Look before you leap. George has the (un)fortunate moment to jump right into a mer-egg shell floating by. The magic in them can be very potent for a while after another merchild has hatched. This one very much so, with him regressed by the time he's fully inside. The rest of the air is expunged as the egg reseals and George, falls into a deep slumber. Over several months he slowly transforms into a sea-dragon. He awakens and breaks out of the shell. How much he remembers of his life before his hatching, is anyone's guess.