Curiousity Killed the Cat

After Ron’s nervous break down, as I would put it, I left their room and headed for mine with the idea of changing out of my sleeping clothes and into something for the day. Hermione and Ginny were both up, talking about the wedding, which was tomorrow. I grabbed a looser jeans than I usually wore, a grey tank-top and a pair of tan flats. After I put those on, I decided that I’d just leave my hair down, seeing as it was somewhat decent looking today, a first.

“Do you think mum would let me out of the wedding if I took one of Fred and George’s treats that make you sick?” Ginny asked, pulling a pink-ish long sleeve shirt out of her dresser. She held it up, debating whether it was worth wearing and decided that it was.

“Doubt it,” Hermione said, pulling on a pair of jeans.

“I still don’t understand why I just can’t be a cat,” I said, toying with a blond strand. “I mean, Harry has a disguise and I am a wanted criminal…”

Ginny snickered. “Try telling mum that, see what she says.”

“I don’t think you are that wanted, Elyse,” Hermione said, shaking her head but grinning.

“I am wanted for the murder of two Muggles, plus I escaped from Azkaban and have some powers that would be helpful to the Dark Lord. On top of all that, I am also an unregistered Animagus!” I said, trying to make it seem like I was on the “Minster’s Most Wanted” list.

Hermione grinned. “And you were also rated “Hottest Girl” at Hogwarts.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Where does it say that?”

“The boys bathroom,” Ginny said, shrugging.

“And you would know this because…” I urged, still not understanding this.

“Harry told us,” Hermione said simply, putting on a pair of earrings.

I sighed. “I like my criminal record better.”

“Good morning, ladies!” Mr. Weasley said as we appeared in the kitchen. He was sitting at a chair drinking some coffee, which meant my morning was suddenly much better.

“Morning Mr. Weasley,” I said, pouring myself a cup of coffee, before sitting next to Ginny. We heard Fred and George come down the stairs, having arrived last night from Diagon Alley, followed by Bill, who was still sulking about his hair cut.

I was talking to Fred and George about their newest jokes, which they had given me to test, when Ron and Harry stumbled down the stairs. I don’t think Harry had time to brace himself when Mrs. Weasley embraced him in a rather bone-crushing hug.

“Happy birthday, Harry!” she said, still hugging him. I hid my grin by taking a rather large sip of coffee, burning my tongue in the process.

Karma.

After she finally let Harry out of his grip, who looked forever grateful, she hurried into the living room and pulling out a large, white box which contained the bridesmaid dress which was…um, pretty?

“Mum, I will jab my wand in my eye if I have to wear that,” Ginny said, mouth agape at the fabric.

I snorted but once I saw Mrs. Weasley’s glare, I helped myself to more coffee.

“Ginny, you will wear the dress and you will enjoy it,” she snapped, causing Ginny to glare but go back to her breakfast.

The owl came with The Daily Prophet and Mr. Weasley was the first to grab it. After scanning to make sure the Dark Lord wasn’t, like, right outside our door, he passed it to me. I was reading page three when I nearly choked on my coffee.

“Ten thousand Gallons awarded for the capture of murderer and Azkaban escapee Elyse. Criminal is known to be dangerous and unstable. Charged six years ago for the murder of her Muggle parents and is known associate of mass murderer Sirius Black. Wanted alive.”

I felt my coffee mug slip out of my hand, crashing onto the ground and sending coffee flying on my jeans. The blazing heat finally snapped me out of my trance and I jumped out of my spot.

“Oh, crap! I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it. Oh damn,” I said, stumbling over my own words. Hermione pulled out her wand and in a blink of an eye, the mess was gone, replaced with a confused expression on everyone’s face.

I opened my mouth to speak but then closed it. “I have to go.”

Ignoring everyone, I transformed into a cat and ran upstairs to do the thing I knew how to do best.

Hide.

“What was that all about?” Fred asked, watching as the black cat sprinted out of the kitchen, heading up the stairs.

Ginny picked up The Daily Prophet, which she was reading before she freaked out and read over the page, gasping.

“What is it, dear?” Mrs. Weasley asked, hurrying into the kitchen.

“Ten thousand Gallons awarded for the capture of murderer and Azkaban escapee Elyse. Criminal is known to be dangerous and unstable. Charged six years ago for the murder of her Muggle parents and is known associate of mass murderer Sirius Black. Wanted alive.” Ginny read out-loud, allowing the room to fall into a deep silence.

“I’ll find her,” Harry said, getting out of his spot and following the trail the black cat went, upstairs.

“They really do make a lovely couple,” Hermione said, despite the situation.

But no matter what happiness they could find in this situation, one thing was ringing over and over again in their heads.

Wanted alive.

I probably would have been able to stay hidden all night if that damn ghoul hadn’t given me away.

Mind you, the last thing I wanted to hear was about how there is a ten thousand Gallon award on my head, alive none the less. That meant that it wasn’t the Ministry that was looking for me, it was the Death Eaters. They needed me and they were willing to pay a large amount of money to get me.

Aren’t I the popular one?

Back to the picture, so I was peacefully hiding up in the attic towards the back where it didn’t smell like shit and was quite cozy. I laid there, as a cat seeing as no human could fit up here, and closed my eyes, hating that my life was shitty.

Most of all, I really didn’t want them to find me because I was happy with the way life was playing off. I mean, sure I was blond but I had friends and people who really cared about me. Plus, for the first time in my life, I didn’t want anyone to get hurt because of who I was.

At the same time this was happening, I was grabbed rather harshly by that freaking ghoul, which looked surprisingly like Ron. He tried to “pet” me, thinking I was an actual cat rather than a very pissed off seventeen year old girl.

“Kitty!” he said, an ugly smile on his face as he held onto me tightly. I tried to get out but there was no use, he was strong for a major idiot. I hissed and bit him on the hand, causing me to be thrown, yes thrown, into the attic wall.

Of course, that throw to the wall caused a rather loud noise, causing someone to enter Ron’s room, which is where I got into the attic, and open the door.

“Elyse?” Harry said, eyeing my cat form carefully, as if he wasn’t quite sure if it was me or not. I ran over towards him, hissing at the ghoul, before hopping out of the attic and landing on Ron’s bed, which was gross. I meowed and jumped off of the bed and onto the ground, sitting down as I watched Harry watch me.

“Can you transform back?” he asked, still watching me.

I reluntlently turned back, getting a mouthful of blond hairs as I did. I pulled my hair back and stood up, brushing off the dust on my jeans.

“I can now add ‘attacked by a ghoul’ to my list of messed up things that happened in my life,” I muttered, crossing my arms against my chest.

“I read the paper,” Harry said, sitting down on his bed.

“So did I,” I said, sitting down next to him.

“Are you okay?” he asked, raising an eyebrow at me.

I sighed. “I… don’t know.”

“It’ll work out,” Harry said, pulling me onto his lap and wrapping his arms around me.

I leaned into his chest, closing my eyes. “I hope so.”