Badgersoul

Chapter 11: Unicorns

A/N: Two things you'd never think Remus would say.

Chapter 11: Unicorns

Still don't remember what happened in the bathroom, but whatever it was it must have been bad. I have these wicked scars all over my chest and abdomen like someone tried to badly filet me. Thankfully, I recovered in time to take Rosie to Hogsmeade. We walked around for a bit - went to the Three Broomsticks and such - before she told me she had a surprise and led me to the Shrieking Shack. She took out her wand and cast the Patronus Charm. It was a unicorn. She told me that she learned it so that the next time dementors came she could fight at my side instead of run. That's the moment when I finally kissed her.

**

Leo parted ways with Draco not long after they reached the castle, citing the impending Gryffindor party that was supposed to happen. The pale blonde had simply smirked and asked Leo to let him know how the Canary Creams worked out. Leo gave a mock salute in response before running up the stairs while Draco headed to the dungeons.

He was stopped at the portrait hole by Harry, who informed him that he was writing to Remus and Sirius to let them know how the task went and asked if Leo wanted to send his letter as well. Leo nodded eagerly before walking with him, Ron, and Hermione up to the Owlery, writing what he wanted to say with the parchment and quill Hermione had the foresight to bring with her. Upon entering the Owlery, Apollo immediately swooped down to him, narrowing his eyes as noticed that most of Leo's body was covered in dried dragon saliva.

The blonde merely rolled his eyes before holding out his letter so Apollo wouldn't have to touch him and watching him and Hedwig – since Apollo generally refused to carry letters for Harry – wing through the sky and off to the Den.

"Well, we'd better get downstairs for your surprise party - Fred and George should have nicked enough food from the kitchens by now," Ron said when the owls disappeared from view.

Sure enough, when they entered the Gryffindor common room it exploded with cheers and yells again. There were mountains of cakes and flagons of pumpkin juice and butterbeer on every surface; Lee Jordan had let off some Filibuster's Fireworks so that the air was thick with stars and sparks; and Dean Thomas had put up some impressive new banners, most of which depicted Harry zooming around the Horntail's head on his Firebolt or Leo petting the Vipertooth whilst surrounded by a ring of fire. He really liked that one.

Leo ran upstairs and put the miniature Sayvna on his pillow and tossed his egg upon his bed. He quickly stripped his clothes from his body before dousing himself with a quick cleaning charm and changing into fresher clothes that didn't smell like rotting meat and burnt hair. He was coming back down the stairs when an awful screeching filled his ears, prompting him to cover them with a yell until it stopped. Only then did he make his way down the stairs the rest of the way, noting that Harry was holding his egg.

"It was someone being tortured!" Neville was saying. "You're going to have to fight the Cruciatus Curse!"

"I certainly hope not," Leo frowned, entering the common room. "Otherwise, I'm quitting the tournament and moving to Russia."

"You can't quit, Leo," Hermione rolled her eyes. "You're contractually obligated to compete -"

"I didn't sign anything – some other arsebiscuit did," he replied crossly before perking up slightly. "Now, I thought this was supposed to be a party?"

The party resumed after that, with Leo laughing and joking with the others in his house. The party took a more hilarious turn when Neville bit into a Canary Cream, turned into a canary, and returned to himself in under a minute. He laughed along with the rest of the Gryffindors and several more people found themselves victims of the Creams until the party ended near one in the morning.