Link was the only champion who hadn't let everyone down.
Just as everyone expected, he chose Emily as his treasure.
And just as everyone expected, he didn't fear the restrictions the judges placed on him, and bravely faced the task.
If nothing unexpected happened, then just as everyone expected, he would also win the championship of this event.
This was the thought of every Hogwarts student present.
Even more so for the Slytherins and Hufflepuffs.
These two groups, who normally looked down on each other, had already gathered together because of Link.
Cedric and the Slytherin prefects were even putting arms around each other's shoulders.
They all firmly believed Link would be the final winner, winning glory for both of their houses.
Yet just as everyone was full of excitement, suddenly large bubbles surged up on the surface of the Black Lake, which had been calm a moment ago.
The bubbles grew more and more, until the lake surface churned like boiling water.
"Wow! They're fighting like crazy down there!" A Slytherin prefect said, his eyes shining.
At this, John puffed out his chest proudly and declared, "I'll bet anything, that must be Link casting some kind of powerful magic!"
"Something like a thunderous explosion curse or a massive Sectumsempra! Out of all the champions this time, only he has that kind of strength!"
As soon as John said this, the people around him immediately agreed and responded, and the stands' atmosphere jumped to another level.
But the boiling lake scene lasted only a short while.
Soon a small whirlpool appeared in the center of the lake, rapidly expanding.
In an instant, the Black Lake changed from a boiling cauldron into a giant swimming pool with the plug pulled out.
As the whirlpool drew in more and more water, the lake's water level began to sink, exposing wide stretches of wet riverbed along the shore.
Yet this didn't last long either. Soon the whirlpool faded away, replaced by great waves of dark red blood rising up from the bottom, spreading like mist and dyeing nearly the entire lake in shocking crimson.
At this point, no one in the stands was speaking anymore. Everyone stared dumbfounded at the lake surface; some of the more timid ones were even ready to run.
And not only them.
Even the judges, who had been sitting calmly on the platform, now rose to their feet, faces full of worry.
Bagman, as judge and commentator, this time had no choice but to stand up and explain, "Er… audience members, it seems that there might be some problems in our arena."
"But don't panic, our staff have already gone to investigate the situation. I believe soon we'll… oh! Merlin! What am I seeing?!"
Halfway through speaking, Bagman suddenly froze, pointing a trembling hand at the lake.
Everyone followed his finger and clearly saw chunks of mangled flesh rising from the lake bottom, floating onto the crimson water surface, like dumplings that had been cooked.
At the same time, a massive shadow was rapidly moving toward the judges' platform.
"Careful! Mr. Crouch!"
Percy reacted quickly. As Mr. Crouch's personal assistant, he stepped in front of him at once, not caring that his own strength was far weaker.
Under the horrified eyes of the crowd, the shadow finally burst ashore.
It was a massive horse-shaped water beast draped in seaweed. It reared its forelegs toward the stands and let out a shrill roar, then slowly began walking toward the judges' seats.
And on its back sat Link, with Emily and Harry and the others.
"Wow!! It's Link! Hogwarts' champion! At the 54th minute after the start of the task, Hogwarts' champion Link Flamel has ridden ashore!"
Bagman shouted excitedly, waving his arms, "Let's take a look, he rescued his treasure! And… Merlin! Not only Miss Victoria, but Link brought back all the treasures!"
"And not only that, he even brought fellow Hogwarts champion Harry Potter! The only problem now is, it looks like our rescued champion Potter may…"
Bagman kept yelling, but even with a Sonorus charm, his voice was drowned out by the deafening cheers erupting from the stands.
At that moment, nearly everyone was screaming hysterically, the sheer force of it so great that ripples formed again across the lake's already-calmed surface.
The judges, however, were not as reassured as the crowd.
The instant Link appeared, they rushed over. Madam Maxime and Karkaroff were the fastest, reaching Link first, both blurting out, "Fleur and Krum... where are they?"
Link had no intention of answering. He only raised his thumb and pointed behind him at the Black Lake, then guided the water beast toward Dumbledore.
He had many things from the lake bottom to report to him.
Hearing this, Maxime and Karkaroff's faces darkened.
They thought Link simply didn't know Fleur and Krum's whereabouts, and had pointed randomly.
If that were true, then judging by the massive disturbance in the lake earlier, Fleur and Krum were likely in grave danger.
Fortunately, before they could press Link further, a group of armored merpeople rose from the Black Lake. At the front, two huge ones were carrying Fleur and Krum in their arms.
Just then, the hourglass at the judges' table emptied.
The sleep spells on Emily and the others were lifted, and they began waking up.
"Ugh… my head hurts. Where am I?"
Hermione frowned, knocking on her forehead. The glaring light and deafening cheers around her made her sick to her stomach.
After a long while she recalled being taken away under spell by the committee, hidden as a champion's most precious treasure.
At the same time, she took in her surroundings.
Beneath her was the enormous, sticky horse-shaped water beast.
And in front of her was a broad back.
That back was so familiar that, at the sight of it, her heartbeat stopped for a moment.
"Link…"
Hermione murmured unconsciously, as an astonishing thought spread in her mind, 'Could it be… I am Link's treasure? That the person most important to him is not Emily Victoria, but me? And just like in a fairy tale, he braved every danger to rescue me, his princess?'
As if to make up for her earlier lapse, Hermione's heart, after that one skipped beat, pounded even harder.
So hard, so fast, she could actually hear it herself.
Realizing this, Hermione blushed, clutching her chest tightly, and reached her other hand toward Link.
She wanted desperately to confirm with him if her guess was true.
But just as her hand stretched out, she pulled it back even faster, because another familiar figure had already embraced Link first.
"Darling, you're finally awake."
Link spoke gently as he pulled Emily into his arms and held her tight.
"I knew you'd find me."
Emily rubbed her head against Link's chin, speaking with joy.
As she spoke, she cast a sly fox-like glance at Hermione's pale face behind her.
But her joy didn't last long, because Gabrielle woke up.
Unlike Hermione, she wasn't shy at all. Like a cannonball she leapt onto Link's head, shaking him while shouting, "Phantom Knight! You're the best!"
"Get down before you fall!"
Link said helplessly. With Gabrielle, he never had any way to handle her.
Then help arrived.
"Heavens! Gabrielle, you're alright! I thought, I thought, oh!"
Soaked to the skin, Fleur came running in, leaping onto the beast's back.
She yanked Gabrielle off, frantically checking her from head to toe, then hugging and kissing her over and over while sobbing.
Gabrielle, treated so roughly, actually stopped being noisy, and instead began wiping her sister's tears.
But Fleur suddenly remembered something, and shoved Gabrielle aside, rushing at Link.
"You saved her! Even though she wasn't your hostage!" Fleur was so overwhelmed she could hardly breathe. "Thank you, thank you so much…"
Her words cut off as she suddenly lunged forward, just like Gabrielle had, embracing Link's head and kissing him.
It was wet, and very long.
Link had to admit, it felt wonderful.
So much so that he forgot to push her away.
By the time Fleur finally let go of Link and ran off with Gabrielle toward the medical tent, he snapped back to his senses.
And then he saw Emily's cold face.
She crossed her arms and sneered, "Looked like you enjoyed, mmph!"
Hesitation leads to defeat.
Link knew this truth well.
Before Emily could finish, he wiped his mouth and cut her off with a kiss.
A long while later, they were forced apart.
Arkam and Yoyo, who had somehow escaped Dumbledore's care, were squirming into Link's arms.
Dumbledore himself came up smiling, watching Link and Emily.
"Ah!"
Under his teasing gaze, Emily completely forgot what she'd been about to say, and, like Arkam, buried her face in Link's chest.
But Link quickly grew serious.
"This task was compromised, we were attacked by Death Eaters beneath the Black Lake!"
Emily jerked her head up at once, her face paling like Hermione's.
Dumbledore's expression finally turned grave as well.
"Are you certain? Oh, forgive me, Link. I shouldn't doubt you, you're not Harry." He shook his head, then pointed toward a nearby tent.
"This is no small matter. Let's go inside and discuss carefully."
Link nodded, dismounted the beast, and carried Emily on his back into the tent, ignoring Dumbledore's strange look, since she clung to him like a koala, unwilling to let go.
Inside, after Dumbledore cast a silencing charm, Link recounted everything that had happened beneath the lake.
Of course, he didn't reveal that the Death Eater was Barty Jr., that secret had to stay hidden.
Halfway through, the other judges and the golden-armored merperson entered.
The merperson, as witness, filled in some details, cleverly phrasing everything so that his people bore no blame, presenting himself only as Link's helper.
When they finished, the tent's atmosphere grew tense.
Everyone sat in silence, eyes shifting back and forth among the group.
At last Karkaroff shrieked, "This was attempted murder!"
He lunged and grabbed Bagman's collar. "Your Ministry must give me an explanation, or I'll report you to the International Confederation of Wizards!"
Bagman, seized by the furious Karkaroff, panicked, waving his hands frantically and babbling "It wasn't me, I don't know anything."
"Enough, Karkaroff!"
Dumbledore frowned, his tone sharp as he barked his name. "The question isn't whose fault it is, but how to solve it!"
"I believe the dark wizard who attacked the champions in the lake is the same one who Confunded the Goblet of Fire and forced Harry Potter into the Tournament."
"Today's events prove my suspicion true. Their goal is to kill Harry Potter, to avenge Voldemort!"
At the sound of that name, Karkaroff wilted instantly, clutching his Dark Mark in terror.
Everyone else in the tent cast disgusted looks his way.
No one had any sympathy for Death Eaters.
At that moment, Mr. Crouch Sr., who had been silent, suddenly coughed twice, "Dumbledore, you're right. But catching Death Eaters is for later. Right now, what we must face is the spectators outside."
"In my view, the Tournament has gone too far to stop. The champions must continue to the final task. Therefore this incident must be kept strictly secret, not a word leaked. I trust no one disagrees?"
He glanced around. Everyone nodded silently.
Only then did Crouch smile with satisfaction and continue, "Then next, it's time for us to go announce the champions' scores."
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