Italics - Parseltongue

Bold - Sign Language

Chapter Three

Blaise looked at Harry with a look closely resembling betrayal written on his face. Harry, however, felt the look of shock that still painted his own features. What had he just agreed to? Cassius Warrington continued speaking, oblivious to Harry and Blaise's emotional turmoil.

"Great, so can someone show Harry to the room we've designated for a single student? I have to go see about this year's Quidditch schedule." Someone must have agreed, because Warrington got up and walked away from where he had been sitting.

Harry was still having trouble processing what had just happened. He tried to get Blaise's attention to ask him, but Blaise wouldn't meet his gaze. Harry suddenly felt very alone, and he didn't like it.

On the way to the dorms after dinner, Harry grabbed the arm of Blaise's robes and pulled him into a little alcove where they could talk without as many people around. Blaise looked… not angry, but something not pleasant. Harry couldn't read the exact emotion Blaise was feeling. It would have been easier if Blaise had been making eye contact, though. With that thought, Harry got upset too.

"What's going on? Why won't you talk to me?" Harry asked.

"You told everyone you'd rather room alone than with me for another year. So, yeah, I'm a bit pissed. Wouldn't you be, if I did that to you?" Blaise raised an eyebrow, daring Harry to comment.

"I didn't say that at all!" Harry defended himself. "I looked up, and all of a sudden Warrington was telling me I was rooming alone this year. Before I could even ask him what he was talking about, he was gone. I genuinely have no idea what happened!" Harry could see Blaise thinking about what he said, trying to decide how much of it was the truth.

"Alright mate, you are a bit of a scatter brain sometimes, so I guess I'll believe you," Blaise shrugged. "It still blows, not sharing a room with you." Harry nodded in agreement, and the pair made their way back to the Slytherin common room.

As Blaise, then Harry, made their way through the old door, Harry was ambushed by his housemates, shoving him toward the windows. He couldn't keep up with all of their exclamations, but judging by the commotion on the other side of the window, he knew exactly what was going on. Harry couldn't help the laugh that escaped his mouth as he saw little Dela by the window, glaring indignantly at the rest of the Slytherin students, until Harry came into view. Then her face lit up like the sun, and she practically vanished in a cloud of bubbles to go get her sisters.

While Harry waited for the mermaids to return, he had to explain what was going on to the first years that were staring at Harry with a certain look of wonder on their faces. So he leaned his back against the window and quickly told them all about his imaginary cousin, and how he was able to communicate with the mermaids. A few first years expressed interest in learning, and Harry told them he would teach them if they weren't already overwhelmed with their normal school work.

Harry suddenly felt the glass vibrating against his back. He turned around, nearly losing his balance, and grinned up into the faces of Jordan and Leane. In moments, hands were flying, telling stories of what had been missed over the summer and how excited they all were to see each other.

Suddenly, Hedwig hissed "hatchling!" and Harry turned around slowly. The Slytherin prefects were looking at Harry impatiently, one of them drumming her fingers against her crossed arms. Harry ducked his head and apologized, silently asking Hedwig to start translating for him.

"As we were saying before Potter started waving his hands around," Harry blushed Gryffindor red. "We need one upperclassmen and one first year to volunteer to room together. Who will it be?" A few hands went up, none of them enthusiastically. Harry noticed Blaise's hand in the air.

"Okay, you," one of the prefects pointed toward a skinny first year, "and you," then pointed to Blaise. Harry suddenly felt like he was going to be missing out on a lot of things, but he knew that he was probably blowing it out of proportion.

That night, as all of the exhausted students made their way to their respective rooms, Harry wandered around and poked his head in and out of rooms until he found his. He was suddenly so, so grateful to Cassius Warrington for volunteering him to have a room to himself.

The room was the same size as the rest, with the same two beds and wardrobes, but one of the walls was a continuation of the window looking under the lake from the common room. The water picked up the light from Harry's lamp, casting beautiful and relaxing patterns across his walls. Harry also noticed something similar to an aquarium tucked in a corner. He pulled it out and set it on what would have been his roommate's desk, and started turning it into a terrarium for Hedwig.

An hour later, Hedwig's terrarium was finished, and Harry's things were put away as well. He was ready to settle into bed for the night, when something moved outside the window. It was Dela.

"Goodnight, Harry. Can we play tomorrow?"

"Dela, you know I can't go underwater like you. But if you want, we can sit here and I'll tell you more about the surface, is that okay?"

"Yeah, I guess. Okay, I'll see you tomorrow!" With a giddy wave, Dela flipped backward and swam out of Harry's sight. With a contented sigh, Harry closed his eyes and slipped into the deepest sleep he'd had in months.