Intruder
After that final match between Vi and Jayce the latter found himself drowning in praise and teasing the former for the following days. In turn Vi got 'grumpy' and started becoming rather cold to Caitlyn who proceeded to apologize profusely. It was a rather comedic sight the day Caitlyn dragged Jayce to Vi by the ear and ordered him to apologize, which he did.
Vi burst into laughter. "Guys relax, I was just playing with ya. I'm not mad."
There was a moment of silence between the three until Caitlyn caved and punched Vi's shoulder hard enough for her to reel back.
"Oh you insufferable prat!" Caitlyn huffed which caused Vi to burst into another round of boisterous laughter.
From there the group was split up. Ekko and Powder focused on their secret project. The older Piltovans were focusing on their upcoming NEWTs while the 5th years were toiling over their OWLs.
"Yes, I asked the house elves to make me espresso. Now I'm going to chug all 4 cups of this so after this shit is over I can crash and actually fucking sleep." Vi growls to a concerned Claggor and Mylo.
"I don't feel too bad right now. Comeback tomorrow and I'm sure I'll have a more colorful answer." Caitlyn mumbles flatly when Viktor and Jayce come to check on her.
"Your aim is off- Oh no. Now look what you've done. You've squished it. Now it can't walk." A concerned Hufflepuff hears Abby muttering to Sky while they practice for Transfigurations.
"If I don't get all O's by the end of this I will feel severely cheated." Mel seethed behind her pile of books and notes.
Eventually the exams began.
"I wish for the sweet embrace of death." Abby grumbles as she collapses on the grass under their tree.
"I don't usually mind standardized testing, or academic testing of any kind really since I am used to it, however, I will gladly pay to skip my future NEWTs entirely." Caitlyn declared, sighing once her bum was comfortably seated on the grass.
"Last one wasn't all that bad, Cupcake." Vi chimed in, the only one who seemed rather chipper.
"You don't get to say shit, Vi. You're an ace at DADA." Mylo growled with no real heat.
"He's right. You and Caitlyn even had bonus points in Transfigurations since you got your animagus forms." Added Claggor who collapsed beside his brother.
The group would groan and grumble and whine until their shoulders felt less like the world sat on them. Then their younger and older friends would join them under the tree just for a while to rant before retreating to their houses to sleep before dinner.
Peck. Peck. Peck.
"Huh?"
Caitlyn slowly rouses from her light slumber at the feeling of something nudging her face. Cracking open an eyelid she sees a familiar pattern of feathers.
With a groggy voice she mumbles. "Owlington? What in the world are you-"
The short eared owl dropped the small note he was holding in his beak. Now slightly more awake she reaches for the note, using the faint light of the moon to read it.
Hey Cupcake. I can't sleep. Kinda lonely. Want to take a walk with me? I'll wait outside.
Now she was fully awake. How long had their feather baby been trying to wake her? Has Vi been waiting long? Was she still there? As swiftly as she could while staying silent she reached for her necklace, put it on and tucked her wand under her shorts.
"Thank you sweetheart. I'll see you outside." She whispers to the owl who lovingly nips her fingers before flying out the window.
Caitlyn slips out of her dorm, down to the lounge and with a single practiced thought morphs into her animagus form. Luckily the door still opened for her.
Waiting outside, pressed against the wall, low to the ground, was Vi in her wolf form.
There was an interesting skill that came with being an animagus. The ability to somewhat understand and communicate with both other animagi and animals. It was clearer with other animagi since they still retained their human intelligence. Even more so for Vi and Caitlyn who just worked at the same wavelength length. They couldn't have full blown conversations but Vander was rather surprised by how well they could play pass the message while shifted.
Upon seeing the familiar feline Vi shot up to her paws, ears up and tail wagging up a storm. 'Cupcake! Hi!'
In this form Vi was much more openly affectionate and excitable, proven by how she immediately starts nuzzling Caitlyn who purred in response.
Caitlyn in turn let out a silent 'murrp' and flicked her tail, pointing down the corridor. 'Lead the way?'
Vi and Caitlyn trotted down the hallways, paws silent on stone. After the first few hours of being rather grumpy that she was a cat she eventually accepted it. Especially now when hooves would have sent clacks echoing down corridors. Not to mention the highly acute senses and ability to climb up to high places. Their animal senses kept them from being caught during their occasional late night escapades.
Eventually they found themselves out in the castle grounds, paws tickled by the grass, dew sticking to their fur. The night breeze was cool and comforting.
Caitlyn brushed herself against Vi's leg, looking up at her with a soft meow. 'Feel better?'
Vi leaned down and pressed her nose to Caitlyn's forehead while her tail performed another round of violent wagging. 'Yes.'
Suddenly Vi felt a chill down her spine, a growl leaving her maw. Caitlyns fur bristled from the vibration being so close. Her tail began to lash back and forth. 'Danger?'
Vi lifted her head and sniffed the air. Her tail up and stiff, ears pointed forward. 'Danger.'
Both girls crouched low. Caitlyn following Vi's lead towards the Forbidden Forest. With the darkness cloaking their forms they made it to the old shack by the border of the grounds. That's when Caitlyn noticed something truly different with Vi. Her light brown eyes had been overtaken by black. Her hackles raised and a deeper, more feral, growl forced itself from her throat. In a panic Caityn focused on the border. There.
The figure was barely noticeable in the dark but the faint purple glow under their cloak gave them away. Caitlyn hissed, fur standing on end and claws dug into the ground as a memory from their third year resurfaced.
A human figure cloaked in obsidian black robes, unseen face masked with steel that released purple smoke—"I finally saw who did it. That masked figure. He laughed, I still remember the sound."
Fuck fuck fuck fuck what the hell was one of them doing here?! Oh no no- VI!
Vi sped towards the would be Intruder. Knowing she couldn't keep pace with a wolf she shifted back into her human form and pulled out her wand. The figure noticed Vi on the approach and raised his own wand.
"EXPELLIARMUS!" Caitlyn bellowed and her aim was true, knocking the wand out of the figure's hand.
Vi took this chance and leapt at them, slamming her paws against their chest and pinning them to the ground. Hackles raised and growling like a growling like a true wolf she grabbed the mask on the figure's face, teeth digging into the metal, and ripped it off.
Under it was a lean man with blonde hair and a face Vi remembered well. Suddenly her ears pick up a muffled crunch. The figure started twitching, convulsing, veins popping out filled with purple liquid, eyes changing and glowing with the same toxic shade. Before Vi could react she was being grabbed by the throat. She felt her neck burn under her thick fur, a pained yelp tore itself from her throat. Next thing she knew she felt a burst of magic, her back slamming into a tree, the feeling of transforming back into her human form, and a voice.
"VI!"
"Vi!"
"....vi…."
With her fading conscience she muttered under her breath.
"Deckard."