"This is so frustrating!" Rhyleigh exclaimed exasperated. Albus chuckled lightly but stopped when Rhyleigh glared at him.
"Reading takes time and patience. Don't get discouraged! You're doing really well," Albus encouraged. Rhyleigh sighed heavily and put her face in her hands.
"I'm trying to be patient but I sound like an idiot," Rhyleigh confessed quietly. Albus had been teaching Rhyleigh for more than a week now and they were trying to read picture books. Albus had asked Professor McGonagall if she could get them some simple books to read and she had provided them with both muggle and wizard picture books. They were trying to read a book called The Red Ripe Strawberry and The Big Hungry Bear.
"Rhyleigh, you're doing really well! I remember when Lily started to read and she couldn't get through an entire book in one day. Your mastering at least five books a day and you could probably do more but I'm teaching you other stuff," Albus reassured. Rhyleigh peeked through her hands and said, "Really?" Albus smiled and nodded. He pushed the book towards her again and she sighed.
"Hello, lit-little Moose-mouse. What aree-are you doing?" Rhyleigh began. Albus smiled and corrected her when needed. He was proud of how far she'd come and he had told her the truth. Rhyleigh was improving rapidly and they would soon start reading the school textbooks.
"-the hungry Bear will never get," Rhyleigh finished. By the end of the book, Rhyleigh was speaking confidently and clearly. She smiled when she finished and Albus returned the smile.
"Well done! You want to move on with spells?" Albus asked. Rhyleigh's smile grew wider and she hopped off her chair.
"Review?" she asked. Albus nodded. Rhyleigh took a deep breath and said, "Lumos!" A bright light shone from her wand and stayed there until I nodded, signaling she could end the spell. Rhyleigh went through several other spells and Albus watched closely. Rhyleigh was decent at spells but it didn't come as naturally to her as it did to other kids their age.
"Ok," Albus said once she had done all of the spells that she'd learned previously, "How about a shield spell?" Rhyleigh gulped nervously but nodded. Albus got up and faced Rhyleigh.
"I've always thought it was easier to do this spell when you were looking at someone accross from you. To do the spell all you need to do is point your wand and say 'Protego'," Albus explained, "How would you spell 'Protego'?" Rhyleigh rolled her eyes at the spelling exercise but dutifully said, "P-r-o, protego, t-e-g-o." Albus smiled and nodded.
"Ok, go ahead," Albus said. Rhyleigh took a deep breath and said, "Protego!" Nothing happened.
"Protego!" Nothing. "PROTEGO!" Nothing. Rhyleigh sighed in frustration. Albus opened his mouth to say something but Rhyleigh interrupted, "I know! I know! Yelling louder doesn't make the spell more forceful, it just makes you look ridiculous." Albus chuckled, "When did I ever say that?" Rhyleigh shrugged and looked at the ground.
"Try closing your eyes and focus on protecting yourself, as if there's danger in front of you," Albus suggested. Rhyleigh closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She raised her hands and said, "Protego!" A powerful shield exploded out of Rhyleigh's wand and the force of it knocked Albus backwards into the wall. Albus slid limply to the ground. Rhyleigh gasped and rushed over to Albus' still body.
"Oh, oh no. Wha-what did I do?" Rhyleigh gently shook Albus, " Albus? Albus!? ALBUS!?" Albus groaned and Rhyleigh sighed in relief. Albus' eyes fluttered open and focused on Rhyleigh's concerned face.
"Albus are you okay? I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to! Really! I'm so so so sorry!" Rhyleigh apologized. She looked on the brink of tears.
"It-it's ok. I'm alright, I think," Albus replied shakily, "That was one heck of a shield." Rhyleigh didn't look convinced.
"Should I go get Madam Pomfrey?" Rhyleigh asked.
"No, I'm f-" Albus shook his head but then his vision went blurry. Albus groaned again and said, "Yeah, probably." Rhyleigh scurried off and in a few minutes was back with Madam Pomfrey.
"Well, what do we have here?" Madam Pomfrey asked with her hands on her hips. Albus had slowly sat up against the wall and had closed his eyes against the stars circling his head. Rhyleigh was pale and kept apologizing. Madam Pomfrey knelt down and scanned her wand over Albus.
"Honestly child! If you don't stop flittering about, I'll send you to the Headmistress!" Madam Pomfrey scolded. Rhyleigh quieted but still hovered anxiously. Madam Pomfrey mumbled a spell at Albus' chest and then at his head. His head cleared and he felt better immediately.
"Now, please be more careful. I'm going to talk to the Headmistress about having a supervisor in here," Madam Pomfrey scolded and walked back out. Rhyleigh knelt next to Albus and mumbled, "I'm really sorry."
"Rhyleigh, you have nothing to be sorry for," Albus said. Rhyleigh looked at him incredulously. Albus smiled, "You did exactly what I said. I wasn't expecting such a powerful shield therefore it's my fault." Rhyleigh still looked ashamed so Albus put his hand on her shoulder and said, "Seriously Rhyleigh, it's fine." Albus noticed that Rhyleigh flinched ever so slightly at his touch. As Albus thought about it, Rhyleigh probably wasn't used to people touching her or she'd learned to stay away from people. Albus lifted his hand and got up. Rhyleigh followed suit and they made their way back to the table.
"Rhyleigh, do you have to protect yourself a lot on the streets?" Albus asked. Rhyleigh looked up at the question and said, "Well, yeah. I have to protect the spot where I sleep, the food I collect, and from people who don't want me on the streets." Rhyleigh looked down at the last part.
"What do you mean 'don't want you on the streets?'" Rhyleigh fidgeted.
"There are some people who think homeless people are a drag on society. That we bring others down. That's true in some cases, but I don't. I stay out of people's way and only eat what others don't want," Rhyleigh explained. It now made sense to Albus why her shield had been so powerful, she'd had to protect herself a lot. Another thought occurred to Albus but before he could ask her about it, he heard a rustling behind him. He turned around just as a book came hurtling towards his face. He heard Rhyleigh gasp and felt something push him out of the book's line of fire. Rhyleigh squeaked and ducked as the book flew over her head. Albus had landed on the floor and was trying to figure out who or what had pushed him when he heard more rustling. Albus looked towards the sound and saw at least a dozen books flying towards him and Rhyleigh. He scrambled towards Rhyleigh who had just seen the books. They ducked and swatted at the attacking books.
"Where did they come from?" Rhyleigh yelled. Albus looked around and noticed an old cupboard with its door hanging open.
"They must've been in the cupboard!" Albus shouted. He grunted as one of the books hit him on the nose. Rhyleigh had her hands above her head protectively. Albus hit one of the books away but it just flew back at him.
"STOP!" Rhyleigh suddenly screamed. The books stopped attacking. Albus looked up to see all of the books frozen in time. He looked over at Rhyleigh and saw her with her hands outstretched. She was breathing heavily and looking around wildly. She was about to lower her hands when Albus said, "Wait! Don't lower your hands, keep the magic there!" Rhyleigh looked at him confused but kept her hands up. Albus got up slowly and carefully collected all of the books. He stacked them in the cupboard, closed the door, and said a locking charm. He nodded to Rhyleigh and she lowered her hands. There was a banging from inside the cabinet as the magic that had held the books was lifted. It eventually quieted and Albus and Rhyleigh looked at each other.
"What was that?" they both said at the same time. They smiled and Albus said, "Have you always been able to do that?"
"Do what?" Rhyleigh asked, confused. They both took a seat again but kept glancing at the cupboard suspiciously.
"Non-verbal magic and magic without a wand," Albus said.
"Since I can remember," Rhyleigh replied, "Is it unusual?" Albus nodded and said, "It's really rare but considering your circumstance, I can see why your magic developed that way. Most young wizards and witches don't have a need for their magic so it's not as powerful or developed as yours. Because you had to survive and protect yourself, you used magic to help you. It's amazing!" Rhyleigh looked down at her hands in wonder.
"That's why spells with a wand are harder for you," Albus rambled. His thoughts wandered on until they rested on his current problem.
"Rhyleigh, can you turn into a dog?" Albus asked bluntly. Rhyleigh nodded, "I've always been able to."
"How strange," Albus mused.
"Is that rare too?" Rhyleigh asked.
"No, it's unheard of. To be able to change into an animal willingly, you can do it willingly right?" Rhyleigh nodded, "well that's an animagus. However, that's extremely advanced magic and I don't even think your magic would've reacted in that way. How strange." Rhyleigh fidgeted uncomfortably and asked, "Is it bad to be an animagus?" Albus looked up in surprise and reminded himself that Rhyleigh wasn't aware of all the wizard terms of the world and what they meant.
"No, it's a really cool thing. An animagus is someone who can change into an animal willingly contrary to a werewolf who has no choice but to change into a creature. Animagus' can also change at any time unlike the werewolf. It's highly valued in Aurors, wizard police, and in anywhere really. But, you're supposed to register that you're an animagus so I think we should keep this to ourselves," Albus said.
"What about Scor and Tevya?" Rhyleigh asked. Albus was again reminded of her huge leap of faith that she'd taken with Scorpious and Tevya. It had created a loyalty between the four of them that Albus doubted would be broken easily.
"You could tell them if you want. They can keep a secret," Albus smiled, "So you were the dog that I said Merry Christmas to." Rhyleigh smiled and nodded at the memory.
"Thank you by the way for what you left in the hat. It helped me a lot," Rhyleigh said. Albus nodded and then looked at his watch.
"It's about time for lunch. We should head down," Albus said. They packed up their things and headed to the Great Hall.
"Albus, why do you call me by my full name?" Rhyleigh asked randomly. Albus blinked and thought about the question. Scorpious and Tevya had given her the nickname "Leigh" but it just hadn't seemed right to Albus.
"I don't know. Leigh doesn't fit you. Rhyleigh's your name and that's how I know you. Do you want me to start calling you Leigh?" Albus asked. Rhyleigh shook her head and replied, "I like it when you say my full name. Can I keep calling you by your full name?" Albus thought back and realized that Rhyleigh had always called him "Albus" instead of "Al," his childhood nickname.
"Yeah," Albus smiled. Rhyleigh smiled and they continued on to the Great Hall. Albus liked the idea of calling each other by their full names. It was like an inside joke just between the two of them. It made it special, in a sense like a nickname. Albus liked that there was something special or unique between Rhyleigh and him.