Disclaimer: As though anyone is dumb enough to believe that I own much of this . . . the plot and Lycaon(and some other, minor characters) alone are mine.
Author's Note: Thank you to those who reviewed. This chapter is now completely finalized and perfected (to the best of my abilities with the assistance of the wonderful Enjie Yekcam). Thanks for being here!
The Zinnia Blooms—Of Acquaintances and Art Forms
Lycaon dreaded the moment that she would have to go to her new room with her new roommates. She wasn't sure what bothered her more: the fact that they wouldn't like her or the fact that she cared that they wouldn't like her.
So Ly managed to get the boys, as she had begun to refer to them, to sit with her in the Common. The Prefects had gone up to bed already—the lazy pricks—and so the boys saw no problem with staying up a little late; though Ly did have a sneaking suspicion that James and Sirius didn't much care where the Prefects were.
She had asked James and Sirius if they would stay down in the common with her for a while and they had agreed, not looking the least bit sleepy. She had, without much thought, invited Peter as well. He had been there and it took far more to endure the awkwardness of excluding him than to invite him to stay, as well.
Inside the Common, the students diverged, ready for a night's rest. Lupin seemed particularly unnerved—perhaps we've been too much for him?--and made for the boys dormitories straight away, but Lycaon decided that she'd like to invite him. He was at least as enjoyable as Peter and, although his conversation had been a little stilted, there was something endearing about him. Somehow his lonely face made her feel connected to him, and she needed more of that if she was to face the girls tonight.
. . .
"Remus Lupin!"
He could hear someone calling his name, perhaps a little too happily, and stopped dead in his tracks. It was a girl. He had only told two girls his name, one of which was Mary, who had a very distinct voice, so he knew it could only be the other: Lycaon Saer.
He was learning to dread that name.
He turned.
"Yes?"
Lycaon was stood before him, completely nonchalant, leaning on the back of one of the comfortable chairs. The surrounding seats were filled with Peter, James and Sirius.
"Do you want to join us? We're going to stay out here for a little while."
He looked from the unsure twist of her lips to the soft, barely-understood thoughts in her eyes. What harm could it do?
"Sure."
He walked over as Lycaon slid into the chair gracelessly.
"Excellent!"
Although Remus doubted she meant to make him uncomfortable, Lycaon's sudden movements and somewhat exaggerated reactions put him on edge.
Remus sat down and looked at the others. They were all looking around at each other. Except for Peter. He was watching his fidgeting hands.
Sirius let out a large yawn.
"So, when do you lot think we should take our first trip into the Forbidden Forest?"
Remus felt himself frown.
Is he insane? Didn't he hear what Dumbledore said?
Of course he heard, a voice chided in his head. That's why he's going to do it.
"Well," James was speaking now. "I think we ought to wait about two weeks."
"Why?" Lycaon asked in her deceptively soft voice, which seemed to contradict her strong presence. "I say we can get ourselves acquainted with the grounds, but we don't have to wait terribly long."
Peter fidgeted some more.
"Are you sure you want to go to the forest?" Peter asked. "Dumbledore said-"
"Dumbledore practically asked us to go," interrupted Sirius.
"I don't know," continued Peter.
"Well, then don't come," Sirius said, impatience getting the better of him.
"I really think everyone should go," said Lycaon, her brow furrowed.
"Agreed," James asserted. "Listen, mates, we're definitely going, and all of us are going." He scanned the group over his glasses, commanding all attention. "We just need to be reasonable about when. It's no fun if we get caught or get killed."
Lycaon's head snapped toward him and her dark eyes, which he had begun to find unsettling, regarded him carefully. She was sizing him up, and it was most uncomfortable.
"What do you think, Remus?"
Remus was caught off guard. There appeared to be no safe answer, no logical solution to these illogical individuals.
"Well," he looked to James, "I think that we need to prepared, but," he looked to Lycaon, "I think we can get ready in a week."
This answer seemed to please them both. On the couch that Sirius had all to himself he lay nodding slowly.
"Well, the sooner the better. I actually want to get to know that forest, not just go there because Dumbledore said we couldn't."
Lycaon rolled her eyes. "Oh, yes, because we all know you're too mature for that."
. . .
They all laughed at this, except, of course, for Sirius. He wasn't sure whether he should be genuinely offended or genuinely honored. It really depended: were they truly making fun, or was this something friends normally did? For the moment he was going to assume the latter.
At any rate, Sirius decided he might just like having a friend who was also a girl. Maybe she could help them understand the mystery that was womankind. Like the whys and wherefores of female tantrums.
And the importance of shoes.
The lot of them stayed up a little bit later, and, in time, their raucous laughter roused a Prefect. She had very sandy blonde hair and muddy brown eyes which did nothing for her case of being a complete nuisance.
If she wasn't even pretty then what good was she?
"What are you doing up at this hour?" Her shrieks were horrible enough to almost rival his mother's. "And you're First Years, no less! You have your first classes here tomorrow. Don't you think you ought to take it a little more seriously?"
James stood authoritatively, his hand outstretched as a sign of peace but his mouth curved into a defiant half-grin.
"Don't you think you're taking this a little too seriously?"
The girl's face turned bright red with emotions Sirius couldn't quite identify.
"Too seriously? Do not take me so lightly. I know this school—I am a Prefect! What do you know?"
"Well, I think I know quite a bit about serious matters," Sirius said, without much forethought. "I am Sirius Black, after all."
Although some of his friends chuckled the Prefect was not at all amused.
"What do you lot take me for? Have you no respect? You little cretins, I'll show you a thing or two! A couple of detentions-"
"Whoa!" James interrupted. "That's not really necessary, is it?"
"With a bunch of filthy brats like you, yes!"
She was appalling, but before Sirius could even think of anything more to say Ly was at the ready.
"Oh, would you just stop?"
She stood and suddenly made her presence felt. This seemed to alarm the Prefect as much as it alarmed Sirius.
"We'll go to bed, but you'll wake the rest of the house with your screeching."
The Prefect looked ready to make a retort but Ly stopped her with the lift of a singular forefinger.
"And, for the record," said Ly, "you have no right to speak to us that way."
She turned on her heel, her ponytail catching the Prefect in the face smartly, and walked towards the girl's dormitories with the boys watching after her, reactions varied. Just upon reaching the bottom of the stairs she turned back, and in a much more jovial manner, waved to them.
"G'night, mates!"
With that she turned once more and ran up the stairs at a fast rate of long practice.
Sirius was left on the couch, flabbergasted.
Maybe she wouldn't be the best choice to help them understand girls; she was too confusing herself. And, now that he thought of it, Sirius supposed she wasn't very much like other girls, anyway.
The Prefect stood before the fire in shock as Sirius began to laugh quietly. The three of them had certainly taken her down a notch.
"YOU HEARD ME!" The Prefect's indignant shriek startled him. "Get to bed!"
She glowered at them, and, unwilling to engage in further confrontation, the boys scuttled off.
. . .
Lycaon had to pause to catch her breath almost immediately. She had hardly taken a breath during that whole exchange, so tense was she. Her hands felt weak but she noted a change: they didn't shake. Something of the magic of Hogwarts seem to be protecting and strengthening her.
She managed composure by the time she reached the First Year girls' dorm and, upon entering, was a little disappointed to find every last one of them still awake. From the looks of it all the beds were taken—but, no, there was one more.
Her bed was a conveniently placed separate from the others and much closer to the door. She doubted, however, that these light-sleeping girls would fail to wake just to spite her. Ly would have to take great care not to rouse them when she did sneak out.
She nodded to the girls but avoided making eye contact, rushing towards her bed.
"Hello."
She was there in two strides and began to pull out her pajamas. Ducks! What possessed me to bring duck pajamas? No matter. She pulled her curtains closed and changed, aware of the other girls in the room whispering.
She choked down a groan. What could they possibly be saying now? Lycaon left her curtains decidedly closed and slipped into bed. She didn't want to chat with those people. It would be like every other time, and they would be like every other group of girls before them. They would find her weird and give her uncomfortable looks, and it would never ever end.
So she would ignore them.
But they just wouldn't let that happen.
Her curtains were pried open, with no regard for privacy, by the red head.
Lycaon stared directly at her, still lying on her back.
"Hello, may I help you?"
The girl raised one eyebrow, a feat which Lycaon had never quite perfected, though her attempts gave the same affect.
"Well, we were all just getting to know each other. We wanted-" there was a cough, "I wanted you to join us."
Lycaon sat up. Oh, wonderful, they already don't want me around, she thought to herself.
"Sure, I just thought that tomorrow might be a better day, but," she shrugged, "there's no reason not to get it out of the way."
She knew instantly that she'd said something wrong because the red head was wearing a very forced smile. Bugger, I can't even get along with them.
"Alright. Well, I'm Lily Evans." She stuck out her hand and Lycaon shook it.
"I'm Lycaon Saer, but if it's easier you can call me Ly."
Lily's smile looked a little more genuine. "Great."
Lily returned to her bed while Lycaon pulled her curtains completely out of the way, and the other girls took this as a cue of some sort.
The girl that Pettigrew had been boring, who had light brown hair and blue eyes –Why was Ly always identifying by eye and hair color?—piped up with her name.
"I'm Amy Weathern."
The blonde girl from down the table was next.
"I'm Crystal Henley."
The name was said in tone that reminded Ly of the way Sirius had introduced himself. This, inexplicably, upset her.
The next girl was, unlike the others, chubby, with red-brown hair and what Ly was pretty sure were brown eyes.
"Mary Ouneyan!"
At least she was cheery, with a certain earnestness in her demeanor.
Although she wasn't sure what kind of impression she was making Lycaon had a feeling that Crystal returned any initial dislike Ly may have felt. There was something in the lazy droop of her lashes over her cold, blue eyes and the disinterested arc of her pale brows which Ly took immediate issue with. There was something like her father's desire for control in this girl, and Lycaon did not like it at all.
The introductions were over but Ly was far from sleep, and she knew it.
Damn these girlish customs.
. . .
The boys were all up in the room, discussing—what else—the look on that Prefect's face.
"She looked like someone just spilled a bucket of dragon dung on her!" That was what James had to say.
"If Ly hadn't said it I would have!" Sirius laughed, jumping up and down on his bed.
James laughed some more.
"I see you're rather fond of using that nickname Sirius. Has someone got a crush on Lycaon?"
"Oh, completely," he returned sarcastically.
Sirius then laughed and sent a pillow at James' head; it hit him in the face.
Remus appeared from behind his curtains, now in his pajamas, laughing quietly.
Peter was giggling in a childish fashion and was clearly audible through the curtain as he changed. When he came out, he too was met with a pillow in the face from Sirius.
"So help me Peter, if you ever make that noise again, I'll have to strangle you."
It was half a joke and half a threat, and Peter laughed nervously, bobbing his head up and down in submission.
"Sure thing, Sirius."
James shook his head and it was Sirius' turn to be hit with a pillow.
"Honestly, Sirius, you're going to frighten him," he said exasperatedly.
"He already has," Peter squeaked.
Sirius rolled his eyes as he flopped down onto his bed.
"I thought they kept all the losers out of Hogwarts." He muttered under his breath and Remus, who had the bed next to him, chuckled in the way one does when he knows that he shouldn't.
"What? What's funny?" Peter asked anxiously.
"Nothing, Peter; nothing at all."
. . .
Lycaon smiled and, whenever one of the other girls said something that was supposed to be funny, laughed. Just below the surface, she was trying to feel out the situation.
Lily, while somewhat of a know it all, was decent and fairly nice. She was muggle-born and absolutely fascinated with Hogwarts and everything to do with the wizarding world, though her pale Slytherin friend had told her a thing or two.
Amy was half and half: her mum was muggle-born and her dad, they figured out, was some incredibly distant relative of Lycaon's mother which made them related, too.
Mary was more thoroughly mixed, her father a half-blood and her mother a muggle-born.
Crystal was a pureblood.
Figures, thought Lycaon.
Crystal made it very clear that she was simply superior and asserted this by taking control of the conversation.
"Did you see that boy down the table? He was so cute!"
Lycaon gave her a quizzical look.
"Which one? James, Sirius, Remus or Peter?"
Crystal looked slightly abashed—which gave Lycaon considerable satisfaction--and then sat up, dignified, like girls do. In fact, it was in the same as a cat or of all those many statues one can see of the Egyptian goddess Bastet.
"Obviously I don't know what his name was. I meant the one with the longer black hair."
Lycaon nodded, choosing to ignore the nasty tone.
"His name is Sirius Black. The one with the shorter black hair is James Potter; the one with the brownish hair is Remus Lupin—"
"I knew that!" Mary inserted excitedly.
Lycaon managed another forced smile. "And the blond is Peter Pettigrew."
Amy nodded at the last name.
"Yeah, Peter's a tad annoying."
She blushed upon hearing her own words, and Lycaon found this charming.
"I don't want to be mean, but I can't help but think it. I tried to be nice, really I did."
Lycaon laughed, but whole-heartedly this time. "You're not the only one, Amy."
"Well," Lily did the dignified-sitting bit, "I'm not sure that I like them."
Lycaon lay down on her stomach, feeling somewhat more at ease. "Aw, come now, Lily. James was only trying to be helpful."
Lily crossed her arms, not seeming to buy in it at all.
"What, does he think I can't take care of myself? Does he think it's an honor for me that he helped be into a boat?"
Lycaon just shook her head. "He's really not that bad, Lily. James just likes you. He was staring at you all through the feast, in case you didn't notice."
Lily put her arms back at her sides, her hands clenched into fists—a further sign of displeasure. Oh, Merlin! I've made it worse.
"Oh, so now he feels free to stare at me like I'm some kind of display?"
Lycaon put up her hands as though she could create a physical barrier for Lily's growing rage.
"That wasn't the idea at all, and you know that! He just . . . likes you."
Lily still looked murderous, and the other girls were trying to figure out what they were arguing about. The situation few more and more unpleasant by the second.
"He wasn't thinking about anything but himself."
"Actually, I beg to differ: he wasn't thinking about anything but you."
Lily blushed.
"Well, if you say he's not that bad then I'll take your word on it for now—but so help me if he pulls anything like that again!"
That, Lycaon supposed, is as good as I can do for James. If he really liked Lily he'd have to take care of it himself, but she could throw in a good word for him once in a while.
. . .
The next morning Lycaon was awakened by a certain someone's unbelievably cheery ways.
"Everyone, wake up!" Lily said in a sing-song voice.
The other girls all got up grudgingly but Lycaon could only manage to groan and roll over, thankful that her curtains were drawn shut.
Lily took even that small pleasure from her. When she pulled them open she was positively sunny. She had to have been awake for hours already.
"Get up, Sleepy-head!"
Lycaon sat up, knowing that her hair largely resembled a bush of dark brown Merlin-only-knew-what, especially compared to Lily's sleek red hair.
"Lily, have you no shame?"
"You're not exactly a morning person, are you?"
Lily seemed a little put off.
"You're too much of one." Lycaon growled and clambered out of bed, one of her legs asleep therefore making it very hard to balance. She glared at Lily. "I'm going to get dressed."
Her uniform was pulled out and the curtain closed again, right in Lily's face. When she came out she was much as disheveled as before. After washing her face, brushing her teeth, and brushing her hair, she looked the better for it.
Lycaon soon gave up scowling at Lily—it took too much energy—and decided to go into the commons for a little bit, not quite hungry yet. She grabbed her school bag with all her supplies in it and headed to the common where she collapsed onto a couch, just until she could find the strength to go any further.
. . .
In the boys dormitories James was having a pleasant dream when a high pitched beeping ripped him out of the lovely semi-consciousness of the sleeping world and back into the dorm.
Remus rolled out of his bed and onto the floor, and James sat up with a jolt.
Sirius, however, was laying on his stomach in bed, attempting to shut out the noise with his pillow.
"Sorry, mates!" Peter squeaked while untangling himself. "I'm awake!" He said to the Wizard's World™ alarm clock and it stopped it's beeping.
The other inhabitants of the room, with the exception of Remus, were glaring at him. Remus couldn't have glared at Peter if he wanted to. He was sprawled out on the floor, twisted in his sheets with his face buried in the carpet.
All in all it was a fairly pathetic scene.
Sirius made to roll over and resume sleep but Remus was already up and determined to bring the others with him.
"Come on, mates. We have our first classes today."
With a groan James slid out of bed and made a mental note to destroy Peter's alarm clock as soon as humanly possible. Maybe he could do it while the little bugger was at breakfast? At any rate they all got dressed—Sirius more reluctantly than the others—grabbed their bags and went down into the commons, mainly because they had to go through there to get to breakfast. They were pretty-well starving.
. . .
By the time they had all headed down to the commons they were all awake, but Sirius was unable focus fully. He was hungry, and that did a great deal to distract him.
As they came to the bottom of the stairs from the boys dormitories he spotted Lycaon taking up most of a couch. He looked at the other boys, who seemed not to note the opportunity, and winked.
Sirius ran upstairs and was back in a flash with a cup of water. As stealthily as possible, he tip-toed over to where Lycaon was laying.
When he was about a foot away from the couch something happened that nearly had him jumping out of his skin.
"Sirius Black, if you pour that water on me I'll be forced to retaliate."
He threw the cup over his shoulder.
"Ly, are you a seer? Because I don't know how you managed to hear me."
James and Remus were cracking up in the background. Sirius glanced quickly behind him to see that Peter had gotten hit with the stray cup.
Lycaon sat up and seemed to be considering him.
"Actually, you were completely audible, but, even if you had snuck up quietly, you still think too loudly."
And with that she got up and headed off to the Great Hall leaving behind a bemused Sirius and an amused James and Remus.
Peter was simply mortified.
Peter ran up to the dormitory to change into dry clothes and the other three headed slowly down the hall.
"What do you think she meant when she said that I 'think too loudly'?" Sirius asked his friends.
"I don't know, she's very strange, that one," replied Remus.
James just shrugged but by that time Peter had caught up to them, panting heavily.
"Maybe she's Telepathic."
The other three looked backwards at him, surprised by his presence and puzzled by his statement.
"Peter, that is quite possibly the stupidest thing you have said yet." Sirius shook his head. "Only muggles believe in that nonsense."
And yet . . . he thought to himself. No, that's stupid. Ly couldn't possibly read my mind. That's silly muggle thinking.
. . .
Lycaon sat in the Great Hall, munching on some toast with orange marmalade and drinking her pumpkin juice. She was very fond of the food at Hogwarts.
Naturally Ly couldn't hear Sirius' thoughts, but he was highly predictable.
And it didn't hurt that she had seen a reflection across the common as he was sneaking up on her.
As she laughed lightly the quartet trooped in. Quite a group they made, too. Sirius and James were in the front, both with their entirely different black hair, and Remus and Peter in the back.
Remus was definitely looking a little weak and sickly. Ly wondered if perhaps he wasn't naturally frail. It would be dreadful if he missed the beginning of school. Poor bloke, being sick was terrible, and she had a feeling that Hogwarts schooling wasn't the kind that you skipped when it was at all within your power.
The boys settled themselves at the table, and, watching them, Lycaon felt rather as though she had a guard with James and Sirius sitting across from her and Remus and Peter beside. Sirius looked at her intently while Remus and James started a conversation of their own.
"So, what did you mean when you said that I think too loud?"
Lycaon just laughed. He's certainly bothered by it, isn't he?
"Nothing, Sirius; you're just so predictable. How could I not expect that?"
"That's all?" He stared at her blankly.
"That's all." Lycaon nodded, and, she had to admit, Sirius did look slightly put off.
"Oh, alright then." Sirius looked down at his plate, grey eyes at peace. Then he suddenly looked up. "Say, what class do we have first?"
Lycaon shrugged and rummaged through her bag for her schedule.
"Ah, here we are. Transfiguration with McGonagall, she's our Head of House. She's the woman who called us up to the stool last night."
Sirius nodded, at this point eating breakfast.
"Da'j good duh mo," he managed with his mouth full.
In the wake of his oddity Ly could only furrow her brow and smile.
. . .
Once they had all eaten Remus looked at his watch. His father had given it to him, or, actually, his father had left it to him. Mum and Dad had left everything to him, even if that wasn't much. It had a blue face with gold hands and little golden stars where the numbers should have been. No moon, thank God.
"Come on, mates, we have just enough time to get to class," he informed them.
The lot slung their bags over their shoulders and headed out, except for Ly. She had, Remus noticed, chosen to hold it out ahead of her and kick it as she walked.
She most certainly was an odd one. Does she realize that she looks like a complete lunatic?
The little voice in his head responded again. 'Maybe, probably, definitely.'
It would figure that he'd end up with a crazy girl hanging around with him. Then again, he wasn't so normal himself. He chastised himself immediately.
I can't keep thinking like that. I'm only different every now and then, more or less once a month. In fact, it was only three days away, on the 5th. Lord spare me, he thought miserably.
How on earth would he be able to keep this from his roommates? Where was he going to transform? Dumbledore had said that he had it all worked out, but he hadn't told Remus just how. Remus only had the power to sigh and worry.
. . .
Lycaon heard a sigh and recognized it as having certain vocal traits of Remus'. She lagged behind a little bit and fell in step with him.
"What's wrong, Remus? You don't look so good."
She watched for any signs from him. Maybe I should send him to the nurse?
He looked up and fear briefly skittered through his eyes, further puzzling her. He looked away and ran his hand briefly through the silvery-brown hair which went just beyond his ears.
"I haven't been getting a lot of sleep lately. Just anxious about school, you know."
Lycaon nodded, even though something in Remus' voice betrayed him as lying. But about what? She contained her sigh.
"You just need to relax. You're here, it's the first day of school, and it's not like you're going keel over dead because of it."
A weak smiled played over his lips and Ly felt that she had done at least a little something right if he was smiling.
So they headed into Transfiguration to find the brisk woman from the night before standing in front of the partially assembled class.
The group of them all sat towards the front. There were three to a table so, actually, in the front was, from right to left, Peter, James and Sirius. On the table behind them were Lycaon and Remus. The Gryffindor girls, who for some reason didn't—and probably never would—include Lycaon, filed in soon after.
Crystal was, naturally, in lead of the pack—truly that's all it could be called with such a looming presence. They seated themselves on the tables to the left of the boys. Well, mostly; Amy sat down on the left side of Lycaon and smiled pleasantly.
Crystal smiled more like a viper and in the direction of Sirius. Lily turned around in her seat and waved happily to someone in the back.
Ly rolled her eyes, part from frustration and part from something vaguely identifiable as bitterness. Why? Just . . . why?
As though they shared the same mind, Amy heaved a sigh as Crystal and Mary began to whisper excitedly to one another.
"I wish they would stop," Amy lamented, mostly to herself.
"I second that motion," Ly said with her friendliest smile.
"I heard that," hissed Crystal.
Amy blushed in reply and Ly simply made a face that she hoped said 'what of it?'
Beside Ly, Remus chuckled softly, but she couldn't muster that affability. Honestly, who died a painful death and left Henley the throne?
The last stragglers entered and then Minerva McGonagall cleared her throat.
"Now, students, I am Professor McGonagall and I will be teaching you the art of Transfiguration." She started her obviously well-used speech.
She's probably used the same one since she started teaching. If nothing's broken why fix it, right?
"Transfiguration is quite possibly the most complex and dangerous art you will be learning at Hogwarts. Anyone who decides to do what they are not supposed to in my class will be made to suffer the consequences. This is your only warning."
She stared across the room over her glasses and the students squirmed under her gaze. Ly wasn't quite sure whether to be amused or impressed.
"Now, I would appreciate it if you would read the first five pages of your text book. I'm going to take roll just to be sure that everyone is where they should be. Jonathan Amerigo?"
The Slytherin confirmed his presence and she moved on while the class quietly read their books. Minerva paced up and down the middle aisle calling a name, finding the student while she lowered the list sufficiently out of her gaze. As Lycaon's eyes wandered away from McGonagall she saw something change in James' posture.
James turned to Sirius as he finished assuring the professor of his presence. James' excitement was met with an unspoken question from Sirius. James turned fully around his chair to face Remus and Ly as McGonagall made her way to the other side of the room.
"I have an idea," James whispered.
"Should I be worried?" Remus asked.
James only smiled. "Ly, look for something to wipe that list."
Ly rolled her eyes but flipped open her book and began skimming the index.
"Wouldn't that be in Charms?" Continued Remus.
"There's got to be something in that book," Sirius replied.
"Hurry up, Ly," urged James.
"Alright, alright," she murmured, her eyes flitting over the pages. "I think I have it."
She flipped to page 137.
"Okay, here it is," Ly said. "Verbum Permoveo."
"You're the best, Ly," James said, pulling his wand from his pocket and pointing it at McGonagall's list. "Verbum Permoveo!"
Ly watched as the ink on the paper created a small flurry of black, just in time for the professor to leave it to failing vision and too much movement. And then it seemed to rearrange in new words on the paper.
"Bullocks!" James bit his tongue in frustration.
Ly looked down at the page. Why didn't it work? She groaned.
"Oh, shite. I'm sorry, James. I gave you the wrong spell."
"What?"
"I told you 'Permoveo' but it's 'Emoveo.'"
"Ly!" James whispered, most indignantly.
"Lecyana Sear?" Minerva called, seemingly perplexed by the new font of the list.
"Lycaon Saer, if you could, Minerva," Ly replied, her brain barely functioning.
It wasn't until McGonagall's eyebrows had nearly disappeared into her hair that Lycaon realized what she had done. As giggling rose here and there in the room Lycaon could only stare her professor down.
"Professor McGonagall, if you could, Miss Saer," the woman said after a moment.
Lycaon found no words and only smiled in response. This seemed to appease Minerva. She moved on, although somewhat distracted by Lycaon's actions.
"Snivellus Seeps?" She read as though half-asleep.
"It's Severus Snape, Professor." He muttered, visibly embarrassed.
"What is the matter with this list?" McGonagall muttered.
The teacher took her wand from pocket and waved it irately at the parchment. The letters appeared to stand at attention and flit immediately back to their rightful places.
In front of Ly, James and Sirius were absolutely thrilled with the name 'Snivellus Seeps.'
"That's much better than clearing the list," said James, grinning stupidly. "Thanks a million, Ly."
For just a moment, Ly felt bad. Who knew what sort of life this Snivellus-Severus bloke had, and here she was, making him a target for Sirius and James' mischief.
For a just a moment she felt bad.
What was done was done. It wasn't as if she had intended to embarrass him, anyway. If she had an opportunity to explain herself she was sure he'd understand. It was quite a simple mistake.
Moving on, however, she had to read those first couple pages. It was a task which didn't particularly appeal to Lycaon and, not surprisingly, she carried it out with less than meticulous care. Indeed, she took in very little of it, but she had technically finished when next Minerva spoke.
"Now take out some parchment and a quill; we're going to take notes," explained Minerva.
There was a shuffling as all of the students obeyed, and then take notes they did. Lycaon hated writing notes; but, quite frankly, it did help her to learn. That, however, didn't mean she had to like it. After the many mystifying, intricate notes were taken McGonagall spoke something beyond the dictation.
"All right, students," came Minerva's voice, "I am going to give you all matches and see if you can change them into needles. Now, if you do not manage this, do not be disheartened." She surveyed them all and pulled out her wand. "This is simply to determine what I have to build on."
With one flick, the box of matches dispersed among the students. Handy, thought Lycaon as she looked down at her match. How on earth am I supposed to turn this ridiculous piece of wood tipped with some phosphorous into a needle? Oh well. If Nicholas Flamel is over 200 because of some stupid rock then I can turn this stupid match into a needle.
Note: I certainly hope you all enjoyed this chapter, especially considering how much work Enjie and I had to do to get it up to par. As always, I would love to hear your chapter-by-chapter feedback and hope you will read on!
