Chapter Three; The Mysterious Rescuer

Harry couldn't believe it. He was going on his first ever family vacation. He had just finished packing his suitcase when all of a sudden Cowboy leapt up onto the bed and let out a whimper before pawing his arm. "I'm sorry boy but you can't go. Mum and Dad said that you and Cosmo have to stay at the kennels. I'm afraid that there are no pets allowed at the hotel." He told him before the dog let out a sharp bark.

"I'm sorry but I don't make the rules." Harry told him before he heaved his suitcase up into his arms and then placed it back down onto the floor. "I'm only eight years old." He added before he grabbed ahold of the handle as the suitcase magically grew wheels. Cowboy continued to whine before he laid down and rested his head down on his paws.

"Harry dear, we're almost ready to go. Do you have everything packed?" Lily questioned as she came into his room.

"Yeah, I'm all set." He told her.

"Good. Make sure that you go to the bathroom and let Cowboy outside before we leave. Your brother and sister each have on a fresh nappy and they should be fine now. They'll probably nap in the car." She said before she left the room and Harry wheeled his suitcase out of it.

….

Eve started opening her eyes as Snape parked the car out in the parking lot, but Tobey was still fast asleep. That was until Eve opened up her mouth and started to fuss. Tobey immediately woke up and started to cry too while Snape just simply rolled his eyes and shook his head. "This is going to be a fun trip." He said sarcastically before he and Lily got out of the car.

"What's wrong Tobey?" Harry asked him since he was old enough to tell him himself.

"Evie woke me up!" he sobbed.

"Well I'm sorry but she's only a baby. She probably just needs a fresh nappy on." Harry told him before he got out of the car as Snape helped Tobey out of his booster seat while Lily unstrapped Eve and lifted her out of her car seat.

"Shh,.. sweetheart." She whispered as she gently rocked her back and forth trying to soothe her and calm her down. Meanwhile Tobey, who had already started to calm felt his stomach rumble.

"Sippy." He said with a sniff.

"Don't worry buddy we'll get you some lunch when we get on the ship." Snape told him. "Mummy just has to change sissy's diaper first." He said while brushing away his remaining tears and kissing the top of his head as Lily carried Eve over to the bench and started tearing apart her diaper.

That's when all of a sudden Tobey started turning his head around. "Where's Harry?" he questioned.

"Uh, I'm not sure. Good question actually." He replied before he started whirling around worriedly until he finally saw him sitting on top of the dock and dangling his feet off the edge of it staring out at sea. "Oh there he is." He said with a point.

"Down." Tobey said.

"Alright, but just be careful." Snape told him before bending down and letting him climb out of his arms. "Don't get too close to the water Tobey." He told him before Tobey started running down the dock and sat down next to Harry.

"What are you looking at?" he asked him as Harry suddenly gave a loud gasp before turning his head over to look at him.

"Oh hullo Tobey you scared me." He told him as Tobey stood up again and pointed out towards the ocean.

"What's that?" he asked him.

"That's the ocean." Harry told him.

"No, what's that!" Tobey whined as Harry turned to get a closer look at what he was pointing at. As he looked again he saw that that he was really pointing at the big bolder inside the middle of the ocean.

"Oh,.. you mean that." He realized. "I'm not sure actually." He admitted when all of a sudden Tobey decided that he wanted to get closer to the edge so he could get a closer look, but all of a sudden he got too close and leaned too far over the edge. "Tobey lookout!" Harry yelled but it was already too late as the little boy fell into the water with a splash.

Harry quickly leapt to his feet frantically inside a panic. He knew that his little brother couldn't swim. He wasn't sure what to do, if he called his parents they would know that he wasn't watching him properly, but he couldn't just let him drown either. "Hold on Tobey I'm coming!" Harry cried before he closed his eyes and jumped into the water forgetting that it was too deep for him as well.

Meanwhile Lily finally finished changing Eve's diaper and hoisted her into her arms before turning to look over at her husband. "Severus, where are the boys?" she questioned him anxiously.

"They're right over,.." Snape began as he started turning his head towards the dock when he realized that Harry and Tobey had disappeared. "Oh no." he began in a horrified gasp before he started running towards it. "Harry! Tobey!" he called anxiously. Meanwhile Harry had managed to open his eyes underwater while he still held his breath with all of his might as he searched for Tobey.

If he didn't hurry up they both were going to die. That's when all of a sudden Harry saw something under the water, but it wasn't his brother. It wasn't even a mermaid. At least he didn't think that it was a mermaid. He just saw a glint of purple on what appeared to be an enormous sea creature of some kind even though he really didn't get a good look. However whatever it was raised its tail and lifted it out of the water.

Harry knew he couldn't hold his breath anymore and he popped his head back above the surface after the same long and purple scaly tail pushed him back up out of the water and rolled him onto the dock. Harry coughed and started spitting out water while Tobey started to cry. Whatever the creature was just saved both of their lives. Snape quickly rushed over to them and hoisted Tobey up inside his arms.

"Oh, thank God." He said as he breathed a sigh of relief and held his son closely.

"Dad,.." Harry began before he slowly got back up onto his feet. "Something was in the water. It saved us." He told him but Snape just shot a cross look at him.

"What do you think you were doing!?" he yelled. "You could have been killed!" he scolded.

"I'm sorry Dad but you don't understand you see_" he began.

"Silence!" he shouted. "I'm very ashamed of both of you! I could have lost you, and what do you think I would have done then!?" he questioned.

"I'm sorry." Harry apologized again fighting the sudden urge to burst into tears. He was eight years old now he reminded himself, and too big to cry just because he was getting in trouble. He knew he deserved it. He should have called his parents when Tobey fell in the water. It was just as much his fault as it was Tobey's since he believed that he could handle the situation himself.

"I know." Snape began. "But that doesn't excuse your foolish behavior. After dinner you're going straight to bed with no nonsense, and no desserts or sweets until tomorrow for the both of you. And Tobey you will have a spanking and a two minute timeout for deliberately disobeying me as soon as we get onto the ship. Now come on Harry let's go." He told him as Harry slowly started walking away before stopping and glancing back over his shoulder.

What was that thing in the water that had saved his and his brother's life and why had it done it? Harry wished that he could find out why, but he knew better than disobey his father. Especially when he was already angry with him. So he took a deep breath and sighed heavily before following his family onto the ship.