Down Bad

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"You're sure about this, Neville?" Harry asks as he and Ron walk with Neville down to the boats

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"You're sure about this, Neville?" Harry asks as he and Ron walk with Neville down to the boats.

"Absolutely."

"For an hour?"

"Most likely."

"Most likely!?" Harry yells, scaring poor Neville. The truth is, after the girls left last night, Harry stayed up trying to figure something out until Neville came, saying he had something that would work. Having no better option—considering the smartest of their little friend group had left them—they chose to put their faith in Neville.

"Well, there is some debate among herbologists... as to the effects of fresh water versus salt water—"

"You're telling me this now? You must be joking!" Harry sighs in frustration, looking around, hoping to catch a glimpse of golden hair.

He's spent every second after the ball's event thinking about her, and they've spent every second together since then, yet they haven't really had time to talk about it. Not with the second task coming up, and not when Hermione and Ron never seemed to leave both their sides. Ophelia had thought it best to try and keep it under wraps and not tell Hermione or Ron anything... yet.

"I just wanted to help."

"Well, that makes you a right sight better than Ophelia and Hermione. Where are they anyway?"

"Haven't seen them since last night. I bet they're off with their own champions," Ron answers bitterly. Harry stops, and a scary thought fills his head. What if Ron's right... what if Ophelia was with Cedric? Why else wouldn't she be here?

"No, Ophelia said she'd figure something out. It's not like her to just disappear."

"You seem a little tense, Harry."

"Do I?" With one more look around, Harry sighs as he steps onto the boat that will take him to the platforms above the lake.

"Welcome to the second task. Last night, something was stolen from each of our champions. A treasure of sorts. These four treasures, one for each champion, now lie on the bottom of the Black Lake. In order to win, each champion need only find their treasure and return to the surface. Simple enough, except for this—"

Harry looks to his side and sees Cedric. He looks a bit anxious as well, but there's no sign of Ophelia behind him either. "Hey Cedric, have you seen Ophelia today?"

"No... yesterday she stopped by to wish me luck, but that's been all. I was kinda hoping to see her before the task, though..."

"Yeah, you and me mate..."

"Put that in your mouth." Professor Moody breaks Harry from his thoughts as he subtly motions to the gillyweed.

"They will have but one hour to do so, and one hour only. After that, they'll be on their own. No magic will save them. You may begin at the sound of the cannon."

Ophelia Black ~ Harry Potter fanficWhere stories live. Discover now