Imperio ⇢ D.M

Chapter Twenty Five

The Second Task

~Narrator~

As time went by the preparation for the second task was beginning. Arden Diggory was taken to the headmaster's office along with Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley and Gabrielle Delacour. These 4 were going to be the things that meant most to each champion, and the champion had to save them.

Draco sat with his goonies Crabbe and Goyle at the Slytherin table in silence whilst everyone else chattered about the next task occurring that day. He was constantly panicking inside wondering where his girlfriend was. She said that she was going to the library to study the night before, but she never came back to the Slytherin common room.

Although Arden's whereabouts was just the cherry on top of all Draco's worries. The news he had received a while ago regarding he and his families future has been swirling through his mind non stop. The things his father is involved in would be involved in Draco's life too. He knew this news would be coming eventually, but in his situation he is suddenly afraid of the future. His future will put Arden in danger, and Draco already feels guilty for the future pain he will cause her.

-

"Step up! Step up! Place your bets, right here!" The Weasley twins shouted. The two boys were yelling over the loud chatter of the student body, attracting students to bet their galleons on who they think would win the task. As the 4 champions stood on the edge of the boards where they would dive off into the Black Lake, Draco was with his fellow Slytherins wondering where Arden was. Even Cedric and Harry wondered to themselves where she could have been, they both wanted to see her before the task.

Little did the 3 boys know that Arden was right below them. With Ron, Hermione and Gabrielle, Arden was tied up underwater, unconscious. It was the champions' duty to find the person they'd miss the most and save them.

Draco slammed the protective pole in front of him. "Where the hell is she?" He asked himself.

"She's probably with the Gryffindorks. Chill out Draco." Blaise Zabini said. Draco scoffed and looked down into the Black Lake and watched as the 4 champions dove in.

Cedric kept his breathing steady as he swam through the Black Lake, not letting Arden's disappearance get to him.

Harry struggled as the gillyweed Neville had given him started to kick in. Gills and fins grew on him as he swam deeper into the lake. Harry couldn't believe his eyes when he saw dozens of mer-people and other strange sea creatures as he found the place he was meant to be. His eyes widened as he saw his 3 friends, Hermione, Ron and Arden all tied to a rope, unconscious underwater.

Cedric swam into the area out of nowhere and stunned a nearby mermaid before it could attack him. He untied Arden from the rope, and gave Harry a nod of reassurance.

Harry felt his heart sink as he watched Cedric take Arden. He hadn't talked to her much since the ball, and he still beats himself up over asking Arden to be his girlfriend.

-

Arden gasped for air as her brother pulled her up above sea level. She regained consciousness and held onto Cedric as he swam with her to the large area where the students and faculty had been waiting for the first champion.

The crowd roared for Cedric as he carefully pulled Arden out of the cold water and hugged her tightly. The two Diggorys made their ways up the steps of the stands to where Professor Dumbledore was.

Arden shivered as the cold air made contact with her soaked frame, and held onto Cedric's arm for dear life as nearby faculty gave the pair a soft blanket to warm up and dry off at the same time. Cedric held his younger sister close as they conversed about the task.