Feint Potter

Seven

"A letter? I dont recognize that owl- who could be sending you something this late?"

"Your guess is as good as mine."

I yawned and unrolled the letter and sat down across Fred's lap, grinning evilly while I wiggled my hips and felt his body tense up underneath me, when I had it unrolled I started to read the ting writing aloud.

"By the time this is read, the ones you love will already be. . . dead."

An icy coldness chased through my veins and I shivered when goosebumps rose the hairs on the backs of my arms.

"You did well hiding from us for so long, with your brother being carted off to live with those Muggles. I applaud you."

"Rose. . please dont read that."

My body began to shake and i heard a faint gasping noise, but that couldnt be coming from me, could it?.. My body rose up into the air but i couldnt feel my feet anymore.

"But no one escapes from me and lives for very long."

To my horror there was a cluster of bloodied black hair at the bottom of the parchment and when the scent reached my nose i began to cry angry tears; lavender was the scent my adoptive mother liked to use woth her hair.

"Rose? Rose honey, look at me."

Fred took the scroll from me and tried to touch my face but i shoved away from him and booked it through the portrait hole, only vaguely aware of the nippy cold draft that seeped in through the cracks in the stone walls.

"Rosie!"

I heard two sets of feet running after me but Id already decided, after launching myself down the last set of stairs near the front doors; school records be damned.

Have to get them. . . have to. . now. .

The primitive urge to rip, to tear, to cause pain ripped through my chest the closer i got to the doors, and i faintly remember a warning from when i first got registered.

"Never let your raw emotions get the better of you when you're about to transform, or you'll lose the shred of your human consciousness that lets you change back."

I reached out to touch the door when something hot slammed into my back and knocked me to the ground screaming, the hit pain making my body twitch and convulse like never before; I heard the sounds of other teachers and students getting up but i couldnt stop the screaming. The pain was spreading slowly through my whole body and felt like i was being burned alive.

"Get her out of that!"

"Well, well, look at what we have here. Students out of bed and trying to get out?"

My vision started to take on a red tint as my body kept writhing and i saw Fred's tear streaked face over mine for a second before he yelled.

"You're a teacher! You're not supposed to be doing that kind of spell against a student! You're hurting her!"

"Need i remind you that as headmistress i can punish students however i see fit?"

I groaned when my vision began to go black around the edges and with another jerk my torso pulled up from the floor with a painful snap, my body changed right then and there with another wave of heat, and there i crouched in my massive Animagi form. For a second there the absence of pain was all that i felt and i did nothing else but stand there and pant, but then my body crashed to the floor just as everything went pitch black.

*

"What kind of spell did she put on her? She's been out for three days."

Pressure on the inside of my wrist, i wanted to move but my body felt like led dead weights; I had to concentrate on how to breathe because my chest kept wanting to tighten and constrict.

"I dont know mum, like i told you when we got here, that spell wasnt one i even knew to exist. You should have heard her. . screaming like she was being torn apart limb by limb. ."

More pressure, this time across my forehead that felt like caressing fingers; it made my chest ache to not be able to answer Fred when he was so close to me. . yet. .

"I hated not being able to do anything for her, that's why George and i did what we did. I know that you're pissed at us but dont worry, we wont be here too much longer. I just dont know how to take care of whatever got to her."

A sigh.

"Well, we sent word to Albus to see if he can spare a few moments to help her. . . i dont like the coloring she's turning."

Some unspoken words must have been exchanged between them because i felt more pressure on the bed almost like someone had sat down.

"She's my wife, im not going anywhere."

Footsteps, then a shudder; I felt the warmth from Fred's body against my left side and then the most heartbreaking noise of all. Sobs.

"Please be alive. . . we havent had enough time-"

Fred sniffled, and i felt the air currents change before a loud pop busted my left ear drum.

"Thank you for coming in such short notice sir."

I felt Fred roll out of the bed and i wanted to move, to drag him back down with me, but anytime I thought of it my chest constricted even tighter.

"No problem at all, now, if i may see Ms Rose-"

After a few seconds of silence i heard a sigh.

"We dont know what she was hit with sir, ive never known a spell that can force an animagi transformation. ."

I felt the smallest pinprick on my forehead and with an outward burst i sat up gasping for air and clutching madly at my chest.

"There we are, now, i hate to run so soon but im needed elsewhere."

With another loud pop Dumbledore was gone and i couldnt help but to stare at Fred while my heartbeat faltered, it stayed silent for maybe ten struggled beats before he let out a shudder and face planet into my lap.

"So what now?"

"Anything, anything at all."