Diggory Is A Loser

22- Hostages

When Celia woke up the next morning, she walked down to the second task with Harry.
The poor boy looked as white as a sheet, and Celia could understand why.
Hermione and Ron were nowhere to be seen, and they were Harry's best friends, so he was worried about them.
"Good luck" whispered Celia, before heading off to join the other spectators.
Since she was Cedric's sister, she was allowed front row seats so to speak, even though everyone was actually standing.
And she knew that she wouldn't actually be able to see anything happening, as the task was taking place at the bottom of the lake.

"Well, our champions are ready for the second task, which will start on my whistle. They have precisely one hour to recover what was taken from them. On the count of three. One. Two. Three" said Bagman loudly, before blowing his whistle.
Celia watched as the champions began taking off their clothes, until they were stood in just their swimming costumes.
Cedric and Fleur performed charms on their heads, shielding their top halfs in large bubbles, before jumping into the water.
Viktor transfigured part of himself into a shark, before diving down.
This meant that Harry was the only one still standing by the lake.

Celia saw Harry place the Gillyweed into his mouth and begin to chew it.
He then began wading down into the water, before disappearing from view.
Celia felt as if a great weight had been lifted off her shoulders.
She had successfully helped Harry to work out the clue inside his egg, and he now he actually stood a chance at winning.

Once the champions had disappeared into the deep water, Celia and everyone else was left staring at the lake.
As everyone began to talk amongst themselves, Benjamin made his way over to where Celia was stood.
She had been about to start reading a book, but she stopped when she saw him.
"Well, this is exciting" Benjamin said sarcastically as he placed his arm around Celia's shoulders.
"At least we don't have to watch the champions in danger. I was a nervous wreck during the first task. So, I'm kind of glad that I don't have to see them all risking their lives" admitted Celia.

"What do you think lives down there?" Asked Benjamin.
"Loads of things that I don't want to think about right now. Mer-people, Grindylows, Kelpie, not to mention the giant squid" answered Celia.
"Cedric will be alright. I mean, he outsmarted a dragon" reminded Benjamin.
"He only just made it out alive. And I'm not just worried about him. I'm friends with Harry, Fleur and Viktor"
"You're quite a fan of international students"
"Well, that is the point of this tournament. You're supposed to make friends with foreign students"
"I guess that's true".

****
Towards the end of the first hour, ripples appeared on the water, as a figure came to the surface.
Everyone watched as Fleur came out of the water in tears.
She was covered in bites and scratches, and she had obviously failed to recover what had been taken from her.
"I've got to go" mumbled Celia, as she left Benjamin and ran towards the lake side.
She could see Madam Pomfrey wrapping a thick warm towel around Fleur, but this didn't seem to calm her down.

"Fleur, what happened?" Asked Celia, as she reached the hysterical girl.
"Ze Grindylows attacked me. I couldn't get away. Ze Mer-people have taken my zister Gabrielle. I couldn't get to her. I don't know what will happen to her now" admitted Fleur nervously.
"They've taken your sister?" Frowned Celia.
"Yes. She is ze thing I care most about. She is just a little girl. I didn't want her to get hurt because of me"
"That can't be right. I would have been taken too if that were the case...".

Celia faltered as she realised that she hadn't seen Cho standing with the rest of the crowd.
Cho must have been taken, as she was the thing Cedric cared most about.
This also explained Hermione and Ron's absence. As Hermione had been taken for Viktor, and Ron for Harry.
Celia's heart began to harden as she realised that her brother cared more about his girlfriend than her.