The Wolf's Lion ~ Harry Potter (Editing)

Chapter Forty | Scores

The spectators cheered and clapped vigorously as they all panted, swimming towards the ladders that would take them up to the main tower. Ron and Hermione were grinning, remaining by their friends' sides as they returned.

Ariana and Harry helped Fleur's sister to the ladders, since she was struggling to swim in the choppy waters. Fleur was fighting tooth and nail against Madame Maxime to return to the water, screaming for her sister. Ariana had never really taken to the girl, but she related to how she felt now and the bond of siblings.

"Gabrielle! Gabrielle! Is she alive?! Is she 'urt?!"

Hermione and Ron clambered out of the water, helping the French girl up, then Harry. Ariana, however, used a spell to raise herself to the platform, having no legs to use. Dumbledore immediately dropped down beside Ariana and Harry, checking they were both alright as they coughed water up.

After he was satisfied his students were alive and kicking, Ariana saw him move off to talk to a particularly fierce female mergers, who she assumed was the chief of her people. The Headmaster was screeching just as the merfolk did; clearly he knew how to speak Mermish.

Seamus wound a thick towel around Ariana's shoulders as the scales began to disappear into Ariana's skin, her swimsuit reappearing. The hot prickles were nothing compared to the fatigue in her muscles, but she was certainly thankful to have her legs back.

"Go them them more towels," Seamus said, kneeling behind the pair, rubbing their backs in an attempt to heat them up.

Not that the potion's effects had worn off completely, Ariana's body temperature dropped dramatically. Shivers wracked her body, her hands pulling the towel as close to her body as physically possible without tearing it.

Just as it had with the first task, relief flooded her entire body. She didn't have much time to focus on the relief before disappointment hit her like she had run into a brick wall; she and Harry had finished outside the time limit.

As Seamus draped another towel around Ariana, his hands still rubbing her and Harry's shoulders, Fleur came rushing over. She had a few lashes from the Grindylows, but other than that, she seemed to be okay, just cold and wet like the others.

"You saved 'er, even though she wasn't yours to save," she breathed, kneeling down in front of Harry and Ariana. "My little sister. Thank you. Thank you!" She held Ariana's face in her hands and kissed each cheek, then done the same with Harry, incredibly thankful that they had rescued her sister.

Ariana smiled as she rushed off with her sister, keeping the young girl under her arm as she attempted to dry her off.

"Ariana! Harry!" Hermione exclaimed, dashing over to them. She now had a thick dressing gown on, pulling a plush towel from around her neck in order to use it to cover her friends. "Are you alright? You must be freezing! Personally, l think you behaved admirably."

"We finished in last place, Hermione," Ariana said, now pressed into Harry's side since Hermione had bound them together by the shoulders with her towel.

The girl grabbed the champions' heads and kissed them. "Next to last. Fleur never got past 'ze Grindylows'."

Viktor turned up by Hermione's side, checking she was okay. Ariana thought he and Ivan were both extremely nice boys, despite the reputation of the school they attend.

"You haff a water-beetle in your hair, Herm-own-ninny," he said, gently plucking it from her head.

"Thank you," Hermione replied, then turned her attention back to her friends.

Ariana remained sat on the deck with Harry. Seamus, Dean and Hermione were kneeling beside them, rubbing their shoulders and backs to heat them up after the ordeal, until the pair rose to their feet, untangling themselves from each other.

Mr. Crouch stepped up to the front, his wand touching his throat as he used a charm to amplify his voice. "Ladies and Gentlemen, we have reached our decision. Mer-chieftainess Murcus has told us exactly what happened at the bottom of the lake, and we have therefore decided to award marks out of fifty for each of the champoins, as follows...

"Miss Fleur Delacour, though she demonstrated excellent use of the Bubble-Head Charm, was attacked by Grindylows as she approached her goal, and failed to retrieve her hostage. We award her twenty-five points."

The crowd applauded, but the blonde girl's looked disappointed. "I deserved zero," she said throatily, shaking her head.

"Mr. Cedric Diggory, who also used the Bubble-Head Charm, was first to return with his hostage, though he returned one minute outside the time limit of an hour." Enormous cheering and clapping erupted from the Hufflepuffs. "We therefore award him forty-seven points."

Ariana's heart throbbed painfully, her face falling a little. If Cedric had taken too long, she and Harry certainly had.

"Mr. Viktor Krum used an incomplete form of Transfiguration, which was nevertheless effective, and was second to return with his hostage. We award him forty points."

Karkaroff, who had looked completely miserable since Ariana, Harry and the others had arrived, clapped his hands vigorously, looking annoyingly superior.

"Miss. Ariana O'Connor brewed and used the Syreni Potion with brilliant results, and returned in joint last, well outside of the hour time limit. Mr. Harry Potter, who used Gillyweed to great effect, returned last with Miss. O'Connor.

However, the Merchieftainess informed us that Miss. O'Connor was the first to reach the hostages, Mr. Potter being the second. The delay in their return was due to their determination to return all hostages to safety, not merely their own.

Most of the judges -" he glanced at Karkaroff with distain "- feel that this shows moral fibre and merits fullmarks. However... Mr. Potter and Miss. O'Connor recieve forty-five points each."

After the news sank in, Ariana realised she, Harry and Cedric were now tied for first place. Applauds and cheers exploded from the three towers, even Fleur was clapping her hands very hard, her sister cuddled in to her side.

"You're tied with Cedric!" Hermione gasped, throwing her arms around Harry and Ariana's necks.

"There you go!" Ron shouted over the noise, standing in between Ariana and Hermione. "You done it! The task was doable!"

"Really, Ron? What gave that away?" Ariana asked sarcastically, grinning as Hermione released her.

"The third and final task will take place at dusk on the twenty-fourth of June," Mr. Crouch continued. "The champions will be notified of what is coming, precisely one month beforehand. Thank you for all your support of the champions."

Madame Pomfrey had appeared and began to heard the champions and hostages towards the self-rowing boats that would carry them back to the school, wanting to give them all a once-over and make sure they're well.

Ariana was over the moon. Once more, she and Harry had managed to pull off a fantastic job. It landed them in tied first place, which consisted of three Hogwarts champions.

The knot in her stomach had evaporated, as did the horrid feeling that a weight was sitting on her chest. For a few months, she would be allowed to focus on her friends and studies... and maybe a werewolf or two.