𝘚𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘉𝘺 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘔𝘰𝘰𝘯 𝄂︎☽︎𝄃︎ 𝘎𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘯 𝘛𝘳𝘪𝘰 𝘌𝘳𝘢

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘥 𝘛𝘢𝘴𝘬

The end of February was the date for the second task.

Juliet had summarized that the second task would take place underwater. She'd already discussed a few options with Harry as she'd already chosen hers.

She'd spent the past few weeks with Minerva and Edith, creating her own transfiguration charm to allow her gils and the ability to breathe underwater.

The question she most pondered about was what exactly were they finding? She knew the point of the task was to rescue something...but what?

~~

Her question was answered the morning of the task.

She'd barely slept a wink that entire night. Rome was howling in her head that something was wrong, something bad. When she made it to the Great Hall, the first thing she did was walk straight up to the Professors table and take Snape's mug of coffee. "I need this more than you do, trust me." Was all she said as she turned and went back to her designated house table.

She looked around the table. Three important people were missing.

Hermione, Ron, and George.

She tipped the coffee back onto her lips, taking a big gulp of it. "Alright, wheres two out of four Weasleys and the brainiac." She looked around to the table, everyone was just about as clueless as she was.

~~

Again, her questions were answered. This time when she made it onto the platform in the middle of the Black Lake. Their friends were taken as the 'prize' they must find and rescue.

Hermione for Krum, Fleur's little sister for Fleur, Ron for Harry, George for Juliet, and Cho for Cedric.

Juliet almost went ballistic on Albus when she heard that Cho was Cedric's person to rescue. They simply didn't have anyone else to have him rescue, Rita Skeeter was the one that suggested it. Probably for drama purposes for the paper.

Albus explained the challenge to everyone. Juliet mainly watched Harry, making sure he had figured out a way to breathe underwater. From what she could tell, he was given Gillyweed which would give him gills underwater.

Just before Albus let them begin, Juliet cast her own transfiguration charm to give her the gills her and Minerva had practiced.

She dived into the water with the rest of the champions, specifically making sure Harry's gillyweed worked and Cedric's bubblehead charm. She couldn't care less about everyone else.

As she was underwater, there was no way she could sniff out George, even with the gills. What was left, was pure instinct.

As much as she didn't want to embrace her mate bond with George, it would be her one sure way to find him. She closed her eyes, listening to the sounds around her.

She could hear everyone fighting off whatever creatures lie within the lake's depths, her own heartbeat, and those of the other champions.

But the one she needed to focus on, had a unique signature. One that was uniquely George.

Dozens of cords seemed to appear in her minds eye. The bonds she held with those she loved.

But one stood out, that which she held with George. It was faint, but definitely stood out the most. Once she'd caught onto that, she had a sure path to him.

So, off she set. She wove through the seaweed as fast as she could. But, all was stopped when a Grindylow snapped at her ankle, biting into her skin.

"Fucker!" She yelled in her mind, using her other foot to kick it away, roughly pounding her heel into his head. The creature shrieked and abandoned back to its seaweed depths.