Outside on a bridge of Hogwarts, Hermione stands beside Harry as they both talk, "Harry you told me you'd figured the egg out weeks ago. The task is two days from now."

"Really? I had no idea. I suppose Viktor's already figured it out."

Hermione shrugs, "I wouldn't know, we didn't actually talk about the tournament. Actually
we didn't really talk at all, Viktor's more of a physical being... I just mean he's not particularly... Mostly he watches me study. It's a bit annoying actually. You are trying to figure this egg out aren't you?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I mean these tasks are supposed to test you, in the most brutal way they're almost cruel. And um, I'm scared for you. You got by the dragon mostly on nerve, I'm not sure it's going to be enough this time."

"Hey Potter."

Hermione and Harry turn around to see Cedric and Karina.

"Cedric."

Karina pulls Hermione off to the side to talk to her.

Cedric sighs, "How are you?"

"Spectacular."

"Look I realise I never really thanked you properly for tipping me off about those dragons."

"Forget about it. I'm sure you would have done the same for me."

"Exactly. You know the prefects bathroom on the fifth floor?"

Harry nods.

"It's not a bad place for a bath. Just take your egg and mull things over in the hot water."

Cedric taps Karina's arm and the two say goodbye then leave. Harry frowns in confusion as he watches them go.

"So whatever it is has to do with being underwater."

Cedric nods.

Karina frowns, "Well then... just be careful please."

"Of course. You're literally like my baby sister, if I leave you alone who will keep you in check."

Karina chuckles and rolls her eyes as he ruffles her hair.

"You know I hate when you do that."

"That's exactly why I do it."

"Miss Grey I would like to speak with you for a moment. My office please."

Karina looks at Cedric who looks at her with the same confusion as they watch Professor McGonagall walk away.

"Well that was weird. What do you think she needs to talk about?"

"I don't know. Who have you hexed now?"

Karina gasps holding her chest dramatically, "I resent that. I haven't hexed anyone for at least 15 hours."

Cedric chuckles and wipes his forehead, "Phew that's the longest you've ever gone without hexing anybody. That's definitely a record."

Karina slaps his arm before backing away slowly, "See you tomorrow! You'll do great! I believe in you."

"Thanks squirt. That's all I needed to win this thing."

Karina smiles then waves and turns to walk inside the building. Cedric laughs to himself before walking through the courtyard.

...

"Harry, tell me again."

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

"The black lake, that's obvious."

"An hour long you'll have to look." Harry goes on.

"Again obvious, though I must admit potentially problematic."

Harry scoffs, "Potentially problematic? When was the last time you held your breath under the water for an hour Hermione?"

"Look Harry, we can do this. The three of us can figure it out."

Hermione looks over at Ron who nods then shakes his head as she looks away.

Out of nowhere, Mad-Eye Moody appears in the doorway.

"Hate to break up this scholar session but Professor McGonagall would like to see you in her office. Not you Potter, just Weasly and Granger."

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

He interrupts Hermione before she can finish, "Exactly. Presumably Potter is well prepared by now and could do with a good night's sleep. Go. Now! Longbottom!"

Neville appears from behind a bookcase.

"Why don't you help Potter put his books back?"

...

The next day at the Lakeside, the Weasly twins are shouting, busy taking bets. Harry is walking along with Neville, he has some green plantlife in his hand.

"You're sure about this Neville."

"Absolutely." Neville nods.

"For an hour."

Neville shrugs, "Most likely."

"Most likely?" Harry questions scared.

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

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

"I just wanted to help."

"Well that makes you slightly better than Ron and Hermione. Where are they anyway?"

"You seem a little tense Harry."

"Do I?"

Draco frowns looking around at the crowd before settling back in beside Blaise and Gregory. Pansy and Daphne sigh looking at each other before leaning down to Malfoy.

"Draco you haven't seen Karina recently have you?"

"No. I haven't. Last I saw her she went to talk to Diggory."

Daphne bites her lip in worry, "Yes that's the last we saw her as well. She didn't retur-"

Dumbledore's voice interrupts her as he talks over a loudspeaker, "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."

Mad Eye looks at Harry and the gilliweed in his hand, "Put that in your mouth."

Harry puts the gilliweed in his mouth and starts choking.

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

The cannon fires and the champions enter the water, three of them dive in while Harry is pushed by Mad Eye. Underwater the effects of gilliweed take hold, Harry's hands and feet become webbed.

Seamus frowns as he watches from above, "What's the matter with him?"

"I don't know I can't see him."

Neville cries out, "Oh my god I've killed Harry Potter!"

Suddenly, Harry flies into the air like a dolphin and the crowd cheers. Harry swims underwater among the fish and rocks. Singing voices start echoing. Fleur get trapped nearby and screams.

"The Beauxbatons champion Miss Delacour has unfortunately been forced to retire. She will take
no further part in this task."

Harry is still searching around. He pushes some plants aside and finds Ron, Hermione, Karina and a blonde girl from Beauxbatons tied in place by their ankles, all unconscious. Cedric is already there, he waves his wand and breaks the ties on Karina's ankles before grabbing her and swimming to the surface. Harry sets about freeing Ron and Hermione but vicious merpeople appear.

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

"Only one." The merperson hisses holding a trident to his neck.

What looks like a shark approaches at high speed. The merpeople get scared and quickly swim away. Harry moves to the side as the shark gets closer. But then he notices that it has legs and it's Viktor. He takes Hermione and heads for the surface. Harry quickly frees Ron.

Above the water, Cedric and Karina emerge, making the crowd cheer. Draco lets out a huge breath as he sees Cedric helping Karina to the podium.

Viktor and Hermione appear next, the crows chants 'Krum, Krum, Krum'. The Beauxbatons girls look worried.

Harry looks over and sees the blonde girl that Fleur was unable to rescue. He loosens her rope too and starts heading for the surface with the both of them. He's attacked and gets held down, he pushes Ron and the girl towards the surface.

Ron and the girl come up, they are coughing, choking on water, but safe. They're helped out of the water by a girl from Beauxbatons. Underwater
Harry casts a spell which propels him towards the surface, he flies out and lands on the decking where the crowd are.

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

Fleur runs over to Harry, "You saved her, even though she wasn't yours to save. My little sister!"

Fleur kisses Harry on the face.

"Thank you! And you..." She looks to Ron, "You helped!"

"Well... yeah... a bit"

Fleur kisses him too.

"Merci." Ron blushes.

Hermione comes up to Harry with a towel.

"Harry!"

"Hermione"

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

Hermione kisses Harry on the head.

"I finished last Hermione." Harry frowns.

Hermione smiles sheepishly, "Next to last."

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

Cedric and his friends cheer. He hugs Karina and looks up to Cho smiling at her waving as she waves back.

Dumbledore however continues, "For showing unique command of the bubblehead shark. The way I see it, Mr Potter would have finished first had it not been for his determination to rescue not only Mr Weasly but the others as well. We've agreed to award him second place! For outstanding moral fibre."

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

Fred jokes, "All that moral fibre eh?"

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

George smiles, "Well done 'moral fibre'."

...

"Well I've got to admit... that was one of the most terrifying moments of my life."

Karina frowns as she walks side by side with Cedric, "Really?"

"Of course. I was just talking to you yesterday. We were just talking about how you're literally like my little sister. And the next thing I know you're underwater and I have to save you, and I've only got an hour. What if time ran out? What if I couldn't get to you?"

Karina stops walks and pulls him a pause, "Hey no what ifs. You did it. You found me, you got us both to safety and you won. That's it. You knew this was going to be hard."

"Yeah but I didn't know they would be using people that I care about. I can't lose you squirt. Life wouldn't be the same."

"You won't Ced. I'm not going anywhere. You're stuck with me."

Cedric laughs as she sticks out her tongue. He pulls her into a hug and squeezes her tightly.

"And you're stuck with me squirt."