Unexpected Danger

Chapter 16

Draco's POV

No wonder it's called the black lake, the environment was dark and bleak. My eyes are still adjusting to the surroundings, and I focused on finding Luna, though I have to keep an eye on the mer-people. I'm not a very good swimmer, but I can fairly hold my breath for 10 minutes thanks to the amount of times my father drowned me in the lake back whenever I don't have manners on the table, or when I snuck out at night to stargaze. I haven't look at the stars at night since - everytime I look out the window and glanced at a ball of gas twinkling in the sky, I immediately reminded of being thrown into the deep lake and struggling to steadied myself on the surface as I didn't know how to swim. Even the song twinkle twinkle little stars gave me nightmares more than pleasant childhood memories.

I pushed my body down further, and used all of my strength to kick through. My eyes kept on alert mode, panic arising as I failed to spot her.

Just as I sunk lower and lower, I spotted a blonde haired figure in the distance - her strands of hair floated, her eyes closed and her legs was tied by a  that I can't explain. She was trapped and that Scarhead had totally forgotten about her. As I reached for my wand to attempt to release her, a mermaid with creepy looking eyes and sneering teeth swam towards me and pointed her trident at my throat.

"You should not be here!" she hissed, her voice sounded like a snake if it could talk. She had a green, medusa-like hair, her teeth as sharp as a knife, her eyes were so wide yet so ominous.

With all my strength, I tried to push the trident - but to no avail. Damn this creature is strong. An idea suddenly pop into my head in the midst of floating with no air.

Since she...or it...wont stop until it incapacitates, me, I pretended to be unconscious. My body slowly sank to the bottom as I relaxed, and thats when she...or it...stop taunting me.

As I sank lower and could tell she was gone - but not that far - my right hand tried to fumble for any sign of my wand nearby. By this time, my lungs was already desperate for air, and last bits of bubbles were blown out of my mouth. It took all of my willpower not to inhale the murky waters. I opened my eyes and found my wand floating nearby, and I quickly reached for it. The mer-people noticed this and I thought I was too late. Several of them swam towards me.

"Stupefy!" I casted through the waters, doing my best not to breathe. The spell sent them off backwards and I quickly casted a spell towards the knots that secured Luna's leg - which instantly released her. As Luna started floating upwards, I struggled my way to her. With little energy in me, I kept pushing through. However, the scary mer-people have regained their balance and rushed towards me.

Luna has almost reached the surfave, and darkness almost engulfed me.

Is this how I'm gonna die? By rescuing Looney Lovegood?

"Ascendio," I muttered softly - I knew I was gonna die anyway, but it was worth a shot.

I felt myself propelling upwards, landing on a hard surface. I tried to inhale some air, but my lungs were filled with water. Everything went black.