Chapter 5 - Unexpected Extras
"December 17th. I know I must of said this a hundred times already but I swear Professor Kipinski makes sure that one of my exams is on the last day of term – that man has a problem. Anyway it's all over! Woohoo! No more work for at least a couple of days before I have to think about homework. The feast tonight was, as ever, absolutely stunning. I swear Lupin eats way too much considering how skinny he is and Lilly complains about it way too much to. One of the Hufflepuff third years tried to start a food fight but Gilmwood soon put a stop to that – tried to take a hundred points off them. Professor Dumbledore stepped in though and suggested that the punishment was a little harsh considering that it was almost Christmas. I almost choked on my brussel sprout at the look on his face and Wormtail had to wallop me one. I'm pretty sure that guy was a bludger in a previous life – I'll have bruises for a week!
"After dinner Lilly, Padfoot and I headed up to the staff room while Moony went to help Wormtail pack – he left early because he was going straight to Finland to meet his parents. Anyway, Lilly's been trying to convince us since the start of term that it's really just a room and isn't that scary but there's something distinctly wrong about us, the pupils, being in there, where the teachers hang out. Well in any case it was an experience and it involved mulled mead so it couldn't have been that bad! I can't believe I just said that, oh well. In actual fact it was quite interesting, I had a really good discussion with Flitwick about charming your shoe laces so that they didn't come undone and Professor Tucker was telling me all about this new broomstick that's due out here soon the Nimbus 210 or something. I'll have to keep my eye out for that one.
"Speaking of keeping eyes out, I swear if I've said it once I've said it a thousand times but Padfoot is head over heels for Professor McGonagall. You should have see his face when she let her hair down out of that French plait she's always wearing and took off her robes to hung up on the rack with the others. I never would have guessed that she actually wore normal clothes under there. Actually in all honesty, I can't blame Sirius she did look distinctly attractive out of all that excess material and with her hair softened. She has this kind of feline grace as well that makes it look as if she could jump a twenty-foot drop without bating an eyelid. Not my type but…
"Well, while Padfoot spent a good half an hour nursing his glass of mead and watching the aforementioned professor talk with the Head Master I was observing people as well. It seems that not all the prefects were setting such a good example when it came to restraint in the face of free alcohol – in fact Malfoy was downright drunk by half nine. It was quite a sight to behold, the solemn Snape trying to get his mentor to show a little decorum. Unfortunately he wasn't very successful. In any case, I'm also pretty sure that Padfoot isn't the only one with a thing for our transfigurations teacher. Well by ten Malfoy had stormed out muttering about something I couldn't discern and some of the professors were beginning to drift away. I was busy talking to Raith Vector, our distinguished Head boy and Ravenclaw quiditch captain, about tactics. I'm sure he was about to give something valuable away but SOMEONE was impatient to get away after the love of his life had left. Ow! Quit it! Yes Sirius I meant you. Anyway we came back and I thoroughly gubbed our man Padfoot at chess, only to then be thrashed by Moony – some things never change. Now, I'm being told by the three rather impatient figures standing around me that it's time to go play Santa. We decided on getting McGonagall this pretty cool bracelet. It has little lions prancing around with their tails in the air on it like some kind of procession or something. Anyway, I like it and so did Lilly so that was that decided *grin*. Well we're all going to head up and hand it over now – or so I'm being told by my impatient friends – Ow! I just had to write that didn't I? Never mind, see ya."
The three friends shuffled in their seats as if about to speak but the break they had become accustomed to between entries never appeared.
"I probably shouldn't be writing this, damn it I know I shouldn't be but, but well if I don't I do know that I'll lose it. I'll do exactly what Padfoot did when we walked in here and punch a whole in one of the walls – not that I blame him. I don't think I've ever wanted to hit something more in my entire life – no scrap that. I've never wanted to hit SOMEONE more in my entire life." The tone of James' voice had changed and at another time Ron might have marvelled at the magic woven in these pages that could capture the real-life emotion that it portrayed. He looked across the room to his two friends both of whom had stopped what they were doing and waited as eagerly as he for Harry's father to continue.
"This isn't making any sense is it? I guess I should start at the beginning then. Oh hell, well here goes. After I finished off my last entry the four of us, Padfoot, Moony, Lilly and I, headed up towards Professor McGonagall's office. Padfoot was just joking around like always, he stole Lilly's hair clip, which led to an all out war. Eventually Moony intercepted one of our passes and handed it back to her just before we rounded the corner that led to her office. The door was open, which wasn't that unusual even for this time of night so I knocked on the frame and stuck my head in. It must have taken me a minute to realise that something was up and when I did I froze. It was Lilly's gasp from behind that woke me from my daze. There was stuff everywhere; I mean the normally pristine office was in complete chaos. The desk had obviously been swept clean with everything landing on the floor. One of the chairs by the fireplace was lying on it's back and the curtain pole had been yanked free at one end."I'll go get Professor Dumbledore." Lupin said quietly before dashing back through the door. The rest of us stood there in silence for a minute. I guess neither of them knew what to say, I know I didn't.
"Oh Merlin." Sirius broke the silence. "Is that what I think it is?" He pointed at a dark stain on the hearthrug still wet enough to glimmer in the dying light of the fire. If my stomach had worked it's way into one huge knot then by that point then that knot fell to my feet as my heart lurched with the realisation.
"Professor?" Called Lilly softly as we crept further forward trying not to dislodge anything.
"There must be an entrance to her chambers in here somewhere. Maybe she…" Began Sirius but I lost track of what he was saying as something on the window seat caught my attention.
"Professor?" I asked slowly walking towards the pair of amber eyes that were peering out at me from beneath the fallen draperies. The material began to shake softly as I got closer. I wasn't sure what I ought to do; any time I had found the Professor in cat form before she had almost immediately become her human self again. I took another step forward and the cat shuffled further back until her hind legs were up against the window pain. It's strange that I noticed I suppose but it did strike me how childlike she actually looked with her front paws pulled up over her head. Turning round I looked toward Lilly and Sirius as he bolted through the door. Now I guess that he went to go get Madame Pomfry 'cause that's whom he came back with later but I barely noticed him leave.
"Lilly," I called and she seemed to click back into the real world as she walked over.
"Hello?" She called quietly. This time the cat peered up at her through a gap in her paws. She was always better at Care of Magical creatures than me – or anybody else I know, and Professor McGonagall certainly seemed more comfortable with her even if she was still visibly shaking. Lilly was babbling now. I have no idea what she was saying but it had a comforting sort of melody to it. All of a sudden though the Professor tensed up and curled herself further into a ball. It was a few seconds before we even got a clue as to what was wrong.
"Will you quieten down?" Came a familiar hiss from down the corridor. It was only another few seconds before Malfoy appeared hanging onto Snape, the only thing keeping him up. Snape stopped just inside the door and stood silently for a bit. I guess he must have looked like we did when we had arrived.
"What in Merlin's name…?" He breathed heavily. At that moment Malfoy seemed to realise where he was and quickly clamped eyes on the terrified cat. I got the biggest shock when he raised his hand to reach towards her and the cat, or the professor, or whichever leapt in the air. She started clawing her way up the panelling next to the glass as if in a desperate attempt to get away from him. I couldn't take my eyes off them, I don't know why but I just couldn't. I heard Lilly try to talk to the professor but I get the feeling she wasn't going to get anywhere. Maybe, his timing was as expert as ever but just before I started in at Snape to take his plastered friend out of their, Professor Dumbledore stepped out of the fire followed shortly by Remus."
A/N: I didn't plan on stopping here but things are a little hectic with me at the moment – hence how long it's been since the last post – but it shouldn't be so long next time. However, as always reviews will help speed up the process *smile*.
LinZE