"Sounds great!" Wren burst out after Star had finished describing the previous night.
Monica squealed with glee. "Star got a kiss!"
Laelai shook her head slightly, but a smile was tugging at her lips. "This guy must really like you then. This should be interesting with Draco," she stated, leaning against the Marauder tree.
Star grimaced and nodded. "Yeah, it should be. I just hope those two never meet."
As they continued to talk, a Gryffindor girl waved to them. Star wasn't sure of her name, but she knew the girl was part Siren. Star knew that her own grandmother was a mermaid, so that made her one-fourth mermaid. She had always loved the water and she could even perform water magic without using her wand. And when she would swim, gills would sprout at her neck. She was faster than any human in the water. Star had even befriended many merfolk in the Hogwarts lake. She would go down to their village at the bottom of the lake and visit them. But there was one merman she had been very close to ever since she was 7. And that was...
"KONA!" Star shrieked as water suddenly drenched her.
A blonde teenage boy popped his head out of the water, laughing. He had piercing sapphire eyes he looked like any regular 16 year old boy, but when he hopped out of the water to sit onto of a rock, everyone could clearly see a green scaled tail where his legs should have been.
Wren's jaw dropped open as she stared at him. "Bloody hell!"
Star laughed as she snapped her fingers, instantly drying herself. Kona grinned at her.
"I was wondering when you would show up by the lake today," he said. But his playful grin suddenly faded. "Can I talk to you?"
Star glanced around at her friends. They tore their eyes away from Kona and looked at Star. Monica smiled at her and nodded.
"Go ahead Star. We'll wait."
Star smiled and walked over to the lake's bank. She absentmindedly took a deep breath as she dove into the cold water. Star felt a rush of air fill her lungs as her gills suddenly sprouted. She smiled and gently ran a finger over her neck, slightly ruffling her lacey gills; she had always been fond of them.
Soon, Kona joined her. Star smiled warmly at the merman whom she looked to as a brother; and older, annoying brother, but a brother none the less.
Oddly, Kona didn't smile back.
"What's up?" Star asked, concerned for her friend.
Kona crossed his arms and half glared at her. "Why were you out here last night?" he asked strictly. Star was instantly reminded of Professor McGonagall.
"Why? Were you-?"
"Star, just answer me."
She let out a sigh through her gills and nodded.
"With whom?" Kona inquired.
"Remember the pen pal Dumbledore wanted me to write to?"
Kona nodded, but his eyes showed some confusion.
"Well, that's him," Star concluded simply.
Kona's sapphire eyes widened. "That's Brian?"
Star nodded, but then something dawned on her. "Wait, were you spying on me?"
Kona's cheeks blushed a bright pink, even in the dark waters. He quickly turned away. "The giant squid something and wanted me to check it out," he admitted.
"What did you see?!" Star burst out. How could he have done this? He was one of the few guys she actually trusted. And here he was, spying on her.
Kona sighed and lightly touched her arm with a webbed hand. "Star... I'm really sorry."
Star felt torn between ripping her arm away and forgiving him. She sighed and looked at the merman. His sapphire eyes showed that he was truly sorry, but Star wasn't ready to forgive him just yet.
She nodded and looked at him, trying to show no emotion. "All right, but I'm going to need to talk to you. How about we meet tonight at 9."
Kona nodded and tried to force a smile. "All right. I'll see you then."
Star gave him one last look and kicked up to the bright surface.
"What did he want?" Laelai asked when Star had hopped out of the lake and dried off.
Star looked at her friends and examined them. "Oh, it was nothing." She thought it was better not to tell them.