Just as Will easily defeated the merpeople, the crystal ball's view switched to the Beauxbatons side.
Marc Pierre's target was his girlfriend, a Beauxbatons student held deep within some underwater ruins.
But her guard was neither merpeople nor Grindylows. It was a Giant Squid. Not Hogwarts' famous Giant Squid, of course, or Marc might as well have withdrawn from the tournament.
After all, there was a long-standing rumor at Hogwarts that Godric Gryffindor was still alive. According to the story, he was the Giant Squid in the Black Lake, making him the largest Animagus in the wizarding world—and perhaps the oldest.
Late every night, when all was quiet, the Giant Squid would emerge from the lake, return to human form, stroll around the school grounds, then slip back into the water before sunrise.
Of course, it was only a little Hogwarts rumor.
This squid was enormous nonetheless. Its tentacles stretched dozens of feet, and it sprawled across the ruins' entrance like a living hill. Its eyes were half-closed as though it were dozing, but its tentacles stirred now and then. It was not entirely asleep.
Marc hid at a distance, watching the squid with a grim expression.
His thoughts raced. Fighting it head-on is out of the question. My spells probably wouldn't even tickle it.
Fleur Delacour swam out of the darkness.
Marc's eyes widened. "How did you—"
"We've rescued Gabrielle," Fleur said, her silver hair drifting in the water. "We happened to come across you just now."
Fleur's voice sounded strange at the bottom of the lake, but Marc hardly noticed. For a moment, he did not know what to say. She had been quick.
She had been lucky, too. Fleur had found her younger sister Gabrielle on her first try.
And only a few Irish water monsters had