Harry Potter: Another Chance

Disclaimer: 

Harry Potter and all of its characters belong to J.K Rowling.

I own nothing but the original characters I make.

"Dialogue"

'Thoughts'

-Author notes-

Chapter 413: It has Begun

Moments before the attack, Hogwarts Black Lake

"Who thought this was a good idea for a tournament task? I can't see anything." Lily Potter's frown deepened as she stared at the lake.

"Harry should be about to resurface at any moment," James said, hoping to get this over with. He did not feel comfortable knowing that his daughter was somewhere inside those dark waters.

It had been several minutes since the second task began, but after the champions plunged into the water, there was little to observe from above.

The audience murmured in equal frustration, many pulling out magical binoculars to try and glimpse the action beneath the surface.

"You mean Neville," Luna corrected, pointing at "Harry," who sat beside Lily, doing his best to remain inconspicuous.

"Stop fidgeting so much," Daphne muttered, tapping him lightly on the shoulder.

"Sorry!" Neville's nerves were evident. Although he couldn't tell what it was… something was unsettling in the air and it was keeping him on edge so he began to pull on his robes and move on his seat.

Daphne adjusted the hood of her robes to conceal her face further. She had no doubt Voldemort had members of his faction among the audience, and she'd rather not be recognized before it was time.

Her eyes scanned the crowd, catching brief flashes of suspicious figures that made her grip her wand tighter beneath her cloak.

Lily glanced at her with concern. The situation was growing increasingly dangerous, and she was anxious about Lyra still being underwater. Most of the Order of the Phoenix had been stationed elsewhere, and Lily was sure McGonagall had no idea what was truly happening.

"I don't like this," Lily murmured, half to herself. Her gaze flickered to James, whose expression, though calm, betrayed a growing tension.

Daphne caught Lily's worried expression and decided to reassure her. "It's okay, Lily. Everything will be fine."

Lily's concern gave way to a mix of surprise and amusement. "You know? You're starting to sound a lot like my son. Had he been here, I would expected him to say something like that. " She had known Daphne since before she started at Hogwarts and could see how much the girl had changed over the past year. Daphne's once stoic demeanor had softened, her loyalty to Harry evident in every word she spoke.

Daphne pulled her hood lower to hide her embarrassment. "I do not..."

"Wait, something's happening!" James shot to his feet, pointing at the lake.

The water's surface began to stir, the current becoming violent. Waves lapped against the shore with increasing intensity, sending scattered droplets into the air.

"Are they coming out?" Lily perked up.

"No," Luna said softly. Her voice was almost drowned out by the rising uproar among the spectators, but it was loud enough for the ones next to her to hear and the certainty in her tone made the others pause and turn to look at her.

"Luna, what are you saying?" Lily asked, confused.

The commentator was equally puzzled, expecting one of the champions to resurface. However, the water abruptly returned to its previous calm, leaving the audience in a hushed, uneasy silence.

"He's gone... and Lyra too," Luna murmured, her gaze fixed on the lake's surface. Nothing stirred below.

"Then... what we saw was a magical reaction. And a strong one at that," Daphne concluded. "Something happened down there."

"What could have happened? Were they attacked by the merfolk or something?" Neville, unaware of the looming danger, offered a naive suggestion. His brow furrowed as he tried to recall anything Harry might have hinted at before the task began.

Daphne stood and approached Luna. "Are you sure he's gone from the lake?"

Luna nodded. "Harry is very bright... I can always see him when he's close. But he's gone."

"Daphne, did he..." James trailed off, wanting to ask if she knew this would happen but reluctant to discuss it openly in such a public setting.

"He expected something to happen," Daphne said, "but we didn't know exactly what it would be. Still, knowing him, he's prepared for anything they might throw at him."

James nodded. "That's true..."

"A Portkey," Lily muttered, piecing it together. The phenomenon they witnessed made the most sense if a Portkey had been involved. Her mind raced back to other instances where similar tactics had been used, her stomach churning at the implications. "A trap...meant for..."

"Oh..." Neville finally understood.

"That would explain it," Daphne admitted. A powerful magical reaction followed by Harry and Lyra's disappearance pointed to teleportation. Her mind immediately began calculating possible destinations, weighing the risks.

Lily turned to Neville, recalling something her son had told her about his original fourth year and what had happened during the last task. "He's trying to capture the Boy Who Lived, isn't he?" Her words were a hushed whisper, but those nearby heard her.

"Then someone's about to get a surprise," Daphne said dryly. Her confidence in Harry was absolute.

Lily and James exchanged knowing looks. If Voldemort's followers were attempting to abduct their son, mistaking Neville for him, they were in for a rude awakening.

"Mmm?" Luna suddenly looked skyward, her expression distant yet focused.

"Pudding, what is it?" her father, Xeno, asked gently. He leaned closer, his eccentric demeanor momentarily replaced with genuine concern.

"Am I seeing things again?" Luna murmured. "There's a big black dot up there."

"A black dot?" James began to look up when a commotion broke out at the lake.

At the central floating station where the champions had initially jumped in, something was clearly amiss. From their vantage point, they could see McGonagall yelling urgently at the other judges and organizers. Her gestures were sharp and panicked, her wand drawn as she pointed toward the castle.

"Minerva looks very distressed," Lily observed. Her hands gripped the railing in front of her, knuckles whitening as her anxiety mounted.

"She likely felt the castle wards being breached," Daphne said. This is what she had been waiting for.

Now everyone could see it...a large black dot rapidly growing larger, indicating something massive was approaching. The air around them grew colder, an unnatural chill that seemed to seep into their bones.

"What is that?" Lily asked, alarmed. The unease she'd felt earlier now bloomed into full-blown dread.

James' eyes widened in recognition. "Oh no..."

Daphne's expression sharpened. "Get ready... it's begun."

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