Chapter 14
I have this strange feeling that at the end of this school year I would have the experience of having detention with every teacher, 'cause how it's looking now it's not far off. Snape really had to do something with his temper, or I'll cause Gryffindor's points to be in the negative and I'll have no time for homework, too busy with detentions.
I groaned just thinking about a whole week in detention doing Merlin knows what with June.
"Am I boring you, Ms Aeron?" The voice pulled me out of thought. I looked up and saw Prof McGonagall standing in front of the classroom and the whole class was looking at me. It was the last period and everyone was anxious to just get the class to be over.
"Er... No, I'm sorry, Prof." I mumbled, feeling really awkward as the class started to snicker.
"Then can you tell me what you think is in this cage." McGonagall gestured to the cage and I saw there was a book-bag in it.
"Uh..." I started, but looked at the cage again and recognized it.
The violet color of the cage was the giveaway that made me realize it was one of my mum's. She always loved the color violet, feeling that the beauty of the color inspired her name. That's when I realized that it could only be the Yixiano Volcirus that Mum brought to Hogwarts.
"It's a Yixiano Volcirus, also known as the morphing-bird." I said with a smile as the book-bag changed into the wonderful bird I saw the first time in Africa.
I found her on the forest ground, badly injured. Mum said she was lucky to be alive and it was clear that some big animal had attacked her but weren't sure why the beautiful bird was left to die. We took her in and Mum mended her ripped wing and used a healing spell on all the bite marks.
But as I looked at the wonderful bird now you couldn't see anything wrong with her. Her wings were different shades of jade that gleamed in the light. The feathers on her body was sky blue and it looked as soft as silk, with her long tail the mixture of the two colors. She didn't look big just sitting there, but I knew that once they are in flight, their wings and tail make them look extremely big.
"Good work, Ms Aeron. Fifteen points for Gryffindor for that excellent observation." McGonagall said with a nod. She glanced around the class, "Now, who can tell me what makes this bird magical?"
My hand shot up, feeling good that I earned points for my house. More hands went up and McGonagall looked over the hands. She looked at the students that were not paying attention and I saw her eyes land on Ron.
"Mr Weasley, can you tell me what makes it so special?" McGonagall asked and I looked at Ron, seeing how pink his face got. He looked at bit confused as his mind worked for the answer and I can see Harry whispering him the answer.
"It can change its form to something in his surrounding?" Ron said more as a question than a true answer.
"Yes, thank you, Mr Potter." McGonagall said, glaring at Harry. McGonagall walked back to the cage and was about to open it just as the bell rang.
"You're homework is to write a two foot essay on the Yixiano Volcirus for tomorrow." She said before she dismissed the groaning students.
As my fellow classmates stormed out of the class before McGonagall could give more homework, I stayed behind and walked to the purple cadge. I looked at the bird and I could see she recognized me with the look in her eyes.
"She seems really relaxed when you're here." McGonagall said with a bit of interest. "It took me a whole week before she even changed back to her original form."
I pushed my finger through the bars, wiggling it to show her I was going to touch her. She hesitately bowed her head to my finger. I felt her silky smooth feathers under my finger as I scratched her head with affection.
"Are you going to keep her?" I asked, looking away from her for the first time. McGonagall was standing just a few meters away from me, studying me and the bird.
"Albus and I thought it best if we set her free in the Forbidden Forest..." McGonagall looked at the bird with a slight frown. "...but it appears that she doesn't want to leave the cage."
I looked at the bird and felt my heart ache as I saw her big black eyes. "Cirus, wanna come out for a bit?"
She looked at me for a moment but then walked to the gate of the cage. McGonagall had a look of surprise and she opened the gate quickly.
Cirus slowly hopped to the bar of the cadge and looked at me with those dark eyes. "May I?" I asked, looking at McGonagall for permission.
"Of course, my dear." McGonagall urged me on and I placed my arm in front of Cirus, gesturing to hop on.
Cirus gave a loud chirp and I imagined it to be excitement as she hopped on my arm. Hopping up my arm to sit on my shoulder and rub her soft face against my cheek.
"It looks as if she'd much rather be with you than in the forest." McGonagall said and that's when I started to tell her the whole story of how we rescued her from the forest in Africa. McGonagall also started to mention my mum as when she was her student, but McGonagall didn't tell me much and she wasn't quite so pleased to share more information of my mum.
I was on my way to the dungeons and on my way to the first detention of five, when Hades stopped me on the stairs leading to the dungeons.
I looked at him and he seemed exhausted from running.
"You weren't at the library." Hades said between breaths.
"Yeah, I'm sorry. I got caught up in Transfiguration," I said, smiling just at the thought of beautiful Cirus. "Did you know that a Yixiano Volcirus female can put their enemies in a unconscious state with their singing..."
"What a bore! I can do that without opening my mouth." June rudely interrupted as she came down the stairs.
"Yes, but you need your wand to do that. The Yixiano doesn't need any tool but her voice." I said, getting offensive.
"Isn't the animal's voice also a tool? Only cause mine are a wand, doesn't mean-"
"Stop it! You're driving me totally nutter." Hades interrupted June and left both me and June looking at each other with rage.
"If you hate animals so much, why bother with Care for Magical Creatures?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady for Hades' sake.
"I don't need to explain myself to you." June said, crossing her arms and holding her head high.
"It's the only subject our parents had a problem with," Hades said, starting to smile. "So she took it."
"Is not-" June started but got cut off when Prof Slughorn walked down the stairs.
He looked pleased to see us and he held a pack of papers in his hands. He had this smile of self pride on his face, as if he just thought of the best idea ever... And something told me that that idea had something to do with us.
"Right, here you are. I already planned the whole week and I must say it's gonna be brilliant." Prof Slughorn said, obviously pleased with himself. His eyes traveled over us but stopped on Hades. "Will you be joining us, Mr Rippner?"
"Oh, n-no sir. I w-was j-just on my w-way." Hades stuttered, fleeing as fast as he can, leaving me alone with June and Slughorn.
"Is it something I said?" Slughorn asked as he looked a bit surprised at Hades' fast retreat.
"I think anyone will run at the mention of joining detention." June said, looking at the open space Hades stood with a small smile.
"Of course, of course. Now, let's get started." Slughorn said happily. "We have a lot to work through this week."
So with that me and June walked silently after Slughorn as he hummed a happy tune. I wish I were so excited about detention as he was, but I just couldn't feel it with June.
The first time I met her I didn't really know what to think about her and her mum irritated me so much that I didn't even give her much thought. But I really started to like her in Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, when she pranked Filch and how relaxed she was... Then school came and I was sorted into Gryffindor and for some reason she went all thick and started to ignore me, insult me and saying I'm a pedofile!
I shook my head to get rid of the thoughts as we entered the class. We took our seats when Slughorn gestured to sit. The smile on his face made me a bit nervous, but when I saw the paper that he gave us each I got excited.
On my paper were names of potion. Medical potion to be exact. And by the confused look on June's face, I guessed her's as well.
"What are we suppose to do with these?" June asked, leaning back in her chair with her arms crossed.
"You, my dear students, are going to brew these potions for the whole week." Slughorn said with motivation as he gave us each a potions book. "All the potions will be in the book and you'll find everything you'll need in the closet." Slughorn said, clapping his hands together. "Isn't it exciting?"
I smiled a bit, knowing I'll love it but I wasn't so sure why Slughorn was so excited about it... Until June said, "Aren't you suppose to brew the Infirmary's potions?"
"Yes, but I thought about how much you'll learn through this experience. Just imagine how much knowledge you'll get from this and you'll know that you're helping to heal students in the school." Slughorn said as if he rehearsed it all. "Besides, I've already had my fare share of these potions and I thought you'll appreciate it more."
"Yes, thank you very much, sir." I said, before June could complain.
Slughorn looked pleased at my readiness. "Alright, you may begin."
I directly went to the closet and got everything ready to brew, knowing that this is the best detention yet. June on the other hand got up stubbornly and slowly walked to the closet, showing clearly that she really didn't want to do this. After a whole while of her standing in front of the closet, she finally came back with everything she would need and with that she started to brew.
The whole detention went in silence as we brewed. Slughorn was reading some kind of Potion's journal, not really supervising us or even glancing at us. But I was happy with the silence with only the light sound of the flame under the cauldron and the off and on chopping of herbs.
For someone else it might have been a punishment, but for me it was the ideal learning experience.