Chapter seventeen: last seen in tears

The duck slammed into the water with a splash, displacing water on all sides, soaking its occupants. Thankfully, the vehicle stayed upright. Buoyant, it quickly steadied itself, and was caught up in the river's current. The river was fast, but fairly even, and the Death Eaters and spiders were quickly left behind.

"Hasn't changed much, has it Harry?" Ginny said quietly. She leaned back in the driver's seat, allowing the current to guide them.

Harry answered, "Not as much as I'd like."

"That was mental," said James, as the adrenaline of the battle fled, he was left weak, tired, and very bruised. "That bloke got eaten by spiders, I was sword fighting out of a car, and mum blew up that machine, and dad broke his nose again…" he gestured at Mundungus.

"Let's not bring that up again," groaned the small man.

"Three times it drops," said Neville, matter of factly.

Harry climbed up into the passengers seat, ignoring the shredded upholstery. "You were really good back that there," he said, mostly to James.

The boy's face was scratched and bloody, his clothing torn, cuts scabbing over, his eye blackened. It was like looking in a mirror. James nodded, looking pleased, "So were you."

"So I'm not too old."

"No, you're still old."

"Boys, you might want to see this," said Ginny, worriedly. Harry twisted back around. Before them, the river fell away. It plunged downward, the water turning to white foam at the edges. Ginny fought with the steering wheel, but it made no difference, the current was soon. Harry realized it might have been a good idea to unpack that miniature motor propeller located in the back.

"Everybody, hold on to the duck, don't let go," Harry shouted, the roar of the falls almost drowning out his words. He braced himself against the seat, and the duck plunged over the falls.

They seemed to hang in space for a moment, tipping forward. And then the duck slammed into the river again. Water surged up, splashing over all of them, the impact rattling Harry's bones. Water filled the duck, splashing around their legs.

Harry looked back; thankfully, all five of them had survived the drop intact, and, just, as importantly, the crystal skull was safe in Neville's lap.

"Let's not do that again," Mundungus groaned.

"Good luck with that," Ginny groaned. Ahead of them, the river gave way yet again. Another waterfall, a little bigger than the last one, there was a chorus of complaints from the rear of the vehicle.

"All right, everyone, same drill," Harry ordered, as the duck tipped foreward, rushing down the waterfall. This time, the duck submerged entirely, before righting itself.

Harry saw red in the water, and realized he had cut his hand on the broken windshield. He felt no pain, that would come later. He only hoped the river was free of piranha and similar creatures.

"Three times it drops!" Neville cautioned, seizing Harry and Ginny by the shoulders.

"We know, mate," Mundungus sighed.

"Wait a moment," Ginny thought aloud.

Harry caught her train of thinking. Two waterfalls, one after the other. "Three drops. One, two…"

"Three?" James inquired, pointing ahead. A dull rumble rang in their skulls, as the river twisted around a bend, overlooking a huge drop. The length of the two waterfalls put together, it was a monster. The water at the bottom beaten to foam. Harry saw a wide stone riverbank below, if they survived the drop…

"Hold on tight?" James asked, already bracing himself.

"No," said Harry quickly. The falls were too powerful, the duck would pull them down, become their coffin. "No once we hit, throw yourself up, swim for the shore."

And then it was to late to hear anything. The roar of the falls was deafening, the duck was hurled out into space, plunging downward. The duck hit the maelstrom of water at the bottom, and was immediately sucked under.

Harry felt the weight of thousands of gallons of water beating down on him. Following his own instructions, Harry kicked off of the duck. Water filled his eyes and nose, as the military vehicle was pulled into the depths below him. But he couldn't allow himself to follow it. He set off swimming, kicking against the current, swimming out, rather than up. As he left the crushing weight of the falls behind, he changed his tact.

Harry's head cleared the water. Gasping for breath, he made sure his glasses were still firmly on his face, made more so by an earlier sticking spell. Harry gained another mouthful of water, and struck out toward the show. He pulled himself up onto the shore. Now that he was soaked, he found the air chilly. His clothing clung to him, he wiped his glasses on his sleeve, but it did nothing to help.

Neville was already on the shore, sitting cross-legged, the skull in his lap, as if he had been there for hours. "Three times it drops," he said, satisfied.

"No arguments there," James groaned, crawling onto the shore. He got to his feet, and set off in the direction of the jungle. "Let's get a move on then," he exclaimed, and the tripped. He didn't get up.

"Nobody listened to me," Mundungus struggled out of the water. Harry ignored him, the man had yet to fully regain his trust. Or his interest.

Last of them, Ginny strode calmly up out of the water. The duck's abandoned steering wheel still clutched in her hands, laughing with relief. Brushing past Mundungus, she handed him the steering wheel.

"I'm getting too old for this," Harry sighed, as she reached him.

"Yeah, you are," she grinned mischievously.

"Not you too," he protested.

"Why not," half stumbling, she kissed him. It was far wetter than usual.

"Oh, please," groaned James, once again on his feet. "We can't stay here."

"Go where, though," asked Mundungus, not unkindly. "I'm not thrilled to go back in the jungle, let me tell you."

"Eyes that last I saw in tears," said Neville.

Harry followed the man's gaze. Beside the waterfall, stretching thirty feet up the rock wall, was a skull. Distorted, half carved, half formed out of natural rock. Its mouth was nothing but a shallow recess, but its eyes were caverns high above, oval pits of darkness. And from both of them trickled a small stream of water.

Like tears.

Harry suddenly remembered the tent, his hand coming away bloody. "Eyes that last I saw in tears," he whispered.

"We're not going back into the jungle," he said, louder, absentmindedly draping an arm around Ginny's shoulders. "We're going to take a climb."

"What is it this time?" Mundungus complained.

"We're going to return the skull."

"Why, mate, do you buy into all that nonsense about power? You don't seem the type. Plus, that thing's priceless."

"Not because of the power,' said Harry, evenly. "Because it told me to."