Harry Potter and the Serpent Slayer

Chapter 13: The Second Task

"Where are they?" muttered Harry for the umpteenth time. He was cold, wearing nothing but swimming shorts that only went about halfway down his thighs. On his ankle, a knife was strapped in a leather sheath. Harry didn't like the exposure, especially when he could see that half the crowd were staring at the back of his head. Were they looking at his muscles, his face, his burn scars or his arse? Either way, Harry didn't like feeling self-conscious. Even bloody Fleur was staring openly at him.

Harry wasn't the only one who was nervous. All three of the other champions were fidgeting nervously, with Fleur in particular muttering in rapid French when she wasn't staring at him. Somewhere in the crowd, Ron was also nervous when they couldn't find Hermione or Cho when they woke up. Harry looked back at his best friend, who only shook his head. Neither of the girls were anywhere to be seen.

Harry let out a deep sigh, then held up the small jar in his hand. Neville had gotten him enough Gillyweed to last him the full hour, plus a few more minutes just in case. Hopefully, it would be enough time to get whatever it was that had been stolen from him back, though he really didn't want to be stuck in the freezing lake for too long if he could help it.

"Alright Harry? Know what you're doing?" asked Ludo Bagman.

"Yes," said Harry. Ludo smiled, patted him on the shoulder and walked away, putting his wand to his throat.

Ludo started to talk to the crowd, while Harry stuffed the Gillyweed into his mouth and started chewing. There was a loud bang, and the other champions started for the water. The lake water was the coldest sensation Harry had ever experienced, like the cold was actually burning him. Faster and faster he chewed, grimacing at the unpleasant slipperiness of the plant until he submerged his entire body once he couldn't touch the bottom.

Harry expected that he would run out of air very soon, but then he realised that he could breathe. He had gills just below his ears, and his hands and feet had formed web-like skin between them to create flippers. He also realised that he could see quite clearly through the murky water, and that the cold didn't bother him at all anymore. Harry had become some weird human-fish-frog hybrid, and he dreaded to think about what he'd look like in the mirror right now.

Harry only had an hour, so he pushed forward, swimming through the water far better than he'd ever done before. He was practically flying, gliding past the tick green weeds and rocks with the ease of an aquatic animal. Harry was a little disturbed by the silence that pressed against his ears, and despite his better vision underwater, the murkiness made it difficult for him to make out specific shapes. A small school of silvery fish swam past him, startling him for a moment and he held out his wand. He let out a sigh of relief that came out in large bubbles that rose up, blocking his view.

Onwards Harry continued, his only goal finding the merpeople. Great plains of thick seaweed stretch out in front of him, swaying with the currents. Unblinkingly Harry stared ahead, swimming with the determination of an aquatic hunter until something grabbed his ankle.

Harry twisted around and found a grindylow, a small, horned demon with sickly green skin and long, thin fingers. It cackled as it tried to pull Harry down to the bottom of the lake, but in anger Harry lashed his other leg out, kicking it right in the face with the bottom of his foot. The impact sent the grindylow swirling backwards, releasing its grip on his ankle but in that time, two more grindylows appeared and started harassing Harry.

"Relashio!" shouted Harry, only no sound came out of his mouth. A jet of scalding hot water jettisoned outwards, striking one of the demons and forcing it to retreat with red burns on its skin. The other grindylow snarled and tried to snap at his face, but Harry jabbed it in the eye with his wand and sent it reeling backwards, howling in pain. Free from their grips, Harry pushed through the water as fast as he could, occasionally shooting more spells behind him.