After leaving the girls behind, they slowed down and looked at each other before looking around for a safe place to get dry and get home. They had swam away with no destination in hand, only focused on getting away from them.
Calming down from their swim, they take a look around and realize they are fairly far away from Mako and more importantly from Rikki. Breathing deeply they were about to head back when Hermione notices an entrance of sorts in the wall of the cliff they were by and motions for Harry to notice it.
He does and they both swim towards it, looking around and familiarizing themselves with the surroundings.
At the end, light breaks through from the ceiling of the cavern. Surfacing they look up and gasp at the dome like ceiling, not unlike the cone like opening of the volcano on Mako.
"Oh, this place is beautiful Harry. Look! there's a beach too." She points towards said beach as the make their way over, smiling as they notice the fish swimming by them. Some even approached them. "We could make this our place with Andy and Teddy as well, seeing as the only ways in are swimming or climbing down the hole."
"Or flying. You can't forget flying," Harry says with chuckle and laughs as Hermione splashes him in retaliation. "Regardless, this looks like the perfect spot to relax and come to if the Moon Pool is occupied." Harry tells her as he takes his wand and uses a Wingardium Leviosa on the basket, levitating it toe the dry sand before turning to Hermione and levitating her as well. He set her down gently and returns the favor before she dries them up.
Now dried off, they pick up a scroll each before Harry remembers something and casts a Finite at the basket and everything in it. He finds the crystal between two books and grabs it. "Hermione, have you any clue as to what this crystal might be?" He shows her said crystal.
Hermione takes a look at it before picking it up and her eyes widen at the feel it gave off. "Harry...this...this feels-"
"Like magic, yes. I noticed the same thing when I held it in the Lorelei. Not knowing what it was, I thought it best to hide it and thankfully the Notice-Me-Not took hold." He looks at it in Hermione's hands and the light catches it at an angle and his heart made a leap at how the shine and sparkles made Hermione look more ethereal and beautiful. Her hair no longer uncontrollably bushy, swayed gently from the small breeze reaching them, her brow furrowed in confusion and concentration and the final kicker in Harry's book? Hermione biting her lower lip, making his cheeks warm up and having to turn away and look at the scroll, deciding to read.
Hermione for her part, examined the crystal a minute longer before turning to Harry, a question on the lips. That question died the moment her eyes landed on a studious looking Harry with the scroll. Ever since gaining his merman powers and gift, he no longer had any need for his glasses, his sight having been fixed due to said abilities he now possessed. His eyes shown brighter without those glasses and Hermione noticed his body had filled out nicely in all the right ways and all the right places.
Cheeks warming up, she quickly looks away towards the basket, took another scroll and began to read.
Neither knew how long they were there reading, but realized they should head back to eat something. Along with the fact that their bikes were left on a beach. With that, they decided to swim rather than Apparating, so they put the scrolls and crystal back in the basket with the enchantments back on and dove into the water.
They took their time leaving and once out Hermione made sure to remember the location and how it looked like before they swam away slowly. Enjoying the currents and the sea life.
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Walking to their bikes, Hermione looks around and puts the items into her Undetectable Extended bag. They were about to leave when;
"Harry! Hermione!"
Turning they see a running Cleo. Followed by an also running Rikki, Emma and Lewis. Though both Harry and Hermione notice a boy that was walking towards them at a slower pace. This boy neither of them knew and Harry started to get on edge.
"I finally found you guys. Where did you go?" Cleo asks while panting and the others soon joined her, including the new face. He was tall almost lanky in appearance. Brown short hair, brown eyes and Harry could notice a trouble maker kind of look from his eyes. Cleo notices their looks and introduces him, "this is Zane. Zane Bennett."
Zane steps forwards and offers his hand towards them. They didn't immediately offered theirs but did so after a moment. "Hi, I'm Harry and this is my best friend Hermione," he says as steps back after meeting and greeting. Waiting in silence for them to say more.
"So you guys are the new merpeople here huh?" Zane says with a smug like smile.
Hermione's eyes widen in fear and shock, while Harry's narrow as he clenches his fists and turns to look at the girls. "You bloody told him!?" He shouts at them, "who are you to share our secret with anyone! Especially someone we don't know!" They all looked at one another before looking down and shuffling their feet. Harry turns to Zane, "who told you our secret?"
For his part, Zane could have sworn his blood froze at the menacing and cold question directed at him. "I stumbled on the girls talking about you. They didn't tell me directly, I just found out."
Harry sneered but before he could say more, Hermione beat him to it. "I find that hard to believe." She takes a step forward and Zane gulped at the murderous look she directed towards him. If he thought Harry was menacing, Hermione was terrifying. "You 'stumbled' upon them? Either they bloody told you straight to the face, one of them did or they were actually talking about us in a non secure area. So which is it?"
"He did stumble in on our conversation about you and knowing my boyfriend the way I do; I knew that lying or avoiding it wouldn't have worked." Rikki states as she steps in front of Zane and crosses her arms, trying to look intimidating but to Harry and Hermione --who have both been through terrifying events since their First year at Hogwarts-- she looked like a growling puppy.
"It was not for you to tell him or anyone else our secret," Hermione states in anger and her hair actually started to spark with magic.
Seeing this, Harry puts a hand on her shoulder and gives it a gentle squeeze. His effort works, she calms down and her hair stops sparking as she steps beside him. He gives her a calm and reassuring look before turning to the others, "you accuse us of not being trustworthy. Yet you do this behind our backs." His eyes narrow and they glow once more with magic power, "you've just guaranteed Mione and I don't share what we discover in those books."
"You can't do that!" Emma shouts, deciding to speak for the first time. "We have as much of a right to know what's in those books as you do."
"Then I guess you'll have to work on earning our trust," Harry says as he heads over to his bike with Hermione going to hers. "Luckily for you I had yet to give it to you, but your stunt will make it harder for you to earn mine. As for Hermione's trust, ask her."
They turned to her, and she gave them a neutral look before getting on the bike and leaving.
"Well that answers that. Good luck with us, you'll need it," Harry points out before following after Hermione.
As they leave the girls and boy behind, Rikki lets out a frustrated groan and starts to pace. "Great. This is just fantastic. If you would have left me follow them when they left the Moon Pool Cleo, I could have been able to get the basket!"
"It would have only made things worse Rikki! You've been hostile towards them from the very beginning, not giving them the benefit of the doubt. Besides, by the time you could have followed them, you probably wouldn't have been able to keep up with them." Cleo points out.
Another groan leaves Rikki's lips as she crosses her arms and walks a few steps away.
Zane had a confused look on his face. "What do you mean by not being able to keep up Cleo?"
"Well, it has to do with how we found out about one another...but I don't think it's wise for me to tell you?"
"Come on, why not?"
"Because I would like for them to trust us Zane! You heard what they said, and if getting them to trust us is the only way they will share what they find with us then I say we prove that we are trustworthy!"
"Cleo's right Zane. But at the same time trust works both ways and the only thing they've trusted us with has been that they are like us, how they turned and that they've recently moved here. It's our turn."
Zane stared at both of them and nodded. "Right, guess that also means Lewis has to be a part of this. But with him and Charlotte always being around one another, that may be difficult."
"Lewis will pull through. He always does."
"If you say so Cleo. Now, was it just me or did any of you noticed how...what was her name again?" Zane asks.
"Hermione."
"Right, Hermione. Did you guys notice how her hair started to spark? As if it was electrified? Or how Harry's eyes seemed to actually glow?" Zane asks, looking from one to the other. But it was Rikki who answers as she joins them.
"So I wasn't just seeing things. Her hair actually sparked and his eyes did glow. I told you his eyes were glowing that day at the JuiceNet."
"Which brings the question as to why it happens? Maybe Lewis will know something." Cleo offers as holds her arm.
"Well you better call him and have him meet us at my house as soon as he can, we have a lot to discuss." Emma states before walking off, more than likely heading to her house.
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Thankfully and luckily, Lewis was available the moment he received the call and met with the girls and Zane over at Emma's house within the hour.
All five of them were gathered in the living room, being the only ones in the house due to Emma's parents and younger brother being out for the time being.
"Alright, what's all the fuss about?" Lewis asks as he sits down, putting his bag on the floor besides the couch.
"We've encountered a snag with our latest guests." Emma states, hands together in front of her. "Harry and Hermione found books and scrolls with information about mermaids, but Rikki tried to take them by force."
"Seriously Rikki? Trying to take it from them?" Lewis asks as he stares at the blond who only rolls her eyes and looks away from him.
"Then Zane let out that he knew about their secret after catching us talking about them."
Lewis face adopted a look of disbelief. "You were talking about them in a public place?" His response came in the form of nods from them. He rubs his face with his hands and groans, "girls I thought that after last time you would have been more careful!"
"It's not that big of a deal. It was only Zane," Rikki points out, earning her looks of annoyance from Lewis and Emma. "What?"
"What if it hadn't been Zane? What then?" Lewis asks as he looks at Rikki who in turns shrugs. "Seriously? A shrug?"
"We would have lied Lewis. Made something up like we were talking about people in a story or something we made up."
"Right and how long would that have lasted?"
"It's done with Lewis, let's move on to why we call you here."
"What you mean there's more than the royal mess of them more than likely not trusting you and by extension myself?" Lewis says as he leans back with an annoyed look.
"Yes Lewis, that's actually why Cleo called you." Zane states as he sits on the arms rest of the couch. "When I let it slip that I knew their secret and they pretty much called us hypocrites when it came to trust; I saw Harry's eyes glow and Hermione's hair spark with static or electricity during the ordeal."
Lewis looked confused. "Sooo their eyes and hair react in some way when angered?"
"Yes!"
"Have you thought that it could have something to do with their powers? Or their tails being different than yours?"
"Yes Lewis, we have." Rikki answers as she paces, "But if that were the case, wouldn't our hair or eyes do that as well or something similar?"
"Well I don't know what else to tell you other than work on earning their trust."
"Uh, Lewis don't you man all of us? Meaning you as well?"
"Hey, I've only interacted with them once and that was to introduce myself. Other than that I have had no other contact with them."
"Wait, that's it!" Emma exclaims as she looks at Lewis, "you can be the middle ground! You were there when they revealed their secret and have had the least hostile interactions with them."
"I'm not going to like where this is going am I?" Lewis asks with a hint of dread.
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An annoyed Lewis could be found the next day after school, searching for Harry and Hermione. So far, he's had no luck. He's been to the library, the shopping area and even the JuiceNet. Neither sign or hair of them.
He had to let Charlotte know he had plans already with Zane and the others for the day and could not be with her after school let out.
"Where are they!?"
"My word young man! No need to be so loud!"
Blushing, he turns around to come face to face with a pale woman with dark fair and high cheek features, almost porcelain like. "Sorry ma'am. I'm looking for two people and I can't seem to find them anywhere. Nor do I know where they live."
"Well what do they look like, maybe I can help you."
It was at that moment that Lewis realized the woman spoke with a British accent. "I don't mean to sound offensive or intrusive, but are you new here?"
"I am. Moved here with my grandson his father and his friend."
"By any chance, are their names Harry and Hermione?"
"Why yes indeed. Those are their names."
"Oh thank God, could you tell me where they are or where they spend their time at ma'am? I really need to talk with them."
"Well they are home now, caring for my grandson and spending time with him. If you tell me your name and a place, I can relay the message to them."
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The next day, Lewis could be found tapping his drink at the table with the girls and Zane.
"Do you think they'll come?" Cleo asks nervously.
"I don't know Cleo. I was assured she would pass the message along, all we can do is hope. Though I may or may not have told her that it wasn't just going to be me." Lewis admits to them.
"Smart of you to omit that, because had you not we might not have come."
The group turns towards the voice and notice Harry and Hermione standing before them, a neutral look on their faces. "What do you want?" Harry asks.
No one spoke, but the girls and Zane turned to Lewis who stared at them before sighing in resignation. "I asked you here so we can talk and build trust among one another."
"Right, and the fact that we have the books and scrolls with information and history on a certain topic has nothing to do with it does it?" Harry points out, crossing his arms as Hermione has her hands on her hips. "Be that as it may, we aren't talking here nor anywhere public. So I suggest Mako."
"Even if we do go there, we won't all fit in the Pool." Rikki says in an attempt to stop them from going to the place she considers her and her friends' spot.
"We will when dry. We will meet you there...that is if you want to go there and talk." With that they both turned and left the cafe.
Zane soon stood to follow them but the moment he steps outside, he hears a crack of sorts around the corner. The same corner he had caught a glimpse of both Harry and Hermione turning. Hurrying over he takes a look but finds no one there.
Confused, he heads inside to tell the others.
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Harry and Hermione waited for the others in the Moon Pool Chamber. To ensure that if the others joined them, Hermione casts some charms to ensure that anything that was shared within the chamber could not be shared with anyone else unless given personal permission by Harry or herself. For his part, Harry simply watched her work in silence.
Soon after finishing her work and sitting down, the water rippled as Cleo, Emma and Rikki swam inside and stared.
Before the silence could be broken, shouts were heard coming from the tunnel and a moment later, Lewis and Zane joined the group. "Where did you go after you left the JuiceNet?" Zane asks before continuing, "you couldn't have ran to the water that fast, much less far enough so quickly that I couldn't find you."
He received silence as an answer to his questions. This started to annoy Zane and made a motion to grab Harry only to freeze at the cold look he saw in the green boys face. Needless to say, he backed off.
"Now that we're all here, let's talk." Lewis says in attempt to lighten the mood and sits on the sand. "The girls told me you've found books and scrolls containing information about mermaids...along with what happened with Rikki."
'So they told him the truth. It's a start.' Hermione thinks as she sits beside Harry against the wall.
"I know that Rikki can be hotheaded," Lewis continued, ignoring the "hey" coming from the girl in question. "But it wouldn't be fair for them as a whole if you decide to withhold vital information. I've been trying to help the girls find any sort of information ever since I found out about them, and then you come along and hit the jackpot."
"Why do you care so much about the information? You're a scientist, not a merman?" Hermione asks as she listens to him.
"How did you know?"
"Because you crave knowledge and a way to prove it logically. Trust me I know." Hermione answers and turns to Harry when he chuckles, "what's so funny?"
"You know because you're similar in the wanting knowledge sense Mione." He received a quick punch in the arm, causing him to chuckle before turning to Lewis. "She does bring up a valid point, why do you want this information as well?"
"To help them. Find out if there are more out there that could teach them something more than what they've learned on their own, if they will get stronger as they age or remain the same, if there are spells that they could cast along with potions."
The girls agree with him, getting Hermione and Harry to think on his words before Harry speaks. "Have they told you anything else about us?"
"No. No they haven't." Lewis says as he looks at them in the eye and Harry and Hermione relax a little more.
"Alright." Harry stands and walks to the side of the chamber and brings out a stack of books and a few scrolls. "This is as much as we are willing to share as of right now."
"Where's the rest of it?" Emma asks with an accusing tone.
"Back home, which we won't reveal any time soon or you've proven we can trust you all." Hermione says as she picks a book, "by the way, smart move in making Lewis safe ground."
"Thanks...I guess." Was Lewis response as they all got to read.
Image of the cave from Tripadvisor.