Ferrying Faerie Folk

Hermione and Irumi walked about ten feet behind Ainel to get to the pier. Ai was to the frizzy brown hair girl's surprise not with them. But he hadn't been at lunch either. Irumi was blowing on the palms of her hands, where they were bandaged from where she had fallen earlier.

"Irumi… is Ai sick, he didn't eat lunch with us today and he isn't here,"

"Kind of… he had a nightmare, so my brother decided to keep him home. He'll meet us at the ferry. I'm surprised your sister isn't following us."

"She… well, she said she had to go to some sort of club after school. What club that is, I haven't a clue,"

"Well, today Gigi's following us," Irumi commented. "But she's keeping her distance so don't look backwards."

"She… what could she possibly want," Hermione sighed, only to have Irumi flip out a piece of paper from her backpack. Mutant is trying to pretend to be an Elf. She is trying to dethrone me. "Tell me that she didn't write that!"

"It's so.. I stopped the letter before it got passed to her friends, else we would have more following us. I thought to give it to the teacher, but I really don't want any more attention then necessary… expesully with the Quiditch issue." They watched as Ainel suddenly began to climb down the path and disappear.

"You've been really good at attracting that kind of attention these days," Hermione muttered.

"I can thank Merry and Pippen for the start of all this," Irumi commented. "They have so much zeal in life."

"You don't get excited to Ai… I want him to be happy."

"You ever stop and think he might want you to be happy yourself?"

"No comment," as they too began to walk down the path. They met Ainel and Ai down at the dock. The younger male Elfling had something behind his back and had a wide grin.

"Hello Ai… I am glad that you are feeling better," Hermione smiled. "What is behind your back?"

"He won't tell," Ainel shook his head. Ai just continued to smile. Suddenly a Dwarf hobbled over to them, a cane in one hand to counter somewhat the limp he had.

"So you're the lasses and ladies that wishes to sail to Hogsmede? It's an ampler dilemma I hear… to be calling his varying degree of people… but then, things like that do happen… whatever did happen."

"Can we be going now Dwarf?" Ainel commented, only to be kicked in the back of the leg by Irumi, who also glared at him.

"He's like this even with our kind, Master Dwarf," Irumi sniped at the boy.

"He'd best be forewarned… such tone with some of my people would lead to a brawl…" the Dwarf shook his head.

"May we be going? I would like to be back before dark please, if possible sir," Hermione decided to be very polite.

The Dwarf nodded his head and pulled one of the two blue streaks in his beard. He then motioned them to get on the ferry raft which was also like a home. Irumi glanced up at the cliff. "I think we lost Gigi…"

"Who's this Gigi Elfling?"

"She's this annoying girl at school… she's an Edain that thinks or says that she really is Eldar, but her mannerisms defiantly don't fit,"

"Why doesn't anyone ever pretend to be a Dwarf?" the ferry master laughed.

"I don't think she's pretending… there is a chance that she believes it," Hermione commented.

"That's never good… but one can't do anything about that," the Dwarf sighed.

"That is except putting them in an insane asylum," Ainel wasn't looking at anyone.

"Ainel! Seriously… that isn't the solution either!" Irumi snorted through her nose.

"Well, I'm not bowing down to any fake princess that's for sure.. Expesully some dumb Edain who says that the real princess usurped her thrown… or have you two not heard the rumors going on around school," the boy snapped.

"We've heard both," the girls sighed.

"Ahh… but as I recall, the princess you're referring to… the real one… would rather that she is a princess be kept secret,"

"You knew?" Irumi glanced at the Dwarf.

"Couldn't help it… your father's sister brags about you two as if you were her own. Plus, Ai's pictures from the few times you've come out make for nice keepsakes."

"Yeah… whatever," Ainel said. The mist was thoroughly covering them now. Irumi caught a glimpse of a small shadow floating near them, but it then disappeared.

"What was that?" Irumi asked curiosity in her voice. Hermione turned to see the shadow appear again. The sailed suddenly out of the mist and into daylight.

"Hogsmede!" Hermione chirped with excitement. She then pointed up at the castle. "There's Hogwarts!"

"It's a castle!" Irumi exclaimed in surprise, leaning over the edge of the wooding, only to have Ainel pull her back and shake his head.

"I'll take you up to the pier at the castle and wait for you to return," the Dwarf said. "It also seems that there are some waiting for you already."

They saw upon the pier Harry and Ms. Figg, not to mention a very overweight boy. Irumi was heard to comment the name Mr. Pig and narrow her eyes. Hermione shook her head. "What is Harry's cousin doing here?"

"How should I know and why should I care?" Ainel commented. "Guess who gets to ask?"

The ferry stopped and they got off. Ms. Figg smiled at them. "How's Crookshanks doing?"

"My sister has claimed him as hers and called him Marmalade," Hermione said dryly. "Why is Dudley here?"

"Aunt Petunia said he could come this time… he also wants to know why this all happened too," Harry stated.

"I saw no harm in it… nor does Dumbledore… Ai, what is that behind your back dear,"

"A surprise he won't share apparently," Ainel grumped.

"Child, do you have to be in such a bad mood about this? It won't be as bad as you think!"

"Can you guys show me around please? I like all of this place… it's awesome and since I probably will never get to see this place again…"

"Hold on… how come Dudley can see this place?" Hermione asked.

"He knows that it really does exist and he believes that it is here," Ms. Figg commented. "That or family members can automatically see it… could be both."

"I don't comprehend… why people wouldn't be able to see it," the female Elfling narrowed her eyes.

"Well… Hogwarts looks like ruins to any Muggle coming through here…" Harry smiled.

"Well, one might have a problem then ad there has bee a book released," Irumi hummed. "It will be very likely that some Muggles may be able to see it."

"Well, Flitch and Hagrid will have their work cut out for them," Hermione sighed.

"What exactly do the ruins look like," Irumi asked.

"I read in a book that they look like a church ruins," Hermione commented. "But another says a castle."

They waved then to the Dwarf and headed up the stairs.

Author's note - Dudely smiles a big smile. "IF you've read the last book... you know I've become more open to my cousin. Also, more open to people like Harry! This should be interesting!