Chapter #3
Care for Magical Creatures took place near the Forbidden Forest, on the lawn in front of the Gamekeeper's hut.
"Professor Hagrid is the Gamekeeper as well as the Care for Magical Creatures teacher." Jackson was saying, "And he's pretty cool, despite the big stink up two years ago about him being half-giant. He thinks that lessons should be interesting and fun, not just boring note-taking. Wish McGonagall shared his point of view." Jackson pointed down to some strange looking shapes in a pen near the hut, "Though sometimes I disagree with Hagrid's ideas of interesting."
Ibis nodded, trying to ignore a buzzing in the back of her head. It was probably the start of a headache, nothing more. It had only started when she walked out of the castle and onto the lawn leading up to it.
"Hagrid's idea of interesting is usually something with too many heads or claws." Jackson looked around, trailing off. Then he leapt into the air, waving his arms around like he had been stung, "Hey! Brian-you-loser! Over HERE! HEY!!" he shouted.
The Hufflepuff boy he was waving at, Brian, started to lope easily over. Ibis stared, and her heart skipped.
If Jackson was good looking, then this guy was gorgeous. His honey brown hair flopped childishly as he ran, his fringe falling in his wide light brown eyes. As his skidded comically to a halt next to Jackson, she realized how tall he was, a good six or seven inches taller than Jackson, and towering over Ibis by about 8.
"Hi Jackson!" he said, not the least bit breathless, combing his fringe out of his eyes with his long, strong fingers.
"Hi Brian." Jackson said, slapping his good friend on the back.
Ibis's hands itched to touch the newcomer too. She felt her knees grow weak and tried to focus on something less cute. This guy was too hot to be true. He had muscles, many muscles that just showed through the front of his tee- shirt. And her was one of those boys who didn't wear baggy jeans, she notices, as she looked at his legs. She could see the muscles in them moving as he jigged on the spot. He wasn't too muscled though, Ibis was glad, but he was toned, very toned. And not just sporty, but sport obsessed, she noticed the black Nike swoosh on chest of his white tee- shirt.
"Given up on Mistene?" Brian asked flippantly.
"Huh?" Jackson asked. "No way!"
"So this isn't your new girlfriend?" Brian asked.
He asked about me! Ibis felt her knees grow weaker, and she hoped that there were chairs in Care for Magical Creatures class.
"No, Ibis is just a friend." Jackson corrected him. "Brian, this is Ibis Goldeye. Ibis, this is Brian Wasco."
"Hi." Ibis said a little shyly, and looked down at the ground to avoid Brian's gaze. She bit her lip, glad of her golden skin as it hid her flushed face.
"Cute." Brian whispered only just loud enough for Ibis to catch, "So, she single?"
When Jackson nodded, Brian got this strange look on his face. A slow half- smile that made Ibis's heart do gymnastics. It was fine for Jackson to smile that way, but Brian?! She was falling deeper into a massive crush.
"Not that smile!" Jackson exclaimed, "I know that smile! I KNOW that SMILE!"
"What?" Brian gave a mock-hurt raise of his eyebrows, and shrugged.
"You are planning something, my friend!" Jackson accused, and pointed his finger at Brian, "And for all I know, it's not good. C'mon" he started down the slope to the hut.
"Oh, it's good alright." Brian muttered, before following him down.
Rubbing the back of her head - the buzzing was getting worse - Ibis followed.
"Orright Ravenclaws, Hufflepuffs." The giant teacher shouted, "Today we be doin' Kelpies."
Ibis rubbed her head. gosh, whatever was wrong with her head, it kept getting worse. The buzzing was getting so loud she almost missed what Hagrid said next.
"Now, Kelpies live mos'ly in wells and lakes. At th' momen', we 'ave a few in me well." He looked around the group, "'oo can tell me wha' a Kelpie is?"
Jackson looked around to see if anyone else had raised their hand. When no one tried to answer, he raised his.
"Yes Jackson?" Hagrid asked.
"Kelpies are shape shifters, professor." Jackson said, "Except they don't shape shift as well as bogarts'. The usually shift into horses with a mane and tail of rushes, then lure people down to the lake and eat them."
"Very good Jackson." Hagrid said, "An' does any'on know 'ow to kill a Kelpie?"
Ibis tried to raise her hand, but the buzzing in her head was getting unbearable. She rubbed the back of her head, trying to get rid of the almost-pain. Someone - Jackson, she thought - asked her if she was alright.
"I'm fine." She said, trying to focus on Jackson, or was it Brian. She tried especially hard to focus in case it was Brian.
The buzzing wasn't almost pain now, it was pain. Ibis shook her head hard, and realized she was swaying. She grabbed Jackson's shirt sleeve, and tried to grab Brian's, but missed.
The buzzing got to a point where it was so unbearable, and then with a crack, stopped. Ibis staggered, and let go of Jackson.
"You.?" Jackson started to ask if she was okay, but trailed off staring at the forest. There was something in there.
"Alright you lot." Hagrid said, pulling his crossbow out as if from nowhere (Hagrid has pockets that go somewhere!!) and aimed the bolt towards the forest. "Be careful now."
With a scream, a whinny of some sort, a huge unicorn stallion leapt out of the forest. The beast pranced up and down the row of students, finally stopping right in front of Ibis.
"Okay students. Back away slowly, very slowly. Don' make this thing mad." Hagrid said, keeping the crossbow aimed at the unicorn.
::hello little one::
"What?" Ibis whispered.
::hello young one. You called to me::
Ibis realized that she was talking, well, hearing the Unicorn speak. ::hello. I did not call:: she projected back in her mind.
::you interest me. I came because your mind was open. You called:: The unicorn reared up.
"Shit" Jackson grabbed the back of ibis's robes and pulled her out of the reach of the unicorn stallion's hooves.
"Not shit." Brian said, just jumping backwards in time, "More than shit. More than F*****g shit!"
::don't hurt them:: Ibis screamed mentally at the unicorn, breaking free of Jackson's grip and running forward.
::I will do what I will:: the unicorn growled (if it is possible for an equine to growl) but he backed off.
"Ibis." Jackson whispered.
"Shut up." Brian hissed. "She's talking to it."
"She's what?" Jackson gave him a you-are-either-insane-or-stupid look, "Are you out of your mind?"
::you are a strange little two-legger. Very bold:: the unicorn leapt backwards, ::I will keep my eyes on you::
The unicorn stallion galloped back into the forest.
Ibis looked at the two boys, and smiled weakly. She staggered, fell backwards, and fainted.
"Uh, Professor Hagrid?" Jackson called, "I think Ibis needs to go up to the medical wing."
"Be a good lad and take her up there." Hagrid said, a little distracted.
Jackson went to lift Ibis off the ground, but Brian grabbed the sleeve of his robes. "I'll carry her." He said.
"I can." Jackson said. "She's my friend."
Brian's light brown eyes lost every hint of their permanent smile. "I will carry her." He said forcefully.
Jackson backed down, visibly shrinking, and doing his scared-puppy look. Suddenly he was very aware of why people backed away from Brian in a fight. "Ohhkay then." He said, "I'll just open the doors for you."
Brian effortlessly lifted Ibis off the ground, "This girl is unnaturally light." He muttered, trying to carry her and push her hair out of her face, "Does she actually eat?"
"I don't think so." Jackson said, still keeping a healthy distance away from his friend. Man, he thought, poor old Brian has it bad.
* * * "Oh dear." Madame Pomfrey opened the door to the hospital wing to let Jackson, and Brian carrying Ibis, in, "What happened?"
"Not sure." Jackson said, "She fainted when this huge unicorn interrupted our Care for Magical Creatures lesson."
"I think she was trying to talk to it." Brian said. "She seemed to be trying to tell it something."
"You are weird." Jackson hissed, elbowing Brian in the ribs. Brian glared at him, and the scared-puppy on backed away like his friend was very, very dangerous.
"I wouldn't be surprised." Madame Pomfrey said suddenly, in a voice that confused both Jackson and Brian, "Professor Dumbledore did warn me about her. It is probably best to just let her sleep it off. If she doesn't wake by the end of lunch time, then I will revive her. You can go now, boys."
"Can't I stay?" both Brian and Jackson added at the same time, "She's my friend." Jackson added.
"I expect Hagrid wants you two back at class, so off you go." She looked at the disappointment on their faces, and added, "You will be able to come back at lunch time and visit her."
A little more content with that, they left.
"Where did you two go?" little miss nosy Padma Patil asked Jackson as he got back to class.
"Up to the hospital wing." Jackson told her without slowing down. He was going to tell Hagrid what happened, and then at least pretend to do work. "Took Ibis up there."
"Is she the new girl from Italy?" Padma asked, and then added cruelly, "She was crying last night, the sook."
Jackson pretended not to hear her, preferring the silent treatment, but Brian stopped and gave the girl a long, hard look. Padma noticed the light in his eyes, something akin to malice, and backed away.
"That Italian bitch is in the hospital wing." She whispered to Jessica Morey, one of her Ravenclaw friends.
"That good?" Jessica whispered back.
"Of course it's good!" Padma whispered, squeaking slightly, "It means that as long as his friend gets out of the way, I can get to Mr. JP Gorgeous, without him being busy with wog-girl."
"Ahem."
Padma turned around, finding herself face to face with Brian. Or rather, face to chest, seeing as he was so tall. Padma looked up, and immediately back down at the scary look on his face.
"Don't" he said simply, but his expression said more, "Or I may have to forcibly remove your foot from your mouth and stick it uncomfortably up your."
"Brian!" Jackson shouted from where he was trying to burn a Kelpie, "Give us a hand will you?"
"Coming." Brian glared at Padma one more time, and ran over to help his friend.
"I can't believe I ever thought that guy was cute." Padma whispered to Jessica.
Jessica stared after Brian with a look on her face like she was pretending to be agreeing with her friend. "Yeah."
* * * Mistene picked at her lunch, moving bits of beetroot that she didn't intend to eat around her plate, making pretty lace purple patterns on the gold crockery.
She sneaked another glance at Jackson, who was bolting down his lunch. Why could guys like him eat so much and still stay thin. He ate like a horse that had been locked in an empty stable for a few days. Horses, icky. Why did she compare him to them, he was much better looking.
"Hey." Ginny Weasley dropped down beside her, and began to pile food on her plate. Ginny was another prime example of people who could eat and eat and never gain weight. It made Mistene very, very cross. "Did you hear? One of the Ravenclaws fainted when their Care for Magical Creatures class was attacked by a unicorn."
"Really?" Mistene said, not too interested. She was still busy glaring at Ginny's plate, and wishing she could eat the yummy-looking chocolate biscuits surrounding the rest of the meal.
"Yeah." Ginny said, attacking her mashed potato and accidentally burying a biscuit, "Apparently it was that new girl that got sorted last night, the older one. Tegan said she was still in the hospital wing."
Mistene jumped up, knocking over her chair. They had replaced the annoying benches that you had to do unladylike jumps over with chairs only at the end of the third term of her 5th year. Thank you Professor Dumbledore. "Got to go." She said, watching her purple patterned plate disappear for the house elves to wash, "Thanks Ginny." She raced off towards the hospital wing.
Up and up, curse these goddamned stairs. Hang on, stairs are good exercise. "Bring on the stairs!" she shouted shamelessly, causing many portraits to stare at her in horror.
"Mistene Divine, slow down!" Madame Pomfrey shouted and Mistene burst through the door. "What are you looking for now, a miracle cure for hyperactivity?"
"No Madame Pomfrey." Mistene said, "I want to see Ibis." She remembered her manners, "I mean, could I please visit Ibis?"
"Miss Goldeye?" Madame Pomfrey asked, "Of course you can, though she's not awake yet. I think she might have had a bit of a shock."
"Yes Madame Pomfrey. Thank you." Mistene began to move towards a curtained off partition at the end of the ward, "Is it okay if I sit with her until she wakes up?"
"Of course dear." The kindly old matron moved away, "Ah, mister Finch- Fletchy. No, Brian hasn't come up here yet."
Mistene missed the end of the sentence as she ducked through the curtains around Ibis's bed. Ibis didn't look shocked, or scared, just peaceful, like she was asleep. Mistene wondered what fainting would be like, and if it was as dramatic as people said it was on the muggle story-box, the TV.
"Do you mind if I wait for my friend here?" a boy with curly red-gold hair stepped through the curtains, "There's no one out there to talk to. I'm Justin."
He sat down, and for the first time looked at Mistene properly. She watched his eyes track up and down and back up, and settle on just below her low enough neckline. She sighed, typical boy behavior. When would they grow some brains as well as balls and realize that girls were capable of very intelligent and worthy conversation? Except a boy's idea of worthy conversation was either about Quidditch, or the newest, hottest, porn magazine. Boys!!!
"Huh?" Ibis sat up sleepily, "Why am I up here?"
"You fainted." Mistene told her.
"I know that." Ibis said, "But who brought me up here?"
"Don't know" Mistene said, then leaned forward, and whispered, "Do you want to see an example of how I make a boy interested?"
Ibis grinned. "Okay."
Mistene sat back, made sure Justin was watching, crossed and uncrossed her legs, and shook out her hair.
Ibis smiled, as Justin got visibly more interested. Mistene shook out her hair again, pushing out her bust. Justin looked more than interested now, he looked uncomfortable. Suddenly he jumped up, and raced away.
"He obviously never gets any!" Mistene cackled, "And I hadn't even got started. Now the hard ones are the Slytherins."
"You flirt with Slytherins?" Ibis asked disbelieving.
"Ibis, darling, I flirt with everybody." Mistene said in her "teacher" voice, "It gets me what I want. You should try it."
Ibis laughed dryly, "With a, how do you say it, a beanpole figure?" she laughed with more humor, "Everybody? Even Draco Malfoy?"
"No. Not him. Never him." Mistene looked scandalized, and then laughed, "You cannot watch a guy grow up and then flirt with him. He was a prick when he was in nappies, he hasn't changed!"
"You knew him when he was a toddler?" Ibis said, giving Mistene the wide- eyed look.
"Yeah, our parents were in the same social group. We had to sit in the same playpen at the cocktail parties." Mistene smiled evilly, "He used to be so dumb. I remember when we were eight, and he did this really weird thing with this olive. He."
"Ibis!" Jackson burst in, "Thank god you are okay. You scared us so badly."
"I am okay." Ibis told him, "I faint a lot." She watched Mistene, and laughed inwardly. For once Mistene looked actually nervous in the company of a guy. She flattened her hair back, and then fluffed it up. She pulled her neckline up a little, then down a little, then up a little more. She crossed her legs, uncrossed them, tucked her feet under her chair, and then crossed her ankles. Her hands were like butterflies franticly trying to find the right flower.
"So?" Ibis asked, trying to be casual, "Where's Brian?" I hope I didn't sound too hopeful, she crossed her fingers under the sheets.
"Oh, he'll be here any second." Jackson said, "He carried you up here you know, up all those bloody stairs!"
"Really?" Ibis almost squeaked. "I mean, that was nice of him." She added in a more controlled tone.
Jackson smiled, and nodded. "Yeah, he should have been here. Must still be eating, the overgrown pig."
"I heard that!" a tall, brown-eyed someone pushed through the curtains. "I was stuck talking to Justin. Poor fellow seemed somehow traumatized." He shot a meaningful look at Mistene, who was now sitting on her hands to stop them from flying.
"Hey asshole." Mistene said brightly, grinning at him, and giving him the finger when he started to turn away.
"Sorry. Hi bitch." He said back. "Are you okay now Ibis?"
Oh, he's concerned, she melted, "I'm fine now."
"Did you actually talk to the unicorn?" Brian asked, picking Mistene up out of her seat and taking it. Mistene slapped him in mock-hurt.
"Yeah." Ibis rubbed her eyes, remembering, "I talked to him. Well, he talked to me and I screamed at him."
"You did seem angry." Brian said, "What did the thing say to you?"
"He said that I called him." She said, "Something about me opening my mind to him or something. I think he was curious."
"He was out of his bloody mind!" Brian cried, throwing his hands in the air, "That bloody thing could have killed you had it tried!"
"But he didn't." Ibis said, "He wasn't violent, except when he reared up at you."
"That bloody -"
"Stop bloody swearing Brian!" Jackson threw up his hands in an imitation of Brian. "You really talked to it?" he asked Ibis, "Brian thought you were, but no one can just talk to animals - not even Hagrid! I didn't think if was possible."
"Harry can talk to snakes." Mistene said helpfully, the first time she had spoken in a while. Ibis guessed it was Jackson's influence, not necessarily a bad thing.
"I s'pose." Jackson agreed.
"It's not anything like that." Brian told them, "Ibis is nothing like Harry - this is different."
"It is." Ibis wormed her way back into the conversation, "I don't actually speak anther language, my mind is just set on the same plane as theirs."
"Have you done it before?" Jackson asked.
"No." Ibis said, "I haven't. It only started this morning."
"Jackson!" someone shouted from in the hallway.
"Oops, gotta go." Jackson jumped up and raced out, yelling "Hey! Wait up!"
Brian rolled his eyes, "I'd better catch up with him. Don't go making unicorns mad." He added quickly, with a stern look to Ibis, and he ran out.
* * * "Saw you with that new girl, Page." Draco Malfoy stepped out in front of Jackson. "Got yourself a new slut?"
"Shut up Malfoy." Jackson tried to push past him. Don't let him bait you, he told himself, don't get into a fight. He remembered vividly the result of the last fight - painful.
"I suppose that you think she's hot, the beanpole." Malfoy continued, "But then, you never had taste, did you Page?"
"At least I don't ignore girls to the point where I seem queer." Jackson spat.
"Are you suggesting that I am gay?" Malfoy took a step forward and swung, his fist connecting just under Jackson's ribs. His second punch caught him square in the stomach. "Take it back."
"Oof." Jackson stepped back and tried to punch Malfoy, but he danced out of the way.
"And what is going on here?" Brian stepped up behind Jackson, pulling him away from Malfoy's next swing. "Careful there Malfoy."
"Hello Wasco." Malfoy sneered, stepping back all the same, "Come to stick up for your little buddy?"
"No." Brian said calmly, "I came to give you the flogging you deserve. It seems Jackson anticipated my idea."
"It was Page getting the flogging." Malfoy retorted, "He's a wimp."
"If I were you Malfoy, I'd watch what I said." Brian didn't move, but kept talking in calm, patronizing tones, "Some people don't just have fathers in high places."
"Watch it, half-blood." Malfoy said, "The only thing high in your family is your opinion of yourself."
"I was talking about Jackson's family." Brian told him, "But if we are talking about me, I'll just say that I am a fair bit taller than you."
"Your height wont get you everywhere in life." Malfoy spat.
"And your father's influence wont get you anywhere either." Brian said, still calmly. With that, he walked on, beckoning Jackson to follow.
Care for Magical Creatures took place near the Forbidden Forest, on the lawn in front of the Gamekeeper's hut.
"Professor Hagrid is the Gamekeeper as well as the Care for Magical Creatures teacher." Jackson was saying, "And he's pretty cool, despite the big stink up two years ago about him being half-giant. He thinks that lessons should be interesting and fun, not just boring note-taking. Wish McGonagall shared his point of view." Jackson pointed down to some strange looking shapes in a pen near the hut, "Though sometimes I disagree with Hagrid's ideas of interesting."
Ibis nodded, trying to ignore a buzzing in the back of her head. It was probably the start of a headache, nothing more. It had only started when she walked out of the castle and onto the lawn leading up to it.
"Hagrid's idea of interesting is usually something with too many heads or claws." Jackson looked around, trailing off. Then he leapt into the air, waving his arms around like he had been stung, "Hey! Brian-you-loser! Over HERE! HEY!!" he shouted.
The Hufflepuff boy he was waving at, Brian, started to lope easily over. Ibis stared, and her heart skipped.
If Jackson was good looking, then this guy was gorgeous. His honey brown hair flopped childishly as he ran, his fringe falling in his wide light brown eyes. As his skidded comically to a halt next to Jackson, she realized how tall he was, a good six or seven inches taller than Jackson, and towering over Ibis by about 8.
"Hi Jackson!" he said, not the least bit breathless, combing his fringe out of his eyes with his long, strong fingers.
"Hi Brian." Jackson said, slapping his good friend on the back.
Ibis's hands itched to touch the newcomer too. She felt her knees grow weak and tried to focus on something less cute. This guy was too hot to be true. He had muscles, many muscles that just showed through the front of his tee- shirt. And her was one of those boys who didn't wear baggy jeans, she notices, as she looked at his legs. She could see the muscles in them moving as he jigged on the spot. He wasn't too muscled though, Ibis was glad, but he was toned, very toned. And not just sporty, but sport obsessed, she noticed the black Nike swoosh on chest of his white tee- shirt.
"Given up on Mistene?" Brian asked flippantly.
"Huh?" Jackson asked. "No way!"
"So this isn't your new girlfriend?" Brian asked.
He asked about me! Ibis felt her knees grow weaker, and she hoped that there were chairs in Care for Magical Creatures class.
"No, Ibis is just a friend." Jackson corrected him. "Brian, this is Ibis Goldeye. Ibis, this is Brian Wasco."
"Hi." Ibis said a little shyly, and looked down at the ground to avoid Brian's gaze. She bit her lip, glad of her golden skin as it hid her flushed face.
"Cute." Brian whispered only just loud enough for Ibis to catch, "So, she single?"
When Jackson nodded, Brian got this strange look on his face. A slow half- smile that made Ibis's heart do gymnastics. It was fine for Jackson to smile that way, but Brian?! She was falling deeper into a massive crush.
"Not that smile!" Jackson exclaimed, "I know that smile! I KNOW that SMILE!"
"What?" Brian gave a mock-hurt raise of his eyebrows, and shrugged.
"You are planning something, my friend!" Jackson accused, and pointed his finger at Brian, "And for all I know, it's not good. C'mon" he started down the slope to the hut.
"Oh, it's good alright." Brian muttered, before following him down.
Rubbing the back of her head - the buzzing was getting worse - Ibis followed.
"Orright Ravenclaws, Hufflepuffs." The giant teacher shouted, "Today we be doin' Kelpies."
Ibis rubbed her head. gosh, whatever was wrong with her head, it kept getting worse. The buzzing was getting so loud she almost missed what Hagrid said next.
"Now, Kelpies live mos'ly in wells and lakes. At th' momen', we 'ave a few in me well." He looked around the group, "'oo can tell me wha' a Kelpie is?"
Jackson looked around to see if anyone else had raised their hand. When no one tried to answer, he raised his.
"Yes Jackson?" Hagrid asked.
"Kelpies are shape shifters, professor." Jackson said, "Except they don't shape shift as well as bogarts'. The usually shift into horses with a mane and tail of rushes, then lure people down to the lake and eat them."
"Very good Jackson." Hagrid said, "An' does any'on know 'ow to kill a Kelpie?"
Ibis tried to raise her hand, but the buzzing in her head was getting unbearable. She rubbed the back of her head, trying to get rid of the almost-pain. Someone - Jackson, she thought - asked her if she was alright.
"I'm fine." She said, trying to focus on Jackson, or was it Brian. She tried especially hard to focus in case it was Brian.
The buzzing wasn't almost pain now, it was pain. Ibis shook her head hard, and realized she was swaying. She grabbed Jackson's shirt sleeve, and tried to grab Brian's, but missed.
The buzzing got to a point where it was so unbearable, and then with a crack, stopped. Ibis staggered, and let go of Jackson.
"You.?" Jackson started to ask if she was okay, but trailed off staring at the forest. There was something in there.
"Alright you lot." Hagrid said, pulling his crossbow out as if from nowhere (Hagrid has pockets that go somewhere!!) and aimed the bolt towards the forest. "Be careful now."
With a scream, a whinny of some sort, a huge unicorn stallion leapt out of the forest. The beast pranced up and down the row of students, finally stopping right in front of Ibis.
"Okay students. Back away slowly, very slowly. Don' make this thing mad." Hagrid said, keeping the crossbow aimed at the unicorn.
::hello little one::
"What?" Ibis whispered.
::hello young one. You called to me::
Ibis realized that she was talking, well, hearing the Unicorn speak. ::hello. I did not call:: she projected back in her mind.
::you interest me. I came because your mind was open. You called:: The unicorn reared up.
"Shit" Jackson grabbed the back of ibis's robes and pulled her out of the reach of the unicorn stallion's hooves.
"Not shit." Brian said, just jumping backwards in time, "More than shit. More than F*****g shit!"
::don't hurt them:: Ibis screamed mentally at the unicorn, breaking free of Jackson's grip and running forward.
::I will do what I will:: the unicorn growled (if it is possible for an equine to growl) but he backed off.
"Ibis." Jackson whispered.
"Shut up." Brian hissed. "She's talking to it."
"She's what?" Jackson gave him a you-are-either-insane-or-stupid look, "Are you out of your mind?"
::you are a strange little two-legger. Very bold:: the unicorn leapt backwards, ::I will keep my eyes on you::
The unicorn stallion galloped back into the forest.
Ibis looked at the two boys, and smiled weakly. She staggered, fell backwards, and fainted.
"Uh, Professor Hagrid?" Jackson called, "I think Ibis needs to go up to the medical wing."
"Be a good lad and take her up there." Hagrid said, a little distracted.
Jackson went to lift Ibis off the ground, but Brian grabbed the sleeve of his robes. "I'll carry her." He said.
"I can." Jackson said. "She's my friend."
Brian's light brown eyes lost every hint of their permanent smile. "I will carry her." He said forcefully.
Jackson backed down, visibly shrinking, and doing his scared-puppy look. Suddenly he was very aware of why people backed away from Brian in a fight. "Ohhkay then." He said, "I'll just open the doors for you."
Brian effortlessly lifted Ibis off the ground, "This girl is unnaturally light." He muttered, trying to carry her and push her hair out of her face, "Does she actually eat?"
"I don't think so." Jackson said, still keeping a healthy distance away from his friend. Man, he thought, poor old Brian has it bad.
* * * "Oh dear." Madame Pomfrey opened the door to the hospital wing to let Jackson, and Brian carrying Ibis, in, "What happened?"
"Not sure." Jackson said, "She fainted when this huge unicorn interrupted our Care for Magical Creatures lesson."
"I think she was trying to talk to it." Brian said. "She seemed to be trying to tell it something."
"You are weird." Jackson hissed, elbowing Brian in the ribs. Brian glared at him, and the scared-puppy on backed away like his friend was very, very dangerous.
"I wouldn't be surprised." Madame Pomfrey said suddenly, in a voice that confused both Jackson and Brian, "Professor Dumbledore did warn me about her. It is probably best to just let her sleep it off. If she doesn't wake by the end of lunch time, then I will revive her. You can go now, boys."
"Can't I stay?" both Brian and Jackson added at the same time, "She's my friend." Jackson added.
"I expect Hagrid wants you two back at class, so off you go." She looked at the disappointment on their faces, and added, "You will be able to come back at lunch time and visit her."
A little more content with that, they left.
"Where did you two go?" little miss nosy Padma Patil asked Jackson as he got back to class.
"Up to the hospital wing." Jackson told her without slowing down. He was going to tell Hagrid what happened, and then at least pretend to do work. "Took Ibis up there."
"Is she the new girl from Italy?" Padma asked, and then added cruelly, "She was crying last night, the sook."
Jackson pretended not to hear her, preferring the silent treatment, but Brian stopped and gave the girl a long, hard look. Padma noticed the light in his eyes, something akin to malice, and backed away.
"That Italian bitch is in the hospital wing." She whispered to Jessica Morey, one of her Ravenclaw friends.
"That good?" Jessica whispered back.
"Of course it's good!" Padma whispered, squeaking slightly, "It means that as long as his friend gets out of the way, I can get to Mr. JP Gorgeous, without him being busy with wog-girl."
"Ahem."
Padma turned around, finding herself face to face with Brian. Or rather, face to chest, seeing as he was so tall. Padma looked up, and immediately back down at the scary look on his face.
"Don't" he said simply, but his expression said more, "Or I may have to forcibly remove your foot from your mouth and stick it uncomfortably up your."
"Brian!" Jackson shouted from where he was trying to burn a Kelpie, "Give us a hand will you?"
"Coming." Brian glared at Padma one more time, and ran over to help his friend.
"I can't believe I ever thought that guy was cute." Padma whispered to Jessica.
Jessica stared after Brian with a look on her face like she was pretending to be agreeing with her friend. "Yeah."
* * * Mistene picked at her lunch, moving bits of beetroot that she didn't intend to eat around her plate, making pretty lace purple patterns on the gold crockery.
She sneaked another glance at Jackson, who was bolting down his lunch. Why could guys like him eat so much and still stay thin. He ate like a horse that had been locked in an empty stable for a few days. Horses, icky. Why did she compare him to them, he was much better looking.
"Hey." Ginny Weasley dropped down beside her, and began to pile food on her plate. Ginny was another prime example of people who could eat and eat and never gain weight. It made Mistene very, very cross. "Did you hear? One of the Ravenclaws fainted when their Care for Magical Creatures class was attacked by a unicorn."
"Really?" Mistene said, not too interested. She was still busy glaring at Ginny's plate, and wishing she could eat the yummy-looking chocolate biscuits surrounding the rest of the meal.
"Yeah." Ginny said, attacking her mashed potato and accidentally burying a biscuit, "Apparently it was that new girl that got sorted last night, the older one. Tegan said she was still in the hospital wing."
Mistene jumped up, knocking over her chair. They had replaced the annoying benches that you had to do unladylike jumps over with chairs only at the end of the third term of her 5th year. Thank you Professor Dumbledore. "Got to go." She said, watching her purple patterned plate disappear for the house elves to wash, "Thanks Ginny." She raced off towards the hospital wing.
Up and up, curse these goddamned stairs. Hang on, stairs are good exercise. "Bring on the stairs!" she shouted shamelessly, causing many portraits to stare at her in horror.
"Mistene Divine, slow down!" Madame Pomfrey shouted and Mistene burst through the door. "What are you looking for now, a miracle cure for hyperactivity?"
"No Madame Pomfrey." Mistene said, "I want to see Ibis." She remembered her manners, "I mean, could I please visit Ibis?"
"Miss Goldeye?" Madame Pomfrey asked, "Of course you can, though she's not awake yet. I think she might have had a bit of a shock."
"Yes Madame Pomfrey. Thank you." Mistene began to move towards a curtained off partition at the end of the ward, "Is it okay if I sit with her until she wakes up?"
"Of course dear." The kindly old matron moved away, "Ah, mister Finch- Fletchy. No, Brian hasn't come up here yet."
Mistene missed the end of the sentence as she ducked through the curtains around Ibis's bed. Ibis didn't look shocked, or scared, just peaceful, like she was asleep. Mistene wondered what fainting would be like, and if it was as dramatic as people said it was on the muggle story-box, the TV.
"Do you mind if I wait for my friend here?" a boy with curly red-gold hair stepped through the curtains, "There's no one out there to talk to. I'm Justin."
He sat down, and for the first time looked at Mistene properly. She watched his eyes track up and down and back up, and settle on just below her low enough neckline. She sighed, typical boy behavior. When would they grow some brains as well as balls and realize that girls were capable of very intelligent and worthy conversation? Except a boy's idea of worthy conversation was either about Quidditch, or the newest, hottest, porn magazine. Boys!!!
"Huh?" Ibis sat up sleepily, "Why am I up here?"
"You fainted." Mistene told her.
"I know that." Ibis said, "But who brought me up here?"
"Don't know" Mistene said, then leaned forward, and whispered, "Do you want to see an example of how I make a boy interested?"
Ibis grinned. "Okay."
Mistene sat back, made sure Justin was watching, crossed and uncrossed her legs, and shook out her hair.
Ibis smiled, as Justin got visibly more interested. Mistene shook out her hair again, pushing out her bust. Justin looked more than interested now, he looked uncomfortable. Suddenly he jumped up, and raced away.
"He obviously never gets any!" Mistene cackled, "And I hadn't even got started. Now the hard ones are the Slytherins."
"You flirt with Slytherins?" Ibis asked disbelieving.
"Ibis, darling, I flirt with everybody." Mistene said in her "teacher" voice, "It gets me what I want. You should try it."
Ibis laughed dryly, "With a, how do you say it, a beanpole figure?" she laughed with more humor, "Everybody? Even Draco Malfoy?"
"No. Not him. Never him." Mistene looked scandalized, and then laughed, "You cannot watch a guy grow up and then flirt with him. He was a prick when he was in nappies, he hasn't changed!"
"You knew him when he was a toddler?" Ibis said, giving Mistene the wide- eyed look.
"Yeah, our parents were in the same social group. We had to sit in the same playpen at the cocktail parties." Mistene smiled evilly, "He used to be so dumb. I remember when we were eight, and he did this really weird thing with this olive. He."
"Ibis!" Jackson burst in, "Thank god you are okay. You scared us so badly."
"I am okay." Ibis told him, "I faint a lot." She watched Mistene, and laughed inwardly. For once Mistene looked actually nervous in the company of a guy. She flattened her hair back, and then fluffed it up. She pulled her neckline up a little, then down a little, then up a little more. She crossed her legs, uncrossed them, tucked her feet under her chair, and then crossed her ankles. Her hands were like butterflies franticly trying to find the right flower.
"So?" Ibis asked, trying to be casual, "Where's Brian?" I hope I didn't sound too hopeful, she crossed her fingers under the sheets.
"Oh, he'll be here any second." Jackson said, "He carried you up here you know, up all those bloody stairs!"
"Really?" Ibis almost squeaked. "I mean, that was nice of him." She added in a more controlled tone.
Jackson smiled, and nodded. "Yeah, he should have been here. Must still be eating, the overgrown pig."
"I heard that!" a tall, brown-eyed someone pushed through the curtains. "I was stuck talking to Justin. Poor fellow seemed somehow traumatized." He shot a meaningful look at Mistene, who was now sitting on her hands to stop them from flying.
"Hey asshole." Mistene said brightly, grinning at him, and giving him the finger when he started to turn away.
"Sorry. Hi bitch." He said back. "Are you okay now Ibis?"
Oh, he's concerned, she melted, "I'm fine now."
"Did you actually talk to the unicorn?" Brian asked, picking Mistene up out of her seat and taking it. Mistene slapped him in mock-hurt.
"Yeah." Ibis rubbed her eyes, remembering, "I talked to him. Well, he talked to me and I screamed at him."
"You did seem angry." Brian said, "What did the thing say to you?"
"He said that I called him." She said, "Something about me opening my mind to him or something. I think he was curious."
"He was out of his bloody mind!" Brian cried, throwing his hands in the air, "That bloody thing could have killed you had it tried!"
"But he didn't." Ibis said, "He wasn't violent, except when he reared up at you."
"That bloody -"
"Stop bloody swearing Brian!" Jackson threw up his hands in an imitation of Brian. "You really talked to it?" he asked Ibis, "Brian thought you were, but no one can just talk to animals - not even Hagrid! I didn't think if was possible."
"Harry can talk to snakes." Mistene said helpfully, the first time she had spoken in a while. Ibis guessed it was Jackson's influence, not necessarily a bad thing.
"I s'pose." Jackson agreed.
"It's not anything like that." Brian told them, "Ibis is nothing like Harry - this is different."
"It is." Ibis wormed her way back into the conversation, "I don't actually speak anther language, my mind is just set on the same plane as theirs."
"Have you done it before?" Jackson asked.
"No." Ibis said, "I haven't. It only started this morning."
"Jackson!" someone shouted from in the hallway.
"Oops, gotta go." Jackson jumped up and raced out, yelling "Hey! Wait up!"
Brian rolled his eyes, "I'd better catch up with him. Don't go making unicorns mad." He added quickly, with a stern look to Ibis, and he ran out.
* * * "Saw you with that new girl, Page." Draco Malfoy stepped out in front of Jackson. "Got yourself a new slut?"
"Shut up Malfoy." Jackson tried to push past him. Don't let him bait you, he told himself, don't get into a fight. He remembered vividly the result of the last fight - painful.
"I suppose that you think she's hot, the beanpole." Malfoy continued, "But then, you never had taste, did you Page?"
"At least I don't ignore girls to the point where I seem queer." Jackson spat.
"Are you suggesting that I am gay?" Malfoy took a step forward and swung, his fist connecting just under Jackson's ribs. His second punch caught him square in the stomach. "Take it back."
"Oof." Jackson stepped back and tried to punch Malfoy, but he danced out of the way.
"And what is going on here?" Brian stepped up behind Jackson, pulling him away from Malfoy's next swing. "Careful there Malfoy."
"Hello Wasco." Malfoy sneered, stepping back all the same, "Come to stick up for your little buddy?"
"No." Brian said calmly, "I came to give you the flogging you deserve. It seems Jackson anticipated my idea."
"It was Page getting the flogging." Malfoy retorted, "He's a wimp."
"If I were you Malfoy, I'd watch what I said." Brian didn't move, but kept talking in calm, patronizing tones, "Some people don't just have fathers in high places."
"Watch it, half-blood." Malfoy said, "The only thing high in your family is your opinion of yourself."
"I was talking about Jackson's family." Brian told him, "But if we are talking about me, I'll just say that I am a fair bit taller than you."
"Your height wont get you everywhere in life." Malfoy spat.
"And your father's influence wont get you anywhere either." Brian said, still calmly. With that, he walked on, beckoning Jackson to follow.