051 | the dive
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THE FOLLOWING DAY took simultaneously a minute and an age to arrive as Albany tossed and turned through the night. She had no hope of getting any sleep in, though tried regardless, desperate to give her body its much-needed rest. As necessary as a week of full-on swimming lessons had been, every muscle she could name was feeling the burn, and her throat was raw from the amount of lake water she'd ingested. The practice had been costly; she only hoped it wasn't too much so.
When she finally gave up on sleeping and decided to get out of bed before the others, dawn was barely creeping over the horizon. The window into the lake from the Slytherin common room made her stomach knot. Maybe I'll befriend the Giant Squid while I'm out there.
Her entire being spent the morning being sucked into a bottomless pit of dread. She was the first student to arrive in the Great Hall, and the room felt incredibly empty and eerie without any other occupants. Her early rising must have been just as concerning as it was surprising, for when Fred and Carly finally made their way inside for breakfast, they both appeared very confused and worried to see her.
"Hey, Allie," Fred greeted warily, sliding into place opposite her. He couldn't help the sly smile that crept up on his lips. "Water you up to this morning?"
Albany shot the boy a dead stare. "Fred, one more lake-related pun today and I'll kick you to the fucking moon."
Fred's eyebrows raised in response. "Noted."
Carly reached across the table to give Albany's hand a comforting squeeze. "Rough night?" she guessed.
Albany yawned; she could physically feel the dark bags forming beneath her eyes. "You could say that...." Her eyes darted between her two friends suspiciously. "Where's George?"
Fred instantly paled, and Albany's stomach dropped. "I thought he was with you," he said. "I haven't seen him all morning."
Carly pulled at a curl while Albany bit her cheek; the incident that had occurred last time George was missing had not gone forgotten.
"I'm sure he's fine, right?" Albany said, and her voice wobbled as she straightened in her seat. Instinctively her eyes were drawn to the Slytherin table, seeking out Faith; the girl was sitting alone and not eating. Her hair was tangled and unkempt, and her head was lowered.
"Probably," Fred mumbled, though was just as antsy, glancing around the room as if hoping his twin would pop out of hiding and surprise them all. "Knowing him, he's probably setting up a good luck Albany party somewhere...."
For once, Albany was too worried to blush.
"Maybe we should look for him," she suggested, itching to find the boy. Was she just being clingy? Was she overreacting? Surely things couldn't get worse today... right?
"I'll try the spell-" Carly was saying, before a gruff voice cut her off.
"If you're wondering about the whereabouts of Mr Weasley," Mad-Eye Moody grumbled, limping over to their spot at the table, "I wouldn't worry about him. He was called in early this morning for a meeting with staff."
Fred's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Well that doesn't make any sense," he stated boldly, staring up at the professor. "Why the hell would George get called in but not me? What did he do?"
"He's not in trouble, relax," Moody explained bluntly, scowling at the redhead. His magic eye swung around to stare right at Albany, and she shivered. "You'll be seeing him real soon."
The professor lumbered away again before anyone could pose any further questions, and the trio exchanged concerned glances.
"Is it just me, or are you two even more worried?" Albany murmured under her breath, watching the creepy man leave the hall.
"It's not just you," Carly whispered. "Was he eavesdropping on us?"
"I don't know, but I get weird vibes off of him," Fred grumbled, gaze lowering. "What's he on about, anyway? George and I do everything together. He would have told me...."
Their concerns aside, they had no option but to trust the professor and hope George would show up later as the task drew near. Lee, Angelina and Alicia joined them not long before the end of breakfast, and though Albany was immensely grateful for their support, George's absence stung. He always had the right words to encourage her and soothe her nerves, but if things continued as they were, he wouldn't be back in time to wish her luck. Maybe she was being needy, but she missed him.
"That git had better show up," Fred was muttering as he plaited Albany's hair at twenty to nine. "I dunno what's gotten into him, but the last thing you need today is something else to worry about."
Albany sat in silence for a moment, legs crossed as she pondered the situation. Fred was right. She was extremely worried about George, almost more so than she was the tournament. Most frustrating was that she couldn't relieve her nerves regarding either of them.
"It's just so unlike him," she sighed after a while, burying her face in her hands, "to not even tell you. Something fishy's going on."
Fred's fingers paused where they were moving in her hair.
"What?" Albany asked.
"Was that a pun?"
Albany could hear the smug smile in Fred's voice and flung a hand out behind herself in attempt to playfully slap him. "You idiot, is that really what's important right now?"
"But was it intentional? Did you mean it?"
"No!"
"Ah. I misinterpreted."
Albany rolled her eyes. "Of course you did."
"Oh, Albany, you look so cute with your hair back!" Alicia gushed as she entered the common room. "You have to wear it like that more often."
Albany managed a small smile. "If I could plait it myself, I would."
"She needs her personal hairdresser for such things," Fred chimed with a grin, and Albany reached back to hit him again. He tied off the end of the plait, pleased with his work. "Where's Angie and Lee?"
"Saving us good seats," Alicia explained.
Albany raised an eyebrow. "What are you all gonna be watching? A fucking lake for an hour? Merlin's saggy tit, at least competing will be interesting."
Alicia shrugged with a smile. "All the more reason to get a good seat," she said. "So what we do get to see, we see up close. You both ready?"
Fred hummed lowly under his breath; he was just as reluctant to leave as Albany was, but George was still showing no signs of appearing anytime soon. "I guess," he muttered at last. "Allie?"
Albany fought off a wave of the jitters at the thought of making her way down to the lake. "Um... I need a minute," she mumbled, ducking her head. "You guys can go on ahead. I need to... talk to someone."
Fred caught her pointed glance and nodded in understanding. "If you're sure," he said, and offered the girl a small smile. "Hey, if we don't see you again before the task - good luck. You're gonna rock this."
Albany managed a tentative smile in return. "Thanks, Ferdinand."
For once, Fred didn't complain. He shot her one final sympathetic glance, before he and Alicia left the room. With the pair gone, Albany was left completely alone in the Gryffindor common room; every other student was already down at the lake, she'd bet. She cast a wary glance at a clock hanging on the wall. She'd have to make this quick.
"Merlin? Arthur?"
The ghosts appeared as they were called, expressions soft yet creased with underlying concern.
"How are you, Albany?" Merlin asked her gently, and Albany shook her head.
"I don't know... nervous, tired. I feel like shit," she admitted, wrapping her arms around herself. Her body felt warm and clammy beneath the nylon swimwear and robes she was dressed in, yet a low tremble persisted. "I really don't know how I'm going to do this."
"You are going to do this," Arthur affirmed with a nod. "Trust your gut and think fast. You'll be fine."
"And if you need to call us at any time, please do," Merlin added seriously. "There's not much we can do, but if you need help, we'll do whatever we can."
Albany inhaled sharply. "Right, yeah," she mumbled, gnawing on the inside of her cheek. Its surface was rough and bumpy from the amount of chewing it had been subjected to recently. "My magic... my old magic. I don't suppose it'd be able to help me at all...?"
Merlin pondered the idea for a moment. "It's possible," he said slowly, "but I wouldn't rely on it. If it comes down to it, remember what we practiced: have a precise idea of what you're aiming to do, and focus on it."
Another breath. This one was shaky. "Okay."
"Be brave," Arthur advised, and smiled at her. "And believe in yourself."
"I'll try," Albany promised, though doubt lingered in the edges of her thoughts. "But... what if - what if I can't hold the Bubblehead Charm long enough - what if it pops and I'm at the bottom of the lake?"
Merlin frowned. "Don't focus on the what-ifs," he said firmly. "That won't happen. You're stronger than that."
Albany's fists clenched, frustration quick to boil beneath her fear. "But it could, Merlin, it's entirely possible and I should have a back-up plan-"
"You won't need one," Merlin insisted. "Worse comes to worse, you should be more than able to recast it underwater without incantation."
Albany faltered. "I can barely do it with an incantation, are you serious?"
Merlin nodded. "I am. You need to give yourself more credit."
Albany huffed, though before she could open her mouth to retort, the clock on the wall chimed. Icy fear shot up her spine. "I'm gonna be late," she noted. What if I didn't show up? Would they remove me from the tournament?
"You should get going," Arthur said. "You've got this, Albany."
"Believe in yourself," Merlin added. "Good luck out there. We'll be right with you."
"Thanks," Albany mumbled, and then a thought pinched the back of her head. She glanced up again before the ghosts could disappear. "Any chance you two could... look for George?"
Merlin's expression turned solemn, eyes shining with sympathy. "We... can't exist in this world away from your side," he reminded her reluctantly. "I'm sorry, Albany. As soon as you're finished the task, we'll help you however we can."
Albany swallowed a bitter taste in her mouth, somehow not surprised by his answer. "Okay," she responded, voice barely a whisper. "Thanks anyway." It was worth a try.
Merlin and Arthur nodded solemnly, and then they were gone. Albany bit her cheek again, wincing as she tasted blood. Now or never.
She tightened Evander's watch around her wrist, and double-checked that her necklace was still fastened tight. If George wouldn't see her off, at least his Christmas present would; the lion charm gave a low, protective growl as she stroked it, and felt a little braver. Then she was hurrying through the empty halls of the castle and out onto the grounds. On the shores of the Black Lake were several tall stands; the same ones from the dragon arena in November, she suspected.
The noise of the crowds grew more apparent as she drew closer, and as she stepped up onto the wooden platform, the clamour was deafening. The lake was still but impossibly dark, and Albany's stomach knotted; she'd been practicing in the shallows, but there was no telling how deep the water went once she swam far out, nor what lived within. A light February breeze brought goosebumps erupting all over her exposed skin.
"Albany! There you are!" Carly's familiar voice exclaimed over the noise, and she turned around to find the curly-haired girl right in front of her nose. "We've been waiting for you! How do you feel?!"
"Horrible!" Albany shouted back, hoping her response was audible.
Carly must have heard her, for she grinned and pulled her wand from her robes. "Hope I can improve that for you."
The calming spell did little to soothe Albany's intense nerves, though her stomach seemed to unclench itself, and her muscles lost some of their tension. She shook out her limbs, sparing another sickened glance towards the water. It beckoned her like a dead man to the grave, and she could only hope her final moments wouldn't be spent in its murky depths.
"Better?!" Carly shouted, bringing her focus back to the present.
"A little."
"Hey Allie!" Fred was calling, clambering down over rows of seats to join Carly at her side. His grin wasn't as prominent as usual, and didn't quite reach his eyes.
"Hey Fred," Albany responded, and shuddered as another wave of jitters ran down her spine. She caught the boy's grim expression, and her smile fell. "So George isn't...?"
Fred shook his head. "I'm sorry, Albany. He would want to be here more than anything, though, I'll guarantee you that." He took a deep breath and pushed for another smile regardless. "But since he's not, I'm taking over for the pep talk. So fuck shit up out there, and don't die!"
Albany might have laughed in better circumstances, but she cracked an amused smile. "Thank you, Ferdinand."
Fred shook his head at her. "This is the one day you get away with calling me that," he warned.
"Miss Bronwen! This way, if you'll please!" McGonagall was calling over the crowd, and someone pushed Albany from behind, forcing her to step forward.
"I have to go," she shouted back to her friends, any hopeful warmth in her chest fading fast.
"Good luck!" Carly called, before her voice too was drowned out by the clamour.
Albany's expression was grim as she finally joined the other three champions on the pier. Krum stood with his arms folded, observing the water rather like a shark its prey, while Fleur's face was steely despite her shivering against the cold. Harry was dancing on the spot, and Albany suspected more so from nerves than the weak breeze. She shot the younger boy what she hoped was a comforting smile as she stood in place beside him, and Harry gave a single nod in return.
"Fashionably late again, Miss Bronwen," Flitwick remarked, and Albany turned, startled by her Charms professor's familiar squeak.
"You know me, sir," she joked weakly, and the short man smiled. She was grateful for some sort of comfort and support right before the big jump, though her chest ached with a George Weasley-shaped hole. Part of her wanted to be bitter that he hadn't shown up, but a greater part was terrified for his safety.
"Don't forget your robes," the professor reminded her kindly, and Albany managed a nervous laugh as she undid her robes and revealed the swimwear she wore underneath. She reached instinctively for her necklace, grounding herself against the cool metal.
"Well, all our champions are ready for the second task, which will start on my whistle," Bagman announced. "They have precisely one hour to recover what has been taken from them."
"Albany, wait!"
Albany whipped around, surprised by the voice that called her; she bristled as her eyes fell upon Faith, who was pushing to the front of the crowd. Faith, you're the last thing I need right now-
The girl was in bits; her cheeks were patchy red, her dark hair tangled and messy. Her eyes watered as she desperately struggled to catch Albany's attention, and as much as she wanted to regret it, Albany couldn't bring herself to turn away.
"Please listen," Faith called, and even her voice was shaking. "I'm sorry. Albany, I'm so sorry - I'm so sorry and you don't have to forgive me, just please - I'm sorry."
Albany's heart plummeted. She stared at her former friend's distress in horror, and in her own panic, let her mind detach her from the situation. She turned around, breaths struggling to satisfy her lungs.
"On the count of three, then," Bagman was saying, oblivious to Albany's heart failing on the pier.
Faith's voice still reached her ears.
"Goodbye, Albany."
"One...."
Albany's fists trembled at her sides. She faced the waters with an empty expression, but her head was spiralling elsewhere, overwhelmed and terrified. Goodbye?!
"Two...."
The words vaguely registered in her ears, and she mumbled the Bubblehead Charm on numb lips, wand clutched in a white-knuckled grip. There was nothing more she could do. This was it.
"Three!"
She jumped.
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