October arrived at Hogwarts with its dark rainy clouds and cold winds, yielding to the fleeting caress of a wan sun, turning into a spectacular display of auburn and amethyst hues as dusk descended.
The weather, however, couldn't chill the enthusiasm of the Gryffindor Quidditch team which was busy with an intense training schedule. In the absence of Sirius and James, Catherine spent most of her time doing homework in the Library or seated somewhere in the Common Room, usually accompanied by Remus, who appeared to have a lot on his plate with studying Arithmancy.
"Could you make sense of that?" – he asked pleadingly, pointing at a paragraph in his Art and Science of Arithmancy by Professor Heloise Thistlewick.
The black-haired girl picked up the heavy volume and read aloud.
"In the study of Arithmancy, numbers are not mere symbols but intricate components of a systematic and empirical approach to understanding magical phenomena. This discipline delves into the quantitative aspects of magic, where mathematical models and precise calculations unveil the underlying patterns governing the magical world. From numerical analyses of spell efficacy to probability assessments of magical outcomes, Arithmancy applies rigorous methodologies to interpret the magical fabric. This chapter aims to provide students with a comprehensive foundation in the scientific principles and methodologies of Arithmancy, fostering a practical understanding of how numbers and calculations drive the mechanics of magic in our world."
"Do you understand what it says?" – asked Remus hopefully.
"That you're screwed?" – chuckled the young witch but upon seeing the desperation on Moony's face, she quickly suggested that he studied together with Lily as they could help each other.
As Remus left for the Library in search of his red-headed classmate, Catherine sighed and stretched her arms. The new subjects they picked were interesting but certainly proved to be quite demanding. Their whole friends group shared Care of Magical Creatures classes which were fun, but also potentially dangerous if one was not paying attention.
Peter, Sirius, and James seemed to enjoy their Muggle Studies, except they felt obliged to inform Catherine about everything they learned and ask her many additional questions which she was not necessarily certain how to answer. While she knew a lot about the Muggle world, the fact that she grew up confined at home, meant her exposure to things like policemen, cinema, airplanes and so on was fairly limited. This led to a lot of stress on her part because she was afraid to blow up her cover over a trivial matter such as what type of equipment Muggles had in their hospitals.
In addition, the third-year found herself grappling with the repercussions of her elective choices. The second subject she opted for, the Study of Ancient Runes, posed some unexpected challenges. Catherine sighed, vividly recalling her first class, which had taken place in a very small classroom on the sixth floor.
There were just three desks inside, besides the one used by Professor Seraphina Oakenscript. A blackboard was attached to one of the walls, while every other free space was occupied by shelves, containing hundreds of books, scripts and even small stone and wooden tablets. Catherine was still curiously surveying the surroundings when Professor Oakenscript, a short plum middle-aged witch with chestnut hair, entered the classroom, carrying a bunch of books, that later turned out to be dictionaries.
"Take a seat, dear!" – the Professor smiled at the black-haired girl as she passed by her. Catherine quickly scanned the available seats. Edgar Bones and Emmett Abbott from Hufflepuff had claimed the desk nearest the window. In the room's centre, Desmond Cornfoot and Lunara Rowanbrook from Ravenclaw occupied the second. Tucked behind the last desk, somewhat secluded in the shadow of a towering bookcase, a lone spot awaited. Catherine hastened toward it, abruptly stopping as she recognised her desk mate.
"Hurry up, Miss Plantier! As you see there's only one seating option available and I'm sure Mr Snape won't bite you." – the teacher impatiently invited the stunned Gryffindor.
"I wouldn't count on that." – Catherine murmured, which earned her an angry glare from the Slytherin who did not appear happy with the seating arrangements either.
The remainder of the lesson unfolded without much excitement. Snape diligently recorded notes with almost maniacal precision, yet surprisingly, he proved to be a rather agreeable desk mate. Contrary to the young witch's initial fears, there was no unpleasant odor emanating from him. After the initial shock, she simply ignored his presence, immersing herself in the captivating study of ancient runes.
The subject was extremely interesting. Professor Oakenscript explained that during that first year they would focus on learning the basic runic symbols and the common grammar and vocabulary before, later on, they could dive deep into the four known runic languages used for constructing and inscribing the magic formulas for different rituals.
Catherine was a little disappointed that the classes were purely theoretical, which meant that they wouldn't try to use any of the rituals they were to translate and study, but she concluded that with the acquired knowledge she could experiment on her own. Evidently, a ritual required much more than reciting a few words of the magic formula. Most wizards and witches were not able to handle the lack of wand. Directing the power currents also was problematic or in some cases even sensing them on the first place. Catherine thought that this aspect shouldn't be a problem for her and unconsciously glanced at Snape imagining his reaction to witnessing her wield such intricate magic.
'What the hell am I thinking?' – she scolded herself, refocusing on the blackboard as she diligently copied the final segment of the homework assignment.
The rhythm of Ancient Runes classes remained unchanged for Catherine. She dedicated herself to rigorous study, active participation in the discussions, and a deliberate effort to ignore Snape, seemingly aligning with his own preferences.
The young witch glanced down at the second roll of parchment before her. Unfurled across a small table, it held the beginnings of a lengthy translation she had carefully selected for its thematic richness. The text, a tractate dating back to the fourth century B.C., delved into the nuanced techniques of performing wandless magic. Its original discovery, concealed within a stone chest a century ago, had taken place beneath the foundations of a modern-day church.
Catherine hissed in frustration when she realised she didn't have the necessary books to continue her work. It took her good ten minutes to arrange and collect all her belongings before she could head to the Library. Remus and Lily were nowhere to be seen; hence she left her homework on one free spot and went to find the book called Linguistic Labyrinth: Unraveling Ancient Runes by Professor Seraphina Moonshadow.
Despite combing through the ancient runes section twice, the sought-after book was nowhere to be found. A sense of disappointment settled over Catherine as she returned to her table, confronting her half-finished work with a helpless gaze. Then, a gasp of surprise escaped her lips as she discovered the very book she pursued within arm's reach of her.
"Do you need this book?" – the black-haired Gryffindor heard a pleasant, rich female voice. She shifted her focus toward the girl occupying the seat next to her on the table. The tall, blond sixth-year was someone Catherine had only glimpsed at the Ravenclaw's table but had never spoken to nor knew her name.
"Yeah, if you can lend it to me for an hour or so?" – she replied promptly.
"Take it! I just needed it to check something, and I'm already finished with it. I assume you're also studying Ancient Runes." – the older girl said, smiling.
"Indeed! I've just started this year. I'm Catherine Plantier from Gryffindor." – the black-haired girl introduced herself.
"After last year, we all know that." – the other witch chuckled – "I'm Gwendolyn Lockhart, sixth year, Ravenclaw."
"Nice to meet you." – Catherine nodded, blushing slightly – "So, you're taking Ancient Runes for your NEWTs?"
"Yes. I'm planning to become a magical historian, specialising in ancient magic." – Gwendolyn explained proudly.
"Sounds very interesting." – Catherine replied, though the third-year's words might have hidden a hint of scepticism.
The blond girl smiled broadly and made a slight motion with her right hand. The Linguistic Labyrinth volume slowly rose above the table and landed on the top of Catherine's other books.
"It's not purely theoretical work." – she winked at the surprised Gryffindor girl – "Studying Ancient Runes is pointless without making use of the knowledge inside the old texts. See you around, Catherine!"
The black-haired witch stared after the sixth-year Ravenclaw for a long time. Eventually, she returned to the task at hand. However, the more her quill was filling in the parchment with the translated text, the more she yearned to try the wandless magic she was writing about.
Catherine McMahon had always embraced new challenges, especially when it came to experimenting with spells. In the weeks that followed, she seized every opportunity to perform simple spells without relying on a wand. Contrary to her initial expectations, however, the transition proved to be less smooth than she had imagined. While the spells she had invented as a young child posed no difficulty, even a seemingly straightforward charm like Wingardium Leviosa presented a significant challenge for the young witch.
"Why are you constantly muttering 'Wingardium Leviosa' under your breath?" – finally asked Sirius over breakfast one gloomy Thursday morning – "Is this some kind of a calming exercise?"
Catherine glanced annoyed at her friend and gave up on the spoon she was attempting to levitate.
"I'm trying to perform wandless magic." – she answered flatly.
"Wow! Amazing! Does it work?" – inquired in Peter enthusiastically.
"Yeah, it works splendidly!" – chuckled James – "You can tell by Flame's genuine happy smile."
The girl pursed her lips and grabbed her schoolbag.
"Whatever! We shall leave now or will be late for Care of Magical Creatures." – she said, looking impatiently at her friends who were still chewing their respective breakfasts of choice.
"Oh, no! Who's gonna feed the flobberworms?!" – chuckled Sirius, taking another toast from the plate in front of him.
"Suit yourself, but last time Professor Kettleburn said we were done with the flobberworms." – said Catherine, fighting a smile. She would have rather eaten one of the said worms than admit that Sirius was completely right, and she was also bored with the mushy creatures.
Eventually, the third-year Gryffindors arrived at the clearing close to Hagrid's hut, where the lessons were taking place. It was a convenient location because Hagrid often helped Professor Kettleburn by taking care of the creatures the students were working with. Catherine waved at the Keeper, who smiled in return and set down a bunch of tree trunks he was carrying.
"Gather round, everybody!" – the Professor shouted above the heads of the students – "Thanks for the help, Hagrid! That will be all for now!"
Catherine squeezed through the group of her peers and managed to reach the front row, next to Alice Fortescue. Due to the big number of third-years who had picked Care of Magical Creatures as an elective subject, they were divided into two groups. On Thursdays, Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs shared the first period, followed by the second group, which consisted of Slytherins and Ravenclaws.
Professor Kettleburn did follow on his promise, and the tree trunks that Hagrid delivered contained a branch of Bowtruckles. The twig-like creatures were generally shy, but they were much more interesting than the flobberworms. After feeding the Bowtruckles with their favourite woodlice and fairy eggs, the students split into groups of three and observed the behaviour of the little tree guardians, taking notes about interesting patterns. If it weren't so damp and cold outside, Catherine would have considered this a very pleasant lesson.
After the class concluded, Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs were walking together towards the castle when an ugly scene unfolded before their eyes. Slytherins, on their way to Hagrid's hut for the Care of Magical Creatures class, seemed to have encountered a few second-year Hufflepuffs returning from Herbology.
Apparently, an argument had erupted between the second and third-years, leading to the current situation where Volumnia Travers had coerced a petite ginger girl from Hufflepuff onto her knees, violently shoving the poor witch's head into a large puddle. On the sidelines, a group of Slytherin boys, along with Tullia Parkinson, were laughing, wands at the ready in case any other Hufflepuffs dared to interfere. This was highly unlikely, as besides Volumnia's victim, the only remaining second-years were a crying dark-haired girl and a chubby boy. He had his wand out but appeared too frightened to use it, his eyes darting madly between the Slytherins.
"Come on, Mudblood!" – laughed Volumnia, dragging the Hufflepuff's head out of the puddle – "Will you repeat what you said to me or you're ready to beg for forgiveness?"
The miserable girl spat some water out and tried to wipe her eyes so she could see, while the Slytherins were howling and whistling in encouragement.
"Grace!" – cried Alice, who had stopped in her tracks and was staring in utter disbelief at her housemate.
Catherine, on the other hand, was completely fed up with Volumnia and her sense of entitlement, believing, she could act without consequences. The painful memory of the Gryffindor's own humiliation at the hands of Slytherin girls last year still seared in Catherine's mind. A red-hot anger blinded the young witch, and for a fleeting moment, she envisioned reducing the sneering Volumnia to crisp. However, instead she quickly drew her wand and pointed it directly at Volumnia without warning or hesitation.
"Petrificus Totalus!" – the black-haired Gryffindor shouted, and her target collapsed heavily to the ground, completely paralysed by the Full Body-Bind Curse. Catherine wasted no time; she quickly closed the short distance between herself and Volumnia. The remaining Slytherins stared in shock with their mouths hanging open. The black-haired witch knelt down, grabbed a handful of mud, and forcefully shoved it into the paralysed witch's mouth.
"There!" – said the Gryffindor with a devilish smile, enjoying the pure horror in Volumnia's eyes – "Since you enjoy the mud so much, it's only fair if you get a taste of it!"
"What the fuck!" – screamed Cassius Mulciber, finally breaking out of his trance – "How dare you, dirty…"
"Scourgify!" – James' voice rang loud and clear, and Cassius choke, his mouth full of white foam and soap bubbles.
"Don't even think about it, Snivelly!" – Sirius warned Snape, noticing that the black-haired boy was lifting his wand.
"By the blooms of Flora! What's happening here?" – Professor Sprout had finally arrived, accompanied by a bunch of terrified second-years. After an unsuccessful attempt to receive a coherent version of the sequence of events that had occurred, she took Volumnia, releasing her from the curse, as well as Grace and Catherine, to the Greenhouse to continue her investigation.
The remaining students slowly dispersed—Slytherins headed toward their Care of Magical Creatures class, while Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs made their way back to the castle for Transfiguration and Charms, respectively.
"I can't believe you could do such a disgusting thig!" – said Lily angrily, stopping briefly next to Snape, who looked at her with a rather guilty expression.
"I didn't do anything!" – he tried to explain.
"Sure, just laughed at the poor girl and was ready to hex us!" – countered the red-headed witch, her hands on her waist and her green-eyes flashing.
Snape couldn't help but feel she was the most fearsome and beautiful creature he had ever seen.
'Like one of the Muggle's goddesses of old!' – he thought, mesmerised – 'What a darn bad luck she had to witness this! Volumnia has zero sense of awareness and self-preservation. What a stupid girl! Now, somehow, I got into hot water because of her crusade against Mudbloods.' – the young wizard thought, carefully picking his words.
"I would have never hexed you in a thousand years! It was just a reflex because Plantier, Potter, and Black were throwing spells left and right. You know how much they enjoy practicing on me!"
"Nonsense!" – snapped Lily – "You know, Severus, it is amazing that for someone who's often bullied, including by your own housemates, you enjoy the sight of other people going through the same!"
"Nobody bullies me at Slytherin!" – objected the black-haired boy – "And the Hufflepuff girl was incredibly arrogant. I'm not saying that Volumnia didn't overreact, but it was not only her fault."
"Fine, if you prefer to live with your delusions, it's your choice." – said the young witch with a cold voice – "But don't try to persuade me this situation was not entirely due to that Travers girl's chronic hatred towards Muggle-borns. I wonder how you would react if it were me instead of Grace Taylor."
Snape's face grew even paler than usual. This small incident was already turning into the worst fight he had ever had with Lily.
"You know very well that I would have protected you, regardless of who's the one trying to hurt you!" – the Slytherin said with complete sincerity, though it was not enough to sooth Lily's anger.
"Words are cheap, Severus! Plus, this had already happened to me, or it would have if Catherine weren't there. She took quite a beating for stepping up by the same excuse of a witch you are so passionately sticking up for and her friend with the face of a dog!"
Severus' black eyes widened in panic. This was the first time he had heard about such an incident.
'Did Volumnia and Tullia hurt Lily?! I can't believe it! I had explicitly warned them several times! I must get to the bottom of that!'
"Why didn't you tell me?" – he asked hoarsely.
"What was the point? I refused to believe it, but you keep showing me your true colours." – said Lily, her voice trembling with disappointment. She tossed her red hair back and quickly sprinted towards the castle, already late for Transfiguration.
Snape stared after her in desperation. His entire world felt like it was crumbling around him, unable to withstand the sadness and betrayal in his best friend's eyes. He slowly walked towards his class, his mind completely drained and unwilling to deal with magical beasts and their needs.
'I must find a way to apologise! She must forgive me! I can't accept losing her, and I won't!'- he thought franticly.
Catherine was running rather late for Transfiguration and received a stern scolding from Professor McGonagall. The Head of Gryffindor had heard enough to understand that her student was somehow involved in yet another incident with Slytherins. The black-haired witch was then directed to the last table, where she worked quietly for the rest of the period.
After the morning classes had finally concluded, the third-years made their way to the Great Hall for lunch. Catherine seethed with frustration over the fifteen house points that Professor Sprout had deducted. Nevertheless, somewhere deep inside, her rational self, acknowledged that she could have reacted differently, and that she had left the Herbology teacher with little choice. Strangely, this rationalisation only fuelled Catherine's anger further.
"At least you didn't get a detention." – James chimed in, attempting to lighten her mood – "And as a completely unexpected bonus, Evans finally behaved as a true Gryffindor and gave Snivellus quite a tongue-lashing!"
Surprised, Catherine looked at James and then quickly glanced at Lily, who sat eating tomato soup with a grim expression.
"I can't believe I missed that!" – the young witch sighed with regret.
"I can fill you in on all the juicy details," Sirius smirked. "She has a strong voice for such a delicate girl."
"Catherine!"
The third-years turned around to see Alice Fortescue, Marianne Trundle, and Tabitha Meadows from Hufflepuff standing there with serious faces.
"Hi, Alice!" – the Gryffindor girl greeted the round-faced Hufflepuff.
"These are Marianne and Tabitha. I am not sure if you know each other." – Alice gestured toward her classmates, who smiled and nodded at Catherine.
"Ah, no, I think we have never been formally introduced." – said the young witch – "Do you need anything?"
"Oh, sorry, we interrupted your lunch!" – Alice quickly apologised – "We just wanted to thank you on behalf of Hufflepuff. What happened to Grace is just… Anyway, we were speechless and couldn't react, for which I am very much disappointed with myself."
"There's no need to thank me. I did what I felt was right, and I also had some things to settle with Volumnia." – Catherine smiled – "You should not blame yourself for not being quick enough. I had so many fights with Slytherins, it became a reflex for me now. It's completely natural to be stunned by such a barbaric display."
"In any case, we were lucky that you were there for Grace. She told me you lost some house points, and we are truly sorry for that." – Alice's eyes watered a little – "Therefore, we wanted to invite you for some tea and pastries when we go to Hogsmeade. It's gonna be our treat, of course!"
"Flame's going to be with us when we visit Hogsmeade!" – Sirius interjected. Catherine looked at him and sighed. It was a miracle her friend managed to stay silent for a whole minute.
"I'd love to have tea with you!" – replied the Gryffindor girl, disregarding Black's cry of protest – "But you really don't need to pay for me!"
"We insist!" – grinned Tabitha.
"Great! Looking forward to it!" – Alice beamed and winked and Sirius - "Don't worry, Black! We'll return her to you in perfect condition."
"Why do you always try to run away from your best friends?" – Sirius asked angrily once the Hufflepuffs returned to their table – "I thought we would explore Hogsmeade together!"
"Jeez, leave me some breathing room!" – moaned Catherine – "I need to be with other girls from time to time!"
"Why?" – asked the young wizard stubbornly.
"Just because… I don't know… to talk about girls' stuff, do girls' things!" – answered the witch, rolling her eyes.
"You can talk with us about everything!" – insisted the grey-eyed boy – "And I can do whatever girly things you want to do!"
"Really? We are going to talk about boys and try makeup with me?" – the girl teased him, torn between frustration and laughter at her friend's ridiculous stubbornness.
"Yes!" – Sirius refused to give up.
"Sounds tempting, but count me out!" – laughed James, who had just finished his stew – "Seriously, mate, sometimes you do act like a puppy! Let Flame have her tea with the badger posse! She'll spend the rest of the day with us anyway!"
"How very noble of you." – the girl scoffed – "And please don't ever use 'badger posse' again!"
"Then, what about the Helga-squad?"
"Oh, Merlin!" – the girl sighed, shifting her attention towards the Cottage pie in front of her.
In the evening, Catherine took a break from her homework to assist Sirius with the map. The meticulous work from the previous year was well-represented on the large parchment, featuring the intricate plan of the entire school — its towers, 142 staircases, and six secret passageways leading to Hogsmeade.
"The parchment is big enough. We can always add additional premises or passages if we discover them." – concluded the boy pragmatically – "On Saturday, after Quidditch practice, I plan to go and make a better sketch of the Whomping Willow. Do you wanna come?"
"I can't. I'm going to teach Hagrid how to make a Treacle tart." – the young witch replied.
"You can bring me some after you're done!" – suggested the boy enthusiastically.
"Depends on how many of them will be ruined by Hagrid. He has an incredible talent for turning even the simplest recipes into a complete disaster. I don't know how he manages it." – said the girl – "Anyway, I need to save some tart for Moony."
"Why is it always for Moony?" – snapped Sirius – "You bake for him every month, and I asked you just his time!"
"Sirius, you ask me to bake you something at least once a week." – chuckled the black-haired girl – "Remus goes through quite a lot. This is the least I can do for him, and you know it."
"I guess I do." – mumbled the boy, tracing the lines of the Grand Staircase with his quill.
"Don't be sulky!" – Catherine ruffled his dark hair and gave him a quick peck on the cheek – "I'll bake something for you next week!"
"Rock cakes!"
"Alright, rock cakes!" – laughed the Gryffindor girl – "But you will be careful with the Whomping Willow, won't you? Moony said it was a very violent specimen, as well as quick."
"Yeah, don't worry!" – Sirius waved his hand casually – "I just want to make it look cool on the map, but I promise I'll stay at a respectful distance. Believe it or not, I don't exactly fancy the thought of being beaten by a moody tree."
"I believe you… that it won't happen on purpose." – mumbled Catherine.
"Stop badmouthing me under your breath and help me with this!" – laughed the wizard, tapping the map with his wand – "I think we should already place a conceal charm, or someone may ask what we're doing and why."
"This should be easy enough." – said Catherine and took out her own wand, making a circular motion above the parchment – "Velatus Obscurus!"
Sirius gazed at the disappearing lines of the map and frowned.
"Wouldn't it be cool if we can use regular words instead of a spell? Like a secret password?"
"I guess this is possible, but it's a different type of Conceal Charm. It should be similar to the one used on the wall behind the Leaky Cauldron." – said the young witch contemplatively – "I can find information on these spells, and we shall decide on what 'password' you want to have."
"Let's do it like that! I'll think of a mega cool password!" – Sirius grinned delighted.
"As long as it's not rock cakes." – shrugged the girl and headed towards the dormitory – "Good night, Sirius."
It was relatively early, and Catherine had hoped the other girls were not yet there, so she could have some time alone. However, when she entered the round, cozy room, a certain red-headed Gryffindor sat on one of the beds, surrounded by a bunch of golden-yellow cushions, immersed in a book.
"Hi, Lils." – Catherine greeted as she climbed on her own bed, which was placed next to Lily's – "How are you doing?"
"Fine." – answered the other witch, lifting her head, her eyes full of emotions – "Although, I'm not gonna lie, what happened today brought back memories I'd prefer to forget."
"I know what you mean." – sighed Catherine – "Sorry I contributed to your discomfort."
"No! You were right and that awful girl deserved it completely!" – Lily exclaimed – "I was mostly distressed because… well, I suppose you've heard what happened between me and Severus."
"I've heard you finally hold him accountable for the crappy things he does." – answered the black-haired Gryffindor, trying not to appear too smug about it.
"Yeah, although I was a bit harsh, considering he didn't really do anything." – said Lily.
"Just because Sirius was ready to hex him." – sneered the other girl – "Face it, Lily, he hates Muggle-borns. I don't care if it's because he wants to fit into Slytherin or because he genuinely believes pure-blood supremacy, but I don't see much of a difference. In any case, it's better for you to stand away from him."
"Things aren't so one-sided, Catherine!" – disagreed the red-headed witch – "It's pointless if I just stop talking to him. It's much more constructive if I help him grow up and become a better person, realising how nonsensical these ideas are."
"So, you're just going to forgive him?" - Catherine asked, disappointed.
"I already did." – confirmed Lily – "Plus, he's very persistent. He didn't want to let me go after dinner until I heard him apologise profoundly and forgave him."
"That sounds more like a psycho rather than a person who regrets his actions." – concluded the black-haired girl, earning a scowl from her friend.
Catherine shrugged and started preparing for bed. She glanced again at Lily and noticed a beautiful red rose in full bloom, placed in a water glass on the nightstand of the red-headed witch.
'This variety of roses is truly uncommon. It kind of reminds me of the one she gifted me for my birthday two years ago.' – Catherine thought, brushing her waist-length straight hair – 'It's probably from Snape. But where do they get them from? I haven't seen such roses in the greenhouses.'
The next week arrived, following a rather hectic weekend during which Catherine was recovering from a mild food poisoning, caused by her faith in Hagrid's cooking skills. The Treacle tart, prepared by the Keeper of the Keys, looked fine on the outside, and the taste was more or less agreeable, unlike the consequences of the pastry's consumption.
The school was buzzing with Halloween preparations. Professor Flitwick enchanted the numerous suits of armour, spread around Hogwarts' corridors to laugh menacingly when students passed by. Hagrid had once again cultivated a remarkable pumpkin crop, which Catherine started to suspect was not solely a result of his gardening skills. Even Peeves, the poltergeist, was in a celebratory mood, though in his case, it resulted in balancing buckets filled with potato peels and other garbage on the upper frames of various doors. The unfortunate student who happened to open the door first found themselves covered in stinky trash while Peeves was hovering around, giggling.
The teachers also appeared infected by the holiday spirit. On Wednesday morning, Professor McGonagall taught the third-years how to turn a cat into a pumpkin, and in the afternoon Professor Thorne decided to darken the DADA classroom and organised a field exercise during which students were expected to stun some Red Caps hiding in various places.
Peter Pettigrew found little joy in the themed lessons. To him, the new tasks felt like additional obstacles on the already challenging path of wizarding education. The idea of working with cats during Transfiguration was particularly loathsome; the stubborn creature refused to stay still, hissing, and protesting his every move. Because of this, the anxious Gryffindor rushed the spell and his pumpkin ended up with cat ears and whiskers. While James found that hilarious, Professor McGonagall didn't share his amusement and assigned Peter extra homework.
In the afternoon, the young wizard was completely confused in the dark DADA classroom. Seizing the opportunity, a malicious Red Cap took advantage of his disorientation, striking him on the knee with its club. Peter cried out in pain, tumbling to the ground, and scratching his hand in the process. The Red Cap, sensing human blood, shrieked in excitement.
"Aureo Silens!" – Catherine shouted, and the aggressive creature stood still for a few seconds before turning around and darting behind one of the bookshelves.
"Thanks, Flame!" – said Peter, standing up and attempting to hide his bleeding hand.
"No problem, just be careful! They're attracted by human blood, so they are going to come towards you now." – explained the young witch, tossing her classmate a handkerchief he could use to bandage his wound.
"Oh, no!" – the boy panicked, noticing two other Red Caps approaching him from the left – "What am I going to do!"
"You can use various spells, but you would need to be precise with them because the Red Caps do move quickly. Try a Freezing Charm; it has a wider range of effect." – advised the black-haired girl.
"Glacius!" – Peter chanted, and the two creatures froze in their tracks.
"Well done, Mister Pettigrew!" – Thorne praised him as he noticed the spell, walking among the student – "Five points to Gryffindor."
Peter beamed and smiled gratefully at Catherine. It was such a rare opportunity for him to earn house points, that he treasured every single one of them. The black-haired witch smiled back. She didn't feel bad that Thorne didn't reward her any points for the Freezing Charm idea. After all, she was seldom given any praise during DADA classes.
'In fact, I'm perfectly fine with him not paying me any attention. Who would have thought studying dark, dangerous creatures could be so relaxing.' – thought the girl as she walked towards the Great Hall for dinner.
The next day, however, was far from relaxing. For Catherine's utter dissatisfaction, their double Potions class was once again shared with Slytherins, meaning she was gently encouraged by Slughorn to work on the same table as Lily and Snape. While the black-haired Gryffindor was more or less used to Snape's proximity, sharing a desk with him during Ancient Runes, Potions was a completely different ordeal. The rivalry between her and the Slytherin had intensified even further.
Grinding her teeth, the young witch worked tirelessly to prepare all the necessary ingredients for a simple Doxycide. She was throwing wary glances at Snape on the other side of the table, and he somehow remained ahead of her despite Catherine's best efforts. After adding a dash of hemlock essence, the Gryffindor girl bent over her cauldron to slowly increase the heat of the fire, following Slughorn's instructions.
"Being ahead as always, eh Severus, my boy!" – laughed Slughorn somewhere above Catherine's head. The young witch hissed angrily, and the flame under her cauldron turned bright red, causing the potion to start boiling immediately and changed its colour to green.
'Damn it!' – swore the girl in her mind as she stared at the liquid in front of her with confusion. She sighed and added the cowbane essence and the tormentil tincture, uncertain about what she could do at this point. After stirring the potion seven times, to her surprise, it did turn black, signalling its final stage; however, the steam above the cauldron was not black but rather silver.
"I think you messed it up." – Snape said with a crooked smile.
"Don't you have your own potion to worry about?" – asked Catherine, while filling in a vial with her Doxycide.
"I don't need to worry about it. My potion is perfectly done, unlike yours." – he said in such a manner, Catherine felt the overwhelming desire to test the potion on the Slytherin rather than on the Doxies held in a cage on the Potion Master's desk.
The girl bent over the cauldron in an attempt to determine whether the Doxycide was irreparably ruined. It emitted a peculiar scent, yet, on the other hand, it resembled Snape's potion - thick and with a glossy, reflective black surface.
"Catherine, my girl, don't stay so close to the steam, you're going to get dizzy and pass out!" – shouted Slughorn and grabbed the Gryffindor girl by the back of her robe, pulling her back up.
"I'm fine, Sir!" – protested the young witch – "I made some modifications, and while I'm not certain if my potion is successful, it doesn't make me dizzy at all."
Slughorn carefully inspected Catherine's cauldron. Taking the vial, she had prepared earlier, he brought it to his desk. The Professor selected a Doxy, releasing it from the cage. The small creature attempted to attack him, but he swiftly spilled some Doxycide in its face. It worked perfectly. The Doxy fell onto the desk, paralysed.
"This is truly remarkable!" – Slughorn exclaimed – "Side effects to humans have always been a concern for using Doxycide, and you managed to eliminate them! What a talent! Twenty points to Gryffindor!"
Catherine smiled humbly, rejoicing inwardly. She cast Snape a triumphant, arrogant smile and relished in seeing him look as if he had been poisoned.
"Apparently, your performance improved significantly since you were moved to our table." – Lily teased her friend after the class had ended, and they were gathering their belongings.
"It seems so." – Catherine laughed, glancing at Snape, who was carefully arranging his old shabby schoolbag, his uneven teeth clearly clenched behind his thin lips.
"Ah, my best students!" – Professor Slughorn exclaimed happily, approaching the third-years – "I wanted to invite all of you to a small party for Halloween. It's going to take place from 9 to 11 in the Dungeons. I've arranged extended curfew, of course!"
"Sounds great, Sir!" – Lily smiled at her teacher.
"Wonderful!" – the Potion Master grinned – "Looking forward to it! Naturally, in the spirit of the holiday, it's a costume party!"
"Brilliant!" – Lily giggled after the teacher left, her green eyes sparkling with excitement – "I haven't been to a costume party since I was a little kid at the Muggle school! Do you remember, Severus?"
"How could anyone forget those heartwarming times." – came the sarcastic response.
"Say whatever you want, but I had fun!" – Lily tossed back her red hair – "I think I would like to wear a beautiful dress and attach fairy or butterfly wings. I think I can enchant them to sparkle! What do you think, Daisy?"
"I think you would look lovely!" – Catherine smiled back at her friend, trying to hide her own excitement. Growing up in a house renowned for its parties but having never attended one, the black-haired girl was thrilled to finally be part of the festivities. She vividly recalled a costume party her mother hosted a few years ago. The entire garden was transformed into a fairy forest, and Catherine spent long hours silently watching from the window of her room, imagining how she would dress if she were to attend such an enchanting event.
"Have you thought about an outfit for yourself? – asked Lily.
"Some white makeup and letting your hair down will turn you into a very convincing Banshee." – Snape causally suggested.
"Thank you, and you can accompany me as a vampire, although a short one. You won't need any makeup at all." – Catherine responded light-heartedly, but with a sharp, metallic sting in her voice.
"Enough!" – Lily clapped her hands – "Severus, be civil!"
Snape murmured something under his breath, undoubtedly expressing his warm feelings towards the black-haired Gryffindor.
"I think I will dress as Christine Daaé, from the Phantom of the Opera." – said Catherine contemplatively.
"But would people know who she is?" – asked Lily surprised – "I mean, isn't the Phantom of the Opera a Muggle book?"
"It's based on a true story documented back in the beginning of the century. The impact was so grand that the Ministry of Magic couldn't cover the incident completely. Therefore, they disguised it as a fictional story." – the Slytherin clarified immediately.
"Thank you, Professor Snape!" – Catherine mocked him – "Essentially what he said, but also, Christine was a witch, renowned for being able to use magic through her songs without a wand. It's a very rare ability, stemming from the powers of Sirens. I read everything about it in the Library, and I think I'm going to enjoy pretending I was Christine for the evening."
"Minus the fact she was described as having honey-blond hair and blue eyes." – Snape scoffed at the black-haired girl.
"I'm a witch, I can change my appearance!" – insisted Catherine, her face turning red.
"Yeah, right! This is transfiguration suitable for NEWTs level, but YOU are going to make it work with your mediocre abilities." – the Slytherin smirked arrogantly.
"Pretty cocky, coming from the Potions 'genius' that I have just bested under his very own disproportionally large nose!" – the young witch snapped.
"You seem you know a lot about the Phantom of the Opera, Sev?" – said Lily in an attempt to defuse the situation.
"My mom likes this story a lot. One is bound to learn things about it even without conscious efforts." – the boy mumbled sulkily, grabbed his schoolbag, and left the dungeon.
"I know you'll be a splendid Christine!" – the red-headed witch, hugged her friend across the shoulders.
"I'll do my best, but unfortunately, I would really need to think how to make myself looking more like her physically." – said Catherine mostly to herself as they closed the door of the Potion classroom behind them.