Luck of Nines

28

Malfoy had fallen sullenly quiet by the time Phineas had returned, but upon taking a look around the room and at the other's annoyed expression, his face blossomed into a wide grin. He bounded over to where Harry and Nott's beds were without any further hesitation.

"Hey are you two bookworms up for a game of exploding snap against me before bed? I warn you though, I'm the best there is."

"Sure," Harry smiled, "Would you mind reviewing the rules first though?"

Phineas blinked, shock poorly hidden as he unseriously commented, "What have you never played before or something?"

"I don't really play card games that often." Harry shrugged taking a seat. Nott slowly followed.

"Fine," Phineas nodded, accepting his explanation, "The rules are like this..." the explanation was short and Harry was nearly grinning by the end of it; a game based almost entirely on speed and reflexes? There was no way that he was losing this. He had observed the way the others moved, slowly and unsteadily compared to him, without any strength hidden beneath the movement, unless they were hiding it, and very skilled at doing so, Phineas and Nott didn't stand a chance.

And he was right as he dominated the game, swiping up cards with ease, to Phineas's loud complaints and laughter.

"No way! You were hustling me! There's no way you haven't played before!"

Harry responded with a very cat like grin, "Why would I do that when we're not even betting anything."

Grumbling good naturedly, Phineas's own good mood despite his many losses likely helped by the fact that Malfoy looked absolutely miserable where he sat on his bed poorly pretending to read a book whose pages he'd only turned once when Phineas was first beginning to explain the rules- the page had been turned loudly and was accompanied by a scoff, just asking to be paid attention to-, Phineas bounced up after gathering the cards and throwing the box onto his bed before gathering his clothes and a bag and heading off to the bathroom to get ready for bed. Harry stood easily himself, offering Nott a hand up.

"Good game."

After a pause, Nott accepted his hand and pulled himself up, "You too."

Harry nodded briefly and then turned and climbed into his bed, Chipped Fang quickly curling up at his side.

'This is boring' the cat complained, 'None of the owls or toads are here to hunt.'

He grinned, shutting the curtains to his bed and tying them to activate the privacy charm on them, he transformed into a cat himself, 'I don't think the other animals were supposed to be brought here for food, they supply plenty in the dining hall'

'For humans' Chipped Fang huffed, 'Did you know the cats here eat the same thing day in and say out just the hard crunchy pebbles'

'Harry' made a face as well knowing full well that it was acceptable food at best and got old fast 'at least you are not subject to that as well.'

'It's worse than that' Chipped Fang cast a disgusted glance over to the side where Crabbe's cat lay on the other side of the curtains. Chipped Fang had briefly gone over to speak with the other cat while Harry had been playing cards and Harry had entertained himself with listening in during the slower parts of the game. It was already quite clear their relationship would be one of tolerating the other,  'they are content, they don't wish for the thrill of the hunt or for live ground beneath their paws. I do not want to end up like that sleeping in the same old spot, eating the the same cold, dead food, and slowly wasting away content in a cage.'

'Harry' thought briefly of Rosey, she had been like that too, there was nothing wrong with it, you could be happy like that even. But he had left that lifestyle for a reason. He had found the Sully's out of fear, and he had stayed out of fear, and lost Rosey, someone who was all but his mother, out of fear.

It was only after he had left all of that behind that he had discovered the vicious freedom of the wild. He felt it behind every bite that stilled his prey, in every gasping breath as he struggled to remain afloat in the river, in every snarl as he fought off those who wished to invade his territory or steal his food, in every moment where he moved, death chasing just a few steps behind his tail. He felt it as he howled and roared freely, as he wished, head tilting upwards to the vast expanse of sky above him and as he curled and struck at leaves that fluttered in the wind.

And he knew that he did not want to end up like that, his strength degrading as he contentedly wasted away, either.

He didn't need to say anything more, Chipped Fang could see it, feel it, the unspoken thoughts that danced darkly behind his eyes, 'I know.' was all he said.

The quiet drifted long and heavy between them, although neither was asleep, for sometime before he spoke again, 'Let's go and see the Forbidden Forest tomorrow. It has been too long for both of us since we got to stretch our legs.'

      'Alright.' Chipped Fang agreed quietly curling further into Chipper's warm fur. 'Even if we never get a chance to go back again though... don't leave me again. I choose where I belong, and even now I am choosing to remain by your side.' 

      He said nothing in response.

What could he possibly say?

But Chipped Fang did not expect a response.

Silence was just as informing as words, sometimes it even said more, it was a human thing to dread it, because comparatively their senses were so filled to the world. But watching Crabbe's cat loudly mewl to grab Crabbe's attention again when the boy trailed off, and remembering his old friend Goldilocks who always had something to say, and had chosen the domesticated world, he wondered if it really was only a human thing.

He knew there would come a time where Chipped Fang would no longer wish to stay. Seven years was a long time, for Chipped Fang it might even be the rest of his life, he was no longer a kitten and had no kneazle blood to extend his life expectancy passed fourteen or so years at best.

But he didn't want to be alone again.

Especially here, where he was on enemy territory and surrounded by unknowns. Powerless.

       He shivered and curled tighter into himself, Chipped Fang pressed closer to his side in response.