If Only//Harry Potter [4]

14

"I must be out of my mind." Harry said to himself as he lowered himself in the Prefects' bathtub.

He had decided to take Cedric's advice and gone to the Prefects' bathroom and open the egg. Harry turned himself around and opened the egg above the warm bath water.

The egg, once opened, made the same dreadful screeching noise as it did before. He immediately shut it, trying to get the horrible noise out of his ears.

"I'm definitely out of my mind." Harry concluded, after closing the egg.

"I'd try putting it in the water if I were you." Moaning Myrtle's high-pitched bubbly giggle filled the bathroom.

"Myrtle!" Harry exclaimed, grabbing the bubbles to cover himself up.

"Hello, Harry. Long time no see." Myrtle squeaked. "I was circling a blocked drain the other day, and could swear I saw a bit of Polyjuice Potion. Not being a bad boy again, are you, Harry?" 

"Polyjuice Potion?" Harry asked, pondering who could've used Polyjuice Potion. "Kicked the habit. Myrtle, did you say, 'Try putting it in the water'?" 

"That's what he did. The other boy . . . the handsome one. Cedric."

Harry was too busy covering himself with bubbles to roll his eyes.

"Well, go on. Open it."

Reluctantly, Harry held the egg under the water, then opened it. Instead of hearing the screeches like before, he heard a beautiful song. Harry stuck his head under the water to hear it better.

"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."

Harry gasped for air when the song was over, thinking over the lyrics.

"Myrtle. . . There aren't merpeople in the Black Lake, are there?" 

"Very good. It took Cedric ages to riddle it out. Almost all the bubbles. . .were. . .gone." Myrtle flirted, leaving Harry to feel uncomfortable. 

>>>

"Harry, tell me again." Hermione asked, pacing around the library.

The four were sitting in the library trying to help Harry pass the Second Task, which was only hours away and Harry had no idea how to survive it.

"'Come seek us where our voices sound.'" Harry repeated for Hermione, Autumn and Ron to hear.

"The Black Lake, that's obvious." Hermione stated, shaking Ron awake. 

"'An hour long you'll have to look.'" 

"Again, obvious. Though, admittedly, potentially problematic." Hermione confirmed. 

"'Potentially problematic'? When's the last time you held your breath underwater for an hour, Hermione?" Harry said angrily, losing hope that he could pass the Second Task.

"Harry, we can do this. C'mon, we have Hermione!" Autumn exclaimed, opening a book. "There's gotta be something it this book." Autumn flipped through the pages of One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi looking for something that could help Harry not die.

"The four of us can figure it out." Hermione reasoned, sitting next to Harry. 

"Hate to break up the skull session." Moody said, his voice sending chills down Autumn's spine. "Professor McGonagall wants you in her office."

Autumn, Hermione, Ron, and Harry began to stand up, but Moody's voice rang out again.

"Not you, Potter, just Weasley, Grey, and Granger." 

"But, sir, the second task is only hours away, and—" Hermione tried to reason, but Moody wasn't having it. 

"Exactly. Presumably, Potter is well prepared by now and could do with a good night's sleep. Go. Now!"

Autumn scrambled to her feet, not even bothering to put her book back on the shelf.

"Longbottom! Why don't you help Potter put his books back." Moody said, looking at all the books Harry had out. Then, Moody limped away.

"You know, if you're interested in plants, you'd be better off with Goshawk's Guide to Herbology rather than One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi. Do you know there's a wizard in Nepal who's growing gravity-resistant trees?" Neville said excitedly. 

"Neville, no offense, but I really don't care. . .about plants. Now, if there's. . .a Tibetan turnip that will allow me to breathe underwater for an hour, then great. But otherwise—" 

"I don't know about a turnip," Neville pointed to a section in the One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi and showed Harry. "but you could always use gillyweed."

>>>

Autumn, Ron, and Hermione walked their way to McGonagall's office. There was silence at first, but Ron's curiosity stepped in.

"What do you think she needs us for?" Ron asked.

"I dunno." Hermione answered honestly. "We haven't done anything wrong, have we?"

"Maybe this has to do with the second task?" Autumn asked as they entered the office.

"Correct, Miss Grey." McGonagall's sharp voice ran out. 

Autumn looked around the room to see a little girl with platinum blonde hair standing in the room. Dumbledore, Madam Maxine, Igor, and Snape were also in the room.

"Oh no." Autumn muttered, looking around the room.

Dumbledore gestured to a table with four golden goblets, filled to the brim with a liquid. "Come, take a sip." 

The little girl looked at Madam Maxine, who nodded her head, before walking over to the table. Autumn, Hermione, and Ron took a look at each other before Ron walked after the girl. Hermione was quick to follow, and Autumn was last.

The four took a sip from the goblet and immediately cringed. The taste was awful. Autumn was immediately alarmed. This was a potion.

"Professor—" Autumn said, widening her eyes, looking at Dumbledore. "Why are we drinki—"

The little girl collapsed onto the ground, leaving the other three in alarm.

"What have you done to her, Professor?" Hermione asked, her voice loud.

Autumn felt her head spin and everyone's voice get contorted.

"What have you done to us?" Ron shouted.

Hermione collapsed to the ground, Ron shortly following. Autumn felt her eyes roll into her head. Then her vision dimmed with the Professors crowding over the four children.

>>>

To say Harry was nervous was an understatement. His friends haven't shown up at all, and Neville was the only person Harry could talk to.

"You're sure about this, Neville?" Harry asked, holding the wet gillyweed in his hand.

"Absolutely." Neville said boldly.

"For an hour?"

"Most likely." 

"Most likely?" Harry asked, turning to look at Neville.

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

"You're telling me this now? You must be joking!" Harry said loudly, shocking Neville.

"I just wanted to help." 

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

"You seem a little tense, Harry." 

"Do I?" Harry replied sarcastically.