Bab 78: The Second Task
Seven weeks passed since that day, at first, Neal had trouble seeing her as every time, he sees her, his eyes began to wander to her lips and started to daze while remembering that Christmas evening and tried to avoid her.
Eventually, both of them returned to how they were before. Although unknowingly, he started giving her attention more than usual. Daphne also stopped playing detective as she only managed to find out that someone used Polyjuice potion twice and started to become more cautious of people around her.
Meanwhile, as a part of the deal, after receiving the other three dragon eggs and the Azkaban visit permit, Neal told Harry the secret of Golden egg through Cho Chang, who just started seeing him after Valentine's day.
As Cho joined the Gryffindor trio group and working out the solution on how to survive for one hour under the water, meanwhile, Neal, Draco, Daphne, and Tracey were standing in the Chamber of secrets. Unlike before, several Magic-lanterns hovering in the air lighting up the place.
While Tracey was amazed looking at the large Slytherin statue and, Neal looked at Daphne and smiled, "so, what do you think?". Daphne nodded, "hmm, yeah, this hall is large enough for our training".
Then, Draco asked, "say, where do other tunnels lead?", Neal replied. "the corridor of secrets which was connected from the entrance to various long tunnels, you know. While most of them just lead to several pipes, The straight dark tunnel which we just came leads to this main chamber of secrets.
One of those tunnels leads to a dungeon that is infected by too many Slugs. So, I think we should avoid it or maybe we can clear it when we gather enough people.
The last one also leads to a small Cavern which I already cleared it. I'll teach you guys a few words of Parseltongue to open the entrance as well as this main chamber. We should also buy lots of flaming cauldron pots and hang them in the tunnels to bright up the way and also need to seal all other tunnels except the three".
Malfoy mumbled, "seems like too much work to do". Neal replied, "well, you guys are the ones who wanted to become stronger and requested me to train you. I'm using this opportunity to create a secret club. For now, it's only four of us. Let's look for others starting next year".
On the day of Feb 24th, everyone reached the middle of the Black lake where there are people standing in the stands while the judges except for Barty Crouch who sent Percy instead sat in their seats while Ludo Bagman stood up and said, pointing his wand at his neck, "Sonorus".
His voice boomed out across the dark water, "Well, all our champions are ready for the second task, which will start on my whistle. They have precisely an hour to recover what has been taken from them. On the count of three, then. One … two … three".
Krum partially transfigured into a shark and jumped inside the water, at the same time, Fleur used a Bubble-Head charm that produced a bubble around her head, giving her a continuous supply of oxygen allowing her to breathe freely while she was swimming and Harry ate the Gillyweed which made him develop fish gills and feet, before both of them jump into the water.
Neal then transformed into a 25ft long Black Horned Snake and slowly crawled into the lake. As every one of them started swimming in different directions, meanwhile, Ludo Bagman, who is explaining the audience about the techniques the champions used continued, "It seems like it will be just a walk in a park for Mr. Slytherin to complete this task as we should know that Horned Serpents are originally inhabitants of the water bodies but is it the right decision here?
Since we can see how big his animagus form is, his speed would be also slow. It might be hard for him to overtake others. But on the other hand, it might also be an advantage for him if we consider Merpeople who are guarding their precious people".
Neal who is in the form of a Giant Black Horned Serpent swam deeper and deeper easily without any problems like how Bagman mentioned. As he stared through the eerily gray-lit water around him to the shadows beyond, where the water became opaque, Small fish flickered past him like silver darts. As the bigger creatures, he never saw one of them as they avoided this new predator in fear.
Neal then surveyed his surroundings while heightening in senses and started to search for the smell of a human. Meanwhile, Harry who just escaped the Grindylows met the ghost Myrtle there coincidentally who helped him out by pointing the direction of Merpeople settlement where Ron was being kept captive.
Back to Neal who managed to find a human scent at last thought, "no, there's only one. Is it one from the other three or am I last. Let's go and check it out first". As he swam towards that direction, he saw Fleur was getting attacked by several Grindylows while she's trying to defend.
As soon as he saw the bubble around her disappeared and was getting dragged down by those Grindylows, Neal sped up fast and hissed in a threatening manner, "leave her alone or die". As soon as they saw a Giant Horned Snake, they started to flee in fear.
Then, Neal caught the unconscious Fleur with his tail and then as the jewel on his forehead began to glow brightly in this dark environment, used Shapeshifting ability to grew up an arm on either side and then took her wand from her hand and used Bubble-head charm on her nonverbally to let her breathe again before started to swim again.
A while later, as Harry reached the spot where four people are being held captive by Merpeople. After freeing Ron with a knife, he tried to free Hermoine too but was stopped by Mermen saying, "You take your own hostage and leave the others". While Harry tried to argue she was also his friend and he won't leave her but no sound came out except bubbles.
Seeing no other choice, he pulled out his wand. Then, all of a sudden, everyone including Harry heard a loud hiss followed by a seeing a Giant Black Horned Snake carrying Fleur in its hands. At first, Harry was taken aback in fear but then, as he saw the large hazel eyes, he remembered about his animagus form which was the talk of the school for a while after the first task is completed. But seeing the arms on either side, Harry got confused momentarily whether its a snake or a big lizard.
Ignoring Harry, Neal looked at Daphne in surprise as he expected Tracey to be there and he ripped the weeds tied to her leg with his hands followed by freeing an eight-year-old Gabrielle Delacour, Fleur's sister who he was familiar with.
Then, suddenly as the Merman said the same thing, Neal looked at him and hissed, "if I don't do so, you will dare to stop me?" and then showed his fangs in a threatening manner. While Harry who was a parselmouth understood what Neal said and was totally impressed by it, started thinking "Animagus is cool and strong. I wonder how do you become one?".
As they were stricken in fear, He hissed, "I'm taking the little girl with me too", and quickly grabbed Daphne with his other hand and little Grabrille with his tail. Then, he looked at Harry and hissed, "I can sense another human is coming. most probably Krum. Take your won hostage and leave". And then, he slowly started to swim upwards.
A while later, everyone looked at the Giant Horned Serpent like "what the ****" for a second as they saw two girls were hanging like clothes to its horns and a little girl was tightly held by its tail
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone