Disclaimer: I own nothing except my OC Bailey and any alterations to the original storyline plot her presence creates to various readers amusement everywhere across the globe.
A Dog's Purpose Is Strange Magic Chapter 22
With the feast over and done with everyone was dismissed to head to the dorms for the Houses. The 2nd years and up already knew the way, but the first years had to be taken there by the Prefects. There are two for each House a boy and a girl. Prefects are students that are in 5th year and older.
"Gryffindors, follow me, please. Keep up. Thank you," said Percy. "This is the most direct path to the dormitories. Oh and keep an eye on the staircases. They like to change."
The Gryffindor's first years followed after Percy's heals like ducklings. He took them out of the Great Hall and up a big marble staircase.
While walking beside her boy Bailey kept getting bumped into by him. He was walking on unsteady legs. Bailey could relate to how he felt right now. Her legs were literally like lead, but only because she was so tired and a stomach full of food wasn't helping matters. But she would push herself to stay awake until he was safely in bed and she was lying across his feet. Plus there was so much to see. If Bailey dozed off even for a moment she would miss it all. Also, probably, she did not want to get trampled by the feet of unruly children just coming down from a sugar high. People in portraits whispered and pointed at the sluggish and drowsy students as they passed and Percy led them through doorways concealed behind sliding panels and hanging tapestries draped on the walls. As they climbed more staircases more and more students were yawning and dragging their feet feeling the effects of dinner leaving their small bodies.
Bailey didn't know how much farther they had to go before they finally reached the dorm, but they were waylaid by a bundle of walking sticks floating in midair a distance ahead of them. It was strange. It appeared as if they were floating in the air on their own, but Bailey could smell something was there holding them up. Then they suddenly started throwing themselves at him and that showed Bailey something really was there even though she couldn't see it.
Percy clarified this when he told the children in his charge that this was caused by the actions of a supernatural entity of a kind.
"Peeves. A poltergeist," said Percy whispering to the first years. He then raised his voice. "Peeves, show yourself."
A loud, rude sound, like the air being let out of a balloon, is what answered his summons.
"Do you want me to go to the Bloody Baron," said Percy in a warning tone.
There was a pop and a little man with wicked dark eyes and a wide mouth appeared out of thin air, hovering cross-legged in the air clutching the walking sticks tight to his chest.
"Oh," he said, cackling evilly. "Ickle Firsties! What fun!" He swopped down making them all duck.
Bailey didn't. The sudden appearance of this poltergeist had knocked her out of the dreary state. When Peeves came close enough she snapped at him. Luck was on Bailey's side as she managed to snatch his leg. Having ensnared her prey Bailey dug her paws onto the floor making an anchor. Bailey growled as she engaged in a tug-of-war battle shaking him back and forth. In her eyes, Peeves threatened her boy. She wasn't going to tolerate that.
Peeves is going to get it.
Peeves shrieked trying to break free and dropping the remaining walking sticks he carried in the process. But Bailey is determined. She refused to let go.
The bulk of the children laughed at the display even Harry. They saw this as payback to this poltergeist for trying to scare him.
Seeking a way out Peeves levitated higher into the air shaking his leg aggressively to dislodge her. Bailey's paws left the ground and she was actually hanging there literally by the skin of her teeth. With no option left Peeves kicked at Bailey's face hitting her in the nose. Bailey yelped and finally released landing on her feet.
"Go away, Peeves or the Baron'll hear about this, I mean it," said Percy, sharply.
Peeves stuck out his tongue at Percy.
Bailey barked lunging at Peeves in a bluff. Peeves screeched fleeing down the hall zooming away, rattling coats of armor standing at attention on the walls as he passed.
The first years encircled Bailey petting and stroking her fur, basking her in attention for her actions against Peeves. Bailey happily sat there panting with her tongue lolling, basking in the attention.
Getting the group back on track, setting off again, Percy instructed "You want to watch out for Peeves. The Bloody Baron's the only one who can control him. He won't even listen to us prefects. Here we are."
Their destination is a portrait at the very end of the corridor. The occupant of the portrait is a very fat woman in an elaborate pink silk dress.
"Password," she asked.
"Caput Draconis," said Percy, speaking the password he was told to use for Gryffindor Tower tonight.
The portrait swung open revealing a doorway. Percy stepped through first with the others following.
"Follow me, everyone. Keep up. Quickly, come on," said Percy.
The door led them all to the Gryffindor Common Room. There were exclamations of awe from the children. To them, they'd never seen anything like it. Well most of them did. No one else was around. The elder Gryffindors must've already been tucked up away in bed.
Percy had all of them gathered around him in its base center.
"Welcome to the Gryffindor Common Room. Boy's dormitories, upstairs and down to your left, girl's the same on your right. You'll find all your belongings have already been brought up," said Percy.
He wasn't kidding.
At the top of a spiral staircase inside one of the towers were five four-poster beds. They were hung with deep red velvet curtains. Their trunks filled with their possessions were already brought up at the end of their beds including their pets. When Bailey saw Scabbers in his cage Harry had to keep a hand on her collar to keep her from going at him like she did on the train. Needless to say, Ron kept Scabbers inside his cage for the night.
Ron, Neville, Dean, and Seamus were quick to hit the sack, quickly changing into their pajamas and falling into bed. The other four of them fell asleep almost instantly.
Harry wasn't that easily put to sleep.
Harry sat in the nook of the window on his side of the tower for a while just staring out onto the castle grounds. He feared that if he went to sleep he'd discover that this was all too good to be true. A dream the moment he shut his eyes. Hedwig and Bailey stayed up with him. Bailey lay on the nook with him asleep. Hedwig was perched at Harry's feet. He stroked the feathers on her breast while his otherr hand rose and fell on Bailey's chest as she breathed deeply.
Soon even Harry drifted off into slumber. Good thing too. The days to come would be long and hard. He'd need all the rest he could get.
Authors Note:
OMG! I just thought of this. Something to bear in mind as a little possibility for the future. It could work and it could not work either way. Now this wouldn't happen till like the last book/movie, but…What do you guys think about Bailey actually having eventual puppies with Fang?!