The Underground

Chapter 12 - Touching the Sky

Elizabeth's mood of worry was only lifted that weekend when Maria took her aside in the library after lunch. "Follow me!" she cried happily, practically dancing around her with glee. "I did it!"

They went into the forbidden forest, into a clearing full of boulders and a few small bushes, behind which Maria went, telling Elizabeth to wait on the other side. Elizabeth did, and waited as some very strange noises began to emerge from behind the bush. Suddenly a great feathery thing erupted from the bush. It had a wingspan of twelve feet, a head the size of a hippogriff's and clawed feet gripping the top of a boulder. It was a giant hawk, many times the size of a normal one. And what was most remarkable, were its eyes, Maria's eyes. Elizabeth gasped. Maria was a hawk. 

Soon they were flying high above the castle, Maria's wings outstretched and Elizabeth holding on for dear life. She had never flown before, and didn't like it very much. Somewhere in the back of her mind she was wondering if her father had even ridden a giant hawk, or thunderbird, or other strange large animal. 

Maria went into a dive and Elizabeth screamed, she would fall and break every bone in her body, but Maria pulled up just in time, and let her slip to the ground before changing into a human once again. "See? Wasn't that AWESOME! I've worked so hard and I'm going to try to do two more. How does a doe sound?" Elizabeth was still too windswept to reply. So Maria continued, "Or a smaller bird, say, a sparrow, or blackbird? Or, an animal that can go in water and on land, like a turtle or dolphin? Oh, I'm so excited!" 

Elizabeth found her voice. "Are you allowed? I mean, have you been approved by the ministry?"

"No, not exactly." Maria said sheepishly, "But I will be! I asked the transfiguration teacher, Professor Govade if I could and he said he would contact the ministry for me. Don't worry."

Despite that request, Elizabeth worried. She worried on and off until Maria told her to stop. Maria did become registered by the ministry. She took Elizabeth on several more flights across the grounds, and Elizabeth loved it. After one flight, Maria told her that she had been cleared to try a doe. After a few deep breathes she changed into a doe with an odd looking stripe running down it's back. It cantered across the clearing and climbed up onto a rock, Elizabeth cheered. Maria the doe looked very pleased, and changed back without difficulty. Back in human form, she looked exhausted. Elizabeth helped her up to the castle where they both retreated to their dorms. On her way to bed that night Elizabeth was cornered by a fifth year boy who she recognized as Francis Verra. He handed her a slip of parchment and said, "Professor Slughorn, the new potions teacher, told me to give this to you. He started something called the "Slug Club" (sounds disgusting to me), but he invited me and you to join it." 

Elizabeth took the parchment and looked at it, she hadn't really been a good student to professor Slughorn, and she was wondering why he would invite her to this "Club". "Thank you," she said to the boy. She would have to find Maria and ask her about it.

The next morning, Elizabeth got up early to go to the library because she knew that Maria liked to go there before breakfast. She found her beside a stack of very thick books and told her about the invitation. Maria didn't seemed surprised at all. "He invited me too. I guess Professor Govade told him about my being an Animagus. He likes to get to know people he thinks will have a bright future."

"Has he talked to you about it?"

"Yes, yesterday after you went to bed, he asked me to come to his club and I accepted. I hope you will! It sounds like a lot of fun!"

When Elizabeth entered Professor Slughorn's office, she was surprised how few people had been invited. There were three Gryffindors, a girl and two boys, one Hufflepuff, a tall girl with a sour expression, four Ravenclaws, Maria being the most interesting of course, Francis Verra, and herself. Maria was already showing off her giant hawk to the Gryffindors and Hufflepuff, and was clearly enjoying the attention. Elizabeth lurked, half hidden behind a bust of Boris the Bewildered, and watched the goings on. She had never been good in crowds, she took after her father in that regard, but she had never let that stop her before. She could push past the discomfort and mix with the passing flow of students. But here she felt different, she guessed that it was that everybody else in the room had talents. She just had a famous father. She noticed Francis lurking off in the direction of the door and remembered that he had no outstanding talent either. She decided to be friendly with him, the only normal person in the room. She sidled up to him, reading the expression on his face. It was a mask, he was hiding his mood under a cover of complete boredom. "Hello." She said and moved him into the corner farthest away from the Gryffindors. She stood in front of him so he could not leave. "How um... How are you doing?" It was a painfully awkward question and she knew it, Uncle Jacob would be smacking his head against the wall if she was back home. Her father had a habit of making conversation a chore and it drove everybody nuts sometimes. 

"Sorry, can you move." His face had turned a shade of pink that wouldn't have looked out of place in a romance movie. He was clearly just as bad as she was at talking. She moved. "Thank you." He panted, and she realized he had become very white. She wondered if he was sick.

"Are you alright?" Genuine concern registered in her voice.

"I just need to breath, I'll be fine." He took several deep breaths while he left the small corner, "Small spaces make me lightheaded, I'm not proud of it." 

"Oh," was all she could say. Claustrophobia was not something she had considered encountering. As he puffed and leaned against the wall she took in his features. Brown hair, muddy green and grey eyes like a swamp, somewhat skinny but well built, and broad shoulders. She supposed that he was handsome in a peculiar sort of way, but she payed little heed to that fact. It wasn't an important detail. 

Maria suddenly turned into a hawk again and the Hufflepuff cheered as she flew up to the ceiling and back down, showing every inch of her feathers. Professor Slughorn was clapping and beckoning them to sit down in the ring of armchairs before the fire. He was calling the meeting to order. Elizabeth saw Francis regain his colour. They might both survive the evening. She saw Maria waving her forward, and went to join her friend.