Worlds Collide (crossover fanfiction)

Chapter 15

Gavin buried his head in his hands. This day was turning out to be a disaster- first he had to save a student from Peeves, then he stepped on the disappearing step, now Kia and Alistair were... he didn't even know what they were anymore. "Merlin, give me strength."

Kia shrugged. "I would quite like to know what's happening in that head of his."

Alistair yelped like he had been burned. "Oh no no no, you don't." Damn Thea and her legilimency.

The poltergeist swooped into view, cackling and rubbing his hands together. He would so dearly love revenge on Alistair for leaving him- he wouldn't admit it, but the Gryffindor boy was the closest thing he had to a prank buddy. The Marauders were competition, and the Weasley twins barely worked with him. But Alistair was somebody to be looked up to- he let Peeves choose the prank, and the pranked was usually a brilliant target. Together, they were invincible and invisible to the teachers of Hogwarts. He grinned at Thea. "What would you wish me do?"

Shh. Just think the what you want to say, I can hear you. I have a pretty good experience with talking to ghosts, so I understand you just fine. You see the black haired girl with Alistair? I need you to help me throw them into a closet together. And they have to be freaked out. I know that Kia's scared of clowns since she watched IT, and Alistair, he's scared of the dark, which I can relate to.

Peeves giggled wildly. That can be easily arranged. Time for sweet, sweet revenge. We can stick one of the ickle firsties on a chandelier somewhere. Knowing Mr Selwyn's Gryffindor tendencies, he'll go rushing to their aid. The ghost swirled upwards, ethereal body sliding through the lights. Best. Day. Ever.

I like how you think, Peeves. I might be able to help you out. I know you're a ghost, but don't freak. Thea twirled her hands, and everything around her froze, except for herself and Peeves. "Okay, we can talk now. I stopped the flow of time around us. I'll go get a kid, I'll make sure we have his or her permission first though. I know I'm a pranker, but I don't really like messing with little kids I don't know. Alistair and Kia, I can prank all I want."

Peeves frowned, then grinned as an idea sparked in his mind. We could always send old Filchy and his ugly cat after them. Filch had a special hate for Alistair, and knowing that the boy had returned would probably be enough to give him a heart attack.

"Does Alistair hate them too? You can go get them. I'll get Kia. I have a thing for balloons." She winked. Thea flew off, and, unfreezing a young gryffindor from the time freeze. "Are you a good actor?" The girl nodded. "Okay. I'm gonna fly you up onto the chandelier, and just pretend to make as big as a fuss as possible. Don't worry, if he can't get you down, I'll get you down." Thea flew up to the chandelier with her, and hung her from the chandelier. "Ready?"

Peeves nodded. Oh, yes. Ugly Filchy comes ever close to catching him, but Alistair runs away. He giggled. Once Filchy caught him and made him clean trophies without magic. Maybe I can give them away. Ready? Oh, definitely.

Thea smirked again. "This is why I love a perfect ghostie." She rushed back to where they were, and clicked her fingers, freeing everyone from the time freeze. She grinned as the screams began to echo from the main hall, and watched as Alistair ran off, yelling a quick 'stay here' at Kia. "Are you going to follow him, or just do a little exploring with me?"

Kia sighed. "I'm probably going to follow him. Every time he says 'stay here', I know he's going to do something stupid." She snorted, running after the Gryffindor boy. Almost every childhood memory contained him telling her to stay and then him doing something stupid, like trying to fly on a broom and crashing into the walls instead. It was stupid and silly, but she had to admit that it made her laugh every time.

Peeves cackled gleefully. "Let's get this started."

When Alistair turned the corner, Thea shifted the corridor slightly, making her go another direction. Just for the fun of it, she then played fairground music in the background. Dissolving into pure thought, she continued with her prank, causing 'sewers' to pop up beside her, and a childlike voice asking behind her. "Can you pick up my toy boat!" Thea watched as Kia tried to calm herself, but she saw how Kia's hands tightened, clenching into a fist, and how she tried to close her eyes, relying on her shadows to see things. Wrong move.

Kia's heart pounded. "There is no toy boat." She muttered with gritted teeth. She felt something brush against her leg, and she stumbled backwards into something wet. Shrieking, she stumbled forwards, and saw a glowing pair of amber eyes. She couldn't help but scream. "Alistair, where did you go..." Kia mumbled.

Peeves was having the time of his life. "Oh Filchy!" He cackled in a singsong voice. "Mr Selwyn has returned!" Argus Filch and his cat, Mrs Norris hurried away, mumbling about arrogant pranksters. Peeves dabbed, something he had seen quite a few of the muggleborns do. He giggled, and the paintings stared at him oddly.

Just to add a twisted sense of humor into it, Thea made the sound of a door slamming shut, and a maniacal laughter erupted behind it. When Kia turned to face it, Thea let loose a lone red balloon floating out behind her, before slowly summoning the water level, making it rise, till it seemed like it was seeping out of the sewers. Hazel and Nico both got seasick, so hopefully, so did Kia.

Kia closed her eyes, counting to ten. She started forwards again, boots sloshing through the water. She glanced down. "Yuck." She tried to calm herself down, but deep inside she was terrified. She seriously regretted watching It with Ash... nice as it was seeing him even more scared than she was, it was still creepy.

Alistair ran towards the screams, wand out. "STAY WHERE YOU ARE!" He hollered. Skidding into the Great Hall, he found a young Gryffindor dangling from the chandelier. "Levicorpus!" He pointed his wand towards the girl, and the spell hit her square in the chest. She continued screaming as she dangled upside down from her ankles. Slowly, he levitated her towards the floor, muttering "liberacorpus" once she got down. He frowned down at her. "Who did this to you?"

She giggled. "It's a secret."