Chapter 15
Haylie pulled Lexie aside. "Why didn't you tell me about that?"
Lexie looked at her distractedly. "Tell you about what?"
"The hippogriff thing? Why didn't you tell me? And when did you find out?"
"Yesterday morning. And I didn't tell you because it wasn't the right time. And look at it this way," she said as Haylie opened her mouth to argue, "if I had told you ahead of time, you would have thought that-"
"Thought that what?"
"That I had arranged the 'volunteer.'"
"You mean you didn't?"
"Of course not! I didn't even know that I was going to be ridden, by anyone!" Haylie started giggling. "What?"
"Well," she said, trying to talk, "you got pretty lucky, didn't you? I mean, Carrie-Ann could have volunteered or something."
"True, but what do you mean 'I got lucky'?"
"Are you kidding me? You had Chris Harris on your back, for 5 minutes straight, he said it was unbelievable, and that he would do it again anytime, and you wonder why you got lucky?"
"For not having much experience, he's a pretty good rider." She said, and walked off. Haylie stared in amazement after her friend, then ran after her, laughing.
The next day, they all walked down to the lake for the Animagus class. While they were waiting, Chris suddenly asked: "So, other than the fact that I fell off-"
"You fell off?" JT sniggered.
"Oh, and you think you could do any better?" said Chris. "But other than that, how did I do yesterday?"
Lexie paused thoughtfully for a moment, then began to list her opinions, speaking as she would when evaluating a new member of a riding team.
"Other than falling off…you had a soft hand; steady though, you had a nice seat. And a firm grip with your legs. That's what helped you keep hold for so long. Damn, you're strong." She said, then looked with genuine bewilderment at the expressions of her audience. Just then McGonagall came over to them-they were still the only ones there yet.
"I wanted the five of you to try something different today," she said. "I believe that I am right in saying that, during our last class, you felt a choice?" They nodded. "This time, I want you to take it."
"But what is it?" asked Chris.
"That's something you need to discover for yourself. Just trust your decision."
They agreed, exchanging perplexed glances. As the boys went to sit down, she held the girls back.
"You two might have more than one other path. Take them sometimes, and see what happens." They nodded solemnly.
"Today you will simply be perfecting your Animagus changes," McGonagall said to the class as the last few stragglers came running up from the castle. "Smoothing out and hastening your transformations are very important; many Animagi find that smooth changes can be life-savers.
"Today, try to change while in the middle of doing different activities-running, jumping, rolling down a hill-yes, Ms. Pishnak, you, too, don't look at me like that-any questions? All right, everyone, same groups as last class. Get started."
"Me first," Said Haylie immediately. "I feel like going first today." She stood up, and faced her group.
She concentrated. Felt the change begin. The familiar fiery blush spread across her body and for an instant, she felt her choice, turned down the other path, and took it. Taking a hesitant step forward, she thought this change felt familiar: too familiar. Hanging her head, she realized she had again become the chestnut mare. Then a whisper and a tickle across her shoulders made her lift her head, look back, and catch sight of a pair of beautiful white wings sprouting from her withers. Breaking into a canter, the mare took to the skies with a whinny of delight, becoming a crimson angel silhouetted against the sun. Haylie's voice broke into their head, belting:
(FLY LIKE AN EEAAGG-oh!)
Suddenly she shrank, flame hued pelt becoming a mesh of tawny feather. Her muscular hind legs shortened, hooves sharpening into curved talons as her forelegs shrank and disappeared altogether. A golden eagle swooped low over the groups' heads and was joined by two wolves that seemed to appear from thin air, running in its shadow. One the familiar silver male, cross sabres on his back. The other a smaller female, black and chocolate brown, with smoky gray and a white crescent moon patch on her chest. The trio circled the class once, then shifted to their human shapes. Chris, Haylie, and Lexie slowed to a walk, finally sitting with their friends.
(We can do whatever we want, Haylie; anything!) Whispered Lexie excitedly to Haylie.
Chris ran his hand through his hair, breathed deeply, then sat down again with a satisfied grin and shoved Jeremy to his feet.
"You have fun."
Jeremy took a playful swing back at him before walking up to the front.
His change was almost identical to his first and soon the buckskin stallion stood before them once more. Then the horse shrank to the size of a large pony, and looked about bewilderedly. A pair of black wings sprang from his back like those of a large dragonfly and a small stubby horn; black with flecks of gold, grew on his brow, which still bore its six-pointed star. Shaking its head, it snorted, flicked its wings and hovered ten feet in the air like an equine helicopter.
(Ah. So this is a quagga.) Mused Jeremy's voice.
"Sweet." murmured JT.
Jeremy flitted back to his seat and dropped out of the air to land neatly in his seat as a human again.
"Up, JT." said Haylie, prodding him.
He stood and stepped to the front of the group. The pattern of stripes drew themselves on his body again. Only this time, he lost his hind legs as his body lengthened at the end and shaped itself into strong fins. His upper body remained striped but became horse-like. The only difference being fins sprouting on his forelegs.
(Who!)
He slid into the lake and popped up moments later.
"A hippocampus." uttered Lexie.
(I'm a wha-?) Asked JT, sounding puzzled and hurt at having been called what sounded to him like a hippo.
"A hippocampus;" explained Haylie, "Equine and aquatic."
"Or in your case to be picky: zebra plus tigershark."
(Chouette.)
"Nice." Chris said.
The hippocampus beached itself and slipped back to JT, who shook himself like a dog, spraying everyone in the vicinity with droplets of water. He was met with playful shoves and complaints as he sat back down.
"That was sweet..."said JT.
"J-Man: you're always such a white boy." said Chris with a laugh, referring to the white tiger and zebra.
"I'll go now," said Chris. He stood up, breathing deeply and smiling slightly; he gave Lexie and Haylie a secret smile as he stood up.
His change started out normally - the arms turning into muscular forelegs, the tail and snout growing; but just as the X started crawling down his back, his form wavered slightly – and disappeared. They all gasped, but Lexie stood up and walked slowly over to the place where Chris had been. She put her hand out, just above eye level, and stroked the empty air.
"Lexie…" started Haylie.
"Lexie, what are you doing? There's nothing there." Said JT.
"He's…gone," said Jeremy.
Lexie turned sharply, her hair flipping – but Haylie noticed that it didn't flip properly. It seemed to hit something behind her and fall, but Haylie was sure there was nothing there.
"What do you mean there's nothing there, can't you see him? He's a – oh." She stopped.
"What? He's a what?" said JT.
"He's a thestral."
"And you can…you can see him?" was all that Haylie said.
"Thestral, thestral…what's a thestral?" JT was clearly racking his brains to remember what a thestral was.
"A thestral," Haylie said slowly, "is a winged horse that can only be seen if you have seen death."
"Meaning?" Jeremy said.
"You've got to see someone kick the bucket, moron." Said Haylie.
Looking at the group, and then the space of seemingly empty air beside them, Lexie spoke up.
"I think…I want to try something."
She began to shift almost immediately into the familiar form of the bay mare, then the mahogany pelt began to darken to black from her tail up. And suddenly, she began to disappear.
"Oh, no, not you, too!" said JT exasperatedly.
"We can't see either of them now…" Said Jeremy cryptically.
"Oh, God," said JT. Haylie looked puzzled.
(Um…Chris?) said Lexie warily.
(Uh?)
She took a deep breath. (Keep your pride tucked, hon.) She said, managing to sound motherly and mischievous at the same time. Jeremy put his head in his hands and groaned.
"Oh, Lord…"
"Am I missing something?" Said Haylie, still looking confused. JT simply shook his head at her. Jeremy pulled her aside by the arm.
"It means…aw, shit." He tried again. "It means…" He whispered a few well-chosen words.
"Oh, my God, you perv!" She slapped him, and he glared resentfully at her. Haylie sighed.
"I'm sorry," she said, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek.
"No, no, my pleasure, I'm all right now," he said, staring at her.
"Do you realize," said JT, "that they could be halfway across the grounds by now doing God-only-knows-what-"
It was at that moment that Lexie chose to head butt Chris in the side, knocking the wind out of him so that he grunted. Loudly. Very loudly.
(UNH!)
"OH, MY GOD!" screamed Jeremy. "WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!" he said, causing more than half the class to look up in alarm.
(I'm exploring the thestral anatomy. Look,) she said, forgetting that they couldn't be seen and ignoring Jeremy's wide-eyes stare, (If you poke him in the ribs-)
(He has trouble breathing,) gasped Chris. After a second, he regained his breath, and gave her a hard shove with his muscular shoulder. She stumbled, regained her balance and gave him a wicked look. Adopting a pouting tone, she moaned.
(Owwww. Chris that was too hard!)
Chris' eyes widened in shock.
(Oh, come on…) he whispered desperately. She winked up at him and continued, her thought slightly more fawning.
(At least tell me before you do that next time! You're way too big to go do that when I'm not expecting it…)
JT started hyperventilating.
"Class dismissed." called Professor McGonagall and the houses dispersed.
"Meow." said Jeremy. JT made a purring noise.
"White boy." Hissed Jeremy mischievously, poking at JT's shoulder.
"Shut up." JT shot back at them, "You're an idiot, Harris. You started this."
Chris only chuckled and kept walking.
Haylie and Lexie trailed behind, watching.
(I think they're getting along now...)
(We hope) replied Haylie.
(Guys. Shouldn't they come with a handbook?)
"You know what's weird?" mused Haylie a few weeks later at lunch. "I've been a horse," she continued without waiting for a reply "but I've never actually learned how to ride one."
"I'm open for riding lessons," said Lexie. "Instructor and mount all in one. -No, you pervert. You are NOT going to be the horse." she finished, accurately guessing Jeremy's offer before it ever left his mouth. He shot her an indignant glare.
(Sorry, J-Money. Better luck next time.) Prodded Chris, throwing him a sly glance.
(Shut up. You got a ride too, it's not like you're completely innocent.)
(I didn't ask for it.) Chris shot back. (Whore) He added jokingly in an exaggerated mental cough, then ducked as Jeremy took a swing at his shoulder.
"What'd I miss?" asked JT, who'd just sat down at the table.
"Where were you?" Haylie queried.
"Trelawney let us out late. Our 'aura was passing' and she wanted us to 'gaze into the misty depths of the orb one last time' before we 'made our ways down to the material pleasures of lunch.'" he intoned in an unnervingly good impression of the bug-eyed professor.
"Bullshit." snorted Jeremy.
"Why'd you take that class, Treadwell?" asked Chris.
"Hey, I just took it 'cause it was a b.s. course and I thought it would be easy! Not many books, right?" he said, by way of pardoning himself.
(So. What about riding?) Asked Haylie.
(Riding?) Broke in JT's voice curiously. (Where are we getting the horse?)
Later that day, the two girls made their way down by the lakeside.
"I think you'll have to ride bareback. Neither of us is good enough to summon a saddle." stated Lexie.
"Bareback!" gulped Haylie.
"It shouldn't be too bad. You're not going to be riding a green filly at gymkhana or anything." she replied, missing her friend's puzzled expression. Shifting into the form of the bay mare, she spoke.
(I won't make it too hard on ya.)
Haylie could almost hear the impish smile she would have on her face.
(Ok. Let's go.)
She said, trotting a few paces over to a large rock.
(Climb up. - No! the left side, darling...)
Haylie stood on the rock. "Which-" she began.
(Right leg up.)
"Ah. Ok."
(There Grip with your legs, not with you ankles.)
After a moment, Lexie's voice continued in Haylie's head.
(Better. English or Western? -No. Never mind that-)
She cut herself off.
(Western has a deeper seat. It'll be easier. Especially without a saddle.)
Pausing for a moment, she continued
(Deepen your seat a little bit. Don't be afraid to settle: your not gonna crush me, dear. Bareback - so take some of my mane in your hands. Squeeze some with your calves and ankles - good.)
She began to move forward at a steady pace.
(Now, Haylie. I'm going to let the horse go. I'll still be there, so I can teach, but you'll be getting mostly the reactions you'd get from a real mare. So don't panic.)