Chapter 39: Strange Behaviour II

"You are saying you saw Fred *walk* into the Great Lake?"

"Yes," Sharon replied weakly, her teeth chattering and her face still pale from shock and having been in contact with the icy waters of the lake.

"*Ventus Calidus*," Simon muttered with a swish of his wand to quickly to warm up the cold and soaking girl before she continued her story.

Feeling hot air envelope her, drying her hair and clothes, Sharon gave Simon a grateful nod before continuing, "I was on a walk before dinner when I saw him suddenly start walking into the lake. Like he was certainly not swimming. But *walking* with his Hogwarts robes on. I called out to him but he did not reply. So, I ran into the water to see if he was okay. But when I grabbed his arm, he pushed me away…"

She took a deep breath before adding, "And his eyes were…completely white. Like the stuff we saw in the Ravenclaw Halloween performance!"

Simon was stunned by these comments. George looked like all the blood just drained from his face. Sharon took another deep breath but seemed unsure as to how to continue.

"Did anything else happen Sharon?" Phoebe swiftly asked, noticing how she frozed.

"I…I knew something was not right and tried to drag Fred back on shore…but he suddenly pulled out his wand and blasted me to the other side of the lake without a word. Then he just plunged into the water."

"Without a word? As in non-verbal spellcasting?" Phoebe further queried, to which Sharon nodded.

"I don't think Fred knows non-verbal spellcasting already…right?" Cedric said, his discomfort with the direction of the conversation clearly showing in his tone.

"He doesn't. So, the only way he did that would be…," Simon gulped, "If he was cursed."

George's face scrunched up as if he had been punched in the gut and was ready to run towards the entrance to the Hogwarts grounds if not for both Simon and Cedric's latching onto his arms quickly.

"We can't just run in blindly! We don't even know what or who caused this!" Simon cried, before an idea pop into his mind, "MITTY!"

"Yes, Mister Li!" exclaimed the house elf with a distinctively sharp nose, "And also Misters Diggory, Weasley, and Missus Greengrass, Rowle, and Fawcett."

"Can you help us retrieve Fred Weasley? Sharon said he kind of plunged into the lake."

"Of course, Mister Li," Mitty replied before going off to find Fred with a loud pop.

Sharon quizzically looked at the sudden appearance and disappearance of the house elf.

"How did he…"

Before she could finish her question, another loud pop could be heard.

"My apologies, it appears I cannot retrieve Mister Weasley," Mitty replied, "Mitty would love to serve Hogwarts students but Mitty's powers are limited in areas within human realm jurisdictions."

"…Do you mean Fred is in merpeople jurisdiction?"

Simon saw Mitty's nod in affirmation and the pieces began to fall in place.

"What's today's date?" Simon asked, looking pleadingly at Phoebe.

"April 25th. Why?"

"It is a new moon. Since the merpeople use the same ward principles as those in the Far East...it would be the optimal time for the change of wards in the Selkie Colony and at the bloody Lake Vault!"