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Harry smiled, relief washing over his face. "Thanks, Percy. Really. This potion is a lifesaver." He clutched the small vial of bluish liquid Percy had given him.
Percy shrugged, a casual grin on his face. "You're welcome, mate. Happy to help. Now, my advice? Go and swim around in the Black Lake for a while, just get used to the cold water with that potion working. And try and figure out how you're going to swim efficiently. Oh," he added, as an afterthought, "and if there is anything wrong with the potion if it tastes weird, or makes you grow gills in weird places, or anything just tell me. I'll be sure to fix it up in no time."
The three other Fourth Year champions Harry, Cedric, and Fleur (who had joined them in the library to discuss strategy) all nodded their thanks.
They quickly gathered their things and left the quiet library, making their way out to the school grounds, probably heading straight for the lake.
Percy watched them go, then casually dropped the Disillusionment Charm he'd had on himself while brewing the potion in a hidden corner of the library.
He walked out, whistling a cheerful, tuneless song as he left. Madam Pince, the vulture-like librarian at the front desk, glared at him again over her spectacles as he passed, probably for the whistling, but the demigod just smiled back brightly.
The next day:
Percy woke up early that day, the morning of the Second Task. He took his time getting ready, feeling surprisingly calm and collected.
Unlike the stressful uncertainty of the First Task with the dragons, Percy knew exactly what was coming this time, and he knew, with a deep, unshakeable confidence, that he would absolutely ace it. He walked leisurely down to the Great Hall for breakfast.
People he passed in the corridors sent him strange, curious looks, clearly confused as to why he was acting so easy-going and relaxed on the morning of a dangerous magical challenge.
As he walked into the Great Hall, he spotted the other champions already there, sitting at their respective house tables.
Viktor Krum, the Durmstrang champion, looked incredibly nervous.
He kept looking around the hall, his dark eyes red-rimmed and restless, like he hadn't slept well. Fleur, sitting with her Beauxbatons classmates, looked up and spotted him. A bright, relieved smile lit up her beautiful face.
Percy walked over to her table and sat down, leaning in to give her a quick, soft peck on the lips. "Hey," he whispered. "You ready for this?"
Fleur nodded, though her smile was a little tight. "Yez, I t'ink zo. And you, Perzy? You zeem… calm."
Percy grinned, a flash of his usual confidence in his sea-green eyes. "I'm the son of the Atlantic Ocean, remember? They don't have shit on me down there in that lake."
Fleur huffed playfully, swatting his arm. "Zo unfair, your advantage."
"Hey," Percy teased back, "you can charm the pants off practically any man you see just by smiling at him. You don't seem to be complaining about your natural advantages."
Fleur laughed, a bright, musical sound, and nodded, conceding his point. She drank some pumpkin juice and then got up gracefully from the table. "I will zee you by t'e lake then, mon chéri," she said, her voice a little softer. "Good luck."
Percy nodded and wished her luck as well. He watched her leave, then grabbed a crisp red apple from a fruit bowl and walked out of the Great Hall himself, heading back up to his Hufflepuff dorm room.
When he reached his quiet room, he noticed Kelly, the tiny Veela, sleeping soundly in her little makeshift bed on his nightstand.
She had been awake almost all night, Percy knew, excitedly playing with her miniature dragon toy, making it roar and chase imaginary foes. So, she would probably be fast asleep until well into the afternoon.
Percy quickly changed out of his school robes and into a pair of sleek, dark swimming trunks he had transfigured earlier out of an old pair of baggy track pants.
He strapped his familiar celestial bronze wand holder securely to his left forearm. He then threw his magical, self-flying cloak around his shoulders, applying a warming charm to it just for comfort.
The cold of the lake water didn't really affect him, thanks to his heritage, but that didn't mean he didn't like being warm and cozy when he could.
"Hey Percy! Wake up! You'll be late!" Percy turned around from looking out his dorm window to find Cedric Diggory running up to him, looking a bit out of breath.
Cho Chang, Cedric's pretty Ravenclaw girlfriend, was walking closely behind him, a worried look on her face.
"Hey Ced," Percy smiled easily. "Cho. What's up?"
"Hey Percy," Cho smiled back, though her smile was a little strained. "Ready for the task? Are you nervous?"
Percy grinned, his confidence unwavering. "Should be a piece of cake. Or, well, a swim in the park, I guess."
"Careful there, Percy," Cedric said, a friendly smile on his handsome face. "Your overconfidence could get you into trouble, or even killed, you know."
"It's not overconfidence, Cedric, I promise," Percy chuckled as they all started walking together towards the Black Lake.
"I just know I'll do fine. Water's kind of my thing." Off in the distance, near the edge of the dark, choppy lake, Percy could see tall wooden bleachers being set up for the spectators.
They had only just started work on them that morning, but thanks to the quick work of magic, they were already nearly ready, gleaming new and sturdy in the pale morning light.
"Hey Ced," Percy asked, a thought suddenly striking him, "did you happen to notice anyone... missing from the Badgers this morning? From our house?"
"Missing?" Cedric frowned, thinking. "No, I don't think so. Everyone seemed to be at breakfast. Why do you ask, Percy?"
"Well," Percy explained, lowering his voice a little, "the task involves us rescuing someone special who's been kidnapped and kept hidden under the lake for an hour. I figured they must have taken someone important from each champion's house as a hostage."
"What?!" Cho gasped, her eyes widening in alarm. "They kidnapped students?"
"Yeah, sort of," Percy nodded. "Don't worry, they're not in any real danger. But, look. Fleur and Harry are champions too, so obviously their hostages won't be from Hufflepuff. The Weasley twins, Fred and George, could be a subject for one of them, but," Percy pointed towards two identical red heads of hair currently running away from a bunch of angry-looking girls who were throwing colorful hexes at them near the greenhouses, "they are clearly out here and not underwater."
"Well... now that you mention it," Cedric said slowly, his brow furrowing deeper, "Juan was kind of missing from breakfast this morning. I just thought he was sleeping in late, like he usually does, but..."
Percy nodded, it made sense. "No, that fits. He's a Hufflepuff, and he's not a champion. Alright then," Percy sighed dramatically, a teasing glint in his eye. "I would have much preferred it if my hostage was a smoking hot babe I had to rescue, but no matter. I'll take the wannabe playboy as well, I guess."
"Careful, Percy," Cho said, smiling despite her earlier worry. "You don't want Fleur to hear you say that, about wanting a 'hot babe'."
Percy chuckled. "Yeah, I don't really think she has anything to worry about on that front." They quickly reached the lakeshore.
Cedric and Cho wished Percy good luck one more time, giving him encouraging pats on the back, before moving off towards the rapidly filling stands to find their seats among the noisy crowd.
Percy found a newly built wooden pier jutting out over the dark water near the stands.
Standing on the end of it, looking rather cheerful and important in his brightly striped robes, was Ludo Bagman, waving him over enthusiastically.
Percy walked up to the man and smiled politely. "Hello there, Mr. Bagman. Lovely day for a swim, isn't it?" he said, gesturing towards the cold, grey water.
"Ah yes, yes, indeed!" Bagman boomed, though he shivered a little as he looked at the cold, choppy water before him. "Rather you than me, m'boy! I don't envy you one bit! You know what to do for this task, yes? All clear on the rules?"
Percy nodded. "Yup. Got it. Ah, but could you tell me one thing before we start?"
"Oh? And what's that, Percy?" Bagman asked, looking curious.
"Is my hostage, the one I have to rescue, Juan Garcia? From Hufflepuff house?" Percy asked directly.
Bagman smiled, looking impressed. He nodded. "Yes, as a matter of fact, it is! I'm surprised you figured it out so quickly. Smart lad! Not to worry though, young Juan is perfectly safe. We have taken every precaution. He has been put into a deep, bewitched sleep, and he's perfectly harmless down there with the merpeople."
Percy smiled, a slightly wicked glint in his eyes. "Well, that's too bad then."
"Why is that?" Bagman asked, looking puzzled.
"Because Juan would absolutely hate the fact that he's asleep when he could be down there, trying to flirt with a whole school of mermaids," Percy explained with a grin.
Bagman laughed heartily at that, a booming sound that echoed over the water, before wishing Percy good luck again and then hurrying off the pier, probably to greet the other champions.
Viktor Krum arrived on the pier quickly as well, looking grim and focused. He took one look at Percy, who was calmly looking out at the water, and gave a curt nod.
Percy returned the nod before they both looked out into the lake's cold, dark waters. "Are you ready for this?" Krum asked, his voice rough and heavily accented.
Percy chuckled softly. "Born ready, my friend. You?"
Krum just nodded again, but said nothing else. He unlatched his heavy, fur-lined cloak and threw it aside onto the pier. One of his Durmstrang friends, a burly boy with a shaved head, quickly grabbed it and walked away with it.
Krum then began to stretch his arms and legs, his powerful muscles clearly defined under his tight swimming costume. His body frame was square and well-packed with solid muscle. He looked like a serious athlete.
Girls in the stands, and some boys too, started to whistle and cheer loudly as they saw Krum bend over and touch his toes, his muscles flexing.
Percy noticed several cameras clicking rapidly from the press section, bright flashes going off, snapping photos of the famous Quidditch star.
Krum didn't seem to mind the attention though, or even notice it, as he continued to just stretch, completely focused on preparing himself.
"You will get used to it," Krum suddenly spoke up, his voice still gruff, as he finished his stretches and looked directly at Percy.
Percy blinked, surprised by the unexpected comment. "What do you mean, Krum?"
"The staring," Krum replied, his dark eyes intense. "The pictures. The whispers." He gestured vaguely towards the noisy crowd. "You have gained quite a bit of attention recently, with your… unique abilities. Only, you did not seem to know what to do with it. You seemed… uncomfortable."
Percy nodded slowly, understanding what Krum meant. "Yeah," he admitted quietly. "I've always been... kind of a private person. Not used to all this."
Krum nodded, his expression unreadable. "Well, with this tournament, and with being... a magical Animagus, a Pegasus no less... it will not stay that way for long. The world will watch you now."
The demigod sighed, looking out at the restless water. "Yeah... maybe you're right." He sighed again as he reached up and unlatched his own magical cloak, pushing it aside with a thought, allowing it to float on its own beside him, waiting.
Percy then stretched his own arms and back, feeling his muscles loosen. And suddenly, from the stands, he heard someone let out a loud, appreciative wolf whistle. He paused, surprised.
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If you want to read ahead by 20+ chapters you could take a visit on my patreon Or check it out.
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