The Goblet Of Fire - Hermione Granger x OC

Too Late

"So, remind me what we're doing in here again?" Oliver asked, his brow furrowing in confusion as he and Henry entered the bathroom.

"Apparently, the clue has something to do with water," Henry answered, his voice filled with excitement as he began filling up the bath with warm water, the sound of the rushing water filling the room.

After a few minutes, the bath was filled up completely, steam rising in tendrils from the surface. Oliver leaned in, inspecting the water with a hint of skepticism.

"So, now what?" Oliver asked, glancing at Henry who stood beside him, pondering their next move.

"Hmm, well, we have water right here. I guess maybe we're supposed to open it?" Henry replied, his voice tinged with uncertainty.

Oliver sighed. "This is so ridiculous," he muttered.

"Do you want to be prepared for the next task or not?"

Oliver reluctantly nodded his head as Henry picked up the egg.

"Alright, here it goes," Henry said while carefully opening the egg.

As soon as it opened, a deafening screech erupted from it, causing Henry to quickly drop the egg and cover his ears. Oliver, reacting swiftly, darted forward to close the egg.

"I don't think it worked," Oliver said sarcastically, a hint of frustration in his voice.

Henry chuckled nervously, rubbing his ears. "Well, I guess that wasn't the right move. We'll have to try something else."

"Well, what if we tried submerging it in the water?" Oliver suggested.

"Can't hurt to give it a shot, I guess," Henry replied, picking the egg back up carefully and handing it to Oliver. "Here, you do it this time."

Reluctantly, Oliver accepted the egg, feeling a mix of anticipation and apprehension as he placed it gently beneath the water's surface. He took a deep breath and carefully opened it, taking a swift step back for safety.

As they waited, the boys exchanged glances filled with curiosity and excitement, their ears perked up to catch any sound emerging from the submerged egg. After a few seconds, a faint melody reached their ears, wavering from beneath the water.

Unable to contain their curiosity, Oliver and Henry instinctively bent down, their gazes meeting each other before plunging their heads into the water, their ears completely immersed.

To their astonishment, a magical song emanated from the egg, its soothing melody filling the bathroom. The lyrics wafted through the water, reverberating in their ears with a sense of enchantment.

🎶Come seek us where our voices sound; we cannot sing above the ground. An hour long you'll have to look, to recover what we took🎶

The boys lifted their heads out of the water, gasping for breath as they exchanged bewildered glances.

"What on earth does that mean?" Henry blurted out, his voice filled with frustration and confusion.

Oliver's gaze wandered across the bathroom, his eyes landing on a captivating painting hanging on the wall. It depicted a stunning mermaid gracefully adorning her flowing hair.

Instantly, Oliver's face lit up with realization. "The black lake," he exclaimed. "It must have something to do with the merpeople in the black lake!"

                      ***

Hermione walked into the transfiguration class, an air of concern gripping her as she noticed Oliver slumped over his desk, his face buried onto the surface while his arms stretched out in front of him. It was clear that he was completely unconscious.