harry pov

Our Christmas break was over and we were back at school for our second semester. It doesn't feel right without Florence, plus my nightmares seem to replay night after night. The graveyard, Voldemort, Peter Pettigrew, Nagini, and the other man.

The night before Florence got that letter from Lucius, we stayed up late in the common room and got to talking. It was during that time we figured out something weird.

It seems that whenever I have a bad dream, Florence has one too. Sometimes they're the same, sometimes they're different. But they happen on exactly the same nights.

It's absolutely mental. There's no explanation to it whatsoever.

So now I know that every night I have a bad dream, Florence is having one too. It's torture because every night that I wake up panicking, I just think of her doing the exact same.

Tonight was no different. I woke up drenched in a cold sweat. I took a minute to control my breathing before I decided to get out of bed. I couldn't stay there.

My dreams have been worse than ever recently. I have to talk to someone about it. I haven't heard from Sirius in a while so there's no point in telling him, Ron doesn't really listen, and Florence isn't speaking to any of us.

Hermione. I'll tell her tomorrow.

She might know what to do. I also need her help figuring out this stupid egg. The second task is two days away and I still have no idea as to what the clue is.

Things aren't looking good.

----

"Harry, you told me you figured the egg out weeks ago! The task is two days from now!" She exclaimed as we stopped walking in the middle of the bridge.

She wasn't wrong. I told her I figured it out just to get her to stop talking about it.

Clearly, that was a mistake.

"Oh really? I had no idea." I responded, sarcastically. "Suppose Krum's already figured it out?"

"Wouldn't know. We don't actually talk about the tournament." She paused for a moment and thought. "Actually we don't really talk at all. Victor's more of a physical being."

I turned to face Hermione. We both laughed.

"I just mean he's not particularly loquacious."

"Mhm."

"Mostly he watches me study. It's a bit annoying, actually." She paused. "You are trying to figure this egg out, aren't you?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You've just been a bit......unmotivated lately that's all."

I looked down, not knowing what to say. I hate to admit it, but after seeing Florence and Cedric, I've had no desire to do anything.

"It just means these tasks are designed to test you in the most brutal way. They're almost cruel. And.........

I'm scared for you. You got by the dragon mostly on nerve. I'm not sure it's going to be enough this time."

Before I could answer, a voice interrupted us.

"Hey, Potter!"

I turned around to see Cedric walking down the bridge towards us. "Oh great." I muttered.

This is the last person I wanted to see. I started walking the other way.

"Potter!" He shouted again.

I stopped and turned to him. "Cedric."

"How-How are you?" He asked.

"Spectacular." I answered dryly. Exactly the same way I answered the last time he asked me how I was.

"Look, I realise I never really thanked you properly for tipping me off about those dragons."

"Forget about it. I'm sure you would've done the same for me." I said quickly.

I just wanted this conversation to be over. Every time I see him I just picture him and Florence together.

"Exactly." He paused and leaned in. "You know the prefects bathroom on the fifth floor?"

I nodded in response, wondering where this was going.

"It's not a bad place for a bath. Just take your egg, and mull things over in the hot water." He smirked, and walked off.

He was talking about the golden egg. Mull the egg over in the water. I immediately hurried back to the castle to go to my dorm.

----

After everyone was asleep, I made my way to the prefects bathroom. I tried to be as quiet as possible, making sure not to bump into Filch or Mrs Norris.

I threw off my invisibility cloak and began to fill the swimming pool sized bath with water. After it was full, I took off my clothes and hopped in with the egg.

I opened the egg above the water and the awful screeching started. I quickly snapped it shut to stop the noise.

"I'd try putting it in the water if I were you." A voice squeaked.

I turned to see Moaning Myrtle floating above a toilet. "Myrtle!" I said in surprise, not a particularly pleasant one.

"Oh, hello Harry." She said sweetly. "Long time no see." She floated towards me then dove under the water. She popped back up in amongst the bubbles.

Get me out of here.

"I was circling a blocked drain the other day, and I swear I could smell a bit of polyjuice potion. Not being a bad boy again are you Harry?"

"Polyjuice potion? Kicked the habit." I said, awkwardly pulling more bubbles over to me. "Myrtle, did you say I should try putting it in the water?"

"That's what he did. The other boy. The handsome one. Cedric." She said, as she inched closer to me, making me squirm uncomfortably. "Well go on. Open it."

I put the egg under the water and it began to glisten and glow. I took a final breath of air before ducking under the water.

An angelic women's voice began to sing, and I listened closely.

"Come seek us where our voices sound
We cannot sing above the ground
An hour long you'll have to look
To recover what we took"

The black lake. I knew that. But what did they take?

I came out of the water and shut the egg. I coughed and fixed my glasses. Myrtle slid up next to me and I slowly shuffled away.

I looked over at the stained glass window with the moving mermaid and it hit me. "Myrtle, there are.........merpeople in the Black Lake, aren't there?"

"Ooh very good. It took Cedric ages to riddle it out. By then, almost all the bubbles were gone." She giggled, as she scooted even closer to me.

Brilliant, I got the clue. Time to figure out how the hell I'm going to do this.

----

The next day at breakfast, I told Hermione and Ron all about the song. Obviously, Hermione suggested we go to the library to try and figure this out, and this time we actually agreed.

"Harry, tell me again." She instructed while pacing.

Ron was snoring with his head against a bookshelf. I lay my head down on the book in front of me. Both of us were tired from searching, but Hermione was wide awake.

"Come seek us where our voices sound."

"The Black Lake. That's obvious."

"An hour long you'll have to look."

"Again obvious. Though potentially problematic."

"Potentially problematic? When's the last time you held your breath underwater for an hour Hermione?" I snapped, a little more angrily than I intended.

"Look, Harry, we can do this. The three of us can figure it out." She said, as she shook Ron awake and sat down next to me.

"Hate to break up the skull session. Professor McGonagall would like to see you in her office, Miss Granger." Moody said, appearing from around the corner.

"But sir, the second task is only hours away and-"

"Exactly. Presumably Potter is well prepared by now and could do with a good nights sleep. Go. Now. Yourself and Mr Weasley."

Hermione huffed as she and Ron left together.

Moody took a minute to look around the spell and Herbology books surrounding me.

"Longbottom!" He yelled, and Neville peered round from another isle of books. "Why don't you help Potter put his books back."

Moody walked off and Neville made his way towards me. He looked curiously at the books I was reading.

"You know, if you're interested in plants you'd be better off with Goshawk's Guide to Herbology. Do you know there's a wizard in Nepal who's growing gravity resistant trees?"

"Neville. No offence, but I really don't care about plants. Now, if there's a Tibetan turnip that will allow me to breath underwater for an hour then great. But otherwise-"

"I don't know about a turnip. But you could always use Gillyweed."

I turned towards Neville with a much brighter expression across my face.

----

florence pov

Celeste and I were walking down the hallway. She was rambling on about a guy she had met at the Yule Ball after Ron dumped her.

"-and oh my merlin, he has perfect hair too! He's such a gentleman, the other night he said-"

"Woah Cel, slow down!" I laughed. "You haven't even told me his name yet!"

"Oh right. His name is Theodore Nott, but he lets me call him Theo." She said proudly.

Draco had told me about Theodore. He's a ladies man apparently, and a pureblood of course.

"His family is loaded. You could make him buy you lots of pretty things." I joked.

She hit my arm. "Flo! I'm not in it for the money, he's truly wonderful."

"Whatever you say lovebird."

I'm glad she's moved on from Ron, she deserves better. I'm still mad at him for ditching her at the Yule Ball.

"What about you? Have you told Harry you're basically in love with him yet?"

"Shhh! And I am not in love with him! I can't even think about him right now."

"Miss Bailey." I heard Snape's monotone voice from behind me.

"Yes?"

"Professor McGongall requires your presence in her office." He said before walking off.

Celeste and I exchanged quick worried glances.

I reluctantly walked towards Professor McGongall's office thinking of all the possible things I've done wrong.

Did she find out something about me? Am I failing my classes?

I slowly pushed open the heavy door and saw Cedric's friend Jack, Hermione, and Gabrielle Delacour surrounding McGonagall's desk, looking just as confused as me.

I'm relieved there's other people here. I was beginning to think she had discovered the one thing I've been trying to hide from everyone.

"Sorry to interrupt. Professor Snape said you needed me?"

"Yes, yes, come over here dear." She said, ushering me up to the front with everyone else.

"What is this about Professor?" Jack asked.

"I am going to get to that Mr Fields. But, now that everyone is here," She paused and smiled nervously at us. "I am truly sorry about this my dears."

The last thing I remembered was looking at Hermione, turning back to Professor McGonagall, and everything went black.