Link of Hogwarts

Fifty-One

It seemed that the "something precious" that the Egg referred to were the people they took to the Yule Ball but since Link partnered with another Champion, they decided to take Ron. He had wondered why Ron had gone missing along with Hermione but since he was so late due to the accumulated fatigue of making something never seen before the past two months and refining the final product, he didn't have time to ask Neville whom he barely noticed amongst the crowd at the pier.

The same thing happened to Fleur whose "something precious" seemed to be a relative of hers, perhaps even her sister. He watched as she cut off the rope anchoring her sister to the stone pillar in the middle of what can only be the village's square and waved as she looked at him in thanks. She must have been so worried about her sister when she can't find her on the way to the trial.

He then looked between Ron and Hermione. Cedric soon arrived and grabbed his girlfriend, looking in wonder at Link who has yet to do anything despite being the first to arrive. In fact Link was waiting for Hermione's partner. He knew he'll be fine but he needed to make sure both his friends will come to the surface safely.

Viktor finally arrived in a spectacular half-transformed state; he has the head of a Great White Shark. Once Link made sure that Viktor didn't accidentally bit Hermione's hands and legs, he turned to Ron as Viktor took Hermione to the surface. A simple movement was all it took for him to undo Ron's knot and he dashed to the surface with a scant 15 minutes to spare.

He placed Ron on his back and started to swim faster, cutting through the water like a tornado. He jumped out of the water due to his speed and dove back into the water before speeding straight for the piers. Ron had woken up the moment they broke through the surface and screamed in shock before wrapping his arms around Link's neck, "BLOODY HEEEEEEELLLLLLL!!!!"

Link grinned as he shot right past Viktor and Hermione as well as Cedric and Cho Chang before jumping straight onto the pier with Ron still screaming on his back. He skidded to a stop and dropped a shaking Ron onto the wooden pier. Hermione soon arrived with Viktor who sped up, laughing at the fiasco that was Link and Ron. Soon, the rest of the crowd started laughing as well as they slowly come out of the shock of watching Ron clinging for dear life of his smaller friend's back. The last to reach the pier are Cedric and Cho, who laughed along with everyone. Cedric looked at Link, "What was that?"

Link shrugged, "A need for speed?"

The Trial finally ended and marks were given. Link tied in first with Fleur, although the judge mentions how he's the first to arrive and the last to rescue his hostage. Ron fondly rolled his eyes at Link. They gave him a bonus for helping Fleur with the Grindylow attacks and helping her find her way through the lake thus embodying the spirit of the Tournament..

The Tournament wrapped up nicely for the Second Trial with little to no incidents, other than Gabrielle Delacour coming up to Link to give him a grateful kiss on the cheek for helping her sister. To which Fleur added her own kiss on his other cheek. Properly embarrassed by their very much French gratitude, Link quickly escaped to the Tower with his Housemates teasing the steam out of him.

Class continue as usual after that. The last Trial stayed silent and Champions will be told. But everyone already know where it will take place as all Quidditch players mourned the 'destruction' of the Quidditch Pit. But that does not decrease the amount of work Link need to see to.

After the sight of him in his "Zora's Armor" were published in the papers, a group of witches and wizards from Merge School of Under-Water Spellage sought him out to interview him about his special swimming gear. Despite being busy, he decided to humor them but told them to speak to his godfather Sirius Black for anything more than interview.

It was a wise move on his part for soon after the interview, they started asking him to sell them the formulae for the swimming gear. Due to this, Sirius take charge of the discussion. And although Link had done his best with his swimming gear, it was not perfected and has numerous rooms for improvement. But Link's still a student so he can't drop everything to research and improve his original swimming gears.

Besides, he has classes to attend...

Although recently Moody has started training them to throw off the Imperious Curse, which Link really dislike. Although he has been an excellent teacher so far, with great insight on how magical criminals think, something about the man put Link on edge. Especially the almost hidden glee in his eyes after he cast the Killing Curse right in front of the only survivor of a homicide. That alone sent warning alarm through Link.

Luckily Link has been too busy with the Tournament that he managed to keep away from the retired Auror. But with this new class regarding the Imperious Curse, he has no choice but to take an active part. So he stood before his teacher, waiting to be cursed.

Moody pointed his wand and cast, "Imperio!"

Link's mind clouded over as an odd sense of peace settled in the place of clarity. He heard someone whispering for him to jump unto a table. He was about to move his body but then his mind flashed golden light of three triangles stacked together to form one piece of triangle.

So he set his rising foot back down and stood his ground against the curse. Moody strengthened the curse and his command, sometimes changing them, but Link stubbornly stand his ground. Around them, students stared in confusion and some even wondered if Moody had failed casting the curse.

As the enchantment grew to the point of being unbearable, Link's mind flashed with memories of a sacred open space and Her standing over him, Her voice solemn as She blessed him;-

"Whether Skyward bound, adrift in time, or steeped in the glowing embers of twilight...we pray for your protection..."

Link gritted his jaw, rebelling the pounding of the curse against his will. He can't truly recall the rest of Her words but he knew that Her blessing and prayer of protection stayed true. And this man, this wizard, dared to tempt him away from Her.

Unforgivable.

How dare he try to undermine Her hold on his will?

Link's a tempered sword, pounded over and over by trials after trials, broken and re-forged era after era, but regardless of form and appearance his oath to Her remains constant. With each rise and fall, with each cycle of hope and despair, he will always find his way back to Her.

Link scowled, letting out his bloodlust and warrior's spirit as he roared in defiance and anger directly at a shocked Moody, his body moving like a hurricane, closing the distance between them in an instance as he whipped out both wands and pressing one at the man's head and the other directly at his heart. His threat towards the man clear; stop or be eliminated.

Blade-like blue eyes glowing fiercely as he dared the man to try and control him. Beastly growls rumbled through his chest and echoed through his gritted teeth, fangs bared for all to see as he challenged the man.

If Link was a Beast, then he had offered his leash to one person and one person only and that person was not Moody. Anyone who dare to try wrestle that leash from his rightful Master will be shredded by his fangs.

Moody stuttered to a stop, lowering his wand and bluffing his confidence as he praised Link's unshaken will in the face of the curse. Had it been a different Link, perhaps he would have tried the curse on Link over and over. But not this one.

Link's warning was a clear threat. He doesn't care if the man was his instructor. He had stepped over a clear line and Link's warning was a onetime mercy.

There will be no second time.