Tales of a Hufflepuff: Prank McKite and the Song of Meridian

Chapter 3: Riptide Rhapsody

It wasn't until July had passed that Prank and his father found a place to settle down. It was in Bath, a Wizarding Resort called Aquae Solace. Prank found it pleasant enough, and often wore his Hogwarts robe as he lounged about the many pools and baths that Muggles only saw as a few ruins with green, algae-filled water. But given a proper word at a proper time and place and the halls would open before the witch or wizard and the proper magical Roman-ancient baths would be revealed. Prank loved it there, and spent much if his time reading the books he had purchased during the trip to Diagon Alley. He'd discovered via a witch that his Hogwarts letter had indeed been early, and that her daughter, a girl by the name of Hilda, had only received her own at the end of June. Prank wasn't overfond of Hilda. She was whiney, and rather bratty. He rather liked her little sister, a quiet, studious little girl by the name of Jessica, who had a bit of pudge to her cheeks yet and wore a pair of over large glasses that made her look rather like a owl. Jessica reminded him of Puffy on some level, he knew, and made an effort to become her friend.

It was a sunny Monday afternoon when Prank was sitting in a niche overlooking a swimming pool sized bath his father and his fellow workers were decorating with large beautiful flowers and plants. He held in his hands his copy of A History of Magic and leaned against the pillar, his legs up on the couch. His eyes drifted from the page as his father began to chant softly, a raincloud appearing over the bush he was working on. Prank grinned, and was quite suddenly poked most viciously in the ribs. He yelped and slapped his book shut on his fingers. Jumping to his feet, he threw his book down with a shout, and turned on the offending poker. It was Hilda, and her brat of a best friend, Mandy (who had also received her Hogwarts letter at the end of June). They both giggled and sneered. 'Oi! I hate girls like you!' He yelled at them both, 'Stupid, smelly AND ugly!'

They both began shouting back at him but he leapt between then from the couch to the floor. His father had taught him wrestling and tumbling for fun, and he'd always been light on his feet. He laughed and pointed at them, knowing that this would annoy them. Girls like them were very stupid, and very predictable. Prank was well aware that they annoyed out of having nothing better to do. And he knew just as well how to piss them off in return. Muggle girls were the same, unless they were older, and in which case, he knew every charm in the book to make them like him (and defend him, should the need arise). If anything, Prank did know people.

'You smell!' Hilda shouted back. 'you've been wearing your Hogwarts robes since you got here! Haven't you anything nicer to wear...' She looked at her friend conspiritively. 'Or are you too stupid to know school doesn't start for another month?!'

That stung. 'Ye're fat,' he snapped. It was an insult to say the least, considering that the only one in their family who could be considered fat was Jessica.

She let out a girlish scream of rage. Mandy cracked her knuckles. 'You take that back, Prank McKite!'

'Or what?' He sneered. 'Ye'll look at me?'

Neither girl could tell if this was an insult or not, but assuming from his tone that it was, they both rushed him. Prank went tearing away from them. If they had been boys he might have been tempted to fight them, but they were as big as he, and both girls, so he wasn't going to take any chances. And boys weren't supposed to hit girls. He cursed the man who had come up with that one, considering that they didn't have the same (glaring) weakness he did, and he feared what might happen concerning said weakness, should they catch him. They went tearing around the upper colonnade, Prank slowly pulling away from his pursuers. But now he was coming up on a dead end. Where was he going to go now? He heard cries from triumph behind him. He jumped up to the balcony of the colonnade and tottered. The pool was below him. Dare he jump? The girls were only a few feet away...this was his last chance! But his heart quailed. He wasn't foolish and there were a million reasons why jumping into a magic pool from a great height would be a BAD thing, the least of which would be that he had no idea how deep it actually was. He turned around to look at the girls, pulling a grin on his face. He wouldn't let them see his fear.

Mandy grinned broadly. 'Chicken?'

'Just not stupid, thank ye.' The two girls' eyes met and Mandy drew out her wand. Prank looked at it suspiciously. He wasn't sure what she could do with it. He'd experimented once or twice with some simple charms, and so far hadn't managed much.

'Well, let's see if I can help you, *Prank*!' She waved her wand in a crude arc, and shouted, 'Kesten!' The wand shot gold sparks out of the end, and Prank was knocked back. His fingers gripped at the wall and he'd almost caught himself when the edge of his shoe, treadless from nearly a year of walking, slipped. He let out a yelp and fell. His arms pinwheeled and the last thing Prank found himself thinking was that he was going to find a way of travelling back in time and kicking the man who had come up with that stupid rule about not hitting girls.

In *his* most sensitive area.

* * *

First formless and dark. Then there was this ache that caught at the throat. An ache that formed into words that sounded oddly wrong.

...for he is lost and has now gone away...

It was so warm. And dark.

Oh, my love. Will you not come?

I am lost and there will be no safety for me,

For there is no hope for one of my kind,

He is lost and I am alone.

I must travel in these lonely paths,

Under the waves, forever is he lost

Alas! It is no one's fault but my own!

A strong arm came around Prank's middle, and he fought, trying to get closer to that song. It wasn't right, whatever had been done to this woman, and he would get to her, and comfort her in anyway he could. The arms fought him, and a torch was lit, and Prank found himself staring into the eyes of a horror. He tried to shout, but found he couldn't breathe. Bubbles escaped from his lips and a fin was slapped over his mouth. The song continued yet.

Aye, but there is no hope for a wanderer such as I?

I have no pride or greed, only my pity,

That wraps around me like a cloak.

It chokes me and I cannot bear it,

Would it be so wrong to die, my lover?

Prank was crying now, stars before his eyes. He would die, drowned in the arms of a furious merman, mourning this woman whose song tore at his heart and made him mad with grief.

'You mustn't fight!'

A voice said between his ears. 'Bite down hard on this, and you will breathe!'

No, my torment is all I am worth,

And forever must I bear it, in your honour!

Oh, return to me, I am waiting!

I will wait forever, in this place

This is my grave and the home I have chosen,

And I will wait until you arrive!

Prank tasted salt, and tried to chew, he almost drew breath, but the merman's fin only presented more weed and no air or water. He saw blackness, and he cried out, wanting to return to the woman who mourned. Water rushed into his lungs. It tasted better than sweetest air he'd ever breathed. His eyes flashed open. His mouth was still being held closed. And yet...he touched a hand to his neck. There was a queer opening there. He breathed again, and again, there was water in him. The merman took his hand now, looking him most seriously. 'How is it a man-guppy reached the bottom of our pool?'

Prank tried to speak, and found he couldn't. He considered, then moved his arms to indicate that he had been pushed. The fishman nodded. He was a bright blue colour, mottled soft markings covered his flesh, moulding into a silvery fish tail, much like a salmons, strong, and thick. The face was cruel-looking with large, wide, silver fish-eyes, and a wide mouth that fell into a decided frown. His hair was also silver and framed his face in a cloud, high cheekbones giving him a noble air. The song had faded, but now it returned, in a wonderfully miserable throng.

Ah, my child is alone, nestled between my breasts,

She is dead, but I hold her still,

I had promised her milk when you returned.

Ah, I have been so foolish, and I have no one to blame,

Save myself, and I wish I had been wiser.

Oh, dear heart, my lord most glorious,

I want you back, and in my arms once more!

Oh, my love, my man, you've gone away,

I'll not die until you return!

Prank turned to look, his heart in his throat. He could not cry, and he found it horribly frustrating. He felt called to her, and now that he could breathe, he knew that if he found her, perhaps he could make her sadness end. The merman caught his arm. 'Can you hear her?'

Prank gagged at the water, trying to cry and being unable, making a face that read only sorrow. He couldn't say, but he held his hands to his heart and began to curl into a ball.

'She sings about a man of your kind, who drowned listening to our music. Will you join him?'

Prank first instinct was to answer yes, and continue heading for her, but this man had just saved his life, and Prank was inclined to trust him. If it was a bad idea to go see the woman, then he would mourn for her here. The merman was swimming upwards now holding Prank's arm in a clawed fin-hand. 'You are lucky, child, that your folk and ours have an agreement to care for any wanderers who may seek the wrong side of the surface. Otherwise, you might have become a toy for our queen's pleasure, and never would have seen the light of the world above water again.'

This stunned Prank. The merman was not saying this with any kindness in his tone. There almost seemed to be a cool violence about his actions. Prank didn't notice, only hearing the curious wailing beneath him, Tearing most strongly at his heart. The words were gone once more, but the lilting cry was still ringing clearly. The merman now paused, lashing out in a strange direction. Another merman approached, carrying a spear and holding a man by the arm. The man had a bubble about his head. Prank recognised his father and held out his hands, now kicking rather than being dragged. The merman held up and spoke now to the merman guiding Lyon.

'He is still under the influence of the Arrken. I will guide him to the surface as it wears off.'

And so it was. Prank had to remain underwater for quite a while, in which he learned how he sank so far in such a short time. There were currents just a few dozen feet under the surface of the pool, designed to warn a straying merperson that they were approaching the surface. And wizard folk had kept from diving in the deep end for that very reason. Though it was true that a shallow dive was far from dangerous, falling as far as he had, Prank had sank just enough to get sucked under. He'd been spotted by Harnen, the merman who had been acting guard that day and after a moment's swim, had found Prank unconscious and drifting in the underground tide.

After nearly an hour of hovering above the riptide, Prank found himself struggling to breathe again. Harnen grabbed him about his middle and pulled him to the surface, where Prank was already hungrily swimming. They broke surface about the same time, Prank coughing and spluttering, Harnen, opening his mouth and letting a wide fountain of water leave his lungs. He spoke in an oddly whispery voice for the strong bass he had had underwater.

'Hopefully we shall not see each other again, man-child.'

Prank looked at the merman with relief and thanks in his expression. 'Harnen...tell her...that I'm sorry.'

'That you would not drown for her?' the fish-man smiled.

'That she feels so poorly...and that I hope she'll find him again.'

The merman seemed to have a bit of a smile on his face as he turned over, his tail flicking in the air before disappearing. Prank doggy-paddled to the shore where his father and many of the residents of Aquae Solace waited anxiously. He was thoroughly soaked, and utterly waterlogged, but Lyon swept him into a huge hug anyway. Prank was a little embarrassed by all the attention, but was glad for the blanket swung over his shoulders for now that he was above the surface, a terrible chill bit at him. He saw Hilda and Jessica's mother standing there, a handkerchief in hand, dabbing at her eyes. Lyon accorded her a stiff look as he drew Prank to their room.

'Mr. Walker...I'm so sorry...I...'

Lyon lowered his eyes and walked with Prank, his hand growing a little tight on Prank's shoulder. Prank was a little confused by this, considering it was Mandy that had used the pushing spell, and not Mrs. Moon, or even Hilda. He wondered where the confusion had occurred but figured that since Amanda's folks were not even here, that she perhaps was also being punished. It brought him no joy that vengeance was taken on his behalf. Frankly, it depressed him. He didn't hold a grudge when it was his own stupidity of being on a railing with treadless shoes that had really caused the accident. Even if he'd been knocked backwards by a spell.

He told his father as much in a halting manner as soon as they were alone. Lyon took the information in a very serious manner, then as Prank looked as though he were about to burst into tears at the pain that the two girls were doubtless experiencing at the moment, he asked, very carefully, 'Would it have happened if they weren't there?'

Prank considered, playing the entire situation back in his mind. 'No, dah...but I did make them upset.'

'Then what have we learned?'

'Don't make girls mad?'

'And don't go bouncing around like a fool in magical places.' Lyon boffed him gently upside the head. 'Ye would have been a bloody mess if ye'd fallen into some of the other pools here.'

This satisfied the pessimism in Prank's heart somewhat, and he grinned. He liked it when things were just, and it would have been terrible if Lyon had failed to recognise Prank's part in things. He never doubted his father's favour, though sometimes Prank felt that his father was far too easy with him, even if Lyon's disapproving glance was as destructive as a spanking or other physical punishment. The melancholic air had not left Prank since he'd dried off. There was a bitter yearning in his heart, and without asking to leave, Prank headed for the balcony that overlooked yet another pool. The sun had set now and the moon was rising. He sighed, and heard his father get up and move further into the apartment. This was a relief, considering Prank was in no mood to talk at the moment. His heart and mind were still filled with that sorrow the merwoman had broadcasted in her high, beautiful voice. Prank swallowed at the lump in his throat, wondering if it would have been so bad to go visit her for a time, hold her hand and cry with her?

He could still recall her voice, and he wondered what she looked like. For some reason, he felt she looked like his mother, holding Puffy silent beside her, crying out to Lyon, the husband that had left her. Prank covered his head with his arms, and tried not to think like that. No, he told himself, she would look like Harnen, with a broad face, and be silver and shine blue in the darkness. But her face was still that of his mother, and tears escaped his eyes. They had left her, and why shouldn't she cry? Her father had done the same. Would Puffy be yet another mourning McKite? Prank hoped not. Not if he could help it, anyway.

There was a queer flutter in his heart and he looked up over the resort of Aquae Solace, the two-story buildings lit now with magical torches, the pools glowing green between the rows. The roofs were flat, unadorned. There were trees in the distance, and soft sounds of the actual town were dulled by magic. His eyes seemed to search for something but as he found nothing wrong with the skyline, he looked down at the green and shining pools that seemed to be filled with light, as much as water. Sprites danced on the surface of the water, glowing blue as they hopped and skipped.

'No, my torment is all I am worth,

And forever must I bear it, in your honour!'

Prank hadn't even realized he'd been singing until he heard his soft treble echo back to himself. There was a simple sadness and joy he found singing those words. He began to sing the tune, adding lines that he recalled. Louder and louder his high voice rang, until he was overcome with emotion and could no longer make the words pour forth from him. He jammed his fists into his eyes, and wondered how long he could stand being so alone.