"But giant squids are non- carnivorous, ministry of magic grade XX! They aren't aggressive...!" Hermione implored, confused. Naia circled her bushy hair. " What's a ministry? Squids are vicious!" She waved her arms to mimic tentacles "They grab you with their suckers and slowly squeeze the life out of you then EAT YOU WHOLE!" Naia finished dramatically. Hermione was indignant "No. The aquamarine studies of Graston Hydupe show that they are placid creatures..."
" Well... Not here they aren't!" Naia corrected.
"Hermione, I have a feeling that books from the Hogwarts library aren't going to help us." Harry smiled.
"Oh, Harry, don't give her ideas!" Ron said to Harry, "Next thing you know, she's searching the whole land for Ye old Encyclopaedia of Hyrule!"
Harry inclined his head in an agreeing notion, raising his eyebrows.
"Right." Link said, getting to his feet an wincing a little. He shrugged it off, "We need to get to Death Mountain, and fast."
"DEATH mountain?" Ron asked, "What?"
"It's not as dangerous as it sounds." Link reassured him, "They just don't like visitors."
After giving Harry and Ron VERY angry looks, she proceeded to ask "They? Who are THEY? And why don't they like visitors?"
"Oh, the Gorons." Link said matter-of-factly. "They're a friendly race. Be warned, they like hugs." He shivered, picking up the Master Sword and placing it back in his scabbard. "Are we all ready?" After they all nodded, he pointed to the side, "TO THE NORTH!" He yelled and they all followed him down into Zora's Domain again, laughing slightly at his mock enthusiasm.
"FOR NARNIA!" Naia screamed. Hermione looked at her oddly. "Sorry... I read your book. It was good, but the pages were heavy. Do you have anymore?" Hermione laughed and said, "Of course!" And so she then talked to the fairy on possible literature for a while.
"Please explain more on Gogkons" Hermione asked and Naia told her they were a boulder like race who were strong and friendly.
Soon, they were back out in Hyrule field, trekking across the grassy plain to the looming volcano to the North of Hyrule.
Link's leg injury was constantly hindering him, making him limp a little. However, he did his best to cover it up. He wanted to get to Kakariko Village, the village which was perched at the bottom of the mountain, before nightfall.
Hermione stopped dead. "Guys, we suck." She looked at link, then the boys. "We are WIZARDS!" She went over to Link and held her wand out, pointing it at his injury. "TERGEO!" She waved her wand in an oval, with a fancy flick and the dried blood receded. "And..." She added dramatically, "FERULA! VULNERA SANTNTUR!"
Link put his weight back down on that leg and felt that it was almost completely healed. "Brilliant!" He smiled. "Well, we better hurry up. It's getting dark."
They managed to get to Kakariko just before night fell, reaching the safety of the village with great relief.
"We should rest here for the night then carry on up the mountain in the early morning." Link looked the others up and down, "Yes." He nodded to himself, "You all look very tired."
"Link." Ron said seriously, "WE look tired? You look like you're going to fall asleep standing any moment!"
"He's right." Harry nodded, "You look exhausted."
Link frowned. He didn't feel that tired, "Well, we need somewhere to sleep, don't wor-"
"Hey!"
They all turned to see Impa stood on the steps to the right of them.
"I have room. Come in my house for the night."
Hermione emitted a squeak of fright. Where had she come from!?
Once they were all inside Impa's house, which was the largest house in the village, she started to make them some soup.
"So you were attacked by a giant squid?" Impa asked Link as she set down the soup bowls in front of her guests at the simple wooden table, a little egg cup full for Naia.
Link had told her what had happened so far in their journey, with some help from the others.
"Yes." He said, smiling at how amusing it actually sounded, "It was... uh... Quite a powerful monster... Ah," He waved his hand, pushing away his worry, "I've faced worse. It's not like I got any serious injuries off it, so it doesn't matter."
"It does!" Impa said suddenly, "Nothing that violent has shown itself for years!"
"So does that mean-"
"Something has reawakened the monsters."
"Hm." Link rested his head on a hand.
"Eat up, anyway." Impa said, "You'll all need your strength if you're going to climb Death Mountain tomorrow."
"Will you all stop calling it that?" Ron said, already three quarters through his soup, "It just makes it sound more daunting!"
"Oh yes, I forgot to tell you, Ron is used to the Valley of Rainbows and Unicorn Hill and... and...Candy Mountains! "She gave him a sarcastic look, "Ron, we call things what they are called. We aren't in some story book full of nursery rhymes."
Her gaze fell upon the window, out of which a stray black dog loomed. It turned its head towards her and held her gaze menacingly. Well, it SEEMED menacing, but it's just a dog, dogs can gaze menacingly. At least, that's what Hermione told herself.
None of the others had noticed the dog.
"Well, I wasn't the one who named the bloody mountain, was I?" Ron said, his ears going red.
Hermione wasn't listening to Ron anymore. "Shut up Ron...Do you have stray dogs around here?" Hermione asked dreamily.
"Not that I know of, no." Impa said.
"Why?" Harry asked.
"Never mind... It must have been a shadow, trick of the light or something. I thought a saw a black dog, of all things" Hermione asked Impa, "May I have a cup of tea?" She asked politely.
"Yes, of course." Impa bustled around, making tea, "How many sugars?"
Link had finished his soup and he stretched his arms up in the air, yawning and feeling his back cracking a little. He sighed, "Thanks, Impa, this is really nice of you."
"Not at all." Impa smiled, "You need all the help you can get, you lot!"