“What is the matter? What do you feel? Can you tell where it is coming from,” questioned Crookshanks.
“Evil, everything feels so cold. It is so strong that even though I’m not used to your body, I know exactly what it means. Something of great evil is through that wall,” shivered Mrs. Norris.
Crookshanks padded over and examined the wall. He could not see any doors that would explain what was on the other side. He had only felt evil that strong once before. It was around a book that he had found in the black haired boys room. All thoughts of switching back to his correct body were lost for the moment. “Do you have any idea what is through this wall? I’ve never been in this part of the castle before,” he asked.
“Master has found a door there before. The door…. hides. I don’t know how to make it appear, and even if I did, we couldn’t open it. When Master went in there, it was just cleaning supplies. I don’t see how anything this evil could be in there,” whimpered Mrs. Norris.
Crookshanks walked back to Mrs. Norris and licked the ginger hair to try to comfort her. She slowly stopped shivering and started to groom him back. Footsteps approached from the main part of the castle.
“What are you doing to my cat? Get away from her,” exclaimed Mrs. Norris’s Master. A broom came down suddenly on her head. She ran down the hall away from Crookshanks in a hurry to get away from the pain the broom was causing her. “Good riddance,” he then exclaimed.
“There, there. That ugly brut won’t bother you again, anytime soon,” soothed the cranky man, walking back to Crookshanks. “Come have a nice drink of milk. I’ll make sure that cat doesn’t bother you again!”
Crookshanks tried not to run himself, and stay as he knew Mrs. Norris would have. He started wondering how he would be able to talk to her, and find out more about the mysterious room, if he couldn’t chance going near her. He would have to think, and think fast, so that he could find a way back to his Witch sometime soon.
Later that day, Crookshanks was hiding under a table by the wall that caused Mrs. Norris so much anxiety. He was studying it to see if he could figure out what was inside. He was brought out of his thoughts by the sound of voices. Then he realized who it was. It was his Witch and the two boys that she always hung out with. The red haired girl that was related to the boy was with them also. He stayed completely still, knowing they would leave, or chase him away if they saw him. Part of him longed to run up to his Witch to get the love that he usually got from her. He knew that wouldn’t happen while he was in this body, though.
“I’m really worried about Crookshanks. He just doesn’t seem to be himself since the incident in the entryway. I just don’t know what is wrong with him. He’s jittery and jumps at the smallest noise. He doesn’t seem to like being around people, and he has never been like that before. After the meeting tonight, maybe I’ll go to the library and see if I can find anything that would explain what is wrong with him. We still don’t know what that flash was that knocked him and Mrs. Norris out was,” said his Witch.
“I’ll help you if you want it,” offered the red haired boy.
His Witch nodded her thanks, her face showing she was deep in thought.
They stopped in front of the wall he was watching. They then walked down to the window, turned around, walked back, and then turned again, and a door appeared. Crookshanks looked amazed at that. He was pondering what they did to make the door appear like that. It must have been the walking back and forth. By the time he was done thinking about it, the four humans had disappeared inside the room. He would have to come back later to see if he could find a way in himself. He would also have to get word to Mrs. Norris. There had to be other cats he could trust in this building. It was the only way he could find help. Maybe one of them would know a way to let the humans to know what happened to them. There had to be a way!
Mrs. Norris crouched outside her Master’s room. She longed to go inside and see him. She knew he would just chase her again. She wondered what had happened to Crookshanks after she was chased away. They would have to be careful in where they met, so her Master wouldn’t chase them away from each other. It would still be hard though, since there wasn’t anywhere other then the common rooms that he didn’t go. Crookshanks would have a hard time in her body getting to the common room. She had no reason to go there, except as Crookshanks it gave her the solitude that she needed so that she didn’t go crazy. She jumped up on nearby window sill and looked outside. It was a cold, misty day. She was startled by movement down by the woods. A tabby cat that she had never seen before was exiting the trees. She padded across the grounds and seemed to be headed for the front door. Mrs. Norris knew that classes would be letting out soon so she headed back towards Gryffindor tower. Maybe she could think of something to do. As she went to jump down, she saw Blackie coming around the corner.
“Well, well, if it isn’t Mister Nosy. What are you doing down here again? You usually stay in your common room or by the dining hall,” sneered the black cat.
“I was just walking around,” sighed Mrs. Norris.
“I heard you had a nice run this morning. What on earth were you doing hanging out with that snitch,” questioned Blackie.
Mrs. Norris hissed at him.
“What? If I didn’t know better, I would think you were….,” reasoned Blackie. He stopped and stared at her.
“You know that spell the other day? Yeah, it hit both of us, and now I’m stuck in this giant ginger body. I just want to get back to my Master. Is that too much to ask?” sobbed Mrs. Norris. She realized that she was overreacting, and she might be making a big mistake by telling him, but she just needed someone else to know.
“That must be hard. How on earth can you control a body that much bigger,” questioned Blackie.
“That isn’t the worst part…you should feel what goes through the bones of this body. He really can tell things. I can’t really understand what they mean, unless they are really strong. I’m sure he could though. I thought telling you was a mistake, but I can feel the good will coming from you. I’m really surprised, actually,” said Mrs. Norris.
“I have my prejudices, but I’m not a bad cat. That would be Leo. He won’t leave the Slytherin common room. That is why you keep seeing me out here. I can’t take his bullying anymore. If you need help, let me know. I’ll even help take messages to the half-breed,” offered Blackie.
“I’ll keep that in mind. He really isn’t that bad, you know. I wouldn’t have given him the time of day if this hadn’t happened, but he has a courageous heart. If anyone can figure out how to get us back to normal, it is him. I better go back to the tower before the classes let out. I just can’t take that chaos. See you around,” said Mrs. Norris.
She padded back to Gryffindor Tower deep in thought.
