THE AFTERMATH | RON WEASLEY [BOOK FOUR]

10. TOLD YOU SO

"Genevieve, you're not focusing."

Gene was brought out of her daydream suddenly by McGonagall's stern voice, shaking her head a little as she watched the Professor pacing the room.

"Sorry, Professor." she mumbled, sitting up straight.

"What's troubling you?" McGonagall sighed, sitting at the edge of her desk in front of Gene.

"Nothing. I'm fine." Gene lied.

"You will need all of your strength today, Genevieve." McGonagall reminded her, "This is no easy feat, even for a talented witch like yourself." she warned, causing Gene to break into a smile.

"You think I'm talented, Professor?" she asked, to which McGonagall clicked her tongue.

"Good to know that you are back, Miss Fiordalis. Now–" she stood up and raised her hand for Gene to follow her to the middle of the room, "Remember, you mustn't fight it. Show no fear." she told her before stepping backwards as a precaution.

Those words alone sent a wave of nausea over her, reminding her just how cowardly she was. The thought of Ron and Lavender trailing around the castle, snogging every second possible made her blood run hot. She felt a burst of fiery pain in her chest as she shut her eyes and relaxed her body.

"Use your senses, Genevieve. Feel your blood running through your veins. Let yourself feel it all," McGonagall said, and soon, her voice began to grow louder, almost ear-piercing and she winced.
Gene began to hear footsteps rushing against the stone floor, the vibrations passing through her feet and travelling across her body.

She could hear the voices of students that had to have been at least two floors down, the sounds of the water lapping against the lake, the owls in the Owlery. She could hear everything, all at once.

She could feel a tingling sensation in her legs, almost burning as the image of a snake began to form in her head. She thought hard, focusing her mind on it as she shut everything else out.

Soon, Gene felt her body constricting, feeling as though she was being sucked through a rubber tube and she tried not to be alarmed as she could feel her body lengthening, growing taller and taller and before she knew it, she was falling.

Gene attempted to put her hands out before her to break the fall, only to realise she had none, but she felt the cool of the stone against her stomach and found it didn't hurt more than a gentle tap on the back of her hand.

But she could feel the stone beneath her, against her bare skin. Was she naked? That would have been nothing short of mortifying considering she was barely two metres away from Professor McGonagall still. Except it wasn't skin she felt. It was scales.

"Merlin, Gene." McGonagall whispered, but to Gene it felt like she was right beside her.

When Gene looked up, she had been caught off guard to find her vision shifted, as though a filter was being placed over her eyes before being switched out. She could see McGonagall glowing a bright orange, seeing in infrared before going back to normal. Well, as normal as anything could get right now.

Gene was positively terrified. She didn't feel as though she had shrunk to the size of a snake, because if anything, she was bigger than her usual self. She was overwhelmed with every emotion possible. Her mind seemed to be sparking with thoughts and questions, but she couldn't ask a single one.