Theme: It's A Life On The Sea For Me
Beater 1: [Film] Atlantis
Prompts:
[creature] Sea Serpent
[creature] Cat
[colour] Silver
Words: 1,740 words
WANTED
Charms Expert
for
Daring Sea Voyage!
Must be willing to live at sea for months.
Must like cats!
Knowledge of Curse-breaking is an asset.
Will be handsomely compensated.
Serious Applicants Only!
Ginny Weasley reread the advertisement before taking one of the stubbs with the contact information. She wasn't sure this was really the job for her, but she was desperate to leave the Burrow. If her mother pushed her towards Harry Potter one more time, she might pitch herself out of the attic window.
"Are you sure you want to apply for something like that? What if it's a scam? Or worse, what if it's real? It sounds extremely dangerous." Hermione's voice cut through Ginny's thoughts. Her concerns were valid, but Ginny was beyond the point of no return. She was the only Weasley child left at home. Ron and Hermione had recently moved into a small cottage in Exeter to start their newlywed life together. The Twins lived in the apartment above their joke shop with their assistant-turned-girlfriend Verity. Percy and his wife Penelope lived in Wiltshire, Charlie was still in Romania and Bill and Fleur lived by the sea in Bath at Shell Cottage. Without the buffer of her brothers, Molly Weasley's undivided attention was focused on her woefully single, unemployed daughter. It was driving Ginny crazy.
"One way or another, this job will be the answer to my prayers," Ginny replied. "It will either be a great job, providing great experience, opportunity to travel and see exotic places while being 'handsomely compensated' enough to leave The Burrow when I get back-"
"OR," Hermione interrupted.
"Or," Ginny reclaimed her point, "I get thrown overboard and drown at sea. Either way, I get out from under Mum's watchful eye. It's a win-win."
"That's a very morbid, pessimistic outlook," Hermione challenged. Ginny shrugged, "It's no less true."
Ginny put the stuff carefully in her purse. She would send in an application first thing in the morning.
"Malfoy?!" Hermione is rightfully shocked.
"Yes, it's his 'expedition', he calls it." The two women are in Ginny's room as she packed for her voyage. "He says we set sail at the end of the week from Newcastle. I'm to go there to meet the rest of the crew on Friday to set sail."
"Who is the rest of the crew besides Malfoy? And why did the applicant 'must like cats'?"
"I know Blaise Zabini is the Medical Officer. He just finished his Healer training and apparently lost a bet to Malfoy in third year so now he's stuck on this voyage."
"Why is he still holding on to a bet from ten years ago?"
Ginny shrugged one shoulder. "Apparently Slytherins don't renege."
"And the cat?" Hermione pressed.
"Oh. Apparently, Malfoy has a Persian cat named Xerxes who is a bit temperamental but will be travelling with us. He says the cat is the First Mate." Ginny folded a jumper and placed it on top of the last of her clothes in her old Hogwarts trunk.
"Are you sure you've packed enough?" Hermione eyed the trunk suspiciously. The sarcasm was thick in her voice. When the trunk closed there seemed to be a bulge in the lid and parts of Ginny's clothes were sticking out. "Do you know where he plans to go? What you're searching for? Why he needs a curse-breaking Charms expert?"
"He says it's to find a lost Malfoy family heirloom that was taken from his ancestors when the vikings raided France centuries ago. He thinks he has traced it to Scotland so we'll essentially be searching all the area around the North Atlantic. Truthfully, I think he's a wackadoodle but if I get paid, then I don't have to care."
The portkey to take her to Newcastle arrived on Friday morning with a letter from Malfoy saying it had a departure window of ten minutes beginning at two 'o'clock. Her family members showed up to see her off throughout the morning. Harry tried to talk her out of it because of Malfoy's involvement. Ron echoed his sentiments but was surprisingly less vocal. Marriage had really softened his edges. The twins brought tricks for her to use on the long days at sea. She didn't know how those would be received but she would take them anyway. Hermione's sendoff was the most useful. Ever the planner, Hermione had given Ginny a version of her infamous little beaded bag with the undetectable extendable charm. Instead of a beaded bag, Hermione gave her a small coin purse.
"Thanks, Hermione!" Ginny hugged her friend. "What's in it?" She continued, giving the pouch a small shake.
"Well, I took into account where you will be sailing and tried to pack accordingly." She began, ready to get into lecture-mode. "You'll be on a boat so I packed an emergency raft, a tent, and additional winter clothes. I also, put in some non-perishable foods, first aid kit, some potions and ingredients that you may find useful in an emergency and-"
"I'm surprised you haven't packed any books-" Ginny began, jokingly.
"-books on Vikings, the Hebrides, Ancient Artifacts, Pureblood Families and Scottish Folklore," Hermione finished, giving Ginny a wry look.
"Wow, Hermione, I could do this trip alone based on the contents alone."
"The raft could not make a long-term journey but it will keep you out of freezing water in case of an emergency." Hermione slapped her forehead. "That reminds me, keep this with you," she said quickly, handing Ginny a Galleon. It has a protean charm and a trace on it. Once it's activated we will know your location and be able to track you. I tried to make it a portkey but the gold resisted. If something happens, we'll be able to find you. But remember, it's for one-time use, so only in an emergency."
Overcome with emotion, Ginny pulled Hermione into a tight hug. "Thank you, Hermione!"
"I love you, Ginny. Be safe!"
The Portkey deposited Ginny into what looked like a large cupboard. There were shelves packed with boxes, a single torch on the far wall and one door. Approaching the door she hears voices on the other side. She stepped out of the cupboard into a courtyard to Malfoy and Zabini talking animatedly with Cho Chang. Marcus Belby, Lee Jordan are off to the side inspecting crates and boxes and Susan Bones is pouring over maps on a table next to a fat, Persian cat, whose fur is so white it almost looks silver. Familiar with all the faces, introductions happen quickly and all the luggage and cargo are transported to the boat - a beautiful vessel with a green and silver hull (very Slytherin) with white sails named the Scylla named for the Greek Sea Serpent. We set sail at sunset, the sun dipping below the horizon with bursts of purples, yellows and oranges.
The first few days of the voyage were uneventful. The seas were calm and the crew were amiable. Malfoy and Zabini were surprisingly very entertaining travel companions. They argued like brothers and reminded Ginny of Ron and the twins. It was nice having Cho and Susan around to talk to as women. The only downside was Belby who seemed to enjoy talking about nothing in particular, ad nauseum, first thing in the mornings. It was the morning of the fifth day when things started to go sideways. They awoke to a thunderstorm nearly ripping through the sails. The Captain, an elderly man named Wilson narrowly avoided them becoming a shipwreck. He had just gotten the vessel under control when a giant head rose from the depths of the sea.
Yellow eyes, with silver and green scales, the serpent circled the boat. Chaos ensued. Captain Wilson shouted orders, the sailing crew jumped around to get to their stations. The serpent's tail slashed at the boat. A part of the hull splintered but seemed to hold. The giant sea snake slashed again with an almighty screech. This time the hull shattered. One only hoped the bulkhead prevented them from taking on too much water. The Scylla listed to one side as the serpent circled them. Malfoys screw scrambled to get their valuables. Ginny ducked into the cabins to grab her wand and the coin purse Hermione had given her, just as the boat listed again, her porthole shattered and sea water poured in. Running back on deck, she tried to gather the crew, hoping that if the boat sank, her little emergency raft would be big enough to save them.
The bow of the boat started dipping forward as they took on more water, the situation looked dire. Running up to Malfoy Ginny grabbed his arm and pulled him towards the stern. He resisted.
"Malfoy, we have to go now!" She grabbed his arm again.
"We can't abandon the expedition"
"If you die, there won't be an expedition." Seeing the truth in her eyes, he looked around for Xerxes. Blaise saw his intention and scooped up the cat and ran in his direction. The rest of the expedition crew had the same idea and they all converged on the stern.
"I can get us off of this wreck…" Ginny began, "...I think. But I don't know how big the raft is."
"What raft, Weasley?" Zabini questioned.
"Hermione packed me an emergency kit," Ginny explained as she started digging through the coin purse.
Another crash happened above them and they watched in horror as a sailor in the crow's nest went sailing into the freezing water. Ginny put speed into her search and finally pulled out a small plastic raft with a long string. With a yank on the string, the raft inflated, big enough to sail ten adults. With one final look towards Captain Wilson, who gave them a sharp nod and yelled 'Go!' They pitched the raft overboard and jumped in after it.
They paddled out of the swirling of the serpent and the Scylla and waited. Hours passed and the serpent returned to the depths. The storm ended and the Scylla was wrecked. They paddled back to the wreck to collect the survivors - two sailors and Captain Wilson.
Ginny considered using the coin, this would count as an emergency. Looking around at everyone's faces, she made her decision. She reached for the galleon but there was nothing there. She was just about to start searching the coin purse when a voice stopped her.
"Looking for this, Weasley?"