Fleur was nervous, really nervous and even worse? Rosene was still not back from her class. She had been alone with Luna at dinner and… even now hours later.. Rosene still wasn’t back.

True, Rosene was often gone for hours and was somewhere with a random fling but… she never stayed out that long and it was the evening before the task.

This.. this wasn’t correct. This couldn’t be right.

Rosene… and Fleur didn’t say that just because but... Rosene was one of the best fighters out there… there weren’t any students that could have ganged up on her and succeeded… so where was she?

Fleur was still pacing down as her eyes fell on the egg.

It couldn't be… no!

She hurriedly grabbed it to ran into the bath once again filling the bathtub to plunge her head into the water and listen to it once more

‘Come seek us where our voices sound,

We cannot sing above the ground,

And while you're searching ponder this;

We've taken what you'll sorely miss,

An hour long you'll have to look,

And to recover what we took,

But past an hour, the prospect's black,

Too late, it's gone, it won't come back.’

Fleur felt like throwing up and she did.

They… they took Rosene. they took her best friend and… she had one hour.. nothing more and if not… she would be gone?

The clue… it said exactly that… she would be gone.

Fleur knew that the tournament had a death toll but… how could they? How could they do this? How could they…. How could they?

She was throwing up once more.

They had Rosene they fucking had Rosene and… 

She felt so unbelievably dizzy.

She knew the task would be a horror for her. She didn’t really have any way to fight back and now… she … she was in risk of losing her best friend?

Fleur hated entering her name in this godforsaken tournament more than ever right now. Why did she want to prove herself? Why had she… this… this was a nightmare.

What would she… what… what if she…

Roisene had even assured her that it wouldn’t change the world if she failed the task but now?

Rosene…. Rosene was in the lake… in the goddamn lake and…What was she supposed to do?

She was part Veela! Her wand was Veelahair! She was useless! She was completely useless in the water and Rosene! Her best friend was down there, waiting for her!

She didn’t manage to sleep a wink that night, just curling herself together and when Bitto apparated in the room she just took him into her bed, pressing him against her chest while she cried. She was afraid.. she really was.

She didn’t manage to eat the next morning, instead clutching onto Rosenes thermos with the espresso.

She was pale but her face stoic as she made her way to the lake.

Viktor smiled at her but quickly lost it the next second “What’s the matter?”

“Do you know what they took? They didn’t take objects! They took people!”

Viktor froze. “What?”

“Rosene didn’t come back yesterday. bitto came alone… Rosene is down there and I got one freaking hour to save her! I am part Veela, Viktor! My wand has a veela core! I am useless in the water! Rosene is down there!”

he took a deep breath “Fleur, calm down.”

“How?”

“get your head in the game. You can’t lose your cool. As you said Rosene is down there. You will go down and save her. You hear me? Everything will be fine. You are a brilliant witch.”

“Didn’t you hear me? I am useless underwater.”

“You can do it.”

“I can’t.”

“Would Rosene let you say that?”

“I…. She isn’t here. She’s down there!”

“So what? You think Rosene will just let herself get killed? You know as well as I that she wouldn’t let that happen.”

“But they managed to get her down there in the first place!”

“Calm down. Get your charms prepared. It will start any second now. Be confident and calm. the moment you lose your mind it’s over.”

Cedric had stepped next to her, laying a hand on her shoulder to give her support “It will be alright. Dumbledor will surely do something.”

Fleur still felt like crying,. still panicking when she did cast her spell to dive into the floods.

She swam as fast as she could, she really did… only… only to get attacked.

She was panicked, she really was and her wand? The most she managed was a stream of lukewarm water. The grindylows were biting her and to her horror they managed to destroy the bubble around her head.

She was struggling, barely able to rip free as she swam only trying to get to the surface. She needed air and she knew she couldn't put the charm back on underwater. it wouldn't work!

She struggled hard, kicking with her legs as best as she could, getting them ripped open in the process but she managed.

“Miss Delacour has come back to the surface! Barely a few minutes in! Already disqualified. A really bad run for Beauxbatons this year.”

Her eyes widened in shock, actually forgetting about the grindylows “No! No! I! I can keep going!”

Hands already grabbed her to pull her out of the water, charms hitting the water next to her to get rid of the creatures.

She was struggling, still trying to get back into the water until a calming potion was forced into her mouth.

Pomfrey pulled her away from the water “It’s over, Miss Delacour. Please calm down.”

Fleur's whole body was trembling as she was forced to sit down and her injuries tended to.

She was already crying when she realized what this meant, just burying herself in her towel.

She had lost and… she had… she had… left Rosene alone…. at the bottom of the lake.

She sat motionless on the ground, her head only snapping up when Cedric came up again, getting help to pull Cho with him on the deck.

Cedric grinned but noticed Felur, instantly heading towards her, even while everyone was cheering for him “Fleur? What happened?”

“I… I am useless… I got attacked and my bubble burst and… they told me I got disqualified and… Rosene.. is still down there and I am not allowed to go back.” tears were glistening in her eyes.

Cho tilted her head “You don’t have to worry. We were assured that we would get escorted up if a champion failed.”

“really? Do you swear?”

“Yes, Rosene did not like the whole deal though… she only agreed to be your hostage after they mentioned that they would use your sister otherwise… she was really iffy about the whole knocked out part.”

“Rosene will be safe? Are you certain? She will… She will come up?”

“Yeah, I said that already, didn’t I? Stop fussing. Dumbledore wouldn’t let anyone die. That’s obvious, isn’t it?”

Fleur nodded slowly, still pulling her towel closer around her as her eyes kept on focusing on the lake, only able to believe it when she saw Rosene.

Viktor was next and when he came out he did take the time to sit down next to Fleur, to help calm the girl.

Hermione did scoff at the way Fleur was being dramatic according to her but the French didn’t care.

She did jump up when she saw Rosenes head pop through the surface, relief immediately flooding her.

Rosene was already cussing in her mothertongue, especially when she saw Harry. Glaring at Ron when he attempted to help her and instead pulling off the masterful strokes she had due to her growing up close to the sea.  She didn’t even let anyone help getting her on the pier again.

"Really, Fleur? You know I’m not blaming you for not making it but… really? I had to be saved by Harry fucking Potter? A fourteen year old boy? Couldn’t you at least have sent a girl down? Or Viktor? This is the greatest shame I have ever dealt with and I had to live with the way my brother looked at thirteen.”

Fleur simply tackled her in a hug “I was so worried.”

Rosene sighed, as she flicked her wet hair back but side hugged her best friend “It’s alright. believe me when I tell you I wasn’t down for this shit either.”

Fleur did cry but Rosene just patted her on her back, still glaring at Dumbledore and simply crossing her arms unsatisfied when Fleur even went as far as kissing Harry and Ron on the cheek for saving her best friend.

Really…. this day was a disgrace and… to be certain she was certain she would never be able to live down this embarrassment.