Through The Whomping Willow

Hallie was overly happy about Maura and Ryo. The love they shared was true and pure. They were a perfect match. She was a dolphin and he was her ocean, always there for her to find happiness. Hallie wasn't one of the girls that envied Maura for the relationship she had, yet it made her think how pathetic she had been the other night when she kissed Brian Sullivan, a fifth year. A part of her enjoyed it, but the other part sickened her.

'I kissed Brian Sullivan.' She didn't need to tell Maura who this was, she knew he was the Gryffindor seeker as did everyone. Everyone also knew he had a troublesome, adventurous personality that attracted Hallie towards them. Then there was the knowledge that he liked his girls and played them. He could get them and Hallie had always rolled her eyes at them yet now he was a weed infesting her mind like a parasite. 'I stopped it thought, but..' She wanted to tell Maura how she begged him for it but she couldn't. She didn't even know why she did? She wasn't drunk. Perhaps it was the idea of some fun that she longed for so much.

Maura's eyes widened as Hallie told her that she kissed Brian Sullivan a Gryffindor bad boy who was a year below her. "Well... did you like it?"Maura asked her softly before her vampire sensed that she did. "You did didn't you?"Maura asked her smirking as her eyes turned an sapphire blue in happiness. Hallie always had a thing for rebellious guys, but this time she actually thought Brian and her were cute together dispite there age. "Do you like him more then you know a friend?"Maura asked her curiously.

"You know, I felt weird when I liked Ryo at first before I was turned, I was asking myself why I liked a vampire then I realized I liked him for who he was not because of what he was!"said Maura. "Perhaps you feel the same way about Brian, you like him but you don't like him because he's younger then you."said Maura honestly. "I'm a vampire I have senses."said Maura smirking at her.

Hallie stared down at the ground, a quick smirk escaped her lips. 'No.' She lied. She had liked it but she didn't want to, she felt if she told herself she didn't like it she'd forget the best kiss, the best romantic moment of her life. After all, it was with Brian Sullivan, someone you'd want to romantically forget because of his reputation.

You did didn't you

Hallie couldn't help this time but laugh. 'Fineee!' She said, slurring the word.'And no I don't well... I. I don't know. I don't want to. He's a moron.' The Gryffindor told her friend. Hallie listened to what Maura had to say about her an Ryo. Maura could relate to Hallie's situation and for her it had turned out fine, more than fine amazing! Perhaps it would turn out like that for her and Brian? Or maybe not, he wasn't the relationship type. He was a dumb, player who would move from one to the next. Brian probably hadn't thought about their kissing, lying down in an empty classroom at one in the morning, the moonlight pouring down on them through the high window, stars twinkling up above.

Hallie fastened her robes to keep warm as they reached closer to the whomping willow. Getting out her wand she gazed around. She needed something, a twig, a log, maybe a forgotten broomstick. Nothing but grass.

Hallie stared up at the withering tree, a bird had just collided into one of the branches, the willow was already on a rampage. If only she could move an object to hit the paralyzing knot in it's trunk.

Maura smirked at her comment for she knew that Hallie liked the kiss, she could see it in her eyes that she did. Maura chuckled at her comment. "All boys can be a bloody moron at times, but sometimes that what can be cute about them!"said Maura smiling. "I honestly think you do Hal, cause you know he gives you something you never had before!"said Maura. "Trust me I know, I was in the same boat with you with Ryo but then I let go of everything I thought!"said Maura. "Although I know Brian is well... a man whore maybe he'll change for you."said Maura shrugging.

As she seen a bird collide with it, Maura winced as she seen the bird on the ground before looking at Hallie. "Maybe I should try going first, I'm quicker then you."said Maura looking at the tree that was now going crazy. As she moved she seen noticed the branch started attacking her but she dodged out of the way before it did. Jumping over a branch Maura was almost to the paralyzing knot before a branch hit her hard in the stomach knocking her back. Wincing in pain Maura gotten back up and looked at the tree angrily with her red eyes.

She was getting beating by a bloody tree, and Maura's vampire side didn't like that one bit at all. Looking at the tree she looked at the angle it was going before she turned to Hallie. "I wonder if we can confuse it?"Maura asked her still looking at the tree that was still going crazy. Maybe if they were able to confuse it maybe one of them can push the notch.

Hallie listened to Maura's words. Everything that she said made sense, it completely did, but would Brian change for her? Chances are he wouldn't. She didn't want to initiate conversation with him, she was testing him. Seeing if he'd make the first move and see what he had to say to her. Perhaps an apology? A hug? An invitation to Hogsmede? An I love you? No. She didn't want 'I love you.' It was far too soon.

Brian was soon cut from her mind as the tree began to rage in fury, and Maura wasn't helping it's anger. If anything the fact the tree couldn't give her a good wham was making it feel even more destructive, then. WHAM! Just as Maura was about to reach the twisted knot she was slammed back to Hallie.

'We could try and confuse it.' Hallie agreed watching it flail it's branches like an overturned beetle kicking it's legs. She withdrew her wand from the robes wrapped tightly around her. 'We could both try a confundus charm but even with both of us together it wouldn't be powerful enough.' Hallie contemplated.
Hallie flicked her wand sharply up, thinking the word: 'Avis.' Three canary's erupted from the tip of her wand. Transfiguration was her element, she was due to get an Outstanding on the practical... Perhaps if she was inside studying she'd be getting an Outstanding on the theory too but she'd had enough of being anchored to a desk.

The birds began flutter around her head, one resting on her shoulder. 'Gosh. I feel like Snow White.' She giggled, tracing her finger lightly along the birds feathers. 'I hate to say this but, if I could get the birds to fly at the tree maybe it'd give you chance to reach the knot?' Hallie suggested. The idea seemed good in her head but whether it worked was another thing. One whack with a branch the birds would become mere feather dusters, she'd probably have to keep conjuring them, which would mean a sheer amount of concentration.

Maura shook her head while running through possible ways for them to get through the tree. Laughing at herself for not knowing this earlier in advance Maura drew out her wand. "Oh my goodess, how silly of me and Charms is my favorite subject! Hal, why don't we do a freezing charm to freeze the tree together?"Maura asked her looking at the tree. "Oh the count of three we both say Immobulus!"said Maura smirking. Charms was Maura's strength besides DADA she was very good at it.

Maura had a feeling that it was going to work, and besides she didn't need anymore birds injured because of them. Maura read throughout history alot of people used this charm to get through this tree so it was bound to work. Plus Maura wanted this to work, she wanted to have some fun and this tree was stopping her from having it. "You would of thought after so many students gotten hurt because of this tree they'll take it out!"said Maura annoyed by the dumb tree. "I guess it's to keep students from entering the shack I guess."said Maura shrugging.

Dispite the tree's trying to keep them back, Maura knew they were going to get through no matter what it took. Maura wasn't going to get beaten by some dumb ugly tree that had anger management problems.

Hallie let out a burst of laughter. Of course! How could they both have forgotten something so simple. Slightly disappointed that she couldn't continue performing transfiguration Hallie nodded in agreement, besides it'd be good practice for her NEWT exams coming up. 'That's a brilliant idea, plus it would be a shame to injure these ickle birdies.' She said, stroking the canary perched on her shoulder that was whistling joyfully.

Hallie pointed her wand at the tree, trying to judge where would be it's weakest spot. 'Where do you think? I'd say the top of the trunk, where the branches begin to extend from?' Hallie suggested, 'do you think that's where it's main muscles begin? If it has muscles that is.' Hallie had dropped herbology at the end of the fifth year so didn't have the foggiest of the anatomy of a whomping willow, although it seemed to make sense in her head.

"Well... seeing how it's protecting the notch, I'm guessing that's it weak spot."said Maura looking at the notch. Maura took years of Herbology so she knew a bit about plants and the anatomy of the whomping willow lucky. "There's only one way to find out and that's to hit that notch!"said Maura nodding to the notch that opened the willow. "But I bet that's it's weakest spot but I could be wrong."said Maura shrugging. Although Maura had a feeling that she wasn't wrong.

Maura looked at the canary perched on Hallie's shoulder and chuckled before petting it as it sung softly to them. "I think you have a new friend, I'm alittle jelly now!"said Maura in a joking manner. "Don't worry I know you like doing transfiguration but you can do it later!"said Maura. Maura knew Hallie very well, they been friends since Maura's first and Hallie's second year.

Hallie nodded, listening to what Maura was saying. It made more sense to do that now she thought about it. It was a shame she couldn't transfigure the whomping willow into something else, but she'd learnt in transfiguration some creatures and tree's had hides and barks that repelled certain kinds of magic such as curses, jinxes and transfiguration spells.

One of the canary's that had been fluttering around her head flew towards the tree. WHAM. The bird was now a ball of feathers on the floor. Hallie narrowed her eyes, angry at the tree for destroying her marvelous creation. 'On three then?' Hallie checked, raising her wand and aiming it precisely at the twist on the trunk. 'One. Two. Three.'

'IMMOBULUS!' Hallie cried, her wand casting a wave of paralysing air to the tree. Hopefully with the combination of hers and Maura's spell it would prove effective.

"IMMOBULUS!"said Maura as the blue paralysing spell shot out of her wand and collided with Hallie's as it shot through the tree. Seeing it hit the notch on the tree and finally stop Maura smiled. "And that's how you stop a tree with anger management problems!"said Maura chuckling. Looking at the tree Maura looked like a normal tree that wouldn't move which was quite weird for the whomping willow. "I'm guessing we only have a few before the spell wears off so we got to move!"said Maura.

Maura ran up towards the whomping willow notch and looked at Hallie and smirked. "Our adventure now awaits!"said Maura as she pushed the notched as it reveled a path to go through. "Whoa! cool, I heard about this passageway but I never took it before!"said Maura honestly. "I wonder how many people actually took this passageway?"Maura asked Hallie curiously. Probably not many, for alot of people were scared of the whomping willow.