Dawn had broken but the common room was still empty, still cold without the flickering fire and cast in an eerie green glow. Regulus sat hugging his knees in a window seat and gazed out into the murky waters of the Great Lake.
A mermaid floated towards him with the underwater current, all grey skin and wild green hair. He pressed his hand against the glass and leaned forwards to get a better look. But she hissed at him and bared her jagged teeth; her long silver tail thwacked against the window as she left, and he recoiled in shock.