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Harry's mind is a complete mess. First of all, Draco, who's probably the love of his life, is still nowhere to be seen. Second, there's an unconscious stranger laying on his bench who happened to know a lot about him, and lastly, there's this explorer from the West who's very obviously questioning his honesty. He couldn't blame her, for Harry himself is also starting to question everything he believed in. 

"He's still warm... Too warm," Harry said, feeling the stranger's forehead. He gently placed the stranger's arm around his shoulders and somewhat forced him to stand up.

"What are you doing?" Hermione asked.

"I'm taking him to St. Mungos. It's the only hospital here, in Nomaj." Harry explained.

"And where is this, St. Mungos, exactly?"

"Just up the hill," Harry pretty much huffed out. The stranger's soaked clothes only added more to his weight. He's not exactly easy to carry, in Harry's defense.

"Well then, take me with you."

"I don't think that'll be necessary," Harry was quick to reject the girl's offer. The last thing he wanted is to get somebody else involved in his messy story.

"You obviously can't carry him on your own," countered Hermione. Harry still wanted to stop her, but she's already at the stranger's other side, arm on her shoulder.

"Allow me to help. It's a part of my duty as an explorer too."

Harry's still skeptic about the idea. "One would think you just want answers."

Hermione didn't even deny it. "And that too."

Harry sighed, "Let's get going. We have a hill to climb."

-

"Oh heavens, put him down! Put him down!" Madam Pomfrey, the nurse living in St. Mungos, gasped when she saw a sick rugged man carried by Harry and some other girl dressed in a lady suit. (She knows Harry because everyone knows each other in Nomaj)

"Blimey! He's madly hot!" Madam Pomfrey said, "Get the thermometer!"

Before Harry could even look around, Hermione already handed her the tool. How is she that fast? Harry has no idea. The two could only watch as the nurse do her job.

"Harry, can you please be a doll and hand this man some of your clothes?" Madam Pomfrey asked.

"Of course," Harry quickly agreed. With that, he dashed off the hill, to his home, grabbed a polo shirt and a pair of trousers, and returned to the hospital as quick as he could. What he didn't expect though, is to see the stranger very much awake and alive, sitting up, when he returned.

"What happened?" Harry asked Hermione when he got near her.

Hermione shrugged, "He just woke up as soon as you left. He hasn't said a word since."

Harry nodded. Then he warily approached the stranger, Madam Pomfrey disagreeing in the background, but Harry didn't listen to her. Harry has his arm stretched out, offering clothes in his hand.

"Um, sir?" Harry called.

"Sirius."

All three froze when the man suddenly spoke up. The man, who introduced himself as Sirius, turned to face Harry. Harry's looking as confused as ever.

"My name's Sirius. Harry, I'm your godfather." 

Harry was surprised by the sudden revelation. Apparently, he had a relative. He has no idea who his parents were. All he knows is that he was found by pirates, and that they've been taking care of him since then. How he got his name? He also don't know. He just assumes that it's the name Cruscrow settled with.

Sirius accepted the clothes on Harry's hand, but he just placed them to the side, as if he was more interested in initiating a conversation with the boy himself.

"Oh Harry, it's been so long, you have no idea how much I-," Sirius fell with a thud. All three people present cringed at the loud sound.

"Are you okay?" Harry asked, peeking to check at the older man. Judging by it's sound, it must've hurt. Sirius doesn't seem to be fazed by it though.

Sirius huffed a long strand of hair out of his face, "I'm fine!" He said with a smile. "Though these legs might take time to get used to."

"You reckon I check his head?" Madam Pomfrey asked. Hermione agreeing with her.

"No, no, he's fine," Harry told them. "Can we please have a moment?"

The hesitance obviously showed on Madam Pomfrey's face, but she allowed the latter to do as he pleases. With a nod, she left. Harry turned to Hermione who remained standing firm on her spot.

"Please?" Harry pleaded.

Hermione only sighed then left. When Harry turned to Sirius, the older man somehow managed to sit on the hospital bed again.

"Ah, pants! These might come in handy," Sirius said, beaming at said pants. Then he frowned. "Yet at the same time I don't want to change my clothes. You see, Remus, you can call him your uncle or whatever but you're not really related by blood, could only find this large shirt underwater. Not that we use these type of clothing underwater anyways. So you can tell it must've took him a great time looking for this right? I don't want to put his efforts to waste."

"Wait, slow down," Harry said with a chuckle. He sat across from Sirius so they could communicate easier. "You were talking about Remus? Who again?"

"Remus! He's my and your father's best friend!"

"You know my father?"

"How would I be your godfather if I don't?"

Harry's mind is going circles. He's hearing so many revelations at once, it's actually making his head hurt... But his heart, on the other hand, is pounding with curiosity and excitement.

"Can you tell me more about him? My father," Harry asked.

"I'd tell you about anything even if you don't ask," Sirius replied. Harry laughed.

"James, your father, the past ruler of the merpeople, was my best friend whom I treated as a brother. You see, his parents pretty much adopted me. We grew up together. Fought together. He was definitely reckless, but he's also incredibly loyal, and he loves with all his heart." Sirius eyes seems to be somewhat twinkling, reminiscing his memories and all. Meanwhile, Harry eagerly listened.

Sirius continued, "Of course we made friends along the way, and our small duo turned into a triplet then a quartet, then your father saw your mother. Then they fell in love. There's something with the two of them, you know. Like fire, like they're made for each other! You should've seen their tails, they matched each other's perfectly! With James' orange ones and Lily's gold, they looked like the sun."

Lily and James... That's the name of his parents. Harry's parents! He's feeling so overwhelmed he didn't know what to do. A tear subconsciously dropped from his left eye. Then he noticed the exact moment Sirius' smile dropped off his face.

"Then the attack happened. The sirens attacked, they're after you, since you're the only merperson born with legs instead of a tail. Lily tried to hide you, James insisted on following the two of you, Remus somehow let him despite the fact that he was supposed to guard him, and I-," Sirius paused, heart breaking, "I absolutely did nothing. I thought I could handle it. Fight by myself, but they still got to James, and they also got to Lily. They... They died."

Sirius looked so shattered, he didn't even realized that he was crying. Harry was tearing up as well. The news of how his parents died really hurt him. They're story was too heartbreaking, that Harry couldn't make himself ask the questions he's dying to be answered.

"Without it's rightful ruler, Hogwarts had never been the same since," Sirius said, finally facing Harry.

"But I've seen Hogwarts," Harry spoke, softly. "It looks massive. It looked great."

"I think you're referring to a different Hogwarts, Harry." Sirius said.

"I don't understand?"

"I understand that you don't. I bet it's hard to take all of this in, to swallow this pill, and I'm just," Sirius placed a hand on Harry's shoulder, "I'm sorry I wasn't there for you. I'm sorry you have to grow up alone. I really wish that I've done better. I could've been the one that raised you."

"Why didn't you come sooner?" Harry bluntly asked. He didn't mean to sound rude, Sirius doesn't seem to mind it either.

"We thought you were dead. The sirens said so. Then just three weeks ago, the throne in Hogwarts lit up. Then a new prophecy emerged. The throne would never light up if it couldn't feel it's rightful owner."

"Three weeks ago I fell into the water."

"Exactly! The throne felt you through the ocean. That could only mean that you were alive! And here we are right now, having this conversation."

The two shared a look. Then they both laughed, still teary-eyed and all.

"What do you mean about the the other Hogwarts though?" Harry asked.

"It's the siren's cheap knockoff of ours. Their version could never compare against the original, specially now since Hogwarts is somewhat functioning again."

"But why would they copy what isn't theirs?"

Sirius momentarily paused, "You see Harry. The sirens believes that they're the superior species of the ocean. They're ambitious, they're vile, they kill, they only take and never give. In their eyes, we're the enemy."

"You make the sirens sound so bad."

"It's because they are."

"My siren isn't," announced Harry.

"You've met with a siren?! Were you hurt? Are you alright?"

"I-I'm fine. I don't think he would hurt me," Harry said genuinely.

Sirius knew that look. Even though he had only met Harry, he could already read him like an open book.

"Who is this siren that we are talking about?"

"Draco Malfoy," Harry answered. The shock was evident on Sirius' face, but Harry continued. "He also said something about a prophecy. That I would turn into a monster, and destroy their home. He feared that so much that he banned me from going into the ocean ever again."

"You?! A monster? I call bullshit," Sirius disagreed. "That isn't what's written on the prophecy at all! It clearly says that the merman whom was born with legs, shall be the bridge
of the Land and Sea! He shall bring peace to us all! You're meant to save us, Harry. You're the rightful ruler of Hogwarts."

"I was never a monster?"

"Definitely not a monster!"

"But that's what Draco told me. I don't think he'd lie to me." Harry sounded so sure, that Sirius couldn't disagree.

"But you said that the sirens are under the impression that they're the victims, right? Maybe Draco wasn't lying at all! Maybe he's also being fed with lies. Maybe the sirens are being manipulated by their ruler!"

Sirius' eyes widen. Everything in his expression says that he completely agrees and believes in Harry. The two shared a look, the same with Sirius' and James' expression when they thought of something together, as if they share one brain.

"The question is, who is their ruler?"

"Why none other than Lucius Malfoy, their 'king'." (AN: Woo bet y'all didn't see that one coming.) Sirius said, air-quoting the term king.

Harry snapped his fingers. "Then that's him! He's the one we should bring down! He's manipulated them all!"

"I completely agree with you!"

Harry wheezed, and so did Sirius. Harry had never felt such adrenaline before, everything just makes sense. Sirius, on the other hand, had never felt so alive in such a long time. They shared matching grins. Harry reminded Sirius so much of James.

"I think that lady friend of yours could come out, now," Sirius said.

Harry was confused. "Lady friend?" He turned to face the door and saw Hermione standing by the door frame, looking guilty like a child. "You were listening?"

"I couldn't help it," Hermione admitted, looking sheepish. "But it's not like I believe any of what I heard."

"I genuinely don't expect you too," Harry said.

"Seriously, merpeople and sirens? All my years of being an explorer, I've never heard of such a thing. It just doesn't make sense."

"Some things are easier to believe only if you've seen them," Sirius said, "Harry, help me up!"

Harry was quick to act on demand, he supported Sirius' side, as the merman pretty much only hopped instead of walking.

"These legs wouldn't last for much longer. How far are we from the ocean?" Sirius asked.

"We're currently on top of a hill. You only need to jump off to be on the ocean," Harry answered.

"Jump off the hill it is!" Sirius cheerily announced.

Hermione looked like she's lost it. "Sir, with all due respect, but are you out of your mind? You could barely walk, let alone swim!"

"Oh, you'd be surprised, my dear," Sirius said with a wink. "Harry, take me to the edge of this hill!"

Harry listened. They walked to their destination, with Sirius limping, as Hermione protested against their idea, but she helped on assisting Sirius anyways. The strong wind is blowing their hair all over the place. Once they're at the very edge, Sirius turned to the two, a smile on his face.

"This is a very bad idea," Hermione said.

Then they were met with a big wave, small droplets of water wetting them, and as soon as that wave dispersed, Sirius allowed himself to fall in. The way he fell was so dramatic. With his arms stretched wide and back first, Sirius was gone before the two knew it.

Deep down, Harry knew he'd be alright. He called anyways. "Sirius!!"

Then as if on cue, a merman emerged from the waters, hooting as he does a flip for a show. His tail is gradient blue. Dark at the upper part, and a lighter shade at the fin. Even the tips of his hair turned blue.

Both Harry and Hermione had their eyes wide open. With Hermione evidently shocked, that she covered her gaping mouth with her hands. Harry's got a smile so big, astonishment written all over his face.

The revelation is too much, but Harry can accept it. In fact, Harry firmly believes it. Watching Sirius do various spins, he knew he could trust him.

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