"Dad, I'm going to the lake with Orion!" I called into the open window.
Knowing that my father was probably holed up in the library again, I didn't bother waiting for an answer and went to Orion, who chirped excitedly when I approached.
I swung my leg over his back and he flew off.
The lake was a bit away, so we ducked behind the clouds so Muggles wouldn't notice the majestic beast that I rode on.
A sad life, Muggles must have. They never get the experience of waving a wand and having something happen or ride on the back of hippogriffs and pegasi.
We landed at the lake, which was bewitched to not let Muggles near - it had merpeople, you see. It'd give them quite a fright to be dragged in.
I landed, spotting the people that were usually there: the old lady that enjoyed feeding the pidgeons, the couple that now had a child named Phineas, and the father and daughter that liked to pet whichever animal I brought that day.
"Hippogriff today, Y/N?" the father asked.
I nodded. "Be careful," I warned.
The father gave his daughter careful instructions and she bowed, not breaking eye contact with Orion, trembling a bit. When Orion bowed in return, I took her hand and guided it to his beak.
Her jingling laughter made her father grin.
I strayed away, knowing that the two wouldn't mind caring for Orion while I waded through the water.
I took off my shoes and stepped into the lake, being urged to be careful by the old lady that sat on a bench nearby.
The water wasn't foreign to me. My mother used to bring me to this lake and go to the area that was waist deep so I could splash around when I was a baby.
There was a drop off near the centre of the lake that I was warned not to go near unless I wanted to fall.
I heard an odd screeching sound and peered in, not seeing anything through the murky water.
I broke the rule that many people knew by heart: don't go to the centre of the lake.
My head tilted, curious - so curious, in fact, that I hadn't notice something coiling around my leg, nor the people screaming at me to come back.
Suddenly, I felt a strong yank and I was pulled under.
I didn't think the sky could look as far as it did when I desperately looked up at the surface.
Even when I saw Orion drop someone in, their hand reaching out, I thought that I was going to die.
I was drowning.
•••
I gasped when we broke through the surface of the water and Cedric held me tightly. "Are you okay?"
I shook my head, shivering, my eyes shut tight. "I can't... I can't swim."
"It's alright, just hold on."
He swam through the water with me hanging around his neck and lifted me onto the dock. "Grab her first, she can't swim."
Someone grabbed my arm and pulled me up, then another helped Cedric.
Madam Pomfrey waded through the crowd, practically shoving me and Cedric to the side and wrapping us with thick towels.
I sat down on the ground, Cedric sat beside me. "Did something happen? Are you hurt?"
I looked down at the faint abrasion on my ankle and shook my head.
Madam Pomfrey rushed towards us a while later with Hermione and Krum - well, I was pretty sure it was Krum. His upper half was a shark.
"Such reckless Transfiguration!" Madam Pomfrey exclaimed, exasperated.
Hermione waved at me but I barely waved back, both Cedric and I fixated on the half-man-half-shark that had just trudged in.
"Are you alright?" she asked. "You look shaken."
I nodded.
After a bit later, Madam Pomfrey brought Fleur - well, tried to.
"Gabrielle!" she exclaimed. "I was attacked by the grindylows, my sister!"
Of all of us, she needed the most medical help, with cuts all along her face and arms and her clothes torn.
"Her sister's still down there," Hermione breathed.
"What about Harry?" My eyes went to the ginormous clock stations where everyone could see. My heart dropped at the thought of him being yanked under and Ron being left down there.
Was I mad at him, sure, but not mad enough to wish death upon his soul, you know?
Hermione, Cedric, and I stood to watch with the crowd, seeing nothing but the murky water when we peered into the Black Lake.
"Y/N!"
I turned and my anxiousness slipped away in a moment. "Neville!"
"Are you alright?" He placed his hands on my shoulders, trying to pull up the towel so it wouldn't fall.
"I could be better."
He yanked me into a hug, breathing shakily against my ear.
The crowd suddenly shouted and screamed and I turned my attention to the water, spotting Ron and the little girl, Gabrielle, bobbing in the water.
A few second later, they were both conscious, and Ron was helping the struggling Gabrielle keep her head above water.
Fleur was in hysterics, fighting against Madam Maxime's grip, trying to get to the girl floating in the water.
Then came Harry, covered in wounds - again - and gasping for air.
People gathered to help the three up onto the dock and I let out a sigh of relief, leaning my head on Neville's shoulder. He put his arm around me and patted my own.
Percy, strangely pale and face panic-stricken, rushed to grab Ron, while Fleur grabbed hold of her sister.
"Come!" Madam Pomfrey snapped, pulling me away from Neville's hold.
I flashed a smile at him before being pulled away to her station, where potions and medical supplies were easy access to her.
She was muttering indignantly as I stood next to Cedric. We looked at each other and snickered, perhaps mentally communicating that Krum with a shark head was quite amusing.
Hermione fussed over Harry, while Krum stood off to the side trying to gain back her attention. "You have a water beetle in your hair, Herm-own-ninny."
Hermione brushed off the water beetle and I looked down, watching it scurry off. It wasn't a water beetle, but my vision had been oddly blurry since I was brought back to the surface.
My attention was averted away from it when Madam Pomfrey shoved a Pepperup Potion into my grasp (after basically prying Ron from Percy's clutches). "Take this as well," she added, placing a bottle of Calming Draught in my free hand, a bit gentler this time. "You've been trembling since emerging from the water."
I looked down at the light blue liquid sloshing around in the container.
Not ready to be asked if I was "alright" or "okay" again, I quietly slipped away to drink both potions.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we have reached out decision!" Bagman announced. "Merchiefness Murcus has told us exactly what happened at the bottom of the lake, and we have therefore decided to award marks out of fifty for each of the champions as followed:
"Fleur Delacour, though she demonstrated excellent use of the Bubble-Head Charm, was attacked by grindylows as she approached her goal, and failed to retrieve her hostage. We award her twenty-five points."
Fleur shook her head disappointedly, likely feeling guilty for having Harry rescue her sister.
"Cedric Diggory, who also used the Bubble-Head Charm, was first to return with his hostage, though he returned one minute outside the time limit of an hour. We therefore award him forty-seven points."
I grinned at him and he grinned in return, then quickly turned to Cho, whose face glowed with pride. Lovebirds.
"Viktor Krum used an incomplete form of Transfiguration, which was nevertheless effective, and was second to return with his hostage. We award him forty points."
Harry appeared pale. He likely knew that he was well out of the time limit.
"Harry Potter used gillyweed to great effect," Bagman continued. "He returned last, and well outside the time limit of an hour. However, the Merchieftainess informs us that Mr. Potter was first to reach the hostages, and that the delay in his return was due to his determination to return all hostages to safety, not merely his own."
Bagman sent a glare in Karakaroff's direction. "Most of the judges-" likely excluding Karkaroff, "-feel that this shows moral fiber and merits full marks. However, Mr. Potter's score is forty-five points!"
I smiled and clapped. Now Harry was tied with Cedric.
Fleur clapped vigorously, but Krum appeared very displeased. He tried making Hermione's attention avert back to him, but she was too busy cheering for Harry.
Bagman informed everyone that the final task would take place at dusk on June 4. That meaning that it would go into the night - splendid. Everyone loves mosquitoes.
I followed Cedric back to the castle with Neville trudging beside me. He seemed rather frightened of Cedric, actually.
"That Karkaroff guy is such a bias judge," I mentioned. "I reckon that Percy's a better judge than him."
"You don't think it's anything suspicious, do you?" Neville asked worriedly.
I hummed. "Doubtful. If he expects Harry to die, he shouldn't care if he wins or not - you can't quite win if you're dead. I just think it's weird."
•••
Potions continued to be the most irritable class I ever had to partake in.
After an entire 10 points were somehow taken from Gryffindor, Snape strode over to their table, snatching something from Harry: a copy of Witch Weekly titled Harry Potter's Secret Heartache.
"Dear, dear, Potter, what's ailing you now? A boy like no other, perhaps - yet a boy suffering all the usual pangs of adolescence..."
He read the blatant lie of an article out to the class. Most students gave each other uncomfortable looks, knowing full well that Hermione and Harry were platonic with a capital P, but Slytherins snickered amongst themselves, some flashing their POTTER STINKS! badges in his direction.
"Well, I think I had better separate the three of you," Snape somehow concluded, "so you can keep your minds on your potions rather than on your tangled love lives. Weasley, you stay here. Miss Granger, over there, beside Miss Parkinson. Potter, that table infront of my desk. Move. Now."
I sat near Snape's desk, so near that I heard the quiet spat between the two that Snape kept quiet so no one else could listen in.
"So I give you fair warning, Potter," Snape continued softly, "pint-sized celebrity or not - if I catch you breaking into my office one more time-"
"I haven't been anywhere near your office!" Harry spat angrily.
"Don't lie to me. Boomslang. Gillyweed. Both come from my private stores, and I know who stole them."
I stopped listening in, staring into my already complete potion as it swirled in its cauldron. My brow furrowed, trying to connect the dots in my head.
"You were out of bed on the night my office was broken into!" Snape hissed. "I know it, Potter! Now, Mad-Eye Moody might have joined your fan club, but I will not tolerate your behavior!
My mouth opened in shock, then closed so I didn't appear to be eavesdropping.
Mr. Crouch was in Snape's office that night. I wasn't sure about the gillyweed - I'd have to ask Neville - but the boomslang, an ingredient in a Polyjuice Potion, could be why we hadn't been seeing him.
Because he was disguised.
My thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door and everyone's head turned.
"Enter," Snape said.
The class watched as the door opened and Karkaroff came in. "We need to talk."
"I'll talk to you after my lesson, Karkaroff."
"I want to talk now, while you can't slip off, Severus."
I paused in pretending to read my Potions book. They were on a first name basis?
"After the lesson," Snape snapped.
For the rest of the period, Karkaroff lingered, making Snape's face look ever more sour than it usually did.