Basilisk Eyes

Chapter 126: Whale song

Before Harry had a chance to respond to the man who had his hand in a vice grip and was grilling him about his encounter with the Basilisk, Neville had forced his body between them and was pushing the man away.

"Oi! I just wanted to talk to him! What he did... it was brilliant! I'm a fan!"

"Well, maybe he doesn't want to talk about it!" Neville said with so much force that Harry was compelled to touch his robes to reassure himself that it was actually Neville. "And it is rude to just grab someone—especially when he can't see you!"

"Uh, sorry. I ... Harry... I'm sorry. I didn't think," the man said.

"It's fine. Neville. Thanks... and it's fine."

"No it's not, Harry," Neville said, turning toward him and putting an arm protectively around his shoulder.

The conversations around them started up again. Harry felt his cheeks get hot. Of course, everyone around them had stopped to watch.

"Is he gone?" Harry whispered to Neville.

"Yeah."

"Do you know who he was?" Harry asked as Neville stepped away.

"No idea. Looks like he's with that guy who floats."

"Oh, Gordon. Figures."

Harry heard the familiar whir of a levitating chair—but wasn't sure if it was Mei or Besel. He turned his face toward the sound, waiting expectantly and thought about casting the revealing charm—but figured with so many people in the room that it would be more confusing than helpful.

"You all right, Harry?" Mei asked—their voice coming from a standing position, rather than seated. It made Harry wonder why Besel was always seated.

"Yeah, Neville was a beast!"

"I saw!"

"Has your family arrived, Mei?"

"Yep, they're talking with Healer Jordan now."

"I haven't looked at the schedule... what are we doing today?"

"There's all sorts of rubbish... this is the meet and greet with tea, then there are some lectures about adapting to change and the like, lessons on adaptive magic, dealing with depression and knowing the signs of potential suicide and a load of other codswallop," Mei groused.

"Hey, where'd happy Mei go?" Harry teased.

"I'm loads happier when I can just hang out with humpback whales in the ocean," Mei admitted.

"That was really brilliant," Harry agreed.

"Yeah—one of the cows is about to give birth. Want to go watch?" Mei asked. "Er, you know what I mean. They sing to the newborns—the whole pod. Welcome the babies. It's beautiful and haunting."

"Want to, Neville?"

"How would we do that?"

"What about a bubblehead charm?"

"I don't know how to do that."

"Me, neither."

"I bet Arig does."

"Won't our families notice if we all just leave?"

"Naw, they are totally caught up in adult stuff... they are busy chinwagging and having tea."

"Just tell them that we're helping Harry deal with the emotional trauma of the Daily Prophet article."

"Nice."