Seventh Year
The Sorting was rather dull, the only time that Althea paid attention was when Alfie's name was called and to her surprise he was put in Gryffindor. Although she was surprised she also felt relief and happiness; it'd be easier for her to endeavor to protect him since they were in the same House. After the Sorting was over, they ate and it was relatively silent except for James sending a hex Severus's way. Althea wanted to be angry at him for hexing someone without provocation, but she also knew that on some level Severus deserved it at least a little bit. He was under Malfoy's thumb, was practicing Dark Magic, and worse was discriminating against Muggle-borns although he himself was a half-blood. In fifth year, she thought it was, he had called Lily a Mudblood.
Although it had been a few years since that incident, some part of Althea felt that he deserved punishment for that. Remus adjusted the sparkling Prefect badge on his robes and Althea looked down at her own Prefect badge. Fingering the pin, she smiled a little. She remembered how excited she had been to receive the badge in her fifth year and how hopeful she had been to become Head Girl eventually. However, even though she was not Head Girl she was content with the fact that she was a Prefect. As the other Houses moved to leave, Lily stretched up on her tip toes and shouted for the Gryffindors to stay put. Althea and Remus approached the frazzled redhead who looked at them pleadingly.
"Remus, can you lead them to the Common Room with James?" Lily asked. He nodded, and she sighed in relief. "Thea, can you help me devise a schedule? I'm worried about the fifth-year Prefects you know, they don't have as much experience and some of them are more concerned with being liked than doing their job."
"Sure Lils," Althea agreed readily, "Shall we go?"
The two girls departed for their dormitory, as Remus and James tried to keep the students in order. Lily told the password to the Fat Lady, and they headed up to the separate seventh-year dormitories. Their trunks were lying on their respective beds and Althea noticed that Lily's hands were shaking.
"What's wrong Lily?" Althea asked, looking at her best friend softly.
"I'm just nervous. NEWT level classes, and being Head Girl. It's a lot to deal with, and even worse Potter is Head Boy," Lily grumbled a frown marring her usually soft features. She sighed, "Anyways, patrolling schedule." She looked pleadingly at Althea, "Help."
Althea sat beside Lily on her bed and took the piece of parchment, scribbling out a rough schedule as she spoke. "Have the Hufflepuff Prefects patrol together – they'll get eaten alive by Slytherin, and they're too intimidated of Gryffindor and Ravenclaw. Have the Ravenclaw and Slytherin Prefects pair up, but make sure that the Ravenclaw Prefects are purebloods. Um, Remus and I can patrol together. You and James should patrol with the fifth-year Prefects since they don't know what they're doing yet." She handed the paper back to Lily.
"Thank you so much Thea," Lily thanked her profusely. She sighed, "I'm happy to be Head Girl, don't misunderstand me but at the same time I would have rather remained a Prefect."
"Don't do that Lily," Althea scolded her lightheartedly. "You're brilliant, and beautiful, and you have all the characteristics that a Head Girl should have. Honestly, I would have been more surprised if you weren't Head Girl. Now, can you please believe in yourself?"
Lily smiled. After that, the conversation between the two was more lighthearted. They first talked about Alice and Frank's engagement, and Althea was surprised at how quickly that had happened. The two had only started dating in fifth-year, however to anyone watching the two it was obvious they were in love and given how dire things were becoming it made sense. There might not be time to wait, because in an instant everything could change. They talked about Narcissa and Lucius's marriage, and Lily muttered how she felt bad for the Slytherin girl who had married into the most rotten family ever – the Malfoy family. They conversed on their school subjects, and Lily was perplexed about Althea's class selections of Transfiguration, Charms, Potions, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Arithmancy, and Ancient Runes.
It was the same class load that she had taken last year, but now they were NEWT level making them infinitesimally more difficult. When Lily made, her concerns known to Althea, the girl brushed them off assuring Lily that she would be fine. Althea yawned, stretching her arms above her head.
"I think we best get to bed Lils, our first day of classes is tomorrow and McGonagall will be furious with us if we're late to Transfiguration."
"True," Lily whispered.
Althea brushed through her hair, braiding it quickly and then shrugged her robes on. Loosely tying the Gryffindor tie around her neck, she headed downstairs unsurprised to see the Marauders lounging around while the younger students rushed out the door and headed for the Great Hall.
"Morning," Althea said to them through a yawn.
"Good morning," The others chorused back.
"Are you excited for class?" Remus asked, giving her a small smile.
"Of course," Althea assured him. "Well, except for Arithmancy and Ancient Runes. I have no idea why I elected to take those classes again, but I have."
"I'll help you," Remus volunteered readily.
Unbeknownst to Althea, James and Sirius shared knowing smiles and were making kissy faces behind Remus's back. The two were awkward, but at the same time they were sickeningly adorable. Lily traipsed into the room then, and James straightened up his hazel eyes lighting up when he saw her. Althea rolled her eyes.
"Are you ready to go, Thea?" Lily asked, not sparing a glance at James.
"Of course, Lily-dear," Althea readily agreed. She sent a soft look toward Remus, "I'll see you later for that Ancient Runes help."
Remus merely smiled in response. The two girls headed to Transfiguration, not bothering around to wait for the Marauders even though they shared many of the same classes. Lily and Althea both knew that they would be late, even with Remus encouraging them to hurry. Althea dropped her bag onto the desk in the far back while Lily deigned to take a seat up front. McGonagall walked into the room, her eyes showing a small amount of surprise when she saw the two.
"Morning Professor," Althea and Lily greeted brightly.
McGonagall greeted them back, and so the three waited in silence for the rest of the students to come to class. Unfortunately, the Gryffindors had Transfiguration with the Slytherins. Honestly it baffled Althea – everyone knew that Slytherins and Gryffindors hated each other, so why did the school constantly force them to have classes together? There was no hope of bettering relationships between the two rival Houses, especially since most of the Slytherins were purebloods and a fair amount of Gryffindors were either Muggle-born or half-bloods. Until the Slytherins stopped being prejudiced and arrogant, and the Gryffindors stopped being jokesters there would be no hope of peace or friendship amongst them. As she had suspected, the Marauders were the last to arrive and when they did they were laughing uproariously and talking loudly.
However, a stern look from McGonagall quieted them, and mutely they took their seats. To Althea's surprise and great pleasure, Remus sat next to her his golden-brown eyes crinkling as he smiled at her.
"This year we will be talking about Human Transfiguration and Conjuration. What are the different types of Human Transfiguration?" Althea raised her hand. "Yes, Miss Morgan?"
"Animagus and Metamorphmagus, Professor. Animagi are witch or wizard who can morph him or herself into an animal at will. It is a learned, rather than hereditary skill, unlike those of a Metamorphmagus. Many find that becoming an Animagi takes too much effort, and that there is no real use for it." Althea answered.
A ghost of a smile appeared on McGonagall's face. "Ten points to Gryffindor for the correct and knowledgeable answer. In your third-year Transfiguration class we spoke briefly about Animagi, but didn't dwell too much on the topic. However, now that this is a NEWT-level class we will be able to spend a much more substantial time on the topic of Animagus, and get you all registered as Animagi." Althea saw Peter, James and Sirius exchange panicked looks. "What is the difference between an Animagus and a werewolf? Mr. Lupin?"
Slowly Remus replied, "Lycanthropy is caused by a blood infection transmitted through the bite of a werewolf, whereas the Animagus skill is learned. The werewolves cannot keep their minds after a transformation unless they take the Wolfsbane Potion, nor can they control themselves when they transform, while Animagi can do both. However, as werewolves only harm humans, Animagi, while in their animal forms, are safe to be in the company of werewolves."
"Very good, ten more points to Gryffindor." McGonagall said. "For the next month, we will be going through the process of becoming an Animagus. I want all of you to work in pairs, so the person that you are now sitting with shall be your partner. However, I do not expect many of you to be successful in becoming an Animagus, therefore if after the month, you cannot do it you aren't required to be registered. But I endeavor you to at least try."
As soon as the class was over, Sirius and James were chatting worriedly about this assignment that McGonagall had given them. Althea smiled a little, finding it adorable how the two were so worried, but when she looked at Remus and saw the worried expression on his face her amusement faded. Right. Remus hasn't been found out yet because Sirius, James, and Peter are unregistered Animagi, if they suddenly become registered the chances of Remus being found out are high. I can't let that happen, she decided.
"I'll be back, I need to talk to McGonagall," Althea told them.
They looked at her in surprise but she paid them no mind as she headed back into the classroom. McGonagall looked up as Althea entered the classroom.
"Professor," she started but McGonagall held up a hand cutting her off.
"I am aware that Mr.'s Potter, Black, and Pettigrew are Animagi, Ms. Morgan," McGonagall told her. "However, I will not be forcing them to register as I know of Mr. Lupin's condition as well. We shall pretend that the four of them can't do it."
"Thank you," Althea whispered.
She spun on her heel and hurried out of the classroom. It's official, McGonagall is the coolest professor ever, she thought. At least that's one problem solved, now onto Potions.