And So We Meet Again Closed

Muriel smiled at Bella, happy that she seemed to be just as curious as her. She quickly collected her own handful of flat rocks and threw one once Bella’s was done skipping. It only did a single skip again, but nonetheless it could still attract a creature’s attention. As she got her next rock ready, Muriel began to wonder what they’d do if something actually appeared. Would it be hostile or docile? Huge or tiny? Intelligent or savage? The possibilities were endless, and she began to see this talk turn into more of an adventure instead.

“So... what would you do if we see a merperson or.... grindy low was it?” She asked with even more curiosity. “Are they mean? Do you think they’d try to attack us? Would if we wind up dueling them...!?” Muriel thought suddenly, never having dueled someone or something before. The thought scared yet excited her at the same time. But perhaps her thoughts were beginning to go overboard; lake creatures didn’t even have wands... but they did possess some kind of magic didn’t they? 

Maybe they would be peaceful instead. And they could talk and make friends with them! How awesome would it be to be friends with creatures of the Great Lake!? 

Bella continued to skip stones as Muriel spoke and she contemplated what she had said. What would they do if something came to the surface? Bella hadn't really thought that far ahead.
"Well if it is something like a Grindylow or a Merperson then we should be pretty safe here. I don't think they can get very far on land. I suppose if something friendly has just come up to say hello then we ... say hello back? I'm not sure how many of them are going to speak English but a friendly wave is universal right?" Bella rambled talking at a hundred miles an hour. She was excited to finally be experiencing some kind of adventure here at Hogwarts, even if nothing comes of it.

A few seconds after another of Bella's stones, her sixth now, sunk below the surface of the water Bella thought she saw another ripple. A bigger ripple than that of her stone and she was sure that Muriel hadn't skipped one that far. A second ripple followed another few seconds after the first. A huge excited grin tore across her features as she turned to her friend.
"Did you see that? Did you see that? The water, there! It rippled! Watch" Bella turned back to the water and stared intently as a third, much smaller ripple surfaced.

As Muriel continued skipping stones (though only some actually doing a skip), she listened intently to what Bella said and felt more relieved. Perhaps everything wasn't so dangerous as it seemed. Her talk about the creatures not speaking English however did puzzle her. "...Oh ya! Merpeople have their own language... but I think a wave is still friendly in their eyes." She agreed, hoping that their assumptions were right.

Muriel then continued her drone-like routine of skipping stones until Bella spoke again, causing her to jump. She quickly darted her head towards the place Bella gestured to, just in time to see the third ripple surface from the water. "Oh woah! What do you think it is???" She asked in a much quieter yet awed voice, not wanting to scare whatever it was away. Her thoughts were already running wild as she continued to stare transfixed at the spot, not even wanting to blink in case she missed something.

It isn't the Giant Squid; it's much too small... and it wasn't a rock... it has to be a creature! Maybe it will be a merperson or grindylow... but maybe it could be some other water creature like a kelpie or a kap-pa? She brainstormed, trying to conjure up everything she learned so far from her textbooks, which wasn't much unfortunately.