Chapter 6 - Second Lesson
A week later, and Rose was still trying to put the memory and confused feelings for Scorpius and the accidental kiss. She thought today might do it, the second lesson for them to become animagus. They had all balanced the books she had given them with their homework and managed to read the first two chapters in two of the three books.
Again they stood in front of the staircase up to her office and this time Alaine said the password and they went up. McGonnagal was waiting like the time before, "How much did you read of the books I gave you four?", she asked, "So I know what to go over today."
Scorpius spoke up, "We all managed to read the first two chapters of 'How to Become an Animagus' and 'What You Need to Know to be a Animagus' and the first chapter of '100 things You Need to be an Animagus'."
The stern headmistress nodded, "So you all know the basics what the first steps are to be an animagus?"
"Yes Headmistress", the four chorused.
She nodded, "Good. Today I would like you to being to learn to meditate, and in doing so be able to see your animal form."
The four nodded as well and all sat on the ground, waiting for her to explain on how to go through the meditation process. They didn't have to wait long, as soon as they all sat she began, "I want you to all close your eyes and look deep inside yourselves and imagine yourselves free and without the restrictions of human form. Imagine yourself wild and primal, your animistic side. Now try to see that form's shape, the shape of what your animagus is."
They all tried this, tried to do what she said, but all had strained faces and McGonnagal's next explanation was that you needed to be relaxed to find it.
Rose took a deep calming breath and slowly tuned out the world until she only paid attention to herself and then tried do as instructed and looked inside herself and tried to imagine herself free, without the confines of her everyday life, only guided by animal instincts and needs. Slowly, she began to feel free, though thoughts of Scorpius still chased her. She tried to cut that off as she tried to imagine that form of her inner animal. A blurred shape came to her mind and slowly became less and less blurred till she could see the shape. Her eyes snapped open.
"I can see it!", she cried out, a few seconds before Scorpius yelled, "I know what I am!"
McGonnagal smiled at the two cleverest students in her school, "What are you? Rose, you share first while Albus and Alaine keep trying. Then Scorpius."
Rose grinned and stated, "A cheetah."
McGonnagal nodded and turned to the blonde Slytherin, "And you, Scorpius?"
"A clouded leopard, Ma'am.", he answered politely, grinning at Rose.
That grin made her heart flutter in a way that confused her, that had never before happened, but could think about it as McGonnagal spoke, "We still have an hour left in our lesson, so I suggest you read the books I gave you for the rest of the time while Albus and Alaine attempt to find their forms still."
Rose and Scorpius nodded and opened their books, talking excitedly in low voices about their animagus forms while they read. They were both big cats, ones with quite beautiful coats in fact. Neither of theirs' was native to this area though, so if they thought about going around a muggle area in this form, they would have to be very careful not to be seen.
All too soon, the hour had passed and the lesson ended. Albus and Alaine, to their annoyance, still hadn't seen their animagus forms, but Rose consoled them that it was something that most people couldn't do their first try, and she and the blonde had only been able to due to their high ability in magic.
They were still sore about it, but let it drop, promising the former Gryffindor Head of House that they would try to meditate and find their form in the little spare time they had.
The four made their way back to their dorms, heading again to Ravenclaw to drop off the girls, Albus and Alaine kissing goodnight once more, while Rose, still confused from the accidental kiss on the first day of school, gave Scorpius an awkward, but friendly hug and a grin at the achievement they had gotten today.
They said their goodbyes and Rose and Alaine tiredly dragged themselves up to the dorm and Scorpius and Albus went their separate ways to their common rooms and into their beds where they instantly fell asleep.
In Rose's dream that night a cheetah with her eyes staring at her, curled up against a clouded leopard with clear gray eyes, Scorpius's eyes. They looked content and friendly, and when she woke up, her feelings for her best friend were even more confused than when she had fallen asleep. Though an outcome was clear for the feelings when she sorted them out, she was slowly, or not so slowly, falling for the blonde.