In Too Deep (Blairon)

The Not Normal Gets Less Normal

"So, what's the problem?" I asked, digging into my scrambled egg sandwich. Besides me, Blaise glared at his food, probably wondering why his sardines looked the way they did. You know. Cooked.

Across from me, Harry and Draco sat and ate, Hermione on the armchair to my right. Cormac, having just woken up, was drinking a tall glass of water, leaning against the wall. His curly, dark blonde hair fell into his tired blue eyes which were circled with dark shadows.

"The problem is-" Draco started, wiping his mouth with a napkin, "Hermione and I both get off of personal leave today. We've both healed, which means we have to go to work. We can't stay."

Draco glanced at Hermione who was staring passively at her salad. She rose her head towards McLaggen and spoke. "I'm guessing you have work to do, too?" She asked and McLaggen blinked hismelf out of his tired trance, nodding. "I don't work around the clock, though," he said. "I go when I am needed. Sometimes I don't get a job for hours, even days. This week has been pretty dry. Your house-" he motioned to me, "was the last job I got. All I have to do it wait."

"So then," I muttered. "Harry and I will obviously start working from home, what with the military wanting our help-"

At the mention of the military, Blaise dropped his sardines and stared at me wide eyed. His bare chest heaving. He shook his head vigorously, as if the word created nargles inside his head that he couldn't shake away.

"What is it?" I asked and Blaise gulped down his glass of water. "This military. Bad humans." He shook his head again. Hermione frowned. "What did they do, Blaise?" She asked gently. I was grateful Hermione was being kind to him, even after shooting him. I wouldn't want Blaise getting spooked by her because she helped me yesterday.

"I-I don't know-" Blaise began and Harry rolled his eyes. I glared at him and motioned for Blaise to continue. "The water they kept me in. It was broken. I couldn't change. Shift, I mean. I don't remember what my own true form looks like."

Blaise stared forlornly at his dark, muscular legs. It never occurred to me that he'd forgotten what his tail looked like.

But oh, I remember it clear as day. Long, eight feet at least. Strong. So extremely strong. Pitch black with scales that glistened like stars. A three foot fin that most mermaids have in cartoons. The little mermaid would scream and run if she saw Blaise, however. Blaise's tail was no joke. The perfect way to thrust through the water at unimaginable speed, too quick for your prey to comprehend. It's curve could crush you like a snake strangling it's food.

It was beautiful. But it was scary.

Majestic, but deadly.

Graceful yet terrifying.

From the corner, McLaggen sprung to life as if only just realizing what the mer had said.

"You haven't  shifted?" He asked, looking blasphemous. Blaise turned to him and nodded slowly. "I do not remember the last time I did."

We all watched curiously as McLaggen slowly ran a hand over his mouth, stroking his chin. "What is it?" Harry asked, frowning.

"I-" Cormac started his sentence, but never finished it. Draco stood up. "McLaggen. What aren't you telling us?" He asked lowly, his thin eyebrows arching. Cormac ignored him. "Blaise. Do you remember what your diet used to be?" He asked and Blaise frowned, enclining his head to the left like he did when he was confused. McLaggen rephrased. "Uh, do you remember what you used to eat?" He pointed to his mouth.

Blaise thought for a moment before licking his lips. Serated, sardine coated teeth shone under them.

"No. But I've had the unmistakable urge to eat all of you. And I did eat those other three humans the other day-"

I thought I saw Blaise flash a glare at me at the sub-textual mention of the Finch Labs massacre and my stomach knotted into an uncomfortable ball. I suddenly lost my appetite.

"So I'm guessing before my memory was stolen, I ate humans."

Cormac nodded slowly, biting his lip. He suddenly figited, as if he were nervous. I glared at him.

"W-Weasley, can I talk to you?" He pointed to the hallway and my eyebrows rose into my hairline. He wanted to talk to me?

I stood up, but Blaise grabbed my hand and whimpered. Ignoring everybody's shocked looks, I bent down and kissed his forehead. Cormac flinched at the action.

"I'll be back, okay."

Reluctantly, Blaise let go of my hand and I followed McLaggen into the hallway.

"So, what did you want to talk about?" I asked quietly, trying my best to keep the venom from my voice. McLaggen gulped, staring back at the room we'd just left. He didn't just look nervous. He looked scared.

"Blaise isn't a mer," he said and I blinked before doing a double take, my eyes widening.

"What the bloody hell do you mean he isn't ?" I hissed, trying and failing to keep my voice down.

McLaggen bounced on the balls of his feet, seeming to want to leave.

"I mean, he is, sort of. But if what he's saying about his diet is true then he isn't.... normal."

My blood boiled.

"Of course he isn't normal! He's got a tail for Merlin's sake!"

I yelled and Cormac rolled his eyes, seeming to loose all patience with me.

"He's a siren, you idiot!"