Shadow Claw: The Life Story - The Fourth Chapter

Ch. 25 - Come And Go Room

Sorry if it's rushed, I haven't updated in a while and I'm updating three books at once. It's very hard, so appreciate the effort I make. :P I really have nothing better to do with my life.

The morning after, Pierce and Svana sent me back to school with words of promise. Dad compromised that he would let Shade out that day if I wrote a group letter to him from my friends, and Mum promised she'd keep Dad in line. However, I visited my mate before I left, slapped him a couple times, then we made out for a long, passionate time, before I scolded him once more and left with a slap to his face, with him chuckling softly at me from his cell, admitting he deserved it. Of course, it was the afternoon by the time I actually got to Hogwarts.

*

"Where the Hell have you been?!" Jenny stormed up to me and shook my shoulders violently. I shoved her off and laughed, high-fiving James as he came galloping over with a large grin. "Places." I replied to Jenny with a smile, ruffling James' hair and making off to see Nova standing in the distance with Hawthorne. She smiled sheepishly at me, then elbowed her mate who left rapidly, murmuring something about her cutting off his precious jewels.

I folded my arms as I reached her, "You two are cute." I teased her, and she pouted, our worries long forgotten, except a fuming Jenny not far off. Nova huffed at me, "No. He's a jerk." 

"You're in love."

"So are you."

I blinked at her, "Touche." We giggled and then made our way back to the school grounds, talking about general stuff.

"Oh! I heard Harry said he was planning a meet-up of his illegal group thing tonight. Seventh floor, opposite that troll painting with that weird guy. You know the one?" Nova chuckled, and I laughed, "Yeah, I know where you mean. You coming?" I asked her, both of us shifting as we appreciated our claws clicking on the hard stone floors.

Huh. It was always stone.

I stopped my thought process there as Nova replied, "No, Hawthorne's taking me somewhere." She grinned and I rolled my eyes, "Where to?" I questioned, and she shrugged before we scared some first-years. Oh, I loved being a massive cat with wings. "He won't tell me." She squeaked in excitement and I rolled my orbits once more.

"Surprises. That's all men are full of these days."

Nova snorted, "Ha. Barely men. More like immature boys that can't live without us." We laughed together again, then parted ways as lessons started back up again. Damn, I was glad I didn't miss anything.

*

The time came for me to head to the seventh, and I collected Jenny and James from their slumber, to which they protested, but I growled and told them that I'd show them up to Umbridge.

I met Harry, Ron and Hermione and many others by the strange, animated painting, and they showed us a large black door that none of us had seen before. "Who told you about this room?" Jenny questioned her brother, and he smiled faintly at her, "Dobby." Whispers rose up, but I hissed for silence and they complied. "It's called the Come and Go room, or more commonly the Room of Requirements." Harry added, and I nodded slowly. "It's like the school wants us to fight back." I uttered.

We entered, and realized it was absolutely perfect. There were bookshelves brimming with useful Dark Arts books, and the floor was cushioned with large, soft pillows, along with the crackling fire at the end. I padded towards it and lay down, purring with warmth. Jenny laughed, and James sat beside me, stroking my neck with a big, wide grin. He joined the group though after a short while, and left me beside the fire while I entertained a gentle expression. If I was going to be their guard, I had to at least let them know they were safe around me, and even that was hard to admit.

Harry, Hermione and Ginny spoke quickly, and I caught a vote of Harry becoming the leader, then Ginny said, "DA is great, but let's make it stand for Dumbledore's Army..." There were nods and murmurs of agreement, to which I nodded too, "I think that's an acceptable name. It's conspicuous." Students glanced at me with raised eyebrows, and I rolled my eyes for what seemed the umpteenth- oh, only the third time. Huh. Seemed like more. Too many stupid people rubbing off on me.

(Cough cough cough JennyandJames cough cough cough)

"... Expelliarmus..." Harry began talking, but I was dozing in and out of consciousness. I had not slept very well at all recently, and I was steadily descending into exhaustion. It wasn't long before Harry had set up all their partners and the room was filled with that one spell, and I had made myself stay awake by focusing on Zacharias Smith, the objective one, and he was being picked on by Fred and George on several occasions which was highly entertaining. I snarled at him on various intervals, and he seemed very quite afraid that I was going to gobble him up.

Ha. I'd never eat him.

He doesn't have enough blood. That's the good stuff.

No, I'm not a vampire.

Harry blew a whistle to silence his students and I glared at him with dark eyes, "Sorry, Shadow." He grinned and I puffed, flicking my tail in agitation. Harry had given me the magical Map he had temporarily to look after during the DA lessons. I studied it, my paws crossed and my head tipped forward with interest. It was a beautifully designed map, but the fact that Sirius, James, Peter and Lupin had used it made it that much less beautiful...-Alright! It's not beautiful! Jeez.

Finally, when it had finished and the next meeting was arranged, I was allowed to do my job. I poked my head from the great dark doors and then my whole body followed, my ears flattened with my lips curled back in a snarl, just in case the coast was not clear. They all waited patiently behind me, and when I confirmed that the hallways were safe, all around it too, they thanked me and I briefly noted to them about being discreet when coming here.

They thanked me again and returned to where they had to be, and I stalked through the hallways, closely followed by James and Jenny. We had a letter to write to my dad, but I'd have to send it when Umbridge was least expecting it, since she had apparently intercepted Hedwig, and what was to say she didn't do that with Nova and I? She was a cat hater, despite the many cats lined on plates and bowls in her office.

That place was disgusting.