Peter laid back on the boat enjoying the warmth of the sun and light breeze.

A splash was heard on starboard and 'Rikki''s voice called out, "Found the site!"

He sat up and glanced over the ship's edge. His eyes widened once more at the sight of the golden tail that peaked above the waves behind Rikki. No matter how many times he saw her in that form he'd yet to get used to it. The tail sparkled in the sunlight, the fragments of light bouncing off its scales blinding him for a moment.

"How's it looking?"

Rikki's head tilted to the side above the surf before she dove down to get closer to the ship. She dragged herself up the ladder before sitting at the top beside Peter, her tail still over the side of the boat.

"As expected not much is left of the early civilization however the fossil finds are terrific. We are fortunate to have found them before anyone else." She smiled whimsically, "In my past dimension the site was found in the early 20th century."

Peter lips tilted up in a smile as he marveled at how much had changed. He hadn't known what to think after Rikki told him of her life where the blonde lived as a mermaid turned on a full moon night. He was still not sure what to think of it, and yet he found himself not caring for the first time in his life.

His Carina was Rikki but that didn't change what she was to him. He had at last found his family. Being the heir of a pureblood family whose members had a habit of dying early and mysteriously, Peter had always been afraid. He had a hard time connecting with others, the deep-seated fear that they would suddenly leave him as soon as he cared, causing him to live his life wary...and others might say cowardly.

Peter laid back down on their sailboat's deck placing a pair of sunglasses down over his eyes after he heard the tell-tale splash as Rikki dove back down into the sea.

His thoughts wandered to his school days. He had thought he'd found a family, a pack as Remus would have said, in the Marauders. However he was always the 3rd or 4th wheel to the friendships within the group. The pack bond was always stronger between the trio than with him, sure the werewolf didn't kill him on those nights but it was a flimsy bond compared to the others.

Remus's wolf was wary of Peter's nature. Back then he would try to be whatever Sirius or James wanted him to be just so he could stay with them.

Water droplets fell on him and a voice spoke from above, "The sun is starting to set. I caught some fish for dinner."

He could feel the smallest sea breeze against his skin and with it came a sense of peace.

That night as Rikki cooked dinner, Peter asked questions about the archeological find she found.

Her face brightened up like rays of sunshine, "There's a full mammoth skeleton down there! The goblins are going to go bananas." She gave a smirk, "Well as close as goblins can get to that I suppose."

Peter let out a booming laugh that surprised them both. Rikki looked at him with wide eyes but her smile widened.

"I'm glad you can laugh Peter."

His eyes were bright, "Thanks to you."

~SaH~

"Oh Peter! You need to see this one!"

Rikki had been trying to get Peter to come with her on her underwater adventures for several years now (using an advanced bubble-head charm of course). Each time his will to reject her lessened. She had found so many amazing ruins, artifacts and occasionally magical creatures.

However, the idea of being surrounded by so much water terrified Peter. He was a decent swimmer when it came to lakes, rivers or swimming pools but beneath the sea was a completely different cup of tea.

"I don't know." Peter gazed at her over the side.

"I won't let anything bad happen to you down there today, I promise."

He sucked in a breath as he felt his magic and hers bind her to the promise.

"Peter, it's not just the beautiful reefs but I know you would hate to miss out on the city."

His heart started pounding in his chest, "Is it intact?"

She grinned knowing she had him now, "Yes and even better there's a beautiful ancient temple that has legible stonework."

"I'll get changed."

Peter loved ancient history. Only Remus knew this about him, it was one of the reasons he didn't trust him fully because he hid his intelligence.

He loved old tomes, scrolls and plates. He was surprised he hadn't been a bookworm or moth instead of rat Animagus.

He was distracted most of the time it took to swim down to the archeological site. Between swimming besides the glimmering jewel of the sea that was Rikki and the rich emeralds, vibrant yellows and rainbow of colors of the reef he was able to forget about his fears for a little while. He noticed though that the fish although unafraid of the mermaid seemed to almost create a bubble of space around them.

They swam down towards the city and so he was able to see the majesty of it. It was a walled city and as they swam to the front the arched entry was artfully carved, the stonework stunning. Peter was less familiar with Asian history however it still fascinated him. His eyes wandered hungerly over the strategically placed decorations until his eyes rested upon the stunning dragon's head carved into the stone at the top.

Rikki tugged him further into the city and he took in as much as he could as they swam past. Soon they reached their destination at the center of the city up several flights of stone steps stood the city's temple.

As soon as they entered they felt the rush of power. On the walls was the history but unlike others of it's kind it wasn't all written in the language of its land. Instead these had carven pictures, it was through these pictures that they came to understand that the place was less a place to worship, rather to learn.

The rest of the history was blurred not due to being worn down by time but rather it seemed as if the magic of the place was deliberately concealing it.

Once back on the boat Peter was silent, his mind awhirl with what he had seen, as Rikki went back down to ward the place so that only Gringott employees could find it again.

His attention was caught as Gringotts gyrfalcon swooped down landing on the deck gracefully.

He left for the kitchen for some leftover fish which he traded for the letter.

Rikki heaved herself onto the ship and Peter turned to give her privacy as she turned back and put on needed clothing.

A hand came in his view and took the letter from him, a hum under her breath. After opening the letter her eyes narrowed.

"They've found Remus."