A Bitter Silence (Version two of 'Silence is Music?')

19

It came close to my birthday, and I was as close as ever to completing my first animagus form.




McGonagall said I was to become a normal animal, like a mouse, or dog for my first form.




I wouldn't mind being a mouse, hulk was big enough for all of us.




On the day before my birthday, she called me into her office, she held out a vial, "this potion will enable you to complete your form. However!" She said sharply as I made a grab for it,"you will have to stay in the form for twenty four hours before you can change back.




I gulped the vile liquid down, shuddering, and promptly turned into a small, black cat, I knew this because the Professor held out a mirror.




I trotted off, I'm going to have fun with this.




I tripped over annoying Quirrell and managed a good swipe at Ronald's crown jewels before he ran off.




I was stretched out on the sofa of the Gryffindor common room when someone started to stroke me, I silently purred, vibrations running through my body.




I didn't bother to look at who it was, but closed my eyes and stretched.




The person laughed, it was an unfamiliar laugh, but a male laugh.




He started talking to me in a low voice.




"I like you," well, duh who can't like moi?

"I also like cats, but my neighbour has lots, I don't particularly like her." I scrunched up my catty features. He laughed again.

"You're pretty smart, are you a magical cat?" I perked an ear.

"Well, we'll have see then.... Do you belong to anyone?" I shook my furry head.

"What's your name?" He asked me.

"You don't have a collar, so... Can I name you?" Why not? I thought.

"Hmmm, Tiddles?" My claws dug in.

"Nope, uuuh, Dumbledore?" I flicked him on the nose with my tail.

"Okay, I named my owl using my history of magic book, so..." I heard the rustling of paper.

"How about.... Sylvester!" Not bad, okay.

"Yay! All right then, Sylvester." He continued to stroke me.




I was loving this guy.




I heard two thumps as people sat next to him. "Hi guys!" He said.




"Hey Harry." I cocked one eye open, Harry? "How was quidditch practice?" I inwardly groaned, this nice guy was actually scar head.




But I was to comfy to move as he told them about Snape refereeing the next match and Neville burst in, telling him that Malfoy put a curse on him. It was not until he mentioned the Philosopher's stone that I stirred.




Must tell Dumbledore.




After that rush, I made to slip off his lap, when he caught me and introduced me to Hermione and Ronald.




Surprisingly, Ronald liked me. And asked for me to go on his lap. I was about to protest, but he scratched me behind the ears and I instantly dropped any thought of maiming. Stupid cat senses.




In fact, I think the golden trio adopted me as their mascot, they showed me off to the common room, and I was passed around, I was tempted to scrape all those lion's faces off at one point, but one of the three would scratch me behind the ears and I would collapse into their arms.




I was still miffed, but I made many friends that day, so, meh.




The trio went for a walk around the grounds, and tried to train me to do tricks, having four paws makes it a lot easier to balance and as long as they could tickle me, I was wrapped around their fingers.




At meals, everyone would come over and adore me.




How I love the taste of fresh milk for lunch.




I woke the next morning at the end of Harry's bed, Ronald sat on the edge, looking dejected.




No one else was in the room.




I rubbed against him, wandering why he was so sad.




"It's Har-Chord's birthday today." He explained, stroking my belly,

"we used to all crowd around her bed and wake her with a marching band, then we'd be silent for the rest of the day, even my brothers were silent at school, the Professors just got used to it.

Now I feel bad about being so rude to her, just a bit, though, I heard what the sorting hat said, she could have been in any house, but she chose Slytherin, and she's so rich and snobby, she ruined Neville's potion at the start of the year, but she helps him out all the time, and when she punched me, she immediately ran after Hermione, and Hermione feels bad about leaving her, and everyone seems to like her but me and Harry.

I felt kind of pressured into leaving her, but I don't feel bad about it, when she ran out of that room with red eyes, she was just angry, and she's been horrible ever since, always hanging out with Malfoy, pranking us, exploding!"




I looked at him with sad eyes, tired with his ranting and complaining, it was my birthday, and I just found out that my ex brother feels a tad bad about being mean, so I lead him downstairs, I still had four hours until I turned back to normal, so I ran off to find Harry.




He was sitting by the lake, staring into it's depths.

"I overheard what Ron told you, Sylvester, and l'm guilty, you see, the girl, Chord, was crying over a photo when I ran into her, and we had a conversation, she was crying her eyes out, and told me that her problems were my fault.

And they are.

Then she left, and dropped the photo, here it is.

I wish I had a family like that, and I ruined her chance at one, we're alike, you know, we've both lost our parents to Voldemort, and had to live with other people, but she got a chance at a family and I think I was jealous of that, I wanted Ron and his family to myself, I'm so greedy, I was envious of her, and now she's got double bad things, and it's her birthday!"