Chapter 545: Kelpie’s Rider

"We have lost more than ten warriors since it was discovered," the Merchieftainess said, her expression heavy with grief. "If you can help us get rid of this monster, you will also become friends of our tribe."

"No problem, leave it to me," Kyle replied confidently, swimming towards the Kelpie.

The Kelpie, under the relentless assaults of the Merpeople, appeared to be on the brink of madness. It thrashed wildly, shaking its body in desperate attempts to escape, transforming into different shapes in an effort to break free from the ropes binding it.

The Kelpie, much like a Metamorphmagus among Magical Creatures, possessed the ability to morph into various forms. However, the Merpeople had clearly adapted to this tactic, quickly restraining it with new ropes each time it transformed.

Kyle initially considered calming the Kelpie, but the creature, sensing his approach, immediately lunged to bite. He wasn't surprised—this reaction was predictable. Kyle had several strategies in mind, but all required time, and the one-hour deadline loomed closer. He couldn't afford to waste any more time.

He opted for the simplest, most direct solution.

Raising his wand, he conjured a small, golden-red fish made of flames. The water around him began to warm rapidly, causing the Merpeople to scream and scatter in panic. Moments later, Kyle dispelled the fiery fish with another wave of his wand.

Kyle had mastered the Fiendfyre Curse to a high degree. Though dangerous, he kept the conjured flames minimal to avoid any harm to himself while submerged in the Black Lake. Even at this reduced intensity, the effects were significant.

The frigid lake water now felt like a soothing hot spring, and more importantly, the Kelpie stopped its struggle. Its eyes, once wild and frenzied, grew calm and lucid as it regarded Kyle.

"I wish you'd calmed down sooner," Kyle muttered, swimming closer to the creature. "Don't worry. I'm here to help... Come with me, and I promise the Merpeople won't attack you again."

He began untangling the ropes binding the Kelpie, and once freed, he climbed onto its back. The Kelpie remained placid, showing no signs of resistance.

Kyle gripped the broad-leaved cattail grass growing from the creature's body and pointed ahead. "Let's go. We need to hurry—I'm on a tight schedule."

The Kelpie, now freed, cast a wary glance at the Merpeople before letting out a hoarse whinny and surging forward with incredible speed.

Riding the Kelpie felt like being on an underwater broomstick. The current distorted the bubbles rising above Kyle's head as the creature powered through the water. Grindylows and other aquatic creatures were left far behind, and all Kyle could do was hold on tightly to avoid being thrown off.

In less than five minutes, he began to hear the faint strains of a song.

"An hour is almost up...

How long are you going to delay...

To take back the treasure we took."

Kyle patted the Kelpie's side, urging it towards the source of the singing. Soon, he found himself in the heart of the Black Lake, near a towering rock pillar adorned with Merpeople carvings.

This was clearly the Merpeople's settlement. Surrounding the pillar were stone huts resembling houses, some with small gardens and even tethered Grindylows as guards.

As Kyle arrived, Merpeople began to gather, their powerful silver tails slapping the water in a show of strength and warning. They surged towards him, but upon seeing the Kelpie beneath him, their demeanor changed dramatically.

The once-melodic singing turned into panicked shrieks. The Merpeople scattered, scrambling to arm themselves.

"Why has this monster returned...!"

"Run! The Merchieftainess has been eaten by it...!"

"Get the weapons, get the weapons...!"

The Merpeople erupted into chaos. As creatures of the water, their deep-seated fear of the Kelpie was evident. Their frantic movements sent ripples and waves across the lake, their voices echoing in shrill panic.

This unexpected reaction worked in Kyle's favor. The pandemonium provided a distraction, allowing him to approach a stone statue of a Merperson without needing to explain himself.

Tied securely to the statue's tail were three figures.

On the far left was someone Kyle didn't recognize, though his attire suggested he was from Durmstrang. Karkaroff hadn't been seen around the castle recently, and neither had Viktor Krum or most of the Durmstrang students. As such, the boy left little impression on Kyle.

In the middle was an eight-year-old girl, Gabrielle, Fleur Delacour's younger sister.

On the far right was Kanna, who had been absent since Professor McGonagall summoned her the night before.

All three appeared to be in a deep, enchanted slumber. Their heads drooped back limply, and streams of bubbles escaped steadily from their mouths, keeping them alive underwater.

What bound them to the statue were three large, interlocking circular locks. The intricate mechanism meant that all three had to be opened simultaneously to release the captives.

Kyle didn't have the keys, but he didn't need them. He had his wand.

As Kyle raised the hand holding his wand, the Kelpie beneath him suddenly shifted uneasily. It thrashed slightly, as though it recognized the wand's power and wanted to flee.

Kyle quickly placed a calming hand on its neck, murmuring soothingly, "Don't worry... it's okay..."

Though still a little restless, the Kelpie gradually stilled, its trust in Kyle holding firm.

Kyle raised his wand again and muttered, "Sectumsempra."

An invisible force cut cleanly through the water, slicing through all three locks as though they were made of paper. The pieces fell away, and the captives were freed.

Without hesitation, Kyle hoisted Kanna onto the Kelpie's back and carefully secured her. He used the same method to retrieve Gabrielle, making sure both girls were safe and stable.

"Well, that's that..." Kyle muttered to himself.

Turning back, he saw a large group of Merpeople charging towards them, brandishing spears and other makeshift weapons.

...

Everyone in the stands along the Black Lake's shore was grumbling.

An hour ago, they had been full of excitement, anticipating a thrilling Second Task. Instead, they had spent the entire hour shivering in the cold wind, staring at the lake's still surface with nothing to entertain them.

"Who on earth came up with this Second Task?" Fred muttered, tugging idly on the string of a flag in boredom. "First the Forbidden Forest, now the bottom of a lake—there's nothing for us to see!"

"Why can't Headmaster Dumbledore just move the ceiling of the Great Hall here?" George chimed in, exasperated. "That ceiling's enchanted to show the weather outside, right? Surely it could show what's happening underwater!"

"Exactly! The headmaster's really being stingy," Fred sighed. "I'd give anything to know how Kyle's doing right now."

"It should be soon," Cedric said, glancing at his watch. "There are only a few minutes left before the hour is up. I believe in Kyle. He'll definitely finish on time."

"I believe so too, but still…" George trailed off mid-sentence, his words catching in his throat.

Suddenly, he rubbed his eyes in disbelief, staring intently at the lake.

"By Merlin's beard," he murmured, "am I seeing this right? Is that… a horse coming out of the Black Lake?"

This wasn't the edge of the Forbidden Forest—this was the Black Lake. Yet emerging from the water was, unmistakably, a horse. What made it even stranger was that Kyle was astride its back, looking every bit like a gallant knight. The Kelpie carried him onto the shore with a graceful leap, droplets of water cascading off its powerful frame.

George's brain struggled to process what he was seeing, but his body responded instinctively. Along with the crowd around him, he began clapping thunderously.

"That's a Kelpie!" Cedric exclaimed, excitement lighting up his face. "They're as fast as Broomsticks underwater! I had no idea there were creatures like that in the Black Lake!"

The stands erupted with cheers and shouts. People jumped to their feet, yelling and applauding, their earlier complaints forgotten. Even the judges joined in, though the sincerity of a few of their claps was questionable.

On the shore, Kyle dismounted the Kelpie. Just as he stepped onto solid ground, Kanna stirred awake. Blinking a few times as her eyes adjusted to the bright sunlight, she looked up at him.

"I knew you could do it," she said softly, a faint smile playing on her lips.

"I'll admit, you've got good instincts," Kyle replied with a grin. "And guess what? We're the first ones out."

Kanna's smile widened, but her expression quickly turned serious. "What about Fleur? Has Gabrielle been rescued? She's still so young… the professors really shouldn't have sent her into the lake."

"I don't know where Fleur is," Kyle admitted, "but Gabrielle's fine."

He leaned to the side, revealing Gabrielle, who lay slumped on the Kelpie's back. The young girl stirred, coughing up a mouthful of lake water before looking around in a daze. Her wide, confused eyes made it clear she hadn't yet grasped what had happened.

At that moment, Kanna noticed something odd beneath her. She glanced down, realizing that she was sitting on what looked like a massive, moving aquatic plant.

"What… is this?" she asked, alarmed.

Kyle chuckled. "I rescued the Kelpie from the Black Lake," he explained. "In return, it's happy to give us a ride."