The End of the Holidays

The wall clock in the principal's office chimed three times on the hour. By the time it chimed the second time, Barty Crouch, the director of the International Affairs and Cooperation Department, had already finished processing the competition-related documents on his desk.

Dumbledore, wearing his silver-rimmed reading glasses made of nanmu wood, slowly read the last rule.

"Gravis ' classmate... Delacour's sister... Krum's teammate..." Crouch slowly glanced at the names on the report and asked with interest, "What is the relationship between this Miss Weasley and our little Champion Potter? Are they lovers?"

The Champion's most beloved treasure, mentioned in the Golden Egg clue, is one of those people who reported it.

They hid them at the bottom of the Black Lake, giving the Champion an hour to rescue the hostages through numerous obstacles... Crouch couldn't understand why such a strange project proposal was chosen as the final option.

However, he was happy to play a fun game with these people.

Hearing his question, Dumbledore blinked. "Well, I don't know either... Miss Weasley is his dance partner at the Yule Ball. I would have preferred to have his good friend— Miss Weasley's brother, another Weasley —as the Champion's treasure."

Crouch Calais intrigued and said thoughtfully, "Weasley... that's a familiar name... oh, I remember now, the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office, a good colleague of mine."

He raised an eyebrow. "It sounds like our dear Potter has a good relationship with the Weasley family?"

"A warm and friendly family, no one dislikes them..."

Dumbledore casually brushed it off, dipped his quill in thick ink, and signed his name in the row below Igor Karkaroff, Olympe Maxime, Aegilbert Fontana —a long string longer than the three above combined.

"These documents kept this old man up for three hours, thank you for your trouble," Dumbledore. "Leave the rest to me. I'll communicate the important points with the Mermaid and deliver a great match."

"Mermaid..."

A dark glint flashed in Crouch's deep eyes. "A bunch of mysterious guys, huh? I also know a little bit of the Mermaid language, but I've never had the chance to use it."

Species on the fringes of magical society might be able to become his allies.

"The deep waters have hindered our communication, Mermaid possess a civilization no less advanced than that of humans." Dumbledore looked at him with a smile. "I love their artwork—the operas, the sculptures, and the jewelry—everything exudes the charm of harmonious coexistence in the ocean. You should really go and see it."

"Oh?" Crouch looked interested. "How skilled are they in magic?"

Dumbledore: "Hmm... in deep water, they rely more on strong tails and harpoons."

The image of Mercurius, the Mermaid leader, appeared before his eyes—the strongest and most violent, even though she was a woman...

"Really?" Crouch instantly lost interest and said listlessly, "Before the Second Task officially begins, Ludo and I will go into the water for testing. You'll have a chance to see it."

They're just a bunch of guys who can't move on land, so they don't seem to be of much use.

Soft circles of light rippled gently across the water's surface, casting dappled, swaying shadows into the deeper water. As your gaze followed these shadows, your tense mind would unconsciously relax.

The deep water seemed endless, and the gurgling sound of the water seemed to never stop, like the most intimate whisper.

"What a beautiful water world..."

The Old Merman's voice flowed through the water. "Decades ago, a serious internal conflict broke out among human wizards because a wizard of extraordinary talent saw an incredible future... Muggle who did not know magic used what they called science to create weapons with destructive power beyond magic, capable of destroying an entire city in an instant."

Ron looked around blankly, not understanding what he was talking about, while Loren, Hermione, and Harry, who had grown up in Muggle society, looked thoughtful.

So, did wizards Prophecy that ultimate weapon a long time ago?

"I don't know how that wizard felt, but he attempted to overthrow the Wizarding World in the wrong way, and was ultimately thwarted by your old headmaster..."

"As it turns out, Albus was right. Even though Muggle who don't know magic created that kind of weapon, the Statute of Secrecy still maintained peace in the human world." The Old Merman gave a helpless bitter smile. "But no one expected that the destructive power of that weapon was not only in the moment of its explosion, but also left behind a deadly poison that lasted for many years."

"The toxins spread into the ocean, rotting the flesh and blood of fish, causing their bones to become crooked, and ugly, deformed tumors to grow on their originally thin webbed feet. Even if the flesh and blood are removed, the contaminated parts cannot be restored."

Loren stood behind the Old Merman, his brows furrowing slightly. He had a rough idea of the truth behind the toxin.

"If it's just a small amount of toxin, we can survive thanks to the protection of the ocean, but..." the Old Merman's voice was mournful, "In the light and shadow of the deep ocean, this old fellow also saw a glimpse of the future!"

"In a few decades, the toxins in the ocean will increase until they permeate every corner of the deep sea..."

As the Old Merman cried out, a muffled thunderous roar suddenly rang in Loren's ears, and a cool and calming Magic Power surged into his mind, accompanied by magnificent and grand illusions of light and shadow.

It was Silencio ocean, filled with schools of fish emitting a faint glow in the invisible currents. Their pale, murky flesh was covered with twisted, deformed scales, and the skin around their eyes had long since decayed. As they swam, the flesh was washed away by the current, revealing stark white bones in the mud. Their unbound eyeballs were scattered everywhere, emitting an eerie, cold light.

Countless mutated fish swarmed around the dead, rotting Mermaid, eventually sinking into the dark, deep abyss.

The Old Merman's aged and sorrowful voice rang in Loren's ears. "Did you see that?"

Loren remained silent and did not answer.

Can I trust you?

Loren hesitated for a moment, then nodded inexplicably, as if drawn by some unseen force.

Then came the dragging sensation of the swirling water, and Loren felt as if he were a ghost trapped in a toilet bowl. After a moment of dizziness, his feet finally landed firmly on a flat surface, on the shoulder of the giant Mermaid sculpture.

A flash of crystalline blue light appeared in Loren's eyes, and he felt a strong sense of dread, unconsciously tightening his grip on Hermione's hand.

Hermione looked at him with some confusion, her brown eyes showing concern.

"It's nothing..." Loren shook his head, silently mouthing the words. He knew that only he had seen the scene in the Prophecy, and his gaze returned to the Old Merman.

So, the Old Merman knew the meaning of this surname and deliberately showed Prophecy to him in order to ask for help?

What does he want me to do?

Before Loren could ask a question, the Old Merman turned to look at them, his unusual expression gone, leaving only a truly aged face.

"Alright, time's up..."

Is that all?

The four young wizards were somewhat bewildered, unaware that the bass-baring Mermaid who had been standing beside them couldn't help but have his eyes redden.

The Old Merman's voice was weak but his words were clear. His face was kind and somewhat similar to Dumbledore's. Even though he had just talked about such a heavy topic, he still looked at them with a smile, "Our first meeting was a bit rushed. I didn't have time to prepare, so I can only give you some small gifts."

His gaze fell on the bracelet of the Mermaid beside him. The string snapped, and four Red Coral Stone floated to the four people.

The group of people caught the coral stone in a daze, their expressions blank.

"That's all for now, I won't say goodbye."

As the sound faded, the deep waters of the dark lake suddenly surged, forming invisible eddies that stopped just before reaching the giant Mermaid sculpture, like soft, smooth silk brushing against its shoulder.

"Did you realize that?"

"I feel incredibly safe as long as I can feel the water flowing."

The Old Merman spread his arms and leaned back, his face serene. The light in his eyes gradually dimmed, like a brilliant gem fading.

Under everyone's gaze, his entire body transformed into a bubble shimmering with seven colors, merging into the water as streaks of light.

The next second, a gentle vortex swept over, and the silt, moss, barnacles and other deposits that had accumulated on the stone carving for decades seemed to be washed away by a powerful detergent, turning into dust and disappearing completely.

"Let's go, I'll take you ashore," the deep-voiced Mermaid said in a muffled voice.

"This...we..." Ron's eyes widened, and he stammered, "He...he's dead?"

The Mermaid swam forward a few lengths, flicking her tail, and glanced at them indifferently. "It is the incarnation of flowing water. The elder is the longest-living Mermaid in the tribe. We were prepared long ago."

"But you—"

Ron was slapped by Loren, swallowing back what he was about to say. He swam ashore with them, lagging behind and muttering to Harry in a silly tone, "He looked like he was about to cry..."

When passing through the Mermaid village, you can see shadowy figures in the stone houses through the windows, hear faint sobs, and hear a distant, ethereal lament.

The closer you get to the ice layer on the surface, the more the lake resembles a calm sea, seemingly glowing with a faint light. A silver fish slowly swims past the statue, spreads its lateral fins, rushes towards the reefs, suddenly changes direction, its tail fin stirring up the mud, and disappears into a cloud of dust...

The return trip was much faster than the way there.

The ice near the shore had cracked and hadn't frozen over yet. Swimming to the shallow water, then stepping on the mud and pebbles to get ashore, the soft red glow on my body dissipated. My clothes weren't wet at all; instead, they felt warm and cozy.

The Mermaid poked half her head above the water, bobbing slightly. "Goodbye, little wizard."

"Goodbye." Loren nodded.

Harry's expression was somber. "Don't be too sad!"

Ron nodded in agreement.

The Mermaid didn't say much, flipped over, flicked her tail, and disappeared into the lake.

Ron's expression was complicated. He squeezed the red coral in his hand, looking at the rough but uniquely beautiful protrusion, and couldn't help but scratch his head.

He was happy to have acquired something new, but the thought of the Old Merman disappearing before his eyes made him feel strange, even though it was only their first meeting and he didn't have any particular feelings for him.

"What exactly was the purpose of the Merperson Elder's words to us?"

Harry asked, puzzled. He had just realized that the Mermaid' invitation had nothing to do with the Goblet of Fire Triwizard Tournament.

Hermione pursed her lips. "Whatever their intentions, we'll help them in the future!"

"That sounds just like something Hermione would say... but why did we have to be dragged into this..."

"Should we ask Dumbledore? But he must know about this..."

"With this red stone, I won't have to worry about my Second Task!"

"..."

Loren walked beside the little Witch, wading through the silvery snow, and looked back.

The clear blue sky couldn't penetrate the ice, and the underwater world was pitch black, making it impossible to see anything clearly.

It's already late January.

The Christmas holidays have flown by, and tomorrow is the start of the new school term.

In the evening, the Gryffindor Common Room is crowded with young wizards rushing to finish their homework. Depending on where they are doing their homework, the young wizards use different strategies. The single booths by the window are suitable for working alone, one person and one pen to create miracles in one night. They need to plan well, what to finish first and what to finish later, which subjects are due tomorrow and which subjects can wait.

Sofas and tea tables are suitable for teamwork. Three or five friends can get together, discuss and solve problems, and occasionally exchange a few witty remarks to relieve boredom. Efficiency may vary, but the atmosphere is harmonious and cheerful, making it suitable for long-term projects.

If you really have too much plagiarism, you can only borrow the assignments of diligent classmates for reference to control the plagiarism rate, but you'll have to pay the price of a few boxes of candy.

The sixth-grade wizards had another option: to ask the Weasley twins for help. Not only would they not have to give up any candy, but they would also receive candy in return... However, not many people were willing to be guinea pigs, and George and Fred were very disappointed.

At their usual spot at the small four-person table, Harry and Ron's quills flew across the paper with swift, elegant movements.

In stark contrast to the bustling atmosphere here, the two people sitting opposite were relaxed and at ease. One was quietly reading a book, while the other was studying how to shrink the Red Coral Stone and set it into a pendant.

Two weeks have passed since the underwater journey. Loren has spoken with Flamel, but to no avail. He already knows what the Prophecy the Merperson Elder saw was, but he can't explain it to others.

After going around in circles, we've returned to the original plan: to study hard and make progress every day, and to wait until the principal has dealt with Voldemort before making any further plans.

"What classes do you have tomorrow?" Loren pinched a strand of the little Witch's hair and twirled it around his finger.

"Herbology, Care of Magical Creatures, you'll be doing Divination this afternoon, and I'll be Runes..." Hermione said without looking up, "We can go to Hogsmeade again this weekend. You can come with me to the bookstore, and Harry can go to the pharmacy to see if they have any Gillyweed."

"Don't we already have coral stones?" Ron asked, looking up in confusion.

"It's better to be safe than sorry," Harry replied. "Sirius Black said the same thing. When all five Champion go into the water together, who knows what might happen? Maybe the stone will be lost..."

Loren remained noncommittal, gently shaking the hair in his hand. "Speaking of correspondence, Hermione, why did you secretly write a letter home on the second day of Christmas and not let me read the reply!"

Hermione blushed, glared at him, and angrily pulled her hair back.

Why should I show you my mother's letter!