Harry Potter and the Manipulator of Destiny (Completed)

Chapter 29: Splish Splash

Hermione stood at the edge of the lake watching the squid lazily floating in the sun. The old oak tree by the lake was between the castle and herself, hopefully blocking her from view, and Dobby was in the castle making sure Professor Dumbledore was kept busy for the next half an hour or so. She had said her good byes to Harry and their friends. There was no telling how long this would take.

She swiftly charmed her wand and arm holster to not disappear like her clothing when she transfigured. With a quick backwards glance at the castle, she changed into a mermaid and sunk into the water, breathing in great gulps of liquid. As a child she would fantasize about being a mermaid, wondering how you could breathe in water without panicking. Well, now she knew – it simply felt right in this form.

She swam near the surface for a bit, enjoying the warmth of the water on her back and stretching her fins and tail, getting use to the new muscles. She swam near the squid which ducked under the surface of the lake and came close, looking her over with amazement.

"I don't recognize you. Are you new here?" The squid spoke telepathically. Hermione pondered to her self that it was amazing how so many creatures did not need to speak audibly in the magical world.

"Sort of" she answered back, smiling. "I'm a student at Hogwarts. I just learned I was part mermaid."

"I haven't seen one like you in years. And you are a founder's heir! My my." the squid answered back. "What brings you to the lake?"

Hermione was enjoying herself. She had never wondered about the squid before – for some inexplicable reason she merely accepted there was a giant fresh-water squid living in the lake. She never even wondered if it was intelligent, or how many there were. There were no squid in the lake during the time she spent with the founders. She decided there was no reason not to be honest with the huge cephapod.

"The war on land brings me here. I wish to find out if the forces of dark have been in touch with the merpeople, and what the relationship is between merfolk and wizard."

The squid waved it's tentacles around in lazy enjoyment. "It's been so long since I've spoken with anyone outside of the Merfolk School. Can we chat a bit? They don't seem to teach telepathy at Hogwarts anymore." The squid sounded sincerely sad and lonely.

"Why sure. My name is Hermione. What's yours?" Hermione did wonder for a moment if this was a dangerous thing to do – give her name to someone she didn't know. A big someone that could eat her, in all actuality. But she figured the chances of Riddle actually caring about the giant squid or the merpeople, were slim.

"The headmaster named me Marvin. He brought me to the lake many, many years ago when he was just a fingerling. But he doesn't really talk with me, sort of 'at' me, if that makes sense."

"Well, yes, Marvin it does." Hermione answered the squid sadly "Headmaster Dumbledore doesn't speak telepathically. He probably doesn't realize you are intelligent. Why did he bring you here and from where?"

The squid perked up at the promise of a long conversation. "You know, Hermione, I agree – I don't think he does. How sad. When headmaster was young, he brought a whole tank of us to school from a local fish market. I don't remember a lot of my youth – we were small squid from the sea, and quite sickly by the time we came to Hogwarts. I remember how horrible the water was in that small clear box, and many of my companions died. Young headmaster changed us to fresh water creatures through magic. Sadly, I was the only one to survive. Perhaps I was the strongest, or it was just meant to be."