Fallen Star (Harry Potter Love Story)

Chapter 15: A scaly Problem and a given Heritage

(Soundtrack: Track 15: Mermaid by Train)

It's been a long day.  I've learned three unforgivable curses, I've had my first taste of an earwax flavored jelly bean, and have fallen at random moments.
I have no idea what's happening but I have fallen or tripped over flat surfaces the entire day. My legs are all tingly and my blood feels cold. Well, colder. *cue evil smirk and wink*
"Maybe it's a concussion." Ron stated with a biscuit hanging out his mouth.
"Don't be silly, Ronald, what could she have possibly done?" Hermione asked hitting her head with her hand in exasperation.
"I don't know what it is but I just feel strange. My blood feels cold and my legs are all tingly." I said picking up a spoonful of soup before spilling it back in the bowl.
"Are you okay? Is there any pain?" Harry asked.
"Not really. It burns a bit, I think I just need some sleep." I said standing up wobbling a bit but Harry helped me.
"Maybe what you need is a nice warm bath to relax your muscles." Harry suggested and I nodded my head and started towards the doors of the Great Hall.
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I sighed into the bubbles and lay in my boiling hot bath.
Bubbles were all around and I smiled and leant my head against the side of the bath tub.
My blood all of a sudden felt as ice. I shivered and squealed a bit squeezing my eyes shut as a pain shot through my soap covered legs.
I let out a horrid scream and slid into the bubbles and under water where I laid thrashing.
🛀🛀🛀🛀🛀🛀🛀🛀🛀🛀🛀🛀

Purple.
Why is the water purple? Why am I in water?
Am I breathing in it?
I raised myself from the water and sat up in the tub. I noticed two things.
One, my hair I now down to my butt and covering my breasts.
Two, my legs are in a binding of some sort.
With a shaky hand I pulled the drain of the tub up. Once I saw what was in front of me when all the bubbles popped I couldn't fight the blood curdling scream that shattered out of my salty tasting lips.

Hermione burst through the door with a raised wand but once she saw what I screamed at she screamed too.
"MATILDA!! Y-YOURE-YOURE A MERMAID!!"
"Hermione, what do I do?!" I screamed.
"I'll go get Madame Pomfrey!" She squealed.
 

"Oh this is trouble, isn't it?" Madame Pomfrey asked poking around at my newly attained tail. It was beautiful if I say so my self. It was sort of a glittery purplish so were my eyes, as Hermione informed me also the streaks in my now long hair.
"At least now we know more about her heritage." Dumbledore said softly, "This can only mean. You're mother was a veela/mermaid."
"Or my father." I pointed out but Dumbledore shook his head with a smile before Hermione interrupted my further questioning.
"What's that purple stuff?" Hermione asked.
"The blood of a mermaid is blue. It must be a reaction to your witch blood." Madame Pomfrey said.
"What do I do?!" I asked getting scare and accidentally flapping my tail making bubbles go everywhere.
"There's only one thing you can do. I will get a teacher to assist you with learning to swim with that. I will get Professor Binns to teach you the history of both kind but there's one thing you should know.
Mermaids are not gentle creatures. I'm afraid their biggest prey is human flesh. Most have been killed off by aurors. Some live in the black lake. You may have a sudden urge to do things you may now normally do but remember, you're only who you make yourself to be." And with that Dumbledore left while wiping the soap bubbles from his beard.
"Here honey. Let's get you to the hospital wing."
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"So what's been up with you? Haven't seen you all day." Ron said taking another bite of his chicken leg.
"Nothing. I've just been in the hospital wing. Madame Pomfrey helped me with that pain I had in my legs and all. Passed it off as a mere cold. All better now." I said chowing down my food.
"Guess what?" Chorused two familiar red heads.
"What?" I asked as they sat on either side of me.
"Happy Birthday!" They said happily and I smiled as they each gave me a peck on the cheek.
"Oh they grow up so fast!" Fred cried wiping fake tears from under his eyes.
"Hardy har har. Thanks guys. You're the best. I actually forgot my own birthday so.."
"Well you're lucky we didn't." George said putting a cupcake in front of me.
"Happy Birthday." Ron smiled giving me a hug.
"Happy Birthday." Hermione said following Ron's lead. We turned to Harry to see him gawking at Cho from the Ravenclaw table.
My smile faltered and I licked the icing off my cupcake before thanking everyone and going back to the common room.
I sat down at the piano bench and played the 'Happy Birthday' song.

I went to bed that night very overwhelmed. I have a lot to think about. Tomorrow is my first day of learning to swim. Me and Hermione have argued wether or not to tell the guys but I'm not going to.
They'll find out eventually. When they need to.
Anyways the next day was basic. Breakfast; transfiguration; herbology; lunch; double potions; swimming lessons (not so basic).
I went down to the black lake after curfew with a towel wrapped tightly around my body.
I took off my combat boots and got in the water and felt the familiar tingle and slight pain in my legs and I knew my tail had appeared.
"Come my child."
I looked all around under water and saw a beautiful blonde mermaid with long hair like mine but instead it had blue streaks and she had a blue tail.
"I will teach you how to properly swim with your new tail and I will answer any and all questions you have for me."

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Third persons pov:

"Hey. Where's Matilda?" Harry asked.
"Honestly! We're halfway through the day and you haven't noticed that she's gone yet? What kind of friend are you?!" Hermione squealed dropping her mashed potatoes.
"Well where is she?" Ron asked.
"She's um-very s-sick." Hermione muttered but it sounded more like a question.
"She's what?!" Fred and George rose from their seats and looked at Hermione intently.
"Where is she?" George asked furrowing his eyebrows.
"N-no I mean. She u-uh can't be-be disturbed right now. She's not f-feeling well. Dumbledore allowed her the day off." Hermione said choosing her words more careful. The twins slowly sat back down but looked to be in deep thought.
That was close.
Now that Harry thought about it, Matilda and him haven't talked a lot. Probably because she's preoccupied with her own stuff. Perhaps she's growing out of Harry. Harry hoped not. He really did like her.
"-now that she's fourteen and all." Ron said talking to Neville.
"Sorry. Now that who's fourteen?" Harry asked trying to get caught up on the subject.
"Matilda." Ron said in a duh voice.
"She's what?! When did that happen?" Harry asked freaking out.
"Um. The day before yesterday." Hermione said slowly, "We had a big supper party and everything! You missed it all staring at the Ravenclaw table for some unknown reason."
Harry felt his heart sink. He missed it staring at Cho. As fond as he was of Cho's beauty it couldn't compare to Matilda's. Matilda had something special about her that was so intriguing. So interesting. She was like a book and he yearned for more chapters to be read by himself.
"Hey. What is up with Matilda? For real though." Harry asked Hermione looking her right in the eyes.
"She's in shock." Hermione stated without thinking before covering her mouth. Oh but that sly Hermione thought of a coverup. Matilda never told her specifically what not to tell the boys so by telling them something minor wouldn't be the same as going out and saying, 'oh you know, she's only a MERMAID'.
"Why is she in shock?" Ron asked.
"Well you see, Dumbledore knew she was interested about her parents so he got Madame Pomfrey to do a test on her. Turns out she's half veela."
Everyone at the table froze. They all stared at Hermione blushing at the given attention.
"I-I've got to go to the library."
She stuttered and left the scene. 
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"Half veela!" Harry repeated for the fifth time that night as he stared at the ceiling of his bunk.
"I know. Sure does show don't it?" Seamus smirked fist bumping Dean.
"Hey! That's my sister you're talking about." Ron exclaimed pointing his toothbrush at the two.
"Half veela!" Harry repeated.
"Oh do shut up. We probably could've guessed it to be honest with you." Ron shrugged.
"He's not wrong." Neville pointed out poking the sleeping Trevor.
  "Guess whose not in shock anymore!" Yelled two voices.
And in came Fred and George. Fred held a tired looking Matilda on his hip and George held the door open.
"Do explain why you woke me up." Matilda said in a soft voice making Harry's heart flutter and he blushed as he looked down and saw that she was only wearing a tank top and small pajama shorts.
"Just coming to show you off is all." George cooed tapping her cheek playfully but she turned her head so he couldn't do it again.
"Awe. So sis. Whatcha think? Half-veela." Ron smiled as Fred and George sat on his bed with Matilda in their lap.
"Some veela." She said under her breath but unfortunately her older brothers heard her along with Harry.
"WHAT?! You even look like a veela! Sis, you're gorgeous!" Ron gasped nearly choking on the toothbrush hanging from his mouth making him make an ungodly noise and the twins and Matilda snickered.
"Yeah. Everyone thinks so too," George said.
"Not everyone." She said softly. She glanced at Harry who was looking at the floor in thought with furrowed eyebrows.
"Well they're stupid if they don't. Now let's get you back in bed." Fred said picking her up and putting her back on his hip.
'Curse my smallness.' She thought.
"Goodnight guys!" She waved to everyone.
"Goodnight." They all replied back and with that the three left.

"What do you mean not everyone thinks you're gorgeous?" Fred asked setting his sister between him and George on the couch in the empty common room.
"I thought you were taking me back to my bed." She huffed crossing her arms.
"Just tell us who you like and don't even try to lie because we know that's the case." George said sternly.
"Okay. Well. I DID like Harry but it appears that he doesn't like me back. Why would he?" Matilda asked biting he lip and looking down at her lap.
"He does too like you. If not you then who do you think he likes?"Fred argued.
"The wonderful Cho Chang." Matilda spat.
"That Ravenclaw?" The two asked.
"What does she have that you don't have?" George asked.
"Let's see. Long straight black hair, curves, a sunny disposition, a go-get attitude,popularity, a cool accen-"
"Matilda, Matilda, Matilda. You underestimate yourself." Fred said looking at her in mock disappointment.
"Yeah look at what you have! You're skinny, beautiful, luscious long locks, a great personality, and most important"
  "DIMPLES!!" The twins chorused poking her cheeks making a giggle burst from between her chapped lips.
"Plus. I bet she can't even dream of playing the piano as good as you can." Fred added.
"Thanks for that you two but it may be my time to move on. Someone already has. He never even told me happy birthday. Goodnight you two."
The two boys watched as their little sister trudged up the stairs and they each had their eyebrows furrowed in thought.
"Fred, it may be time we find someone for our dear sister. Give her some variety. Whatcha think?" George asked.
"Georgie? That's the best idea I've ever heard." Fred smirked.

A/N: SORRY ABOUT THE LOOOOONG WAIT! I promise I'll be back on schedule in no time! Until then...have a virtual cookie🍪. It fills the cracks of the soul. COMMENT COMMENT COMMENT!!
           -Cara_B_Bennett