"Evan and Hermione, you're here!" Ron said as he sat down and grabbed a slice of bread. He seemed cheerful and continued, "I was surrounded by Lavender and her friend. They wanted to know how I could breathe underwater. Girls, you know? I need to make them understand it's not as simple as they think."
"We don't care about your and Lavender's matters," Hermione responded with annoyance. She glanced at Ron, panting angrily, and added, "You came too late. The champions are supposed to gather in front of the castle before 8:00, waiting for instructions."
"I know, but I still have plenty of time. I'm calculating the time!" Ron replied calmly as he shoved more food into his mouth. "By the way, do you know where Harry is? He didn't return last night, and Sirius is looking for him."
"He's in the lake," Hermione replied, somewhat impatiently.
"The lake?!" Ron exclaimed in shock. "Why would Harry go there?"
"You clearly don't know. The second task requires the champions to retrieve their most important person from the lake. For you, that person is Harry!" Hermione explained, and upon seeing Ron's worried expression, she continued, "He's already there, Ron."
"Oh my God, do I have to go into the lake to rescue Harry?!" Ron panicked, suddenly realizing the gravity of the situation. "Nobody told me this! I heard the Merpeople singing in the golden egg, but I thought it was some clue or something!"
Ron couldn't help but worry about Harry, who was waiting for rescue beneath the vast lake. He clutched the Gillyweed in his pocket, wondering what to do if he couldn't find Harry within an hour.
"I'm going to lose him forever," Ron muttered, his fear evident. He wasn't as carefree as he had seemed a moment ago.
"How can they do this? Harry doesn't even have Gillyweed. How can he breathe underwater?" Ron anxiously pondered the situation. "I won't be able to find him within an hour, Evan. What should I do?"
"I don't know," Gabrielle replied calmly, sipping her milk. She seemed unfazed by the situation.
Ron stared at Gabrielle in disbelief, as if he hadn't expected such a response from Evan.
"You just need to follow your usual training," Hermione suggested quickly. "Take the Gillyweed at the lakeside, find Harry in the lake, and bring him back. It's that simple."
Hermione knew that Ron couldn't possibly succeed in retrieving Harry within the hour, but she wanted to reassure him.
"Alright, we should go!" Hermione urged.
Ron swallowed the food, and the three of them left the castle. They exited the grand oak front doors into the beautiful, chilly morning.
They walked down the lawn toward the lakeside, where rows of seats had been set up on the opposite shore of the lake, forming a makeshift arena. Many people were already seated there, watching the inverted image of the lake on the screens before them.
They circumvented the giant lake and headed toward the area designated for the champions.
They approached the lakeshore in front of the referees' table, where a golden tablecloth had been spread out. Dumbledore, Karkaroff, Madam Maxime, Fudge, and Ludo Bagman were seated there. Other teachers and Aurors stood nearby, responsible for maintaining order during the competition.
Ron waved to Lavender in the arena before walking to the referees' table.
Ron had received a letter from Percy stating that he would replace Mr. Crouch as the referee. Ron thought this was a good turn of events, believing Percy would not give him a low score. However, given Mr. Crouch's recent disappearance and Percy's involvement in questionable activities, things had worsened. Sirius had informed them that Mr. Crouch's disappearance had to be kept a secret within the Ministry. Still, Percy had been questioned about the instructions he received from Mr. Crouch. Percy was under immense pressure, and his new position made things even more uncomfortable.
In this situation, Percy couldn't possibly come to Hogwarts to officiate.
"You're here, Ron!" Ludo Bagman greeted with a wide grin, leading Ron to where the champions should stand. He spoke hushedly, "So, how are you feeling? Do you know what you're going to do?"
"I have a plan," Ron replied, still somewhat amazed. "I can hardly believe it myself."
"Right, I can hardly believe it, too!" Bagman whispered, lowering his voice. "Listen, I just found out from Alastor that he located the position of the Merpeople village. He went down there yesterday, on the northwest side, just in case you need it."
"Thanks!" Ron said, surprised and grateful for Bagman's help.
He had known about the Merpeople village, but he hadn't expected Bagman to offer assistance at this crucial moment.
"Don't mention it. You know I want to help you win this competition!" Bagman said, his tone returning to normal. "Alright, go to your spot now. The other champions are waiting."
As Ron walked to his designated spot, he saw Cedric, Krum, and Fleur standing in formation along the shore, each separated by ten feet. Ron took his place, positioning himself next to Krum.
Krum was wearing swim trunks and had his wand out, ready for action. He was incredibly fit, a world-class Seeker. Even though the competition was about to start in an hour, he was already prepared. Ron, on the other hand, was still hesitant. He looked down at the Gillyweed in his pocket, wondering if he should change into his swim trunks.
After a while, Professor Moody strolled over to inspect each champion and provide some last-minute advice. Then it was Sirius and the Aurors' turn, though Ron couldn't quite fathom why there were so many inspections.
Growing impatient, Ron noticed Bagman standing up from the referees' table. During the World Cup, Bagman used his wand to amplify his voice.
"Listen up, everyone!" Bagman's voice boomed, carrying over the cold and still air. The sound reached the crowded stands on the opposite shore, eliciting cheers and applause. "Our champions are in position. With a single whistle, the second task begins. They have a full hour to retrieve what has been taken from them. I'll count to three: one, two, three!"
A sharp, piercing whistle echoed through the air, followed by cheers and applause from the audience.
Ron didn't wait to see what the other champions were doing. Following the plan he had practiced, he pulled the Gillyweed from his pocket and forced it into his mouth. The water in the lake was frigid, causing his skin to sting and burn as if on fire. As he waded deeper into the lake, his soaked robes clung to him, each layer adding to the chill.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Ron was submerged in the lake to his knees, his feet struggling on the silt-covered bottom. He was slipping and sliding as he tried to maintain his footing, all while attempting to chew the Gillyweed. It had an odd, strong, creamy texture reminiscent of octopus tentacles.
Ron couldn't help but feel self-conscious about his situation. He was entering the lake without displaying any magical abilities, and he could hear the audience's laughter from the stands. It was clear that he must look foolish.
Worst of all, Ron was unsure if he used the Gillyweed correctly. He had learned many spells over the past two months, like the Reductor Curse, Stunning Spell, Impediment Jinx, and more. But none of them would help him breathe underwater. He held his wand tightly, nervously contemplating his predicament.
As the icy water rose to his waist, Ron anchored his steps, swallowed the Gillyweed, and waited for the miraculous transformation. He couldn't help but worry whether he was using the Gillyweed correctly.
Suddenly, Ron felt an odd sensation. It was like an invisible pillow pressed against his mouth and nose. When he tried to inhale, he felt a sharp pain on both sides of his neck. He instinctively clutched his throat, realizing he had two long, narrow slits on either side of his neck. They were gills!
Panicking, Ron submerged himself in the water and instinctively drew his first breath through his new gills. The pain in his head vanished, and he realized he could breathe underwater. His senses sharpened, and his body felt agile and comfortable.
Despite his initial fears and embarrassment, Ron was now thrilled. He was experiencing the same transformation that Evan had described, and it was indeed a remarkable sensation.
With newfound confidence, Ron continued forward, his webbed feet allowing him to glide smoothly through the water. He also noticed that he no longer needed to blink; his vision remained clear even in the water.
He swam further into the lake, and the surroundings gradually changed. He saw a mesmerizing underwater landscape filled with lush aquatic plants, their greenery starkly contrasting the dark, murky water. Gillyweed was working, and Ron felt elated. He just had to go to the Merpeople village to rescue Harry, and everything would go as planned. It seemed so simple.
Ron swam for a while and then paused. He had a feeling he was being watched. He couldn't see anything clearly in the darkness but sensed movement ahead. It appeared that someone or something was approaching him.
His anxiety grew as the figure drew nearer. Then, suddenly, a colossal shape emerged from the shadows in front of him: a shark!
Ron couldn't believe his eyes. Sharks weren't supposed to be in the lake. He was terrified. But as he raised his wand, he realized it wasn't an actual shark but Krum, who had attempted to transform himself into one.
Krum was trying to change his appearance but had only partially succeeded. Ron was both startled and relieved. He greeted Krum and wondered if they could proceed to the Merpeople village together. The eerie surroundings made Ron uneasy.
Krum signaled Ron to follow him, and they swam to a patch of deep green aquatic plants. Ron knew these plants hid Grindylows and were part of a Kelpie's territory. Grindylows weren't particularly dangerous, but Ron wanted to remind Krum to be cautious and to stay high above the water to avoid encountering them.
Suddenly, Krum stopped and turned to face Ron. Ron saw his giant shark head and grinned, finding the sight amusing. However, as they swam onward, Krum abruptly halted, turned around, and stared at Ron. Ron watched as Krum raised his wand and heard him utter a spell.
"Crucio!" Krum's voice reverberated underwater as he aimed his wand at Ron.
Instantly, Ron was wracked with searing pain. It felt as though every nerve in his body was on fire. His body contorted and twisted uncontrollably, and he struggled to breathe. He tried to scream, but all that came out were bubbles.
The Unforgivable Curse, the Cruciatus Curse, was a nightmare. Ron couldn't endure the pain, and his body was rendered helpless, unable to escape the excruciating torment. He thought he might prefer death to this suffering.
Ron's wand slipped from his grasp, lost in the fear that overwhelmed him. He sank deeper into the water, his body convulsing as he fell unconscious.
Krum glanced at the incapacitated Ron, then raised his wand once more. He cast a Stunning Spell at Ron, who was already unconscious. Ron's body drifted downward and settled among the cover of aquatic plants.
Green Grindylows, attracted by fresh prey, grabbed Ron by the ankles, dragging him deeper into the water plants. Ron was a delectable meal to them, and they cackled with delight as they seized their prey.
Within moments, Ron's surroundings returned to their tranquil state as if nothing had happened. Krum lowered his wand and gradually disappeared into the shadows of the lake bed.