"Who didn't sleep together?" A third voice came from outside the door, as if they were walking down the hall.
Then, came in one of the people I least wanted to see this….
"I say, who didn't sleep together?" Angelina said as she entered the room followed closely by the other two people I didn't want to see this.
"Oh, wow," Alicia awkwardly upon seeing the scene. Katie and Angelina just stood there, also awkward.
"Okay, once again, I'll say this, WE DID NOT SLEEP TOGETHER!" I attempted to make clear to them.
"I thought we went over this," Fred began.
"You already said that," George added
"And we don't really believe you," Fred finished.
"We did not sleep together," Oliver pressed.
"Fine, you know what, I'll tell you what happened!" I yelled agitatedly. "Oliver and I went running this morning, I collapsed because I needed a multivitamin, and I'm on bed rest for the rest of the day. I wasn't even allowed to walk. So, Braeden couldn't get up the girls' stairs. Instead, Braeden brought me to his room, but he was complaining about sharing his bed, so I told him to bring me here because Oliver has a bigger bed. Got it?" I explained.
"Yeah, now we do…" Alicia muttered.
"So what are you going to do all day?" Angelina asked.
"I've got no bloody clue!" I complained. "Are you sure I can't get out of the bloody bed?" I asked Oliver and Braeden.
"NO!" They answered simultaneously.
"What am I supposed to do all day?!!!!!!!" I whined.
"I dunno, but we'll figure something out," Alicia offered.
"Ah! I'm going to die of boredom in here," I whined.
"Yeah, we gotta run to the library and get some stuff for Snape's essay, and then we'll come up here to work on homework," Katie explained, referring to herself, Alicia, Angelina, Fred, and George.
"Alright, in the meantime perhaps Oliver and I will get some sleep," I said thoughtfully. As they left I realized I was a bit cold.
"Hey Oliver, can I borrow ones of your shirts?" I asked
"Yeah," He replied. He got up and grabbed one from his trunk. I pulled it on as he climbed back in bed. With a flick of his wand the room was dark again and we slept for a while longer.
"Wakey wakey!" Kate said as she opened the curtains with a flick of her wand. Sunlight poured into the room, and Oliver and I, being the people we are complained.
"Katie, ugh, its too early," I complained.
"No its not, its eleven o'clock," She replied.
That's how the rest of my day was spent, in bed with my friends around me, not allowing me to get up, and joking and talking, and in my case, not doing homework. Then, it was getting late, as we had all skipped lunch, and our stomachs were demanding food.
"Oliver, I'm hungry and so are you, just let me go down to dinner," I whined. My stomach growled as if in agreement.
"You're not allowed to walk," Oliver said stubbornly.
"So I won't walk, I'll fly," I suggested, looking pointedly at my broom.
"You can't do that either," Oliver replied, amused. Then his stomach took a turn at the noise.
"So bloody carry me or something before both our stomachs start yelling at us," I joked.
"Not a bad idea actually," Oliver said with a grin. With that he got up and walked to my side of the bed, and turned his back to me. "Hop on," He instructed. I hopped on his back like a piggyback ride he gave me when we were both young.
"Now you're talking Oliver," I grinned. I moved to the edge of the bed and pulled myself onto Oliver's back.
"All set?" He asked.
"Yep," I answered. What a sight we would have been if anyone had seen us. Luckily though, most people were at dinner, so they didn't see us until we got to the great hall.
I pushed open the doors for us since Oliver was holding me up. People weren't used to others coming in mid-way through dinner, so upon hearing the doors open people turned to look. Upon seeing us, they didn't turn their attention back to their dinners, as they normally would have.
Oliver turned his head back to me and gave me a grin, then continued on his way to the Gryffindor table. Once there, he sat me down next to Fred and took the seat next to me. Upon seeing everyone was staring, Fred yelled something to draw attention from us again.
"Oy, is that a Cornish Hinkypuff?" He yelled across the hall. Of course Hinkypuffs don't exist, but the idiots in the school would believe anything at times.
"Blubbering morons," George muttered under his breath bringing laughter to our area of the table.
"Weren't you supposed to be on bed rest Fallon dear?" Angelina taunted a bit.
"Well, Angelina my dear, we were hungry," I replied in a fakely sweet voice.
"Fallon, you and Oliver are always hungry," Katie laughed.
"Braeden too," Alicia added, "I'm surprised between the three of them they don't eat the entire feast every year."
"Yeah laugh it up now, just remember who shares a dorm with you!" I threatened through a mouthful of mashed potatoes. This of course made everyone crack up. Dinner with our friends was its usual happy and light state of affairs. That is of course until a Madame Pomfrey walked up behind me during dinner.
"Ms. Grier, did I not specifically tell you that you were on bed rest until tomorrow?"
"You did," I answered.
"And did I not say that you were not to so much as walk?" She continued
"Yes,"
"So why are you down here at dinner?" She asked
"Because I was hun-gry," I said in a voice not unlike a whiny child. This at least made her smile.
"You still shouldn't have walked down here," She said sternly.
"I didn't, Oliver gave me a piggyback ride," I told her.
"Well, you still helped hold your weight, which you shouldn't have."
"On the way back he can hold me in his arms," I amended quickly.
"Very well, but do attempt to follow orders in the future Ms. Grier," She ordered. I gave her a mock salute and she laughed and rolled her eyes then walked off. Once she was gone, Oliver made a comment to me.
"Volunteering me for things now Fallon?" He joked.
"How else was I gonna get her off my back?" I replied.
"Haha, so get Ms. Pomfrey off your back by hurting mine?" He laughed.
"I won't hurt your back and you know it," I answered.
"Yeah, that's true," Oliver gave in.
"Good, now that we agree on that, moving on, we've decided what we're going to be doing in the upcoming Slytherin game," I redirected my attention to our friends.
"Well? What are you doing?" Alicia asked.
"Here's what we're thinking," Oliver began.
"Fred and George we're going to have you covering the chasers mostly," I added.
"And keeping an eye on the seekers and yourselves," Oliver added.
"Because you know how bloodied up we chasers get whenever we play Slytherin," I continued.
"And Harry never has a problem besting Malfoy," Oliver added.
"I think that's a great idea," Braeden thought aloud. I knew what he was thinking about it. If there were chasers guarding me, I wouldn't be likely to be hit.
"Hey guys," Alicia began, "the great hall is empty except for Dumbledore and the rest of the teachers who are grinning like mad at us so I think we outta leave."
"Too right you are," Fred said. Oliver stood up and turned to me.
"Turn around so I can pick you up please," Oliver asked politely. I turned around to where he could easily pick me up bridal style. He picked me up and I called to our friends who were still sitting there:
"Oy, c'mon you lot." This seemed to break them from a trance like state and they stood and followed Oliver and I out of the hall and up the stairs. Once in the common room Oliver didn't stop, he headed straight for his dormitory.
"Oliver, I can sit in the common room, it won't bother me," I told him.
"Madame Pomfrey said bed rest. Bed rest. Not couch rest or chair rest. Everyone else can go up to my dorm if they wa-" He was cut off by Angelina
"We've been in your dorm enough today thanks, we'll see you two tomorrow," She called up the boys stairs. Oliver rolled his eyes and continued walking.
"You know you're really getting heavy," Oliver complained.
"Well, you've been carrying me awhile," I replied.
"Yeah, well, you're not gonna walk today," He replied.
"Fine fine, lets get up to your dorm, doing nothing all day has got me beat," I said sarcastically. We went up to his dorm and turned in early.
The rest of the weekend went by far too quickly. All of Sunday was spent out by the lake doing the homework I conveniently forgot to do. Then came Monday, and with it, heavier practice for the up coming game, and class.
"You know, having McGonagall first thing in the morning just makes my day!" I said sarcastically to Oliver who was walking right beside me as we were leaving breakfast. Only…I didn't know McGonagall was right behind me.
"Well Ms. Grier, I'm delighted to know you enjoy having Transfiguration first thing in the morning," McGonagall said, equally sarcastic
"Er...right, sorry professor," I apologized.
"Accepted Ms. Grier, and I should like for your attitude to improve towards Transfiguration," She added.
"Yes professor," I replied dutifully.
"Nice going their Fallon," Oliver said with a smile once she had walked off.
"Thank you!" I replied, sarcastic again, then bowed. He rolled his eyes at this but said nothing. With that we entered into the Transfiguration room where McGonagall was already at the front where her desk was going through some papers.
We took our seats at a table near the front with room for Braeden to sit at once he came in. We pulled out our Transfiguration books and then waited for Braeden to appear. A few moments later he did, but with no time to spare. If he'd been even a second later he would have been late.
"Where have you been Braeden?" I asked him curiously.
"I've just been having a word with Alicia," He said, a dopey grin was plastered across his face.
"What's with the look there Braeden?" Oliver asked him with a grin.
"I just asked Alicia to the Halloween Ball in a week," He replied.
"And?" I pushed.
"She said yes, and that she'd liked me since last year, and that she'd really been hoping I'd ask. And then, she decided to pull me into a closet…" Braeden trailed off as I cut him off.
"Thank you for sharing Braeden but we don't need to hear more thanks," I cut him off.
"Class," Professor McGonagall began, "Today we will be doing a lesson you may find a bit more fun than usual. Or at least I think so."
We began giving her curious looks until she continued.
"We will be seeing what animals your inner selves truly are by use of a Transfiguration spell. It will turn you into the animal that truly represents you. Some of you may find yourselves being similar animals of those you are close to. Stay close to your seats once you have changed so that I may put on record what you are and give your grades. Here is the incantation. Retelius. Repeat it now," She explained.
"Retelius," We repeated.
"Good again," McGonagall commanded
"Retelius," We articulated.
"Good. Now I suggest you get started. And do not let your minds wander, or else it will take you a few tries. Now, get going you lot," She ordered.
I turned to Oliver, "Well lets have at it."
"Retelius," Oliver muttered. About half a second later I muttered the same. I heard my wand clatter to the table next to Oliver's, but I could quite figure out my view. I was on the ground, but I wasn't standing I knew. I looked to my right where Oliver was, and saw a beautiful spotted white creature. He lifted his head and I then knew he was a Snow Leopard. I looked down at myself, to see, much to my pleasure, that I too was snowy white leopard.
"I'm a leopard right?" Oliver growled.
"Yea…wait, we can talk and understand each other?" I growled in return.
"Apparently," He answered.
"Well lets move in front of this table, there's no room here," I suggested. So we silently slinked to be in front of our table and there Oliver lay with his eyes open while I rested against him. When suddenly a red blur past above me. My eyes shot open and looked up to see a red fox I knew was Braeden. I tried to talk to him, but he only gave me a puzzled look. I then deciphered it. I could understand Oliver because we were the same thing. Braeden was a red fox and could not.
Then McGonagall came around.
"Now then, who is this handsome pair?" She asked, referring to Oliver and myself.
"Well, now, I do believe this is Mr. Wood and Ms. Greir, correct?" She asked. Oliver gave a subtle nod as I continued to catnap.
"And this is Mr. Grier?" She moved to Braeden. He playfully jumped up and down and nodded. I smiled, I think, at this, and then she instructed all of us on how to change back.
"To change back, simply decide to change back or feel like you don't want to be your animal any longer. Be sure to change before you leave class," She instructed.
Braeden chose to change back nearly immediately and was sitting on the edge of the table looking down at us.
I lifted my head to look at him, then laid it back on Oliver. I was completely comfortable now. I might even consider becoming Animagus, and convincing Oliver to do the same for this, it was just…sheer contentment and peace. It was nice
"Fine suit yourselves," He commented and hopped off the table and walked around the room. I noticed most people were changing back as soon as McGonagall had checked them. Most people were not nearly as impressive of animals as Oliver, Braeden, and I.
I saw many cats and dogs. I saw a bird of prey somewhere, and something that might've been a wolf, but other than that they were all cats, dogs, and birds. Soon people were coming over to look at the two of us. I mean, two huge white cats at the front of the room are kind of noticeable.
"Who is that?" One person asked.
"Are they stuck like that?" Another asked.
"No they aren't stuck like that," A voice I recognized to be Katie's said.
"That's Oliver and Fallon of course," Angelina added.
"Their gorgeous," One person said.
"Class move back would you? Thank you," McGonagall ordered. Everyone went back to their seats and then she turned to Oliver and I. "See me after class would you?" We nodded in reply.
McGonagall wanted to see us after class? Uh oh….