A/N: I do not own anything Harry Potter. This one is a little shorter than the ones I've been writing but I think and hope that you'll enjoy. Happy reading! XO

Chapter 26

"Do you think Hagrid knows what he's doing by being interviewed by Rita Skeeter?" Annie asked Harry as she flipped herself upside on her chair by the fire.

"Unfortunately no," he replied as he scratched out a sentence in his History of Magic essay.

"I don't think he realizes that just an innocent interview about Blast-Ended Skrewts could destroy his reputation," Annie said pulling off her socks and chucking them across the room.

"I'll say."

Annie watched from her upside down state as Ron and Harry worked on their homework. Having already finished her homework early, which had surprised not only herself but Hermione as well, she was rather bored and in need of an adventure. The first years she had been tutoring had been getting along so well in their school work that Professor McGonagall had given them all Mondays off which left Annie free to do whatever she wanted. Annie swung her feet over her head and flipped off her chair. She pushed her hair out of her eyes and stood up.

"Where are you going?" asked Harry as he scratched his chin with his quill.

Annie rolled her eyes. "Out for a walk, dad, if that's alright with you."

"I'm okay with it but you should ask your mother first," he said smiling and nodding over at Ron.

"I don't know, honey, going out at this time of night? It could be dangerous," Ron said looking up from his own essay.

"Oh come on, darling. Just let the girl have some fun."

"Please, mummy, can I go?" Annie begged like a child bouncing from one foot to the other.

"Okay, dear. But only if you let us borrow your essay," said Ron grinning up at Annie.

"It's in my backpack!" Annie called as she ran over to the portrait hole. She climbed out of Gryffindor Tower and felt the cold marble of the floor on her bare feet. She ran down the stairs as fast as she could and started to walk around the castle, clutching her wand in her hand feeling absolutely free. Annie skipped along the first floor corridor, peering around corners and shooting multi-colored bubbles out of her wand behind her. As she turned the corner in the Charms wing, she heard cackling coming from one of the classrooms. Annie pushed the door open and found Peeves writing some very rude words all over the blackboard. He turned around at the sound of the creaking and chucked an eraser at her. Annie ducked out of the way and went to sit on one of the desks.

"You know Filch is busy stalking the fifth floor, right?" she asked resting her elbows on knees and her chin on her fists.

"Is Ms. Blackykins trying to tip old Peevsie off?" he asked now upturning one of the wastepaper bins.

"Of course," she said with a sly smile. "And I happen to know that he's extra ornery today because he had to polish the entire Trophy Room."

"Oh Peevsie will have some fun tonight," he cackled and floated out of the open door.

Annie laughed and jumped off the table and walked out of the classroom. She walked along the Transfiguration corridor and walked past Professor McGonagall's open office door.

"Ms. Black, will you come in here a moment if you please," Professor McGonagall called from her desk.

Annie entered her professor's office and stood before her. Professor McGonagall made a final mark on the paper that she was grading and put her quill in her ink well. She looked up at her student and asked her to sit down. Annie took the seat right in front of the desk and pulled her feet up onto the chair. Professor McGonagall looked at her student's bare feet and shook her head.

"Is there a reason why you are not wearing shoes, Ms. Black?" she asked taking off her glasses and pinching the bridge of her nose.

Annie looked down at her feet and smiled up at her teacher. "No reason. I just didn't feel like wearing shoes. Is that why you called me in here?"

"No, that is not why I called you in here," she said replacing her glasses upon her nose. "I wanted to talk to you about something related to Thursday's class."

"Aren't we starting something new on Thursday?"

"Yes, we will be starting cross-species switches. What I called you in here for was to discuss your prospects of becoming an animagus that is, if you would like to." Professor McGonagall gave Annie one of her rare smiles. Annie looked disbelievingly at her and grinned.

"You really want me to learn how to be an animagus?" she asked bouncing in her seat. "You would teach me?"

"Oh course. You are clearly very well advanced in Transfiguration. I was even thinking about submitting your essay on your theory on Switching Spells to Transfiguration Today. I really believe you the ability to become an animagus." Professor McGonagall peered at Annie who was sitting her chair stunned.

"You were going to submit that essay I wrote to help out the first years? Cool," she said smiling. "But seriously, you would teach me to become an animagus?"

"Yes. If you are serious about learning how to, then I will teach you."

Annie sat for a moment thinking of all the cool things she would be able to do as an animal. But then she thought of all the hard work and her face fell a little.

"Ms. Black, it will be difficult, yes, if that is what you are thinking about," Professor McGonagall said watching her student. "But, just think about this: If your father, to be honest, one of my most laziest but brilliant students, could have taught himself along with his friends how to be an animagus, surely you can."

Annie laughed. "Okay, I'll do it! I want to be an animagus! When can we start? How long will this take?" Annie asked excitedly

"Excellent, Ms. Black! We can start after the holidays if you don't mind. I have a lot of work to get done until then," Professor McGonagall answered. "Animagus training will take a lot of hard work on your part. I believe if you really concentrate, you will be able to make the complete change by your sixth year."

"I can handle it. Thanks, Professor!" Annie got up from her chair and started to make her way to the door.

"I look forward to working with you. But wait Ms. Black, I'm not done with you yet," the Professor called after her pulling a piece of parchment toward her and picking up her quill again. Annie walked back to her desk and stood before her. "How much trouble are you in this time?"

"Sorry?"

"What have you done tonight to earn yourself detention? You might as well confess, I'll know it was you even if you don't tell me," she said peering at Annie over her spectacles. "So tell me about your latest misadventure this time."

"Professor, I honestly haven't done anything tonight. Really," she said noticing Professor McGonagall's face of disbelief. "I haven't done anything tonight. I was just going for a walk. I haven't even hexed the Prefects yet. I wouldn't lie to my favorite professor."

Professor McGonagall looked into Annie's eager eyes and nodded. "Okay, I believe you. But if I do hear about something somewhere that has been blown up or anything of the sort-"

"I know, I know. Detention for a week." Annie turned on her heel and walked out of the office calling over her shoulder. "Goodnight, Professor!"

"Potter, Weasley, Black! Will you please pay attention?" Professor McGonagall shouted from the front of the room.

Ron and Harry dropped the phony wands that they had been having a sword fight with and turned to look at their teacher. Annie jerked awake at the call of her name knocking her book, notes and ink all over the floor. She bent down and picked up her sopping parchment by the corner and held it out to Hermione.

"Hermione, fix it," she whined.

"Ms. Granger can fix your notes later, Ms. Black, but for now just please pay attention!" The class went silent and turned their eyes on their professor.

"Now as a tradition with the Triwizard Tournament the host school, that is to say Hogwarts, will hold the Yule Ball for those who are fourth year and above and will take place on Christmas night." Chatter broke out around the classroom from the many girls and Professor McGonagall cleared her throat for silence. "Now because we are the hosts, you are reminded to act mature and in a dignified manner," she said these last words directly at Annie who was chewing on a Gummy Wand.

Lavender leaned into Parvati. "Annie? Act mature? I don't think she even knows the meaning of the word," she whispered. They looked around at Annie and giggled.

"You clearly don't know the meaning either, Lavender," Annie shot back and then stuck out her tongue.

"Enough," Professor McGonagall said. "Class dismissed. Potter, I would like to see you at my desk."

Annie packed up her belongings as Hermione siphoned the excess ink off of Annie's notes. She took the parchment from Hermione and shoved into her bag and slung it over her shoulder.

"Want us to wait for you, Harry?" she asked joining Ron and Hermione at the door.

"No, you guys go ahead. I'll meet up with you in the Great Hall," he said hitching his backpack onto his shoulders and walking up to his professor.

Annie, Ron and Hermione left the classroom and walked over to the Great Hall. They sat down at the Gryffindor table and started to eat their lunches. Harry came in a few minutes later and pulled all of the dishes within reach toward him and started to load his plate.

"What did Professor McGonagall want, Harry?" Ron asked through a mouthful of fried tomatoes.

Harry sighed and picked up his fork. "Apparently the Champions are supposed to open the Yule Ball by processing in with our dates."

"Ha! That's pretty funny! Please tell me she was joking," Annie said slapping the table as she laughed.

"No, she wasn't kidding," he said looking down at his plate and swirling his mashed potatoes around.

"Oh come on, Harry! If anybody can get a date, you could!" Ron said encouragingly. "You're one of the champions! You faced a dragon!" Ron slapped Harry on the back.

As Annie talked to Hermione about the upcoming ball, George walked into the Great Hall with Fred and Lee following behind him. He jumped up on the Gryffindor Table and walked across it to where she was sitting with her friends.

"Annie Black," he yelled so the whole Hall had turned around to watch him. Annie looked up at him and smiled. "Annie Black, I think you are the most beautiful girl in the world. Will you do me the honor of being my date to the Yule Ball?"

Annie stood up and climbed on to the table with help from Fred and Lee and placed her arms around George's neck.

"Yes, George Weasley. I would love to go to the Yule Ball with you," she said grinning and tilting her head up. George wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her off the table, planting a kiss on her lips. The students wolf-whistled and cheered as the couple jumped off the table and sat down, George with his arm around Annie's shoulders.

A/N: I really hope you liked this chapter and are as excited as I am that Annie is going to become an animagus. Let me know what you think by leaving a review. And again, if you haven't already, check out the Annie one-shots I've written and let me know what you think of them as well. Until next time! XO