IN WHICH the second task is beginning

SEAMUS and Aubery hung out much more, and everyone in Gryffindor could notice the two's fleeting looks at each other, smiling, and hand-holding. Although Aubery certainly spent more time with Seamus, she still stayed with the squad a lot. 

As like this time, Aubery, Hermione, and Ron were standing along some books in the library, as Harry relays his findings. 

"Harry, tell me again." Hermione orders. 

Harry sighs. "Come seek us where our voices sound."

"The Black Lake, that's obvious." Aubery points out. 

"An hour-long you'll have to look." Harry continues. 

Ron nods. "That'd be potentially problematic." 

"Potentially problematic? When was the last time you held your breath under the water for an hour Ron?" Harry asks. 

"Look, Harry, we can do this. The four of us can figure it out." Hermione assures. 

Moody appears in the doorway. "Hate to break up this scholar session but Professor McGonagall would like to see you in her office." The 4 make to stand up. "Not you Potter and Weasley, just Lupin, and Granger."

"But sir, the second task is only hours away and..." Aubery tries.

"Exactly. Presumably, Potter is well prepared by now and could do with a good night's sleep. Go. Now! Longbottom!" Mad-Eye orders. 

Neville appears from behind a bookcase, peeking his head into their little section. 

"Why don't you help Potter and Weasley put their books back." Moody walks away, along with Aubery and Hermione. 

"Professor, I'm sure whatever we did, it wasn't that big of a problem," Aubery says, nervously peering over at Hermione. 

"Yeah, it's nothing." Hermione nods vigorously. 

"It's not about that, girls, but something else, see. Professor McGonagall would do a better job explaining."  

They walked into McGonagall's office, where Cho Chang, a little girl that slightly resembled Fleur Delacour, and Professors McGonagall and Dumbledore stood. 

"What is ze meaning of zis?" The little girl spoke. 

"Well, you 4 have some kind of worth to our champions, and I'm sure you know which one. You will be the ones put in the Lake." Dumbledore answers. 

"But, what about breathing?" Cho questions, her brown eyes twinkling in fear. 

"That won't be a worry," Dumbledore says. "Professor Moody, if you'd step aside." Moody stood aside, as McGonagall covers her eyes. "Stupefy!"

Aubery faintly remembers cussing Dumbledore out before falling to darkness. 

* * * *

At the Lakeside, Ron, Harry, and Neville walk past the Weasley twins who are shouting, busy taking bets.

"You're sure about this Neville. You really trust Dobby?" Harry whispers. 

"Absolutely," Neville confirms. 

"For an hour," Ron repeats. 

"Most likely," Neville replies. 

"Most likely?" Harry whips around.

"Well, there is some debate among herbologists as to the effects of freshwater versus saltwater," Neville says. 

Harry groans. "You're telling me this now? You must be joking."

"I just wanted to help," Neville replies. 

"Well, that makes you a sight better than Aubery and Hermione. Where are they anyway? Dobby's clue doesn't make any sense." 

"Dobby gave you a clue?" Ron asks. "What was it?"

"Alright. Dobby says, and I quote, 'They got your sister.' I don't have a freaking sister! I'm an orphan!" Harry groans.

"Maybe hypothetical sister?" Ron asks.

"Yeah! Aubery and you could be easily mistaken for siblings, for how close you two are." Neville nods. 

Harry's expression turns from elated, to destroyed. "They've got Aubery?"

"Seems like it mate." Ron nods, as they made their way to the stands. 

"It'll be fine," Neville assures.

"It's not fine! It is not fine Neville!" Harry snaps. 

They part ways, and Dumbledore mutters a charm to his throat. "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 one hour to do so and one hour only. After that, they'll be on their own."

Moody whispers to Harry. "Put that in your mouth." 

Harry puts the gillyweed in his mouth and starts choking, as the other champions wave nervously.

"You may begin at the start of the cannon." Dumbledore answers. 

The cannon fires and the champions enter the water, three of them dive in while Harry is pushed. He writhes underwater, gasping for air. Slowly, the effects of gillyweed take hold, Harry's hands and feet become webbed, and he grows gills. 

"What's the matter with him?" Seamus asks, peering down. 

Dean shakes his head. "I don't know. I can't see him."

Neville turns around, hands on his head. "Oh my god, I've killed Harry Potter!"

"You what?" Ron hisses. 

Harry flies into the air like a dolphin and the crowd cheer.

"Nevermind." Ron sighs. 

Harry swims among the fish and rocks. Singing voices start echoing, and Harry swims over to them. 

Harry is still searching around, as grindylows attack him. He words a curse from his mouth and swims away. He hears muffled screams and appears from the weed. 

He finds Aubery, Hermione, Cho Chang, and the little French girl tied in place by their ankles. 

Harry swims up quickly, touching Aubery's face. Little bubbles fly out of her mouth, and Harry feels for a pulse and finding one. Cedric appears, and he takes Cho with him before tapping his watch to signal running out of time. Harry sets about freeing Aubery and Hermione but merpeople appear.

"But she's my friend too!" Harry protests. 

The merperson hisses. "Only one."

What looks like a shark approaches at high speed. We see that it has legs and it's Viktor, using a slightly failed Transfiguration Charm. He takes Hermione and heads for the surface quickly. 

Harry dives down to the bottom, where there were sharp rocks, and quickly bashes the rope on Aubery's foot, and she floats slightly up. 

Harry looks over and sees the blonde girl that Fleur was unable to rescue. He loosens her rope too, pointing his wand at the merpeople who were starting to advance. He starts heading for the surface with both of them slowly. He's attacked and gets held down, he pushes Aubery and the girl towards the surface, clutching his neck in pain as the effects of the gillyweed slowly fade away. 

Aubery and the girl come up, they are coughing but safe, as the little girl thrashes around. Aubery grabs her by the arm, and slowly makes her way to the docks. They're helped out of the water by a girl from Beauxbatons, and towels are thrown around them. Underwater, Harry casts a spell which propels him towards the surface, he flies out and lands on the decking where the crowd are.

"Harry!" Dumbledore gasps. 

"Get him another towel." Bagman orders. 

"I want all the judges over here now." Dumbledore orders. 

"You saved 'er, even though 'he wasn't yours to save. My little sister!" Fleur gasps in a heavy French accent, and kisses Harry on the face, as Seamus, Dean, Ron, and Neville stand by, dumbfounded. 

"Thank you! And you!" Fleur gasps, walking over to Aubery, who had just came. "You helped!"

"I- I really didn't." Aubery blushes.

Fleur hugs her. "Oh thank you! Thank you!"

Hermione comes up to Harry with a towel.

"Harry!" Hermione quickly grabs Harry by the face and kissing him on the head, much to a Viktor Krum's displeasure. 

"Hermione!" Harry groans, as Aubery manages to get past Fleur, and walks over to Harry, draping her towel over him

"Are you alright? You must be freezing! Personally, I think you behaved admirably." Hermione smiles.

"Please don't fuel his everlasting ego." Aubery sighs, kneeling down.

"I finished last Hermione. And I don't have an ego." Harry groans. 

"Next to last. Fleur didn't get to finish." Hermione answers. 

"Aubery, you're going to get a cold, please wear something," Seamus says. 

"I'm fine," Aubery says. Seamus rolls his eyes, as Madam Pomfrey rushes over and dries the currently wet people. 

"Attention! Attention! The winner is... Mr. Diggory!" Dumbledore says. 

Cedric and his friends cheer.

"For showing unique command of the bubblehead charm. I have talked with the MerChiefness, and he has decreed that Mr. Potter would have finished first had it not been for his determination to rescue not only Miss Lupin, but the others as well. We've agreed to award him second place! For outstanding moral fiber." Dumbledore says. 

As they're walking away from the lake, Harry's friends are cheering him.

"All that moral fiber eh?" Fred grins. 

"Blimey, even when you go wrong it turns out right." Ron shakes his head. 

"Well done 'moral fiber'. Party in the Gryffindor Common Room!" George yells. 

Bagman approaches Harry, taking him aside. 

"Aubery, can I talk to you?" Seamus asks, as Hermione, Eliza, and Ginny giggle. Seamus shoots them a reproachful glare, before grabbing Aubery's hand.

"What did you wanna talk about Seamus?" Aubery questions, as Seamus tucks a strand of hair behind Aubery's ear gently.

"So, uh, you know we like, no, love each other a lot right?" Seamus starts.

Aubery giggles. "Yeah, of course, dummy." 

"So, uh, I was wondering, if you'd like to be my girlfriend?" Seamus asks. 

Aubery gasps, clapping her hands to her mouth. 

"But if you don't want to-"

"Yes, I would!" Aubery smiles, hugging him. 

"Oh. That's great!" Seamus smiles. 

* * * *

The squad and Hagrid stumble through the Forbidden Forest. "So I remember, I remember when I first met yeh all. Biggest bunch of misfits I've ever set eyes on. Always reminded me of meself a little. N' here we all are, four years later." 

"We're still misfits." Ron points out. 

"Maybe. But we've all got each other, and Harry of course. Soon to be! The youngest! Tri-Wizard champion there's ever been! Hooray!" Hagrid grins. 

They walk on singing the Hogwarts song, but suddendly Harry holds his head in pain. 

"Harry! Are you okay?" Aubery questions, as Harry looks down. On the ground he sees Barty Crouch laying lifeless.

"Mr. Crouch?" Harry questions, as Hermione screams.