Sparks 13
Title: Sparks 13
Author: enchanted_jae
Characters: Harry/Draco, Neville, Pansy, Ron/Hermione, Greg, Luna,
Rating: PG
Warning(s): None
Word count: 1050
Disclaimer: Characters are the property of JK Rowling, et al. This drabble/fic was written for fun, not for profit.
Written for: Birthday gift for murmure_c, who requested a continuation of Sparks
Summary: Harry and Neville explore the Black Lake in search of the missing mermaid.
"Harry!" Neville called, breaking the intimacy that had surrounded Harry and Draco. "Here's your gillyweed, mate," said Neville, brandishing a basket filled with the aquatic plants.
"And here are your radishes," said Luna, coming forward to hang garlands of radishes around the necks of Neville and Harry.
"Thank you, Luna," said Harry, resisting the impulse to shake his head. He stuck some gillyweed in his mouth, grimacing as he began to chew.
"Good luck," boomed Greg, whacking Harry on the back and causing him to choke on the gillyweed in his mouth.
Harry hacked and sputtered, but he finally managed to eat enough of the magical plant to achieve the desired results. As before, Harry's fingers lengthened and grew webbing between them. Gills developed on the sides of his throat, which would enable him to breathe underwater. He jumped into the lake before his feet turned into flippers.
Harry dove deep, then rocketed to the surface, breaking through and performing a midair somersault. He heard the whoops and laughter of the rest of Dumbledore House before he plunged back into the water. This time, Harry spied Neville to his right, and he nodded at his friend and pointed downward. The two of them swam close together, keeping one another in sight, as they descended through the water. They had their wands in hand, unsure of what to expect in the depths of the Black Lake.
A flash of movement to the left caught Harry's eye. He turned his head in time to see a large tail disappear in the gloom. At least it was swimming away, he thought. Neville waved to get his attention, pointing below them. Harry looked and saw several shapes darting about, and they seemed to be approaching.
Grindylows
Harry's grip tightened on his wand. He had fought the nasty little beasts off before, and he could do so again. A glance at Neville showed he was wearing an expression of fierce determination, and Harry was encouraged by his friend's bravery.
The grindylows grew bold. They swam rapidly at Harry and Neville, singly and in pairs, only to break away at the last possible moment. They were moving so quickly that Harry was having difficulty training his wand on any of them. He tried to scare them off by shooting sparks from the end of his wand, but they fizzled in the water. It was Neville who removed his garland of radishes and brandished them at the grindylows. Harry was astonished when they immediately fled the area.
Harry and Neville were able to proceed, and they continued their descent until a large, dark shape loomed into view from the limited visibility of the water. It was a dwelling of some sort, not unlike the structure Harry had seen during the Triwizard Tournament in Fourth Year. This one seemed more foreboding, however. He and Neville looked at one another and nodded. They had to investigate.
Neville checked the time on the magical watch he was wearing, giving Harry a quick thumbs up. Together, they swam to the structure and through an arched entryway. More grindylows rushed forward, but Neville scared them away with his radishes.
Harry made a mental note to thank Luna when they surfaced. He never would have guessed that root vegetables were an effective grindylow repellent. Harry and Neville conducted a systematic search of the underwater dwelling. Harry led the way, clearing grindylows out ahead of them while Neville watched their backs. Always, the aquatic creatures hovered nearby, and Harry wondered if it was only a matter of time before they attempted an attack.
A search of several small chambers proved fruitless. but then Harry and Neville drifted through another arched doorway and into what appeared to be a large common area. Bio-luminescent creatures in glass globes provided some illumination. Harry pulled up short and paddled to maintain his position. There was a dais at the far end of the chamber, complete with a pair of thrones. Above them hung a large glass pane, which contained the missing mermaid.
Neville noticed her, too, and he and Harry approached slowly. The mermaid saw them and pressed her hands against the glass. Her eyes were sad, and she seemed to be attempting to reach out to them. Harry touched her hand, half expecting to feel her warm and alive. Instead, his palm encountered nothing but chilled glass. The mermaid had never actually been real, after all.
The mermaid's mouth formed an O of dismay, and she pointed behind them. Harry spun in the water to see the grindylows rushing at him and Neville. He fired a stunning spell, and Neville followed suit. Those creatures who weren't impacted by the spell fled, and Neville tapped the watch on his wrist. They needed to surface, and soon.
Reluctantly, Harry and Neville exited the chamber and made their way out of the structure. They remained vigilant for grindylows, but their apparent retreat seemed to satisfy the creatures. As they neared the surface of the lake, Harry could feel the changes brought on by the gillyweed receding. He broke through and sucked in a grateful breath of air.
Neville surfaced next to Harry, coughing and sputtering.
"Alright there, Nev?" asked Harry. Neville nodded, and Harry turned to gauge the distance to shore. They had come up farther away than they had intended to. "Looks like we have to swim for it," Harry said. He and Neville struck out for shore, and by the time they were able to touch bottom, Harry's muscles felt heavy as lead.
Ron and Greg slogged out to meet them, helping Harry and Neville out of the water. Pansy and Hermione draped blankets over them, while Draco cast a warming charm over the two of them.
Harry's teeth stopped chattering, and he smiled his thanks to Draco.
"You made it back alive," said Draco, and he rewarded Harry with a kiss.
Sparks 14
Author: enchanted_jae
Characters: Harry/Draco, Neville, Pansy, Ron/Hermione, Greg, Luna,
Rating: PG
Warning(s): None
Word count: 1050
Disclaimer: Characters are the property of JK Rowling, et al. This drabble/fic was written for fun, not for profit.
Written for: Birthday gift for murmure_c, who requested a continuation of Sparks
Summary: Harry and Neville explore the Black Lake in search of the missing mermaid.
"Harry!" Neville called, breaking the intimacy that had surrounded Harry and Draco. "Here's your gillyweed, mate," said Neville, brandishing a basket filled with the aquatic plants.
"And here are your radishes," said Luna, coming forward to hang garlands of radishes around the necks of Neville and Harry.
"Thank you, Luna," said Harry, resisting the impulse to shake his head. He stuck some gillyweed in his mouth, grimacing as he began to chew.
"Good luck," boomed Greg, whacking Harry on the back and causing him to choke on the gillyweed in his mouth.
Harry hacked and sputtered, but he finally managed to eat enough of the magical plant to achieve the desired results. As before, Harry's fingers lengthened and grew webbing between them. Gills developed on the sides of his throat, which would enable him to breathe underwater. He jumped into the lake before his feet turned into flippers.
Harry dove deep, then rocketed to the surface, breaking through and performing a midair somersault. He heard the whoops and laughter of the rest of Dumbledore House before he plunged back into the water. This time, Harry spied Neville to his right, and he nodded at his friend and pointed downward. The two of them swam close together, keeping one another in sight, as they descended through the water. They had their wands in hand, unsure of what to expect in the depths of the Black Lake.
A flash of movement to the left caught Harry's eye. He turned his head in time to see a large tail disappear in the gloom. At least it was swimming away, he thought. Neville waved to get his attention, pointing below them. Harry looked and saw several shapes darting about, and they seemed to be approaching.
Grindylows
Harry's grip tightened on his wand. He had fought the nasty little beasts off before, and he could do so again. A glance at Neville showed he was wearing an expression of fierce determination, and Harry was encouraged by his friend's bravery.
The grindylows grew bold. They swam rapidly at Harry and Neville, singly and in pairs, only to break away at the last possible moment. They were moving so quickly that Harry was having difficulty training his wand on any of them. He tried to scare them off by shooting sparks from the end of his wand, but they fizzled in the water. It was Neville who removed his garland of radishes and brandished them at the grindylows. Harry was astonished when they immediately fled the area.
Harry and Neville were able to proceed, and they continued their descent until a large, dark shape loomed into view from the limited visibility of the water. It was a dwelling of some sort, not unlike the structure Harry had seen during the Triwizard Tournament in Fourth Year. This one seemed more foreboding, however. He and Neville looked at one another and nodded. They had to investigate.
Neville checked the time on the magical watch he was wearing, giving Harry a quick thumbs up. Together, they swam to the structure and through an arched entryway. More grindylows rushed forward, but Neville scared them away with his radishes.
Harry made a mental note to thank Luna when they surfaced. He never would have guessed that root vegetables were an effective grindylow repellent. Harry and Neville conducted a systematic search of the underwater dwelling. Harry led the way, clearing grindylows out ahead of them while Neville watched their backs. Always, the aquatic creatures hovered nearby, and Harry wondered if it was only a matter of time before they attempted an attack.
A search of several small chambers proved fruitless. but then Harry and Neville drifted through another arched doorway and into what appeared to be a large common area. Bio-luminescent creatures in glass globes provided some illumination. Harry pulled up short and paddled to maintain his position. There was a dais at the far end of the chamber, complete with a pair of thrones. Above them hung a large glass pane, which contained the missing mermaid.
Neville noticed her, too, and he and Harry approached slowly. The mermaid saw them and pressed her hands against the glass. Her eyes were sad, and she seemed to be attempting to reach out to them. Harry touched her hand, half expecting to feel her warm and alive. Instead, his palm encountered nothing but chilled glass. The mermaid had never actually been real, after all.
The mermaid's mouth formed an O of dismay, and she pointed behind them. Harry spun in the water to see the grindylows rushing at him and Neville. He fired a stunning spell, and Neville followed suit. Those creatures who weren't impacted by the spell fled, and Neville tapped the watch on his wrist. They needed to surface, and soon.
Reluctantly, Harry and Neville exited the chamber and made their way out of the structure. They remained vigilant for grindylows, but their apparent retreat seemed to satisfy the creatures. As they neared the surface of the lake, Harry could feel the changes brought on by the gillyweed receding. He broke through and sucked in a grateful breath of air.
Neville surfaced next to Harry, coughing and sputtering.
"Alright there, Nev?" asked Harry. Neville nodded, and Harry turned to gauge the distance to shore. They had come up farther away than they had intended to. "Looks like we have to swim for it," Harry said. He and Neville struck out for shore, and by the time they were able to touch bottom, Harry's muscles felt heavy as lead.
Ron and Greg slogged out to meet them, helping Harry and Neville out of the water. Pansy and Hermione draped blankets over them, while Draco cast a warming charm over the two of them.
Harry's teeth stopped chattering, and he smiled his thanks to Draco.
"You made it back alive," said Draco, and he rewarded Harry with a kiss.
Sparks 14