✔️ 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐓𝐄𝐆𝐎 → ℎ. 𝑝𝑜𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑡𝑤𝑖𝑛 𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑦

21 | H O S T A G E S

so tell me how I get past this wave.

FROM ALL THE people it was Ron, who seemed to fear the consequences for Ember after her incident with Rita Skeeter most. Every morning, he was the first one to reach out for the Daily Prophet and sighing in relief after not finding anything written about his best friend's sister. But he, Harry and Hermione knew as well as Ember that it was just a matter of time for Rita to strike back.

From all the people it was Ember caring the least about it. The twenty-fourth of February was creeping closer relentlessly, and as Harry was getting more and more nervous, so did Ember. Although her mood lifted slightly when Cedric told her he'd given Harry the master-hint to solve the mysterious riddle of the screaming egg, she still could clearly see the struggle on her brother's face, and even though he assured her that he had everything under control, all her senses were highly alarmed. But it wasn't until February twenty-three that Harry finally gave in and admitted that there was nothing under control at all.

"The Black Lake?", Ember asked, feeling dizzy for a moment, before her brain had swollowed this new worrisome information. "But - but you said you'd solved it long ago! Harry James Potter, how shall we find out how the bloody hell you could breathe under water in less than twelve hours?"

"Technically we're trying to find it out for about eight hours already, so -"

"That's not funny, Harry", Ember snapped, what gained her an threatening glare from Madame Pomfrey, who was bustling by right in this moment. "What have you found out so far?"

"Nothing", Hermione sighed, and never had Ember seen her so desperate. Of course Hermione Granger, the girl technically living in the library, couldn't cope with the fact that there was a problem given, books couldn't solve. "There's absolutely nothing. Well, nothing that's be feasible over night."

"I don't get it - but Cedric said he gave you a hint weeks ago!", Ember exclaimed. "He said, it was bulletproof, he -"

"That doesn't help me, Em", Harry cut her off. "You can be mad with me all the way you want tomorrow, but now I need your help."

"Fine", she muttered, hurdling over to the next shelf. "Fine. Let's get it on."

But it was pointless. Close to curfew the candles in front of them had almost utterly burned down, and still there was nothing that could help Harry to get through the second task.

"Oh this is no use", Hermione said, snapping shut Weird Wizarding Dilemmas. "Who on earth wants to make their nose hair grow into ringlets?"

"I wouldn't mind", said Fred Weasley's voice. "Be a talking point, wouldn't it?"

Ember, Harry, Ron, and Hermione looked up. Fred and George had just emerged from behind some bookshelves.

"What're you two doing here?", Ron asked.

"Looking for you", said George. "McGonagall wants you, Ron. And you, Hermione. And of course our fair Hufflepuff lady."

"Why?", said Hermione, looking surprised.

"Dunno ... she was looking a bit grim, though", said Fred.

"We're supposed to take you down to her office", said George.

Ember, Ron and Hermione stared at Harry, who felt his stomach drop. Was Professor McGonagall about to tell them off? Perhaps she'd noticed how much they were helping him, when he ought to be working out how to do the task alone?

"We'll meet you back in the common room", Hermione told Harry as she got up to go with Ron - both of them looked very anxious. "Bring as many of these books as you can, okay?"

"Right", said Harry uneasily.

"Don't worry, Harry", Ember said, squeezing his shoulder as she got up. "You'll find a way, I know it. I will sneak into your common room with Ron and Hermione later. We're going to find a solution, and if it takes the whole night."

·

"You won't notice a thing while under water", Bagman explained, walking up and down in front of Ember, Ron, Hermione, and a little blonde girl that turned out to be Fleur's sister. "We'll put you in a kind of dreamless sleep you won't wake up from until you get back to the surface."

"What if the hour passes without them finding us?", Ember asked, cocking an eyebrow, looking from Bagman to all of the judges. Only Crouch wasn't there.

"No need to worry, Miss Potter, the hour is more of a guideline", Bagman said, smiling. "We don't want you to get wrinkly in there, do we? Of course the champions have all the time they need. If it takes them more than an hour, the judges will take points from them. And if they won't find you at all, of course we won't let you drown." He winked at her, probably to reassure her, but that didn't really help.

"I am sure you will understand that you won't be allowed to return to your common room tonight", Professor Dumbledore now rose to speak. "Tonight you will stay in the hospital wing, Madame Pomfrey will make sure you're all whole and healthy enough to go down into the lake."

"But -", Ember was about to complain, but was immediately cut off.

"I'm well aware that you're worrying, Miss Potter, but be sure that your brother and Mr Diggory are at no point exposed to any danger", Dumbledore told her.

Ember still wanted to kvetch, but kept her mouth shut. At least she couldn't tell in front of all the judges that Harry had no clue how to solve the task and desperately needed the help of Ember, Ron and Hermione. So she bit her tongue and stared down at her hands.

"Fine", Bagman said, clapping his hands. "Then let's go, I'd say? The sooner we get this started, the sooner Mr Diggory can pull Miss Potter out of the lake and she can calm her nerves."

"W-what?", Ron stammered, looking from Bagman to Ember with a ridiculous expression on his face. "But I thought Harry -"

Hermione snorted, rolling her eyes. "Of course, Ronald", she scoffed, "and who do you think will save you? Fleur Delacour?"

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