The Golden Wand [Harry Potter/Percy Jackson]

Chapter 47: The Seventh Trial With More Danger

Harry POV:

I would have died if it wasn't for Hermione (which is a sentence I find myself saying often). When the water came down around me I completely panicked - I tumbled round and round in the murky depths, my glasses came off my face and I couldn't see anything. Suddenly, with the air leaving my lungs, I realized I had forgotten the spell to cast a bubble-head charm. I should have drowned. 

But then I felt hands on my arms, keeping me steady, and when I could no longer hold my breath I opened my mouth and realized that air, not water, had entered my lungs. Then someone placed my glasses back in my hands, and when my vision returned I saw Hermione floating in front of me. 

"Thank you!" I yelled, voice muffled against the water. But she was already swimming away. Perhaps she didn't want anybody to know that she had saved another competitor, or perhaps it was because, at that moment, an enormous Kelpie was swimming towards us. Its eyes were ablaze with determination, staring so deeply into my own that I felt I couldn't move. 

I remembered Professor Lupin's lessons about Kelpies; impossibly fast, impossibly large, and if they caught you they would drag you to the bottom of the ocean, where they would feed on you for the fun of it. As the Kelpie approached I saw my life flash before my eyes - I was defenseless, all thought of spells and protecting myself had left my head. Fuck sake, Harry, I thought. You've gone through so much in life... and this is how you're going to die? Really?

The Kelpie was no more than ten meters in front of me when a shark swam through the water and bit into the creature's side. There was a frenzy, an entanglement as shark battled Kelpie and the dark water swirled into an undefinable mess. I saw the head of a shark, teeth bloodied red, the strong legs of a boy (had someone been eaten?), the cloud of blood leaking out of the Kelpie, the whirlwind of seaweed. It was impossible to tell what was going on. 

I was distracted, trying to make sense of the fight, when Draco came up behind me. 

"Incarcerous!" I heard him cry, and a thick rope appeared around me, wrapping me tight. My legs and arms were locked to my sides, my wand fell out of my grip, and I began to sink to the bottom of the lake. I thudded against the sandy ground, writhing against my confines with no success. 

I looked up just in time to see an almighty bang. The Kelpie and the shark flew away from one another, both stunned and motionless (and I realized that the shark had human legs). In between the both of them floated Jason, bolts of lightning still striking out of his wand. The water felt electric. My body began to numb. 

"Expelliarmus!" Nico swam towards Jason, disarming him, swimming past the seemingly dead body of the Kelpie. But the beast began to move, gaining consciousness, and it seemed to expand in size. Nico didn't notice and continued to swim towards Jason. I couldn't say anything - couldn't warn Nico about the animal that grew behind him. I couldn't even shout as I saw the Kelpie rear its head and open its mouth, preparing to eat the boy. He was going to die. 

And then I felt my body getting dragged along the lake floor. A current had picked up, pulling me along. It was strong, this current, picking up speed. I bounced across the sand. I pushed against the rope that was tied against me, trying desperately to fight against the current. And I realized I wasn't the only one moving - in fact, the whole lake was swirling along with the current. It was as if we had been trapped in one giant, enormous, powerful whirlpool. 

An object flew past me - Fleur, bubbles escaping her mouth as she screamed in annoyance. She was trying frantically to swim against the pull of the current but it was no good. She was dragged away and out of view. Next came Hazel, who had been knocked out and was floating unconsciously. Adrian bumped against her, also unconscious, and the two disappeared from view.