〃Look after Gabrielle；〃 she told her； and then she turned to Harry。 〃You saved 'er；〃 she said breathlessly。 〃Even though she was not your 'ostage。〃
〃Yeah；〃 said Harry； who was now heartily wishing he'd left all three girls tied to the statue。
Fleur bent down； kissed Harry twice on each cheek （he felt his face burn and wouldn't have been surprised if steam was ing out of his ears again）； then said to Ron； 〃And you too…you 'elped…〃
〃Yeah；〃 said Ron； looking extremely hopeful； 〃yeah； a bit…〃
Fleur swooped down on him too and kissed him。 Hermione looked simply furious； but just then； Ludo Bagman's magically magnified voice boomed out beside them； making them all jump； and causing the crowd in the stands to go very quiet。
〃Ladies and gentlemen； we have reached our decision。 Merchieftainess Murcus has told us exactly what happened at the bottom of the lake； and we have therefore decided to award marks out of fifty for each of the champions； as follows。。。
〃Fleur Delacour； though she demonstrated excellent use of the Bubble…Head Charm； was attacked by grindylows as she approached her goal； and failed to retrieve her hostage。 We award her twenty…five points。〃
Applause from the stands。
〃I deserved zero；〃 said Fleur throatily； shaking her magnificent head。
〃Cedric Diggory； who also used the Bubble…Head Charm； was first to return with his hostage； though he returned one minute outside the time limit of an hour。〃 Enormous cheers from the Hufflepuffs in the crowd； Harry saw Cho give Cedric a glowing look。 〃We therefore award him forty…seven points。〃
Harrys heart sank。 If Cedric had been outside the time limit； he most certainly had been。
〃Viktor Krum used an inplete form of Transfiguration； which was nevertheless effective； and was second to return with his hostage。 We award him forty points。〃
Karkaroff clapped particularly hard； looking very superior。
〃Harry Potter used gillyweed to great effect；〃 Bagman continued。 〃He returned last； and well outside the time limit of an hour。 However； the Merchieftainess informs us that Mr。 Potter was first to reach the hostages； and that the delay in his return was due to his determination to return all hostages to safety； not merely his own。〃
Ron and Hermione both gave Harry half…exasperated； half…miserating looks。
〃Most of the judges；〃 and here； Bagman gave Karkaroff a very nasty look； 〃feel that this shows moral fiber and merits full marks。 However。。。 Mr。 Potter's score is forty…five points。〃
Harry's stomach leapt…he was now tying for first place with Cedric。 Ron and Hermione； caught by surprise； stared at Harry； then laughed and started applauding hard with the rest of the crowd。
〃There you go。 Harry！〃 Ron shouted over the noise。 〃You weren't being thick after all…you were showing moral fiber！〃
Fleur was clapping very hard too； but Krum didn't look happy at all。 He attempted to engage Hermione in conversation again； but she was too busy cheering Harry to listen。
〃The third and final task will take place at dusk on the twenty…fourth of June；〃 continued Bagman。 〃The champions will be notified of what is ing precisely one month beforehand。 Thank you all for your support of the champions。〃
It was over。 Harry thought dazedly； as Madam Pomfrey began herding the champions and hostages back to the castle to get into dry clothes 。。。it was over； he had got through 。。。he didn't have to worry about anything now until June the twenty…fourth。。。
Next time he was in Hogsmeade； Harry decided as he walked back up the stone steps into the castle； he was going to buy Dobby a pair of socks for every day of the year。
CHAPTER TWENTY…SEVEN
PADFOOT RETURNS
One of the best things about the aftermath of the second task was that everybody was very keen to hear details of what had happened down in the lake； which meant that Ron was getting to share Harry's limelight for once。 Harry noticed that Ron's version of events changed subtly with every retelling。 At first； he gave what seemed to be the truth； it tallied with Hermione's story； anyway…Dumbledore had put all the hostages into a bewitched sleep in Professor McGonagall's office； first assuring them that they would be quite safe； and would awake when they were back above the water。 One week later； however； Ron was telling a thrilling tale of kidnap in which he struggled single…handedly against fifty heavily armed merpeople who had to beat him into submission before tying him up。
〃But I had my wand hidden up my sleeve；〃 he assured Padma Patil； who seemed to be a lot keener on Ron now that he was getting so much attention and was making a point of talking to him every time they passed in the corridors。 〃I could've taken those mer…idiots any time I wanted。〃
〃What were you going to do； snore at them？〃 said Hermione waspishly。 People had been teasing her so much about being the thing that Viktor Krum would most miss that she was in a rather tetchy mood。
Ron's ears went red； and thereafter； he reverted to the bewitched sleep version of events。
As they entered March the weather became drier； but cruel winds skinned their hands and faces every time they went out onto the grounds。 There were delays in the post because the owls kept being blown off course。 The brown owl that Harry had sent to Sirius with the dates of the Hogsmeade weekend turned up at breakfast on Friday morning with half its feathers sticking up the wrong way； Harry had no sooner torn off Sirius's reply than it took flight； clearly afraid it was going to be sent outside again。
Sirius's letter was almost as short as the previous one。
Be at stile at end of road out of Hogsmeade （past Dervish and
Banges） at two o'clock on Saturday afternoon。 Bring as much
food as you can。
〃He hasn't e back to Hogsmeade？〃 said Ron incredulously。
〃It looks like it； doesn't it？〃 said Hermione。
〃I can't believe him；〃 said Harry tensely； 〃if he's caught。。。〃
〃Made it so far； though； hasn't he？〃 said Ron。 〃And it's not like the place is swarming with dementors anymore。〃
Harry folded up the letter； thinking。 If he was honest with himself； he really wanted to see Sirius again。 He therefore approached the final lesson of the afternoon…double Potions…feeling considerably more cheerful than he usually did when descending the steps to the dungeons。
Malfoy； Crabbe； and Goyle were standing in a huddle outside the classroom door with Pansy Parkinson's gang of Slytherin girls。 All of them were looking at something Harry couldn't see and sniggering heartily。 Pansys pug…like face peered excitedly around Goyle's broad back as Harry； Ron； and Hermione approached。
〃There they are； there they are！〃 she giggled； and the knot of Slytherins broke apart。 Harry saw that Pansy had a magazine in her hands…Witch Weekly。 The moving picture on the front showed a curly…haired witch who was smiling toothily and pointing at a large sponge cake with her wand。
〃You might find something to interest you in there； Granger！〃 Pansy said loudly； and she threw the magazine at Hermione； who caught it； looking startled。 At that moment； the dungeon door opened； and Snape beckoned them all inside。
Hermione； Harry； and Ron headed for a table at the back of the dungeon as usual。 Once Snape had turned his back on them to write up the ingredients of todays potion on the blackboard； Hermione hastily rifled through the magazine under the desk。 At last； in the center pages； Hermione found what they were looking for。 Harry and Ron leaned in closer。 A color photograph of Harry headed a short piece entitled：
Harry Potter's Secret Heartache
A boy like no other； perhaps…yet a boy suffering all the usual pangs of adolescence； writes Rita Skeeter。 Deprived of love since the tragic demise
of his parents； fourteen…year…old Harry Potter thought he had found solace in his steady girlfriend at Hogwarts； Muggle…born Hermione Granger。 Little did he know that he would shortly be suffering yet another emotional blow in a life already littered with personal loss。
Miss Granger； a plain but ambitious girl； seems to have a taste for famous wizards that Harry alone cannot satisfy。 Since the arrival at Hogwar