"Oh yes I would!" Neptune Bott would do it now (though she would have before) just because HE said she WOULDN'T. Ohhhhh yes. Yes she would.


And not be sorry a bit for it. Hmph.


"They won't let you stay like this forever. Duh, Raiden, Duh. There's probably a law about it or something. It's just to teach you a lesson. So learn your lesson and get someone else to rub behind your ears, but I won't do it anymore!" She turned her face up to his in open defiance, while her hands balled up into fists at her side.

GAH.

Raiden's face paled under his fur (not that it was conspicuous unless one were looking for it) and his paw dropped from her arm. Whiskers drooped, the tips of his ears drooped... he was a SAD, SCARED KITTY. If he didn't find that mouse before Neptune, he'd be stuck like this for the rest of the term.

"You think I don't know that? He can't leave me like this forever, no. But there's still half a year left in the term. This isn't the first punishment of this nature that he's handed out, Neptune. He will leave me like this until the second before we get on the Express. I can't stay like this the rest of the term. I can't."

A lesson. Raiden had a perfectly normal attention span regularly. He wasn't lacking in focus. The old man didn't seem to take into account the fact that Raiden, too had been hit by the exploding cauldron, and thus would suffer some effects. This was like demanding that someone suffering from the ill-effects of a Confundus charm recite The Iliad to you.

"You saw how everyone else got when they were changing." His voice was quiet, words noticeably measured. "Did you think I'd end up any different? I lost my head for a few minutes, that doesn't mean I need a lesson in focus. It means I need a Healer."

UGH. This was not fun, at all. At least the kneazle potion hadn't taken over his temper completely and made him lash out and stuff.

"I think you're being mean. I want my ribbon back." Neptune crossed her arms across her chest and stared pointed at his own chest. She sang the alphabet in her head when he started lecturing about the effects of the potion.

Neptune had been there.

Neptune knew.


Neptune was not amused.


"Are you done being a sourpuss? It's NOT that big of a deal. Not to me." HMPH.

Arya pulled her legs closer at the look she got from the older girl, resting her head on her knees to keep from looking in the pair's direction. She didn't know why the girl didn't seem to like her or why she wasn't taking the situation seriously.

Hadn't she seen what it did to her? Why would she think that was anything but serious. Atleast she was leaving, why she didn't know or care.

"I can't go to sleep. Already tried."She looked up to Raiden, clearly exausted. If she was able to sleep there was no way she would be here, where ever she was in the castle.

Arya watched the argument unfold between the two as Raiden begged Neptune--as this turned out to be the girls name--to stay and help him find the mouse. Why was she acting like she was acting so ill towards Raiden. Using the wall she slowly stood and walked over to the pair. Without looking at Neptune, Arya's brown eyes looked up to Raiden. "I'll help you find the mouse."

Raiden had been about to retort back that she could have her ribbon if she could get it off his head when... the other words hit him.

He was being mean?

Oh Merlin.

Mouth slightly open, Raiden stared at her. He was being mean? What the hell was happening to him? He'd been mean to Cela but... well she'd kinda deserved it. But... Neptune hadn't done anything (except threaten to hide the mouse that was essentially the key to his salvation, which later he would remember was actually something) for him to be mean about.

"S-sorry." He took a step back away from her. "I didn't mean to... be mean to you. It's just... it may not be a big deal to you, but it is to me, okay?"

Touching the bow with one paw, he leaned forward so she could reach it. If she wanted it back, she could gladly have it. He... would just look sillier walking around with a bow wrapped around his head.

He would... just have to find the mouse before she could. That was all there was to it. Even if she didn't understand why he wanted to look normal again... he wanted it, so that was that.

His gaze went to Arya worriedly. She couldn't sleep? But she looked so tired... maybe it was a side-effect of getting changed back? It made you stay awake for a while or something?

"Did you lay down and everything? Maybe Healer Ashford will get you a sleeping draught, if you ask..." He shook his head. "You don't have to. You had... kinda a rough day."

She always seemed to be having a rough day whenever he saw her. That couldn't be normal.

Neptune's little lip jutted out at Raiden. Hadn't THIS boy been SMOOCHING on her? Now he was backing away. It was stupid. He was being stupid and not cool.


"It's FIIIIINE, Raiden," Neptune SIGHED and stepped forward. Then she JUMPED at him and wrapped her arms around his middle.

And there she remained while he coddled the little first year that, in fact, getting on Neptune's nerves. "I'll help you find the mouse," Neptune whispered, MOCKING the little KID.

There was the understatment of the term, Arya had a horrible day. And to make matters worse she couldn't fall asleep. "Yea, but it didn't work. Just to exausted I guess. You sure you don't need any help?"

Arya ignored the last bit about visiting the healer, she had seen enough of the woman to last her all term, no, all seven terms.

She was a little shocked when Neptune jumped at Raiden, attacking him with a hug. Sighing deeply she rubed her eyes, oblivious to Neptune's mocking.

Raiden's fur poofed up ever so slightly when Neptune JUMPED at him, and he almost squirmed in her arms, but... well Ian McKensie had already tackled him, and this was far, far easier to handle than that. It took him a second, but his fur stopped poofing, and his tail even started wagging.

And a small, tiny purr rumbled his chest, because Raiden!Kneazle liked hugs just as much as regular Raiden did.

Patting a paw on Neptune's back, he addressed Arya.

"It's fine, Arya. Really. I know how you must feel right now, so... maybe you should go to your dorm and read or something? Do things that might help you drift off." The younger girl was tiiiiiiired. He didn't want to drag her around the entire castle when she was so sleepy... he'd end up having to take her back to her dorm when she got too tired, and he'd lose time. "Homework makes me sleepy, try that?"

Neptune rubbed her nose against his robes while he CONTINUED to baby the BABY. Honestly, threaten to take POINTS away if she didn't get LOST? That's what Neptune would do. She'd just not put up with such open defiance if SHE had a badge.

"At least," she started loudly, "you're human enough to not use a litter box. There's always a bright side. And CATS have good noses. Do you think I smell even prettier now?"

He so did.


And no, little kid, YOU cannot sniff us.

Arya scratched her head as she leaned against the wall, looking sleeply at Raiden while he spoke. Doing her best to ignore Neptune. If this were any other day she would have insisted on helping, but seeing how it wasn't she decided it best for her to listen to the prefect."M'kay. I think I'll try doin my homework. But if you need me jus-"Before she could finish her sentence, Arya was rudely interrupted by the girl who didn't seem to take a liking to her at all. But at this point Arya was to exausted to care. Lazily rolling her eyes at Neptune's random comment she pushed herself off of the wall.


She took a step to give Raiden a hug, but decided against it when she looked at Neptune, she had gotten into enough fights for the day. Instead she smiled warmly at the boy and waved her fingers. "I guess I'll see ya around Raiden. Thanks for the help earlier."

Without a word or glance to Neptune, she turned and slowly made her way down the corridor with her hand on the wall for balance. Forgeting that she didn't know what floor she was on, though it didn't matter. She knew that she would find her common room in due time.

"Bye Arya," he called softly, watching the girl wander off. She was going the right way, right? That... yeaaah the staircase was that direction, she'd get down there. Good. Good.

...Oh Neptune. Raiden winced slightly at her 'at least' thing. He didn't know how much this potion was going to mess with him... what if he reached a point where he wasn't human enou-

"At least there's that," he said instead, stopping his thoughts before they could go on any farther. He leaned down a bit and sniffed. "You smell... just lovely, Neptune."

Actually he probably shouldn't sniff at her like that. It made his nose feel burny. And... like he had to sneeze. He wiggled his nose, whiskers bouncing.

"...I probably... smell like cat, don't I."

"I like the way Lucifur smells. She's the best kneazy in the WHOLE WIDE WORLD." So, in other words, if Raiden smelled like Lucifur, a like-species to Raiden, then Neptune Bott was A-OKAY with him smelling slightly feline.


Neptune stepped back then from Raiden, particularly since she didn't have to look at or pretend to acknowledge the other girl anymore. Really, entertaining the children was just taxing on Neptune. Woe was she, you know?


"I bet you'd like some warm milk. Or, if you've EXTRA good," Neptune narrowed her eyes at him, calculating whether or not he'd been "EXTRA" good, "then perhaps cream. But I'm not so sure you've been that good." Really, he HAD been mean.

So Hmph. Only MILK for you.

Miiiiiiiiiilk?

While Raiden's head said definitely not, the rest of him said of course!; his stomach made a squirmy sound, as if it hadn't been fed all day (it had) and he was hungry (he wasn't), and his ears perked slightly at the idea of milk.

"I'm supposed to be finding the mouse though," he managed finally. "What if Professor Kazimeriz sees me in the Great Hall?"

Not that he didn't think the old man would find out anyway. He probably knew Raiden had fallen asleep, somehow. The power of evil gave you abilities like that, right? And... Raiden didn't have hands right now, how was he going to hold anything, much less a glass of milk.

"Raiden. You WORRY too much! WHO CARES? Who cares what that old man thinks? If you want milk, then you'll HAVE milk and there is, to my knowledge, NO rules that say you can't have milk while looking for a mouse. And SO WHAT?" Neptune stepped back forward and prodded him in the chest to get her point across, "So what if he catches you? You get into a little trouble. It's OKAY to get into trouble. You're one, a Slytherin and it's expected, and two, a boy, so DOUBLY so."

Neptune BOTT sure didn't mind a little trouble.

"I don't particularly care what he thinks. It's what he'll do that worries me." Because this was supposed to be a lesson on focusing. And him being in the Great Hall would not equal focusing... Unless he covertly looked for the mouse while in the Great Hall. That... that could work. He already knew it hadn't been there before, but maybe it was there now?

Neptune had forgotten that he was a prefect, apparently. Prefects were not supposed to get into trouble. They were supposed to be an example for other students.

...fine example he was right now.

"Let's... go." Not like many people would recognise him, covered in fur. Not many people seemed to know him, so that would work to his advantage.

Tate followed Lawson out into the corridor, hands shoved into his pockets as he walked. This was a bit of a conundrum.

It seemed that something odd was happening, but he didn't know what. And without knowing what was wrong, he didn't know how to fix it. All he could do was prepare for every contingency, and he couldn't do it alone. He needed the staff to help too.

Tate summoned a quill and parchment from his office. "I need you to do me a favor, Lawson. I have a... a package that needs retrieving, and I'm not sure I feel safe leaving the school at the moment. Just a little jump to the North Sea and back. Are you willing?" He handed over the note.

"Oh pishposh banana splits, he won't do ANYTHING. He can't. He's a professor. If I were you? I'd not go to the Great Hall for milk. I'd march straight to the Owlery and TELL ON HIM! MY parents would NOT stand for him changing me into a kneazle for very long and publicly humiliating me. Just saying." Which was a little contradictory to what she'd been telling Raiden - but it'd be TOTALLY different if it were Neptune. Seriously. Neptune planted her hands on her hips and gave Raiden one of those LOOKS.


Her eyes darted to the Headmaster - Mr. Tate... GIGGLE .... but really, she was busy right now, so he got no more than a giggle.

Running his hands through his hair which Marcus often did when he was frustrated. Terrible things were happening at the school again and nobody knew what was going on.

He turned at the sound of Tate's voice and raised his eyebrows at the headmaster. The man wanted a favor...from him?

The North Sea?

That was where...Marcus took the note and looked down at what was written and his jaw almost hit the floor. He looked back up at Tate, "I thought he was teaching in Egypt?"

When did this happen? And more to the point why did this happen? Belatedly realising that the headmaster was probably waiting for an answer, Marcus cleared his throat. "Of course I am willing."

...He couldn't do anything?

Had Neptune not noticed that Raiden was basically... a large, walking furball? Sure, Professor Kazimeriz hadn't exploded the cauldron, but he was refusing to allow Raiden to be treated, which... was something. However, pushing the point was not on the top of his list of things to do as... the Headmaster had just come out of the Hospital Wing, with the male Professor Lawson.

...Raiden had never met the Headmaster in person before.

He was essentially a giant kneazle at the moment.

This was not a grand first impression.

Grabbing Netpune's hand with both of his paws (that was the only real way to grab it right now), Raiden gave her a gentle tug.

"I don't want to bother my father about this. I can handle it myself, let's just go, okay?"

"Fine."

Fine, Raiden.


"I wouldn't let that old man win. I'd DIE TRYING, at least, if being a kneazle bothered ME half as much as it bothers you."

Thing is, Neptune wouldn't have been bothered all that much by it - but CLEARLY it was an itch Raiden not couldn't, but wouldn't scratch. And he wasn't accepting any help, so what could Neptune do but let him wallow in self pity?


"Alert the press! Start a riot! Picket! Chain yourself to that fighting-mad tree outside! Demand to be heard! But noooooo, not you, Raiden. You'd rather kitty-nap in the floor." Whaaaaaaaaaaatever. Neptune let him paw at her and unwillingly went right along.

Oh Neptune.

"I'm not giving up and letting him win anything, Neptune. I'm going to figure it out." He glanced at her, an air of obvious displeasure evident around his person. "What would telling my father accomplish besides showing him that I can't manage things for myself?"

The truth was... Raiden wasn't sure how to handle this situation he'd ended up in. He hadn't the foggiest. But... he'd figure it out eventually. Once he managed to get a hold on what was going on, he... could fix it. Without running to his father to get help. If that meant catching the mouse, then he'd catch the mouse. Running around blindly wasn't helping matters, so he'd have to figure out another way...

"I didn't mean to fall asleep, it just happened." Sigh. Did she really think that he'd curl up in the corridor if he'd wanted to take a nap? "I got tired and... just kinda... It's a kneazle thing, Neptune. They sleep when they're tired, wherever they may be sometimes, and I couldn't help it, okay?"

"Obviously... that isn't true," Tate said, a bit apologetically. "I appreciate your going, and I'll appreciate your doing so immediately. I'll want this package in hand as soon as possible."

He offered a hand to Lawson before walking away.

"Uh...yeah sure. I'm on my way" Marcus replied shaking the headmaster's hand and heading down the corridor. He probably wasn't going to have time to tell his wife where he was going.

With a flick of his wand, he sent his patronus off to Iliana with a message of his whereabouts for the next couple of hours. And then hopefully he would get some answers of what had been going on with his friend.

Lucille was in a HUFF. She had looked everywhere, and could she find her favourite dress? No. The majority of her makeup had gone missing, and someone had EVEN taken her precious boots!

How was she going to live without her boots? For now, she settled for an old dirt pair of black vans. They were nice, just not as warm as the boots had been.

Warren walked down the corridor in a beautiful dress! and amazing black boots! Ahh okay.. why was he wearing Lucilles clothes? hmm he couldn't quite remember why! But if anyone actually saw him.. he would be dead! especially if Lucille saw him!
Speaking of the devil, she was walking in the corridor aswell?! WHAT NO! oh dear.. Warren quickly ran to hide behind a statue.. (CRASH) he smacked against the wall.. oh dear..