Okay, another chapter here. It's been a while since I updated, I've been working on my other stories mostly and I kind of just forgot to publish. Oops.

I do not own Harry Potter

Kino was rarely seen after that before the day of the second task came around. But as the winter ended and spring came, the champions all lined up at the lake, while Kino, who was not at all in a swimsuit or even dressed for swimming, came around pulling a cart. There wasn't a restriction this time on bringing items, muggle or magical, so he could get away with a little bit more.

"Er, right." Bagman said, giving Kino a funny look and wondering what the lad was up to this time.

"Champions, ready?"

They all nodded, getting set to dive in, accept for Kino, who instead turned his cart around, revealing that it held a bunch of cooking utensils and drawers stuffed with ingredients.

"Ready." Kino agreed.

"He's gonna die." Remus whimpered, face in his palms as Sirius rubbed his back absently, "He's gonna die…he's gonna die…I'm going to go bald…"

Sirius had to force himself to keep the large grin off his face. He didn't know what the plan was this time, but he had not a doubt that it would be something utterly hilarious.

"Alright…" Bagman shot Kino one last awkward look, "Uh, go…I guess?"

The champions all dove into the lake, using bubble head charms, transfiguration, and some sort of potion.

Kino took out a hand full of rice and spread it along a wooden mat. The audience, unable to see any other champion, watched Kino intensely, wondering what in the name of Merlin he was trying to do. It got even weirder when he got out a fish and started stripping it of it's skin and putting it on top of the rice.

"Alright, I'm lost." Ron said in the stands, looking at Sirius who was stroking his chin thoughtfully, "What is he doing?"

"Well," Sirius began, and a few people turned their attention to him, "He never told me about the plan, but it appears that he's making sushi."

Ron deadpanned,

"No, really?…I got that." he said, "But…why?"

Kino chopped up the sushi neatly and with an expert hand. After thirty minutes, he had managed to make over thirty roles. He then gave a nod and walked over to the lake, then let out an ear-piercing shriek that caused the audience to cover their ears.

"What in the name of Merlin!?" Ron wondered.

"Oh," Sirius's eyes widened in realization, "When Harry was off doing his anthropological study, he must have learned to speak the language."

Remus shot Sirius a look of incredulity,

"Sirius, don't take this the wrong way but, what is wrong with you?"

After a moment, some of the merpeople came to the surface, their eyes fell on the sushi stall, then they looked back at Kino. They seemed to have a conversation, exchanging screeches.

One of the merpeople, who seemed to be some sort of leader, held up two fingers. Kino then held up five, the merman held up ten. Kino frowned, then held up one.

The merman frowned as well and held up seven fingers. Then Kino did the same and they both nodded, as though reaching some sort of agreement.

"I see." Sirius realized, drawing attention to him, "Harry must be trying to make a deal with them. Sushi in exchange for his hostage."

Remus opened his mouth to tell him just how ridiculous that was, before closing it again. It actually seemed to be a sound theory, considering how ridiculous the last task had been.

Luna Lovegood came to the surface, a merman holding onto her. Kino smiled brightly and waved to his girlfriend. Luna waved back happily. Kino then went over to his stand and started putting the sushi on wooden plates, then started handing them over to the merpeople. Some of them surfaced one at a time, all looking for some sushi. Once Kino had served them the prescribed amount, the merman let go of Luna who swam towards the shore, shivering slightly. Kino took out his wand and cast a warming charm on her, before she kissed him on the lips,

"My hero." She said, "Could I have some sushi too?"

"Seventeen knuts for a plate." Kino said automatically, causing a few people to look at him like he was crazy, but Luna didn't seem put out at all.

Fleur surface, panic on her face as it appeared her potion had warn off, she looked over at the shore and saw that Kino had gotten his hostage back.

"'Ow deed you do zat?" she asked with awe.

"Easy," Kino said brightly, "I lived among the merpeople for about a month to figure out how I could bargain with them to get Luna back. They like sushi by the way, it's quite a delicacy for them."

Fleur looked at him with utter fascination, swimming back to shore and asking him, there was clear desperation in her voice,

"My potion wore off and Gabrielle…"
"The price for a hostage is seven plates of sushi. Each plate costs seventeen knuts." Kino told her charmingly.

Deciding she had nothing to lose, she ran towards her mother who was in the crowd. She quickly handed her the money and Fleur bought the sushi.

Kino told them all in mermish what Fleur was doing and they quickly agreed, one of them dove down and quickly brought the girl to the surface.

Fleur handed the sushi to the merpeople and Gabrielle was handed over to Fleur.

"Thank you for your business." Kino said politely, then started on making some more sushi.

Sirius got up from his spot in the stands and made his way down to the stall,

"I'll have a plate of sushi. Give me a maki combo."

"One maki combo, coming up." Kino agreed, starting on the sushi.

Luna ate hers happily, obviously enjoying her dish.

"Well," Bagman began, "Since Mister Potter was first to bring back his hostage…I suppose we'll score him first." He sighed, wondering why the boy insisted on mocking this tournament.

Dumbledore let out a sigh that mimicked Bagaman's, realizing Kino was definitely not going to score well,

"For excellent cooking skills, and for taking a month to learn some mermish, I'll give him a seven." He decided, shooting the number into the air.

Interestingly enough, it was Madam Maxime who scored him highest, with a ten,

"I found zat most amuzing." She said with a smile that certainly spoke of amusement, "You worked quite hard, learning a language and the culture, not to mention the culinary skills. Zat would have taken far more effort zen the ozer champions put in. Eet also goes to show zat not everything can be solved by magic, non?"

Kino grinned at her, glad that he had managed to amuse someone. Karkaroff gave him a two, while Bagman gave him a five and Crouch gave him an eight.

So, mixed reviews, Kino thought to himself, finding he hadn't really expected that.

"For Fleur Delacour who got her hostage back by buying sushi from Mister Potter…" Dumbledore gave her a four.

Madam Maxime gave her a six. Bagman gave her a one. Karkaroff gave her a one, and Crouch gave her a two.

"Well, you win some you lose some." Kino shrugged, placing Sirius's sushi on a plate and handing it off to him.

"Thanks, Harry." Sirius grinned, taking a bite, "Hmm, that's pretty good." He complimented.

"I haven't had sushi in a while." Dumbledore said wistfully, getting up from his spot at the judge's table and making his way over to the stand. He took out seventeen knuts.

"I'll take the dragon combo, please."

"Certainly." Kino smiled happily, preparing his sushi quickly and putting it on a plate.

"Thank you, Harry." The headmaster said, then headed back to the judge's table and started sharing amongst the group who all tried some of it curiously.

Cedric surfaced with his hostage, Cho Chang. He looked around in confusion when he realized he wasn't the first one back. He started helping Cho swim back and noticed a line starting to form outside of Kino's stall.

"Um…what's going on? What did Harry do?" he wondered uneasily.

"Oh, right!" Bagman said with a mouthful of sushi, "Mister Diggory is back…for use of the bubblehead charm and retrieving the hostage within the time frame…" he scored Cedric an eight.

Crouch gave him a seven, Dumbledore gave him a nine, Madam Maxime gave him a nine, and Karkaroff scored him a five.

Krum surfaced before Cedric could ask what was going on once more, his transfiguration wearing off. Krum was quickly scored and Kino noted that it was the highest.

"You deedn't even leave da land, deed you?" Krum looked at Kino accusingly as he helped Hermione up onto the pier.

"Nope." Kino said proudly, "I lived among the merpeople for a month, conducting an anthropological study, learned their habits, some of their culture, and discovered that sushi was considered a delicacy, especially sushi that uses saltwater fish, or fish not found nearby. So, I thought, if I could make them sushi, maybe they'd trade for Luna."

Krum shot him an incredulous look,

"dat worked?"

Kino shrugged,

"If a person wants something enough, or is offered a luxury item, of course they'd take it over something, or someone they have no interest in keeping."

"I guess…" Cedric muttered.

"Sushi is seventeen knuts if you want some." Kino offered, "Bottled water is free for the champions though…here you go." He handed a plate of sushi over to the person in front of him and was given money in turn.

"You're making money off of this?" Hermione asked him dryly.

"I'm not risking my life for nothing." Kino shot her a scandalous look, "I don't want to win, 'Mione, and I'm behind. I'm also not competing for the trophy, remember?"

"Er, well, about that, Mister Potter…" Bagman began, sweat forming on his brow, "Well, we were thinking that since you've been so entertaining that…"

Kino let out a grown,

"But I don't want to be a real competitor...I volunteer Sirius as tribute!"

"Harry, that won't work." Hermione said as calmly as she could.

"Why not?" Kino whined.

"Because this isn't The Hunger Games!" she exploded.

Kino clicked his tongue and served another customer, smiling all the while.