Chester the Giant Squid waved a tentacle just above the water. He could see a student coming in the direction of his Lake, and he could smell the toast.

Raising his tentacle even higher, he grabbed the piece of toast. He missed the olden times, when he would get a proper breakfast, not the bits and pieces he was given nowadays. Still, he couldn't be ungrateful. Maybe one day, they'd realise he didn't appreciate what little they gave him, and wouldn't give him anything! He'd starve!

"Chester!"

Chester looked around to see his friend, little Henry. Henry had humanophobia, which was why he never showed himself to humans, resulting in his presence becoming a little known secret. Chester always shared his food with Henry, and because Henry was very small, he got full very easily, so they didn't usually worry about lack of food.

"What are you doing?" Henry asked.

"I'm getting YOUR breakfast, you ungrateful little twit," Chester teased, poking Henry with one of his tentacles. Henry grinned.

"Good. You know your job," he joked. Chester laughed. Handing him the four pieces of toast he had managed to get hold off, they swam deeper and deeper down the lake, to visit the merpeople.

"Chester! Henry! For what do I owe the pleasure?" Anastasia asked politely. Her brown hair was flowing behind her as she spoke.

"We were just wondering if everything was going OK," Henry answered.

"Oh, everything's fine, but haven't you heard? One of the Tasks tomorrow is taking place here in the lake! Which is why a few of the students are tied up there. I'll show you,"she offered.

"Please," Chester replied. Henry hesitated, but after a thump on the back by Chester, agreed.

And so they headed off.

Sure enough, four students were tied up. A pretty, blonde, little girl, who Chester guessed was part-veela (he hadn't seen one before, but knew what they were, and sort of what they looked like), a brown haired girl, a redhead, and a pretty Asian girl. Henry kept his distance.

"What if they wake up, and break free?" he asked worriedly.

"They won't, I promise," Chester reassured him.

Just then, Cho Chang opened her eyes to see the Giant Squid, a smaller squid and a mermaid looking right at her.

And, of course, both her and Henry screamed.

Just a little something I wanted to write in honour of Review Whore, whom I admire very much -bows in her direction-

Did you know that Review Whore's initials, RW, are the same as Ron Weasely's?

Please read Harumscarum: book one