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[alt_sirius]

He's going for the hostages!

Did you see?

GO, HARRY!

Comments

[alt_poppy]

Gracious, yes. And doing a fine job of fending off the Squid.

Though he should look sharp. I don't believe the Squid has an especially warm view of our students.

Can you see the Delacour girl? From where you are? I can't, and I'm worried for her. They need to bring her to the surface.

[alt_sirius]

I can't - the spell's focusing on Harry at the moment.

Oh, wait. Yes, she's got away from the grindylows and

Harry's telling her to just go, go back.

Poppy, is the temperature going to be a problem for him? The gillyweed ought to protect him, right?

[alt_molly]

My goodness. Can you describe what's going on, Poppy? What hostages?

[alt_sirius]

There's a pen of juvenile Merfolk being held by the Squid; that must be what's inducing the Merfolk to fight the Champions.

There's Krum! He's got the Durmstrang Eagle and he's making for the surface.

[alt_poppy]

They've corralled a great lot of merchildren. The Tri-Wizard organisers have, and they seem to have used that as an incentive to force the Merpeople to put up a spirited fight against the Champions.

It's awful, Molly.

And one of the competitors has been injured. The Delacour girl.

[alt_molly]

How ghastly. So the boy's trying to rescue them? That's a good sign, but I'm not quite sure that's what the organisers of the tournament intended...

[alt_sirius]

Horrifying duels in the arena aside, this is really a tidy bit of magic. You and Arthur should have come in to town to see it.

Though the Ministry officials are certainly editing what we can see, I imagine it's better than staring at the surface of the water for a whole hour.

[alt_poppy]

I don't know that gillyweed will have done anything particularly for the temperature. Presumably they equipped them all with some sort of warming charm. Or perhaps they were expected to be able to manage that themselves.

None of them seem to be suffering hypothermia, however. Cold as it is, that would have done for them quite quickly.

[alt_molly]

Oh, my. Has she been brought to the surface yet?

Never mind if you're busy with her; if she's been injured I'm sure tending her must be your first priority.

[alt_sirius]

Yes and now Cedric's working with him. But he's got something in one hand.

Bloody Erebus is that the Sorting Hat?

[alt_poppy]

Well, our vantage here is mixed. Some clearly have a better view than I do. But then, I'm sat on the platform in a triage area with the St Mungo's contingent.

I do wish they'd get that child up here so we can examine her. She took a very nasty lashing, if the reports can be believed.

[alt_poppy]

She's not up yet. And that's worrying to say the least.

Warming charms will not be enough to fend off shock.

I'm sorry, Molly. You're right. I oughtn't to be writing just now.

[alt_sirius]

She's up, Molly.

[alt_molly]

All in one piece, I hope!

[alt_sirius]

And no, I don't think the organisers intended anything like it. They've just mentioned that both the Beauxbatons' crown and the Protectorate Ouroboros were not retrieved from the lake bottom.

Bet that's chapped the Lord Protector's arse.

[alt_nymphadora]

What are they waiting for? Can you tell what's keeping them from announcing that Krum and Durmstrang took this round?

[alt_sirius]

Maybe that's not according to plan, either.

You know how Voldemort is. He re-sorted Harry when the answer didn't suit him. Merlin only knows what he's trying to do to change this outcome.