The sun shone in a honey-golden light. It just stretched its rays over the ridge and even made the snow glisten up there.
The leaves of the trees on the shore of the lake, which certainly frightened the mountains, were penetrated by light. They glittered with the buttercups on the banks of the meadows. And the glow of the setting sun was reflected in a swirling water feature on the surface of the lake. A play of lights. Play of colors.
The wind drove gently over the water again and again and made it ripple. The mini-waves rolled around in circles, getting bigger and bigger, until they-
- Splash, swaying against the boat. It was rocked gently back and forth.
Because in the middle of the lake Loch Ness drifted a small wooden boat. The oars were pulled in and stowed away and it only swayed with the play of the waves.
In contrast to nature, it was around the boat, it was loud here.

"That's not true! Dad said that was not true!", Albus shouted offended and tripped his feet on the wooden floor, "Just stories!"
Then he put his fingers in his ears in protest and hummed loudly. The brown tousled hair bounced up and down. His brother grinned crookedly. He leaned coolly on the port side of the boat, both arms hanging over the edges, his feet on the starboard side. He had a long blade of grass in the corner of his mouth that he was chewing on and on the bridge of his nose were large, thick sunglasses. His red hair, which actually looked pretty tamed, had been poked with gel. Only a few giant headphones would be missing and he would look like one of those Muggle kids from downtown London who always joked about rolling through the narrow streets with their ghetto blasters and skateboards.
"Al, you know as well as I do that I'm right! I mean, there are even unicorns and dragons and kappas and limp tanks and dementors ..."
And once James begins to ramble, no one can stop him anytime soon.
Albus had turned around and gave the last one in the boat a questioning and desperate look.
"Say something, Ted! Say something!" Albus wailed. But the young man, with the slightly bluish hair and amber eyes, only bored his tongue into his cheek and laughed silently to himself.
"Teddy!"
"Al, why do you always believe James everything?" Was the reply, whereupon Albus stuck his lower lip out and made offended. But Teddy gave James another reproachful look, who then only gave his toothpaste smile again.
"Sirens and harps and werewolves and death fairies and basilisks and ..."
And in the urge to talk, James leaned far back over the edge of the boat, swaying it. Then back again and behind again. In front of - behind - in front of - behind - in front of -
"James!" Albus screeched, clinging to the outside wall while the boat was still rocking wildly, "Stop that!"
"Afraid?" James interrupted his enumeration of magical creatures.
"Pah!"
"Guys let's row back!"suggested Teddy, who had to live with these arguments for most of the day.
"NO!" Came the unanimous answer from both mouths. Teddy grimaced and crossed his arms. Then it's not possible!

James relaxed completely, enjoying the last rays of the sun, how they tickled the skin and thought of the new school year, which would soon begin. And Teddy, too, had put his chin on the edge of the outer wall and closed his eyes. Quiet. Nothing but calm.

But Albus couldn't keep his mouth shut and ruined the cozy evening mood in the setting sun by trying loudly to explain to his brother what was going on against the Loch Ness monster.
The fact that James slept didn't seem to bother Albus that much ...
And the dark shadow slowly approaching the boat didn't care either.

"There is no real evidence of the monster! Many wizards searched this lake before our time and never found a dark creature, a mythical creature or a primeval creature!"
The waves grew bigger, so the boat swayed more wildly. Teddy opened his eyes, looked over the surface of the water, but overlooked the dark shadow.
And this was already dangerously close to the boat!
"Are you listening to me? Hey James! Are you listening?", Albus jerked up and grabbed his brother's sunglasses from his nose, "You block of wood!"
Tired and sleepy, James Junior only opened one eye and yawned profusely.
"Al ..."

But the boat jerked.
Albus' eyes widened and he immediately landed back on his bum. Sealed to the next outer wall and wrapped his arms around it as much as possible.
"Teddy!"
Teddy was already on his feet, pointing the wand over and over at a different spot on the water. The blue hair was now screeching red.
"Teddy!"
"Damn Albus!" Teddy snapped back. The boat shuddered - and gave a big jerk, whereupon Teddy, flailing his arms wildly, over the outer wall, went overboard.
"Oh Merlin! This is Nessie! This is the Loch Ness Monster!"
James had now just sat up drowsy and not really registered what was happening around him. But apparently James was not given any time off either, because he was the victim of Nessie.
Albus just watched with his mouth open as a huge tentacle-like thing snaked out of the water and towered over them. Oh oh!
"Yes-James!"
But the thing had already wrapped around James' torso and lifted him out of the boat. James let out an excited squeak as he hung upside down for a moment.

Albus crawled over the built-in benches and looked for James' backpack. James' wand was guaranteed in this one! Sure! Where was teddy Magic wand! Fast!
Meanwhile, Teddy was already clawing into the thing, his wand stuck between his teeth, his hands were looking for hold of the slippery thing. The idea of ​​using a spell wouldn't have been bad. However, they didn't want to irritate Nessie!And you didn't want to hurt James!
Oh Merlin Harry would give him hell!
Albus' trembling fingers were tampering with the clasp of the backpack. The budding Hogwarts student kept mumbling "No, Dad said there is no Nessie! Dad is right!". He rummaged around in the backpack until his fingers felt the piece of wood and brought the wand to the light. And then the penny fell -
"I can't do a spell yet!" Albus muttered shocked and looked back at his brother, who was being rocked through the air, flapping his legs and arms helplessly back and forth, "I don't know anything yet!"
Shocked, Albus crawled back to one of the outer walls to be closer to Teddy.
"Teddy! Do something!"
"Teddy!" Came down in James' shrill voice from above.
"I'm in!" Lupine called back, who had now worked out a different plan. He took a deep breath and went into hiding. Shock Nessie underwater! Why hadn't he figured it out before! If James fell from the height, the water would catch him!
But it didn't get that far.
In the middle of the first swim there was such a strange picture underwater that Teddy lost all his breath because he started to snort.

Albus, on the other hand, was still trembling all over up in the boat, his brother's wand still tightly gripped, he looked helplessly up at him. But James' mood had changed in the meantime. Changed a lot!
He laughed!
And Albus dropped his jaw. Why was James laughing?
And then he saw a second tentacle thing that had risen out of the water. And this thing was now tickling James' stomach.
"James! What is that?"
Instead of getting an answer, Albus was suddenly dragged into the water himself. Ah cold! Air! Snorting and cursing, he reappeared and looked around for the cause. The blue hair revealed itself.
"Teddy!"
But the young Lupine did not go into it any further and went underground again, only to be lifted into the air by another tentacle a short time later. His laughter filled the entire lake. And from above, James fell back into the cool water with a trigger.
Albus was completely confused now. He still held the wand tightly in both hands. What were they doing there? Were they completely crazy now? Hello?
"Hey brother! Join us!" James called to him who had breathed again and waved to Albus, "Look who that is!"
What's the nonsense! This is the Loch Ness Monster! What else should it be!
"Dive under Al!"

Beneath Albus rolled his eyes, took a deep breath anyway and dived.
And in front of him the same picture emerged as for Teddy.

A giant octopus swam in the play of lights in the water and the silver air bubbles with the silver lights.
The tentacles drove through the water, trying light currents.
And Albus thought he saw the octopus smile! Very easy! But still!
And Albus forgot that he needed air and watched the octopus play with the two boys. Peaceful and Free!
And when Albus reappeared, he threw the wand into the boat and swam to the tentacles sticking up in the air.Always wanted to take part!

So another day came to an end.
Another day closer to the end of the summer vacation. And after the summer break, Albus would be going to Hogwarts! The first time! And then James would see! And then he would know a spell even in such a situation!
But of course he had learned something again today:

Even a Hogwarts octopus needs a vacation!