𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗹𝗲𝗻 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘀.

nine.

   "Eek!! Stop, come back!"

   At the loud shriek Sirius sat up, elbowing James beside him. "Reckon that sounds like Jo, don't you?"

   James nodded, "it kinda did huh?"

   Remus shushed his two friends as he turned back to his work, another shriek erupting from the hall. Sirius stood, slamming his hand down on his desk. The entire class stared to him.

   The boy grinned, "Binns! I've gotta take a piss!"

   Without waiting for an answer he took off from the classroom, James cackling at his friend's exit. He stood as well, running a hand through his unkempt hair, "Professor I'm not feeling too well, might go visit Poppy."

   Remus sighed as he left, glaring at Peter beside him who eagerly jumped out of his seat. "I should make sure James is okay," he chased his friend from the classroom.

   Binns frowned at Remus as he grinned sheepishly, "sorry Professor."

   He quickly gathered his and his friends' things, leaving the classroom. He stuck his head into the hall, finding his friends huddled around Jovie. He joined the circle, looking down to the small snake like creatures in her arms.

   He quirked a brow, "what's going on?"

   Jovie grinned up at him, "these are occamys."

   James looked at the small winged snakes, "these are why you were screaming? They don't seem that scary." One of the creatures squawked at him, the boy moving back a step.

   Jovie's grin turned sheepish as she let the two occamys slither up her sleeves, "well actually, I sort of have a problem.

   Remus thought back to a news report he had in his room from years back. It described Newt Scamander in the US and a mishap of him losing his suitcase of magical creatures. The boy's smile dropped.

   "Merlin, you didn't."

   The blonde frowned, "it wasn't my fault really. Dad sent me the suitcase to look after for a while because he and mum couldn't but Mary got nosey and well..." she trailed off, fighting back a laugh as one of the occamys tickled her.

   Sirius raised a brow, "what does that mean?"

   Remus grimaced as he grabbed Jovie's wrist, dragging her away down the hall. "It means we've got some magical creatures to find and we need to be quick about it!"

   Peter scurried after them, "what're those two named? Colors, like Blue?"

   Sirius came up behind him with James, smacking the boy on the back of the head, "shut up Wormy."

* * *

   "So what're we looking for exactly?"

   Jovie held up her hand, counting off on her fingers as she walked the halls between the boys. "One more occamy, one demiguise and a thunderbird," she winced at the last, James' jaw dropping.

   "A thunderbird? Mary managed to let a thunderbird loose?"

   Peter shook his head at his friends, "bloody hell is a thunderbird?"

   Sirius had stopped walking a few paces back, staring out the window. He raised a finger, "well mate I believe that is one right there."

   Jovie rushed over to him, a grin spreading across her face at the sight of Tundra jumping up and down as he played with the branches of the whomping willow. She grabbed Sirius' hand, taking off from the hall, "let's go!"

   Remus felt a queasy feeling build in his stomach as he watched the whomping willow. It reminded him of the past full moon, only a few days ago.

   James set a hand on his shoulder, "let's go help Jovie."

   The brunette nodded as the three boys set off to follow their friends.

   It wasn't long before they made it outside spotting Jovie and Sirius crouched together behind a ledge as they watched the young thunderbird dodge the tree's swinging branches. They joined their friends, Peter elbowing Sirius.

   "So what's the plan?"

   "What makes you think we have a plan?"

   "We need a plan."

   "Of course we need a plan, we just don't have one yet."

   "Obviously you slimy-"

   Remus glared at his two friends, immediately silencing them. James nudged Jovie slightly, "Jo? Do you have a plan?"

   The blonde grinned, shrugging, "wing it?"

   Sirius deadpanned, "I'm normally all for that but we're dealing with a hundred pound animal with the ability to electrocute all of us."

   Jovie jumped up and before her friends could stop her she ran to the tree. "Tundra! Remember me!?" she shouted, waving wildly.

   The creature seemed to indeed remember her, hopping in the air before bounding towards her. Sirius immediately jumped up, sprinting to the girl as he held open the suitcase. He closed his eyes, waiting for impact that never came.

   The black haired boy peeked open an eye, "we're not dead?"

   Jovie grinned, "always the hero you are."

   Remus jumped up from their hiding place, his eyes wide, "hurry! Move!"

   Before either could process a branch swung by, sweeping Jovie off the ground. Sirius's eyes widened as he watched the blonde be thrown above his head, her grin gone.

   "Shit, Jovie!"