Chapter 930: Unsportsmanlike Conduct
Chapter 930: Unsportsmanlike Conduct
On the morning of the second task, Albert, well-rested, woke up early. He propped himself up on his bed, gently stroking Tom, who was demanding breakfast, and slowly turned over his freshly awakened mind. He went over the plan once more in his head, ensuring that there wouldn't be any fatal loopholes.
Although the possibility of something going wrong was almost zero, Albert admitted that he was a bit anxious. Perhaps this was a case of the old adage, "Worry messes with your mind."
As far as he knew, Hermione and Ron had already quietly "disappeared" yesterday afternoon, and Fred, George, and Lee Jordan were still sound asleep in their warm beds.
This wasn't a good sign.
Since none of his three good roommates had been chosen as the "bait" for the task, then it had to be either Isabelle or Nia. Nia was immediately ruled out, which left Isabelle as the most likely candidate.
To confirm this, Albert had tried to contact Isabelle last night, but she hadn't responded.
Honestly, Albert really didn't want to involve Isabelle in the Triwizard Tournament, and even less so did he want her to face any potential dangers, even if the likelihood was extremely low. But who knew if Barty might suddenly go crazy?
It was common knowledge that Death Eaters weren't exactly known for their sanity.
He had thought about nipping the danger in the bud, but the time wasn't right yet.
However, now that things had already unfolded, there was no use complaining. The key was to complete the second task as quickly as possible.
The original plan was to use the Bubble-Head Charm to supply air, the Warming Charm to maintain body temperature, and a propeller for propulsion. Underwater Breathing Potion would be a backup in case of any unforeseen circumstances, to prevent himself from drowning.
Then, using a Tracking Charm, he would quickly locate the coordinates of the Merpeople village, which he had visited before.
As for the Grindylows he might encounter along the way, Albert wasn't too concerned. He estimated that encountering them would be unavoidable anyway, so he'd just deal with them as they came. The Water-Making Spell had already been upgraded to Level 2, and dealing with a group of Grindylows, who weren't known for their combat prowess, wouldn't be difficult at all. The only thing to watch out for was to not let a large number of them get too close.
One word described this plan: solid.
However, Albert felt that there was no need to leave any backup plans this time. This backup was actually intended to counter a possible sneak attack, and the Bubble-Head Charm was still unsafe. If a wizard were to release the charm at the bottom of the lake, he might not make it to the surface and would instead drown.
If Albert were planning to murder one of the champions, this was how he would do it. After all, Avada Kedavra wouldn't leave any traces, and drowning would truly ensure that there was no evidence left behind.
If anyone dared to try this against him, Albert would teach them an unforgettable lesson—one that would send them on their way to the afterlife.
However, this time, he intended to use everything at his disposal to complete the second task as quickly as possible and rescue Isabelle from the lake.
After going over the plan repeatedly in his mind and confirming that he could handle any possible contingencies, Albert got dressed and began organizing the things he would need.
To be honest, it had been a long time since he had approached something with such solemnity and seriousness.
As soon as he went downstairs for breakfast, Albert was surrounded by a large group of students who enthusiastically offered their blessings. Their voices were so chaotic that he couldn't even make out what they were saying.
Compared to Albert, who was surrounded by well-wishers, Harry Potter, alone, looked rather pitiful. Especially without Ron and Hermione by his side, Harry's silhouette appeared even lonelier and more desolate. Only his roommate was accompanying him for breakfast.
After nine o'clock, Professor McGonagall appeared in the Great Hall on time and led the two towards the competition venue. Compared to the first task, she seemed to have gained a lot more confidence.
Neither Albert nor Harry was in the mood to listen to her, as they were both thinking about their own matters.
"Are you ready?" Professor McGonagall looked at Harry's backpack.
"Yes, Professor," Harry replied calmly. "I just need a place to change."
"There's a tent over there," Professor McGonagall said, turning her head to ask, "Albert?"
"No problem," Albert answered.
"Go on, then. Good luck to both of you!"
Professor McGonagall led the two to the entrance of a tent by the lake. Albert and Harry stepped inside one after the other.
This tent was more luxurious and comfortable than the one they had used before. It had separate compartments and comfortable seats. Krum was wearing a cloak and sitting in an armchair, his head bowed in thought.
Upon sensing someone entering the tent, he looked up and nodded at Albert when he saw who it was.
Sitting across from Krum was Fleur, also cloaked, and her expression wasn't very pleasant. She was obviously worried about her sister, Gabrielle. After the two boys entered the tent, she didn't react at all, and Albert could understand Fleur's current mood very well.
Harry and Albert each went into a compartment to change into their diving clothes.
Albert put on his specially made outfit, wore a detection bracelet to sense the presence of wizards, and tied his wand to the bracelet with a rope. He then took out a packet of Underwater Breathing Potion from his cloak pocket, poured out two fish oil-like pills, and popped them into his mouth to chew and swallow later when he dove into the lake.
The two Underwater Breathing Potion pills would allow him to stay underwater for about half an hour, which was more than enough time for Albert to complete the task.
As for taking the Underwater Breathing Potion, it was more of a precaution.
After changing into his black bodysuit and exiting the compartment, Albert found that Harry was wearing a similar diving suit and holding a pair of diving fins, apparently intending to put them on once he entered the lake.
The champions didn't linger in the tent for long. Dumbledore led the other judges into the tent and cleared his throat to explain the content of the second task: to retrieve their stolen loved ones within an hour.
This was originally Ludo Bagman's job, but ever since that unlucky fellow started living a life of evading debts, the Triwizard Tournament, which was supposed to be officiated by officials from the Ministry of Magic, had completely changed (they were three judges short). The ones who came later to act as temporary judges—Cornelius Fudge, Amelia Bones, and Rufus Scrimgeour—weren't suitable for officiating the tournament (they weren't familiar with the situation), so the role of commentary eventually fell to Dumbledore, and at least Madame Maxime had no objections.
Well, to be honest, there was no one else who could take on this job.
As for finding another commentator?
No, the Ministry couldn't afford to lose more face; this Triwizard Tournament was already turning into a joke.
"Alright, it's about time. Let's head over and get ready, shall we?" After a brief explanation, Dumbledore led the champions towards the lake to prepare.
Krum took off his cloak and placed it on a chair, revealing his thinly clad body in just a pair of swimming trunks. He was the first to step out of the tent.
Fleur also took off her cloak, revealing a dignified and elegant swimsuit. Undeniably, Fleur looked very sexy in her swimsuit, and Albert couldn't help but take a few extra glances. Beside him, Harry almost couldn't tear his eyes away, and it was only when Albert gently patted his shoulder that he snapped out of his daze, looking a bit embarrassed. The two of them followed behind and exited the tent, one after the other.
The circular stands that had surrounded the dragon arena last November were now arc-shaped and placed on the shore of the Black Lake, filled with excited spectators. Some of them even whistled as the champions made their entrance.
After instructing the champions to line up on the shore, Dumbledore returned to the judges' stand, which was covered with a golden yellow tablecloth. He pointed his wand at his throat and addressed the audience by the lake, "Our champions are now in position. They have a full hour to retrieve what has been taken from them. And now, if you please, on my whistle! One... two... three!"
The shrill whistle echoed in the cold, still air.
The stands immediately erupted into cheers and applause.
However, what surprised them was that the champions were all busy with their own preparations and didn't seem to be in a hurry to enter the lake.
Harry Potter was busy casting various spells on himself and putting on his diving fins. He then began to walk towards the Black Lake, albeit a little unsteadily. However, he wasn't the fastest one.
Well, Miss Delacour might be the only exception. She had merely cast a Bubble-Head Charm on herself and quickly dove into the lake. Perhaps she hadn't tried diving into the lake before, as she seemed to be the most hasty among the champions.
Krum had used a Transfiguration spell on himself, and he now sported a shark's head as he entered the water.
As the other champions took action, Albert patiently waited for the Underwater Breathing Potion to take effect.
From the stands ahead came the boastful voice of a Slytherin, but most people were curious about what he intended to do. At the very least, no one thought he was afraid to enter the lake.
"It seems that our Mr. Anderson has something else in mind."
In the midst of everyone's puzzled gazes, Albert stretched out his hands in front of him, as if carefully examining something.
There were webs between his fingers, indicating that the Underwater Breathing Potion was starting to take effect.
"Look, he's used a clever Transfiguration spell to turn that stone into something else." Dumbledore watched as Albert bent down to pick up a stone from the lakeshore and cast a Transfiguration spell on it with his wand. "Let's see what surprise Mr. Anderson has in store for us."
Surprise? No, it was more like a shock! After donning a water propulsion device, Albert dove into the lake and swam at an incredibly frightening speed towards the center of the Black Lake. In just over a minute, he had already reached a certain spot in the lake, leaving the students and judges in the stands utterly dumbfounded.
How did he do it? That was the question on everyone's mind.
Upon reaching the center of the lake, Albert cast a Tracking Charm once again to confirm the distance and position of the three anchor points, then flipped over and dove deeper into the lake.
The lake water was no longer bone-chillingly cold; instead, it felt cool and pleasant, and his body became very light in the water, all thanks to the effects of the Underwater Breathing Potion. Most importantly, his vision improved significantly after diving into the lake, and he could see much farther and more clearly.
Albert had completely abandoned any notions of sportsmanship. From the very beginning, he didn't need to search for the Merpeople village at the bottom of the lake like the others; instead, he simply skydived straight down towards it.
The scenery before his eyes was rapidly changing. As he dove deeper, the visibility decreased, and the light became hazy and dim. Directly below him, the dark green lake water rippled, revealing a large patch of entangled seaweed. There were surely Grindylows hiding in the seaweed forest, and an attack was likely if he ventured too close.
So, Albert stopped his descent just above the seaweed forest.
He waved his wand, stirring up the water below to flush out any Grindylows lurking nearby. Once they lost the element of surprise, the Grindylows wouldn't pose much of a threat.
This action was like poking a hornet's nest, as a large group of Grindylows emerged from the seaweed forest, rushing towards them. Albert didn't give them a chance, and directly rolled up the undercurrent, sending the unfortunate creatures that pounced on them far away.
The remaining few Grindylows that managed to get close were flipped over by Albert using the Water Monster Expulsion Curse. The speed and violence of his actions startled the mermaid hiding in the seaweed, who was observing them secretly.
It couldn't understand what was going on with this human. Hadn't the competition just started? How had he found them so quickly, and why had he repeated that violent action twice? Was he worried about more Grindylows below?
The hiding mermaid was almost cleared out along with the Grindylows.
After confirming that there were no more Grindylows below, Albert dove again and soon heard the unforgettable singing of the mermaids.
There was only an hour, To find and retrieve what was taken from us...
Following the mermaid's song, Albert swam into the seaweed forest and soon found the mermaid village.
In the village square, there were a large number of mermaids holding spears. Some were singing in unison, seemingly calling upon their warriors with their song.
Tied to the tail of the tall mermaid statue behind them were four hostages.
"Your singing is very nice."
Albert swam over, waved his wand to greet the mermaids, but his appearance seemed to startle them, as their song abruptly stopped.
"Thank you."
The mermaids curiously stared at Albert, pointing at his webbed hands and gill slits.
Albert swam to Isabelle's side and checked on her condition, sighing in relief when he confirmed that she was unharmed. Isabelle seemed to be sleeping deeply, her head hanging limply on her shoulder, and bubbles escaping from her mouth.
The other hostages were in a similar state, except for Ron, who stood out as a hostage tied up with Isabelle.
Harry's treasure.
If one didn't know better, they might think there was something beyond friendship between them.
Shaking off those terrible thoughts, Albert waved his wand to cut away the seaweed binding Isabelle.
Just as Albert was about to take the hostages away, the leading mermaid asked, "Has the competition started early?"
"No." Albert removed the seaweed from Isabelle, calmly replying, "Since I've been here once before, I found it faster. The other warriors may need to wait a while longer."
"Faster?" The mermaid repeated, obviously not believing Albert's excuse.
"Anyway, I'll take her with me now."
Albert didn't care what the mermaids thought. He reached out to hold Isabelle's waist and tapped his wand to activate an underwater propulsion device. He then rose vertically from the mermaid village, leaving the mermaids bewildered.
However, the most confused individuals weren't the mermaids but Fred and George, who were taking bets by the lake. These two were busy looking for people to place bets when they were stunned by the sudden appearance of a black dot on the lake's surface.
Not only the Weasley twins but also the judges and other spectators were left bewildered, and they even forgot to applaud the returning champion.
It seemed that Albert had already retrieved his treasure? It hadn't even been half an hour since the competition started.
Was the second task actually this simple? As the audience whispered among themselves, Albert checked on Isabelle's condition. The girl's lips were slightly pale, evidently chilled by the lake water.
"What happened to you?" Isabelle, instead of worrying about herself, was curious about Albert's transformation.
"It's the effect of the Underwater Breathing Potion. It should wear off soon."
Albert waved his wand, and a small boat slowly rose from the lake, lifting Isabelle's body out of the water. He waved his wand again to dry Isabelle's clothes and warm them.
"Aren't you coming up?" Isabelle asked, puzzled, seeing Albert remain in the water.
"No, I won't feel cold in this state." Albert gently waved his wand, guiding the boat slowly towards the shore.
"How did you become a treasure?" he asked.
"Dumbledore contacted me by letter a few days ago, so I agreed. Are you unhappy about it?" Isabelle arched an eyebrow and asked.
"I just don't want you to get into trouble. After all, the Triwizard Tournament has never been very safe."
"I believe you will definitely get me back." Isabelle leaned forward and kissed Albert's forehead, saying, "Headmaster Dumbledore assured us that there would be absolutely no danger, and we would wake up as soon as we surfaced."
"No, that's not what I meant," Albert said, shaking his head. "Anyway, I usually don't let others take my treasures away." He stopped the boat at the shore and, amid the cheering crowd, waved his wand to create a stone path that led away from the lake. He reached out to help Isabelle off the boat, and the girl hugged her champion, planting a passionate kiss that sent the atmosphere soaring.
(End of Chapter)
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