He swam on for what felt like at least twenty minutes。 He was passing over vast expanses of black mud now； which swirled murkily as he disturbed the water。 Then； at long last； he heard a snatch of haunting mersong。
〃An hour long you'll have to look； And to recover what we took。。。〃
Harry swam faster and soon saw a large rock emerge out of the muddy water ahead。 It had paintings of merpeople on it； they were carrying spears and chasing what looked like the giant squid。 Harry swam on past the rock； following the mersong。
〃。 。 。 your time's half gone； so tarry not Lest what you seek stays here to rot。 。。。〃
A cluster of crude stone dwellings stained with algae loomed suddenly out of the gloom on all sides。 Here and there at the dark windows； Harry saw faces 。 。 。 faces that bore no resemblance at all to the painting of the mermaid in the prefects' bathroom。 。 。 。
The merpeople had grayish skin and long； wild； dark green hair。 Their eyes were yellow； as were their broken teeth； and they wore thick ropes of pebbles around their necks。 They leered at Harry as he swam past； one or two of them emerged from their caves to watch him better； their powerful； silver fish tails beating the water； spears clutched in their hands。
Harry sped on； staring around； and soon the dwellings became more numerous； there were gardens of weed around some of them； and he even saw a pet grindylow tied to a stake outside one door。 Merpeople were emerging on all sides now； watching him eagerly； pointing at his webbed hands and gills； talking behind their hands to one another。 Harry sped around a corner and a very strange sight met his eyes。
A whole crowd of merpeople was floating in front of the houses that lined what looked like a mer…version of a village square。 A choir of merpeople was singing in the middle； calling the champions toward them； and behind them rose a crude sort of statue； a gigantic merperson hewn from a boulder。 Four people were bound tightly to the tail of the stone merperson。
Ron was tied between Hermione and Cho Chang。 There was also a girl who looked no older than eight； whose clouds of silvery hair made Harry feel sure that she was Fleur
Delacour's sister。 All four of them appeared to be in a very deep sleep。 Their heads were lolling onto their shoulders； and fine streams of bubbles kept issuing from their mouths。
Harry sped toward the hostages； half expecting the merpeople to lower their spears and charge at him； but they did nothing。 The ropes of weed tying the hostages to the statue were thick； slimy； and very strong。 For a fleeting second he thought of the knife Sirius had bought him for Christmas … locked in his trunk in the castle a quarter of a mile away； no use to him whatsoever。
He looked around。 Many of the merpeople surrounding them were carrying spears。 He swam swiftly toward a seven…foot…tall merman with a long green beard and a choker of shark fangs and tried to mime a request to borrow the spear。 The merman laughed and shook his head。
〃We do not help；〃 he said in a harsh； croaky voice。
〃e ON！〃 Harry said fiercely （but only bubbles issued from his mouth）； and he tried to pull the spear away from the merman； but the merman yanked it back； still shaking his head and laughing。
Harry swirled around； staring about。 Something sharp 。 。 。 anything 。 。 。
There were rocks littering the lake bottom。 He dived and snatched up a particularly jagged one and returned to the statue。 He began to hack at the ropes binding Ron； and after several minutes' hard work； they broke apart。 Ron floated； unconscious； a few inches above the lake bottom； drifting a little in the ebb of the water。
Harry looked around。 There was no sign of any of the other champions。 What were they playing at？ Why didn't they hurry up？ He turned back to Hermione； raised the jagged rock； and began to hack at her bindings too …At once； several pairs of strong gray hands seized him。 Half a dozen mermen were pulling him away from Hermione； shaking their green…haired heads； and laughing。
〃You take your own hostage；〃 one of them said to him。 〃Leave the others 。。。〃
〃No way！〃 said Harry furiously … but only two large bubbles came out。
Your task is to retrieve your own friend 。 。 。 leave the others 。。。〃 She's my friend too！〃 Harry yelled； gesturing toward Hermione； an enormous silver bubble emerging soundlessly from his lips。 〃And I don't want them to die either！〃
Cho's head was on Hermiones shoulder； the small silver…haired girl was ghostly green and pale。 Harry struggled to fight off the mermen； but they laughed harder than ever； holding him back。 Harry looked wildly around。 Where were the other champions？ Would he have time to take Ron to the surface and e back down for Hermione and the others？
Would he be able to find them again？ He looked down at his watch to see how much time was left … it had stopped working。
But then the merpeople around him pointed excitedly over his head。 Harry looked up and saw Cedric swimming toward them。 There was an enormous bubble around his head； which made his features look oddly wide and stretched。
〃Got lost！〃 he mouthed； looking panic…stricken。 〃Fleur and Krum're ing now！〃
Feeling enormously relieved； Harry watched Cedric pull a knife out of his pocket and cut Cho free。 He pulled her upward and out of sight。
Harry looked around； waiting。 Where were Fleur and Krum？ Time was getting short； and according to the song； the hostages would be lost after an hour。 。 。 。
The merpeople started screeching animatedly。 Those holding Harry loosened their grip； staring behind them。 Harry turned and saw something monstrous cutting through the water toward them： a human body in swimming trunks with the head of a shark。 。。。 It was Krum。
He appeared to have transfigured himself… but badly。
The shark…man swam straight to Hermione and began snapping and biting at her ropes； the trouble was that Krum's new teeth were positioned very awkwardly for biting anything smaller than a dolphin； and Harry was quite sure that if Krum wasn't careful； he was going to rip Hermione in half。 Darting forward。 Harry hit Krum hard on the shoulder and held up the jagged stone。 Krum seized it and began to cut Hermione free。 Within seconds； he had done it； he grabbed Hermione around the waist； and without a backward glance； began to rise rapidly with her toward the surface。
Now what？ Harry thought desperately。 If he could be sure that Fleur was ing。 。 。 。
But still no sign。 There was nothing to be done except。 。 。
He snatched up the stone； which Krum had dropped； but the mermen now closed in around Ron and the little girl； shaking their heads at him。 Harry pulled out his wand。
〃Get out of the way！〃
Only bubbles flew out of his mouth； but he had the distinct impression that the mermen had understood him； because they suddenly stopped laughing。 Their yellowish eyes were fixed upon Harry's wand； and they looked scared。 There might be a lot more of them than there were of him； but Harry could tell； by the looks on their faces； that they knew no more magic than the giant squid did。
〃You've got until three！〃 Harry shouted； a gr