Catmione
Suddenly Lirum was back in the common room all eyes on them. They didn’t know what to say, or how to put what they felt into words that made sense. They still couldn’t breathe, their shirt was soaked with years and wouldn’t stop coming. The first person to move was George, Percy no longer blocking him from coming closer.
“Hey love, let’s sit down ok?” He spoke softly, taking a step forward but Lirum moved back without even being aware of it.
“I-I just…need a minute.” They croaked out still not fully there.
“Take as much time as you need.” George said just loud enough for Lirum to head him. They nodded in response, still struggling to breathe.
“You wanted to sit by the fire and read, remember? Let’s sit, get warm , find you something to read.” Percy said, attempting to coax them towards the fire. “You’ve gotten your shirt wet, let's get you something soft and comfortable.”
“Don’t rush them Percy!” Fred snapped, taking a step closer to the group.
“Shut up! You’re the one who started this mess why don’t you take that down before they freak out again!” Percy snapped back harshly.
“Another word from either of you and it’s out to the snake with you.” George threatened.
Lirum quietly made their way toward the fire while the boys argued, after a few minutes of snide remarks they separated. Fred And George begin quietly taking down the decorations, or at least as quietly as they could. While Percy had stepped away to grab one of his favorite books from his dorm for Lirum. They stay by the fire alone trying desperately to stop the shaking. Closing their eyes and letting themself smell take in the rich smell of fireplace smoke. It was oddly calming. Until they felt something grab hold of them dragging them back from their warm calm.
“Fred!” George yelled from across the room.
“They were shaking, it worked when Percy did it! They looked like they might hall into the fire!” He shouted back, defending himself, grip far too hard as he pulled them away from the fire.
“Ah right because Percy was the one who chased them through the hall! They’re trying to warm up and calm down and it’s your bright idea to grab them and jerk them around!” George spat.
“So this is all my fault now? How was I to know? You knew just as much as I did! You helped me set this all up!” Fred shouted as he let go of Lirum and turning to George.
“Unlike you my first thought was to make sure they were all right! All you did was pretend like they were ungrateful and start another fight with Percy!” George snapped angrily storming towards them. “Do you ever think about what they want, or how they feel or is it just you? I regret helping you with any of this! You had me convinced that you actually cared about them, you know that! All that talk about wanting to make them happy it was all rubbish!”
“That’s a lie and you know it! I’m the only reason you ever talked to them! You would have been happy enough to ignore them and let them ignore you!” Fred argued, screaming at his brother so loud even Lirum had to cover their ears.
“They were happier then! It was their choice to ignore us! They wanted to focus on school, but you couldn’t respect that! You don’t respect them, all you care about is this imaginary competition you have going against Percy!” George bellowed at him grabbing the collar of his jumper and snatching him up off the floor causing Lirum to flinch away before pushing Fred away from Lirum. “Go find anything to do besides harassing them!”
“You just want me to go so you can-“
“SHUT UP!” Lirum shrieked, all they had asked for was time. A moment for themself to calm down.
“Lirum?” They asked together.
“JUST SHUT UP!” They couldn’t breathe again. Their was the sound of a door slamming above them and then pounding footsteps, that stole Lirum’s attention.
I’m sorry, I-“ they both started immediately forgetting the argument they’d just had. Both tried to step towards them silently.
“STOP!” Lirum screamed, shaking, struggling to get enough air to speak. Percy came bounding down the stairs furiously. As he reached the bottom he immediately stormed towards the group by the fire. “I SAID STOP!”
The room froze. Everyone was starting and the air felt so thick you could drown. Percy sucked a sharp breath in turning to his brothers.
“What did you do?” Percy asked through gritted teeth.
“I didn’t do anything! You can blame George and his high horse!” George gasped loudly.
“Me?!” George screamed.
Lirum couldn’t take it anymore. They stood from the fire side and fled while the boys fought behind them. All they’d asked for was space, time, and quiet. None of those things could be in the Gryffindor common room. None of it could be found in a room full of Weasleys.
Lirum ran unsure of where they were going; just away. They found themself running down the stairs they couldn’t go back to the Gryffindor common room as they neared their own they heard footsteps and came to a stop to look down the hall.
Penelope Clearwater. Percy’s ex-girlfriend, ravenclaw prefect and most importantly one of the worst people Lirum could run into. Crossing the hall on her way to Ravenclaw tower. Lirum frozen, where could they go if the Ravenclaw and Gryffindor common rooms were of limits. Had any Hufflepuffs stayed that would notice if they went there, the kitchens could be safe if the house elves didn’t question their presence, but if they did where would they go.
The only place they’d been alone in the whole school had been the second floor bathroom. Well, aside from Myrtle they were alone but at that moment they could just cry together. So they turned and ran. Weaving through the endlessly stairs and corridors they finally made it. When they opened the door they thought they heard the sound of shuffling behind one of the closed stall doors.
“Myrtle? Is that you?” They said inching closer, as the door rattled again. Then they noticed feet beneath the door, and not ghostly ones either. “Who’s there!”
The door rattled again as the person seemed to try to hide inside of the stall as if they hadn’t already been caught. Watching the small feminine styled shoes move back they realised this was the same stall they’d found the second years in.
“Hermione I’ve already caught you in here before you don’t need to hide. I’m not going to tell Percy, I’d actually prefer we pretend we didn’t see each other here tonight. Secrets safe with me, as long as you just go back to the common room and let me stay here for a bit.” Lirum said lightly, trying to coax the second year out of the bathroom so they’d have it to themself.
“I-I can’t?” Hermione’s voice came from behind the door a bit shaky.
“Are you alright in there? Please don’t tell me you’ve gone and hurt yourself, this is really the last thing either of us need right now.” Lirum said, leaning against the wall.
“No?” She said questioningly.
“That wasn’t reassuring.” Lirum said, throwing their head back against the cool stone, exhausted. “ Well, come on out and let me see how bad it is.”
“Are you sure? I don’t think you’ll be able to help? It- it should go away soon.” Hermione said from behind the door.
“Please don’t take offense, but knowing you I have a hard time believing that.” Lirum groaned, as the lock came undone and the door creaked open. Out stepped hermione who’d halfway turned into a cat. Black fur and large yellow eyes stared at them. “Oh Merlin, I have to ask. You know whatever this is, is not how you become a metamorphmagus…or an animagus, right?”
“I know that! You can’t just become a metamorphmagus, and becoming an animagus is a long process that takes someone skilled in potions and transfiguration and must register with the ministry upon completion.” Hermione said stubbornly.
“That was a joke, but clearly it didn’t land. You are a skilled witch in both areas and I’m not saying you couldn’t if you wanted to but I need to know, How? I just need to know how you did this to know if there's even a way to help.” Lirum said, looking at Catmione.
“This is not a laughing matter!” Hermione snapped whiskers twitching.
“You sound Like Percy,” Lirum laughed. “I guess I needed a good distraction.”
“If you intend to parade me around like you did Harry-“
“No no, just for me.” Lirum said testing against the wall.
“I don’t-“ she started before getting cut off by Lirum.
“So, how did you do this to yourself?” Lirum asked, amused.
“Well, we were brewing a polyjuice potion-“
“A polyjuice potion?! I asked you to do one thing! One! Don’t try to get yourselves killed this year!” Lirum demanded. “Do you know how dangerous that is? Why are three second years attempting to brew a polyjuice potion? Don’t you know how dangerous it can be if it’s done wrong? Well, I guess you do now.”
Suddenly the door busted open and Catmione ran back into the stall slamming it shut and locking it. Harry and Ron came running in their socks and Slytherin robes.
“Well, it wasn’t a complete waste of time,” Ron panted as he closed the door. “I know we still haven’t found out who’s doing the attacks, but I’m going to write dad tomorrow and tell him to look under Malfoy’s drawing room.” He said to Harry who starred oddly at himself in the mirror.
Ron ran to Hermione’s stall not even noticing Lirum sitting against the far wall. “Hermione, come out, we’ve got loads to tell you!”
“Go away!” Hermione squeaked, here they went again.
“What’s the matter? Ron asked. “You must be back to normal by now we are-“
Moaning Myrtle glided past the stall door looking far too happy. “Ooooooh, wait till you see, It’s awful!”
“Shut up myrtle!” Lirum shouted from their spot at the wall.
“Lirum?” The Boys asked snapping around to face them. The door snapped open behind them and Catmione stepped out once more.
“It was a c-cat hair!” She bowled. “M-Millicent Bulstrode m-Must have a cat. And the p-potion isn’t supposed to be used for animal transformations!”
“Come on Hermione, let’s get you to the hospital wing.”
“You’ll be teased something dreadful,” Myrtle sang. “Wait till everyone finds out you’ve got a tail!”
“Myrtle, if you don’t want to die twice, I suggest you stop!” Lirum said, eyeing the ghost who flew back into the toilet. “Come on kids, let’s go.”
“Lucky Madam Pomfrey never asks too many questions.” Harry said as the group left the second floor bathroom and headed toward the hospital wing together.
As they approached Lirum thought they heard footsteps. Then they heard running.
“Lirum!” Percy’s voice called from behind them.
“Oh, Percy.” Lirum said awkwardly as he came running toward them. “You lot go on ahead I’ll catch up.”
“Lirum, are you ok?” Percy asked frantically. “The way you left earlier, your hair was black, you were shaking, and you-“
“I’m ok now Percy.” Lirum said calmly but exhausted. “I'm just a bit tired.”
“ Where were you? I looked and looked, everywhere I could think of! I went to your dorms, I thought you might have gone to the kitchens, I even went to the dungeons! I couldn’t find you anywhere!” Percy listed worriedly.
“I saw Penelope going into the dorms and thought it was best I just avoided her so I went to the only place I thought I’d actually be alone, the out of order bathroom on the second floor.” Lirum explained halfheartedly.
“I was so worried, we should get you back to the common room.” Percy said, trying to collect himself.
“I could use the rest, but I don’t think you boys can stop fighting long enough for me to do that. So I don’t think I’m going to bother.” Lirum said, taking a step back.
“No! No, not again. If anyone starts being loud you have my permission to go up stairs and lock yourself in my room. Well technically it’s me and Oliver’s but my bed is the one not surrounded by quidditch posters.” Percy pleaded.
“I’ll hold you to that.” Lirum smiled.