22nd February 1995
Pokémon Stadium, Hogwarts
"Geodude, use Rock Throw!" Ernie ordered.
Geodude dug both stubby arms into the enchanted battlefield and tore a boulder free from the stone. With surprising strength for its size, it hurled the massive rock across the arena.
"Charmander, dodge!" Draco shouted.
Charmander darted sideways just as the boulder crashed into the ground, exploding into a cloud of shattered stone and dust.
The crowd roared.
The Phase One House Qualifiers had concluded weeks earlier. Since then, the competition had only grown fiercer. Now the Inter-House League had entered its closing stages. Out of the hundreds of students who had originally registered, only sixty competitors remained—ten each from Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and the visiting Beauxbatons and Durmstrang contingents.
The stadium was packed to capacity. Hundreds of Hogwarts students filled the soaring tiers of seats, joined by enthusiastic spectators from the two visiting schools. Above the battlefield floated enormous enchanted scoreboards displaying each trainer's remaining Pokémon, their current league standings, and live battle statistics.
House banners rippled proudly beneath the enchanted ceiling while several Argus drones drifted silently overhead, capturing every angle of the match and projecting enlarged images onto shimmering magical screens throughout the stadium.
At the center of the field stood Hagrid, serving as referee for the match between Draco Malfoy of Slytherin and Ernie Macmillan of Hufflepuff.
Amidst the deafening cheers, Draco pointed dramatically towards his opponent.
"Use Flamethrower!"
Charmander planted its feet and inhaled deeply.
A torrent of blazing orange fire erupted from its mouth, surging across the battlefield like the breath of a miniature dragon.
The flames engulfed Geodude, bathing it in brilliant orange.
When the fire cleared however, Geodude remained standing, smoke curling harmlessly from its rocky body.
The Hufflepuff section exploded into cheers.
Ernie grinned.
"Geodude! Rollout!"
Geodude tucked in its arms and transformed into a rapidly spinning boulder, hurtling across the battlefield with frightening speed. The floor shook beneath its momentum.
"Charmander, jump!" Draco barked.
Charmander sprang high into the air just as the spinning Geodude thundered beneath it, missing by mere inches.
"Again!" Ernie shouted.
Geodude struck the enchanted boundary surrounding the battlefield and ricocheted back even faster than before.
Draco's eyes narrowed.
"Use the field!"
Charmander sprinted toward one of the decorative stone pillars surrounding the arena. Planting one foot against the vertical surface, it ran several steps upward before launching itself into a graceful backward somersault over the charging Geodude.
The entire stadium applauded.
"Now! Metal Claw!" Draco ordered.
Charmander landed directly behind its opponent, silver light enveloping its claws. With a sharp cry, it slashed across Geodude's back. Sparks burst from the impact as Geodude stumbled forward.
Ernie clenched his fists.
"Steady! Use Rock Tomb!"
The arena rumbled violently.
Great slabs of stone erupted from the ground around Charmander, rising one after another to form a circular prison. With each passing second, the walls crept closer together.
"Charmander, use Smokescreen!"
Dense black smoke burst from Charmander, flooding the rocky enclosure until nothing inside was visible.
Students leaned forward in anticipation.
"Where did it go?"
A sudden flash of orange answered them.
Charmander burst through the top of the smoke cloud, flipping high above the battlefield as flames from its tail traced a brilliant arc through the air.
Draco pointed decisively.
"Now finish it! Fire Spin!"
Charmander inhaled deeply before unleashing a spiraling column of blazing fire.
The fiery tornado descended around Geodude, trapping it within swirling columns of heat. Flames twisted upward like a miniature inferno, lighting the entire field with flickering orange light.
Geodude struggled to break free, but every attempt only drew another burst of fire around it.
Ernie shouted desperately.
"Use Rock Throw! Blast your way out!"
Boulders flew from inside the vortex, shattering through the flames. One narrowly missed Charmander. Another clipped its shoulder. But Charmander refused to yield.
"Once more!" Draco commanded. "Flamethrower!"
Charmander drew upon every ounce of remaining strength. An even greater torrent of fire poured into the spinning vortex.
The entire inferno exploded upward into a towering pillar of orange and gold that illuminated every corner of the stadium.
When the flames finally faded, Geodude stood wobbling in the center of a scorched circle of blackened stone.
Its eyes spun. With a soft groan, it toppled backwards onto the arena floor.
Hagrid raised a green flag.
"Geodude is unable ter battle!"
He swung the flag toward Draco.
"Victory goes ter Draco Malfoy an' Charmander!"
The Slytherin section erupted. Green banners waved wildly as cheers echoed throughout the stadium.
Above the battlefield, the magical scoreboard flashed brilliantly before updating.
INTER-HOUSE LEAGUE
Draco Malfoy — WINNER
League Record: 2–0
Charmander raised both tiny fists triumphantly before releasing a small celebratory burst of flame into the air. The adorable display earned laughter and applause from every corner of the stadium—even from students outside Slytherin.
(Ben's First-Person POV)
"Having fun?" I asked.
"That was awesome!" Pietro practically shouted over the cheering crowd, his eyes still fixed on the battlefield.
Beside him, Wanda simply smiled. She sat quietly with her Vulpix curled comfortably in her lap, gently stroking the little Fire-type's soft fur. At Pietro's feet, a Shinx chased its own tail for a moment before darting excitedly around his legs.
Watching the twins enjoy themselves brought an involuntary smile to my face.
It had been almost six weeks since they'd moved into Carter Residence. With Mum and Dad both working during the day, enrolling them in a local middle school in Richmond had seemed the obvious solution. It gave them a chance to make friends, settle into ordinary life, and, perhaps most importantly, simply be children again.
Every afternoon after school, I opened a portal and brought them to Hogwarts to watch the Pokémon League. Pietro still complained—frequently—that he wasn't allowed to compete. Fortunately, spectating appeared to satisfy him... at least temporarily. Over the past few weeks I'd also introduced the twins to all my friends, who had welcomed them with surprising ease.
Hermione, seated beside me, watched the battlefield for another moment before turning toward me.
"Are you sure you should be here right now?" she asked. "The Second Task is the day after tomorrow," she added worriedly.
I reached over and gently took her hand. "Relax, Hermione. I've already taken care of everything on my end." I gave her fingers a reassuring squeeze before smiling. "The real question is...are you still sure about that?"
Knowing exactly what the Second Task involved, I'd spoken with Professor Dumbledore several weeks earlier regarding the safety of the hostages.
He had assured me they would be perfectly safe. Each hostage would be placed into an enchanted sleep before being secured beneath the Black Lake under the protection of the merpeople. The moment they returned to the surface, the spell would break naturally.
Even if a champion failed to retrieve their hostage, the professors would recover everyone safely once the task concluded.
I trusted Dumbledore. Mostly. Even so, I hadn't been willing to decide for Hermione. Since she was almost certainly the person I would "miss most," I had explained everything to her beforehand and made it absolutely clear that she could refuse if she wished.
She had admitted that the prospect of spending an hour unconscious beneath the Black Lake made her rather nervous. But after giving it considerable thought, she had agreed.
Now she smiled softly. "I am sure," she said. After a brief pause she added, "Although I would feel a little better if you told me how you plan to go about the task."
I couldn't help smirking. "Why, Miss Granger, just imagine the butterflies you'll feel in your stomach when you wake up in your beloved's arms after he rescues you heroically from a deep, dark lake full of monsters and merpeople."
I placed a hand dramatically over my heart. "I hardly believe it would be any less glorious than those tales of brave knights rescuing princesses from lonely towers." I leaned a little closer. "Surely you wouldn't want me to spoil the surprise now?"
Hermione stared at me for several seconds. Then she sighed in that wonderfully long-suffering way only Hermione Granger could manage.
"You are impossible."
A reluctant smile tugged at the corner of her lips as she turned her attention back toward the battlefield.
Grinning to myself, I followed her gaze. The next match was already about to begin.
---
24th February 1995
Black Lake
Together with my friends, I stepped through Hogwarts' great oak doors into the crisp February morning. Streams of students poured out of the castle around us, their excited conversations filling the cold air as everyone made their way toward the Black Lake. It wasn't even nine o'clock yet. The Second Task wasn't due to begin for another half hour, yet nearly the entire school had braved the bitter morning chill to witness it.
As we descended the broad stone steps, my gaze instinctively searched the crowd.
Hermione was nowhere to be seen.
She had been called away by Professor McGonagall the previous evening and hadn't returned to the common room afterwards. Objectively, I knew she would be perfectly safe. Dumbledore himself had assured me of that. Even so, a familiar knot settled uncomfortably in my stomach.
Logic had never been particularly effective at silencing the heart.
The lakeshore came into view. Just as they had done during the First Task, enchanted stands had been erected along the opposite bank. Already they were filling with students wrapped in scarves and heavy cloaks, their reflections shimmering across the dark waters of the Black Lake.
My friends wished me luck before heading towards the spectator stands. I, meanwhile, walked around the shoreline toward the judges' table draped in rich golden cloth.
The other champions were already there. Viktor stood with his usual stoic expression, wearing nothing more than swimming trunks despite the freezing temperature. He caught my eye and gave a brief nod which I returned.
Beside him stood Fleur Delacour. Unlike Viktor, however, Fleur scarcely seemed aware of her surroundings.
She stood staring silently across the black surface of the lake, her silver-grey one-piece swimsuit glinting faintly in the morning light, her wand gripped tightly enough that her knuckles had turned white.
"Are you okay?" I asked quietly.
She didn't answer immediately.
"They took my sister," she said at last without taking her eyes off the water.
I nodded slowly. "I see. I'm sorry. They took Hermione as well. I understand how you're feeling."
Fleur turned to look at me. "She's only nine!" she burst out, genuine panic breaking through her usual grace. "How could Madame Maxime allow this?"
"I'm sure the organisers have taken every possible precaution to ensure the hostages are safe."
"How can you say that?" Fleur demanded. "For the First Task they made us face nesting dragons! What if today's dangers are even worse?" Her voice trembled. "The song said if we fail to recover them within an hour, they'll be lost forever."
She swallowed hard. "What if it meant exactly what it said?"
I gently took hold of her elbow and turned her towards me. "Fleur."
She met my eyes.
"I can't speak for the other schools," I said calmly, "but I promise you Professor Dumbledore would never have allowed this task to proceed if there were any genuine danger to the hostages."
I smiled reassuringly. "Your sister is going to be fine. Trust me."
She looked at me for a long moment, then nodded. I released her arm.
"That said," I continued, "the lake itself is home to all sorts of magical creatures, and I'd be very surprised if some of them don't object to us swimming through their territory. Panicking won't help you then. If you want to rescue your sister, you'll need to keep a cool head."
Fleur took a deep breath and nodded. Before either of us could say anything further, Bagman hurried over and began positioning us along the shoreline, leaving roughly ten feet between each champion. I glanced down at my watch. It was almost time.
"All right, Ben?" Bagman whispered as he moved me a few feet farther away from Fleur. "Know what you're going to do?"
I rolled my eyes. "Yeah."
He gave my shoulder an encouraging squeeze before hurrying back to the judges' table. He pointed his wand at his throat, said, "Sonorus!" and his voice boomed out across the dark water toward the stands.
"Good morning!"
The chatter ceased instantly.
"All our champions are ready for the Second Task, which will begin on my whistle! They have precisely one hour to recover what has been taken from them."
Bagman pointed to the air above where three Argus drones were hovering. "These drones will follow the champions beneath the lake and project everything they encounter onto the viewing screens for our audience!"
Excited applause rippled through the stands. Bagman looked around with a big smile and said, "On the count of three, then. One... two... three!"
His whistle split the morning air. Instantly the spectators erupted into thunderous cheers.
Without hesitation Fleur sprinted forward into the freezing water, Viktor following close behind. Chest-deep in the lake, Fleur cast the Bubble-Head Charm around herself before diving beneath the surface.
Dark scales spread across Viktor's skin. His face elongated into that of a shark as his partial Transfiguration took hold. Then he vanished beneath the water as well.
Almost immediately three shimmering projection screens materialised above the shoreline. The spectators gasped in delight as they watched Fleur and Viktor cutting through the underwater darkness.
Only one champion remained standing on the shore. Me.
I watched the projections for another second before reaching into my pocket. From within, I withdrew a block of Vibranium roughly the size of my fist. Ignoring the murmuring from the stands, I raised my wand.
Ancient runes flowed through the air beneath its tip. One after another they settled upon the silvery metal. The Vibranium responded instantly. Its smooth metallic surface shimmered before unfolding like liquid mercury. Corners softened. Edges curved inward. Within seconds, the block had transformed into a perfect sphere roughly the size of a Quaffle.
Detection enchantments. Spatial mapping arrays. Signal amplification charms. Magical resonance matrices. One after another, I layered them into the construct. When I finished, the sphere almost hummed with contained power.
With a flick of my wand, I banished it. The sphere shot high over the Black Lake before plunging beneath the surface with barely a ripple. A second later, the enchantments on the sphere activated.
Invisible pulses rippled outward through the water in every direction. A translucent blue image bloomed into existence before my eyes. The returning echoes assembled themselves into a perfect three-dimensional map. The lakebed. The underwater cliffs. Schools of fish. The giant squid. Grindylows. Plimpies. Murtlaps. And the merpeople village.
I saw a whole crowd of merpeople floating in front of crude stone dwellings that lined what looked like a mer-version of a village square. There was a rough statue there, a gigantic merperson hewn from a boulder. The hostages — Hermione, Fleur's sister, and the girl Viktor had taken to the Ball, were bound to the tail of the stone merperson, unmoving.
Even Fleur and Viktor's phantom selves appeared on the map as two fast moving points of light cutting through the darkness of the lake. I saw Fleur heading directly toward an underwater forest of rippling, tangled weed. Unfortunately, it happened to be crawling with Grindylows.
I dismissed the display with a thought, then unclasped my Hogwarts cloak. Beneath it I wore what appeared to be an ordinary black wetsuit. The garment was actually an ultralight graphene underarmour reinforced with both enchantments and advanced materials science.
I rolled my shoulders once.
Showtime.
Turning toward Hogwarts Castle, I raised my right hand.
(Third-Person POV)
"What's he doing?" Harry frowned from the spectator stands.
Beside him, Neville shrugged helplessly. "Beats me." He glanced toward the magical projections. Delacour and Krum were already quite far away from the starting point. What was Ben playing at?
Then they heard it. The sound of something, of several somethings, approaching rapidly.
Heads snapped towards the castle. High above, several metallic components were zooming through the air like a flock of silver birds. Students gasped and yelled as the pieces approached Ben.
The first component struck his chest and locked perfectly into place with a crisp metallic snap. The next piece attached itself across his back. Then came the pauldrons. Greaves. Vambraces. Gauntlets.
Each piece arrived at incredible speed, rotating and aligning itself before snapping flawlessly into position. Layer upon layer of sleek black armour assembled around him. Finally, the face plate rotated downward and sealed itself in its place.
Benjamin Carter was gone.
In his place stood something that looked as though it had stepped out of science fiction. The armour's glossy black surface gleamed like polished obsidian beneath the winter sun. Brilliant electric-blue lines flared to life across the plating, tracing intricate pathways that resembled living circuitry. At the centre of its chest, a brilliant circular core ignited with dazzling blue-white light.
The armor's eyes lit up. A deep mechanical hum spread across the lakeside. Without so much as taking a step, it shot from the ground to tens of feet above. The audience — students, professors, ministry officials watched in open-mouthed awe as the armor hovered effortlessly above the Black Lake.
It banked left, rolled once, then accelerated upward before performing a tight corkscrew that would have left even a Firebolt struggling to keep pace. As the crowd cheered wildly at the aerial display, the suit of armor turned towards the lake. Blue light erupted from its hands and feet.
The black figure became a comet. It shot across the sky faster than any broom ever built before plunging into the Black Lake with explosive force. A towering column of white spray erupted into the air.
The spectators leapt to their feet.
Harry stared, completely speechless.
Neville finally found his voice.
"That...was awesome."
Harry could only nod.
---
(Fleur's POV)
It had happened three years ago.
Fleur, her mother, and little Gabrielle had spent the afternoon shopping in Paris. Gabrielle had been only six years old then—small enough that Fleur could still scoop her into her arms whenever her little sister grew tired of walking. It had been an ordinary day, filled with bustling streets, cheerful shopkeepers, and windows displaying the latest fashions.
Her mother had paused outside one of the boutiques after spotting an old friend and, before stepping aside to exchange greetings, had smiled at Fleur.
"Watch your sister for a moment, would you?"
It had seemed such a simple request.
Gabrielle had been standing right beside her.
Then Fleur's attention had wandered, only for a moment.
A beautiful dress displayed in a nearby shop window had caught her eye, its silver embroidery shimmering beneath the afternoon sun. She had admired it for no more than a second before turning back.
Gabrielle was gone.
The memory still haunted her.
She remembered screaming her sister's name until her throat had become raw. She remembered racing through crowded streets, peering into cafés, boutiques, alleyways, and every doorway she passed. Her mother had searched just as frantically, panic replacing composure with every passing minute.
Hours had crawled by.
By the time they finally found Gabrielle asleep among rows of winter coats in the cloakroom of a department store, Fleur had already imagined every terrible possibility.
Gabrielle had merely rubbed her sleepy eyes and asked why everyone looked so worried.
Apparently she had simply grown tired of walking and decided the coat check room looked like a wonderful place for a nap.
Fleur had never forgotten that day, nor the terrible helplessness she'd felt. That same feeling was clawing at her chest now.
Hold on, Gabrielle.
I'm coming.
The waters of the Black Lake were colder than Fleur had expected. Even beneath the protection of her Bubble-Head Charm and the warming spells she'd cast beforehand, an icy numbness slowly seeped into her limbs as she swam deeper beneath the surface.
Silence pressed upon her ears as she soared over a strange, dark, foggy landscape. She could only see ten feet around her, so that as she sped through the water new scenes seemed to loom suddenly out of the oncoming darkness: forests of rippling, tangled black weed, wide plains of mud littered with dull, glimmering stones.
She swam deeper and deeper, out toward the middle of the lake, her eyes wide, staring through the eerily gray-lit water around her to the shadows beyond, where the water became opaque.
Small fish flickered past her like silver darts. Once or twice she thought she saw something larger moving ahead of her, but when she got nearer, she discovered it to be nothing but a large, blackened log, or a dense clump of weed. There was no sign of any of the other champions, merpeople, or Gabrielle.
Ahead, an enormous underwater forest of pale green weed spread across the lakebed, the plants waving gently in unseen currents. Fleur angled downward, trying to discern shapes through the gloom...when without warning, something grabbed hold of her ankle.
A sharp gasp escaped her as she was yanked violently downwards. Fleur twisted her body around and saw a Grindylow, a small, horned water demon, poking out of the weed. It's long fingers clutched tightly around her leg, its pointed fangs bared.
Her heart lurched. Pulling out her wand, she shouted, Relashio!
Her wand, instead of sending sparks at the Grindylow, pelted it with what seemed to be a jet of boiling water. An angry red patch appeared on its green skin where the spell stuck. The creature shrieked and released her.
Before she could recover however, three more Grindylows burst out from the surrounding weeds. One lunged for her shoulder, another grabbed her ankle, the third slashed wildly with clawed fingers.
Fleur fought desperately. Spell after spell erupted from her wand as she kicked, twisted, and struggled to free herself. But soon, her movements started to get sluggish.
The thick weeds tangled around her legs. The Grindylows darted effortlessly through their natural habitat while she found herself increasingly trapped. More shapes appeared between the waving plants. She found herself surrounded.
Then pain exploded across the back of her hand. One of the creatures had sunk its teeth into her wrist. Her fingers spasmed involuntarily.
"No..."
Her wand slipped free. Fleur watched helplessly as it spun slowly into the darkness below.
The Grindylows surged forward. Despair settled over her heart.
I am sorry, Gabrielle...
Then something hit the weed forest with the force of a cannonball. The entire lake seemed to tremble.
A black blur tore through the water faster than any fish Fleur had ever seen. The Grindylows scattered in every direction. The mysterious figure halted directly before her. Only then did Fleur truly see it.
It was a suit of sleek black armour. Its polished surface gleamed like obsidian even beneath the murky waters of the lake. Brilliant electric-blue lines flowed across the plating in intricate patterns, glowing like veins of living lightning.
The helmet turned toward the returning Grindylows. The figure raised its hands, which began to glow even brighter. The next second, brilliant blue-white light erupted from its palms.
The underwater flashes were blinding. One beam blasted straight through the weeds, vaporising an entire section of the underwater forest in an explosion of bubbles. Another sent three Grindylows tumbling end over end into the darkness. The remaining creatures shrieked in terror and fled instantly.
Silence returned.
Fleur stared at her rescuer, a thousand emotions running through her heart. The armored figure looked toward her.
Then something even stranger happened. The water surrounding them began to move. It swirled gracefully around the mysterious warrior before folding back upon itself. Within seconds, a vast sphere of air enclosed them both. Water flowed harmlessly around its invisible boundary.
Fleur blinked in surprise at finding herself completely dry. As well as floating effortlessly within an enormous pocket of fresh air beneath the lake. Her gaze returned to the armored figure as the helmet gave a soft mechanical hiss. Its faceplate slid upward.
Ben smiled at her. "I thought I told you to take it easy."
Despite everything she'd just endured, Fleur couldn't stop herself from smiling.
Of course.
Who else could it possibly have been?
Without a word, Ben extended one gauntleted hand toward the darkness beneath them.
Far below, Fleur's wand suddenly shot upward through the water as though pulled by an invisible force. Ben caught it neatly before offering it back to her.
She accepted it with heartfelt relief.
Then he extended his other hand. "Come on," he said with his usual easy smile. "Let's go get our friends."
Fleur slipped her hand into his armored gauntlet.
Ben gently pulled her closer until she stood beside him within the protective sphere. The air surrounding them shifted. The spherical bubble elongated smoothly into a streamlined cone, its pointed tip facing forward like the bow of a great ship. Blue light flared beneath Ben's boots.
The next instant—
They launched forward.
Fleur gasped as the cone sliced effortlessly through the water, parting it before them as though the lake itself welcomed their passage. Outside, fish and aquatic plants became blurred streaks racing past faster than any broomstick she had ever flown. She instinctively wrapped both arms around Ben's waist to steady herself.
Gradually the underwater scenery began to change. The weed forests gave way to broad plains of black mud. Clouds of silt billowed behind them as they skimmed only a few feet above the lakebed. Then, at long last, Fleur heard a snatch of haunting mersong.
"An hour long you'll have to look..."
"And to recover what we took..."
A cluster of crude stone dwellings stained with algae loomed suddenly out of the gloom on all sides. Here and there at the dark windows, Fleur saw faces...faces that bore no resemblance at all to the beautiful depictions of mermaids that had long enamored mankind.
The merpeople had grayish skin and long, wild, dark green hair. Their eyes were yellow, as were their broken teeth, and they wore thick ropes of pebbles around their necks. They watched Fleur and Ben's impossible arrival with open astonishment. Several of them emerged from their caves to watch them better, their powerful, silver fish tails beating the water, spears clutched in their hands.
Ben eased their speedasthe dwellings became more numerous. There were gardens of weed around some of them, and Fleur even saw a pet grindylow tied to a stake outside one door. Merpeople were emerging on all sides now, watching them eagerly and talking to one another. They sped around a corner and a very strange sight met Fleur's eyes.
A whole crowd of merpeople was floating in front of the houses that lined what looked like a mer-version of a village square. A choir of merpeople was singing in the middle, calling the champions toward them, and behind them rose a gigantic statue carved from solid rock. Three people were bound tightly to the tail of the stone merperson.
But Fleur only had eyes for one of them.
Gabrielle was tied between Hermione Granger and Lucille Beauregard, a fellow Beauxbaton student Viktor had taken to the Yule Ball. She appeared to be in a very deep sleep. Her head was lolling onto her shoulders, and fine streams of bubbles kept issuing from her mouth.
At the sight of her sister safe and sound, relief struck Fleur with such overwhelming force that her knees nearly gave way. For several long moments Fleur simply stared at her little sister, feeling an unbearable weight lift from her heart.
Slowly she turned toward the man beside her. The glowing blue lines of his remarkable armour reflected softly across the water surrounding them.
He had saved her. Again. Not from a dragon, this time. But from something worse. From hopelessness. Despair. He had arrived at her darkest hour, literally like a knight in shining armour. Offering her a helping hand.
Fleur looked at him for a long moment. Then, deep within her heart, she made her decision.
She had spent months trying to ignore what her heart already knew. No more. Whatever happened after today, she would not run from her feelings again.
---
(Ben's First-Person POV)
I was having a blast.
Most people would look at my life and, quite reasonably, conclude that I had absolutely nothing to complain about. They wouldn't be wrong. I had a loving family, loyal friends, a dog who thought he owned the house, and the most wonderful girlfriend a bloke could ever hope for. At fifteen years old, I was already stronger than any wizard alive in my world, possessed knowledge so-called gods would kill for, and had managed to change the destinies of people who would otherwise have been lost to history.
It sounded rather impressive when listed like that.
What people rarely saw, however, was the weight that came attached to all of it. Somewhere along the way, I had quietly become the dependable one.
The boy with the plan. The one who always seemed to know what to do next.
People came to me expecting answers. They looked to me with confidence, believing I could solve whatever problem lay before us. I had cultivated that image myself, of course—calm, mature, sensible, reliable.
The downside was that I rarely got to behave like an ordinary fifteen-year-old anymore. I couldn't be reckless. Couldn't be childish. Couldn't show too much excitement whenever I stumbled across something wonderfully absurd.
Truth be told, I loved showing off.
I loved building ridiculous gadgets just to see the expressions on people's faces. I enjoyed dramatic entrances far more than I probably should. Somewhere beneath all the responsibility, I was still just a teenager who thought flying around in futuristic armour sounded unbelievably cool.
Fortunately, the Triwizard Tournament actively encouraged exactly that sort of behaviour. The Tournament wasn't merely about overcoming dangerous challenges. It was theatre. Spectacle. Every champion was expected to leave an impression. To perform. To make the audience gasp.
Winning mattered.
Style mattered almost as much.
Which explained why I was currently rocketing through the depths of the Black Lake dressed like a budget version of Iron Man.
Granted, calling my suit an Iron Man suit was being extremely generous. Compared to one of Tony Stark's actual armours, mine was little more than an enthusiastic imitation.
There was no Arc Reactor powering it. The brilliant white light glowing from the centre of my chest was nothing more than an enchanted lamp designed to look impressive.
There were no miniature missile launchers concealed inside the shoulders. No lasers hidden beneath the wrists. No sophisticated artificial intelligence constantly calculating firing solutions.
Most of the internal space was occupied by magically reinforced structural supports and enchantments rather than advanced electronics.
The armour itself was forged from an alloy of Vibranium and Mithril, producing something astonishingly light yet almost impossibly durable. Rather than mechanical propulsion systems, it relied upon gravity magic and modified Flying Charms to achieve flight. The repulsor-like blasts emerging from my palms weren't plasma weapons at all but concentrated beams of magically amplified light.
In almost every respect, the suit was a knockoff. For now.
One day I'd build something worthy of standing beside Stark's masterpieces. Today, however...
Today was about making an entrance. And judging by the audience's reaction, I'd succeeded rather spectacularly.
I'd even managed to discreetly snap a photograph of Professor McGonagall during the armour's assembly sequence. Seeing our no-nonsense Transfiguration teacher staring at me with her mouth hanging open in complete astonishment was a memory I fully intended to treasure forever.
Presently I arrived at the Merpeople village with Fleur in tow. I had seen her on the map, about to swim into the Grindylows' territory and decided to lend her a hand if she needed it. I know how I would have felt if Rachel had been down here today and I had failed to rescue her.
Our speed steadily decreased as we approached the stone statue standing at the centre of the underwater square.
The cone of air surrounding us dissolved back into a spacious sphere, allowing us to hover effortlessly above the lakebed. Gravity enchantments gently supported Fleur as she floated beside me while the curious merpeople maintained a respectful distance, their yellow eyes following our every movement.
The ropes of weed tying the hostages to the statue were thick, slimy, and very strong. But they were no match for two quick beams of light from my armor's palms. The ropes tying Hermione and Fleur's sister broke apart.
Hermione and Gabrielle floated, unconscious, a few inches above the lake bottom, drifting a little in the ebb of the water. With a thought, I expanded the air bubble until it enclosed all four of us.
Before either of them could begin falling, I caught them with gravity magic and they floated weightlessly towards us. Another spell quietly evaporated the remaining lake water clinging to their robes and hair, leaving both girls warm and perfectly dry.
Fleur immediately gathered Gabrielle into her arms; her relief was almost palpable. She looked down anxiously at her little sister before glancing towards Hermione. "Why aren't they waking up?"
"They're still under the spell," I replied confidently, cradling Hermione carefully in my own arms. "They should wake up once we return to the surface."
Fleur accepted the explanation without argument.
For several moments, neither of us spoke.
Outside our protective sphere, dozens of merpeople watched silently, spears held upright like an honour guard surrounding esteemed guests.
Eventually Fleur frowned. "Shouldn't we get going?"
"In a minute," I said, nodding towards the final hostage still secured to the statue. "I don't want to leave her here alone. We'll go once Viktor shows up."
Understanding dawned across Fleur's face. She smiled softly, then nodded.
Together we waited. Several minutes passed peacefully.
Then, all at once, the merpeople became excited. Sharp screeches echoed through the water as dozens of heads turned in the same direction.
I watched as a human body in swimming trunks with the head of a shark — Viktor — came towards us. His partially transfigured body cut through the lake with impressive speed before he abruptly stopped upon noticing the enormous sphere of air suspended in the middle of the village.
His shark eyes moved from Fleur to me to our floating hostages. Then, apparently deciding he had far more important things to worry about, he swam straight towards his hostage.
Without hesitation, he bit clean through the enchanted weeds restraining her. Scooping the unconscious girl into his arms, Viktor immediately turned and began swimming powerfully towards the distant surface without so much as a nod towards either Fleur or me.
I watched him disappear into the darkness. "Wow. He didn't even say hi," I told Fleur. "Anyway..."
I gently increased the strength of the gravity enchantments surrounding our sphere. The enormous bubble began rising smoothly through the water. Then faster. Much faster.
Within seconds we overtook Viktor entirely. A few moments later sunlight burst through the darkness above.
Our sphere erupted from the surface of the Black Lake. The protective bubble dissolved the moment we broke the surface.
Neither Fleur nor Gabrielle fell. Gravity magic continued supporting all four of us as we floated effortlessly several feet above the lake.
Almost immediately Hermione stirred in my arms. Her eyelids fluttered open. And looked up directly into the glowing eyes of my helmet.
Meanwhile Gabrielle awoke with considerably less composure. She took one look at the towering black suit near her and emitted a startled squeak before instinctively burying herself against Fleur.
Only after recognising who was holding her did she relax. Within seconds both sisters were speaking so rapidly in French that I could barely distinguish individual words.
Hermione, meanwhile, seemed considerably less concerned by my appearance.
"Now I know why you didn't tell me how you planned to handle the second task," she said, looking up and down at me. "Nice armour."
My faceplate hissed open. "Thanks."
She glanced towards Fleur and Gabrielle before looking back at me. "I suppose there's a story there?"
"Nothing complicated," I replied with a shrug. "She needed a little help, so I helped."
Hermione simply shook her head and gave me one of those smiles that somehow managed to combine affection, amusement, and mild exasperation all at once.
Together we flew towards the shoreline. Behind us, the two Argus drones emerged from the lake and hurried after us, faithfully continuing to record every moment.
The cheering reached us long before we landed. By the time my boots touched solid ground, hundreds of students were on their feet applauding.
I smiled, raised one hand in greeting, and dismissed the armour. The individual components glowed briefly before vanishing, disappearing neatly into my storage ring. A fresh wave of applause rolled across the stands.
Several minutes later Viktor finally made it to the shore with Lucille in tow. Madam Pomfrey hurried forward at once, looking almost relieved to have someone who was actually soaking wet. Fleur, Gabrielle, Hermione and I had all arrived warm, dry, and perfectly healthy, leaving the school matron with disappointingly little to do until now.
"Ladies and gentlemen!" Ludo Bagman's magically amplified voice echoed across the lakeshore, causing the crowd in the stands to go very quiet. "We have reached our decision." He smiled broadly. "You have all seen exactly what happened beneath the lake. We have therefore decided to award marks out of fifty for each champion."
He consulted the parchment in his hand.
"Fleur Delacour, though she demonstrated excellent use of the Bubble-Head Charm, was attacked by Grindylows as she approached her goal, and would not have recovered her hostage without the timely assistance of fellow champion Benjamin Carter. We therefore award her... thirty-five points."
Applause echoed across the stands.
"Viktor Krum used an incomplete form of Transfiguration, which was nevertheless effective, and was second to return with his hostage. We award him forty-four points."
Karkaroff clapped particularly hard, looking very superior.
"Benjamin Carter...well, I think we all saw what he did, didn't we?" Bagman joked. Laughter swept through the audience. "Mr Carter created a device capable of mapping the lake before summoning an extraordinary suit of magical armour, allowing him to travel safely to the lakebed. He then assisted fellow champion Fleur Delacour before rescuing both hostages." Bagman paused theatrically. "Despite waiting until the final hostage had also been rescued, he nevertheless returned first."
Beside me Hermione gave me a distinctly unimpressed sideways glance. I merely shrugged innocently.
"Most of the judges," and here, Bagman gave Karkaroff a very nasty look, "feel that this shows exceptional ingenuity and moral fiber and merits full marks. However...Mr. Carter's score is forty-eight points."
The lakeshore exploded. Hogwarts students roared their approval. Beauxbatons joined in enthusiastically. Even many Durmstrang students applauded despite themselves.
Madame Maxime clapped proudly. Professor Dumbledore applauded with unmistakable satisfaction. Bagman applauded. Even Barty Crouch applauded. Only Karkaroff remained seated, looking as though he'd just swallowed something exceptionally unpleasant.
"The third and final task," Bagman continued once the cheering subsided, "will take place at dusk on the twenty-fourth of June. The champions will be notified of what is coming precisely one month beforehand. Thank you all for your support of the champions."
The crowd slowly began dispersing. Harry and Neville hurried over.
"That was brilliant!" Harry said, patting me on the back.
Neville nodded vigorously. "Where did you even get that armour?"
"Where do you think?" I grinned. "It's custom-made. I wanted something a little different for my underwater excursion."
Neville laughed. "Come on. Let's get back to the castle. Everyone's waiting in the common room to celebrate."
I turned to follow them.
"Ben."
I stopped.
Fleur stood a short distance away. Her sister was standing behind her, though the little girl wore a very mischievous smile.
I walked over. "Fleur."
She looked unexpectedly nervous. "I wanted to thank you."
I smiled. "You don't have to."
"Yes," she said quietly. "I do."
She stepped forward, closing the distance between us. Her slender hands rose to cup my cheeks. Before I could respond, she leaned forward and kissed me.
My brain promptly stopped functioning.
I had been half-expecting some sort of French display of gratitude—a quick peck on the cheek, perhaps, accompanied by a heartfelt merci. This...
This was decidedly not that.
It was a proper kiss.
On the lips.
For several stunned seconds, my brain seemed to forget every lesson it had ever learned about how a person was supposed to react in situations like this. By the time coherent thought finally managed to catch up and remind me that I probably ought to do something—anything—Fleur had already stepped back of her own accord.
She looked at me with a radiant smile, her blue eyes shining with a quiet certainty that hadn't been there before.
Without saying another word, she reached down and took Gabrielle's hand. The little girl looked from Fleur to me before dissolving into a fit of delighted giggles as the two sisters began walking back toward the Beauxbatons delegation.
As Fleur passed Hermione, she slowed ever so slightly. Their eyes met.
Fleur inclined her head politely, the gesture carrying neither triumph nor apology—only warmth and sincere respect.
It wasn't until Fleur disappeared into the crowd that the rest of the world came rushing back into focus.
Harry was trying—and failing—not to laugh.
Neville wasn't even pretending anymore.
Both wore identical expressions of barely restrained amusement.
Very, very slowly, I turned toward Hermione.
She was watching me.
There was no anger on her face. No obvious jealousy either.
Instead, she wore an expression so wonderfully complicated that I couldn't begin to decipher it.
I swallowed.
...Uh oh.