Chapter 116: The Second Task (1/2)
Chris skipped few stone steps as she ran out onto the bright, chilly grounds towards the lake, thinking Helena Ravenclaw's story. Chris noticed the seats that had encircled the dragons' enclosure in November were now ranged along the opposite bank, rising in stands that were packed to the bursting point and reflected in the lake below. The excited babble of the crowd echoed strangely across the water. Chris checked her watch again to see it's already half past ten and the crowd was expectantly watching the lake water for any kind of commotion. Before Chris could look for any familiar faces in the stands, she saw Fleur Delacour was already near the judges, Madam Pomfrey and Madame Maxime were helping her with a towel and some kind of potion. Fleur had many cuts on her face and arms and her robes were torn, but she didn't seem to care, nor would she allow Madam Pomfrey to clean them.
”What happened to her? Did she win?” Chris said as she walked toward the stands.
”No.” Said a voice flatly.
Chris looked up and saw Jason, Theodore, Daphne and Astoria sitting nearby.
”No.” Theodore repeated. ”She got caught by the grindylows and sent a sign for help so the judges pulled her out.”
”Oh and everyone else?” Chris asked.
”No one came out except her.” Theodore said seriously then laughed. ”Do you reckon all of them drowned while saving their treasures?”
Daphne laughed but Astoria was coldly watching Jason who was staring at Chris.
”What?” Chris directly asked looking at him.
”Nothing.” Jason replied. ”Come and sit. Don't know how much time they'll take.”
As Jason patted the sit beside him, Astoria looked at Chris sharply.
”Er... Hi Astoria.” Chris said as politely as possible. ”How are you?”
”She is fine.” Jason said as he pulled Chris's on the sit beside her. ”She was teaching me some interesting spells this morning.”
”Really?” Chris asked looking at Astoria.
Suddenly Astoria's expression changed, she even giggled a little.
”Oh it's nothing.” She said quietly.
Chris looked at Jason with a confused face but at that moment the crowd screamed. All of them looked down at the lake, someone was coming towards the surface.
And with a splash Cedric Diggory and Cho Chang came up. The crowd cheered applauded. Madam Pomfrey hurried with blankets as the came towards the bank. Bagman and Dumbledore pulled them up. People were screaming shouting all around.
”There were people inside the like? They took Cho for Cedric?” Chris asked looking surprised.
”Looks like that.” Jason replied.
”But...”
There was another round of applause as a sharkhead person came out with another girl. Chris looked down, then soon realized the girl beside him was Hermione, and guessed the sharkhead must be Victor Krum because Harry didn't learn any kind of Transfiguration like that.
”That's why they took Hermione last night.” Chris muttered, clapping with others.
As Victor and Hermione reached the bank, Karkaroff pulled him out, Bagman helped Hermione and Madam Pomfrey gave them blankets. Then again everyone concentrated on the lake.
”Do you know who they took for Potter?” Jason asked.
”Yeah... maybe Ron.” Chris replied.
”Ron? Weasley?”
”Yep.”
”Then I'm convinced.” Jason chuckled. ”Something is definitely going on between them. You never guessed that they're not straight?”
”What?” Chris laughed.
And then three people emerged on the lake surface and suddenly many wild, green-haired heads came out. The crowd was making a great deal of noise; shouting and screaming, they all were on their feet.
”Efor visiting.