An emergency meeting of the Triwizard Tournament Organizing Committee was being held in Dumbledore's office.
The atmosphere here was far more serious than it had been over lunch in the staff dining room.
The attendees sat around the enormous oak table, each wearing a different expression.
Dumbledore sat at the head, smiling as usual, as though this were merely an ordinary tea party.
Karkaroff and Madame Maxime sat on either side of him, one looking grim, the other maintaining an elegant posture as she watched.
Ludo Bagman seemed rather restless, his bright yellow robes looking quite out of place here.
Percy, disguised as Old Crouch, sat like a statue, his expression stiff and his back ramrod straight, perfectly playing the part of a stern, high-ranking Ministry official.
Douglas Holmes, the newly appointed rules and safety adviser, sat at ease in his seat, a steaming cup of tea before him.
The most interesting of all was Mad-Eye Moody.
He had been stationed by the door, ostensibly to oversee security for the meeting.
His blue magical eye swiveled around, scanning everyone, but his constantly shaking leg betrayed his resentment at being excluded from the inner circle.
"Now then, ladies and gentlemen."
Dumbledore spoke cheerfully.
"Since the Ministry has appointed Professor Holmes as our new adviser, let us hear what good ideas he has for the second task."
Douglas stood and unrolled a piece of parchment across the table.
"Everyone," he began with a smile, "I've reviewed the original plan for the second task-retrieving something precious to the champions from the bottom of the Black Lake. I must say, this plan is too simple, and it fails to test the full range of the champions' abilities."
He presented his new proposal.
"I propose turning the bottom of the Black Lake into an enormous