Chapter 632: Merpeople
Underwater, Wade opened his eyes.
He reached down and touched the fish tail that had formed below his waist—smooth, shimmering ScaleLight, slender and supple, its internal bones like a coiled, flexible spring. He gave it a tentative flick, and his body shot forward like an arrow through the water. The sensation of the liquid rushing over his skin was even more exquisite than he’d imagined.
He touched his cheek, his fingers tracing an unusual protrusion. On the sides of his face, two long, narrow slits ran vertically. He raised his wand and waved it through the water. The liquid rippled, and a full-length oval mirror emerged from the depths.
Floating in the water, Wade gazed into the mirror. He hadn’t turned into one of the grotesque Merpeople from the Black Lake. Above the waist, he was still himself—his familiar face, his own body. His hair had grown slightly longer, drifting in the current like silk, free and flowing. Below his ears, two elongated cracks bore dark, tattoo-like markings—his new gills, granted by the Gill Sac Grass. They allowed him to breathe freely underwater, drawing oxygen directly from the lake’s water.
His hands were less nimble than before, fingers now connected by thin, translucent webbing—but that didn’t hinder his ability to wield his wand.
With a powerful flick of his tail, he shattered the mirror before him and surged deeper into the lake’s dark embrace.
He needed to test the limits of his transformation. How long could he maintain this form? How fast could he swim? Could he dive as deep as a true Merperson—into the very bottom of the lake?
---
“Harry Potter, sir? Harry Potter, sir?”
Harry stirred in his dream, barely conscious. A voice called to him from nearby. He grunted, blinking awake—only to be startled by a face that loomed just inches from his.
“Dobby? No… you’re not Dobby!”
Harry instinctively grabbed his wand and pointed it at the figure. “Who are you?”
As he spoke, he glanced at the curtains.
His voice wasn’t quiet, but the dormitory remained silent. No one else stirred.
“Shh—”
The tiny house-elf raised a finger, signaling him to be silent.
Harry’s heart hammered. He froze, hands fumbling to put on his glasses.
“Makki is a friend of Mr. Wade Gray,” the elf whispered. “Mr. Gray asked Makki to deliver this extra Gill Sac Grass to you, Mr. Potter.”
“Wade?” Harry relaxed slightly. “What’s that? Why didn’t he give it to me himself?”
“Gill Sac Grass,” Makki repeated softly. “It lets a person breathe underwater, sir.”
Harry immediately understood. He looked down at the bundle of herbs on his blanket. “But… I’ve already mastered the Bubble Head Charm. I don’t need this.”
Makki studied him silently. “How long can your Bubble Head Charm last, Mr. Potter?”
“Ah… over an hour, maybe?” Harry answered.
“And if the bubble bursts? Or vanishes suddenly? Do you have a backup plan?”
Harry fell silent.
He’d learned a few tricks from Sirius Black to protect his bubble—but he couldn’t claim it was foolproof.
Makki said nothing more. He bowed deeply, then vanished in an instant, leaving only the herbs behind.
Harry hesitated, then finally grabbed the Gill Sac Grass and stuffed it beneath his pillow. Sleep was impossible now.
---
Seeing the unused Gill Sac Grass, Wade felt a spark of inspiration. He entrusted Makki with delivering it to Harry.
In the original story, Harry had relied on the herb to survive the second task, pushing all the way to the end. Fleur, on the other hand, had used the Bubble Head Charm—but when attacked, she’d been forced to retreat from the Black Lake and never even got to save her sister.
Of course, in the original timeline, only four champions competed. As Beauxbatons’ representative, Fleur could still advance to the final Horn Tournament even if she failed the second task.
But this time, if someone was driven out by a magical creature from the lake, they’d be eliminated entirely.
Harry now seemed stronger than in the original—no longer helpless before the Black Lake. But having mastered the Bubble Head Charm, he risked repeating Fleur’s fate.
Wade didn’t want Harry to leave the tournament too soon. So he sent the Gill Sac Grass anyway.
---
February passed quickly. Before he knew it, the 24th arrived.
After breakfast, Wade walked through the oak main gate and stood at the top of the towering staircase leading to the castle entrance. His breath fogged in the cold air.
Far off, the spectator stands rose in layered tiers along the edge of the Black Lake. In front of them stood several giant streaming mirrors, their surfaces still catching the faint sway of underwater weeds, even from this distance.
People passing by clapped him on the shoulder or back, offering encouragement. Wade no longer hesitated. He stepped onto the grass and moved toward the damp shoreline.
“Nervous?” Michael hurried up beside him.
Wade shook his head. “I’m well-prepared.”
“Be careful,” Michael said, glancing at the other schools. “Those home teams might team up and target you first.”
“Don’t worry,” Wade smiled. “If I didn’t have a plan, I wouldn’t have challenged them in the first place.”
“Good!” Michael grinned. “I’m off to the stands—go show them what you’re made of, Wade! Let them see what you can do!”
Wade waved him off, watching as Michael sprinted toward the stands. He took a seat beside Daphne.
Slytherin students were unusually animated. Aside from a few with grim expressions, most were rooting for Hogwarts’ champion. Wade even spotted a student holding a banner with “Wade Gray” scrawled in green letters.
He approached the referee’s table. The headmasters were already there, as were most of the champions. Even the headmasters of the three schools that had been eliminated earlier had returned, chatting amiably with others.
“Release twenty more Mother Mirrors! I need more Horn views!” a wizard in a green vest barked into a communication pea. “What are you waiting for? Bring out every piece of equipment!”
A group of young assistants hurried forward, carrying large boxes. They set them down at the lake’s edge and opened them, dumping the contents into the water. A cascade of small, glowing blue fish tumbled in, wriggling once before darting into the depths with practiced grace.
“These are the newest model Mother Mirrors—fully adapted for underwater use,” a cheerful voice said from behind Wade.
He turned. Mr. Machionni strode toward him in a golden robe, beaming with enthusiasm.
“Wade!” Machionni threw his arms wide. “It’s wonderful to see you!”
“Machionni!” Wade laughed, embracing him. “I didn’t expect you to come in person!”
“Of course I had to!” Machionni said. “The first task’s tournament in the America branch had an emergency—had to rush off. But this time? I’m not missing a single moment!”
“By the way…”
Before Wade could respond, Machionni leaned in, eyes bright with curiosity. “I heard there’s a special kind of transformation going around Hogwarts lately?”
(End of Chapter)
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