It must've been minutes after the boys left the hospital wing when Professor Mcgonagall's voice echoed through the castle.
"All students are to return to their dormitories at once. All teachers report to the staffroom. Immediately, please."
A while later Professor Mcgonagall explained that Ginny Weasley was taken, and that once Hermione had been given the restorative draught, therefore releasing her as well, she was to go pack both their things, in preparation in going home the next day. Celesta, more pale than usual, had nodded with a light whimper, barely finding the courage to speak up enough to ask to watch the brewing of the draught. Hermione, being one of the last ones petrified, would be given her draught last.
And so her evening went, watching the brewing process slowly get done. It must've been the wee hours of the morning before it was done, Pompfrey fretting that she should sleep. And so she did, falling asleep as the potion simmered for the last time in the process.
She woke hours later, Justin Flynn-Fletchey and Nearly Headless Nick stretching their muscles after so long with not using them. Even Collin Creevey was being dismissed. Pompfrey was feeding the potion to the Clearwater Ravenclaw prefect girl when she informed Celesta that she wouldn't need to pack after all. Harry had once again saved the school.
Sharing the ointment she'd been using religiously with Hermione, she explained all that had happened, all that Hermione had missed as well as explaining that Hermione's hand, gripping her own, left her stuck as well. Due to the recovery process, Hermione had to sleep for about an hour, like all the others, but then they were all dismissed to go change into fresh clothing, to shower and such.
After her own shower, Celesta called upon Luli, asking what had happened from her household. It was then that she discovered that Dobby had been freed, a trick by Harry to her Father. She'd face palmed at that, grumbling. He really wasn't doing her family any favors.
That night's feast was when it was announced that exams were cancelled. They were all in their pajamas, a tribute to the patients who had been wearing nothing but for months on end. Fred and George had yanked her down between them, Molly and Arthur saying hello. They had arrived due to Ginny being kidnapped. Blushing a bit, Celesta had tried to say it was a time for family, but the boys nearly gripped her, Molly waving a hand. "Ridiculous. Celesta Malfoy, you already are, dear girl."
She'd given up going anywhere else for the entirity of dinner, occassionally rubbing the muscles in her right hand as she grew used to being able to use it once more.
The rest of term passed in sunshine, even Celesta spending her free time down by the Great Lake, taking shelter in the shade of the blooming tree set there. And at night, she spent her time as a fox, even if only in her own bed. It was such a large part of her, that not being able to shift in the hospital wing had been a burden on her soul.
Unfortunately, she couldn't take the phone number Harry had given her, explaining that her family wouldn't allow it. She could, however, have Luli deliver her letters, when available. For the first few weeks of summer her mother wouldn't allow her out of her sight, in between shopping and her own testings on charms, potions, DADA and transfiguration. Almost every night she went to bed exhausted, spent from magical exhaustion.
Some good news is that she was taught how to produce a patronus. She was able to produce a fox and maintain it for a few minutes before they vacationed to their chateou in France. She and Draco spent their days reading and catching up on homework as well as their lives, as long as Potter or Granger didn't come up. While Celesta was best friends with them, Draco, for lack of better words, abhorred them, at least around their parents. Two sides of the same coin, the two Malfoys were.
When they returned, they were questioned about their second cousin, Sirius Black, who had escaped Azkaban. The children, too young to know the man, were excused but warned to be on the lookout, her Mother questioned heavily for a few hours, her Father less so. Most likely to the Black blood running through her veins, Celesta gathered.
The Weasley's had won a raffle and gone on a vacation to visit Egypt and spend time with the elsest Weasley, William, or Bill, as he preferred to be called Ron wrote to her. Even Granger had gone abroad, she and her parents going to Muggle France. They made a time to meet in Diagon a week before school started, each of them going to their parents to ask permission to stay at the Leaky Cauldron for that week. With permission so long as Luli was with her at all times, Celesta grinned as she went to pack the night before.
Author's Note: Sorry it's so short this time. I've had a long and horrid few days. First off, that time of the month is kicking my rear, and then my tire blew while I was working! I got stranded for 3 hours and it was NOT fun.
As always, thank you everybody who's read so far. I promise I'm not usually this short. I -might- take a short hiatus though, if only to regain my creativity.
Anyway, SECOND YEAR IS OVER! What a roller coaster. From here on out though the school years are going to be longer. But I'll keep the whys to myself.
You know the drill, more reviews=the sooner a new chapter comes out. Have fun~!