𝐕𝐈𝐕𝐀𝐂𝐈𝐎𝐔𝐒 - the wizarding world

IV. A NIGHT TO REMEMBER

IV. A NIGHT TO REMEMBER
__________

The sixth years had all passed the nonverbal spell test, having successfully jinxed someone and protected themselves against a jinx, all wordlessly. They should, according to the curriculum, be moving onto the Imperturbable Charm. However, it seemed like Professor Moody had other plans as he set down a large bowl covered by a blanket on top of his desk.

"Watch and quiver, kids," he said and pulled the blanket off, revealing a sickly green creature with sharp little horns with its face pressed against the glass, pulling faces and flexing its long, spindly fingers. "Evans?" he barked, looking at her with a drawn eyebrow.
           
"Uhh..." she dragged. "That's a grindylow, sir," she answered.

Moody clapped his hands loudly. "Indeed it is!" he exclaimed, licking his lips feverishly. He took out his flask and swung it back, taking a large gulp from the drink inside. It didn't quite seem like he enjoyed the taste.

"This creature was on the third year curriculum last year. We're doing it now," he said, his eye racing over each student, lingering on Ivy. "This particular one was caught in the Black Lake right here at Hogwarts," Moody continued, his single eye still trained on Ivy. "They're largely domesticated by the merpeople living under the surface, they use them a guards to their habitat, but some are still wild. Like this one," he ticked his gnarled finger against the glass.

He moved behind his desk and pulled his chair out, taking a comfortable seat. "By next lesson I want a summary of chapter twenty-one on my desk from all of you. Dismissed," he said before adding, "Evans, stay back a moment."

Ivy shared a worried glance with Fred and George as they walked out of the room. With a sigh, she turned back and walked up to Professor Moody's desk, the Grindylow following her every move. She took a small step away from the creature.

"What d'you think?" Moody asked.
           
"Of what, Professor?" she asked carefully, still creeped out by Moody.
          
"The book, of course," he answered, the sly smirk on his face growing.
           
Her eyes widened as she stepped forward. "You put it in my bag?" she exclaimed. "But you aren't allowed to help the champions!"

He shrugged. "And I did nothing of the sort, d'you hear me? You keep your mouth shut about the book. I never helped you and I never helped Harry, okay?" he waited for her to answer.
           
Ivy swallowed deeply before nodding silently.
           
"Good. Now leave. And," he quickly said, "keep this lad in mind. Dismissed."
           
She nodded once more and rushed out of the classroom, more confused than ever.

♡ ♡ ♡

The Professors held no mercy for the sixth years, assigning them heaps of homework for the holidays. Ivy spent most of her time in the library, alone since Iris was not accompanying her anymore, trying to get her work done before term ended.

When term finally did end, Ivy was in no mood to work and spent the week leading up to Christmas enjoying herself as fully as possible, and trying to teach Fred some decent dance moves.

Another Hogsmeade visit passed, this time Ivy spent it going Christmas shopping with Henri. At the end of the day she had stocked up on presents for everybody, which was a lot more people than usual since she was friends with a load more than before.

Gryffindor Tower was hardly less crowded now than during term-time; it seemed to have shrunk slightly too, as its inhabitants were being so much rowdier than usual.

Fred and George's pranking business was booming, their Canary creams doing especially well. The first couple of days of the holiday, people kept bursting into feather all over the place. Since then, every Gryffindor knew to inspect each and every candy with extreme caution before eating it. Fred had intrusted Ivy with the top-secret information that they were now working on developing something else, but what they were working on they could not disclose yet.