Confident | Fred Weasley

Chapter 26 | Better

For a short, rather blissful, segment of time, everything seemed normal. Ordinary.

It seemed like every hogwarts year before Harry Potter arrived. The biggest events was the most recent breakup or the mock exam coming up in Transfiguration.

The only thing Sarah had to worry about was her lessons and for once, Sarah was incredibly thankful for this. For a moment, she was only a teenage girl trying to get good grades.

Then that moment ended.

"Imagine not being able to swim," Patricia mutterered, staring down at the grey water from their place in the stands.

It was the second task of the Triwizard tournament, which was taking place at the Black Lake. The task was supposed to start soon.

"You'd drown," Sarah replied bluntly, her hands stuffed in her pockets for warmth.

"No, shit." Patty replied with a roll of her eyes.

Beside them, Angelina visibly shivered, "Surely they could've done a water task in the summer? It's freezing."

"They like to make things difficult, don't they?" Sarah muttered, her eyes landing upon some ministry representatives in the same stand as them.

"Yeah, last time dragons and now...whatever this is!" Alicia, who was stood beside Patricia, agreed.

"Lochness monster?" Angelina suggested.

"I thought that was a myth?" Patty wondered.

Sarah laughed, "So are witches and wizards, but here we are."

Patricia smiled slightly, "Good point."

Angelina gasped, "There he is!"

The girls looked to where Angelina was pointing. On the rocky terrain, Harry jogged towards the crowd of champions.

"Late on his second task? If that doesn't scream Harry Potter, I don't know what does," Alicia stated with a grin.

"Is he still in his uniform?" Angelina scrutinised, her lips twitching.

Sarah burst out laughing when she noticed too, "I think so. I don't think he prepared very well for this one."

"Let's hope the lochness monster sees the Gryffindor badge and takes it easy on him," Patricia chortled, her eyes remaining on the crowd of champions.

"Damn. That Delacour girl has nice legs," Angelina muttered.

"Angie!" Patricia whacked her lightly on the arm, but was still laughing. Sarah and Alicia were laughing too.

"What? - I can admire another woman - " Angelina defended herself, her hands at her shoulders as if she was surrendering.

Before Angelina could finish her sentence, Dumbledore put his wand to his mouth and spoke to the crowd.

"Welcome students to the second task of the Tri-wizard tournament!" Dumbledoee's amplified voice was so loud that it made Sarah's stomach drop.

The crowd cheered lightly.

"Today, our four champions will venture into the depths of the Black Lake to find what they miss the most - " Dumbledore continued to speak, gesturing to the Lake as he spoke.

" - Huh? What they miss the most?" Sarah squinted at Dumbledore, as if she was expecting for him to answer.

" - Now the rules are clear. Champions, at the ready!" Dumbledore commanded.

"Three - " Dumbledore began.

" - Two - " The crowd continued in unison.

" - One!" The Champions jumped into the Lake, the water spilling over the edge of the bank. The water rippled for a few moments, before settling calmly as it had been before.