Just Like Magic

The Black Lake

In the weeks leading up to the second task, Cedric was confident with his chosen course of action to obtain what the merpeople are going to take.

He even went so far as to practice constantly in the room of requirements where there, the room provided him with a replica of the lake minus the giant squid and any other form of life that could be found below the surface.

On the day of the task Cedric and Krystal had decided to take a stroll to try and help him clear his head.

They were walking hand in hand when Hagrid approached them.

"Ello Krystal, Cedric." He said cheerfully.

They said their hellos in response before Hagrid announced that Krystal was to go with him.

She kissed Cedric and gave him a reassuring hug. "In case I don't see you before the second task, Good Luck." She said.

He thanked her with another kiss, Hagrid cleared his throat and they pulled apart.

Hagrid walked her down to the lake.

"Ah Miss Montgomery you're here and now I can explain." Dumbledore sounded.

She looked around and saw Bagman, a tall red head (who could only be Percy Weasley), Ron, Hermione, and a little silvery blonde girl (which must be Gabrielle, Fluer's sister).

"In a moment we will be joined by my very good friend Murcus, Merchieftainess of the Merpeople who reside in the Black Lake and a few of her personal guard. For the second task our four champions are to free you from the lake. They have an hour to do so, and to make sure that you can not help them in any way you will all be charmed to sleep while under the water."

"But I can't swim." The little girl said with a thick accent that matched her sisters perfectly.

"While charmed you will not need to breath, blink, see, swim or smell. But once your head comes out of the water the charm will vanish." Dumbledore informed us. "Now the champions have exactly one hour to accomplish their mission, after the hour is up Murcus will see to it that any of you four remaining in the lake will get back to shore safely. Do you all understand?"

They all nodded as they handed over their wands. The sounds of popping bubbles and something rising from water sounded behind them. They all turned to face the lake and then Krystal felt a tap on her head.

She turned her head to the right in time to see Dumbledore do the same to Hermione and then Ron and Gabrielle.

"Please step into the lake."

They walked into the shallow water on the shore of the lake, the further they walked the deeper the water became. When the water reached her shoulders a merperson swam forward and took Krystal's hand into their own webbed hand and escorted her deeper into the lake.

She couldn't feel the bottom of the lake anymore and Krystal began to kick her legs to stay above water.

"Miss Granger, Miss Montgomery please stop swimming and put your head under the water to activate the charm." Dumbledore advised with a bit of a chuckle.

Krystal took an involuntary deep breath and then let her body dip into the water fully, her head included, and that was the last thing she could remember.

. . . . .

Krystal's eyes flew open as she began gasping for air as a loud roar of cheers sounded all around her.

Her eyes focused and she saw that Cedric had successfully retrieved her from the lake, together they swam to the large platform in the middle of the lake where a booming Ludo Bagman announced Cedric as the first champion out of the water with a sucessful retrieval.