Head In The Clouds
“Whoa~! That must’ve stung!”
“Oh, it’s just a scrape. She’ll be fine.”
Catallena lay on the cold stone floor, her head spinning and eyes unfocused. The shadows of three people loomed somewhere over her.
“Right! I’m sure she doesn’t mind. She’s not asking us to stop, is she? I’m a bit curious, though, aren’t you? What’s her limit, if not being doused in Hallowe’en pudding or kicked around a bit?”
“Maybe we should push her from somewhere higher up? Those stairs maybe?”
“Eddy, mate, you are truly evil!”
“C’mon, you take that arm and I’ll take this one. Nancy, make sure no-one’s coming!” Catallena was hoisted up. The movement made her even dizzier.
Nancy, the shadow with the blinding teeth, sneaked back down the corridor and joined them, laughing: “All clear! Go ahead and–” She came to a halt, her smile dropping. “Wait! Stopstopstop someone’s coming!”
Harry Potter was once again lost in the search of the incredibly uninteresting History of Magic classroom. He wasn’t in a hurry nor was he too upset over missing his class since old Professor Binns surely wouldn’t even care to notice the student’s absence. Instead, Harry had been examining the corridors, kicking multicoloured carpets and hoping that he wouldn’t end up finding the classroom before lunchtime. But as his luck would have it, he found trouble, as he stumbled to unintentionally face the silvery stairway that led to the Ravenclaw tower.
Before he could turn away and try another corridor, what he saw at the top of the stairs glued his feet to the stone floor. The chilling sight he was greeted with was that of three older Ravenclaws holding a resigned Catallena Nocturne by the armpits, practically hovering her over the steep staircase. As if deer caught in headlights, they stood perfectly still as well, staring at Harry with wide eyes.
After a few seconds the redhead – Eddy – piped up, feigning confidence: “Get lost, Potter! This doesn’t concern you.”
“Yeah, shouldn’t you be in class?” a tall boy who was wearing his tie untied around his neck followed up.
For a split second, Harry thought about just turning around and forgetting what he saw. He shouldn’t go around making enemies everywhere he goes. Draco Malfoy and the other Slytherins were already enough. But before he had the chance to act like a coward, his true feelings – his righteousness – won.
“Let her go,” Harry ordered, sounding about as confident and intimidating as he looked standing small below them, fumbling his robes for his wand. He didn’t yet know any spells for fighting. (Professor Quirrell had taught them null about defending oneself. He only talked about how to repel vampires, what lizards to avoid and how to get rid of ghosts.) He could only hope that the older Ravenclaw students wouldn’t bank on it.
Harry Potter – the boy who lived, the boy who defeated You-Know-Who when he was just a baby – was stepping up to them, challenging them to a fight. The boy had fought a mountain troll only a few days ago, and won. Rumour had it, he had also just gotten onto the Gryffindor Quidditch team as the youngest member in a century.
The older students shuffled nervously, eyeing each other. Only Catallena remained un-fidgeting. Her head was hung low and a few locks of hair had fallen in front of her face, hiding an already forming bruise on her chin where she had hit it on the floor. She could still taste blood from how hard the impact had made her bite the tip of her tongue.
No-one but Harry, looking up from his position from below the stairs, could see the discoloured skin and the watery eyes. The sight made him grip his wand tighter. He pointed it defiantly at the bullies, and stepped onto the first step of the stairs.
Something about those haunted eyes of Catallena Nocturne… Harry had looked into them on the night of Hallowe’en and felt a chill run up his spine. Catallena had fought alongside him and his friends against a troll and even saved Harry from a most undesirable death. Though they were creepy, those eyes had made Harry believe that this was a girl you would want as your friend. The gaze in them may have been slightly hollow, but they held no malice in them whatsoever. Never before had Harry seen such a warm shade of grey.
“Stay down there!” Nancy rushed to order, her teeth baring in warning like a dog’s, but Harry didn’t listen. The student’s reactions only gave him more courage to climb the steps one after the other. He uttered made up spells, pretending to be preparing for the hex of the century. They yelled at him to not come any closer, their wands pointed as well. They may have been smarter than him, more knowledgeable on spells than he was, but they weren’t nearly as brave.
When Harry was only halfway up the stairs, Nancy was the first one to take off in the other direction. Soon, only Eddy was standing on the landing, half-holding up a crumpled Catallena. He contemplated whether firing an offence spell in the corridors was worth the risk of detention or an even nastier counterspell from Harry. When only a few steps separated them, he seemed to decide against it and dashed to follow after his horrible friends.
Harry caught his breath, not having realised that he had been holding it the whole time. He knew he must’ve been pale in the face, but he was sure it was nothing compared to how Catallena looked. She sat hunched on her knees, looking down the blue-carpeted stairs she had only narrowly avoided crashing down. Her shakiness had returned tenfold.
Harry sat down next to her on the step of the landing and put away his wand. His hands shook as well. They both sat for a while, calming down from the ordeal and gazing down in front of them. A gentle ray of daylight danced on the two of them, filtered in through a painted window.
“Are you alright?” Harry asked quietly, not knowing what else to say. He turned to look at her on his left from below his unruly black hair, catching the dried spot of blood on her bottom lip. Her chin was already a faint shade of purple that kept flowering up her right cheek. She twitched a little at his question and then after a moment’s assessment, she nodded. Though doing that made the stone walls sway in her eyes like grass in the wind.
“How are you?” she whispered back, and if Harry hadn’t felt as worried and awkward as he did, then he would’ve found her question a little ridiculous. “I’m okay,” he tried to reply as casually as she had asked the question.
Harry hadn’t known how severe the bullying of Catallena Nocturne was. Like everyone else, he had avoided her to hopefully avoid further bullying of himself. Everyone knew that she had been picked as a target, similarly to Neville or even Harry and his newfound friends Ron and Hermione. However, no-one had hurt Harry like this. Malfoy had only threatened him with things like a duel or Draco’s father’s involvement.
Harry suddenly felt ashamed of himself for having looked the other way and accepted the mistreatment of a schoolmate. He couldn’t bring himself to look at Catallena’s darkening bruises again, instead keeping his eyes locked on the steep descent before him.
They sat in silence for a little longer, until Harry was sure that his legs could carry him. He pushed himself up and turned toward the girl, holding out his hand. She shook his hand for the second time and Harry let her, before he pulled her to a stand and took her slowly down the stairs and down long empty hallways. She didn’t question him. He had been nice enough so far.
The infirmary was lit in a cool light and it smelled of something indiscernible. It was nearly completely empty save for a sleeping Neville, who ended up there a lot. Harry only knew where the infirmary was because he had shortly visited Neville after the boy had broken his wrist during their first flying lesson, after all.
The two of them passed many empty white beds and medicine cabinets before Harry knocked on an office door. In an instant, a curly haired woman in an apron swung the door open and looked at them with a sharp eye.
“What’s the matter?” she hurried, clearly worried that something bad had happened. Harry didn’t have the time to explain before Catallena was already being sat on an empty bed. The busy woman poked around the girl’s face and pulled at her mangled tongue. Harry was slightly scared of the no-nonsense healer witch as well, so he shared the same wide-eyed look on his face with Catallena, who didn’t seem very thrilled about such an overbearing person in her face, giving her bad tasting potion and smelly ointments for the bruises.
The girl kept glancing Harry’s way and Harry tried his best to look encouraging, though each shake of Madam Pomfrey’s head made him wince. The disappointment and focus on the medi-witch’s face reminded him of Aunt Petunia. Harry had thought that this was a good idea – getting help, that is – but now he wasn’t so sure. He decided that he didn’t like the infirmary. Judging by the rigidness of Catallena, it was safe to say that she didn’t either.
As soon as the medi-witch went to her office to retrieve something, the two kids took off and disappeared out of the medical wing, Harry bidding a half-woken up Neville a rushed ‘goodbye!’ on their way out.
They had perfectly timed their escape for the lunch break. Harry pulled Catallena behind him, leading them to the red dinner table that was already stacked with meatballs and gravy. He sat down next to his friend and immediately made a plate for himself and then for the shy girl.
“Ummm… What is this?”
Harry stopped spooning peas onto Catallena’s plate and looked up at the ginger boy sitting opposite him.
“Ron…” Hermione, who had gone stiff herself, warned the boy.
“Don’t Ron me! I just want to know what has happened to make my friend lose his mind. Did Draco hex you? Did Snape hit you upside the head with Magical Drafts and Potions again?”
“What? No! I’m completely fine, Ron,” Harry furrowed his brows and returned to the peas.
“This,” Ron waved his fork with a fat meatball on it in Catallena’s direction “is not completely fine! It’s a death wish!”
It was true that many people had turned to look in their direction. Catallena’s blue-white hair and dark blue robes stuck out like a sore thumb in the sea of red robes and lion crests. Draco Malfoy could be seen standing on his seat on the other side of the Great Hall, muttering and laughing with his friends while craning his neck to see over the whispering Hufflepuffs and disappointed Ravenclaws.
“No, it’s Catallena,” Harry simply said, pretending like the attention didn’t unsettle him. He tipped a few potatoes onto his plate.
“Same difference!” Ron insisted.
“I think your yelling is what’s drawing the most attention, at this point, Ronald. Eat your food,” Hermione defended, though she was shielding most of her face not-so-subtly with her curly hair.
Ron kept grumbling the rest of the lunch. Hermione ate uncharacteristically quickly and then pulled out a book that she hid behind. Harry tried to act normally, talking about classes with the short-answered Hermione and laughing at the mischievous Weasley twins who were elated at the Ravenclaw girl’s sudden appearance. The girl in question pushed the peas around on her plate and listened to all the fuss around her. Catallena wasn’t very hungry after all that had happened that day.
After their lunch, Hermione practically took off running into the library, Ron (who definitely had no reason like studying to go to the library) marched right behind her. Harry watched the two vanish into the crowd leaving the Great Hall and then turned to see Malfoy approaching. Harry’s heart picked up its pace, dread flipping his stomach. They had to get away before Malfoy would start a fight.
Harry reached around for Catallena’s hand to take her somewhere where they would be left alone, only to find her already missing. He was shouldered by people passing him and pushed to go forward without his new friend.
The next time Harry saw Catallena was a few days later at the quidditch pitch.
Oliver Wood – the Gryffindor quidditch team captain – had the team on strict practice for the upcoming first quidditch game of the school year. Clearly, not even the ungodly amount of icy water being thrown down their backs was reason enough to cancel practice. In fact, the weather saw Wood elated, whisking through the rain on his broom and shouting words that Harry supposed were meant as encouraging or motivating. He seemed to think that the risk of getting struck by lightning at any moment would get the team to complete practice quicker.
Harry did think that it was a little excessive, however, there was a thrill in trying to spot and catch tennis balls thrown in the air when his vision was clouded by foggy and water stained quidditch glasses. Harry was also a nervous wreck. His anxiousness over his first ever quidditch game pushed him to do his best at practice. It also left him very tired after.
So when Harry’s feet finally touched the ground that evening, feeling stiff, he was ready for a warm bath and his cushy bed. He hoped that Hermione would be nice enough to let him copy some of her homework for tomorrow, because though it was only seven in the evening, he was sure he would fall right asleep if he sat down next to the fireplace of the Gryffindor common room to write notes.
But something else stole his attention. Now that Harry was no longer in the sky, a flickering of a blue flame caught his green eyes. The little beacon of light high in the stands, piqued his interest and called out to him more than the far away towers of the castle. Everyone else began their trek back to Hogwarts, yet Harry dragged his feet up the stairs that led to whatever was glowing so brightly.
Closer up, he could only just see the glowing outlines of a person in the stands through the pouring rain. He was startled to recognize the person as Catallena. A glowing hand waved at him. He waved back.
“Hi.” Harry sat down next to her on the bench. The rain thrummed on the wooden stands and a distant rumbling could be heard in the charcoal clouds. Catallena, soaked and wearing a deep blue coat, kept looking down at the lowering stands while kicking her feet. Harry couldn’t keep his eyes off of her.
He was so very curious as to why she glowed, but didn’t want to be rude and ask. He himself didn’t like being treated differently from the others, did he? He had learned the hard way that even in the magical world where uniqueness was more common, not everyone enjoyed being pointed out as an outlier. He was trying to think of anything to say, anything at all besides commenting on her hair (Maybe ask why she was sitting in the rain watching the Gryffindor quidditch practice?) but his mind blanked at her marvellous shine.
“Had fun?” Catallena carefully asked him, stealing a glance at his broom and uniform. She swept a bit of water out of her eyes and Harry subconsciously followed her movements, wiping the hair that had stuck to his forehead like glue out of his face.
“Yeah,” Harry breathed. Catallena nodded. “I don’t like flying,” she braved matter-of-factly, looking at the boy again and catching sight of his lightning bolt scar. Up here in the stands, Harry didn’t feel the need to swipe his hair back to cover it. She didn’t seem to want to comment on his uniqueness either, so they both sat quietly in agreement, unhiding.
“It can be pretty scary,” Harry admitted. “It was when I flew for the first time. Now I like it.”
“Why?”
Harry thought for a while before answering a little sheepishly: “It’s something I’m good at. Me. I don’t have to prove to anyone that I’m smart enough or that I know more about something than the others.”
Catallena didn’t fully understand why someone would have to prove to anyone else how capable they are. She truly didn’t care what anyone thought of her because she found that not many people thought of her anyway. And when they did, no amount of proving would convince them to think of her kindly. She supposed Harry was more likeable and popular, therefore his concern must be weighing heavy on him.
“And I get to wear this,” Harry joked, referring to the bright red quidditch uniform with a yellow lion on the front.
“Does it help?” Catallena asked curiously and this time Harry did dare laugh a little at her silliness. Catallena flinched at his laugh but relaxed into a slight smile when his laugh didn’t seem at all mean.
“Does it make flying less scary?” He giggled a little bit more. “I guess a bit. Seeing other people on the pitch wearing the same crest makes me feel a bit more safe than flying alone.”
Harry looked at Catallena who was examining the lion’s picture, and then at the sky where the clouds parted and the rain lessened slightly. A small flash of lightning lit up his plotting face.
“Here,” he said, taking off the shirt, leaving him in just the thick long sleeve he had worn under. “Put it on, it’ll help you too.”
At Catallena’s confused expression he nodded encouragingly and stood up from the bench. She turned the soaked fabric in her hands a few more times. Hesitantly, she took off her coat and handed it to a surprised yet grateful Harry, who wore the slightly-too-small clothing to shield himself from the chill. Catallena pulled the jumper over her head feeling oddly giddy. “Great! Now, let’s go!” Harry broke off to a run down the stairs, pulling the girl with him.
They ended up in the middle of the field, surrounded by the tall stands. Harry settled onto his hovering broom and gestured at Catallena to sit down behind him. The girl looked positively terrified.
“It’ll be fine. You won’t be flying alone. I’m great at this, remember?” She wrung her hands nervously and huffed a few times at his words. Looking down, the lion on his shirt met her eyes and roared mightily.
Catallena climbed behind him, wrapping her arms tightly around the coat she had lended him. Harry said something that the witch didn’t listen to before they pushed off the ground. Catallena squeezed her eyes shut. She felt her stomach falling with the height they rose to. It made her feel sick.
The cold wind whipped her face mercilessly. Cold water felt like sharp knives on her cheeks and nose. Breathing felt impossible with how fast they must’ve been going.
“It’s okay. Look!” Harry grunted from how tightly Catallena was holding onto him. It took several more minutes of coaxing to eventually get her to open her watery eyes, but when they finally took in their surroundings, they stood unblinking in wonder.
They were inside the clouds. One moment they couldn’t see each other in the thick air and the other they were witnesses to the gorgeous view of bubbling mountain-like cloud formations. Another flash momentarily illuminated the misty air light blue.
Catallena got excited. Harry smiled widely as she reached around them, trying to catch clouds with her small hands. He was even more entertained by the witch’s interpretations of cloud shapes that varied greatly: “George, jumping over a frog! A cat-fairy with a – an umbrella! A heart!”
The girl had completely forgotten her fear of flying. She was having fun playing in the clouds with Harry Potter, who even dared a loop or two. Catallena didn’t remember ever having had as much fun as she did then. Never before had she giggled so carefree – Not at story time with the ghosts back home, not in her garden, not at night in the school library – not ever. Harry loved hearing her contagious laughter that sounded like rose flavoured turkish delights tasted. Their laughter never left the sky, concealed by the clouds and the thunder.
They eventually broke out of the fading clouds, overseeing the Scottish highlands that moved like the sea under them. Harry lowered the broom further and Catallena was able to kick the grass as they whizzed past. They approached Hogwarts, the castle’s countless towers contrasting the dark sky with their warm windows.
Harry skillfully weaved between the greenhouses and other parts of the castle, going over and under bridges and stone arches. It was amazing how big the castle really was. No matter how many times they thought they were done exploring all of it, there was still somehow more to discover.
When the rain had reduced to light trickling and the sky turned less murky, they could see the moon peek out every once in a while. A yawn from behind him reminded Harry of his own tiredness and suddenly they were both fighting off sleep. Harry circled the Ravenclaw tower until they were at the very top where a window into the dormitories stood slightly ajar – just how Catallena liked to leave it so that her kitty on the windowsill could appreciate the fresh air.
It was only slightly difficult, but the girl managed to climb through the window and into her empty dorm room. It seemed the other inhabitants were hanging about in the common room. Harry peered into the room, never having seen the curious Ravenclaw tower from the inside before. Catallena introduced him to Princess Kisa. He seemed accepting.
“I’ll go now. I have potions in the morning and I’m dead tired,” Harry moaned. He looked perfectly alive to Catallena, but who was she to judge?
“Alright. Goodnight, Harry.”
“Goodnight, Catallena. Maybe we should fly again some day?”
“When it storms next?”
“Yeah, when it storms next.”
Harry smiled at his friend and pushed off the windowsill, falling into the darkness on his trusty broom. Though he was back in an instant, slightly startling Catallena.
“My first quidditch game is on Saturday. Will you be there?” He was slightly quiet, as if scared to hear her answer or scared to make such a request. “To watch, I mean. It’s against Slytherin so all of Gryffindor will be there, wanting us to win. It’s only the first match of the season so it isn’t such a big deal, but I was just wondering if you wanted to come? Ron and Hermione will be there and maybe you could be too and- and they're actually very nice and friendly, I don't know why they were being so mean last time. They'll like you a lot, I'm sure.”
“Okay.”
“Okay? Okay. So I’ll see you there?”
“Yes.”
“Brilliant! I mean, I want to see you before that as well. It’s only Tuesday. At lunch, you could sit with us. Or come to my practice. Or- or come to the library, we are there pretty much every day studying. We study a lot. Hermione makes us. We could study together if you were there too.”
“I like the library.”
“Cool! Me too! I mean, probably not as much as Hermione does, but I like it.” Harry was rambling, slightly red in the face, but the sparkle in his eye showed his happiness.
“Well, goodnight, Catallena. I’ll see you tomorrow?”
“See you tomorrow.”