Tickling the Giant Squid and other Grand Adventures

45. Karou

Avila and I lay sprawled on the bed in my room, looking at all the painting supplies spread across my floor: tarps and brushes and palettes and cans and cans of paint.

"I had no idea my coin purse had an undetectable expansion charm," I remarked, looking around my room in awe. All my furniture had been moved into the middle of the room and was covered with thin sheets of plastic to prevent paint splatter. I was going to share Avila's room until we were finished.

"Pretty damn undetectable," Avila agreed, lying next to me. With a sigh, she heaved herself off the bed, paint splattered clothes rustling on the plastic. "We only have a week and a half to finish this, so we better get started."

"A week and four days," I corrected. I hopped off the bed, dressed in an old pair of sweats and a ratty old t-shirt.

"Still not as much time as I would like." Avila crouched and grabbed a can of primer. Let's get started then, shall we?"

Dec. 23, 2011: 3:12 pm

I flopped on the floor, discarding my still wet roller brush on the tarp. "My arms," I groaned.

"Don't give up on me yet," Avila laughed, sticking out a hand. "We have two whole other coats of primer to do." White paint smeared her cheekbones and flecked in her hair, though it was hardly noticeable against the dye job.

I groaned again and raised an arm to the sky. "Please, Master. Spare me."

She gave me a playful kick in the side as she rolled her paintbrush in the primer. "You want this room painted, you gotta get up and help."

I laughed, making my way to my feet. "Shut up. That was a prayer, you insensitive frog."

She raised an eyebrow, holding her roller to the wall. "Frog?"

I gave a decisive nod. "Frog." With those parting words of wisdom, I dipped my roller in the tray and started on the second coat.

Dec. 23, 2011: 9:42 pm

"Avila, I am literally going to fall over." I picked up one foot, standing like a flamingo as I rubbed the sole of my shoe. "My feet are killing me."

"That's because the floors are concrete. There's no give in concrete floors." Avila stood back and surveyed the walls. The door and my window were open for ventilation, and the walls were completely white. "There's no use doing any more work tonight. It's gotta dry."

I shrugged in a noncommittal manner. "I can spell it dry."

Avila gave me a cursory once-over. "You're dead on your feet, Karou. I'm pretty tired too. Let's just go to bed. A fresh start in the morning will be better than working through the night."

"You're the boss," I said happily. I grabbed my wand off my bed and pointed it at the empty trays, paint cans, and dirty brushes. "Scourgify."

The paint disappeared and I followed Avila out of the room, shutting the door to the bathroom and leaving the impenetrable cold behind.

Dec. 24, 2011: 7:23 am

"What do you want to start with?"

I squinted at the white walls, munching on the last half of my second bagel. "Teenagers in Harlem first." I swallowed the last of the bagel and tied my hair back. When I had looked in the bathroom mirror that morning, I had noticed my roots were showing, champagne against chocolate. I had respelled my hair a dark, blood red color.

Avila ate the last piece of her orange and wiped her hands on her pants. "No time to waste then. Let's get a move on."

Dec. 25, 2011: 12:23 pm

Avila and I trudged down the stairs, blinking groggily as one of my family members shoved hot cocoa in our hands. We had stayed up all night only to commence opening presents at five in the morning after that. We both decided it would probably be a good idea to take a break for Christmas anyways.

We went back to sleep shortly after that.

Dec. 31, 2011: 11:55 pm

I stretched and looked around the room. We had finished our base coats and layers of all the scenes and had just started the second round of details. It mostly just looked like expanses of colors and shadows, with vague outlines of people.

I tugged at a strand of Avila's hair. She looked up, slightly irritated. "What?"

"It's almost midnight," I said. "These are the last five minutes of 2011."

She shrugged. "And?"

I kicked her leg playfully. "We have to make a wish!" I sat on the floor next to her and thought about what I wanted. The clock in the hall started to strike midnight, and I quietly mouthed my wish.

I want to be Seeker for the Holyhead Harpies.

I opened my eyes as the bells finished tolling and smiled at Avila, who smiled back. We continued working in silence.

Jan. 5, 2012: 6:05 pm

I stepped back from the walls, eyeing them critically as Avila did the same. After a moment, I looked over to my friend.

"I think... we're done," I said in disbelief.

The walls looked fantastic, blooming with life and color. Avila gave me a hug, and I gripped her back tightly. "Thank you so much," I whispered.

"My pleasure," she said. Avila pulled back and spelled the brushes clean, stacking everything up neatly in the corner. "The train leaves tomorrow; we should probably pack up."

I nodded in agreement, and she went to her room, leaving me to pack by myself. I was fine with that arrangement. As much fun as I'd had, I think both of us were more than ready to go back to our separate dorm rooms.

My lips quirked up at the thought of seeing Farid again; I honestly couldn't wait to get back to Hogwarts.