CHAPTER FOUR: Minds Eye

When the time is right and the night is bright

We will see the things we've come to find

I've been searching for just a little more

But the days girl just slip away

And the red sunset they we just met

I can see forever

Come and see the minds eye

We can find it if we try

Minds Eye – Wolfmother

"So then the great lump trips over a branch sticking out of the ground, and falls flat on his face. And seriously what does one do in a situation like that? So I do the first thing that comes into my mind, and I laugh. I just stand there and pointing and laughing at the guy. And I just can't stop laughing, I think I was delirious or something. And then I come to the realization that I wasn't laughing at him, I was actually laughing at the hopeless situation we're in and…"

"Millicent" Pansy cut in, "please, just stop talking, you're giving me ahead ache, and I'm already late to meet Potter."

"Pans you don't understand I think I'm going crazy" Millicent replied urgently as she hurried down the hall beside Pansy on her way to the library.

Pansy shoved the doors open to the library with such force that they stuck the walls opposite them. Madam Pince glared at her. Pansy sighed and turned to Millicent, "look" she whispered, "go talk to Blaise about this, he's better at this type of thing than I am."

Millicent nodded, and practically ran off looking slightly barmy.

Pansy sighed in relief and walked over to where Harry was sitting looking at her in confusion, "what…" he began."

Pansy dropped her book bag and slumped into the chair across from him, "don't ask." Pulling the closest textbook (Magical Creatures and where to find them) towards her, Pansy opened the book to a random page and pointed at the animal there, "This one will do?"

Harry peered at the page, eyes narrowing as he read upside down, "they're extinct."

Pansy looked down and skimmed the page. So they were. This may be more difficult than she originally thought. "Have you found anything yet?"

Harry shook his head, "no. Heaps of creatures that would be cool to study, but we need something that's not going to be too difficult to find."

Pansy shrugged, "why not just do unicorns or something?"

"Somehow I don't think we'll be as successful at finding them as Hagrid is," Harry replied.

Pansy sighed; it was going to be a long night.

It was an hour later; Pansy finally found a creature that;

A: wouldn't eat them

B: wouldn't attack them

C: wouldn't be too hard to find and

D: wouldn't be too boring to observe

"Here we go" Pansy said triumphantly, causing Harry to look up and peer at here through bleary eyes.

"The Iclandra" Pansy read dramatically, "more commonly known as the lord of the fountain, this nocturnal creature dwells deep within the forest in the shallows of water falls, where it baths by moonlight." Pansy paused, "well that shouldn't be too difficult to find, is there a water fall in the forest?"

Harry nodded slowly, "there must be, I mean the forest is huge. What else does it say? Is it going to attack us?"

"Umm…" Pansy skimmed over the page reading excerpts, "…a timid creature… poor eye sight… it has fins like a mermaid… oh good it won't be able to chase us…" Pansy continued skimming "looks good. So the Iclandra then?"

Harry shrugged, "sounds alright to me."

Pansy marked the page and closed the book with a snap, "thank Merlin, I thought we were going to be here all night."

"Ya know, if we were smart we should have just walked into the forest and just kept walking till we found something good." Harry pointed out.

Pansy shook her head, "that would only be smart if you were devising the best way to be eaten. Besides we wouldn't know the names of half the creatures in the forest, so we'd probably find one and then never be able to find it again in the library."

Harry waved her comment away before he yawned and stretched. Despite herself Pansy's eyes trailed over his chest and stomach. For the first time that evening Pansy realized he wasn't wearing his uniform. Instead he was dressed in simple muggle jeans and a black hooded jumper. The sight threw Pansy for a moment because she had never seen Potter out of bulky robes before. In his jeans and tight fitting jumper she could see for the first time how broad his shoulders were, and the narrowness of his waist. He was a good-looking guy really, Pansy grudgingly admitted. With his slightly too long messy black hair and bright green eyes, he permanently looked like he'd just rolled out of bed and/or emerged from a broom closet after a particularly heated make out session.

That last thought sent Pansy scrambling out of her thoughts just in time to hear Harry speak.

"So I'd say tomorrow night is as good as any to head into the forest."

Pansy nodded, "as long as I'm back by midnight I'm happy."

Harry grabbed a sheet of parchment, and scribbled the creatures name onto it; "well I'm going to go grab every book I can find, on the Iclandra's so we know where exactly to find them."

"Ok" Pansy replied distractedly, who was already searching the index of the books around her to see if she could find any more information.

It was a good two or three hours later, that Pansy finally slammed the book in front of her closed and massaged her writing hand. Across from her, Harry had his feet propped up on the table and looked ridiculously comfortable reclined in his hair, book open on his lap. He looked up at her ruckus and peered at her over the top of his glasses, "had enough?" he questioned.

Pansy rubbed her temples, "I've read so much I'm going to dreaming about these hideous things in my sleep."

Harry followed her cue and shut his book also, "Well lets call it a night then. How about we meet in the entrance hall around midday tomorrow, and that will give us all afternoon in the forest to locate a waterfall." Harry suggested as they packed up the books around them.

"And hopefully find the Iclandra's as well, cause according to all these books they only come out at night" Pansy added, before waving her wand and propelling all the books onto the shelving trolley.

Harry paused and looked at her, "at night?" he murmured, "what if we went now."

"Now?" Pansy repeated, "are you crazy if Filch finds us we'll be in detention for the rest of our lives. Curfew is minutes away."

"How many minutes?"

Pansy checked her watch, "eleven."

Harry suddenly got a reckless look in his eyes, "I have a plan, c'mon" and without waiting for an answer he grabbed Pansy's wrist and dragged her out of the library.

Pansy was positively bewildered, but allowed him to steer her down the hallway, through tapestries, up staircases, down passageways she didn't even know existed, until finally coming to a halt outside the portrait of a very fat lady in a pink dress. The lady looked at Pansy, "what brings a Slytherin to our midst?" she questioned curiously.

Pansy's mouth dropped open, oh the shame she'd never be able to show her face in the dungeons again, "you brought me to the Griffindor common room?"

Harry ignored her, "stay here' he ordered and whispered the password to the lady before slipping inside.

Now alone with the portrait Pansy crossed her arms and glared down the passageway.

"You know dear, when I was your age, I had a lovely figure like you. Its amazing what time will do," the fat lady gave a tinkling little laugh.

Pansy stared. Was the portrait actually trying to make conversation with her? And was that supposed to be a compliment? "Uh… um…" Pansy was at a loss for words, "I like your dress" she finished lamely.

"Oh, this old thing" the lady laughed, "you're a dear."

Pansy was saved from responding as Harry emerged again, now donned in his heavy black winter cloak. He was holding an old sheet of parchment in one hand, and a black and silvery looking cloak in the other. Pansy did a double take, "holy shit Potter is that an invisibility cloak?"

"Yes it is" Harry replied, shoving the parchment into his jeans, "and if you tell anyone, I'll hex you from here to Australia." He tossed the black cloak to her, "put this on, it'll be cold out."

Pansy was slightly taken a back by his thoughtfulness, and thanked him softly before throwing the cloak around her shoulders and fastening the clasp. Whatever brand the cloak was it obviously had the same warming charm as Draco's, because the warmth immediately enveloped her in a way her own cloak and scarf had never achieved.

Moving closer to her, Harry unfolded the cloak and swung it around them. Pansy reached forward and felt the soft light fabric with her fingers before startling slightly as Harry's chest pressed lightly against her back, "now whatever you do" he warned softly as they began walking down the hall, "don't make any noise. Just because we're invisible doesn't mean people can't hear us, and it doesn't make us any less solid either. Just do what I say."

Pansy nodded, and let him lead her down the hallway, they stopped at the very end and Pansy watched as Harry pulled the parchment out of his pocket, tapped his wand to it, and mumbled something she couldn't quite make out.

Pansy's jaw almost hit the floor as ink spread across the parchment making it an unmistakable map of the castle. "Well" Pansy murmured as she watched the mini dots move around, "Your just full of surprises, aren't you."

Harry looked at her and Pansy was suddenly struck by how tall he was. Standing that close together Pansy was forced to look up to meet his green eyes.

"Tell anyone about this" Harry warned, "It will be much further than Australia."

Pansy looked back down at the map, spotting Filch two floors below, "where in the world did you get this map? It must be worth a fortune."

"A friend gave it to me" Harry replied cryptically as he also surveyed the map. After several moments he wiped it blank and shoved it back into his pocket "lets go."

"And the invisibility cloak?" Pansy asked as they once again began to walk, "Merlin Potter, you may be better connected than I originally thought."

"The cloak and map both belonged to my dad," Harry corrected, "I'm not connected anywhere. Nor do I wish to be."

"You don't need to be" Pansy murmured, "Your name earns you all the respect you could ever wish for."

"We're not getting back to the blood line topic are we?" Harry asked, "You made your point."

"You agree with me?" Pansy asked in surprise.

Harry hesitated, "I… understand where you're coming from."

Pansy smiled, "well I'm glad we understand each other."

They exited the castle and crossed the grounds without any unusual activity. Although they moved slowly and silently, Pansy enjoyed the walk, taking pleasure in the way the cold air slipped through the folds of the cloak to brush against her face. Harry was a comforting presence, somehow he seemed to know exactly where he was going at all times, and realizing this, Pansy allowed herself to relax and let him take control of the situation. They were across the grounds and hidden from the castle by the scarce trees when Harry threw the cloak off them and shoved it into his cloak pocket. This task complete he grinned at Pansy.

"Ladies first" he said gesturing for Pansy to lead the way into the darkness.

Pansy threw a disgruntled look at him before reaching into her robe and lighting her wand. "Fine," she agreed, "but just stick close to me all right? I'd hate to lose you somewhere along the way and be all by myself at the mercy of whatever animal happened to stumble across me."

"I'm right behind you" Harry assured her.

They walked through the forest mostly in silence, desperately straining their ears for any sound of running water. According the textbooks, Iclandra's dwelled in the shallow water of waterfalls, because they enjoyed the lapping of the water against their bodies. It all sounded distinctly dirty to Pansy, but she didn't question it. Only walked steadily deeper into the forest, every now and then turning to make sure Harry was still behind her. The forest was pitch black, and Pansy was finding it difficult to see more than a few feet in front of her even with her wand tip ignited.

"Potter?" Pansy murmured suddenly as she stepped over a low log.

"Yeah?" he questioned.

"You haven't actually seen a waterfall in your previous trips have you?" Pansy asked highly doubtful they would find a waterfall amidst all the trees.

"No" Harry replied, reaching out a hand and grabbing her arm to stop her, "but I have heard running water and that has to come from somewhere. Gimme a second"

Harry looked around the area, holding his wand tip high above his head, before crouching down and examining the forest floor. He was silent for several long moments before rising again, "this way."

Pansy sighed and followed him.

They walked for what felt like hours, but Pansy could definitely hear water now. They had located a small stream half an hour ago, and had been following it constantly as the ground ever so subtlely began to rise. The lack of creatures they had encountered was slightly frightening, especially since Pansy could have sworn something was watching her. Lost in her own thoughts, and not watching there she was going, Pansy was pulled from her thoughts abruptly as her foot sunk into a foot of water, "oh gross!" she burst out childishly, "bloody hell are we there yet?"

Harry turned and looked at her, "we've definitely located something, look."

Pansy followed his finger and realized he was right. Even though the trees mainly hid it, Pansy caught snatches of the water glistening in the moonlight. Following Harry and grumbling about wet feet they walked the last few meters until they emerged into a clearing. Pansy's breath caught in her throat. It was absolutely beautiful. Moonlight cascaded into the clearing giving the area a slightly mythical glow. The water was so clean that she could see the bottom of the fountain, and water lilies decorated the banks amidst bright green grass.

"Wow" Pansy whispered as she came to a stop beside Harry, who was staring at the area in similar fascination.

"Look" Harry whispered pointing to the banks of the fountains where waves lightly lapped at the rocks.

Pansy followed his gaze. There they were. The Iclandra's. They were odd looking creatures. Extremely easy to spot as their skin was bright white and shone in the moonlight. They were small and slender with human like torsos, fish like fins, and faces that reminded Pansy of newborn crying babies. There was at least eight of them wading in the shallows, basking in the moonlight.

"They remind me of mermaids, but uglier" Pansy stated.

Harry looked at her, "maybe they're related to the species or something"

Pansy looked at Harry, "do we approach them?"

Harry shook his head, "no, I think we should just watch them from afar. They aren't exactly social creatures. C'mon" he grabbed Pansy's hand, and gripping it tightly led her back into the trees and around the area until they were directly in front of them. Walking carefully forward Harry let go of Pansy's hand and gently touched the small of her back protectively until they were seated on a near by rock.

They watched the creatures silently for several long minutes, until Harry sighed, "they're rather boring. All they do is lay there, how are we supposed to write a report on that?"

"I suppose now that we've seen them, the rest we can learn from text books" Pansy supplied, watching as one of the Iclandra's rolled over, its fins lapping lazily in the water, "they must be immune to the cold" Pansy observed, "I mean that water must be freezing."

Harry shrugged, "maybe its charmed. It might be warm all year round. What temperature was the water you stepped in?"

Pansy frowned, "not very cold at all. If anything it was warm like a bath. Should we move closer?"

Harry nodded, and together they stood, and giving the Iclandra's a wide berth made their way to the opposite side of the waterfall. Leaving Pansy on the bank, Harry made his way down the mossy green rocks before finally bending over and letting his hand trail in the water, "your right" he called up to her, "its warm."

"What does that mean?" Pansy called back, "is it magical?"

"Must be" Harry mused standing up and looking up at her, "I'll have to ask Hermione if there's anything about a magical water fall in Hogwarts a History."

"Hogwarts a History?" Pansy repeated in disbelief. "She's read Hogwarts a History? Wow, now that's admirable. How anyone can slog there way through that beast of a text is beyond me." Pansy sat down on a near by rock, "I remember when I was first accepted into Hogwarts my mum tried to make me read it. I recall I got two pages in and fell asleep." Pansy smiled at the memory.

Harry shrugged, "I guess everyone has their thing."

"What's yours?" Pansy asked curiously, "what do you like to do?"

"Play Quidditch" Harry replied grinning happily at the thought.

Pansy smirked, "spoken like a true male."

"What about you?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you"

"Try me"

"I draw. Mainly landscape, and usually in charcoal but I enjoy it ya know?"

"Are you any good?" Harry questioned curiously, running his hand through the water again.

"I don't know. I do it for fun, and I've never shown anyone except Millicent before. Tell ya what, next time we're out here, I'll sketch the water fall and you can tell me what you think" Pansy suggested, "sound like a deal?"

"Yeah, but only if you sketch the Iclandra's as well, it might be a good idea for our project to have some primary sources."

"Speaking of the project, have you given any thought about how we can present it? I was thinking of just writing up a fact book or something. Simple, not much work required and straight to the point."

"Sounds alright to me. So if we just come out here once more, and you can do your drawings, then we can just finish the rest of it in the library?"

Pansy nodded.

"Fantastic, and on that note we better get back to the castle."

Authors Note: Chapter title is a Wolfmother song.