It's Friday, so it's time for a new chapter! Today we find out what the Dementors have been doing across the lake.

Thanks to all of you who have read, and more thanks to those who review. To the ever faithful KRP, you've got your answer to Esdras tackling the next challenge, and the Oracle's words only reference Katie's relationship, nothing more. And to NaginiFay, welcome back!

All the rest of y'all should review. It's easy, just press the button down there and tell me what you think. I'd love to hear from you.

Standard rules, as always. Text in italics is in Azkabaaner, and I don't own HP.

Chapter 14 – New Years in New Demnin

Two days after the Yule Ball, a charming little note appeared on the bulletin boards of four Hogwarts houses. Similar notes also found their way to the Beauxbatons carriage and the Durmstrang ship. They were simple in design, featuring a few finely drawn cloaked figures wearing party hats and plain black text.

The New Demnin Town Council

Welcomes Our Mortal Friends To

The First Annual New Years Bonfire

60 Varaldes (31 December), Treaty Year 1022

Festivities start at 9:00 pm

Boats available from Hogwarts starting at 8:45pm

Plenty of food and drinks!

Esdras was pleased that the initial reactions were positive. As he floated down for breakfast, he was met by a unanimous response. His fellow Ravenclaws would be joining the party. He grinned happily and made his way to the Gryffindor table to take a seat beside Katie. The blonde haired mortal smiled and leaned over to give him a kiss. "So I see you managed to make the New Demnin trip happen?"

The Dementor nodded. "It was actually rather easy. I think how we all got along at the Yule Ball helped Karkaroff and Maxime see that Dementors and mortals can at least get along together for a few hours. And Dumbledore didn't need any convincing. He's already told me that he'll be there and will supply his Patronus to feed us."

Katie nodded. "Well that's good. Something for everyone then." She switched to Azkabaaner so that they could have some privacy. "What do you want to do about the egg?"

The Dementor nabbed a piece of bacon from the table and shrugged. "I'll definitely need your help for that. But if my asking will cause any problems with your loyalty to Harry, you don't have to help. I can get Cho or Roger to help me out."

The mortal scoffed. "Like hell, I may be loyal to my housemates, but I'm also loyal to my boyfriend. Meet me at the prefect's bathroom tonight after dinner. Bring the egg with you." She took a sip of her pumpkin juice and continued on casually. "And don't wear too much, because I won't."

Esdras really wasn't sure what to expect as he floated towards the prefect's bathroom. Externally, he looked perfectly normal, dressed in a normal black cloak. However, beneath the cloak, he wore a white cotton bathrobe. He carried with him a satchel containing the egg and his towel, which was really unnecessary because he didn't plan on getting wet.

As he approached the door, he saw the smiling form of Katie waiting for him, similarly attired. She uttered the password and the door opened to admit them. As they took in the ornate surroundings, Katie whistled softly. "So this is how the other half lives. I could get used to this."

The Dementor floated up to inspect the chandelier. "This is really nice. Almost makes me wish I could take baths without freezing." He floated back down. "But cold showers are just as refreshing."

Katie shivered at this and started turning the various taps, slowly filling the great tub. "Maybe for you, but I prefer something warmer." She looked to his satchel. "Did you remember the egg?"

Esdras nodded and pulled out the golden ovoid. He set his bag down and proceeded to take off his cloak, revealing the fuzzy white robe. He turned to face Katie when she started laughing. "What?"

The mortal shook her head quickly, her voice still light and breathless. "Oh, it's nothing, love. It's just that you look cute in a bathrobe."

The Dementor huffed. "Cute is not a word easily applied to Dementors. You, however, look positively stunning in yours." He proceeded to fold his cloak, after an appropriate pause he spoke again. "Of course, you'd look better out of it."

Katie smirked playfully and lowered the robe to expose a bare shoulder. "Patience, Lord Admiral." It was another moment before the tub filled completely, and Katie turned off the taps. With no fanfare, she promptly stripped off her robe and stepped into the warm water. When she was covered up to her neck in bubbles, she turned to face the shell shocked Esdras. "You going to hand over that egg, or just keep staring at me? Because I don't mind either way."

Esdras shook his head, regaining his composure. He floated on his belly a few feet over the surface of the water and handed the egg down to Katie. She placed it under the surface of the water and looked at it expectantly. Esdras shrugged. "Try opening it."

Katie nodded and flipped off the lid of the egg. They could hear the strange sound coming from within it still, but it was muffled by the water. Katie shook her head. "Now what?"

Rolling onto his back, Esdras sighed. "I swear I've heard this before. I just can't remember when."

Katie huffed and leaned back, dipping her head into the water to get her hair wet. Her ears fell below the surface of the water for just a second and she froze. "Esdras...I hear something."

The Dementor almost fell out of the air as he turned to face her. "What? What do you hear?"

Katie held up a hand and submerged below the surface of the water. She was down for almost half a minute before she came back up. She closed her eyes and concentrated on remembering what she had heard. "Come seek us where our voices sound, we cannot sing above the ground, and while you're searching, ponder this: we've taken what you'll sorely miss. An hour long you'll have to look, and to recover what we took. But past an hour - the prospect's black, too late, it's gone, it won't come back." She shook her head. "That's all there was, it just kept repeating."

Esdras groaned. "I knew I had heard this before. It's Mermish. It sounds awful when spoken above water. I had to deal with some Merpeople back in the early 1940s when the International Confederation of Wizards seized Grindelwald's assets. They were responsible for bringing a few million galleons worth of gold up from a lake in Germany."

Katie nodded and swam over to the side of the tub, idly leaning against the wall. "So Merpeople are going to steal something valuable of yours, and you'll have an hour to get it back."

The Dementor nodded, running a hand through his hair. "This is the worst case scenario I was imagining when Cedric told me to do this. A Dementor going underwater is practically impossible."

The mortal cast a curious eye at her floating love. "Practically?"

Esdras nodded. "Quicksilver project Waterstorm."

The lake was still and calm as no less than two dozen boats made their way across the frigid waters to the other side, where an incredibly large bonfire could be seen burning between the trees. Katie, in the lead boat, looked over to the form floating beside her. "What is the Waterstorm project? You never did tell me."

Esdras smirked. "I would have told you, but you chose that moment to get out of the tub. I was a bit distracted." He glided closer. "The Waterstorm project is like the Firestorm project, except designed for water use. It's designed to allow the wearer to operate without harm in an underwater environment."

Katie nodded. "So it's like muggle scuba gear?"

The Dementor looked impressed. "You've been paying attention in Muggle Studies. But it's nothing like that. It's only designed to protect the wearer from the water and keep it from freezing around him. There's no breathing device associated, since we can hold our breath for weeks."

The mortal nodded in understanding. Their conversation was interrupted as their boats made the final approach to the New Demnin harbor. Katie helped Esdras get the people out of the boats and onto the newly constructed dock. "Okay, everyone hurry up. There are more people waiting back at Hogwarts, no need to keep them from the party." When the crowd was unloaded, the boats began their float back to Hogwarts to pick up another load of students. Katie followed the floating Esdras up the dock to dry land. A quick walk up a wide path, and she was confronted with a charming sight. "Oh, it's so lovely!"

The town of New Demnin had grown since its original inception. What had once been a purely underground Dementor settlement now had a High Street, with a few brightly lit shops that were obviously open to do business with the mortal student crowd. A quick look at some of the dual language signs revealed a cloak shop, a Quidditch shop, an apothecary, and a restaurant which proudly claimed to have the freshest fish and chips in all of Britain. Esdras looked around; the streets were filled with the dispersing student crowd, Dementors, and many of the residents from Hogsmeade, all looking forward to the late night festivities.

The Dementor smiled happily and took Katie's gloved hand, leading her towards the immense bonfire near the great cavernous entrance to the underground town. "We've done a lot to this place. It's good to get to show it off."

Katie was soon tugging on Esdras' hand, pulling him to a stand which had fresh green mint tea, warm butterbeers, and hot potatoes that had been baked in the great bonfire, all free for friends. With a potato in one hand and a butterbeer in the other, she turned to face her companion. "So, have you given any thought to what the Merpeople might take?"

Esdras looked thoughtfully into the fire and sipped his mint tea. "A little. The only truly important possessions I have are the Glaive of Silence, which no one but I can wield, the crown jewels, which are locked up in Gringotts, and anything that reminds me of you."

Katie blushed. "I rank alongside the crown jewels?"

He turned to face her. "The value of an item is measured by the memories attached. The Glaive and the crown jewels are memories of my family. So yes, you're rank right up there."

She busied herself picking at the label on the butterbeer bottle. When she finally spoke, her voice was soft and shy. "I know exactly how you feel, love."

Their conversation was interrupted by the arrival of Doctor Transom and Captain Kirin, both of whom saluted before bowing to the Lord Admiral. The doctor was the first to speak. "Good evening, young prince. Introduce this old Dementor to your young friend here."

Esdras rolled his eyes. "Katie Bell, meet Doctor Michaelis Transom, who continues to believe he is old, despite all evidence to the contrary. You already know Captain Kirin."

Katie smiled and shook the offered hands. "Good evening doctor, captain, and happy New Year."

The doctor bowed politely, as did the captain, but Kira quickly turned her attention to the admiral. "Lord Admiral, I don't mean to be rude, but Alphonse is still ill with the cloak pox and I should get back to him. Doctor Transom said you wished to see me?"

Esdras nodded, quickly adopting a businesslike tone and leading Kira away from the others to speak privately with her. "Yes, Kira. Katie and I have managed to figure out the clue that was left during the last Triwizard challenge. I need you to secure the Quicksilver Waterstorm project for me."

Kira's hood arched up in surprise. "The Waterstorm project is currently under the control of the 177th Research Division. I'll need the authorization of a vice admiral or higher to transfer it to my division."

The admiral nodded. "I understand. You must contact Admiral Grim immediately; he's a full admiral and is loyal to the royal house. I'll alert him to our need for the Waterstorm project in the morning. I don't believe he'll have any objections to transferring another of the Quicksilvers to my command, given the circumstances." Esdras narrowed his hood. "This is a good excuse for us to begin consolidating the Quicksilver projects again. I intend to take it."

The captain nodded quickly. "I understand, but are you expecting trouble, sir?"

Esdras shook his head. "No, Kira, but you can never be too careful. I've never felt comfortable having the Quicksilver projects spread out far and wide." He patted her on the shoulder and sighed. "Now, I'm sorry to have taken you away from your family. Please tell Alphonse I hope he feels better soon."

Kira nodded. "Of course, sir. And happy New Year."

The admiral dismissed his subordinate and turned to where Katie had been joined by an all too familiar Dementor family. As he approached, a small cloaked form shot from his mother's arms and latched onto Esdras' neck. "Lord Esdras, there are mortals everywhere!"

Esdras laughed and hugged his godson tight. "Yes, Jacob, there are. Are you being nice to them?"

Jacob nodded, his hood wide in amazement. "Yes, Lord Esdras. The one with the scar on his head cast his Patronus for us to feed on. It was a stag!"

Esdras stifled a laugh and looked to Aaron, who was also trying to keep from laughing by adjusting Calla's winter cloak to cover her better. It was obvious that both had thought back to the same moment last year when they had experienced the power of the Potter Patronus firsthand. Esdras nodded to his godchild. "Yes, it is a very powerful stag. Your father and I have seen it before."

He handed off the young cloakling to Christine and shifted into his mortal form before wrapping an arm around Katie. "Well, if you all will excuse me, all my business here is done. Katie, what do you say we enjoy ourselves?"

Katie smiled, putting her arm around Esdras and leading him towards the shops on the High Street. "Sounds good, we can start by seeing what this town has to offer in terms of shopping."

The bonfire burned brightly as the hands of the clock set up by the cavern entrance neared midnight. Beauxbaton, Durmstrang, Hogwarts, Hogsmeade, and New Demnin all blended together on the street and around the great fire as the year approached its end. Esdras and Katie stood with Cho and Cedric a comfortable distance away from the glowing flames when they first noticed a change in the weather. Katie looked up and smiled happily. "Snow!"

Sure enough, the skies had opened up, and a new snowfall had started, intent on coating the town of New Demnin in a beautiful white glaze. Esdras lifted the hood of his cloak and held his cup of mint tea closer. "This evening couldn't get any more perfect."

Somewhere in the background, a loud chorus of voices had begun a countdown. Mortal and Dementor ignored them, caught in their own little snow filled world. Katie looked up into his hooded eyes and smiled. "Are you sure?"

The Dementor shook his head. "Not anymore."

Katie laughed and looked up to the clock. "It's almost midnight. The person you kiss is the person you'll be with for the rest of the year."

Esdras leaned in, dangerous close as the voices in the background reached the single digits. "Well, there's only one person that could be."

Their lips met, and the falling snow did nothing to chill the pair as the crowd around them burst into cheers.