January soon melted into February and that meant the second task was fast approaching. Harry had managed to figure out what the second task would be related to, courtesy of the golden egg, but now the trio plus Rubi were spending countless hours in the library to help Harry find a way to breathe underwater.

With two days left, Harry started to go off food again. The only good thing about breakfast on Monday was the return of the brown owl he had sent to Sirius. He pulled off the parchment, unrolled it, and Rubi read over his shoulder and saw the shortest letter her dad had ever written.

Send date of next Hogsmeade weekend by return owl.

Harry turned the parchment over and looked at the back.

"Weekend after next," whispered Hermione, who had read the note over Harry's shoulder. "Here- take my quill and send this owl back straight away."

Harry scribbled the dates down on the back of Sirius' letter, tied it onto the brown owl's leg, and watched it take flight again. Rubi watched Harry's facial expression look glum and she patted him encouragingly on the shoulder.

"We'll figure something out, Harold, don't you worry." But even the young Black felt her anxiety increase as the second task approached quickly, but she had to hold it in for Harry.

"What's he want to know about the next Hogsmeade weekend for?" Ron said.

"Dunno," said Harry dully. "Come on... Care of Magical Creatures."

By the evening before the second task, Harry was frantically pouring over material in the library along with Ron, Hermione and Rubi.

"I don't reckon it can be done," said Ron's voice flatly from the other side of the table. "There's nothing. Nothing. Closest was that thing to dry up puddles and ponds, that Drought Charm, but that was nowhere near powerful enough to drain the lake."

"There must be something," Hermione muttered, moving a candle closer to her.

Her eyes were so tired that she was poring over the tiny print of Olde and Forgotten Bewitchments and Charmes with her nose about an inch from the page. "They'd never have set a task that was undoable."

"Point made." Rubi cut in. "They can't set a task that has no method of being completed because otherwise that's utter bullshit!" She huffed, shaking her head with a scowl.

"They have though," said Ron. "Harry, just go down to the lake tomorrow, right, stick your head in, yell at the merpeople to give back whatever they've nicked, and see if they chuck it out. Best you can do, mate."

"There's a way of doing it!" Hermione said crossly. "There just has to be!" She seemed to be taking the library's lack of useful information on the subject as a personal insult; it had never failed her before.

"I know what I should have done," said Harry, resting, facedown, on Saucy Tricks for Tricky Sorts. "I should've learned to be an Animagus like Sirius."

"Yeah, you could've turned into a goldfish any time you wanted!" said Ron.

"Or a frog," yawned Harry. He was exhausted.

"Very sure that's not how it works." Rubi said, cracking her neck before stretching her arms over her head.

"It takes years to become an Animagus, and then you have to register yourself and everything," said Hermione vaguely, now squinting down the index of Weird Wizarding Dilemmas and Their Solutions. "Professor McGonagall told us, remember... you've got to register yourself with the Improper Use of Magic Office... what animal you become, and your markings, so you can't abuse it..."

"Hermione, I was joking," said Harry wearily. "I know I haven't got a chance of turning into a frog by tomorrow morning..."

Rubi dropped her head onto the table in defeat, leg bobbing up and down as she realized they truly had no plan for tomorrow.

"Oh this is no use," Hermione said, snapping shut Weird Wizarding Dilemmas. "Who on earth wants to make their nose hair grow into ringlets?"

"I wouldn't mind," said Fred Weasley's voice.

Rubi looked up, running a hand through her hair and despite her tired demeanor, her lips curved upwards into a soft smile.

"Be a talking point, wouldn't it?"

Harry, Ron, and Hermione looked up. Fred and George had just emerged from behind some bookshelves.

"Hi, love." Fred greeted, wrapping an arm around Rubi who shot him a warm expression.

"Hi, Freddie."

"What're you two doing here?" Ron asked.

"Looking for Rubi," said George, his eyes landing on the girl. "McGonagall wants you. And you, Hermione."

"Why?" said Hermione, looking surprised as Rubi raised her eyebrows.

"Dunno... she was looking a bit grim, though," said Fred, his eyes peering down at his girl with concern.

"We're supposed to take you down to her office," George added on.

"We'll meet you back in the common room," Hermione told Harry and Ron as she got up to go with Rubi- both of them looked very anxious whilst exchanging a glance with each other.

"Bring as many of these books as you can, okay?"

"Right," said Harry uneasily.

Rubi shot him an encouraging smile. "Don't worry, Harry, you'll be ready by tomorrow, trust me." And with that the pair followed the Weasley twins.

The walk to McGonagall's office was painfully silent.

"I really hope he figures something out." Rubi said to Hermione who nodded with a grim expression.

"I hope so too."

The journey to McGonagall's office ended faster than they would have liked.

Hermione knocked, glancing at Rubi over her shoulder, before heading in.

Rubi turned around to face Fred, who had concern pooling in his eyes. Rubi pressed a kiss to his cheek.

"I'll be fine." She moved back a step, eyes flickering to George. "I'll catch up with you guys later, yeah?"

George smiled at her with a wink and casting one last look at Fred, Rubi entered the office.

***

Rubi gasped, drawing in a huge breath, blinking rapidly as her senses came back to her. She felt a bit tired but she beamed at Harry as the two floated in the water.

"You did it!" She exclaimed in happiness, throwing her arms around her cousin in an embrace. "I knew you would be able to!"

Rubi could hear people cheering in the grounds, but what caught her off guard was the little girl who she remembered was Fleur's sister, attempting to stay afloat with them.

"Don't tell me you tried playing hero again today, Harold."

"Fleur didn't turn up, I couldn't leave her," Harry panted.

"Harry, you prat," Rubi said, smacking him on the head, "you didn't take that song seriously, did you? Dumbledore wouldn't have let any of us drown!"

"The song said-"

"It was only to make sure you got back inside the time limit!" Rubi exclaimed, before sighing defeatedly. "Your heart is in the right place, Harry, but I really hope it won't cost you anything now." Rubi watched a whirlwind of emotions etch onto her cousin's face before he spoke.

"C'mon," Harry said shortly, "help me with her, I don't think she can swim very well."

They pulled Fleur's sister through the water, back toward the bank where the judges stood watching, twenty merpeople accompanying them like a guard of honor, singing their horrible screechy songs. Madam Pomfrey could be seen fussing over Hermione, Krum, Cedric, and Cho, all of whom were wrapped in thick blankets.

Dumbledore and Ludo Bagman stood beaming at Harry and Rubi from the bank as they swam nearer, meanwhile Madame Maxime was trying to restrain Fleur Delacour, who was quite hysterical, fighting tooth and nail to return to the water.

"Gabrielle! Gabrielle! Is she alive? Is she 'urt?"

"She's fine!" Harry tried to tell her, but he was so exhausted he could hardly talk, let alone shout.

A pair of hands grabbed Rubi suddenly, hauling her out of the water as a towel wrapped around her shoulders and she was pulled flush against a body.

"You scared the living daylights out of me!"

Rubi tiredly smiled, pulling back to look at Fred who looked very white.

"Hello to you too." She replied, collapsing against Fred due to exhaustion, who held her tighter against him, almost afraid she would disappear once again.

"Harry, well done!"

Rubi turned around at Hermione's voice.

"You did it, you found out how all by yourself!"

"Well-" said Harry.

"Harold," Rubi chimed in, catching the attention of the others, "I appreciate the fact that I am your favorite person, but this was not the way to show it."

Rubi watched Harry flush as he watched her with a sheepish expression before turning to talk with Hermione again, who shook her head with a smile.

At that moment, George and Lee showed up slightly out of breath.

"Rubi, if you had really just wanted a break from us, all you had to do was ask, not go hide in a lake." George breathed out with a chuckle before his face washed into a solemn expression. "How are you doing?"

"Wet, tired, and hungry but mostly wet." The girl answered and she smiled in gratitude when Lee wrapped another towel around her.

"Thanks, Lee."

"No problem." Lee replied before his face cracked into a shit-eating grin. "Fredrick over here had gone crazy trying to find you, scared him that you had never returned to the common room last night."

Rubi smirked up at the ginger holding her, watching as he flushed a deep red.

"I was worried." He mumbled out, eyes not meeting her gaze.

Rubi felt her heart melt and she let out a soft chuckle before grabbing a hold of Fred's face, forcing him to look into her eyes.

"I appreciate the concern, Freddie, but I'm right here and don't plan on going anywhere." The girl softly told him before she grinned mischievously, "Unless of course, I get put to sleep and abducted again."

Fred gave her a glare at that but his expression softened when Rubi laughed once again, her beautiful laughter like music to his ears, enchanting him like always.

Ludo Bagman's magically magnified voice boomed out beside them, making them all jump, and causing the crowd in the stands to go very quiet.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we have reached our decision. Merchieftainess Murcus has told us exactly what happened at the bottom of the lake, and we have therefore decided to award marks out of fifty for each of the champions, as follows." He said.

"Fleur Delacour, though she demonstrated excellent use of the Bubble-Head Charm, was attacked by grindylows as she approached her goal, and failed to retrieve her hostage. We award her twenty-five points." Applause from the stands.

"I deserved zero," said Fleur throatily, shaking her magnificent head.

"Cedric Diggory, who also used the Bubble-Head Charm, was first to return with his hostage, though he returned one minute outside the time limit of an hour." Enormous cheers from the Hufflepuffs in the crowd. "We therefore award him forty-seven points."

"Viktor Krum used an incomplete form of Transfiguration, which was nevertheless effective, and was second to return with his hostage. We award him forty points."

Karkaroff clapped particularly hard, looking very superior.

"Harry Potter used gillyweed to great effect," Bagman continued. "He returned last, and well outside the time limit of an hour. However, the Merchieftainess informs us that Mr. Potter was first to reach the hostages, and that the delay in his return was due to his determination to return all hostages to safety, not merely his own."

Rubi and Hermione both gave Harry half-exasperated, half commiserating looks.

"Most of the judges," and here, Bagman gave Karkaroff a very nasty look, "feel that this shows moral fiber and merits full marks. However... Mr. Potter's score is forty-five points."

Harry's glum expression turned into one of glee as he was now tying for first place with Cedric. Rubi, Ron and Hermione, caught by surprise, stared at Harry, then laughed and started applauding hard with the rest of the crowd.

"That's it, Harry!" Rubi shouted over the noise. "I guess playing the hero wasn't you being stupid at all!"

"You were showing moral fiber!" Ron added.

Fleur was clapping very hard too, but Krum didn't look happy at all. He attempted to engage Hermione in conversation again, but she was too busy cheering Harry to listen and Rubi wickedly grinned at that.

"The third and final task will take place at dusk on the twenty fourth of June," continued Bagman. "The champions will be notified of what is coming precisely one month beforehand. Thank you all for your support of the champions."

"Thank Godric." Rubi breathed out in relief, "Now we don't have to worry about Harold dying anytime soon."

To this the twins and Lee cracked mischievous smiles, while Fred placed a kiss on Rubi's head, rubbing his hands up and down her arms to warm her up.

"Come on," He said, "Let's get you changed." And with that he picked her up bridal style.

"Fred!" Rubi exclaimed, smacking him lightly on the shoulder. "Put me down!" She scolded before glancing around, "People are staring."

"Let them." Fred answered, looking at Rubi with adoration in his eyes to which Rubi gave in and placed her forehead against his.

"You're insufferable." She told him, "But you're mine."

*.·:·.✧ ✦ ✧.·:·.*

Hiii!

So I have finished writing for Goblet of Fire but be warned, the next few chapters will be kind of long. I am really excited for the summer bit though!  

Although ever since I've started writing again, I feel as if I have lost my touch with writing, like my writing does not feel the same anymore to me. *cries* So I really hope that doesn't affect the reading experience and plot. 

Anyways, I hope you all are doing well. Take care! <33