Secrets Lie Within: Year 1

Secrets Lie Within: Year 1 Part 14

Chapter 14:

Roselia sits in her Charms classroom for her daily lecture. She always has problems with this lesson because she has wandless magic. The wand she has in her hand has never done anything to the young Hufflepuff because it was a hand-me-down wand that her birth giver said was her wand.

For months now, the young Softpaw will pretend she's casting a spell or making a potion while her wolf tail secretly casts the spell under her uniform skirt. She made deadly sure that her skirts are much longer when her birth givers were shopping for her school supplies.

One professor, in particular, notices this behavior more so than others. It is the very professor who is lecturing the secret wolf. The bell rings as Professor Flitwick announces, "That's all for today, class." Students begin packing up. "Remember there will be a test next week, so study hard. Oh! Miss Softpaw!" he calls for the Hufflepuff s student, startling her a bit. "I would like to speak with you please."

Roselia was secretly glad that no one paid attention. "I-Is everything ok-okay, sir?" she asked nervously, walking over with her body tensing up.

"Take it easy, Roselia," Professor Flitwick tells her, assuring the young student. "I couldn't help, but noticed when you cast spells in general, you don't perform the correct wand movement, but the spells were performed correctly."

Softpaw immediately freaks out with her whole face turning a dark red in embarrassment. "I-I-I can-can explain!" she thinks she's in trouble.

"Oh! You're not in trouble or anything, young wolf," he tells her, shocking his student.

"How-" the white-haired student's breath hitched as no more words appear.

"I am part goblin," he tells her with a smile. "There have been a handful of secret creatures who attends the school over the years. So, back to magic, do you have wandless and verbless magic?" her professor asked calmly with a smile.

"N-No, sir, I use m-my tail," Roselia explains, revealing her wolf ears and tail, now knowing that her professor is alright with the subject.

"Okay, can you do this with your paws?" Professor Flitwick begins lifting his fists in front of him, facing each other he uses his pointer fingers to point at each other before pointing up to the ceiling. He repeats the process a few times.

Roselia looks a bit confused, but she mirrors the movement with her paws. It took a little bit, but she manages to do it perfectly.

"Good, Roselia," he smiles, "now do this." One of his fingers points to the other fist while the other finger points to the ceiling. Then the movement shows the ceiling pointer switch to pointing the fist as the fist pointer points to the ceiling. The two switches the directions of pointing a few times.

It was a little difficult. Softpaw makes a few mistakes in doing the previous movement, but after a good few minutes, she manages to get it right.

"I know it's a little difficult, but this is a common method to see if you can multi-task."

"M-Multi-task?" she asked, stopping the movement.

"Multi-tasking means that you can do multiple things at once," her professor explains. "You seem to be a little rusty at your multi-tasking. How about do you know how to perform the Softening Charm?"

"N-No, sir."

"Okay, let me pull out something for us to use." Professor Flitwick looks into a drawer from his desk and pulls out a random book. "Spongify," he performs with his wand and the texture of the book turns into a sponge. "Now, you try." The book turns back into its normal form.

Roselia takes her useless wand and casts the spell, but this time with her tail mimicking wand movement. The charm was successful. Unfortunately, her wand was slightly behind the tail.

"Good, but your wand isn't up to date with your tail," Professor Flitwick smiles. "For your personal homework, I would like for you to practice more with multi-tasking with your wand and tail together."

"Y-Yes, sir," she says softly, lowering her head down a little.

"Here, watch this." He smiles more and pulls out something from his personal tin. He casts a spell for a cupcake to perform a little dance for the young pupil.

A giggle appears on her lips seeing how silly the treat is being. "Th-Thank you, Professor, I-I will practice more on my wand work," Roselia tells him with a smile, hiding her wolf ears and tail.

"You're welcome, Roselia, now run along now, you wouldn't want to miss lunch, right?" he chuckles a little.

"Of course, sir!" she smiles a little more, running out.

When Softpaw enters the corridor, a familiar female voice calls out to her, "Roselia!"

She stops in her tracks and turns around confused. Her dark hues see Hermione Granger, a Gryffindor in her year standing there as if she was waiting for the Hufflepuff. "Gr-Granger?" Roselia asked, confused. "Wh-What can I-I do for you?"

"What is your relationship with Professor Snape?" Hermione asked a rather strange question as she seems determined to ask.

Her eyes widen in shock. "H-He's our Potions pro-professor."

"Is he really? Then why is he after the Stone?"

"The St-Stone?" Roselia didn't know where these questions are coming from or what even Hermione will think if she knew the answers. "Pro-Professor Sn-Snape isn't after anything that I-I know of."

"You must know something." Hermione surprises Roselia by cornering her. The white-haired student freaks out that she feels something happening in her diaper. "You have been his favorite female student."

"Miss Granger, I recommend for you leave Miss Softpaw alone." Professor Snape appears at their side, separating the Gryffindor student from the Hufflepuff student. "Ten points from Gryffindor," he takes points from her house, surprising her, but then glares at him before leaving them.

"Th-Thank you, Professor Snape," Roselia thanked him quietly, lowering her head.

"Are you alright, Miss Softpaw?" Snape asked, sounding slightly concerned, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"I-I think so."

"What was Miss Granger asking about that made you uncomfortable?"

"Sh-She was ask-asking if I knew some-something about y-you and a st-stone," she stutters, but that shocks him gratefully.

"I knew it," he mumbles under his breath.

"S-Sir?" she asked, confused about his sudden shock.

"Go enjoy your lunch in the Grand Hall, I will be there shortly," he orders her.

She notices the firmness and sternness in his dark eyes that she didn't dare question. "Y-Yes, sir," she nods her head.

Roselia hurries down the hallway towards the Grand Hall, but she makes a quick stop at the girls' washroom.