Silent Year

I know the chapter title could be better, but, I'm running on Sprite and lack of sleep. ^^; Therefore my mind is on overdrive and I can't make coherent thoughts. Anyway, here's chapter ten! Thank you for being so patient with me!

All questions that were asked should be answered in the next few chapters. WEWT!! Please enjoy the chapter and thank you for the reviews!
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Chapter Ten: Midnight Bath

The next day arrived and passed; Quiari opened bleary eyes to the Hospital Wing. She lay in a soft bed, covered in warm linens, propped against pillows. A curtain surrounded her bed, and she looked around. “Little one…?” she whispered, and the curtain was thrust aside, making her gasp. “Well, glad to see you’re awake!” Madame Pomfrey’s voice was harsh as she took in the young woman, who looked at her still in surprise. Madame Pomfrey set a large bar of chocolate by the bed and broke off a piece, giving it to Quiari. Quiari stared at the chocolate bit in her hand, and then looked at Pomfrey for direction. “Eat it!” said Pomfrey, and Quiari brought the piece of chocolate up to her mouth slowly. Her body looked so stiff, like it wouldn’t move. “You’re not to stray into public until tomorrow morning.” Said Pomfrey crisply. “But, as it’s nearly sundown, you can go down and take a bath in the Prefect’s bath room. The password is Ecfelionshira.” Quiari was still looking at the piece of chocolate.

“What’s wrong? Are you allergic?” asked Pomfrey, and Quiari shook her head, just barely. It was such a small motion that Madame Pomfrey seemed to have to think it over. “Then, what, if you don’t like it, then you’re still going to have to eat it.” Quiari again shook her head. “Never had it before?” It sounded as if Pomfrey had meant that as a joke. But, this time, Quiari nodded barley before putting the piece of chocolate into her mouth. Quiari’s eyes went wide and she seemed to go into a brief period of shock before she stared over at the chocolate bar. Madame Pomfrey laughed. “Well, no more until you take a hot bath. The bathroom is behind the bowl of fruit down by the kitchens.” Said Pomfrey and Quiari looked at her, swallowing the chocolate. Pomfrey sighed and then waved her wand. Quiari floated out of the bed, not looking shocked in the least, and was whisked down several flights of stairs before coming upon the large bowl of fruit. The magic let her down to the floor here in the empty corridor, and she looked at the bowl of fruit before looking down the corridor before stepping closer to the painting. She was in a loose gown, a hospital gown. “Ecfelionshira…” the pear wobbled and became a handle, which Quiari reached for.

Voices sounded from down the corridor; just on the other side of a curtain, and Quiari yanked the door open, stepped into the bathroom, and slammed the door shut behind her. She locked the door and waited until the voices passed. She’d made it into the bathroom on time. “Well, aren’t you new?” asked the picture of the mermaid on the other side of the large room. (Okay, I’m not going to describe the bathroom, as it has already been described in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire ~Nez-kun~). Quiari looked at the mermaid, who was moving on top of her rock. “Come on, don’t look so shocked! Good grief, haven’t you ever seen a picture before?” the mermaid flicked her blonde hair over her shoulder, revealing she wore no top. Quiari didn’t look away. “You…you aren’t with them, are you?” Quiari’s voice was a whisper, and the mermaid made a confused expression before leaning forward, cupping a hand around her ear.

“Eh?” she asked, and Quiari took a step forward, her bare feet made no sound on the tiles. “You aren’t with them…you…you won’t tell, will you?” she asked, and the mermaid recoiled slightly. “What are you talking about? Who’re you talking about? And what shouldn’t I tell?” the mermaid leaned forward at the last part. “A secret?” Quiari walked forward, looking relieved, and then she went over to the large tub. She stared at it in amazement, and then looked at the different colored taps. “N-nothing.” She said, and then knelt beside the tub and turned one of the taps. Hot water poured out, surprising Quiari and making her leap back. The mermaid shrieked with laughter. “How…how is this possible?” asked Quiari, watching purple and blue bubbles rise from the bath. She watched one float by her face. “What era are you from, anyway?” the mermaid’s amused smile was not lost on Quiari. Quiari fixed her glasses, which never had been taken off, like it was some unspoken rule.

After a few minutes of filling the tub with hot water and different bubbles, Quiari turned off all the taps. “This…is amazing! Please tell me, exactly how wealthy are the prefects?” asked Quiari, looking up at the mermaid, who looked confused. “Not very, this is just their bathroom. But, if you know the password, anyone can use the bath.” Said the mermaid; it was Quiari’s turn to be confused. “But…are they like kings?” she asked, sitting beside the bath, and the mermaid giggled. “You’re definitely new here.” Said the mermaid, and Quiari blushed and looked to the floor. “Well, you came here for a bath, aren’t you going to take one?” asked the mermaid and Quiari stood up and slipped off the hospital gown, with her back to the mermaid. “Wow, that’s quite a scar!” the mermaid exclaimed, and Quiari held her left arm with her right and slipped into the water. The scar wrapped all the way around her left leg to the ankle and all the way to her wrist on her right arm. “How’d you get it?” asked the mermaid, and Quiari sank into the bubbles, still curious about them. “I…I can’t tell you…I’m sorry.” Quiari wouldn’t look the mermaid in the face.

“Hey, I like you, what’s your name?” asked the mermaid, and Quiari looked at her. “But…we’ve only just met! Y-you know nothing of me, and I know nothing of you.” Said Quiari, and the mermaid laughed. “So? It doesn’t matter, I like the way you act. There’s something beneath the surface, I can see. You don’t like talking about your scar, you’re overly cautious, and you’re angry.” Said the mermaid, and Quiari snapped her head up. “And you are very rude.” The mermaid again laughed at this. “Is that a problem?” asked the mermaid, and Quiari sighed. “It…it doesn’t bother me…” the mermaid brought out her lower lip in a pout and crossed her arms over her chest. “Is that so? Well, then I don’t care.” The mermaid looked away. “You are very rude, and you’re cold as the snow outside. You are the one who is angry, not I.” said Quiari, glaring at the mermaid, who didn’t answer.

“Well, then that makes us similar, I’m afraid.” Said Quiari, and the mermaid turned and gasped as the warm smile that had split Quiari’s face. “My name is Quiari, I’m pleased to meet you.” Said Quiari, and the mermaid smiled. “I’m Zhariel.” Said the mermaid, and Quiari nodded. “I don’t know why I got my scar; really, it’s just always been a part of me. Like your fins.” Quiari’s voice was a warm whisper, soothing. ”Well, some help that is!” said the mermaid, and Quiari’s smile turned sad, it made the mermaid recoil. “I’m sorry. I can’t answer that question because I don’t know myself.” Said Quiari, the mermaid nodded. “Well then, who’re these others?” asked the mermaid, and Quiari looked to the bubbles. “The Elders.” She said, and the mermaid knew not to push any further from the look on Quiari’s face. A few minutes later and Quiari and the mermaid were talking and giggling. Well, Zhariel was the one talking; Quiari sat in the hot water and listened, washing up. The hours passed and soon the water became merely lukewarm as the bubbles disappeared.

“I…I should go, Zhariel. Remember, please don’t tell anyone.” The mermaid sighed. “If you say so, why aren’t you allowed to speak to anyone? And why the hell are you speaking to me if you’re not supposed to?” demanded the mermaid, eyes narrowing to glare at Quiari. Quiari reached over and picked up her glasses. “It is a matter of honor. I only speak to those I trust.” Zhariel laughed. “And yet you started talking to me the moment you stepped into the bath!” “Because I knew I could trust you.” Getting out of the water was no problem for Quiari, it was draining the tub. “Um…” Quiari said, and the mermaid laughed again. “It’s at the bottom of the tub, you’re going to have to dive back in.” said the mermaid, and Quiari sighed and ran a hand through her loose hair.

The white strands drifted out behind her as she swam to the bottom of the tub, pulling the plug and swimming back to the surface, climbing out of the tub. “One last question.” Said the mermaid, and Quiari looked over her shoulder as she reached up and wrung her hair out into the tub. “What’s white hair mean? I mean, back in the lake if a mermaid is born with white hair, she’s considered a goddess.” Said the mermaid, and Quiari sighed and braided her hair quickly. “It means nothing.” She said, and the mermaid pouted again. “Come on, you’re not going to tell me?” Quiari tied the end of the braid with a black ribbon. “I hate my hair and I hate my skin.” Said Quiari, the mermaid stayed silent…for a while. “But your hair’s beautiful, and your skin brings it out.” Said the mermaid, Quiari sighed as she pulled on the hospital gown. She said nothing, but the mermaid didn’t ask anything more.

“I’ll see you later, Zhariel.” Said Quiari, leaving the bathroom, and the mermaid sighed as the door closed. Quiari stood out in the corridor, looking both ways before stepping into the torch light. “Now…which way…?” she started walking, moving cautiously about the place, and she climbed a set of stairs. “Where are you, little one?” she called softly, whispering it, and she walked down a long hallway and found the Hospital Wing. The door was closed, but Quiari pushed it open quietly. The place was empty, not even Dumbledore was there to check her progress. She sighed and walked forward, closing the door behind her; Madame Pomfrey emerged from her office. “You’re back, quick now, into bed.” Said Pomfrey and Quiari walked quietly over to the offered bed and crawled into it.

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Chapter ten! WEWT! All right, I'm going to bed, I'll update soon. Thank you for the reviews everyone! ^_^. ~Nezumi-kun~