Harry Potter and the Berserker

Chapter 65

Disclaimer- Harry Potter is owned by J.K. Rowling and Berserk is owned by Kentaro Miura. I own nothing.

Ever since the first interaction with the merrows, Harry noticed a change in the ship's captain, Roderick. It was nothing to do with any major personality changes, he was still the all-smiles, good-natured man as before. They were more surface-level changes that seemed to be taking place. While Roderick still put on his usual ever-present smile, the corners of his mouth seemed to be twitching like a second instinct was fighting to take hold over his expressions.

He was also taking the helmsman's duties as they sailed. His fingers would tap against the wood of the wheel as he kept them on the course and every now and again he would tap his foot against the deck in a small sign of anxiety.

It was a side to their captain that Harry had not seen much of and it had Harry worried. While Roderick was a seasoned man of the sea, the threat of something as ancient as the Sea God roaming the waters freely was enough to make any sailor feel the cold sting of fear.

"Captain?" Harry approached the helm where Roderick steered. He didn't seem to notice him until he had spoken.

"Hm? Oh, hello Mate. Magnifico chasing you around again with all his talk of money?"

"He did earlier," Harry recalled nearly as soon as he had woken up. "He was complaining that I could have at least withdrawn my savings before we were suddenly transported back here."

Roderick offered a small laugh at that. "Yes, that does sound like my friend. Known him for years and he hardly seems to have changed. But I like to think there's hope for him. Money can't be all there is for him."

"If you say so."

Harry seriously doubted that. That was practically all Magnifico ever talked about. Well, that and complaining how dangerous something was. He was an odd one to their small little group, but he did have skills that had helped them out when negotiating. Aside from that, he was relatively impassive about all other activities. If it wasn't for his blase attitude about things, he could actually be useful in getting into Falconia without suspicion. The son of a prestigious banking family, that would be someone who Neo-Griffith would love to have on his side to strengthen his own standing.

But that was thinking and hoping for way too much, Harry knew. As opportunistic as Magnifico was to try and get into Harry's good graces - and financial backing, he was far too concerned for his own sense of being.

There was a moment of silence between the two of them that was eventually broken by Roderick. "This has been pretty exciting, you know?"

"What has?"

"All of this!" Roderick spared a hand from the wheel to gesture over the deck as well as the open sea. "Just how many people can claim to have been to an entirely new world, meet merrows, and be engaged to a witch in the making?"

"I think that last one only applies to you."

"True," Roderick looked happy about that. "I should consider myself lucky then. A little motivation never hurt."

"Looking to study magic yourself?" Harry asked but doubted that was the case.

"I'll stick to what I know." His hand patted the wheel. "I meant it would be beneficial for a wife to know how to turn me into any animal of her choosing if I become unfaithful."

"Right."

Roderick could probably tell from the tone of his voice that Harry was mildly offended by that. Farnese was his student, after all. "I jest, I jest. Farnese is a rather magical girl." Harry rolled his eyes at that one. "But my womanizing days are behind me, I assure you." His voice had lost a bit of the jovial tone and sounded more serious.