Fathoms Below
The sun filtered through the water, casting prisms of light on nearby corals and schools of fishes. Hermione adjusted the strap of her bag and hiked it higher up her shoulder. She inhaled deeply, released her white-knuckled grip from the strap, and flicked her tail sharply. She shot past the reefs and the schools, eyes firmly fixed on the glowing sun above.
With one last flick, she shot out of the water in a splash and arched backward. She let her back hit the surface with a loud slap and laced her fingers together behind her head, flicking her tail every so often to stay afloat. A sharp wind blew over the sea and rapidly dried the water on her face. It made her skin feel tight and funny like any quick movement could have it torn in half. The sun shone brightly enough to leave spots dancing behind her eyelids and the ocean's current gently rocked her back and forth, nearly sending her into a relaxing sleep.
This was where she belonged— up in the arms of the sun and the kiss of the breeze. Where no one knew her name and no overbearing and paranoid father looked down on her passion for exploring. Out here, surrounded by a completely different blue, she felt new and complete in a way that the sea had never managed to make her feel.
Out here she was alone but she was free and that was all that really mattered in the end.
Slowly, her mouth curved into a smile and Hermione began to hum the scale that Harry had taught her in her first voice lesson, trailing her fingers through the air as she watched the seabirds fly overhead.
She flicked her tail once more and tumbled head over fins as the sea violently rolled underneath her. Hermione sputtered, haphazardly pushing her hair out of her eyes as she turned to face the biggest ship she had ever seen.
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"Steady as she goes!" Fleur called, from where she was balancing precariously on the bow. One hand loosely gripped one of the many ropes surrounding her and the other cupped her mouth in order for her to be better heard by the crew. "Winward ho!"
A chorus of strong 'AYES!' met her ears and she grinned, turning and tipping her face into the salty breeze.
"Honestly Fleur," Gabrielle said, from where she was planted on the deck, desperately clutching at the rail. "Why couldn't you choose something else for your hobby? Something close to home, on the ground. Not this godforsaken wooden death trap miles out from any hint of civilization!"
Fleur threw her head back and laughed. Whatever she was going to say was lost to the wind as the sailors picked up a tune, led by their captain, Viktor Krum.
"I'll tell you a tale of the bottomless blue!" he sang, voice low and deep, but still managing to carry over the wind.
"And it's hey to the starboard, heave ho!" the sailors and Fleur replied. She caught her sister's eye once more and laughed at the look of distaste on Gabrielle's face. She leaped from the bow and landed solidly on the deck, only to double over with laughter at the look on Gabrielle’s face.
"You okay, Gabi?" Fleur asked, clapping a hand on the younger girl's shoulder. "You're looking a little green around the gills there."
"Of course I am not okay, Fleur!" Gabrielle snapped, shaking her hand off. "I miss home, I miss my bed, I miss the three, freshly cooked meals we'd receive each day, and I miss the ground not moving underneath my feet!"
"Oh, come now," Fleur said, slinging an arm over Gabrielle’s shoulder and pulling her close. Gabrielle struggled, but her seasickness combined with the iron grip Fleur had made it a rather futile endeavor. "Isn't this just, perfection?"
She gestured out past the ship, at the endless blue spanning as far as the eye could see in every direction. "Out on the open sea with just the wind and your imagination."
"Oh yes," Gabrielle replied, her voice heavy with sarcasm. "It is simply—" The ship gave a powerful lurch, prompting Gabrielle to bend over the railing and empty her lunch. "—delightful." she groaned, resting her head on the worn wood in defeat.
"I'll tell you a tale of the King of the Sea!" Viktor sang, breaking through their little reverie.
"And it's hey to the starboard, heave ho!" Fleur automatically replied, along with the sailors.
"If you don't stand so close to the edge, you'll feel the swaying less," she said, prying Gabrielle’s death grip from the rails. She began to guide Gabrielle back to the center. near where the main mast was.
"The ruler of all of the oceans is he!"
"In mysterious fathoms below!"
"King of the Sea," Gabrielle scoffed, plunking onto a bench by the wheel.
"He has a name, you know," Fleur replied, attempting to disentangle her sister's hands from her shirt.
"Nautical nonsense," Gabrielle replied, before breathing in sharply and holding it. Fleur tensed, already mourning the fate of her shirt when Gabrielle breathed out slowly through clenched teeth and released her hands. "A silly superstition."
Fleur stepped away smoothly and retucked her shirt, making sure it fell just the right way. She watched as Viktor leaned down and sharply tapped the top of Gabrielle's head.
"The King of the Ocean gets angry," he intoned, face void of any emotion except grave seriousness. "And when he gets angry, beware. I'm telling ya, lass, when King Triton is mad…" His face turned haunted and he gripped the wheel so hard the wood creaked.
"How the waves'll buck, rock to and fro!" Cedric, the First Mate, carried on when it became clear that the Captain could not continue. He waved his hands and the sailors slowly joined in.
"Hold on, good luck, as down you go!"
Fleur chuckled at the look of alarm on Gabrielle's face. She supposed that if a crew of strange people were singing in her face, she would also be concerned. Fleur was about to step in when she heard something over the wind.
She turned sharply and headed towards the stern, where she thought she heard it from. As she got closer, the sound became clearer, and Fleur furrowed her brow.
Was that… singing?
It was not like the rough and strong voices of the sailors, honed from years on the sea and too much ale. It was light and airy, floating above the careless noise of the ocean and delicately dancing on the wind. Fleur glanced around in confusion, not noticing anyone around them.
Who was it?
The voice came again, stronger this time and reaching higher than before. As if whoever was singing was attempting to reach the sky.
Fleur glanced down and spotted a blurry shape by the port side. When she turned her head more to look, the shape was gone.
"Fleur?" Gabrielle asked. She turned and rushed over when she spotted her sister attempting to stand up on very wobbly legs.
"Sit down, sit down!" she exclaimed, grasping Gabrielle’s arm.
"What were you doing?" her sister asked.
"I…" Fleur glanced over her shoulder, back at the empty sea. "I thought I heard something, that's all."
Gabrielle narrowed her eyes before dramatically sighing. "And now you're hearing things," she exclaimed, draping a hand across her forehead and ignoring Fleur's offended squawk. "Oh, we must get you home, your majesty!"
"Don't do this," Fleur groaned. Her plea went ignored.
"You must return to your subjects before your mind leaves you completely!"
"I will throw you off this boat," she threatened. Gabrielle merely opened one eye and raised a brow. Fleur held her gaze for a solid three seconds before huffing and looking away. "Yeah, yeah, I didn't believe myself either."
Gabrielle’s answering laugh was worth the slight sting of humiliation. Yet, as the sailors continued singing, with Gabrielle, surprisingly joining in near the end, and as the ship continued to cut through the waves, Fleur could not stop thinking about that voice.
She could almost hear it in the echo of the wind, haunting her world and reaching for the sky.
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