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〃Harry Potter will do the task！〃 squeaked the elf。 〃Dobby knew Harry had not found the right book； so Dobby did it for him！〃
〃What？〃 said Harry。 〃But you don't know what the second task is…〃
〃Dobby knows； sir！ Harry Potter has to go into the lake and find his Wheezy…〃
〃Find my what？〃
〃and take his Wheezy back from the merpeople！〃
〃What's a Wheezy？〃
〃Your Wheezy； sir； your Wheezy…Wheezy who is giving Dobby his sweater！〃
Dobby plucked at the shrunken maroon sweater he was now wearing over his shorts。
〃What？〃 Harry gasped。 〃They've got。。。 they've got Ron？〃
〃The thing Harry Potter will miss most； sir！〃 squeaked Dobby。 〃'But past an hour…'〃
〃'the prospect's black；'〃 Harry recited； staring； horror…struck； at the elf。 〃 'Too late； it's gone； it won't e back。 ' Dobby…what've I got to do？〃
〃You has to eat this； sir！〃 s queaked the elf； and he put his hand in the pocket of his shorts and drew out a ball of what looked like slimy； grayish…green rat tails。 〃Right before you go into the lake； sir…gillyweed！〃
〃What's it do？〃 said Harry； staring at the gillyweed。
〃It will make Harry Potter breathe underwater； sir！〃
〃Dobby；〃 said Harry frantically； 〃listen…are you sure about this？〃
He couldn't quite forget that the last time Dobby had tried to 〃help〃 him； he had ended up with no bones in his right arm。
〃Dobby is quite sure； sir！〃 said the elf earnestly。 〃Dobby hears things； sir； he is a house…elf； he goes all over the castle as he lights the fires and mops the floors。 Dobby heard Professor McGonagall and Professor Moody in the staffroom； talking about the next task。。。 Dobby cannot let Harry Potter lose his Wheezy！〃
Harrys doubts vanished。 Jumping to his feet he pulled off the Invisibility Cloak； stuffed it into his bag； grabbed the gillyweed； and put it into his pocket； then tore out of the library with Dobby at his heels。
〃Dobby is supposed to be in the kitchens； sir！〃 Dobby squealed as they burst into the corridor。 〃Dobby will be missed…good luck； Harry Potter； sir； good luck！〃
〃See you later； Dobby！〃 Harry shouted； and he sprinted along the corridor and down the stairs； three at a time。
The entrance hall contained a few last…minute stragglers； all leaving the Great Hall after breakfast and heading through the double oak doors to watch the second task。 They stared as Harry flashed past； sending Colin and Dennis Creevey flying as he leapt down the stone steps and out onto the bright； chilly grounds。
As he pounded down the lawn he saw that the seats that had encircled the dragons' enclosure in November were now ranged along the opposite bank； rising in stands that were packed to the bursting point and reflected in the lake below。 The excited babble of the crowd echoed strangely across the water as Harry ran flat…out around the other side of the lake toward the judges； who were sitting at another gold…draped table at the water's edge。 Cedric； Fleur； and Krum were beside the judges' table； watching Harry sprint toward them。
〃I'm。。。 here 。。。〃 Harry panted； skidding to a halt in the mud and accidentally splattering Fleurs robes。
〃Where have you been？〃 said a bossy； disapproving voice。 〃The task's about to start！〃
Harry looked around。 Percy Weasley was sitting at the judges' table…Mr。 Crouch had failed to turn up again。
〃Now； now； Percy！〃 said Ludo Bagman； who was looking intensely relieved to see Harry。 〃Let him catch his breath！〃
Dumbledore smiled at Harry； but Karkaroff and Madame Maxime didn't look at all pleased to see him。。。 It was obvious from the looks on their faces that they had thought he wasn't going to turn up。
Harry bent over； hands on his knees； gasping for breath； he had a stitch in his side that felt as though he had a knife between his ribs； but there was no time to get rid of it； Ludo Bagman was now moving among the champions； spacing them along the bank at intervals of ten feet。 Harry was on the very end of the line； next to Krum； who was wearing swimming trunks and was holding his wand ready。
〃All right。 Harry？〃 Bagman whispered as he moved Harry a few feet farther away from Krum。 〃Know what you're going to do？〃
〃Yeah；〃 Harry panted； massaging his ribs。
Bagman gave Harry's shoulder a quick squeeze and returned to the judges' table； he pointed his wand at his throat as he had done at the World Cup； said； 〃Sonorus！〃 and his voice boomed out across the dark water toward the stands。
〃Well； all our champions are ready for the second task； which will start on my whistle。 They have precisely an hour to recover what has been taken from them。 On the count of three； then。 One。。。 two。。。 three！〃
The whistle echoed shrilly in the cold； still air； the stands erupted with cheers and applause； without looking to see what the other champions were doing； Harry pulled off his shoes and socks； pulled the handful of gillyweed out of his pocket； stuffed it into his mouth； and waded out into the lake。
It was so cold he felt the skin on his legs searing as though this were fire； not icy water。 His sodden robes weighed him down as he walked in deeper； now the water was over his knees； and his rapidly numbing feet were slipping over silt and flat； slimy stones。 He was chewing the gillyweed as hard and fast as he could； it felt unpleasantly slimy and rubbery； like octopus tentacles。 Waist…deep in the freezing water he stopped； swallowed； and waited for something to happen。
He could hear laughter in the crowd and knew he must look stupid； walking into the lake without showing any sign of magical power。 The part of him that was still dry was covered in goose pimples； half immersed in the icy water； a cruel breeze lifting his hair； Harry started to shiver violently。 He avoided looking at the stands； the laughter was being louder； and there were catcalls and jeering from the Slytherins。。。
Then； quite suddenly； Harry felt as though an invisible pillow had been pressed over his mouth and nose。 He tried to draw breath； but it made his head spin； his lungs were empty； and he suddenly felt a piercing pain on either side of his neck…
Harry clapped his hands around his throat and felt two large slits just below his ears； flapping in the cold air。。。 He had gills。 Without pausing to think； he did the only thing that made sense…he flung himself forward into the water。
The first gulp of icy lake water felt like the breath of life。 His head had stopped spinning； he took another great gulp of water and felt it pass smoothly through his gills； sending oxygen back to his brain。 He stretched out his hands in front of him and stared at them。 They looked green and ghostly under the water； and they had bee webbed。 He twisted around and looked at his bare feet…they had bee elongated and the toes were webbed too：
It looked as though he had sprouted flippers。
The water didn't feel icy anymore either 。。。on the contrary； he felt pleasantly cool and very light。。。 Harry struck out once more； marveling at how far and fast his flipper…like feet propelled him through the vater； and noticing how clearly he could see； and how he no longer seemed to need to blink。 He had soon swum so far into the lake that he could no longer see the bot