PART 11

 WITH the descent of Persephone to the realms of the Underworld , winter had spread it's wings like a dove at flight - creeping up on the moors of Scotland like a snake at prey. The wind whipped at their faces mercilessly , covering all with a rush of cold and leaving prickly skins in their wake. The castle looming in the distance , perched like a jewel upon a scepter of peridot , was covered in a dense layer of fog - like a mythical place enshrouded in secrets.

Evanna stood with her hands in the pockets of the thin blue jacket she wore above her swimsuit - alongside other champions. Cedric Diggory stood first , eyes trained on the waters rippling below  the wooden deck - while both Fleur and Krum were coversing in hushed voices with Madame Maxime and Igor Karkaroff respectively. Harry's tardiness had emerged victorious for the umpteenth time , and the Gryffindor was late yet again.

Her azure eyes drifted from the murky waters of the Black Lake - and towards the emerald mountains that ringed the body of water. Rectangular stalls rose from the wooden docks , reaching upwards with students and spectators lined within. With the sky above overcast , and the sea of students all dressed in dull blacks , greys and whites , there was hardly any colour in the atmosphere other than those of the colourful banners that ruffled in the air.

Pulling out her wand , Evanna whispered in the softest of voices - "Spiritus Incremento Aquatilium" - her voice evaporating into the thin air as a trail of mist was left in her wake.

It was a rare breathing enhancement charm Draco and her had come across during a nightly expedition , inside a book tucked safely away in a dingy corner of the library. Time had left it's imprints upon the ancient , leather-bound book , it's pages loose and frayed at the ends , the parchment spotted and yellow.

After the enchantment seeped into her pores , little by little increasing her ability to breathe - Evanna's eyes drifted towards the cheering crowd - scanning the crowd for a familiar platinum blonde. Seeing no other person with such peculiarly beautiful hair , she focused her eyes onto the frayed end of her jacket sleeve.

 A commotion followed to her left , and she tilted her head to find a red-faced Harry , his fingers fumbling as he fixed his glasses , rushing towards them. She observed as he quickly put a bundle of green , wiry leaves into his mouth - an expression of disgust knitting onto his features.

Gillyweed. A smart choice , smart enough for Evanna to decide that Harry had not come up with it. Possibly , it was Neville Longbottom - the kind Gryffindor's helpful nature and inclination for Herbology being the key factors. Or , it was actually the one who had given Neville the book in which he read about the plant ( in this case , Evanna was well aware who it was ).

Her irises looked out into the distance once again , eyeing the bleak nature and the drooping leaves that swayed in the wind -the winter that prevailed everywhere , sucking the soul and life out of all things that once imparted joy.

But there were several reasons other than that , that made the season Evanna's favourite. 

A loud voice echoed overhead, the breeze carrying the brontide of it out towards the lake , Dumbledore's , as he spoke ,"Welcome , everyone to the second task of the Triwizard Tournament !"

"Something has been stolen from each of the champions , a treasure of sorts. These five treasures now lie at the bottom of the lake - one for each champion - and one hour to retrieve them."

 A pause followed , accentuated by the hush of the crowd - before the voice said again ,"May the second task begin !"

Evanna shrugged off the jacket from her shoulders , the material lying crumpled around her ankles as she drew in a breath. Her eyes had still not found Draco in the throng , and for some reason her palms felt clammy.

A loud canon went off in the distance , the resonance travelling over the surface of the deep waters as all the champions dived into it.

The stench and tanginess of the turquoise waters were punctuated by the gasps of salt that filled her lungs with every breath Evanna took. Her surroundings were dim , the only light shining through the waves that came from above the surface. A second later , she felt the water within her nostrils subside , and when she could breathe with ease again - she swam swiftly towards where she thought the 'treasure' would be.

Her arms pushed the water behind her as she navigated through the waters - shoals of fish often blocking her way as corals danced in the distance , crumbling rocks littering the floor. Her pupils dilated , trying to adjust to the dark - as a disturbing thought abruptly came to her mind.

The water from the washrooms of Hogwarts drained into the lake.

Gagging a bit , she mentally made showering her first priority upon swimming back to the surface. Ripples went past her , low screeches of merpeople sounding around her. Passing skillfully through a clump of sea weeds that lashed out like ropes of green - she stopped upon reaching a crumbling stone archway , rising high , gilded in rusted iron and gold.

Five bodies of people were chained to the ground , their hair forming a curtain around them , their waxy faces as cold and prickly as ice. Six creatures floated in a circle around them , dull olive eyes keeping watch and bulbous heads - rope-like hair spilling to their shoulders , and grey fishtails turning with the slightest of noise - golden tridents in their hands.

Her heart sank as she swam nearer , her irises taking in the sight of a familiar platinum blonde in front of her , his eyes shut and Slytherin robes floating around him.

Cedric Diggory swam by , freeing a body from the ropes , looping his arms through a raven-haired girl's - whom Evanna knew to be Cho Chang , before moving up to the surface.

Looping her arms through Draco's , casting a spell to free him from his binds , she steadily moved up to the surface. The weight of Draco weighed her down , and a chill rushed through her spine when she realised that her breathing charm was losing it's effect.

A noise startled her , coming from somewhere below - and when she looked down , she found Harry Potter wrestling against the mermaids - two bodies in his grip.

Wasn't one body for one person ?

Rolling her eyes at how stupidly he was risking himself , she proceeded to look front when a thought struck her. She could always help Harry out , taking the two other people along with Draco to the surface while Harry fend for himself. This way , she could bag extra points for her chivalry , but it was an awfully Gryffindor-like thing to do. Her chivalry was quite rusted.

Sighing in frustration , she whipped out her wand - sending a spell his way , as the mermaids shrieked and jumped back. Harry's panic-filled eyes looked up to find Evanna , and she beckoned him with the motion of an arm. Getting the cue , Harry gently pushed Ron and Fleur's sister up - before pulling out his wand and facing the sea of mermaids , and a horde of jellyfish-like creatures , named Grindylows.

Evanna reached out an arm for the other two - the additional weight burdening her greatly. Time rushed through like grains of sand , her breath becoming heavier by the minute as she gasped for fresh air - salt water slowly seeping back in.

With great difficulty , her pace considerably slower , she made her way upwards.

A sudden ray of light momentarily blinded her , as she squinted her eyes - the triumphant roar of the crowd filling Evanna's ears as she panted. Draco jolted up , taking deep breaths of air as Ron and the little girl did the same. Fleur rushed forward to the wooden deck , whispering soothingly in French to her little sister , pulling her gently towards her.

Ron swam ineptly towards the circle of teachers , judges and a few scant students. Draco gasped beside her , arms and legs frantically moving in all directions as he got hold of Evanna's arm - whose eyes were closing with tire - before swimming a few feet towards the deck.

Warm , soft white towels wrapped around Evanna - a worried Draco hovering over her , himself soaking to the skin as he rushed about threatening to sue people and contact his father , bringing in more towels and rubbing circles onto Evanna's back as she drew her knees to her chest.

A noisy thud sounded a feet away from her , and Evanna saw Harry scrambling to stand up - soaking to the bone as Dumbledore walked away with a few other judges to 'discuss a matter of great importance.' Murmurs echoed all around , concerned looks passing amongst strangers at the sight of the two champions.

Fleur pushed her way through the throng that surrounded Evanna , Draco and Harry , a grateful expression plastered on her pretty features as she bent down to wrap Evanna in a warming embrace. Pulling away , she cupped a drowsy Evanna's cheeks , and whispered anxiously ,"Thank you , thank you so much. You saved my sister , my little sister. Thank you."

As she pressed a kiss to her forehead , Evanna said ,"Well , Harry did a lot of it too."

Fleur then stood up , rushing towards Harry , who had been bundled up in a towel too. As she showering him with the same gestures of affection , Evanna tilted her head a little towards Draco - taking in his creased brow , his worried eyes and the wet hair that fell to his eyes , as she said ,"You alright ?"

Draco scoffed , and answered ,"I'm fine. Look at yourself , Evanna. That was so bloody foolish of you."

"Trust me when I say it wasn't foolish."

She leaned her head on her arms , and a distant announcement sounded.

"On first place , with 47 points - Cedric Diggory !", the voice of Barty Crouch filled the air. Cheers sounded from the Hogwarts crowd.

"After much consideration , we have decided that Evanna Frey and Harry Potter will share the second spot - each with 45 points - for their incredible act of bravery."

Another cheer followed , as Evanna winked at Draco. Draco sighed , not saying anything else. 

                                                          __________________________

Evanna's legs gave away , as she slowly slid down the wall next to her four poster , her hands shaking in the darkness of her bedroom up in  the Ravenclaw Tower. The pale light of the moon bled in through the cracks in the windows , the linen curtains moving due to the little wind that came in through them as well.

Her feet found ground on the plush blue carpet that shielded the maple floor , her chin resting on her knees that she had drawn up to her chest. Her heart was hammering in her chest , and the feeling of panic was slowly eating away at her - drowning her in a sea of what ifs.

It all choked her up from inside , and her breathing became quicker , and quicker , and quicker - until she was slowly crawling on the floor with red dots obscuring her vision.

It was a fear - a fear so strong that it outlasted any other display of emotion Evanna showed. The only fear capable of defeating her. The fear of failure.

It ate away at her bones , leaving her numb and her mind - an endless void of nothingness.

What if she failed ?

Shaking her head to stop the dizziness from overtaking her , her hand slowly inched towards the chest of drawers next to her , creeping towards the lowest drawer. As much as she tried to pull her hand away from it , bringing her other hand and tightening her fingers around the wrist - it still crept towards the hazel piece of furniture.

Her pallid fingers shook as she slowly pulled it open , her hand diving deep into the neatly folded clothes within - searching.

Searching.

A small sigh of relief passed her lips upon feeling the familiar , sharp edges of the packet. Pulling it out , her fingers briefly fumbled with it before she opened out a cylindrical white pill. Putting it inside her mouth - she reached out for the water bottle on her mantle - swallowing with ease.

Relief coursed through her veins , making her feel peaceful once again - the pill taking it's effect.

And then she swallowed another pill , and another , and another. When her eyes felt drowsy , sleep calling out to her and luring her into the realm of dreams - she shoved the packet of pills back into the drawer - leaving it open as she stumbled into bed.

Through her barely open eyes , she saw a faint scar appear on the tender skin of her forearm – and no sooner had she sat up a little to tend to the wound , that the scar had turned from a pale pink to a wine red. It lay engraved on the exposed skin of her forearm , clearly visible - courtesy of the loose sleeve of her navy blue jumper -  with fraying , yellowish ends and slightly purple borders.

Evanna hissed , before quickly muttering a concealment charm – the scar rapidly fading into her pale skin , appearing as though the scar was never there. Breathing out a little , she shut her eyes and sort of promised to herself to never take the pills again.

A promise she knew she wouldn't keep.

                                                      ____________________________________

[ A/N : From now on , the updates will be much slower. I started this book in the two-week gap at the end of my previous session of school , and now with the beginning of the new session everything is so hectic that I am not sure anymore. I will still update , just on a slower pace than before. ]