Kindred Spirits

by Tailkinker

This is a work of fan fiction based on the Harry Potter series and the Sailor Moon franchise created respectively by J.K. Rowling and Naoko Takeuchi. The characters and settings belong to their respective owners and no copyright infringement is intended. This story is written purely for entertainment purposes and should not be considered as part of the official canon of either series.

The Riddle of the Deep

Harry set his quill down. "There's Snape's essay done."

"Professor Snape, Harry," said Hermione. Her tone was distracted, however, as she was focused on her own writing. She dipped her quill into her inkpot, and frowned. "Bother. I'm out of ink. I need another bottle."

Winky appeared with a quiet pop. "Winky has more ink for Mistress Hermione."

Hermione sighed. "Thank you, Winky." She took the fresh bottle of ink from Winky. "You know, you don't have to wait on me like this."

"Winky wants to help her Mistress," said the Elf.

"But you're going a bit overboard," said Hermione. "The last few days, I've barely been able to do anything for myself." The House Elf appeared on the verge of tears, and she hastened to add, "Though you're very considerate, and hard working. I just...don't want to get out of practice doing things for myself."

"Winky understands."

Harry spoke up. "You know, Hermione, there's things that Winky can do that you can't do for yourself."

"Such as?" She appeared a bit cross at his interruption.

"Well, as clever as Crookshanks is, he can't carry your mail for you. Whereas Winky..." He turned to the Elf. "Do you know where Hermione's parents live?"

Winky drooped. "Winky is sorry, Harry Potter. Winky does not."

"Well, Dobby does know. He could show you, and then you could apparate there yourself, right?"

Winky nodded, and Hermione gasped.

"Of course. She could carry letters back and forth between me and my parents. Oh, and my library." She beamed. "Much as I'd love to, I can't bring all my books with me. But Winky could bring me books, and send them back. Thank you, Harry."

"It's nothing." He waved it off. "I had my own problems finding a balance with Dobby." He paused. "Why's she wearing a pillowcase? I thought that Mr Crouch gave her proper clothes?"

"She threw them away," said Hermione sourly. "Once I took her on, she went back to wearing a pillowcase. One of my old ones; I recognize it. Why would she do that?"

"I don't know," admitted Harry. "I could ask Dobby."

Mentioning his name was enough; Dobby popped into existence at his elbow. "Harry Potter Sir asks for Dobby?"

"Yeah," said Harry. "Winky's gone back to wearing a pillowcase. But you..." He indicated the Elf's outfit; today, Dobby wore a child-sized track suit. With mis-matched socks.

"Dobby is still a free Elf," said Dobby. "Harry Potter Sir pays Dobby, and so Dobby wears clothes. But Winky is more like other House Elves. She wears her Mistress' pillowcase because she is proud to work for Mistress."

"But I'd like her to take pride in her appearance," said Hermione. "Is there any way I can...I don't know...maybe convince her it's a uniform, that I'm not giving her the clothes?"

Dobby looked a bit confused. "Winky is proud to wear the pillowcase."

"We can't judge them by our standards," Harry reminded her. "I mean, I think it's batty, but I actually pay my House Elf, and most other Elves think that that's weird." He turned back to Dobby. "Hey, I've got another question. I've got this golden egg, which contains a clue to the next Task of the Championship. But it's in Mermish, and Luna tells me I can only understand it if I take it underwater. But we don't have bathtubs; only showers."

Dobby frowned. "Dobby supposes that Harry Potter Sir does not wish to take the egg into the Lake?"

"Not in January," said Harry firmly.

"Then Dobby supposes that the best way is to take the egg to the Come and Go Room."

Harry frowned. "What's the Come and Go Room?"

"Here's the tapestry," said Hermione. "But I don't see a door."

"I haven't asked for anything yet." Harry frowned. "What do we want? Just a room with a bathtub?"

"I miss swimming," said Hermione wistfully. "Perhaps a room with a full-sized swimming pool? Heated, of course; this castle does get drafty."

Harry fixed the idea in mind, and walked back and forth in front of the tapestry three times. He heard Hermione gasp, and turned to see a door in the wall, opposite the tapestry, that hadn't been there before.

"I suppose it worked," he said. He pushed opened the door, and stepped into the room beyond.

The room wasn't exactly what he had pictured. The swimming pool was smaller; he'd envisioned something like the local council's swimming pools, but this was more like a child's wading pool in size, though rather deeper. It was definitely heated. He could see faint steam rising from the surface. Off to the left he could see two doors.

He indicated those doors. "Those look like changing rooms. Did you bring a swimsuit?"

"No," she admitted. "I never brought one to Hogwarts. What about you?"

"I don't even own one," he said. "Dobby?"

Dobby appeared between the two of them. "Yes, Harry Potter, Sir?"

"Neither of us have swimsuits. Is there any way—"

Dobby disappeared, and reappeared seconds later, a swimsuit in each hand. "I am getting these from the Lost And Found."

Hermione took the one he offered her, and held it up. "When was this lost? Before the Second World War?" Indeed, the bathing suit had leggings and a skirt.

Harry's were simply a large set of baggy shorts. "I guess men got the better deal back then." He chuckled. "Okay, let's get changed."

When he emerged from the change room, it was to find Hermione in a much more modern bathing suit.

"I asked Dobby to fetch it from my room," she admitted. "I couldn't even figure out how to get into that relic."

"Right then." Harry opened his bag and pulled out the egg. "Let's have a go at this." He stepped into the pool, and gasped. "Blimey, that's hot!"

"Is it?" Hermione stuck a toe in, then enthusiastically waded in. "It's like a hot tub!"

"Yeah." Harry followed her in, though more cautiously. He lowered the egg into the water, and opened it.

"I don't hear anything," said Hermione with a frown.

Harry stuck his head below the surface, and heard the voices. What had been a screech above water was musical below.

"Come seek us where our voices sound,
We cannot sing above the ground,
And while you're searching, ponder this:
We've taken what you'll sorely miss,
An hour long you'll have to look,
And to recover what we took,
But past an hour—the prospect's black,
Too late, it's gone, it won't come back."

He surfaced again, gasping for air. "Hermione...are there Merfolk in the Lake?"

The Great Hall was surprisingly busy. The dinner service on Saturdays was longer, and people normally tended to drop in whenever it was convenient for them. Today, however, it seemed that "right now" was convenient for all four Houses, as well as the guest Schools.

"Hello, Harry." Hotaru ran up to him to give him a hug. "Thank you so much for the book. How did you get it? I know Scrivenshaft's doesn't carry books on art."

"I sent Dobby to Flourish and Blott's," admitted Harry.

"Good thinking," she said. "I was expecting to see you earlier today."

"Too much homework," he admitted. "Plus, I was working on the egg."

"Did you solve it?"

"I think so," he said. "Of course, that just revealed the next puzzle. But I need to talk to Ami."

Hotaru frowned. "Ami?"

"Yeah," he said. "After the thing with the dragon, I owe her."

"I see." Hotaru looked down. "I suppose...well, she's over at the other end of the table."

Harry frowned; it seemed that he'd somehow let Hotaru down. "Once we're done dinner, I've got something to show you."

"Oh?"

"Dobby showed me a cool new room," he said. "I think you'll really like it."

She looked up, smiling. "Okay. I'll look forward to that."

Ami Mizuno was approaching them. "Hello, Harry, Hotaru. I think I heard my name?"

"Ami." Harry nodded. "Listen, I still owe you. I should have told you about the dragon, like I did Cedric."

"I already forgave you, Harry," she said.

"This is to make myself feel better," Harry replied. "I solved the egg. You have to take it underwater to hear the clue."

"I know," she said with a grin. "I already solve it."

"Oh." Now he felt stupid.

"But it is nice you want to help." Ami smiled at him, then turned and walked back to her dinner.

Harry noted Hotaru glaring at Ami as the older girl walked away, and for once, put two and two together. "Hey, Hotaru. We haven't spent enough time together recently. You want to join us for dinner at the Gryffindor table?"

Hotaru looked up at him, a smile returning to her face. "Yes. I think that would be nice."