Chapter 34: Something old, something new, Zuc's invading minds and who are you?
Meanwhile, underwater, Lucy was continuing to battle the sea creatures that desperately wanted to kill her. She couldn't get rid of them, her wand was at the bottom of the black lake and she couldn't swim down to get it because the monsters had a too tight grip on her.
She tried to get rid of them as the voice of Lord Zuc circled her head, she wasn't going mad...No, this was real. This was not her imagination. She wasn't going to survive, soon the charm she was using would wear off and she would be left to die, her last memory being Lord Zuc's words and the monsters trying to kill her.
'Lucy,' a male's voice said and Lucy could of sworn it was Lord Zuc's voice and was about to try and scream underwater again when she opened her eyes and saw Snape there. He had cast a charm on himself too and had now taken out his wand and was getting rid of the monsters for her. One by one they sunk down to the bottom of the black lake and Lucy gulped as she realised that could have been her.
'Thank you so much, dad,' Lucy thought and knew that Snape would of heard it through his mind. She kept herself afloat then turned back to Snape. 'I need to save Fred, and I also need to get my wand. I dropped it while those monsters were attacking me.'
'I'll get your wand but I can't get Mr. Weasley, that's your job to get him. I'm afraid that would eliminate you from the competition.'
'Be my guest, that's what I want.'
'Why don't you prove me that you can get him? Come on, then we can get this over with.'
'OK, lets go.'
The two of them began to venture back down deeper into the black lake and Lucy found Fred there along with another person...
It was Anastasia.
'Dad! Anastasia wasn't there before!' Lucy said and Snape turned to her.
'How did she get there?'
'I don't know! But I still have to rescue her!'
'You get Mr Weasley and Miss Garcia, I'll go find your wand.'
Lucy nodded and Snape saw the light of Lucy's wand on the floor and dived down to get it while Lucy swam down to find the lock that held Fred to see floor. She waited for Snape as he found her wand and when he passed it to her she opened the lock and Fred was free, she grabbed him before he could drift away in the current of the sea. She then found and opened the lock that held Anastasia to the sea floor and grabbed her too.
The two of them swam up to the surface while Lucy struggled to hold onto both Anastasia and Fred, despite the fact that Snape wanted to help her he knew he couldn't as Lucy had to complete the second task by saving both of her friends. This was not her duty.
They weren't far from the surface now, it was just a bit further. But just when they thought they were safe a creature that had tried to attack Lucy earlier came back and dragged her down. Lucy tried to scream but couldn't. She let go of Fred and Anastasia and gently pushed them upwards so they would be able to reach the surface and swim to safety. Hopefully the enchantment would break when they reached the surface.
'You will not win, Lucy Snape, neither will your father. He won't be here to save you any longer. You're finished.'
The voice of Lord Zuc echoed around her head as she desperately tried to flick the creature off of her but it's claws had sunk into her side and were not going to let go any time soon, her enchantment was wearing off and the creature was preventing her from using her wand. She wasn't going to survive, she knew it. No matter how hard she tried. And she didn't know if Snape could save her either. At least her friends were safe, that was all that was important. She just wished that her dad would leave and save himself.
'Leave!' Lucy told Snape through her mind but he didn't, he was trying to prevent the creature from attacking her but it refused to let go of her.
'I'm not leaving without you,' Snape replied, his voice firm.
'She won't survive, Snape!' Now Kingston's voice could be heard. 'She's ours now you don't stand a chance!'
Lucy screamed as the creatures claws tightened around her throat, blocking off her windpipe, which was useless at that point anyway. She tried to fight thr creature off but it wouldn't go, no matter how hard she struggled it wouldn't let go.
'Goodbye, Lucy Snape,' Zuc's voice whispered and Lucy was just about to give up hope when she grabbed her wand and killed the creature with one spell.
Her throat hurt and the blood coming out of her throat and side looked like red mist. She knew she didn't have long before she would officially run out of air because the charm was wearing off so her and Snape swam to the surface where they were immediately greeted by cheers. And there waiting for them was Fred, Shona and Anastasia.
"Finished skinny dipping, Snivy?" Shona winked as Fred helped Lucy out of the water.
"Be quiet, McGuire," Snape hissed as Shona handed him his coat, shoes and top and he snatched them from her as soon as he was out of the water.
"I can't believe this!" Anastasia shook her head and emptied the water out of her hat. "An hour to find what you've lost and if you don't, you don't get your friends back!"
"Oh, don't worry. That was a lie. They only made it up to scare contestants." Shona said.
"They did a damn good job, didn't they?" Lucy spat as she ran her fingers across the claw marks in her throat. "Have you seen what's happened to me? I suspect they'll find that acceptable..."
"That's not the worst that's happened in the tri wizard tournament before..." Shona said darkly.
"That's as maybe but I didn't even want to be in this tournament! They do realise this don't they?"
"I know, I know but they're still treating you like a contestant because you got chosen even if you didn't put your name into the goblet of fire. That's how the tournament works unfortunately."
After that Snape walked off, as well as Anastasia who went to talk to Fleur but not before thanking Lucy. Which just left Lucy, Shona and Fred.
'What happened down in the black lake?" Fred whispered to Lucy, nodding to her throat which was more painful than it seemed.
'Some sort of sea creature attacked me, it was as though it was being controlled by Lord Zuc. I know he wants me dead...All because of that orb..." Lucy replied weakly.
"That shouldn't of happened, that was definitely not part of the second task. I know that for a fact."
"There's nothing we can do about it now, one more task and the whole things over with. I don't care if I win or lose, I just want to get the thing over with. You know? So I can get on with life and not have anything else to worry about."
"Fair enough..."
"I really don't get this tri wizard tournament, if it's killed people before why are they still hosting it?" Shona wondered aloud.
"I have no idea, but what concerns me more is why someone would put my name in the goblet of fire," Lucy said.
"I don't know anyone who would out it in there...I know none of your friends would do it and none of your enemies would either, even Draco Malfoy he wouldn't risk it..."
"I just hope I don't find out who it was?"
"Why?"
"Because if I do, I'll make that person wish they were never born..."
"SILENCE!" Dumbledore's voice barked all of a sudden. "And now that all our contestants have returned, we have come to a conclusion who are the winners. In first place we have Cedric Diggory!"
A defeaning roar began as people slapped Cedric on the back and were generally proud for one of Hogwarts' champions.
"And alongside him, Harry Potter and Lucy Snape as they both rescued two people!" Dumbledore smiled as Shona let out a terrific cheer for her best friend.
"You did it!" Shona said slapping Lucy on the back. "I knew you could!"
"Thanks, Shona," Lucy said with a smile.
"In second place we have Victor Krum and in fourth, as she failed to complete the challenge, Fleur Delacour."
"Serves her right," Fred chuckled as everyone began to pour out of the stadium and to the boats.
Everyone was diverted to different boats, Lucy and Snape were given their own one while Shona, Fred and George went into another. George was ecstatic to see his brother whom he hadn't seen since last night which made Lucy smile.
"You tied first then?" Snape said. "I'm proud of you."
"With help!" Lucy laughed and Snape shook his head.
"I prevented you from dying, I know Dumbledore wouldn't mind that. Besides, you're underage and those creatures were not part of the tournament I can tell you now."
"Was it me or I heard Lord Zuc?"
"You weren't the only one, I can truly believe why you fear him." Snape replied and put a hand gently on her shoulder as the boat began to move back to towards Hogwarts. "It isn't your fault."
"As long as we keep the orb safe we're fine..." Lucy sighed.
"Even if we do have to suffer the consequences." Snape added sadly.
"It'll be worth it in the end."
"I hope so...I hope so..."
* * *
"My Lord, we have failed to get her," Kingston whispered to his master who was stood up wearing a suit, his back facing him as though he was some sort of important God.
"You're a brave man, Joshua, uttering the words that no other has dared to speak in front of Lord Zuc the Mighty. Although, they are in fact the truth." Zuc replied but Kingston didn't say anything he just watched his master in respect. "Of course we failed to catch her, but it does not bother me as much as it should. For we need that orb to fulfil unfinished duties left to us by Vasil, he might of failed but I vow that we shall not. We will not lose again, my dear friend." Zuc confirmed triumphantly.
"When will we proceed another attack on her?"
"When?" Zuc turned on Kingston, his face was full of surprise as though this was all new to him. Kingston quivered in fright as he knew he had said the wrong thing. "We will not invade her mind as much as we have, oh no, she will not see ad hear us through her mind."
"So we're giving up?" Kingston mumbled weakly but Zuc still heard and a moment later Zuc had his massive hands around Kingston's throat and brought him up to eye level.
"Give up? I don't think so." Zuc growled at the man. "My, my, Kingston, I thought you knew better than that. Do you think after recruiting my army and so desperately trying to find people like you I would just simply surrender to a girl who has escaped our clutches yet again?"
"No...So what do you propose we do?" Kingston choked.
"We'll meet her, face to face and we shall show her how much danger she's in unless she gives us the orb, if she gives that to us no damage will be inflicted on her and the ones she loves. If she hands the orb over, we will be unbeatable and will be able to restore the medieval islands to it's full state and will be in charge, give fairer rules than the wizards ever did to their people." Zuc paused then dropped Kingston on the floor. "But, she won't have her father to help her. She'll just have me and you to fight, she won't stand a chance."
Lucy's eyes snapped open.
It was a dream. She thought desperately and sat up to find that it was the next day, and it took her a few moments to realise that yesterday she had completed the second task and that she had tied first place with Cedric and Harry and everyone would be so proud of those three.
She got out of bed and walked over to her window, she opened the curtains then the window to reveal the landscape of Hogwarts, complete with Hagrid's hut in the distance, she sat on her windowsill and stared out at the scene before her. She even dared to look at the black lake that looked beautiful in the early morning light despite the fact that such terror lie underneath it.
"Morning," someone said and Lucy looked up to find Snape standing there by her door. She looked at him confused and he walked over and sat down next to her. "I sense you've had a bad dream?"
"Dream? What are you talking about? They're visions," Lucy snapped. She could no longer fool herself into thinking that they were just figments of her imagination, even if she wanted them to be. "And this time Zuc's out to get me for real."
"Are you feeling alright?" He wondered aloud and placed his palm and Lucy's forehead and she scowled.
"I'm fine, but you're not listening to me. Zuc's after me because of the orb, and he said that - "
"Shh..." He said gently and Lucy realised she was going into hysterics, tears were running down her face. "I know it's painful for you but I promise everything will be fine soon."
"I'm not looking forward to the third task," Lucy muttered glancing out to the black lake again. "I don't even know what this one is, that's what makes it worse."
"Don't worry, this is the last task then you won't have to worry about it any longer."
"I suppose so but what will happen next year?"
"I'm afraid I can't predict the future but I'm sure things will be a lot better than they have been."
"Well I damn hope that we'll be able to kill Lord Zuc, purely with our own talents."
Snape looked at Lucy and did a double take. "Who are you and what have you done with my daughter?"
"You heard what I said correctly I presume?"
"Yes but I think I need to go and get my ears checked if I heard what I thought I heard."
"You don't need them checked, I mean every word I said. I'm quite crafty with a sword you know and at blocking spells."
"Someone's had a personality change."
"Don't act like it's a bad thing! I can't forever rely on you to help me out, I need to do things myself. I need to learn to fight, I will not give in."
"Despite the fact I've never expected this of you, I like your new personality."
"Well be prepared to see a lot more of it."