The Life that Never Lived ? (Goblet of Fire)

THE EGG AND THE EYE

Despite Remus' rather tired eyes as he never enjoyed being active any days preceding or following the full moon, and it wasn't helping the ever growing fear of the next task creeping closer, Remus wouldn't deny he couldn't think of how better to be spending his time as he got started.

"You make it sound so difficult to lock a door," James shook his head.

"I think he's just making up excuses for using that Prefect bathroom, and after hours is the best time," Remus smirked.

Harry ignored them both.

Harry grumbled something about how he still wasn't going to admit they were right, it's not like he'd wanted to go in there just because he'd heard rumors about how cool that place was, and they couldn't force him to say otherwise.

"The fact that you've only been caught once is what gets to me," Sirius shook his head fondly.

"By our fourth year we'd caught up with him as much as any teacher," James agreed.

"And you only got caught that time because you forgot the cloak," Remus snorted. "If you'd paid attention a little more, even then you would have gotten away with it."

Harry wasn't sure if they were teasing him for not being as trouble making as them again, or trying to mock him for that experience again, either way he chose not to answer.

"At least he'll remember it this time," Lily reminded to get the boys to stop smirking.

"The two kind of go hand in hand," Remus agreed.

"Why did you wait almost a whole other week?" James asked.

"Homework," Harry used as a main excuse, but also adding, "plus I spent a few nights making sure I could walk down there and scout the place out without getting caught."

"Look at you, finally showing some forethought," Sirius praised.

"Still think that one's a bit too paranoid on your part," Remus rolled his eyes. "No one ever pays much attention to that."

"Well now you can without the responsibility," Sirius smirked.

"You're lucky you never got caught in there," Remus reminded him, "or I would have most likely gone down with you. Then of course I would have had to pay you back for getting me into trouble."

Sirius had a challenging smirk in place as he stated, "wouldn't be the first, wouldn't be the last."

Harry's mind was starting to gape a bit at such grandeur. A diving board for a bathtub! The splendor of the castle had always seemed like a lot to the boy from the cupboard, but this new leap of wealth still somehow managed to surprise him.

Then Harry felt a zap pelt his brain, now blinking spastically as he was sure that should have meant something more to him, but was instantly distracted by Remus trying to cover up some laughter. He quickly smothered it and explained for Harry, "I don't know who conjured up that image, but it's the farthest thing from what Merpeople actually look like."

Harry was very sure that news shouldn't have come as a surprise to him, but simply nodded in understanding.

Remus was suddenly distracted as well from Harry getting to find this new place, to his mind spinning back to that noise again and why Cedric would have lead Harry hear. Water, in the Prefects bathroom, it couldn't have anything to do with that particular painting of the mermaid? He'd only ever heard descriptions of them, but apparently they had a beautiful singing voice, underwater. Above water it was a senseless high pitched noise. He was immensely curious to know if this had been what Cedric had figured out, but even if it was, what would the second task have to do with Mermaids? They were bottom dwellers, even in the Hogwarts lake they were only rumored to have come to the surface once in the school's history. He kept the thought to himself for now until he was more sure of this.