Starry skies and Gardenias

Chapter 95

Isabella didn't sleep a wink that night. 

Her wild card was now a cat. What a disaster!

She was hoping to convince Sirius to work for her using Regulus, and Regulus to help her using Sirius. But now all her plans were collapsing.

"Snow, this is so terrible," Isabella muttered, stroking her cat's fur. Snow Wiffle purred softly. 

"I would rather you speak, than that stupid cat," Isabella said matter-of-factly. 

She just hoped that in the morning, he would be fine.

Early next morning, she rushed to Slughorn's office, even before going to breakfast.

She knocked on the door and Slughorn answered it.

"Is he alright, sir?" Isabella asked worriedly. Then she held up Snow Wiffle who she had brought along.

"It was his fur, sir. I didn't know if you'll need it for anything," she said.

"Come in," Slughorn said, extremely tired, not having slept all night, trying to fix Regulus.

"Oh, dear," Isabella said weakly when she saw the indignant black cat on the table, its hands crossed. 

"That is not how a cat acts, Regulus," Slughorn said, sounding almost on the verge of giving up.

"I am a human, sir," Black said indignantly. "And what is that horrid creature in your hand?" he snarled at Isabella.

Snow Wiffle had given a similar growl, and Isabella thought Snow was thinking along the same lines as Black.

"This is Snow Wiffle, my pet cat," Isabella said stiffly, glaring at Black. 

Black snorted. 

"Snow Wiffle? What a stupid name,"

"You, good sir," Isabella snapped. "Are a cat. You don't get a say here. On with what I was saying, it must be Snow's fur that got caught in the potion, seeing as both of you are British shorthairs,"

"Only your cat's white," Black said. 

Isabella could imagine the shower of puns that would be rained down upon them if the Marauders were here at the moment.

Isabella shrugged. 

"Maybe your fur just took the colour of your hair," she said.

"Yes, it does seem likely," Slughorn said. "For now, Regulus, please, go to bed. I would like to have a lie down too. Then I can start over refreshed. It is a good old Sunday, we still have time,"

And that's what they did. 

So on Monday morning, Isabella went to Slughorn's office. 

And Black was still a cat. 

Slughorn looked like he had lost weight over the last two days. 

"Sir, I think you should rest," Isabella said.

"Yes," Slughorn nodded. "Yes, I should. And I also have punishments to hand out. It will take a few days for me to come up with an antidote. I've sent letters to good friends of mine, asking for help on this matter. And I have class in a few hours,"

He pulled himself to his full height and puffed his chest.

"Mr Black's punishment is that he will remain a cat and act like a cat until an antidote is found," Slughorn said. "And Miss Jefferson, for you. You have to take care of Mr Black in his helpless form and assist him in classes,"