Late at night, Harry rose from his bed, draped the Invisibility Cloak over his shoulders, and quietly left the dormitory. To ensure his nocturnal adventure went undetected, he also carried the Marauder's Map. Once he confirmed the coast was clear, he cautiously opened the door and slipped out.
The idea to visit the prefects' bathroom had come from Cedric Diggory on the day of the Yule Ball. Initially, Harry had thought Cedric was merely flaunting his prefect status, but after failing to decipher the golden egg's clue, he decided to take Cedric's advice. The castle, under the vigilant watch of Filch, was eerily silent. Harry moved stealthily, consulting the map frequently to avoid any encounters. He was startled to see Filch's dot moving rapidly on the map. "Why is Filch running so fast?" he wondered, suspecting some magical shortcut as Filch seemed to teleport from the second to the third floor in moments.
Upon reaching the prefects' bathroom, Harry whispered the password, "Fresh pineapples," and the door creaked open. He slipped inside, his heart racing, and quickly shut the door behind him. Through the map, he saw Filch dash past, allowing him to breathe a sigh of relief and remove the cloak.
The bathroom's opulence was breathtaking, resembling a rectangular swimming pool lined with about a hundred golden taps. Harry couldn't help but envy the prefects; the bathroom alone was a luxury. Doubtful of Cedric's intentions, he wondered how this lavish setting could possibly help with the golden egg. Nonetheless, he decided to indulge in a bath.
He turned on several taps, each releasing fragrant bubbles of different scents. Stripping down, he noted the water's depth as his feet barely touched the bottom. After a leisurely swim, he surfaced, still puzzled by the egg's connection to the bathroom.
Attempting to open the golden egg, he was met with a piercing scream that nearly made him slip. He quickly closed it, fearing he might attract Filch's attention. It was then he noticed a pair of eyes watching him - it was Moaning Myrtle, who seemed disappointed not to find someone else. "I thought it was that handsome guy," she lamented before attempting to leave.
Harry, struck by a sudden idea, called out to her, "Myrtle, do you know how to open this?" Myrtle, casting a long look at Harry, remarked, "John is better looking," before lazily revealing, "That handsome guy dropped the golden egg in the water."
Pondering Myrtle's words, Harry submerged the egg in the water, his patience wearing thin. Just as he was about to give up, he remembered he hadn't actually opened the egg underwater. Diving in, he opened the egg, and the previous screams transformed into a beautiful melody, revealing the clue for the second task.
Quickly dressing and donning the invisibility cloak, Harry made his exit. However, checking the Marauder's Map, he saw Filch rapidly approaching. "Oops!" he muttered, darting in the opposite direction. Unfortunately, Filch was surprisingly quick. Harry barely made it to the stairs before Filch was nearly upon him. As Filch scanned the area for any sign of Harry, Harry held his breath, fearing capture. Just then, a gruff voice called out, "Filch." In that moment, Harry seized the opportunity to escape, grateful for the unexpected distraction. Harry stood at the edge of the map, puzzled by the lack of people in the vicinity. Before he could ponder further, the sound of heavy footsteps approached, and soon, Alastor Moody's distinct, scarred face came into view. Filch, spotting Moody, greeted him with a sycophantic smile, "Professor." Moody's magical eye whirled before settling in Harry's direction, catching him off guard. "A student just sprinted past here, and I couldn't catch up," Moody remarked. Filch, outraged by the implication of chasing after someone with a disability, hurried off in the direction Moody indicated, allowing Harry a chance to escape.
However, Moody lingered, his gaze turning back to where Harry was hidden. Realizing he had been discovered, Harry reluctantly removed his Invisibility Cloak. "Professor, I..." he began, but Moody's attention was fixed on the map in Harry's hand, his eyes widening in surprise. "You must have your reasons for being here, I presume?" Moody beckoned Harry over. Upon receiving the map, he examined it closely, his admiration evident. "This is an excellent tool. May I borrow it?" he asked, somewhat absentmindedly adding, "You know, I must be vigilant against any malefactors who might infiltrate the school." Despite feeling a twinge of unease, Harry trusted Moody, who had been supportive and even offered advice for the first task of the Triwizard Tournament. Thus, he didn't question Moody's request too deeply. After Harry departed, Moody continued to observe his movements on the map, murmuring to himself about the map's usefulness before heading off in the opposite direction.
As time progressed, the day of the second task arrived. John's issue with excessive tearfulness had largely been resolved, though he remained highly empathetic. This trait led to a particularly memorable Valentine's Day, much to Daphne's delight. John chose not to wear a mask, observing Heinrich, who had been coerced by Kim into wearing a silver mask, trying to maintain his composure despite Kim's whispered taunts. Tang Mi, observing the scene, could only sympathize with Heinrich's plight.
The second task was to take place in the Black Lake, a fact known well in advance by the champions. Ludo Bagman, having been released, appeared significantly thinner, his cheeks hollowed. Dumbledore's inquiry into his health was met with repeated assurances of weight loss, a likely attempt by Ludo to avoid further trouble, especially after being disciplined by Barty Crouch Jr. on multiple occasions.
Meanwhile, John focused on identifying a traitor within the security team, suspecting a dark wizard among the recruits from Silver Hand Manor. With the help of his friend Lippi, who infiltrated the group and befriended the suspect, they planned to lure the traitor into revealing their connection to the Death Eaters.
As the task approached, Harry arrived at the Black Lake in the nick of time, much to Karkaroff's visible disappointment, who had hoped for Harry's disqualification due to tardiness. Ludo Bagman, having bet his fortunes on Harry's success, was relieved to see him but refrained from showing favoritism.
John watched with interest as Harry prepared for the underwater challenge, curious about his method for breathing underwater. To his surprise, Harry ingested something just as the whistle blew. "Gillyweed?" John thought, puzzled. He knew Harry hadn't had access to such a rare item, wondering how Harry had managed to procure it for the task. Harry, once again finding himself in a predicament, realized this time he wouldn't need the Flying Curse to navigate his challenges. Instead, he opted for a more natural approach, consuming gillyweed. As the magical plant took effect, gills sprouted from the sides of his neck, slicing through his skin like blades. Plunging headfirst into the water, Harry discovered he could breathe effortlessly beneath the surface. Joy surged through him as his fingers sprouted webbing, and his feet elongated and developed similar webbed features. He transformed, mermaid-like, gliding swiftly through the water.
The Black Lake was a realm of utter darkness, visibility limited to a mere ten feet. This posed a significant challenge for Harry, who was on a mission to locate something—or rather, someone—underwater. Dobby, in his wisdom, had informed Harry that Ron was considered a treasure hidden in the lake's depths. According to the cryptic clues of a song, if Harry failed to find Ron within an hour, his friend would vanish forever. This dire warning fueled Harry's urgency, driving him to search with increased desperation.
As he ventured deeper, Harry encountered a jungle of undulating, tangled black water weeds. The deeper he went, the denser they grew, and he soon found himself slightly disoriented in the darkness. Suddenly, a chilling sensation gripped him—a something had latched onto his ankle. Glancing back, he saw his feet ensnared by the water plants. Panicking, he frantically worked to free himself.
In that moment of vulnerability, a shadow darted between the water weeds. Harry, startled, whipped his head around to catch a glimpse, but the figure had vanished as quickly as it appeared. The next second, an unseen force yanked him hard, dragging him deeper into the thicket of water plants. He felt numerous hands grasping at him, layer upon layer, and he fought back with all his might, determined to break free from the unseen assailants' grip.
_________
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https://www.youtube.com/@NovelAudioForge/featured
Direct Link to playlist
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_Hg-qsW4rM&list=PLKskshYG-OcPTR4-Nw7IWFEBZm07D8pBV&ab_channel=NovelAudioForge