Chapter 20: "The Underwater Equation"

The moment Heather learned Severus and Regulus were chosen as her "most precious" underwater hostages, her world shattered.

Dumbledore's voice rang out coldly. "Champions will rescue the one thing they would miss most."

For Heather, that meant her two magical partners. Bound. Suspended. Vulnerable.

Her pink glasses slipped, mathematical equations dissolving around her as pure, raw emotion overwhelmed her precise calculations.

"No," she whispered. Then louder. "NO!"

The magical energy around her began to fracture. Wild. Uncontrolled.

Molly Prewett caught her as she collapsed. Her protective instincts, honed from years of caring for her brothers, kicked in immediately.

"Easy," she murmured. "Breathe."

Alice Longbottom began preparing a complex magical stabilization potion. Frank studied the underwater magical bindings, his Auror expertise scanning every possible magical signature.

"The binding is ingenious," Frank muttered. "Dark magic. Designed to drain magical core while preventing escape."

Arthur Weasley's magical instruments hummed, a complex network of enchanted devices measuring Heather's rapidly destabilizing magical core.

"47 minutes," he said quietly. "That's all the time they have underwater."

Heather's magical core began to pulse erratically. Numbers and equations burst from her unconscious form - mathematical representations of her panic, her love, her absolute terror.

Tom Riddle watched from the shadows, fascinated by the raw magical display. This was no ordinary magical reaction. This was pure, uncontrolled magical emotion.

Molly's hand pressed against Heather's forehead. "She's burning up," she told Alice. "Her magical core is fighting against itself."

Alice nodded. "We need to stabilize her before she can attempt the rescue."

James Potter burst into the area, Lily Evans right behind him. "My sister," he demanded, "what's happening?"

"Magical shock," Frank explained. "Her partners are underwater. Bound. Dying."

Heather's unconscious form began to levitate, her magical energy creating a complex mathematical sphere around her body. Numbers. Equations. Pure magical calculation.

The Black Lake churned, waiting.

Severus and Regulus remained suspended beneath dark, menacing waters.

And Heather Potter - the mathematical prodigy, the magical genius - was unconscious, her worst nightmare unfolding.

Tom Riddle's lips curved into the smallest of smiles. Fascinating.