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Chapter 926: Grindylow's Counterattack
Chapter 926: Grindylow's Counterattack
"Will this really be sufficient?"
The Weeping Cherry Blossom swam happily by Albert's side. It would have been better if they hadn't been driven out of the village so quickly by the merpeople earlier.
"We have Cherry Blossom to thank this time. We won't have to worry about getting lost for the second task."
Albert felt pretty good, except for the chill in his body. The warming charm didn't seem to be very effective. Logically, the temperature at the bottom of the lake should be around 4 degrees Celsius when the surface freezes in winter, and this temperature was indeed not very high.
"You're welcome."
The Weeping Cherry Blossom giggled, seeming to enjoy others' gratitude, especially from someone she favored.
Just as the trio and the ghost were about to return to the surface, Albert sensed something. He looked at the slightly heated detection ring on his left wrist, and it seemed that some dark creature was approaching them.
Grindylows?
Albert narrowed his eyes and turned his head to look at the dark and blurry lake water below. The jungle of dark green seaweed further down gave him an oppressive feeling.
"What is it?"
Cherry Blossom noticed Albert's movement and followed his gaze, asking in confusion.
Albert took out his wand and waved it gently. A ball of light flew out from the tip and suddenly bloomed under the lake, instantly dispelling the darkness around them.
Fred and George realized something was amiss when they saw Albert's action, and they drew their wands to alert the area below. They soon understood the reason for their unease.
"Bloody hell!"
"Damn, did we stumble into a Grindylow nest or something?"
The two whispered curses. Below them, a large group of Grindylows emerged from the lush seaweed jungle, rushing towards them like mad. Fred and George, who had been lagging, were quickly entangled by this group of Grindylows.
Those creatures were quite strong, grabbing their legs and pulling the Weasley twins downward.
The two had no choice but to hold onto the underwater thruster with one hand and wave their wands with the other, attempting to fend off the Grindylows. They even kicked and struggled to break free, but to no avail, as the number of surrounding Grindylows was simply too overwhelming. Without underwater combat experience, the Weasley brothers were at a loss.
Watching the flustered Weasley twins, Albert felt a bit glum. He realized that the talismans made from the Guardian Tree had absolutely no effect on this group of Grindylows. Otherwise, Fred and George, who carried the talismans, wouldn't have been attacked in the first place.
But that made sense. If the talismans were truly effective, they would have become a staple skill by now.
The Grindylows, of course, weren't going to let Albert off that easily. Most of their attention was on Fred and George, but a smaller group was still heading his way.
Grindylows weren't particularly dangerous. In fact, the Ministry of Magic classified them as harmless. As long as one remained calm and responded appropriately, they shouldn't pose much of a problem for a wizard.
Albert waved his wand, attempting to use the Stunning Spell to knock out the Grindylows. However, he soon discovered that instead of a stunning spell, he had unleashed a speeding water column that concentrated on the Grindylows and swiftly knocked them unconscious.
There was no doubt that the Stunning Spell was not well-suited for underwater combat, at least not against a large group of Grindylows. But in the urgency of the moment, Albert didn't have time to consider which spell would be more effective. He rapidly chanted various incantations, taking down all the Grindylows surrounding him.
Most spells had similar effects underwater, resembling bullets that formed water columns upon casting. Their power was also slightly diminished underwater. However, the Impediment Jinx gave Albert an unexpected surprise.
When cast underwater, this jinx created a small wave of water that served as a mild but effective deterrent against enemies.
Upon confirming the effect of the Impediment Jinx, Albert immediately used it on Fred and George, who were surrounded by Grindylows. The wave not only pushed them away from the Grindylows but also scattered the creatures around them.
The Weeping Cherry Blossom, witnessing Albert's battle against the horde of green-skinned water monsters, seemed excited and even cheered them on from the sidelines.
Albert dared not be distracted and waved his wand again. He conjured ropes to bind Fred and George, pulling the twins back towards him after they had been knocked away by the Impediment Jinx.
The defeated Grindylows quickly regrouped and surged towards the trio, but Albert didn't give them a chance. With a gentle wave of his wand, he stirred the lake water, creating a whirlpool that sucked in the approaching Grindylows, sending them who-knows-where.
"Let's get out of here quickly before those pesky Grindylows come after us again!" Albert pulled them towards the surface with the rope. Otherwise, without the underwater thruster, it would be difficult for Fred and George to reach the surface quickly. Their swimming speed wouldn't be fast enough, so he had to give them a hand to ensure the three of them could leave the Black Lake sooner.
"What just happened? Why did those green-skinned water monsters suddenly attack us?" Cherry Blossom asked anxiously, patting her chest.
"I don't know. Let's get to the surface first," Albert replied.
He suspected that the merpeople had something to do with this incident.
Of course, he had no proof.
Well, not until now.
Albert glanced at the new task on the task panel:
Grindylow's Counterattack.
Description: Merpeople chief, Mercius, has agreed to Dumbledore's request. The Grindylows will cause as much trouble as possible for the champions passing through the seaweed. They will be one of the biggest obstacles for the champions to rescue the hostages. Defeat them and prove that even a horde of Grindylows is nothing more than a bunch of cannon fodder.
Reward: 1000 experience points, Skill: Water Monster Dispelling Curse.
"Did I just walk into a trap?" Albert twitched his lips. Still, the Water Monster Dispelling Curse was a timely addition, although he wasn't sure how useful it would be.
Just then, a large shadow appeared below, startling the trio and the ghost. They could feel something rapidly approaching them.
The giant squid that lived in the Black Lake was curiously examining Albert and his companions with its large eyes.
Although they all knew that the giant squid in the Hogwarts lake had a gentle temperament, and there were even rumors of students swimming in the lake accompanied by the giant squid, encountering it underwater was still quite frightening. Being escorted out of the lake by such a massive creature was indeed a unique experience.
After reaching the surface, Fred muttered, "This is definitely one of the most extraordinary experiences of my life."
"I feel like I can brag about this for years," George said, noticing Lee Jordan waving at them. "I bet Lee Jordan is regretting missing out on this opportunity."
"I'm off. Remember to visit me in the second-floor girls' bathroom when you have time."
"The ghost girl scurried over to Albert's side and rubbed against him affectionately before sauntering away, content.
"Looks like she really likes you," Fred and George teased, "You better watch out, she might come cause trouble at your wedding."
"Shut up, or I won't invite you guys when I do get married," Albert retorted.
"Wow, when are you getting married?"
"Hey, were you guys down at the bottom of the lake just now?"
The voice of Krum rang out from not too far away. He seemed to be taking a winter swim.
"Yeah, there's a mermaid village down there, but they're not too welcoming of outsiders." Albert didn't bother to hide the truth, "Maybe you can try it out too, the scenery is quite nice."
"I've been down there before, there are quite a few Grindylows lurking in the lake depths." Krum furrowed his brows, his eyes scanning the two helpers by Albert's side. "Especially in the seaweed jungles, you often run into Grindylows, they're quite troublesome. And, I didn't come across any mermaid village."
Krum's tone carried a hint of resentment, although he didn't elaborate on what happened after encountering the Grindylows, it was clear that it wasn't a pleasant experience.
"The mermaid village is hidden within the seaweed jungle, you have to get close to be able to distinguish it." Albert said with a smile, "You need to be patient and search within the seaweed."
"The Bubble-Head Charm doesn't last that long, and Grindylows are a nuisance." Krum was curious as to how Albert had managed to find the mermaid village on his first dive.
"Let's head back to shore, I'm actually quite afraid of the cold." Albert started swimming towards the lakeshore.
Lee Jordan, seeing the group emerge from the lake, immediately cast his wand to help dispel the water and chill from their bodies. He also noticed the wounds on Fred and George, and frowned in concern, "You were attacked."
"As we were leaving, a large group of Grindylows went crazy and charged at us." Fred wrapped himself in a thick cloak, taking a potion that Lee Jordan handed him and downing it in one go. The potion tasted awful, burning as it went down, and steam even came out of his ears, like a boiling kettle.
Krum watched the busy quartet, suddenly understanding why Albert had been able to find the mermaid village so quickly. They had been prepared from the start, searching for the village with a purpose, rather than trying their luck like he had.
"Krum, would you like some?" Albert offered the last cup to Krum who had just made it to shore, "It'll help prevent catching a cold from being in the water for too long."
"Oh, thank you, but I'm fine." Krum declined, shaking his head. He was using his wand to remove the water from his body and curiously examining the special suits the trio was wearing.
"Did you find the mermaid village?"
"We did, but it's hidden within the seaweed jungle. I suspect the Grindylows that attacked us at the end were instigated by the mermaids."
"How do you know?"
"The mermaids tame the Grindylows."
George removed his clothes and began treating his wounds with potions and ointments.
"Could this guy be any more prepared?"
Krum watched, a twitch forming at his mouth as he couldn't help but comment.
"Grindylows are probably one of the obstacles the school prepared for the champions, although they aren't considered dangerous dark creatures." Albert took a sip of his steaming cup of tea, calmly explaining, "If you're not careful, especially if you're caught off guard by a large group, they can still be quite troublesome."
"I plan to try a different approach, the Bubble-Head Charm won't last an hour."
Krum hesitated for a moment, then accepted the aromatic milk tea that Albert offered, taking a sip before continuing, "And swimming is too slow, our endurance won't last that long."
"You went down there without any preparations?"
Albert now understood why Krum hadn't found the mermaid village, it seemed he hadn't ventured deep into the lake's depths, or perhaps he just didn't dare to take such a risk.
Krum was a little glum, but still nodded in agreement.
"You're amazing." Albert sincerely marveled.
"Is the mermaid village deep in the lake's depths?" Krum asked, although the question seemed a bit redundant, it was undoubtedly the case.
Without a prolonged Bubble-Head Charm, it would be difficult to venture deep into the lake's depths. Krum had considered other methods, but he hadn't put them into action.
Well, to be honest, Krum had been practicing the Human-Shape Transformation spell, although he wasn't particularly skilled in Transfiguration.
After parting ways with Krum, the group made their way back to the castle.
Along the way, Fred and George regaled Lee Jordan with tales of their thrilling adventure in the lake, including their climactic battle against a horde of Grindylows.
"Ahem, while Grindylows are aggressive, they aren't very lethal." Albert couldn't help but interject, explaining, "They usually drag their victims into the water, causing them to panic and drown. Dealing with them isn't that difficult if you remain calm..."
"No, I think those Grindylows were tough, especially underwater."
If it hadn't been for the underwater ambush, Fred and George wouldn't have been in such a sorry state.
"If we had stayed calm, we definitely would've been fine."
"I don't think anyone could stay calm in that situation, their bites hurt like hell." Fred grumbled.
"Why don't you go get checked by Madam Pomfrey?" Albert suggested. While they had treated the wounds, they weren't professionals.
Not waiting for the Weasley brothers to object, Albert dragged them off to the school hospital to have Madam Pomfrey take a look.
"They're fine, you should get checked too!" Madam Pomfrey insisted,
"I'm fine, I didn't get injured." Albert declined.
"No, no, you're a champion, you need to take care of your health, especially since you have the next task coming up soon." The three friends cajoled, not letting Albert refuse.
In the end, Albert relented and underwent an examination, only leaving after being declared healthy.
As the quartet exited the hospital, they almost bumped into Hermione in the corridor.
"What are you doing here?" Albert asked, puzzled by Hermione's presence.
"Sparky seems unwell, I'm going to ask Madam Pomfrey if she can treat him." Hermione hurried into the hospital.
Grindylow's Counterattack (End of Chapter)
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