Behind the Map of Argyleshire

Behind the Map of Argyleshire

The pain was maddening. A great ugly slash across her face, oozing blood-red paint onto her pristine pink dress. The embarrassment stung almost as sharp as the cut. Her face flushed with anger and fear. Fear of being ugly. Fear of being abandoned to one of the lonely passages near the dungeon reserved for some of the more wretched paintings that lived in Hogwarts. Or worse, being banished from the halls of learning all together.

Well, she would have to hide. If her picture was removed, well then she could just stay with Violet in the Great Hall antechamber. As she ran, she could feel the wind drying the paint on her cheek.

She was half way behind the map of Argyleshire when she ran headlong into something that knocked her back off her feet. When she looked up from the dusty frame all she saw was a great fin and a spray of calla lillys. The Fat Lady was, of course, more confused by the fin, but calla lillys were her favorite flower, and their presence intrigued her as well.

"Do beg pardon, miss, didn't see you coming."

The voice that spoke from behind and above the fin was like music to her ears. The delicate notes of a young lady with a song in her heart, but years of hard life behind her. The Fat Lady was struck dumb by the beauty in that voice, which led the Mermaid on the Rock to fear she had been struck unconscious, so she turned to face the woman in pink.

Tears and the red paint of a wound smeared her face, but nothing could hide the Fat Lady's blush. The mermaid before her was the most exquisite and beautiful being she had ever seen. She paled the beautiful sunsets visible through the window by the Fat Lady's portrait. The most beautiful flower withered at the sight of her. She was the essence of perfection.

"I... I...didn't think that mermaids could talk above water."

"That's true, they can't; but I'm not a mermaid. I'm a painting of a mermaid."

This remark came with the most intoxicating of flippant smiles. A shudder ran through the Fat Lady's stomach and caught in her throat. In all of her years in the castle, she had never run into such an amazing creature.

A blush spread across the mermaid's face. "I'm sorry if I insulted you. You looked like you could do with a laugh."

The Fat Lady, who was usually very articulate, could find nothing to say. When the Mermaid on the Rock bent down and handed The Fat Lady a calla lily, the dress seemed to tighten around her throat further.

With her pale lips nearly at The Fat Lady's ear, she said, "I hate to see such a beautiful woman crying. Is there any way that I can ease your pain?"

Without any further ado, she pressed her cool lips against The Fat Lady's. There was an explosion in her heart as The Fat Lady fought for breath, but strained not to break the connection.

As they broke apart, The Mermaid on the Rock whispered, " 'For where thou art, there is the world itself, and where thou art not, desolation.' Will you stay here with me tonight?"

Ginny was one of the few Gryffindors in the past few decades who was given to say something other than the password to the Fat Lady. Following the events in the Chamber, Ginny had confided in a very few people. Actually in just one person, and one painting. She and the Fat Lady had developed a quite strong relationship over the last year.

Ginny, of course, was one of the few people who felt the need to go after the Fat Lady and try to console her after the attack. She had heard Peeves say that he saw her hiding in the map of Argyleshire, and she snuck out of the tower later that night to go and find her.

When Ginny crept down the corridor, she was surprised to hear quite a lot of noise from where the map was hanging. The sight that met her when she was face to face with it was somewhere between sickening and extremely humorous.

Just visible before the massive gilt frame enveloped the canvas was an explosion of frilly pink fabric and two rather large white ankles emerging from them. The feet were making the oddest movements, for which Ginny could not account. Not until she saw the fin, of course. The fin swam through the folds of pink fabric between the two fleshy ankles.

"Ahemm."

Ginny had to stuff her fist in her mouth to plug the giggles that threatened to burst forth. There was a stiffled scream and much groaning and sputtering as the fleshy ankles attempted to find ground beneath them. Ginny waited patiently; she knew this would take some time.

After a great deal of shuffling and quiet cursing, the fin disappeared and a very ruffled Fat Lady poked her head out from behind the map. Her face was still smeared with tears, though of a different sort, and the red paint on her cheek had dried and even cracked in some places.

Given her state at the time, the Fat Lady was quite relieved that it was only Ginny, though she was proper enough to be sufficiently embarrased that a Gryffindor student had found her.

"Well, I must congratulate you," began Ginny with a sly smile. "That is certainly the Prefect's Bathroom Mermaid that Percy is constantly going on about..."

"Why would you think that?"

"Because she is the only merperson who has a painting in Hogwarts."

"Oh... right..."

Ginny smiled and leaned on the large gilt frame. "I'm impressed, but I think we should discuss something before I, um, leave you to it."

"What?"

"Either who I should tell about this, or why I won't be getting in trouble for coming late to the Tower for the remainder of my time here in the castle."