After dinner, exhaustion from the train journey finally caught up with me. The familiar comfort of home made my eyelids feel heavier with each passing moment. I hadn't even bothered to unpack, simply grabbing my pajamas and changing. As I was about to collapse into bed, something felt off - there was a distinct lack of warmth against my side where Jarvey usually nestled.
Looking down, I realized I'd left him tied downstairs. With a weary sigh, I trudged back down the creaking steps.
Even though i could barely see because I of how sleepy I was, my steps were measured and thoughtful, well at least I thought so until I walked forward too much, my ankle landing on the edge of a step as I slipped.
"Oh crap," I murmured falling quickly around the remaining eight steps, as if they had been spilled by butter though I was able to catch myself on the railing before I fell onto the wooden floor at the end of them.
I look up wondering if mom or dad had heard me, I didn't hear a door open so I began walking to the living room.
Jarvey was still tied to the post, thrashing about in silent fury. The silencing charm had worked brilliantly - a fact I was particularly proud of, given how much practice I'd had with it at school. I unclipped the leash, and his struggles intensified. Picking him up by the scruff of his neck, he immediately went limp after which I carried him upstairs.
I walked up the stairs carefully each creak of them, making me wince wondering if that creek would be the one to make my parents up thankfully I was lucky and that didn't happen meaning I got back to my room quickly enough, closing my door quietly and slowly (which thankfully didn't creak).
"I'm going to take off the silencing charm," I told Jarvey as I set him on my bed, "but it's time for bed so be quiet."
He nodded, looking deceptively innocent. The moment I flicked my hand to remove the charm, he burst out, "You blonde haired bastard-"
Another flick of my hand, and blessed silence returned. I climbed into bed, pulling him close despite his indignant squirming. He was warm and soft, like a living hot water bottle, though I'd never admit that to him. Eventually, he settled down, his long form curling against my side.
As sleep began to creep in, my mind wandered as it always did, spinning through the day's events like pages in a book. But instead of dwelling on spells or magical creatures, my thoughts kept returning to that vision of the Dark Lord, something I hadn't been able to shake of me after the vision.
Those crimson eyes haunted me, but it was his magic that truly disturbed me - fractured and wrong, like a mirror shattered into a thousand pieces and poorly reassembled.
Unlike the clean, natural magic of the Thestrals or even the deadly power residing in Dumbledore's wand, Voldemort's magic felt corrupted. It was as if he'd taken something pure and beautiful and twisted it into something monstrous. Even in my half-conscious state, I wondered how anyone could deliberately break their own magic that way.
The questions followed me into my dreams, probably because I wasn't really given any answers about the wizarding war whenever I asked Flitwick, which was weird since he always helped me, well unless it involved stealing stuff.
When morning came, sunlight streamed through my window, painting warm patterns across my face and Jarvey's fur. I removed the silencing charm with a lazy wave of my hand.
"Huh, did I sleep in?" I mused, stretching luxuriously. "I never slept in while at Hogwarts. Must be because you're so comfy, aren't you?" I patted my bed appreciatively, feeling the familiar give of the mattress. There really was no place like home.
Rising from bed, I left Jarvey curled contentedly on my pillow, his small form rising and falling with each breath. My trunk sat in the corner, still packed with all my school supplies, protected by the extension charm Mum had cast on it. I opened it up, the familiar scent of parchment and potion ingredients wafting out.
"I Cast Gravity Upheaval," I whispered, feeling my magic flow out like water finding its own level. The spell caught hold of my possessions, lifting them gently into the air. Books, robes, my pewter cauldron, various potion ingredients, my telescope, and several 'borrowed' library books (the thought of Madam Pince's reaction made me snicker) all rose from the depths of my trunk.
The sound roused Jarvey, who blinked sleepily at the floating items. "What are you doing, Mary Poppins? Are you going to give me a spoonful of sugar?"
"Wait, how do you know Mary Poppins?"
"As I said before, I'm a very cultured Jarvey."
[Song: A Spoonful of Sugar, Mary Poppins]
The reference sparked something in me, and before I knew it, I was grinning. "Well, you know what Mary Poppins said - all you need is a spoonful of sugar."
"For every task you undertake,
becomes a piece of cake.
A Lark! A Spree!
It's very clear to see...that"
As I said this every clothing, book, ingredient and whatever was around me began to circle me faster and faster.
"A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down
The medicine go down
Medicine go down
Just a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down
In a most delightful way"
As I said this I began to click my fingers making the stuff go to my cupboards.
"A robin feathering his nest
Has very little time to rest
While gathering his bits of twine and twig
Though quite intent in his pursuit
He has a merry tune to toot
He knows a song will move the job along"
As I sang Jarvey himself began to whistle along with the tune, seriously this was so much fun.
"For a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down
The medicine go down
Medicine go down
Just a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down
In a most delightful way"
I whistled myself, orienting the stuff as it was placed, snapping my fingers, making the stand go into the corner, the guitar placed upon it, the books perfectly placed on the shelf.
"The honey bees that fetch the nectar
From the flowers to the comb
Never tire of ever buzzing to and fro
Because they take a little nip
From every flower that they sip
And hence (and hence)
They find (they find)
Their task is not a grind
Ahhh"
When we reached the last part, Jarvey himself was singing.
"AAAHHAAAHHHH!"
I turned to look at him who looked at me with the same expression.
"Cheeky."
I changed into my clothes, actual clothes, not just wizard robes, a blue hoodie, with grey pants, and a greyish vest to top it all off.
"Spit spot, and of we go." I said tapping my shoulder to which Jarvey took as sign to jump on.
"I Cast fly."
The magic surrounded me as I floated out of my room and to the stair rail, siting on it. While I whistled, Jarvey himself continued to sing the chorus.
"Just a spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down,
The medicine go down, the medicine go down,"
As Jarvey sang I simply whistled, my magic propelling me across the railing, my dad who was going up the stairs himself probably wandering what all the racket was, stared at us as we floated by, I floated of the railing and walked to the door.
With my remaining magic from Gravity Upheavel, I opened up the door and waved goodbye to my dad who was just staring at me, I forgot he had never seen me use magic before. The door closed behind me with my magic, it was time to visit Louise.
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