into the freezing water; cheering for their schoolmates.
Aine winces as Harry was the last one to dip into the lake, and was only able to when Moody throws him in despite his struggles. "He's going to alright, right?" she asks the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher whose face was stern and cold, "He'll be fine!" he huffs.
"Sure."
"What's the matter with him?" she heard Seamus ask, kneeling onto the wooden planks with Dean and Neville standing behind them both, "I don't know, can't see!" Dean replies, squinting through the muddy water.
Neville rushes to Aine and Ginny, freaking out, "Oh my god! I've killed Harry Potter!" he cries, scrunching his hair as he grows teary-eyed.
"He's going to be fine!" Ginny calms him and Aine steps closer to the edge, staring deeply into the lake before something suddenly flew out from it, making her shriek and almost lose her balance into the lake.
"Woop! Got you!" she looks to the corner of her eye, meeting green pupils and a charming smile, "Oh! Thanks, Aion."
"You're most welcome."
"Heh. Phew!" she sighs in relief, chuckling with embarrassment as she smoothes out her jacket. Avoiding his eyes for a moment and meeting a smirking Ginny behind his shoulders, she gives her friend a look before pulling her near, not wanting to be alone.
"What?" her friend mouths to her, frowning.
"Stay here with me," Aine replies.
"Why!"
"It's awkward."
"Jeez, Ai. Just act casual."
"Yeah, like that is easy!"
"What are you girls whispering about?" Aion asks, making Aine whip to him, "Nothing!" she exclaimed happily, waving her hands as he smiles with confusion. She tore her attention back to the lake, squatting down with Aion as they waited for their friends to surface up with the treasure they ought to save.
"How are you holding up in class?" he suddenly asks her and she sighs, "Alright, I guess. Everything's normal except—" Aine pauses, drifting to a certain figure that appeared in her mind, she gulps uneasily.
"Except?"
Aine doodles onto the wooden dock's planks, "It's weird to say it."
"You don't have to if you don't want to talk about it," he told her, and she swallows her words while fiddling with the pendant that peeked out from her sweater. Sensing Aine's discomfort, Aion clears his throat before his eyes travelled to her necklace, "That's a beautiful piece of jewellery," he complimented, changing the topic before things get too awkward between them.
Aine smiles, looking down at it, "My dad gave me this during Christmas," she said as she caresses the stone, "It belonged to my mother."
The boy twitched at her words, making Aine turn to him. His lips parted slightly and his brows were raised, almost as if surprised. "I see..." he replies softly, pulling out his hand where his ring slid in his finger nicely, "My father gave me this." He showed her his ring where a hexagonal crystal sat in the middle of the piece.
"It's pretty," she commented and he smiles, "I know right. It was my mother's, but she gave it to my dad who later gave it to me," he boasted, caressing the gem.
Aine looks at the stone, the crystal-clear grey gem reminded her of her necklace, "Hey, it looks like my necklace..." she mumbles, the colour was very similar to her pendant's stone and it looked like only the shape was different. Aion stares at her neck, softening at the sight before he looks away, "It does..."
"Can I ask you a really weird question?" she asks, wincing slightly at her abruptness.
"Yeah, go ahead. What's weird about your question?"
She went quiet for a second, chewing her lips before she spoke, "Do you happen... Just— Well, just happen to know..." she stutters, not sure how to bring the topic up. Yet, instead of interrupting her, Aion decided to let her speak whenever she was ready since she seemed like she was in a dilemma.
"I know this sounds weird, but do you happen to know anyone who is called 'Lady Luceras'? I mean— Well, I just assumed you know because same surnames and all but... It's weird and I know, but do you... Do you know anyone of that title?" she rambles, fidgeting with her fingers as she waited for his answer. Aine was always curious about the familiar name that kept popping up ever since last year when Pettigrew mistakenly called her 'Lady Luceras'. When she finally knew Aion's name, she couldn't help but wonder if he knew someone of that name since they share the same last names.
However, Aion simply froze and his expression darkened and it was as if he was calculating something and instantly, Aine regretted what she had asked him. The boy grew silent and she started to worry, "Did... Did I say something wrong?"
The Beauxbaton boy blinked, snapping back to her, "Oh! No! No. No! Not at all. I was just a little baffled," he apologizes. "Lady Luceras..." he mumbles to himself.
Aine peered into his eyes, almost lost for a moment as he replied with a soft voice, "No, I do not know her."
A small 'Oh' escaped Aine's lips and she breaks the eye contact, looking away with a rather disappointed smile. She thought for a moment that perhaps the boy knew her, and perhaps that he had the answers to the questions she was so desperately trying to find out; questions that she couldn't ask her father and answers she couldn't get even if she tried asking him. Her shoulders slumped lower as she continues doodling imaginary pictures on the wooden plank, her sadness visible all over her face.
"I'm sorry," the boy said awkwardly.
"Don't worry about it," Aine brushes off with a forced smile, shaking her head. She didn't mean to make him feel uncomfortable about it.
"Have I upset you?" he dared to ask her.
"No. I'm not upset about you. Just... Wasn't quite the answer I was expecting but then kind of expected it," she chuckles bitterly.
"Why are you looking for this lady, might I ask?"
"Someone used to say that I resemble this person and since you had the same last name, I just thought you knew her," Aine reveals and a hum escaped from Aion.
"Is she important to you?"
"Maybe a little. I guess I'm more intrigued by her since someone had mistaken me for her. Just wanted to know what she looked like. I just thought perhaps, she might be a clue for me to figure out who I really am."
"Why is that so?" he asked before she turned to him, "I'm sorry, am I asking too many questions?"
"Well, we have some time to waste while waiting for our friends down the lake, don't we?" she snickers and he nodded with a laugh, "I supposed we do."
It was weird, Aion was that person who she felt like she could open up to him. Even though it was barely a year since they've met, she felt a sense of comfort and bond with him that she never felt before. It was as if they've known each other for long and she felt it ever since the Yule Ball.
"How do you describe your mother?" she asks him, and he took a deep breath, "That's a bold question you're asking, Aine," he chuckles.
"Oh, really?" she replies, "I'm just curious since I never had one."
"I'm sorry..."
"Don't be. I should be the one apologizing—"
"No. I... I uh— Well, my mother was beautiful. She was noted for her beauty and was kind to everyone around her, so much that sometimes people would take advantage of her kindness. She was naive and clumsy at times but she was also brave and bold and powerful..." he told her, smiling at the thought of his mother before his smile slowly faded, "Yet she was fragile, like an ornamental glass. She was strong but also weak that sometimes I feel our roles have switched but I loved her very much."
"She sounds like a great person."
Aion cast his gaze down, "She is."
"That's nice. I've always wondered what it's like to have a mother and often envied those who had them. But I've got dad and he's very strong too!" she brags and he chuckles as she started telling him all about her father. About how he was exceptionally gifted at potions, and how modest and humble he was and how he was everything she aspired to be. Aion's lips curled as he watches her proudly describes her father to him, yet there was something so empty about her like she longed for someone.
"If you don't mind me asking, what happened to your mother?" he carefully prodded.
Aine frowned at the mention of it, "She just left so I barely know anything of her."
"Don't you want to find her?"
"Well, yeah. Of course, I do. I want to ask her why she left me and dad, I wanted to complain to her about it. Just what could be so important that she left us and never came back? But... after all this time, after all those years that passed with her absence, I guess everything just feels empty, there is no emotions or feelings left. Just nothingness," she murmured, her eyes that stare longingly into the horizon of the lake held both hope and a flicker of hatred.
"What would you do if you saw her one day? If she ever comes back?" he asks her and Aine's lips fell into a thin line as if contemplating what to say, "I... Don't know. All these feelings just feel locked up and dropped into a bottomless sea, I've told myself that thinking about it only makes me despair so I stopped."
Her eyes clouded and she clenched her fist, feeling her nails digging into her palms. How strange, to feel both desire and resentment at the same time. She scoffed softly under her breath, not realizing that the thirst of finding out about her mother only fuelled her spark of rage, slowly but surely. Yet, only time shall she know, whether the flame in her would embrace her with warmth, or would it corrupt and destroy her from within.
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