"I'm gonna die!" Hope wailed loudly in the Great Hall, startling the others that were sitting inside, trying to enjoy a meal. Stella and Eliza both reached across the Slytherin table to cover the girl's mouth but she buried her face into her arms.

"Hope, you're not going to die." Eliza sighed. "It's just water, you go to the lake with Henry all the time and when he's home you go into the-"

"I don't swim." Hope said looking up at them. "I've only gone so far to where my feet can still touch the ground. I do not swim. And knowing this competition, it's not going to end well for me."

"Alright, alright, let's all calm down, okay?" Stella said rubbing at her temples. "It's not even noon and I already have a headache."

When Hope revealed her discovery, the twins were thrilled, but Hope did not share in the same enthusiasm as the other two. As if it was pre-determined in the Lupin genetic line, no Lupin was a decent swimmer. From her grandfather to her mother and Teddy, down to Hope. She enjoyed being in the water, but that was only if she was able to stand right up, giving her a sense of control. She was sure the second task was going to call for swimming, and she was not in the mood for that.

Eliza and Stella were trying to keep the situation calm. Now they were able to put the tournament together.

"I can't believe we didn't think of this before." Eliza said, mainly to herself.  "Earth, Fire, and Water. Those were the three markers for each challenge. Fire for the dragons, obviously."

"Water for the mermaids." Stella added.

"And the maze..." Hope said looking up at them. "For Earth, right?"

"Right." Eliza nodded. "Earth was the first task, even though it was the last task the last time. Now it's water again, that was always the middle task because it's second. The task lineup is going backwards. It went Fire, Water, and Earth last time. Now, it's Earth, Water, and the last is Fire."

"Oh yippee." Hope said flatly. "If I don't drown during the next task, at least I'll get the chance to have my face burned off."

"But they wouldn't do the same task twice. They already switched up Earth. It was a maze before, and this time it was a little different. So maybe the water task doesn't involve swimming." Eliza tried to reassure her, but Hope wasn't buying any of it.

"Yup, I'm dead."

Henry went in search of his parents, in discovery of the second task and Hope's panicky mood, he knew he had to talk to one of them. He was mainly looking for his mother for some sound advice, but came upon his father first.

"Dad!" He ran over, nearly cutting Sirius off as the man tried to round the corner.

"I am not acting as the scapegoat again, your mother nearly killed me the last time-"

Henry shook his head. "No, it's not that. Hope and I didn't do anything like that-"

"Oh...well...what is it then, Henry?"

"It's about Hope."

"Still trying to get that kiss?" Sirius said with a teasing grin.

"Wha- no! I mean yes, but that's not why I'm here! Focus!" Henry huffed at him, narrowing his eyes at his father.

"Alright, alright, no need to unleash the merpart of you on me. I was just asking an innocent question."

Henry sighed. "It's about the second task, Hope figured it out."

"Of course she did. Does that come as a shocker to anyone that Little Lupin Weasley Spawn figured it out?"

"Dad, still not the point. Besides, she figured it out by accident...well by me pushing her into the lake, but that's not the point either."

"Sweet Merlin, son, get to the point then."

"The second task is water, just like before and Hope can't swim."

"Oh," Sirius lifted one of his hands to his chin. "I could definitely see how that would pose a problem. Well, why don't you teach her how to swim."

"I can't...I'm not that good of a teacher to help her. I'd probably just drive her mad. I was thinking mum or you could help her?"

"Son, you realize as far as my capabilities go, the doggy paddle is my comfort zone." Sirius told him. 

"Anything would help." Henry told him. "I just don't want her to get hurt."

Sirius looked down at his child for a few moments, before a warm smile drew across his lips.

"You really do care about that Little Lupin Weasley Spawn, don't you?"

Henry nodded.

"Alright,' Sirius said, "let me find your mother and see what we can come up with. I'm not sure if swimming lessons conflicts with the tournament rules."

Hope received a package, hand delivered by Remus from her mother as she was called to his office one afternoon.

"What's this?" Hope asked her grandfather with a curious look.

Remus smiled. "Well, you certainly can't go to the ball without a dress, now can you?" Remus asked her in return.

Hope looked down to the large box before setting it on the man's desk.

"You mean I can't wear what I'm wearing now?" She questioned, noting her casual attire.

"I'm afraid not this time, Hope."

"Awww."

"Why don't you take it out and see what your mother sent you, she worked very hard on it."

Hope opened the box and pulled out the dress, that made her eyes widened.

"Mum made me a dress?" She said to herself. "An entire dress?"

"Yes, she did." Remus smiled. "She was very adamant about getting it done, in time as well."

Hope smiled as her fingers trailed over the design of the knitted pattern that decorated the dress.

"It's beautiful."

"Of course it is," Remus said. "The dress has to match the Champion."

Hope peered up at him with a small laugh. 

"Sounds like you've been listening to Paddywhack's fashion advice."

"Hope, if we listened to Sirius' fashion advice, you'd be wearing a blouse with a veil draped over it."