Disclaimer: Many of the characters in this story are the creation and property of J.K. Rowling and while I am taking some liberties with them I do it neither for fame nor fortune and profit not from the use of them.

Chapter 9: Talk Between Enemies

I was nervous and excited about meeting up with Fred. I wondered what the merfolk would be like, and how we'd find out if they even lived in the lake. I had just reached the entrance hall when I spotted a group of red-haired boys standing by the door. Percy, Fred and George were all standing together talking and Fred and George looked irritated, while their older brother looked a little smug, like he knew something they didn't.

I hesitated before joining the group, not wanting to intrude on a family moment, but Fred noticed my approach and waved to me. I smiled and walked toward them while they appeared to finish whatever their argument was, an argument that seemed to be led by George, and then Percy and George stalked off into the great hall, while Fred came over to meet me.

I wrung my hands as he reached my side. "Everything ok, Fred?" I asked.

He nodded and walked toward the door. "Yeah, just George being a git. Let's go down to the lake." He suggested and then started walking. I followed eagerly, full of curiosity about the lake and about the argument, though I kept my questions about the latter in check.

We made our way down the steep hill toward the lake. It was a short walk, but took a while because neither of us was very good at traversing the steep terrain. Finally we reached a cluster of rocks on the edge of the lake. They made a sort of platform so that one could sit on them and look out over the glossy surface of the water.

We sat down, side by side and I looked over at Fred. "So, um…how do we find out if there are Merfolk in the lake?" I picked up a pebble and tossed it so that it went skipping across the water. I watched it skip for a moment, then turned back to see Fred shrug.

"I dunno. My brother never said, just told me they lived in there." He looked a little uncomfortable. "You don't think we'll get in trouble for coming down here do you?"

Before I had a chance to reply the stone I'd skipped out over the water came skipping back. I watched it, confused, and then looked for the source, wondering how the stone could return unless someone or something in the lake had thrown it back. I couldn't see anyone or anything who could've done so I answered Fred. "Nah, the Headmaster didn't say anything about not being aloud on the grounds, just not in the forest, right?"

He nodded, but shrugged again at the same time. "Guess not."

I picked up another pebble, hoping to catch the culprit this time. I looked over my arm at Fred. "So, you have three brothers, any sisters?" I asked casually, just wanting to find out more about my new friend.

He laughed, sort of an embarrassed sound. "Actually I've got five brothers, and one sister. George and I have two older brothers; Charlie and Bill, and then there's Ron and Ginny after us. Ron's a git, but Ginny, that girl's got brains, you know?"

I nodded uncertainly, watching back out over the lake for the rock to come skipping back. "What's it like, growing up around other wizards?" I kept my eyes on the lake as I asked the question, before I'd finished, sure enough, there was a disturbance in the water in the middle of the lake and the tip of a tentacle came out of the water. I leaned forward, eyes wide. Reaching a hand out I tapped Fred's leg so he could see and saw out of the corner of my eye that he'd leaned forward too.

"Groovy!" He exclaimed. "Bill said there was a giant squid in there too, I'd forgot!"

The tentacle sank back below the surface once again and we watched as ripples floated outward from the spot where it submerged. The resulting rush of water on the rocks beneath us made a soothing sound.

"I dunno, my dad works for the ministry, he tells us stories about the muggles and things the ministry has to fix, like once this guy Mundungus put a spell on some old hats that when a muggle put the hat on it would try to eat their ears, and Dad had to go and sort it out. I always thought it was funny, but I guess it wouldn't be if you were the muggle who put the hat on…." His voice sort of trailed away.

I nodded. "I guess it's hard to know what it's like if you don't have something different to compare it to…I don't remember much about life before my parents died. Aside from a few brief memories of my mum and dad, all I really remember is living at the orphanage with Mrs. Evans, and then moving in with Mr. and Mrs. Barrett.

Fred just shrugged. "What'd they think when the headmaster came to tell them you were a witch?" He asked, his brown eyes looking up to meet mine.

I tossed a rock into the lake again. "Dad didn't want me to come. I don't think they were upset about me being a witch so much as that I'd be going away to school instead of going to public school there, you know? But mum talked him into letting me come. I think she knew how much I'd want to learn about my parents, and since….since no one in the muggle world has any answers, she knew I'd have to come here to find out."

I heard the bell ring signaling dinner up at the castle and looked over my shoulder. I saw the huge guy, the grounds keeper, walking up the steep path from his hut to the castle and figured it must be dinner-time. My stomach rumbled and I heard Fred's stomach echo the sound mine had made. I laughed softly. "Guess we should go eat?"

Fred nodded and stood up. "Yeah, I suppose so." He said, holding his hand out to help me up.

The walk back to the castle took us a little while, since we had to half walk, half climb the hill back to the entrance hall. When we reached the doors the janitor was getting ready to close them for the evening. He eyed us both with a creepy sneer on his face as we passed, and then shut the doors with a clang behind us.

We both rushed into the hall which was full of students and teachers, everyone sitting down to the evening meal after our first day of lessons. We had to struggle to get through the crowds of students walking to their tables to get to our own, and when we finally reached them Fred and I smiled to each other. "Guess I'll talk to you later then.." I said nervously.

Fred nodded. "yeah…" and he looked like he wanted to say more but before he had a chance George and Lee came rushing up to us and George hooked his arm into his brothers. "Hey, where've you been? I wanted to ask you something…" And their voices were covered by the crowd as George practically dragged his brother off to sit at the other end of the Gryffindor table and I was left to sit with the boys from Slytherin who eyed me suspiciously, as if I were fraternizing with the enemy.

I sighed and took a seat, ignoring the glares I was getting, and thinking about how much I'd enjoyed the quiet hour by the lake, just sitting and talking with someone who hadn't judged me.

Dinner passed in silence for me, save for a sneering question about that red-haired boy I'd been talking to, which I ignored in favor of the delicious hot turkey on toast I had on my plate.

Soon I was on my way down to my solitary dorm room. I found Sneaker crouched in a corner glaring at nothing when I entered. I smiled to him. "Hi boy, what you got? A mouse?" I looked but didn't see any sign of mouse or insect that he would be staring at so intently. I tilted my head to the side and shrugged, walking over to my bed where I had thrown my bag a minute before. I pulled out my small stack of homework and laying it out on my bed I sat down and started doing research for the inches of essays I would have to complete before the next lessons.

A/N: I haven't had any feedback in a while, I'd appreciate some; if you've got suggestions, criticisms (nothing too harsh, just constructive stuff please!) please leave a review.