A/N: The fluffiness is going to keep me smiling for the rest of the day. I know it isn't much, but I loved it. One of my better creations, this chapter.

Translations:
"Geh weg von mir, du Stück Scheiße!" - "Get away from me, you piece of shit!"

Happy reading!

Henny, that lucky Penny!

Spectre in the Woods

The trip was short as we went by floo. Much to the amusement of my fellow Slytherin, I nearly fell out of the fireplace in their den. I had to shoot Albus a glare and that wiped the smile from his lips, but not his eyes. It was not amusing falling out of a spin, covered in soot!

After placing trunks in rooms, Lily gave me a tour of the house. It was very cute and homey. Artwork and moving pictures littered the walls. The painted colors were warm and soothing. Magical items and muggle knick-knacks decorated the living spaces. It was all very clean and organized. And that did not make much sense to me. Not that these people were unclean or disorganized, but the warmth and happiness I felt from the Potter parents did not match the decor.

Ginny served us all a very delicious roast with all the trimmings. I love roasted vegetables and since I had missed the snack trolley, I had to force myself to eat slowly. It was hard! Ginny was an excellent cook! It tasted and felt like it was made with care. Like she had felt this was her calling in life and she poured her heart and soul in it. I loved that kind of cooking. My mom cooked like that.

Lily and I decided to settle down in the library. While I had brought my muggle book and my study books, I explored their bookshelves for something interesting. They contained mainly spellbooks and potions reciepes. I chose one of the potions book and snuggled into a squishy chair that wrapped me in warmth and comfort. It was relaxing. The only thing that was working was my brain as I studied instructions and potion effects. It was very fascinating.

The boys joined us about two hours after Lily and I had burrowed our heads in our pages. They quietly conversed between the two of them and us girls barely registered they were there. Lily was absorbed in a muggle book I had leant her and I was busy soaking up ingredients and step by step instructions for some seventh year text before we were finally adressed.

"Lily!" James whined. I glanced over the top of my book at the older boy, "Lily! I'm bored!" Lily sighed before she rolled her eyes without looking from her book.

"Then go read a book." she replied softly.

"That's boring!" he stated in his whiny voice. I even rolled my eyes, "I want to do something fun!"

"I hear jumping off cliffs without parachutes is fun." I offered with a dark smirk. Albus snorted and James flashed me a wide grin.

"I'll go if you go." he replied. I shook my head in amusement.

"What did you want to do, James?" Lily asked as she gave in to her brother's ridiculous behavior.

"You know what he wants to do, Lils." Albus finally said something. He had a glint in his eye and I felt my insides start to twist with the knowledge that we were about to get into trouble.

"That isn't a good idea, James." Lily retorted as she put her book down on her thighs. I started to watch the three of them converse intently.

"Why?" James asked with indignition, "Because Calesta is here? She's a big girl."

"I'm also right here." I snapped, finally getting frustrated at being in the dark and also being talked about like I was not in the room, "What is this fun and exciting thing you want to do, Jamie?"

"Go visit the haunted woods." he stated solemly. I blinked to give myself a moment to make sure I hear him correctly. I blinked a second time.

"The what?"

"Jamie believes that the woods are haunted. The ones behind the house. He likes to take us out there in the freezing cold and have us explore. Swears up and down that the spectre only comes out when there is snow on the ground, he does. I believe that he is mental." Lily explained to my impassive face. I chanced a glance at James and he was smiling broadly again. I slid my eyes over to Albus whose expression was unreadable.

"Will you shut up and let us read if I go with you into the woods?" Lily sputtered at my question and Albus smirked. I honestly wanted to get back to the potions text and finish the steps I have started.

"For the rest of the night." he answered.

"Let us dress warm then." I marked my book and set it on the coffee table. Lily looked startled that I was actually going along with this crazy plan.

"Don't egg him on, Cal. He does this for attention. Just ignore him and he will go away. He is like a stray dog that way." Lily had a worried expression etched into her brow. James gasped in mock horror and laid a hand on his chest over his heart.

"You wound me, sister dearest!" I rolled my eyes.

"Or I can stomp through the woods for an hour and prove him wrong and his ego will be wounded so badly that he will leave us alone for the whole holiday." I replied to Lily as I walked out of the library.

I heard quick footfalls behind me as I made my way to Lily's room to gather my winter gear. I would not be detered or talked out of my bad decision. Because that is what this was. It was a bad decision. We should not go wandering woods at night. We should not be out in the cold so late at night. And we should not leave the safe confines of the Potter's House.

Bad decision.

But I was willing to do this so James would not be able to strut about with a smug smile on his lips for the remander of my stay here. I also wanted to have the ability to finish a book without him whinning that Lily and I were boring. I was not boring, I just liked to spend my time quietly if I could. And I knew that Lily wanted to read my book before we returned to Hogwarts so we could giggle about the inaccuracies of the muggle versions of our creatures of the night. We found that we both enjoyed poking fun at the false assumptions. That is how we bonded.

Fifeteen minutes later found James and I at the edge of the tree line. I glanced nervously at the dark interior. I was seriously regretting my bout of recklessness. My stupid Gryffindor Bravery had put me in this dangerous situation. And it was dangerous. I could trip and fall to my death. Run across a werewolf who would capture me and wait for the full moon to turn me. I shuddered at the wave of fear cascading down my spine. I wanted to go back.

"Now! I've heard rumors that the spectre has been seen over on this side of the trees." James explained as he pointed towards the right of us. I took a slow breathe of icy air to cool my racing heart. All it did was feed the icy fear gripping my insides.

"Okay." I replied slowly. I pulled the torch that James had handed me before we left the house with a knowing smile. I wanted to smack that smile off of his lips.

"Just follow me and don't look him in the eye. That's how he controls your mind." he warned with a spooky tone to his voice. I glared at the back of his head as he started walking away from me.

We wandered a few metres before I heard the crunch of a footstep. It had been off beat with mine and James' footsteps. I glanced around and saw a shadow move. My heart lept into my throat, choking off a scream. I started telling myself that it was just the wind. A branch moved and it had cast an odd shadow. It was a tree. It was NOT a ghostly being in this stupid wooded area. I would not fall victim to an over active imagination.

Until I looked forward and I did not see James anymore. I did not even see the light from his torch. I swallowed the panic rising in my throat like bile. Actually, I think there was some bile coming up too. NO! I would not be sick in the middle of a strange forest with no idea where I was.

OH SCHEIißE!

I did not even know where the hell I was! I could feel my hands begin to shake and it was not from the cold. I wanted to cry. I wanted to sit down and sob to myself and wake from this awful nightmare. I knew this would happen. I knew I would get separated from James and then something awful would come and eat me. Raw. I was going to be eaten raw. Whatever was going to devor my flesh would not even have the forethought to cook my limbs before I was his meal.

Oh hell no!

I would NOT be a meal for some magical creature. I will not be some victim that lays down and allows something to tear them to pieces. I am stronger and faster and more motivated than some rabid werewolf. So I pulled my shoulders back and rose to my full height. I lifted my chin and set my eyes. I am going to find the path to get out. And I would do it on my own.

Except I was not alone.

Bright red eyes were staring at me. They came from an outline of a head. The being was a dark shadow. I felt the blood drain from my face and my eyes go wide in disbelief.

No.

Fucking.

Way.

James was fucking right! He was going to be so arrogant. He was never going to let this down. I would be the butt of every joke he could think of. And then I felt my body melt as my blood turned hot with anger. I hate being the butt of any joke.

"Geh weg von mir, du Stück Scheiße!" I growled before I brought my light up and shined it right into its eyes.

"Ow! Fuck that's bright!" a familiar voice exclaimed in pain. The shadowy figure stumbled backwards, blindly reaching out to steady its form. I blinked in surprise when I recognized Fred's voice.

A roaring laugh came from the my left and I instantly went from red hot to severely confused. What the hell was happening in these woods?!

"James?" I called out in question. I swung my light towards the sound and found the form of James Potter doubled over in laughter.

"Oh, I can't wait to hear what you just said!" he said through his laughter. I brought my light back to the 'spectre' and saw Fred taking off a black sheet. His eyes were still watering from the flash of blinding light I had bestowed upon him, but there was a broad grin on his face.

"Gotcha, Manslayer!" he said before he broke down into fits of laughter. As he was preoccupied with laughing in triumph, he did not register the snowball flying towards his face. I smirked as the cold sphere found its mark.

"Oh, Freddie, I do believe I got you." I said before a giggle passed through my lips.

"I'll give you that one." he responded as he wiped the melting slush from his face.

"Are we done playing in the woods yet? I'm getting cold." I stamped my boots to try and get some feeling back into my toes. They had grown increasingly cold while I had stood in one place.

"Of course!" James replied as he practically skipped over to me, "Welcome to Godric's Hollow, Miss Manslayer!" he exclaimed as he slung an arm around my shoulders to guide me from the woods. I smirked at his profile before shoving a mitten full of snow in his face.

"Thank you for the warm welcome, Mister Potter."

Very interesting indeed.