POTTER

24

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."

"For an hour."

"Most likely."

"Most likely?"

"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 sight better than Ron and Hermione. Where are they anyway?"

"You seem a little tense Harry."

"Do I?"

"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."

"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. Underwater the effects of gilliweed take hold, Harry's hands and feet become webbed.

"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 hears muffled screams. He finds Athena, Hermione, Cho Chang and a blonde girl from Beauxbatons tied in place by their ankles. Cedric is there, he takes Cho with him. Harry sets about freeing Ron and Hermione but vicious merpeople appear.

"But she's my friend too!"

"Only one."

What looks like a shark approaches at high speed. We see that it has legs and it's Viktor. He takes Hermione and heads for the surface. Harry frees Athena.

Athena and the girl come up, they are coughing 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.

"Harry!"

"Get him another towel."

"I want all the judges over here now."

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

Fleur kisses Harry on the face.

"Thank you! And you..."

Fleur looks at Athena

"You helped!"

"Oh no not really."

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."

"Next to last."

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

Cedric and his friends cheer.

"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.