The next morning, February 24th, at 7:30, Jon Hart opened his eyes.
Climbing out of bed, he checked his wand once more and slipped it into a waterproof wand case. Then he gathered the few items he needed to carry.
After confirming everything was in order, he stowed them in his most secure pocket and stepped out of the Hufflepuff common room.
The Hufflepuff "cheer squad" was already waiting for him. Having been through the test of the First Task, they were now far more disciplined.
"Go Jon!"
"We believe in you! You'll win for sure!"
"Hufflepuff forever!"
Escorted by their cheers, Jon first went to the Great Hall for breakfast. Once he had eaten his fill, he passed through the oak doors, heading for the site of the Second Task—the shores of Black Lake.
But someone blocked his way.
Daphne Greengrass, frantic and disheveled, nearly bowled over Zacharias Smith and Eloise Midgen without even noticing. She ran straight up to Jon.
"You have to save her!" Daphne's trembling voice cracked with tears as she clutched his arm.
"What's going on?" Zacharias demanded irritably, brushing himself off.
"They've taken Astoria!" Daphne sobbed. "She's being held at the bottom of the lake. The protective magic only lasts an hour... You have to save her... If you don't, she could die..."
A storm of whispers erupted from the crowd.
Astoria being one of the captives didn't surprise Jon. He was certain Dumbledore would never allow any of them to be harmed, even if they weren't rescued.
But Daphne, shaken by the news, hadn't realized that yet.
"I will," Jon said with a nod.
"You must bring her back..." Daphne looked at him with desperate sincerity, her usual haughtiness gone.
"I will," Jon repeated calmly.
Only then did Daphne release his hand.
...
The stands that had once circled the Dragon arena in November were now arranged tier upon tier along the opposite bank of the lake, packed to capacity, their reflection shimmering on the water's surface.
Five judges waited by the shore. Among them, Barty Crouch had been replaced by Percy Weasley.
"Looks like all our champions are here?" Ludo Bagman asked cheerfully.
Viktor Krum and Harry Potter were already at the judges' table, draped in golden cloth. Fleur Delacour and Jon arrived almost at the same time.
"Then we can begin," Dumbledore said with a smile. "You all know the rules?"
All four nodded together.
"Your most important person has been taken by the Merpeople and held near their village. You must overcome obstacles, defeat foes beneath the water, and rescue them... You have only one hour."
Dumbledore's voice was grave as he repeated the rules.
"Alright then!" Ludo Bagman clapped his hands. "Get ready—the task begins now!"
The four champions approached the edge of the lake.
Jon shrugged off his robes, revealing swim trunks beneath, and splashed some lake water over himself. The icy water stung against his skin, horribly unpleasant.
Fleur Delacour cast a complex spell on herself, and a large bubble enveloped her, carrying her gently to the surface.
Krum used Transfiguration, his head morphing into that of a menacing shark. The spell, however, seemed only half-successful—the rest of his body remained human.
Jon pulled out a handful of Gillyweed and shoved it into his mouth.
The taste was revolting, dry and stringy, like chewing on raw insect legs.
Instantly, it felt as though something clamped over his mouth and nose. His lungs were hollow, and sharp pains shot through the sides of his neck—
Fortunately, this wasn't Jon's first time taking Gillyweed. He had practiced once in the Room of Requirement, and with that preparation, he didn't panic.
Almost at once, his fingers and toes fused into soft, webbed structures, his feet splaying like a duck's.
"Go!" Bagman shouted.
Jon dove straight into the lake.
Beside him, Harry Potter only now began swallowing down his Gillyweed.
...
Jon inhaled deeply, water rushing through his newly formed gills and delivering oxygen straight to his brain.
Everything was working perfectly. The drag of the water felt greatly reduced, his body light and agile as he swam.
He pulled out a small sphere encased in ice and tapped it with his wand.
A crack split the icy shell, and heat began to seep out.
Ashwinder eggs were powerful heat sources, capable of producing dangerous levels of heat. But when properly frozen, the release could be controlled.
Jon felt the water around him warm, far more comfortable now.
Everything was ready. All that remained was to find the Merpeople village.
The golden egg's riddle had been clear: Seek us where our song echoes through the water.
That meant following their voices.
But with human hearing alone, their song would be nearly impossible to detect underwater. Jon raised his wand and murmured:
"Expecto Patronum!"
A trail of bubbles slipped from his mouth, but the spell still worked.
A burst of silver light took form before him—his Panda Patronus. It glanced around in surprise at the strange underwater world.
Jon quickly cast a Bubble Charm around it, sparing it from the struggle of moving in water.
"Can you hear it?" Jon asked softly. "The Merpeople's song?"
"Woo... woo..." The Patronus let out a strange, playful cry and nodded happily.
"Good. Lead the way."
He conjured a tether, fastening the Ashwinder egg so it floated just behind the Patronus's bubble.
The Patronus swam ahead, the egg trailing after it, radiating gentle warmth and warding off nearby magical creatures.
Jon followed behind them, stroking smoothly through the water.
His eyes stayed wide open, clear even without goggles. The warm currents washed over him, like drifting in a hot spring.
This odd little group pressed on, swimming deeper into the lake.