Watching and Being Watched

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Thanks as always to my wonderful Beta June!

And thanks also to ancientgirl and bekbek01 for your encouragement and advice

Chapter 5 - Watching and being watched

The little blue fish didn't fully understand what had happened. The merman and mermaid were getting ready to kiss, and then suddenly the black-tailed merman was pointing his trident-wand at him.

"I swear to Merlin, if I catch you, fish, you will be mine for breakfast!" he yelled.

The blue fish swam as fast as he could, eager to be away from the angry merman behind him. He'd be lucky if he didn't get his tail fins sizzled tonight. He swam quickly to the middle of the lake, as his master had told him to. 'Where is it?' he thought to himself, searching the lake surface for a sign. 'There it is!' He moved quickly upwards towards the silvery circle of light on the lake's surface and broke through.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Albus Dumbledore was woken by a slight splashing sound. He hadn't even realized he had fallen asleep. He'd been up worrying about Hermione and Severus, among other things. The persistent splashing sound brought his thoughts back to the present. It could really only mean one thing. Philippe was back. Albus slowly stood and moved to the magical watery basin beside him.

"How goes it, Philippe?" he asked tiredly.

"What a merman you have me chasing about," the blue fish exclaimed. "Nearly got my tail fins singed by that one."

Dumbledore chuckled. "Well, Severus does have a temper," he said sagely. "Where are they?" he asked, suddenly changing the subject.

"On the far side of the lake," Philippe said. "They missed the merpeople's village by a mile."

"Hmmm... This is most unlike Severus," said Dumbledore, tugging on his beard as he gazed at the little fish.

"I watched them. He spent too much time guiding his mermaid and the baby through the underwater caverns," said Philippe. "He lost all track of time and where they were going."

"I see," said Dumbledore. "That is more like the Severus I know, protecting the ones he is guarding. But, they are safe?"

"Yes. They are for now," said Philippe.

"And how is our other project going down there?" asked Dumbledore, his eyes twinkling.

Philippe grinned proudly. "Well, coming along fine now that I intervened."

"You intervened? What did you do?"

"I had to tell him to talk to her. He seems a bit nervous, that merman of yours."

"Can I assume then that it was your intervention that nearly got your fins hexed off?" Albus asked, quite amused.

"Yes, it was as a matter of fact." Philippe said. "He didn't seem to like my encouragement."

Albus laughed. "Well, for your sake, Philippe, I would leave well enough alone. How did you last leave them?"

"They were about to kiss when he stopped and chased me off," said Philippe. "It won't be long now before they do kiss."

"One can only hope," sighed Dumbledore. "Any more news on the merbaby?"

"Well, it's all quite odd, Headmaster. There is a merfamily missing their baby, but no one knows how she disappeared. This was no mere accident. Whoever took this child snatched her from her home." Philippe's eyes took on a serious look. "I suspect there is something evil at play here."

Dumbledore sat back, clearly upset by this news. "And the other inhabitants of the lake?" he asked. "Do they know anything of this?"

"No, that's the curious thing," said Philippe. "Whoever took this merbaby did so quite secretly. I've questioned dozens of my fellow lake dwellers, and none have ever heard of such a thing happening. I fear for the worse."

"Are there no other leads then?" Dumbledore asked.

"Well, there are the grindylows," said Philippe. "They're a tricky bunch. I'm not looking forward to questioning them."

"I'm afraid I shall have to ask you to do just that, Philippe," Dumbledore said sadly. "Much depends on this and the safety of those I love in the lake."

"Yes, sir, Headmaster. I will get right to it," said the little fish quite seriously.

"Thank you Philippe," said Dumbledore graciously. "And please keep a watch on my little ones in the water. They are like my own children. I do not want to see them harmed."

"Then I shall leave at once," said Philippe. "It will be my honor to guard ones you love so much tonight. And in the morning I shall see what those grindylows have to say."

"Thank you, Philippe, I am in your debt," said Dumbledore.

"No, Headmaster, it is I who is in yours," said Philippe. "It's an honor to serve you."

And with that he turned tail and splashed back into the water.

Dumbledore stared for several minutes at the magic basin beside him.

"Be safe, my friend," he said, "Be safe."

~*~*~*~*~*~

Deep in the murkier waters of the lake a grindylow swam quickly. He too was late meeting his master; only unlike Phillipe, he feared this confrontation. Khai neared the lake's surface and swam to its edge. His master stood in the dark shadows just out of sight.

"Master, I have news of the merbaby," said Khai.

"And what do you have to tell me, Khai?" asked the dark stranger. Khai had never seen his face; he only knew that all grindylows feared him.

"A wizard and witch have found her, sir." The water demon cringed, waiting for a beating. When none came, he continued. "They transformed themselves into merpeople, in order to return her to her family, but have gotten lost along the way."

"They have her?" he asked. "Where?"

"At the bottom of the lake," said Khai, his pale green skin turning even paler with fright.

"Bring her to me now," demanded the wizard. "I will not tolerate any mistakes like last time," he growled.

"Yes, Master," said Khai, bowing away from him. "I will bring back the merbaby for you."

"You'd better," said the dark man. "Oh, and Khai?" he said to the retreating grindylow.

"Yes?" said Khai.

"Crucio!"

Khai fell back into the water, his cries of pain muffled as the water surrounded him.

On the shore, his master laughed manically.

As soon as the pain subsided, Khai swam off into the deep darkness of the lake. He knew he'd better do the job right this time. There would be no second chance if he failed again. He had to find his accomplices, Boris and Monito.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Severus's eyes scanned the distant horizon. Movement of the living things around him had settled now. Much like the inhabitants on land, the ones in the water seemed to be sleeping too. Every now and then there was movement in the water, but nothing had seemed threatening.

He was very thankful for Dumbledore's underwater lantern right now. Its light illuminated an imaginary boundary he had forged in his mind. It also comforted him to know he was able to see that far. At one point during the night, he had seen a huge mass floating by. He was very relieved when it didn't come any closer, and hoped that it was simply the giant squid floating by for a good look.

The hours of swimming earlier that day and the relaxing movement of the plant he was anchored to were tempting Severus to sleep. Just as he felt he might, a movement to his left brought him around. He heard a whimper and a struggle, and suddenly he saw Coral floating nearby. He reached out and pulled her closer to him.

She reached out and patted his nose fondly.

"What are you doing out of bed, young lady?" he asked sternly, looking down his nose at her adorable little face.

Coral looked up at him sweetly and smiled.

"Couldn't sleep, eh?" he asked.

Coral cooed.

"Well, don't let Hermione know you got loose from her plant," said Severus. "She'd be quite upset to see you were able to get free."

Coral smiled at him and snuggled into his arms.

"Ah, very well," he said. "You can stay with me for a while."

He took this time to examine the merbaby a bit more. She had tiny little fingers, which Severus found quite fascinating. He couldn't remember the last time he'd spent this much time with a baby, perhaps when Draco was born. Severus remembered staring at him in wonder – such tiny little fingernails that seemed impossibly small to him. He wondered what her parents were thinking of right now, and he thought of how he would feel if something so precious was ever taken away from him.

"Where are your parents, Coral?" he asked out loud. "How could they ever have let you go? If you were my daughter, there is no way on earth I would ever let you leave or get hurt."

Coral looked up at him and curled her tiny little fingers around his long thin one.

"I suppose," he said rather sadly, "that you shall be the only thing I have close enough to be a daughter. I do not expect anyone would want to have a child with me."

Coral gave a cry of protest and looked towards Hermione.

"Hermione?" he questioned. "Well, erm... I'm not sure."

Coral gave him an odd look and an unhappy cry.

"Well, I suppose I could be wrong," he said. "Perhaps if I..."

But what Severus was about to say was never heard. Swooping in from all sides were grindylows.