Thea Howell and The Boy Who Lived

Chatper 5: Bubble, Bubble, Boys in Trouble

My skin felt soft under the water, soaking into the moments as if each were a warm and fragrant bubble bath. Large rainbow spheres floating around my head, the warm air gave an unexpected levity to the bubbles in their wingless flight.

I'd been enjoying my first week — Star-gazing on Wednesday, spending the afternoons with Sprout, then practicing the art of turning toothpicks into needles, and then Magical History right before dinner, making us all feel sleepy - after waiting desperately for years to accepted, I couldn't contain my smile. Some children were too scared to even talk to them, becoming pale and still, which made no sense. Flitwick was as cute as a button, Sprout had a heart the size of a pumpkin, McGonagall is stern but fair and Professor Binns was so old and senile that he fallen asleep in front of the staffroom fire and was now a ghost. Still gets Emeric the Evil and Uric the Oddball mixed up, though.

Then there was Filch, the care-taker and an old man with hair like straw. I guess I could understand why he was scary, having a voice of an out-of-tune violin, he'd scream across the hallways if you were caught sneaking about. Some were even terrified of Mrs. Norris - a scrawny, dust-coloured with bulging, lamp-like eyes and senior cat of Filch - whom patrolled the corridors as we walked past. Everyone seemed to be afraid of breaking any rules around her, despite the fact that she's lost all of her teeth to old age and as a heavy addiction to cat-nip. There was only one teacher I considered scary and my class with him was today.

Brushing away the thought, I hear a familiar snicker, "Figura Lepus," and watch as the sudsy circles morph into into rabbits. Moving slowly, galloping in their sweet way, they preened their faces as they go. 

So cute!

My faces meets a funny ghost, with dark eyes and a wicked grin as he chucks a snake at me. Quick as a flash, my hands rummaged for the snake, revealing it to be made of rubber.

I smiled, "Ten years and still trying, the rabbits were a nice touch,"

Peeves cackled at the prank before rummaging through my bag, "Classes! Classes! Classes! No fun at all," I folded my arms, popping a rabbit or two, until I heard him whistle - Oh boy, "Oooh, Snivel's class, now that will be fun to watch," I slowly sunk into my bath, letting the water fill my ears until they popped, waiting for the misty man to disappear "—And you'll be with a celebrity."

Right, Potter. The smallest boy in school - Ever since he arrived, people has been whispering his name throughout the corridors and common-rooms. And while it made sneaking out of bed easier - I hated these secrets.

"Peeves, who is Harry anyways?" I gasped, sucking in the water. My body shoot up from the water as I coughed horrendously — Peeves laughed. But I continued, "What's so special about him?"

"Surprised you didn't know, after all that with Voldy?" He giggled as I struggled to breath. He moved around me, creating a low fog, floating above the water. The lanterns went dim as a hooded figure arose from the water, "Well, It is told on Halloween night..." waving his hands around.

"Really?" My eyebrows furrowed into a disappointed face.

"Shut your trap and listen!" Peeves said, ripping off his clock, "It is told on Halloween night, Voldy had begun gather new followers, brought them over to the dark side. Viewed that muggles were weaklings among the races and anyone who stood up to him ended up dead. Many witches and wizards fought against him, but nobody lived once he decided to kill them. With the one curse no one can survive. Nobody... not one... except—"

"Harry?"

"Shush!" Peeves growled, kicking his legs about.

"Well, that's just stupid," I huffed, as I stepped out of the bath, "Maybe the crook hit a mirror or maybe the parents placed a protection charm," My hand grabbed the towel and dried off my hair — the rabbits still hopping about, "There's no way anyone, let alone a baby, can be that powerful,"