merman heist planning
“So,” Hermione says, raising an eyebrow when she sees Harry pull up to the campsite sopping wet. “What were you thinking, exactly?”
Harry shakes his head, stripping off his shirt. “Nothing, Hermione. I just…saw someone.” He shakes it, squeezing off the remaining droplets before putting it on again, frowning in discomfort when it sticks to his skin.
“Who?” The brunette asks, questions hovering on the tip of her tongue. “And why do you…look like that?”
“A merman,” He murmurs, the lingering warmth making his jaw ache. “And I’m going to save him.”
The brunette stares at him in dismay, eyes softening in worry. “Harry, you know we can’t-”
Harry runs his hand through his wet hair, trying to shake off the cold. “Hermione,” he cuts her off, pleading. “Imagine having to live in a prison your entire life not knowing what the outside world is like. I can’t just leave him!”
Hermione bites her lip, taking in his haggard appearance. Her mind wanders back to the bars she saw on Harry’s windows when he lived at the Dursleys. “How would we even go about doing that?” She finally says, sighing. “We’re still on the run, if you haven’t forgotten, and it’s not like merpeople can magically gain legs and walk on ground.”
“I don’t know how,” he admits, rubbing his hands together. “But we can figure something out. There has to be a way.”
Hermione lets out a groan, drying him off with a quick spell. “Of course you would try to do this without a plan. What, did you think you could just kidnap him and everything would work out?”
Harry flushes, muttering a quick thanks as he warms up. “I was hoping you knew something.”
“Fine,” she says, shaking her head with a reluctant smile. “But only because I’m against this as much as you are. Don’t think I’m letting you off the hook that easily.”
The blacknette nods, grateful. “I’ll take whatever help you can give me. I know this is a lot to ask.”
Hermione gives him a look, expression softening. “You’re not asking. We’re in this together,” she pauses, raising an eyebrow. “Just…promise me you’ll be more cautious next time. If you get caught by Snatchers…”
“Promise,” he agrees, deciding not to tell her about his run in with them a few hours ago. He watches as her eyes narrow in suspicion and clears his throat. “So, how exactly are we going to get him out?”
The brunette pushes a stray curl out of her face, thinking. “Well, we need to find a way to sustain him on land. If I still had access to the library then maybe I could have found a spell or potion-“
“Or maybe we could use gillyweed.”
Hermione looks at him in shock, pausing in her mutterings. “Gillyweed? Isn’t that supposed to- but it’s never been given to merpeople so maybe the effects are different…but it’s still too dangerous!”
“But we don’t have the luxury of that, do we?” He asks, sighing. “And if it doesn’t work, then we can try again.”
She barks out a laugh. “Funny for you to say, Harry. I don’t even know where he’s being held!”
“Knockturn..” Harry whispers quietly, gulping when she glares at him coldly.
“And what exactly were you doing at Knockturn?” She shrieks, throwing her hands in the air. “Do you know how dangerous that was…”
He watches her trail off before turning to him with a manic smile, dread pooling in his stomach.
“Actually, I think this might just work.”