~Of Silver and Gold~
Chapter 27: The Bouncing Ferret
Harry walked out of Professor's Sprout's class still in a daze. He had not noticed the ugly plants beside him, he did not smell the putrid pus plants they had to work with, nor had he noticed Hermione's glare as she did all the work while he was still in his daydream.
He stared into space all the way through Hagrid's class, which no one noticed considering many did the same. Hermione was too busy taking notes, and Ron was too afraid that the baby acromantula that Hagrid brought to teach them about wildlife.
His daze ended when he heard someone's breath against his forehead. He blinked a few times and looked up to see Trelawney looking at him with her big eyes.
"You seem preoccupied, my dear" she told him. "My inner eyes sees past your brave face to see the troubled soul within….yes trouble indeed, it will come sooner than you think."
Harry looked at her stonily till she walked away and he immediately rolled his eyes. He couldn't believe that she thought that he was tortured, on the contrary, he simply was distracted over something…someone.
His nose wrinkled at the perfume smell she always left a trail of making her easier to find. He didn't like that strong perfume she wore, it always made him sneeze.
He preferred a soft scent, something that lingered in a subtle way that made him tremble all over. He imagined the soft smile on the face of the girl. He had begun to notice more and more just how pretty she was. She was beautiful in her own way, in a real way. She was touchable and human, not an angel to be admired from afar.
"Class Dismissed" he heard.
He picked up his books, shoved them into his bag not caring how they landed, and he picked up the box of cookies he had kept under his table. He was beginning to walk out and he heard Hermione calling for him.
"Harry James Potter, I have no idea what has come over you!" she hissed angrily.
He noticed she was angry based on her posture. Her hip was flared to the side, and her hands on her right hip showing her true anger. Her cheeks were pink and her hair was growing bigger like if static shock has occurred around him.
"Look…Hermione -" Harry tried to calm her down.
"Don't you 'look Hermione' me!" she said annoyed. "I've been watching you stare off into space ever since this morning , and I want to know why!"
Harry knew he was a horrible liar when it came to Hermione, so he had no choice but to admit the truth to her. He simply gave in and sighed.
"This morning I got a letter from Sirius and—"
"Oh!"she exclaimed interrupting him. "I'm so sorry Harry, I'm a horrible friend pushing you.."
As she continued to go off in her apologetic rant, Harry could not believe his luck. She didn't even hear the rest of the truth and she had already let him off the hook. He smiled inwardly and nodded sadly as she gave him the pity look he hated till now which saved him.
"And the cookies were they from him too?" she asked.
He jumped slightly wondering if she knew, but as he heard the rest of her question, he smiled.
"Yeah, he sent it on behalf of Remus"
Hermione nodded believing everything he said.
"Where are you heading off now in such a rush?" she asked. "Sending a letter to Sirius?"
Harry wondered what was causing him to have such great luck, but he took it all in stride.
"Exactly that" he said. "I'm going to the Owlery to send a reply. I'll be seeing you Hermione" he said smiling.
He waved and walked off, free from Hermione's rant and rage. He decided that since his classes were in fact over for the day, he should be heading towards the Owlery for real to send a letter to Sirius.
He walked to the West Tower and climbed the stairs till he reached the Owlery. The Owlery was a circular stone room, rather cold and drafty, because none of the windows had glass in them. He saw a tablet and he took out one of his pens and began to write a letter to his Godfather.
Dear Sirius,
I can't believe that this is happening to you and you can finally be seen
as the innocent person that you are. I am willing to testify on your behalf.
As for the person that wrote the letter to you, I admit that I know who it is—
He stopped in mid sentence because he wondered if it'd be wise to admit to him to just who the person was. He decided not to just because of the fact that if Angel wanted to tell him she would have sent him the letter with a totally different content. He decided that he'd never want her to feel betrayed, so he decided to keep quiet.
and I cannot break the promise I have made
because she wants to keep her identity a secret. I respect her decision,
but I can tell you that she is trustworthy.
Sirius, you know I consider you a father, and well…there is this girl.
She's awfully pretty and I like her, but there are just a few problems. You see
she's popular, witty, and makes me look like a fool no matter what I do! Not to mention
she is rarely the nicest girl out there you know?
She's also from Slytherin and well…she's not from the best family. Her name's
Angel, you know the girl that helped us last year? Well yeah it's her.
Harry felt his whole face flush at the idea that he was asking advice from the girl's father, but he needed a person who was actually experienced with females, unlike the rest of his mates.
There's also a beautiful girl named Cho Chang. She's from Ravenclaw
and she's very smart. Did I mention that she's an extremely pretty girl,
with long dark hair, brown eyes, and a freckled face. She's so friendly to me
and smiles at me every time she sees me making me feel butterflies in my stomach.
Sirius, she's also a seeker like I am, and she's great at it too.
I heard from Remus you were quite a ladies' man, and well if you could help,
that'd be great.
Sincerely,
Harry.
As he finished his letter, he sealed it and gave it to his gorgeous owl Hedwig.
"Here you go girl, you know what to do" he said smiling.
Little Hedwig cooed and nuzzled his cheek simply being motherly.
"It's cute" a voice said.
He turned around and saw Cho staring at him with a small smile. Her smile immediately made him react and his face began to flush slightly.
"W-what's cute?" he asked.
She giggled at his nervousness and stepped forward. She had always thought that the Boy-Who-Lived was cute, but this year, after her friends told her how he fancied her, it made her just want to play and see just how he felt. He was cute and she didn't mind having interaction with him.
"-the way you interact with your familiar…you two are obviously very close." She said pointing towards Hedwig.
Hedwig looked at Cho coldly, wondering why this girl was talking to Harry. She was very protective towards who interacted with Harry and her as well. So as the girl named Cho touched her wing, she cawed in anger at her touching her wing, (which she had just cleaned) and pecked her.
"Ow!" Cho exclaimed.
Harry looked mortified at how Hedwig was behaving. Many believed that a familiar reacted the same way their wizard felt, and that was not true in this case.
"Sorry!" he said and before even thinking it, he placed his hand over hers.
Cho lifted her head immediately and smiled at Harry who looked flustered. He let go of her hand immediately as if he was burned at the contact. She giggled once more and Harry felt his whole face being really red.
"You're cute" she whispered.
Harry was surprised and before he could think of anything, he saw that Cho was getting closer to his face. He closed his eyes slightly, and before anything could happen, Hedwig flapped her wings and Cho pulled back in fear. Hedwig flew towards the entrance of the Owlery and cooed.
Harry lifted his head in curiosity and saw that Hedwig was actually sitting on Angel's shoulder. Angel was wide-eyed and looking confused.
"Sorry, was I interrupting something?" she murmured.
"It was nothing" Cho said. "I already did what I needed."
She squeezed Harry's hand and winked before walked out , that is not before brushing Angel's shoulder on purpose. Angel blinked a few times and headed towards Fortis' nest.
"Hey…" Harry said nervously.
"Hello Potter" she said stiffly.
Harry saw that Angel felt awkward and what was worse was that Hedwig was nuzzling Angel's cheek. Angel murmured something and caressed her wings delicately and Hedwig allowed it. Harry was thoroughly confused and put out.
"I'm glad you're here, I actually wanted to talk to you" he whispered nervously.
Hedwig nuzzled her cheek once if her master would not admit that he would not stop talking about this girl, then she would show her that she thought she was lovely as well. One more coo, she found herself wishing to give them some privacy.
"Aren't you already talking to me?" she said.
Fortis flapped his strong wings and flew off with a letter that Angel had given him as well.
He walked closer towards her and stopped before he was inches from her. He waited for her to turn around, as if she read his mind, she turned.
He forced himself not to smile as she took a step back trying to get some space between them.
"Look, about what happened under the bleachers…and now…and-"
Angel laughed softly and shook her head.
"That never happened, it was just..."
"Don't" Harry interrupted his tone sharp.
She looked genuinely surprised at his comment but stayed quiet as he had asked.
"I did not imagine anything!" he said angrily. "You kissed my cheek, we almost kissed and I am not letting you pretend that it never happened! It's not fair! You make me so mad sometimes with you pretending like I don't exist, that we aren't...something." his cheeks were beginning to turn blotchy in anger. "Are you playing with me? Is it some stupid prank that Malfoy is doing?"
She shook her head and a frown etched her face at his comments. When she refused to look at him he placed his hands on her shoulders and shook her slightly. In turn she closed her eyes tightly and tried to compose herself.
"Tell me" he said making her flinch.
"Stop it" she said pushing him frustrated. "You're overthinking it"
Harry looked at her surprised and looked down at her.
"What?"
"Can't we just….just not over think it?" she asked.
"Why not?" he whispered somewhat disheartened.
She looked up at him sharply and glared.
"You're telling me to just tell you how I feel?" she whispered.
"Yes!" Harry said.
"I'll tell you what, I will tell you how I feel when you make up your mind" she replied annoyed.
"What are you talking about?" he asked confused.
"When you finally make up your mind towards who you fancy, then I will tell you how I feel."
Harry looked gobsmacked. He felt a little embarrassed at the fact that it was so obvious, that she herself knew about it.
"What? You don't think I see you making lovesick puppy eyes at Chang? Of course I do and I don't care right now okay?"
She pushed herself away from him and headed towards the exit.
"You know…if you didn't care then you wouldn't react." He said. "I know you like me."
She turned to face him and he just smiled the way that made her stomach get butterflies. Just because she did like him did not mean she would tolerate his teasing.
"Don't push it Potter, I tolerate you, just keep it at that."
He smiled slightly and followed behind her. He followed her down and he knew that she knew that he was following her, but she didn't right out reject him, or complain about it.
"Heading towards the Great Hall?" Angel asked him without looking back.
"Yeah, you?" he asked.
"Yes" she said.
"Can I walk you there?" he asked.
"Sure"
He smiled and rushed slightly to catch up with her. Before he could over think it, he grabbed her hand in his. She jumped in surprise, but to his surprise she didn't pull away. They walked hand in hand towards Hogwarts, and they had failed to notice many things, such as Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape looking at the pair.
"I told you Severus" Minerva said.
"I'm terribly disappointed" Severus said distastefully.
Meanwhile, Harry and Angel pushed the Great Hall open to see a fight going on between their friends. Angel immediately tugged her hand away and rushed towards Draco.
"-a picture of your parents outside your house, if you call that a house! Your mother could do with losing weight couldn't she?" Draco taunted Ron.
Angel sighed at the fight and she placed her hand into Draco's trying to tell him to stop him without having to say it aloud. Hermione was pulling Ron back trying to calm him down.
"Get stuffed Malfoy….Come on Ron" Harry said trying to calm down Ron as well.
Draco noticed that Harry had appeared, and briefly wondered at the timing, after all his sister appeared at the same time. He shook it off instead decided to insult Potter.
"Oh yeah, you were staying with them this summer weren't you?" Draco asked. "So tell me, is his mother really that porky, or is it just the picture?"
Angel turned to face Draco and frowned slightly. While she wasn't fond of the Weasleys in any way, talking about someone's mother wasn't something she found was appropriate. Not letting go of his hand, she squeezed it.
"Draco come on, let's go flying yeah?" she suggested and even tugged him.
He simply tugged her back, and being older and stronger, he got his way.
"You know your mother Malfoy" Harry replied without thinking of the consequences. "that expression she's got, like she has dung under her nose? Is she always like that, or was it because you were there with her?"
Harry smirked till he saw the deathly glare he was getting from both Malfoys. Draco's cheeks matched Angel as both were red with embarrassment and anger.
"Don't you dare insult my mother Potter" Angel growled.
"Keep your big gob shut, it's between Draco and I" He said dismissively.
"Don't you dare talk to her! You have no right to talk to her!" Draco said and lifted his wand swinging it to him.
Harry felt a stinging on his cheek, and he learned that he had barely missed the spell.
"Oh no you don't lad!" Professor Moody said.
Before anyone could blink, he had turned Draco into a ferret. Angel gasped and immediately got down on her knees to pick up her brother. She held him close to her chest murmuring for him to calm down, as he seemed obviously distressed. She petted him and cooed to him till he curled up in her arms.
Professor Moody placed a hand on Harry's shoulder and asked.
"Did he get you?"
Harry shook his head no; his eyes were on the worried Angel whose eyes were watering over her fear of Draco being hurt.
"Leave it!" He screamed.
"What?" Harry asked.
"Not you" Moody said. "Her! You girl leave him be!"
All the Slytherin cronies froze, that is all except Angel. She looked up at him in a deadly stare and everyone saw her shift. The worrisome expression immediately stopped. Her shoulders were pushed back, formally, her head high refusing to seem submissing and her arms crossed, with her terrified ferret in her arms. No one would deny that she commanded power at this moment.
" No" she said in a low voice trying to control her anger.
Moody lifted his brow and lifted his wand to try and attack her as well. He wanted to get the ferret from her body. And as he waved it around to signal her that he was about to attack her, she was unwavered and stood still.
Harry watched in awe and surprise as the younger girl stood her ground not showing an ounce of fear to the crazed professor. He felt a pit of worry rise within him, but he figured the professor wouldn't do something so foolish.
"Professor, it's fine I-" he tried to intervene.
"Give me the ferret lass" Moody continued, completely disregarding Harry.
"Why don't you make me?" she said her voice deadly.
Before anyone could really fathom what was happening, the unthinkable occurred.
"Professor!" Harry yelled shocked.
Without a warning Angel was zooming through the air as she clung tightly to the ferret in her arms. Moody had no regard for her safety as she swung her around, letting her shoulders and back hit the walls and pillars when he saw fit. She refused to let go of her brother, after all being in the ferret form would make him vulnerable. She hissed and clung to Draco harder as he cried out in fear as he clung to her arms from his white paws.
"Don't you dare attack an opponent when their backs are turned you hear me Malfoy? Never do that again!" he yelled.
Every word in the last phrase he pushed Angel against the wall with the ferret, Angel not uttering a single word of pain out. She refused to be weak.
"Professor Moody!" Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape exclaimed.
"Hello Professors!" Moody said waving the pair of Malfoys around.
"What are you doing?" McGonagall said confused.
"Teaching" he replied.
"Put them down!" Snape roared.
Harry noticed at how defensive he was of the Malfoy family and he remembered how he was their godfather. Professor Snape took out his wand and waved it towards Angel and he cancelled out Moody's spell.
Angel floated down and she landed on the floor tiredly. Her head was swimming around in confusion and she laid there on the floor not moving. Her lips didn't utter a single noise, and the silence loomed over everyone, that is until the small ferret began to move.
"Is that a student?" Professor McGonagall asked pointing towards the ferret.
"Draco" Angel whispered softly.
Snape immediately muttered the spell and transformed Draco back to his original form and Angel let go. Draco sat up immediately and looked down at Angel lying there. He turned and pulled her into his frame instead. He glared up at Professor Moody who looked innocently at Professor McGonagall.
"We never use Transfiguration as a punishment!" she yelled. "We give detention Moody!"
"I'll do that then" he sneered at Draco.
Draco glared and looked down at Angel who was looking up at him tiredly. Her body did ache from the hits she got against the walls and she clung to his robe.
"Don't worry I'll tell father" he whispered.
"Oh yeah?" Moody said hearing their conversation. "Come along I'll take you to-"
"I'll take charge of my students" Snape said snippety.
Moody shrugged and limped off putting his wand away and smirking. Ron was smirking at Draco and he glared in return.
"That's what you get" Ron muttered.
Draco glared and lifted Angel carefully beside him and grew all the more delicate when she uttered a small cry of pain. It was clear that she would get bruises as she complained softly to him about her ankle; it was twisted and it was apparent her legs were going to get bruises later.
"Shut up! Never mess with my sister" he hissed. "That bastard will hear from my father."
Harry looked at Angel with a hint of regret, his comment had lead to everything and he noticed how she wouldn't look at him.
"Draco just take me to Madam Pomfrey please" she whispered.
He nodded and lifted her up in his arms walking towards the exit of the Great Hall. Professor Snape stayed behind and noticed all this.
"Ten points from Gryffindor" he told them sternly.
"But he started it!" Ron exclaimed.
"Fifteen points from Gryffindor" he said and walked away leaving a frustrated trio behind.
"I can't believe that happened" Hermione whispered softly.
"Draco Malfoy, the amazing bouncing ferret." Ron whispered.
Hermione and Ron laughed, while Harry stared on towards Draco's form.
"What's with you Harry?" Ron asked.
"She got hurt." Harry said.
"So? She got in the way, if she listened to Professor Moody that bouncing ferret would be fine." Ron said shrugging.
"I agree with Harry." Hermione said. "They could have really gotten hurt."
"Don't ruin what is the best moment of my life you two!" Ron said pouting. "Point is Professor Moody is great and I can't wait to have him on tomorrow."
All of this did not sit well with Harry and he found gripping his satchel tightly before heading the opposite way from his friends.
"Hey where are you heading Harry?" Ron asked.
"Owlery, got to see if Hedwig is back" Harry said.
"Okay Harry, we've save a little something for you" Hermione called out.
He waved thanks and walked out casually out of the Great Hall. As soon as he turned the corner, he began to run towards the Hospital Wing.
'Don't hate me' he thought as he ran.