Hello again.
Just so you know, the ONLY reason this one is as short as it is, is that I'm pretty terrible with place descriptions in particular. Even my filler chapters are usually better than this. Just use what it actually brings up to imagine what it looks like. So don't start with me!
Don't own Harry Potter
Under the Sea...close enough
November, and the resulting chill, passed by all too quickly in Hermione's opinion. It was seemingly already halfway through it before she was able to truly register it. Although part of it might have been because things had been practically dead since the whole Halloween incident.
The biggest things were just Jasmine scaring a student when he attempted to essentially force himself upon a girl in front of her, and a different student idly wishing for access to pencil, pen and paper. That got a semi-black market of the stuff going, with Jasmine and her friends having access to special versions that never run out.
When they noticed a significant improvement in their work, even the purebloods were having at least a little trouble in staying away from the supplies.
The teachers certainly weren't complaining, at least in regards to the results.
But what really got Hermione's attention was when, one Saturday morning, Jasmine came up to her, Draco, and Neville and asked "You want to see the bottom of the lake?"
The sudden and random question caught all three off guard.
Jasmine tilted her head when she didn't get a response out of them. "Guys?"
Hermione was the first to recover. "Sorry, Jasmine, but we just didn't expect that question, let alone at this time of day."
"Oh. Sorry." Jasmine said, looking sheepish.
Draco waved her off. "It's alright. Too be honest, I have been kind of wondering how it was like down there. And even if it hasn't been obvious, I daresay both of them are at least considering it as well."
His words rang true when Neville and Hermione both blushed at being called out. The two ended up simply nodding, preferring to keep quiet just in case.
Jasmine perked up considerably. "I'll see you at the Lake after breakfast. Okay?"
Barely a half an hour later had them, Susan, Hannah, and Professor McGonagall by the edge of the lake. She had managed to get a lull in her work, so she thought she could stand acting as chaperon for this little trip. And if not, then she could always wish the day's work to be done as though she did it.
She wasn't going to be lazy about the future.
"Everyone here?" Jasmine asked. When they all nodded, she clapped her hands and made a signature flash appear. "Follow me, and stay close. Don't want to lose any of you under there."
The entire group nodded, understanding the concern. Even so, once they were down there, she had to remind them thanks to the amazement now in their expressions.
Fish swam around them as they walked, and none of them felt any pressure from the water at all. In fact, Professor McGonagall quickly realized that their clothes weren't acting even remotely like they were wet.
"This is amazing!" Hannah cried out in wonder, only to stop at the echoing tone she now had.
"You have that too?" Jasmine asked, though hers was much more ominous. "At any rate, up ahead is where I usually meet the mermaids."
That got the girls attention in particular, at least until they saw the 'mermaids' and the boys and teacher joined as well.
Unlike what most of them expected, the merfolk looked like handsome/beautiful half-human/half-fish people with the skin tone simply tinted by the color of their lower halves.
"I didn't want them to be seen as the ugly thing down here." Jasmine explained as the merfolk came up. "So I made a few changes to go with the beauty that is their home."
Hermione turned to her. "Where did you get the inspiration?"
"A Little Mermaid and Aquaman." Jasmine said, then turned confused. "Though I have no idea why none of them had tried willing themselves legs and go on land. I gave them the ability to turn their tails into legs and breathe air, after all."
"We wanted to master it before we attempted anything, Little One." one of them explained in a more musical echo. "Make it a surprise for you while you were still at Hogwarts."
Jasmine had the decency to look sheepish. "Sorry."
Professor McGonagall then walked forward, pushing Draco and Neville behind her. "I do suggest you garner some form of upper clothing beforehand. If these two are any indicator, a good many students will probably be distracted by your form, making conversation a bit problematic."
The spokesmermaid giggled. "That's simple enough to do. We just usually don't need coverings down here."
It lapsed from there, with the two boys managing to calm down enough to not make a scene, at least beyond when the younger mermaids teased them to the others' amusement. And while Professor McGonagall wasn't too happy with the circumstances behind that, she was willing to let it slide for now. Not to mention it is pretty funny to think about, actually.
All too soon, it was time to return to the surface (and to lunch), and all of them except for Jasmine were on some level reluctant to leave. It was...enlightening.
Jasmine didn't care because she could easily do this sort of thing everyday (though, for the record, she usually does go everyday.)
"I must say, that was certainly a nice change in my usual day." Professor McGonagall said once they got back to the castle. "Thank you for inviting me, Jasmine."
"Your welcome." Jasmine chirped as they walked to the Great Hall, before pouting. "Most people don't see the beauty down there."
"Well, while some might not care, or may be scared or traumatized," Hermione hugged the girl. "We certainly do. Understand that at least."
Jasmine leaned into the hug fondly, only to hear a light growl from Moony that got Jasmine to say "What are breasts, and why would I try to feel Hemione's?"
Hermione especially blushed at the innocent question, while Professor McGonagall felt a headache come from that.
XXXXX
By the time Professor McGonagall walked into the staff room for a meeting, news of the trip was all over the school.
While granted, not everyone had nice things to say about it, but the fact remained that once again, Jasmine made waves through the Wizarding World.
As a result, among other things, Dumbledore called a meeting to 'hear the story directly' as the man had put it. Though he wasn't the only one.
Minerva smiled a bit at the envious looks on Filius' and Sprout's faces, just as Andromeda said "Welcome to the club, Minerva."
The older woman looked at her for a moment before saying "She's been bringing you down there, hasn't she?"
"At least on occasion." Andromeda shrugged. "Sometimes even with Sirius and Trixie as well, though those are usually in the Thames."
Dumbledore decided to then start the meeting. "Minerva, would you mind beginning your tale so we can get started?"
Minerva proceeded to go into detail about the trip, sparing little. The tone Jasmine's voice took spooked them, but there was definitely more envy than anything else.
However, none of them noticed Dumbledore's brief slip from kind old man to contemplative old politician. Maybe I can use this...
Basically, make the lake floor in Goblet of Fire on a similar level of appearance to (for simplicity in reference) Little Mermaid's Atlantica or Aquaman's Atlantis (DC Cinematic version). Don't bring in the actual cities, just the level of decor for the environment. And as for the merfolk themselves, Little Mermaid + Ben 10 Ripjaws (his ability to shift his lower half between tail and legs) with the addition of their skin tone being partly the same as their lower halves (i.e. blue tail = blue tint). The whole is just really because Jasmine likes the water, so would likely enhance the beings that live there if given the chance.
Until next time. Please let me know what you think.