Black Soul- George Weasley

The One With The Cat and Rat

Astraea was seated in the common room one evening, next to the fire on the couch doing her homework. Due to O.W.Ls this year, professors has been giving unlimited homework. She had an essay in Transfiguration about Vanishing Spells, an essay in Potions about Draught of Peace and an essay in Charms about the Reductor Curse. She would have finished her essays later in the day, but she spent some time with the twins. Now that they were in Quidditch practice, she took that peaceful time to finish them.

Fred and George returned later cold and stiff, hair wet from the rain, but laughing nonetheless. George plopped down on the couch next to her and put his head on her shoulder.

"Hello love", he smiled. She smiled back to engulfed with her essay.

"How was practice?" she asked still writing.

"It was good", he replied. "Though I am  freezing"

Astraea looked at him to see him pouting.

"Okay just freeze for five more minutes", she laughed. "I m almost done".

"What are you doing?" Fred asked sitting on the other side of George.

"Essay", she mumbled.

"Due when?" he asked again.

"Tomorrow", she replied writing down.

"Tomorrow?" Fred and George yelled in union.

"We have an essay due tomorrow?" Fred asked, panicking.

"No", she said and the twins relaxed. "We have three".

"Three?" they yelled again panicking.

"Charms, Transfiguration and Potions", she said looking at them furrowing her eyes.

"Fuck", George said rubbing his face.

Astraea then sighed and got her backpack, she reached inside and got stack of parchments. She handed Fred three and George three.

"What is that?" Fred and George asked in union.

"I went as soon as they were assigned to the library and wrote down the main points and the outlines to the essays. I knew you would forget to do yours so I wrote yours as well. Just make it into an essay in your own words", she said in one breath and looked at them.

"George kiss her for me", Fred said. George jumped on her, making her squeal and started kissing her. She smiled into the kiss and put her hands around his neck. They pulled apart smiling and sat down. The twins started their essays while Astraea was helping them out.

"Say Raea", George said. "What's this chaos about?"

"Third year's first Hogsmeade weekend", she said pointing at the notice.

"Excellent," said Fred. "I need to visit Zonko's. I'm nearly out of Stink Pellets."

"I'm almost out of chocolate", Astraea replied smiling. "Too bad I can't go", she frowned.

"You too?" Hermione asked.

"It is my father out there and my mother and Remus want me safe so Remus will make sure I am here", she sighed.

I'm sure you'll be able to go next time," Hermione said. "Both of you. They're bound to catch Black soon. He's been sighted once already"

"Black's not fool enough to try anything in Hogsmeade," said Ron. "Ask McGonagall if you can go this time. The next one might not be for ages —"

"Ron!" said Hermione. "They're supposed to stay in school —"

"Harry can't be the only third year left behind," said Ron. "Ask McGonagall, go on, Harry —"

"Yeah, I think I will," said Harry, making up his mind.

"Astraea say something", Hermione said.

"No harm in asking", Astraea said smiling. "I've went there plenty of times, Fred and George know what to get me. Harry I think you should try".

Hermione opened her mouth to argue, but at that moment Crookshanks leapt lightly onto her lap. A large, dead spider was dangling from his mouth.

"Does he have to eat that in front of us?" said Ron, scowling.

"Clever Crookshanks, did you catch that all by yourself?" said Hermione.

Crookshanks slowly chewed up the spider, his yellow eyes fixed insolently on Ron.

"Just keep him over there, that's all," said Ron irritably, turning back to his star chart. "I've got Scabbers asleep in my bag."

"Ten galleons Crookshanks jumps on Scabbers", Fred whispered to Astraea.

"Deal", she smiled.

"OY!" Ron suddenly roared, seizing his bag as Crookshanks sank four sets of claws deep inside it and began tearing ferociously. "GET OFF, YOU STUPID ANIMAL!"

Ron tried to pull the bag away from Crookshanks, but Crookshanks clung on, spitting and slashing.

"Ron, don't hurt him!" squealed Hermione; the whole common room was watching; Ron whirled the bag around, Crookshanks still clinging to it, and Scabbers came flying out of the top —

"CATCH THAT CAT!" Ron yelled as Crookshanks freed himself from the remnants of the bag, sprang over the table, and chased after the terrified Scabbers.  Astraea held her wand trying to immobilize the animals but they won't stay in one place.

George made a lunge for Crookshanks but missed; Scabbers streaked through twenty pairs of legs and shot beneath an old chest of drawers. Crookshanks skidded to a halt, crouched low on his bandy legs, and started making furious swipes beneath it with his front paw.

Ron and Hermione hurried over; Hermione grabbed Crookshanks around the middle and heaved him away; Ron threw himself onto his stomach and, with great difficulty, pulled Scabbers out by the tail.

"Look at him!" he said furiously to Hermione, dangling Scabbers in front of her. "He's skin and bone! You keep that cat away from him!"

"Crookshanks doesn't understand it's wrong!" said Hermione, her voice shaking. "All cats chase rats, Ron!"

"There's something funny about that animal!" said Ron, who was trying to persuade a frantically wiggling Scabbers back into his pocket. "It heard me say that Scabbers was in my bag!"

"Oh, what rubbish," said Hermione impatiently. "Crookshanks could smell him, Ron, how else d'you think —"

"That cat's got it in for Scabbers!" said Ron, ignoring the people around him, who were starting to giggle. "And Scabbers was here first, and he's ill!"

Ron marched through the common room and out of sight up the stairs to the boys' dormitories.

"Pay up", Fred told Astraea, she rolled her eyes and gave him ten galleons.

"Alright boys", Astraea told the boys. "I'm off to do my rounds"

"Good luck", George smiled.

"Have fun", Fred replied. 

Astraea was about to leave, but then stopped and looked at them.

"Are you planning something tonight?" she raised an eyebrow at the twins.

They looked at each other then at her.

"You better not", she scolded them. "You better finish your essays before I get back"

"Or what?" George raised an eyebrow.

"Let's put it this way", she got closer. "You don't finish your essays, no more help from my part"

"You", she points at Fred. "No more ideas for inventions" 

"And you", she points at George. "You can kiss to twin from now on"

They looked at her then ran off to do their essays.

***************************************************************************************

1,076 words