Chapter 267 - Bramble’s Flight

As exams drew progressively even closer the Slytherin 5th and 7th years went into hyper overdrive again. The rest of the other years wisely left them alone including Terry and Reglusus, who abandoned their cats, Alchemy and Bram to their fate of being reverently worshipped. At this point in time, even Professor Slughorn was mildly concerned that there was a growing cult among his 5th and 7th years. Especially after the last time, when he ventured into the common room to find groups of his students fawning over the two cats as though they were holy beings.

Beating a hasty retreat, Slughorn may or may not have had permission when he slipped a couple of calming draughts into the 5th and 7th years drinks that night and once every week after that until the end of the final exams.

Rowan was sound asleep when a loud meow in-ear caused her to jump awake. Rather startled she turned to glare at the innocent figure of Alchemy on her bed, who was carrying a scrap of parchment in his mouth. Taking the damp note from him, she softly hisses "You're lucky, you're so darn cute or else I'd turn you into a cauldron."

Alchemy purrs loudly as if to say, "But we both know that I'm much too cute for that."

With a sigh, Rowan grabs her wand from under her pillow and whispers, "Lumos!" Squinting her still sleepy eyes she reads,

"Rowan meet me in the common room!

Prongs aka James.

P.s. Pretty cool nickname, huh! Sirius is Padfoot. Peter is Wormtail. Lupin is Moony. We wanted to name Severus, Spider, but he said he was a bloody flying horse! So, he's Bramble now. Which we think fits him perfectly, since he's dark and prickly all about!

P.s.s. As it turns out, I can sneak into the Slytherin common room! Just not into the girl's dorms. I wonder why that is? Must be all the girl's dorms, I guess."

Rowan lets out a snort, before muttering a handy little spell that turns disintegrates letters into tiny little pieces. Scrambling out of bed in her pajamas, she grabs her warm robe and shoes. "You better keep my bed warm,' she says to the large fluffy cat on her bed.

Alchemy flicks his tail at her as if to say, "Naturally."

Giving Alchemy one last scratch behind the ears, Rowan stealthily sneaks out and creep's downstairs. Glancing about into the shadowy darkness of the common room with the only flickering light from the fireplace. "James?"

Not hearing an answer, Rowan sighs and says, "Prongs?"

"Over here," James cheerfully said as he revealed one of his hands. Pulling Rowan underneath, the cloak with him, he says, "Everyone else is already waiting for us outside."

"This better be good," Rowan grumbled under her breath as she stuck close to James. "We've got exams shortly upcoming and I would like to spend my time studying for them and not in detention."

"Relax, we'll be just fine," James said as they made their way outside towards the edge of the lake. Under the moonlight squid, tentacles can be seen at the surface as the Squid in the lake enjoys the lovely waning moonlit sky. There be a full moon in a week or so's time.

At the edge of the lake three playing animals can be seen as Lupin watches a dog, a rat, and a winged horse chase each other. Despite the winged horse's size, he was quite gentle and made sure not to hurt nor trample his playmates. The winged horse experimentally fluttered his wings for a few times, before raising his head to sniff the air. Letting out a happy neigh, he trotted past Lupin.

Lupin is about to call out when he sees James's invisibility cloak slip off to reveal his and Rowan's figure. Rowan raises her hand to the black-winged horses' nose as Severus happily rubs his nose into her hand to be scratched. "Mm, you're all hugs and kisses in his form," Rowan teased as the stallion lets out a loud indignant snort.

Chuckling Rowan makes her way over to Lupin as James rushed ahead and threw Lupin his cloak, before transforming into a stag. The stag happily begins to play around with a big black dog in a mock battle. "So, why was I dragged out here, Remus?"

"Severus, I mean, Bramble has been trying to figure out how to fly these past weeks and we finally think he's got it," Lupin said with a tired smile as the full moon was just around the corner. "Bramble wanted to show you first above everyone else."

"Is that so?" Rowan grinned as the dark-winged stallion at her side that snorted rather indignantly. "Well, Bramble, show me what you've got."

Bramble rather crossly flicked his tail at her, before stomping away. Lupin and Rowan chuckled as they watched the dark-winged stallion get further and further away. Feeling that it was time, Prongs, Padfoot, and Wormtail, all scrambled to where they were at. Wormtail came to a halt before her with a noisy squeak as Padfoot licked her hand much to Rowan's disgust and Lupin's loud laughter. However, Prongs was the worst as the stupid stag gave her a lick across the nose.

Luckily, Lupin pulled Rowan away before she cursed the bullocks off of Prongs. The night grew silent as loud hoofs could be heard as the black horse raced towards them. Black wings spread and slowly began to flutter and with a great leap, the horse leaped into the sky.

Rowan sucked in her breath as she watched the black stallion plunge for a moment back towards the ground, before gliding up into the sky. Flapping his wings, Bramble flies higher and higher as Prongs and Padfoot leap up in excitement as Wormtail let out amazed squeaks.

"That's pretty incredible," Lupin said as Rowan hummed in agreement.

"You know, Bramble can probably let you ride on his back someday," Rowan muttered as she watched the winged stallion fly high in the night sky. It would seem that she now had next year's project in mind.

"Maybe next year," Lupin said. "I think, that with exams this close and my own transformation, we won't have much time for sneaking out."

Sometime after, Bramble fluttered back down and to a galloping stop. Letting out a pleased neigh, with his head held high the dark-winged stallion trotted over to them. His whole demeanor screamed, "I told you, I could fly!"

A wicked glint appears in Rowan's eyes as she coos, "Who's a good boy?" Bramble lets out a loud huff as he turns his stout quarters at her and flicks his tail towards her.

"You've got a big butt, Bramble," Rowan said with a wicked grin to only hear a shriek of dismay from the dark-winged stallion as he craned his neck to stare at his stout behind.

"It's alright, there's nothing to be ashamed about your body image. You're naturally plump in your animagus form." This causes another shriek of outrage from Bramble as Rowan's Cheshire grin only stretches even further. What's the entire point of a sibling if not to tease them?

And so, it was for the rest of the night as they all returned rather late and arose with dark eyeshadow. Which Rowan blamed them entirely for. But at least they didn't get detention.