Both boys were thrilled. They were on the open sea for the first time, participating in a thrilling adventure, and with a real sunken ship right before their eyes.
Suddenly, Richard's voice rang in Harry's ears:
- We need to find the entrance to the cargo hold.
- What? How can you talk to me?!
"There's a magical walkie-talkie built into this; I turned it on. Harry, grab the side with your tentacles and move along it to the left."
- Okay, Richie, I get it.
The enormous bulk of the ancient refrigerated cargo ship was half-buried in the seabed. Richard and Harry moved nervously from bow to stern, using an underwater version of levitation and occasionally clinging to the ship's sides with their remaining tentacles.
The boys swam past a rusty pipe.
Harry noticed something in the Lumos light and exclaimed:
- Richie, look, there's a big hatch!
"Just what the doctor ordered!" Richard rejoiced.
Having swum to the hatch, the boys tried to open it with their tentacles, but it refused to give in.
"Rusted," Potter stated.
- Harry, you're Captain Obvious! Open it.
- HOW?!
- And who boasted that he knew the unlocking spell?
- Do you think it will help against rust?!
Harry's bright green eyes, clearly visible through the transparent helmet, expressed a ton of skepticism.
- No, damn it! Harry, I think the hatch is locked.
- Ah-ah-ah! Got it. Just a sec.
Harry Potter pointed his wand at the hatch and exclaimed:
- Alohomora!
Sound travels well in water. A loud scraping sound reached the boys' ears.
"Well done, partner! Harry, now let's both try to lift the hatch with all tentacles on the count of three."
- Now.
Fumbling with the controls, Harry managed to grasp the edges of the hatch with the three-fingered fingers of the steel manipulators. Richard had it easier, having already had some practice with robotic limbs.
- So, one... two... THREE!!!
At Richard's cry, both boys strained with all their might. The steel manipulators jerked upward. A terrible grinding sound was heard, and the hatch began to give way. And then, at an elusive moment, the robotic limbs suddenly shot upward, along with the lid, which swung open completely.
A dark opening appeared before the boys. A sense of dread emanated from within. A shudder ran down Richard's spine. Harry shivered, but didn't want to show his fear to his friend.
Plucking up his courage, Potter broke the awkward silence:
- Well, shall we swim inside?
- It's fucking scary!
"Me too," Harry admitted, glad that he wasn't alone in his feelings.
Richard was distraught. On the one hand, they'd come a long way and were already standing before their destination, but the darkness of the hold, slightly dispelled by the light of the spells, was terrifying. He tried to come up with an excuse not to go there.
"Scott and Steve are probably worried about us. They've already put off laying bricks."
"Probably," Harry winced at the loud rustling sound of silt sliding off the side of the ship.
"Maybe we should go back, rest, and try again, full of energy?" Richard suggested hopefully.
Harry was scared, but he didn't want to give up on the adventure halfway through. But just in case, the boy clarified:
- Are there many treasures there?
- A lot!
- And to be more precise?
"Maybe more horseradish!" Richard tried to hide his fear with a sneer. "There should be ninety tons of platinum, ten tons of gold, and about half a ton of diamonds."
"HOW MUCH?!" Harry's eyes widened in astonishment. "This... This..."
Potter couldn't even imagine such a huge pile of treasure. The image of Scrooge McDuck's safe from the cartoon series "DuckTales" came to mind.
"Let's climb!" Harry declared firmly, overcoming his fear.
"Well... Okay, let's climb," Richard reluctantly agreed.
Harry boldly dove into the hold. Richie swam after him. Both boys were terrified, but they forged ahead through the vast hold. The bottom was silted, the walls rusted, and pitch darkness reigned, with only two small spheres of spells illuminating the small space around them.