017

As Harry had expected, both Ron and Hermione were missing on the morning of the Second Task. The girls of course also knew already, so there were no questions or anything.

However, they were still hovering around him nearly as much as they had been during the First Task – and there were seven of them now, rather than five – with their worries only assuaged by Harry's clear plan for the task and the general lack of dragons.

So at least Harry got to eat without suffocating.

There weren't as many nerves as with the First Task for him, either. He knew what to expect, and unlike with the dragon, there were no dangerous, unpredictable situations in the lake. And on top of that he didn't even have to save Gabrielle this time, because he knew she wouldn't be in any real danger. If he'd have the opportunity to help Fleur out he'd do so though, it would no doubt feel terrible for her if she didn't manage to 'rescue' Gabrielle. But he probably wouldn't have the opportunity as he was likely to outpace the other champions.

After breakfast Harry and his girls made their way to the lake, where the spectators were assembling. The other champions arrived at about the same time as Harry did, and seemed to have come up with the same plans as last time. No surprises there.

Harry, of course, had improved on last time somewhat. He expected to need about thirty-five minutes underwater, for which he'd need four beads of gillyweed that were good for ten minutes each. Therefore, he'd gone the safe route and made twice as many – enough for eighty minutes underwater. And by dividing it in ten-minute beads, he would be able to ration himself and not have to remain underwater for a long time.

Ludo Bagman announced the task, and almost before Harry knew it, they were off. He didn't pay his competitors any mind as he transfigured his clothes into a swimming trunk and downed his first bead, jumping into the lake immediately after, now unable to breathe air.

He moved quickly through the stillness of the murky water, making sure to keep the lake bed in vision without getting too close to the dangers that hid between the plants. As he was making his way to the deeper parts, his thoughts drifted.

Two weeks ago had been Valentine's Day, which he of course had to navigate extremely carefully. As there was no way he could possibly have a date with every girl on a single day, he had instead sent them a flower and a small, personalized present after having explained the issue beforehand. The day had gone well, though the girls had demanded absolutely all Harry's attention outside of class, sharing him between them. They hadn't even gone downstairs for dinner.

Fudge was still in office, and though Harry had expected that, he was still a little disappointed. But then again, as long as Fudge remained there Harry wouldn't have to think about who should succeed him, which he supposed was a plus. With Harry's six votes in the Wizengamot, there was no way he could afford not to take part in the discussion for the next Minister. In fact, Harry's preferred candidate was likely to be the favorite by default.

It grew darker as Harry descended further into the lake and used his second bead. He didn't remember exactly where the merfolk village was, and with him having to scare off several magical creatures, he was already halfway through his third bead when he finally found it.

From there, he still had to find the central square where the hostages were hidden. As he was swimming closer, with just a minute or two on his bead still left, a commotion suddenly swept through the merfolk. Harry sped up further, trying to find out what was going on, and took his fourth bead just as the square entered view.

For a moment, he froze.

The hostages were awake.

Harry raced forward as fast as he could, while Ron, Hermione, Gabrielle and Cho were all splashing around wildly, looking for air, a way up. The merfolk were cutting their ropes, but seemed to have no way to let them breathe. Harry quickly plucked a bead from his belt and stowed it into Ron's mouth and motioned him upwards. Hermione was next – once he managed to reach her mouth through the splashing – and then Gabrielle and Cho.

Now without any more beads, Harry swum straight up as fast as he could, with the others next to or slightly ahead of him. He wasn't sure how deep into the lake he was, and whether he'd even make it on the remainder of his bead. The others, hopefully, would be fine with ten minutes.

What had even happened? Harry had no clue, but it definitely hadn't happened the first time around. The merfolk seemed to have been completely surprised by it as well. But for now, he had to swim.

Above them, the water was slowly growing lighter, however Harry's muscles were tired from more than half an hour of exercise, and he couldn't quite keep up with the others. Just as he thought he could see the surface in the distance, he felt his body start to change, the last bead of gillyweed running out.

Immediately, Harry closed his mouth as he propelled himself upwards as fast as he could through the now icy water – so agonizingly slow without the webbed features gillyweed gave him.

He felt himself growing light-headed even as the surface came closer.

Was this going to be it?

After coming back in time, doing so much to defeat Voldemort, was he going to die because he drowned during a Triwizard Tournament task, with the surface in sight?

His muscles burned as he tried to reach upwards, and he could no longer keep his mouth closed, his body instinctively gasping for air, but receiving only water, setting his lungs on fire as he reflexively tried to cough the water back up.

Just when he thought he was about to black out, he broke through the surface, immediately gasping in mouthfuls of fresh, oxygen-rich air. His lungs continued to burn still, but at least he could breathe. Finally, he regained enough calm to look around, and he spotted a boat already coming his way. The merfolk must have sent someone to the surface.

Around him, the hostages seemed to not be much better off, just now breaking through the surface as their gillyweed – which they had of course taken later than Harry had taken his – was running out. All five of them swum towards to the boat, on which Harry could recognize Dumbledore, McGonagall and Madam Pomphrey.

Harry was the first to be helped on deck, and Pomphrey immediately had her wand out.

"Lungs," Harry rasped. "Burning."

Three spells later, the pain had disappeared, and he was given a warm blanket, which he thankfully wound around himself. Dumbledore and McGonagall finished getting the others on board, and Madam Pomphrey looked them over as Harry turned to Dumbledore.

"They woke up," Harry said before the headmaster could ask anything. "Just before I got there. I gave them each a bead of gillyweed, but that meant I ran out just before I reached the surface. Do you know why they woke up?"

"A wizard woke them up," Dumbledore said. "That's all we know so far. Madam Bones – the Head of the DMLE – is leading the search for him."

Harry grew suspicious. "What did he look like?"

"The merfolk didn't get a very clear view," Dumbledore said, "however he has blond hair."

"Malfoy," Harry growled. "I'm going to kill him."

"Harry," Dumbledore said strongly, "what evidence do you have to assume it was him?"

"He's angry at Lyra and me," Harry said. "He asked her about the Second Task, what it would be about, and we suspect he is worried that Lyra will be swayed to the Light, which I will admit is not unfounded. He's probably also angry about the insinuations I made regarding him in the Prophet."

With a flick of his wand, Dumbledore sent a messenger patronus.

"I have relayed the information to Amelia. Perhaps he will seek to hide among the spectators as an expected guest."

Harry nodded, finally turning to the hostages, who were now each wrapped in a blanket like he was. "Are you all okay?"

Three of them simply nodded, however Gabrielle was more enthusiastic than that, jumping out of her blanket to hug him. "Thank you!" she exclaimed in her French accent, kissing him on each cheek. "You saved our lives!"

That was a rather more expressive reaction than what she'd given him the first time around, and Harry found himself wondering why as she made her way back to her blanket.

It took him about five seconds to figure it out.

He had saved their lives. He had put his own life in danger – by almost drowning – as he did so. He had done it without help. And he had done it without expecting any reward.

All four requirements of a life debt had been fulfilled.

In other words, he now held a life debt over each of the hostages.

He did the only thing he could. He groaned. Loudly.

"What is it, Mr Potter?" McGonagall asked.

"Life debts," Harry said. "Four of them."

He looked over at the hostages, who were looking at him with a variety of expressions, and Harry remembered that all four of them already fancied him before today - and a life debt would fuel that further.

"We'll deal with this after we've caught Malfoy," he said in clear tone of voice.

The boat approached the makeshift dock just then. Except for Lyra, Harry's girlfriends were waiting as close as they were allowed to come, so he went to greet them immediately and ensure them that he was alright now.

"Where's Lyra?" he eventually asked.

"With Director Bones," Pansy said, pointing. Harry could see the two in the distance, together with fake-Moody and, if he was not mistaken, Minister Delacour.

"I better make my way over there, then," Harry said. "They'll probably want to hear my side of the story."

The girls, of course, followed behind him, Luna clinging to his arm.

"Director Bones?" Harry asked as he pried Luna away.

She turned around quickly. "Oh, it's you. Mr Potter. Good that you're here. What happened?"

Harry retold events as he had seen them – which wasn't much, really.

"Director!" a voice shouted just as Harry finished. As a group, they turned around to see two aurors that Harry didn't recognize dragging along Lucius Malfoy. Harry almost unconsciously moved over to Lyra, pulling her back against his chest in an embrace. He didn't want her to do anything rash.

"Lucius Malfoy," Bones spoke in a clear, no-nonsense tone. "You are under arrest as a suspect in relation to the attempted murder on Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, Cho Chang and Gabrielle Delacour."

"I'm innocent!" he protested. "I was here to watch the task, nothing more."

"Really, Malfoy?" Harry asked in an icy tone, though he was secretly delighted he could get away with not calling him Lord, because the man was currently a suspect in a case. "Then why were you so interested in the nature of the Second Task, that you sent your daughter several letters about it? Why did you ask for information about me? In all honesty, those letters you sent Lyra read like you were planning to do something either to me or to my friends – two of which almost drowned today due to what happened."

"Those letters were family business! I'll have you tried for that!"

Harry laughed. "I didn't read anything acting Lady Malfoy didn't personally show me, Mister Malfoy. Isn't that correct, Lyra?"

"Yes," she replied. "I gave you the letters you were talking about myself."

"What has happened to you?" Lucius asked angrily, directing her attention to his daughter, who gave him a scathing look.

"I grew up, and realized you weren't the role model I thought you were."

"That's enough for now," Bones interrupted them. "Lucius Malfoy, you will be taken to a holding cell at the Ministry until the date of your trial can be determined. Acting Lady Malfoy, Lord Potter, I would appreciate to see those letters as evidence."

Harry nodded. "It will be done, Director Bones."

Malfoy was led away just as Minister Fudge arrived, making a big fuzz and very clearly annoying Director Bones. Harry decided he didn't want to have anything to do with that, so he steered their group back towards the hostages, who were currently being reunited with their families – except Minister Delacour, who was too busy with the situation and, it appeared, now also with Minister Fudge. Poor man.

"Hello, everyone," Harry greeted. Mr and Mrs Weasley had apparently just arrived and were fussing over Ron, Cho was talking to Cedric and her parents, Krum was talking to Hermione and Fleur and Apolline were talking to Gabrielle, but everyone immediately turned to Harry.

"We're going to have to talk," Harry said simply. "With these four life debts."

"What?" Lyra exclaimed before groaning. "Oh, of course. This is… I can't even, this is so you, Harry. This wouldn't happen to anyone else. Ever."

"I know," Harry said, conjuring a chair and sitting down – and damn what people thought of a fourth year performing that spell, he wanted to rest. "So, how are we going to resolve this?"

The entire group looked at one another. Cedric – who couldn't have returned from the lake all that long ago, Harry realized – was the first one to reply.

"You know what the standard repayment is, right?"

"Marriage," Harry said. "But Cho is your girlfriend, I only met Gabrielle today, Hermione already said she doesn't like the idea of sharing a boyfriend or husband, and Ron is a guy."

It remained silent for a few seconds after Harry summed that up.

When Hermione spoke, Harry could barely hear her because she was talking so quietly. "I… I think I might reconsider that."

Harry turned to her. "Remember that a life debt makes people like their savior more, and if they're sexually compatible, also makes them like their savior more on a sexual level."

Hermione nodded. "I know that, I read about life debts. But… I think I'll get over the idea of sharing, Harry. It feels almost weird to be together with you and all the girls, and not be your girlfriend, you know."

Harry stood up and walked over to her, brushing her wet hair out of her face. "Are you certain, Hermione?"

She nodded. "I love you, Harry."

He pulled her into an embrace and a chaste kiss. "I can't say I don't like the idea," Harry said honestly. "But I do want you to talk about it with your parents before we make anything official."

"We need to make it official?" Hermione asked. "You mean like, a contract?"

"It's a life debt," Harry said. "We'll need a contract to stipulate how our relationship works, because otherwise I could ask literally anything from you and you'd have to give it to me."

"Really?" she asked. "Anything?"

Harry nodded. "A life debt can only form when someone saves another person without expectation of personal gain, so it barely ever happens to someone would abuse it, but if you hold a life debt over someone you quite literally hold their life in your hands. If I wanted, I could demand that magic takes your life."

Hermione looked scared at that, so Harry placed another kiss on her lips. "I'll never do that, Hermione. I look out for my friends and family, and you're now both. And this is also why I want to make a contract."

"How do you want to talk to my parents?"

"We'll invite them to Hogwarts," Harry replied.

"You can do that?" Hermione exclaimed.

"As a six-time Lord, soon a seven-time Lord once Lucius Malfoy has his life sentence, I can get my way in things like this," Harry smirked. "If I want muggle parents to come to Hogwarts, then the muggle parents will come to Hogwarts, no matter what anyone else says. Provided they want to come, of course."

Hermione seemed to wrestle with herself for a bit before nodding.

Harry walked back to his chair and sat down again. "Well, I guess that's one life debt out of the way."

Cedric and Cho were whispering to one another in a voice too low for Harry to make out and Ron seemed contemplative, so Harry turned towards the Delacours. "Madames, I'm afraid I am currently unsure what I can ask as repayment for the life debt."

Gabrielle looked confused at that. "You mean you won't ask for marriage?"

"Miss Delacour," Harry said, "I already have seven future wives – eight if Hermione doesn't change her mind. It's much better for you if we find an alternative solution."

She pouted. "But what if I want to marry you?"

Harry sighed. The one advantage of his isolationist personality the first time around had been not dealing with the many crushes. Though he also had to admit he couldn't help but end up caring deeply about every girl he ended up in a relationship with, so maybe he wasn't without blame either.

He felt a wave of allure washing off him and couldn't help but chuckle. "Miss Delacour, as your sister can attest I am rather good at resisting your special powers, an in addition to that I hold a life debt over you, making it even more difficult for you to affect me." The attempt did make her even cuter, though.

She blushed at being caught out even as her mother reprimanded her quietly – or so Harry assumed, he didn't speak French.

Arguing voices announced the arrival of Ministers Delacour and Fudge, and Harry turned towards them. It appeared Fudge was in full politician mode, and Harry didn't think Minister Delacour appreciated it much.

"Minister Fudge," Harry said, drawing the man's annoyed attention. "I would like to speak with Minister Delacour in private."

"I'm sorry, but we're kind of busy," Fudge said, diverting his attention back to Minister Delacour.

"Minister Fudge," Harry repeated, "I, Lord Harry James Potter-Gryffindor-Peverell-Slytherin-Gaunt, would like to speak to Minister Delacour, whose daughter I recently obtained a life debt over, in private. If you please."

A number of emotions crossed over Fudge's face before he decided to fold it. "Of course." He almost ran away.

"Thank you, Lord Potter," Minister Delacour said in almost perfect English.

"No need, and please call me Harry or Mr Potter, Minister. I would like to apologize for our current Minister. It is practically an open secret that he receives more money from Lucius Malfoy than from his official job, so I assume he is very worried right now, considering his popularity was already at an all-time low."

Minister Delacour's face contorted in anger at hearing Malfoy's name. "That man almost got my daughter killed!"

"Minister Delacour," Lyra spoke up, "as acting Lady Malfoy, I would like to apologize for the actions of my father, and please know that I will do everything I can to see justice met."

He nodded stiffly and turned to Harry. "Mr Potter, thank you for saving my daughter's life. I do not know what I can do to repay you."

"As a matter of fact," Harry said, "that was what we were discussing just now, as it appears I hold a life debt over your daughter, and indeed all the hostages."

The man looked at him suspiciously. "You want to take her as a wife?"

"I don't want anything," Harry said, realizing the man was probably worried he saw her as nothing more than a beautiful veela completely within his power in every way, potentially nothing more than a sex slave. "In fact, your daughter is the one who mentioned the possibility of resolving the life debt by marriage. While I find it hard to say that I am personally opposed to that idea, being a straight male with a working set of eyes, I'm also not exactly lacking in girlfriends, and I think a different solution might be more beneficial for her."

Minister Delacour switched to French to talk to his family with all three girls chiming in and making Harry wonder whether he should have learned French, or whether that would have been too big a betrayal of his British-ness. Not that he was all that British, if he were to be honest, but national pride was a thing nonetheless, in particular where the French were concerned. Okay, and if something were actually important he'd completely ignore all that.

After a minute or so, Minister Delacour turned back to Harry. "I would like to ask that we can delay the handling of the life debt, so that you and Gabrielle have some time to get to know each other. We can make a decision based on how you get along."

Harry nodded. "That might be best." He already had a feeling where this was going, but he was getting kind of tired of fighting it. Maybe he should just go with his teenage libido.

"Well, that's two. For now," he said, looking between Ron and Cho.

"We talked about it," Cho spoke up, gesturing at Cedric and her parents, "and we decided that it's probably for the best if we also sign a marriage contract." She blushed. "In all honesty, I might've asked you to the ball if you hadn't had a girlfriend yet."

"You're… you don't want to remain with Cedric?" Harry asked. This was honestly a surprise to him.

"Harry," Cedric said, "It's no news to me that Cho already had a hard time choosing between you and me. With the life debt added onto it, well, I think this is better for Cho. I can find someone else. I'm only seventeen."

Harry nodded. "We'll explore options then." By now, he just didn't care to resist anymore. The universe had apparently decided he didn't have enough wives yet, so it gave him a few life debts. Fighting it seemed rather useless. He turned to Ron.

"Please don't tell me you somehow want in too?"

"Well, I was thinking…" Ron said awkwardly, blushing bright red all the way up his ears. "I… I thought I might want to take that potion Lyra took."

Harry took a slow breath to center himself in today's insanity.

Mad.

The whole lot of them.

And Ron the most of all, beyond a shred of doubt.

"No offense, Ron, but I have a hard time imagining you as a girl."

"Me too," he admitted, "but I think I'd rather have to deal with that, than be unable to be with you."

"Everyone," Harry said in a louder voice, "perhaps we could get some privacy?"

The people moved away, leaving some space for Harry, Ron and the adult Weasleys. Harry wove a muffliato around them before continuing the discussion.

"Just so we're clear, Ron, you want to take the potion to become a girl and then resolve the life debt with me by marriage?"

He nodded. "If Lyra can do that, then so can I."

Mr Weasley scraped his throat. "Ron, do I take it you fancy Harry?"

The boy seemed to shrink into himself.

"You won't judge him for that, right?" Harry asked pointedly.

"No," Mrs Weasley said. "Ron is our son… child, no matter what."

"Of course," Mr Weasley agreed.

"And you want to take the same potion Malfoy took for the contract with Harry?" Mrs Weasley asked.

"Yes," Ron said. "I… the idea had crossed my mind before, but I'd dismissed it, but, well, I was also thinking about later on, and if I don't do this, I'll be expected to marry a girl, and I just… I just don't want to. I'm not interested in girls, I don't like girls. I want to be with a boy, and if that can be Harry, then I would like that even more. Even if… even if I have no idea how to be a girl."

Harry pulled his hand through his hair. "I can see the issue, but in all honesty I just have no idea how to deal with this." After all, for Ron it was either marry a girl or be looked down on for not marrying at all. Charlie had gotten quite a bit of flak for that, Harry remembered, but he was pretty sure Charlie was dragon-sexual or something, and the man really did not care about the opinions of others. Ron did.

"You didn't mind with Lyra, right?" Ron asked.

"Lyra wasn't one of my best friends at the time," Harry replied. "But let's ask her opinion." He poked his head out of the area silenced by the muffliato and invited her inside.

"You already heard what Ron said?" Harry asked for confirmation.

"Yes."

"And what do you think?"

"There's a lot to learn," Lyra said to Ron. "And quite a few things I'd never thought of before I took the potion. If you ask me, it was worth it, but that's also because it's what made me get closer to Harry, which you already are. On top of that, I never really cared about the entire being a guy or being a girl thing. That might be different from you."

"I don't know," Ron said. "It's… I mean I would say I kind of feel like I should be a boy, but not more than I want to be close to Harry, I guess? If that makes sense?" He looked between them kind of helplessly.

"I'm not going to make this choice for you, Ron," Harry said. "It's your life. You can always hope I manage to get the law changed to allow homosexual marriage before people start complaining that you aren't married."

"How likely do you think that is?" Ron asked hopefully.

"Not very," Lyra replied. "Even with our seven votes combined, well, you can't change the opinion of a country in a single day. I'd be surprised if we do it in less than twenty years. And it's definitely something I want to focus on for people who aren't as lucky as I am."

"Then I'd rather take the potion," Ron said.

Harry looked between him and his parents. "Why don't I leave you three to discuss things for a while within the silencing ward?"

With that, he and Lyra left, and Harry decided to talk to Gabrielle a bit to get to know her better