If I recall correctly, that was part of the magic. A living being had to consume it or the basin would have kept refilling. In one fic I read (at least part of) ages ago, someone transfigured something into a dog and gave the potion to the dog in order to trick the basin. Not bad, if it works.

H/GD is better than H/GW any way you slice it. At the end of the day, canon Ginny is just a fangirl that managed to live the dream of the fangirl to its ideal conclusion; snagging the object of her obsession. I never got the impression she ever got to really know Harry. We certainly don't see convincing evidence of it in the books.
Gabby might idealize Harry to a certain extent, but most of that can be chalked up to a real life rescue (by an older boy) rather than an over hyped reputation being fed to her with her mother's milk, like with Ginny.

It's become something of a cliche in the realm of H/Fleur fics that it's some little-known fact that merpeople and veela hate each other and, thus, Harry wasn't merely displaying moral fiber by saving Gabrielle, he really was saving her life.

A bit more realistic, perhaps, would be the notion that part of the veela allure, whether it's based on pheromones or a magical aura of attraction, irritates grindylows to the point that they would aggressively attack Fleur while ignoring the other champions. This gives a more likely and more convincing reason why she would have fallen to the little devils.

 

Dear God!

Logic has been portrayed!

*Heart attack*

Harry's the kind of person that could look at someone that was covered in mud and tacky merchandise and see the true person within.

I guess that's why he went for Ginny. Beauty didn't mean much.

*Schwing*

Fangirl's all go squee. Shame we can't get J.K to have Ginny "Squee" when Harry is around. Gabrielle I feel, would just rugby tackle him and hug him till his rib's shattered.

Hell, with the Fleur and Grindylows, you could just say that since they are cold blooded, with a veela having a higher-than-average body temp theoretically attracted them to the possibility of food.

*Sage nod*

 

Again, I reiterate send all fan girls to boot camp.
The ideas concerning the the little pests hold merit, or a hogwarts or Durmstrang supporter could have cheated.

 

Lakewide compulsion charm to attack the other champions cast by Moody/ Barty Crouch Jr?

 

Yeah, is it not surprising Harry the youngest and surely not the most studious champion made it first to the mermaid town.

 

Actually, that's even simpler and still makes sense. It's almost a natural assumption that veela run noticeably higher body temperatures. Shit, the full-blooded ones can create fire in their palms, so...

Had a girlfriend in high school nearly do that to me once.

Oh, and watch the rapid-fire back and forth guys, lest ye receive the 'DLP is not IRC' lecture.

 

*Dryly*

Just a bit.

Anyone wanna lay a bet he had a compulsion charm on him and unconciously followed a pre-laid trail?

*Innocent*

And...why didn't he take two serves of Gillyweed? He could easily have had Dobby get some.

Yet more proof that the Harry portrayed by J.K is an idiot and definitely not a "role model"

And evil magic doesn't exist. It is the actions of man that makes a spell evil.

 

Again good points, Warlocke's theory of body temperature makes sense as well.

 

Grindlylow are known as water demons. Just by this name I can assume that they are carnivorous and highly aggresive. When presented with large prey they probably attack in large numbers to easily subdue their prey. The grindylow were probably just another obstacle in the Second Task, and Fleur was unfortunate enough to stumble upon them first.

 

Well, that's hard to say.

The Grindylow are naturally there so I honestly doubt they were an "obstacle".

Also, most learn about them in 3rd year and as such...well, they used a bad-ass dragon for the first task and so, you'd think they would use a better obstacle.

Also, the Veela must have high metabolism to power that veela charm so that would also make them run hot, as it were.

 

Yes I am inclined to agree Grindylows are some what easy break their strong yet fragile fingers and you have defeated them, not obstacle material in comparison to a dragon.

 

That's Aerin's, I can't really lay claim to it.

Actually, I'd consider that everything in the lake is part of the challenge; the size of the lake and the darkness making the captives harder to find, the grindylows, any other predators that may be present, scary, threatening merpeople, figuring out a way to breathe underwater, finding your balls after you get back out... I mean, a Scottish lake in the middle of fucking winter... ouch. It's the cumulative effect more than any one aspect.

 

Recognition!

That depends. The Giant Squid didn't interfere. Don't forget they had warming charms to stave off the cold, possible "night vision" spells and etc etc.

And I'm wondering...exactly HOW did the bubblehead charm work? I honestly doubt Cedric or Fleur could have produced enough downward thrust to escape the rising of the bubble.

It really was stupid. A potential "friendship start" could be Harry helping her fight off the Grindy's and allowing her to be first since he doesn't want to be in the tourney.

 

About the Giant Squid, its kind of portrayed as benevolent is it not?

 

Reminds me of Dumbledore.

Many arms in everything.

 

Amusing, but most true.

 

I found it really odd that

a) Harry wasn't affected by Fleur's veela charm
b) He didn't try and get to know the others]
b1) This is odd because he's gone out of his way to make friends before
c) We say so little of Gabrielle/ Fleur post-2nd task. I think Gabby would have been a bit more vocal in her thanks. Fleur too.

Bumbledore is real easy to portray as a bad guy and very difficult to portray as a good guy.

Is that because it's so believable?

And really...what moron would place an 8 year old girl in a lake filled with things that can easily kill?

 

Ja, I agree if I had been Harry, and you put my best friend in that situation, uh Dumbledore you are getting killed as soon as I get out of the lake.
But yeah the points you bring up are valid, yes Fumbledore's malcontent status is believable.

 

Yep.

Especially since he rescued an innocent girl and his best friend, I think Harry would just knee old Fumbleball in the crotch.

*Grins*

My sig is exceptionally apt for Harry. I've always wondered.

Since Voldemort is pretty much asexual, did he transfer his lack of desire to Harry? Would explain all 5 years of being around cute, hot girls.

*Sage nod*

 

Indeed, I would rather loan him my Jericho bigger bullet, but it doesn't affect size as much, but you bring up good point Voldemort doesn't seem interested, but we can right Harry's interests from that pathetic tart, to more appropriate femmes, yes.