Alora Snape // A Fred Weasley Love Story

Chapter 15: The Second Task

Months went by and it was February. Harry figured out what the second task was.

"There's a bathtub in Mony Myrtle's bathroom?" Is what all Alora cared about.

"Yes Alora, but didn't you hear me, the Black Lake! You think there's like mermaids in there or something?" Harry asked.

"No Harry, there aren't Mermaids in the Black Lake. I don't think Dumbledore has enough trust in mermaids in his lake." Alora said and laughed at her own joke.

Harry sat and looked at Alora with no expression.

"Okay okay here's the truth." Alora began, and bent her finger in front of her face to have Harry move in closer. "I don't believe in Mermaids." She finished in a whisper.

"What?!" Harry exclaimed. "You believe in Dragons, Elves, and Thestrals, but not Mermaids?" He laughed.

Alora paused. "Yes." she said.

Harry laughed, he held the side of his stomach.

"Oh screw you, you git, I gotta go clean Dumbledore's office." Alora said pushing Harry and walking out the common room.

"Hello, darling." Fred said as Alora walked out of the painting. "Hey Freddie." She answered.

Fred walked Alora to the entry of Dumbledore's office.

"Watch this." Alora said as she shot her arm out in front of her with her hands extended. She tilted her chin up and cleared her throat. "Sherbet Lemon." Alora exclaimed doing her best Mcgonagall impression. Fred laughed at this.

The big Griffin statue began to spin slowly and began to rise, and then a stone spiral staircase slowly came rising up.

"The second task is gonna start in like an hour." Fred said as Alora made her way to the staircase. "I know, I wanna check in on Fawkes, I think he's about to catch fire." She said, she turned back a kissed Fred. "I see you in a minute." She said. "Okay, I love you." Fred said. "I love you too." Alora smiled and went up the spiral staircase.

Alora went up the staircase and opened the door to Dumbledore's office, Fawkes sat on his perch: he looked old, his feathers were falling out, and he could barley keep his head up.

"It's okay buddy, you'll come back good as new." Alora said lightly stroking the top of his head.

Fawkes let out a tiny squawk, then he stretched out his wings, and burst into flames. The ashes fell to the bottom of his sitting spot.

Alora saw the ashes move and helped the new, baby Fawkes out of the ashes and up on his perch.

"See what I tell you. Good as new." Alora smiled as she began to feed the phenix.

The door to Dumbledore's office began to open, and Professor Dumbledore came walking in.

"Hello Ms. Snape." Dumbledore said.

"Hello Professor." Alora replied.

"Fawkes has taken a liking to you." he said.

Alora made a small laugh. "I guess he has." she said

"Ms. Snape, you were Harry's partner at the Yule Ball is that correct?" Dumbledore asked.

"Yes Professor." Alora said now turning to him.

Dumbledore nodded his head. "Come with me then." he said.

Alora was confused, but followed Dumbledore out of his office. They walked down the halls, to Professor Snape's classroom. Mcgonagall, Snape, and Barty Crouch Sr. were there waiting. Also Hermione was there, Cho Chang, and Fleur Delacour's little sister where there too.

"What is this?" Alora asked turning to her farther.

"Part of the second task." Barty Crouch Sr. said getting in front of Alora. "Since you, and your classmates here where the dates of our champions at the Yule Ball you will be participating in this task." He finished.

Alora looked at Hermione, she look alarmed, not because she knew exactly what was going on, she was alarmed because she didn't

"Ummm do I have to?" Alora asked.

There was a pause, Barty Crouch Sr. fixed his tie. "Well....yes Ms. Snape." He said in a tone that made Alora feel dumb.

Snape nudged Barty out of the way and stood in front of Alora and stuck out his hand, in it was a piece of weird looking food. "Here, eat this." He said. Alora just looked at him. He put his head down, "I thought you liked breaking the rules, heaven knows that this is breaking about every Hogwarts rules." He whispered and smiled at her. Alora smirked, and took the seaweed looking piece and stuck it in her mouth.

It didn't have any flavor, but it felt like rubber. She ate it as everyone else got theirs.

After about five minutes, Dumbledore started to talk. Alora suddenly felt light headed and tired, she sat down, she felt her throat swell, and her body filled with air.

Her head began to fall, she bolted back up when she heard Dumbledore's voice. Alora tried to make out what he was saying, but before she could ask him to repeat it she fell asleep.

Snape carried Alora's body down to the Black Lake, tied her ankles to an anchor, and set her down gently into the Lake.

Alora felt a rush of coldness go down her spine. She felt as if she was in her bed in her dorm room. She took a big deep inhale, and opened her eyes.

There was nothing but water, sea weed, and fish. Alora look around and saw Hermione and Cho, sleeping. This had to be a dream, she looked down and saw the ropes tied to her ankles. Alora was terrified, this was a dream.....it had to be.

Alora looked beyond the sea weed and saw someone swimming toward her. He has brown hair and glasses, it was Harry.

"Harry!" Alora mouthed.

Harry swam to her and looked at her, then to Fleur Delacour's sister. He cut Alora's rope, then went to her to untie hers. Then something came swimming up behind Alora, it circled her, and her eyes went wide as she screamed, but nothing came out besides air bubbles. She tried to swim away, but she couldn't move.

It went up to Harry, "Only one!" It shrieked.

Harry whipped his wand and the creature sped away. Harry untied Delacour's, grabbed her and swam back to Alora and helped her swim to the surface. She saw the sun shinning above the water as the three of them came up.

They all gasped for air. Alora wiped her eyes and saw Harry grabbing his glasses he almost lost. Alora took Delacour's sister to her and she gasped and cried at the sight of her sister. "Thank you! Thank you!" She exclaimed.

"Harry! Bloody Hell did you see that! There's freaking Mermaids Harry! They're real" Alora yelled, swimming back to Harry.

"You believe me now?" Harry said with a smile.

They were both helped out of the Lake and were given towels.

"Holy shit Harry. Mermaids!" Alora exclaimed and hugged Harry.

"Mermaids Alora." Harry laughed.

Fred and George came running over.

"So, that's where you went off too." Fred said.

Alora turned and hugged Fred. "Oh my god Fred, mermaids are real!" She said.

Fred smiled. "I didn't even know that." He said.

"You didn't?" George asked.

Dumbledore began to speak. "The second task has come to an end, the places are: Fleur Delacour in fourth, Harry Potter in third, Viktor Krum in second, and Cedric Diggory in first." Cheers came from every direction.

"But!" Dumbledore continued.

There was silence.

"For Harry Potter's courageous action of saving not only his person, but some one elses when they could not, we award Harry Potter, with second place!" Dumbledore finished.

Cheers all around. Alora clapped and hugged Harry. "Harry, I can't believe it! You are amazing!" Alora exclaimed. "Couldn't do it without you." Harry replied.