It took Jinsoul three hours to find what she needed. Most of what she found were either about the first transformations, what happened to an animagus when they were bitten by a werewolf, and how some animagi ended up getting so comfortable in their animal form that they spent half their time as it. 

Jinsoul had nearly started laughing in the middle of the library just imagining Jungeun hopping around the halls as an owl. 

As much as it’d been a hassle, and maybe even a hazard for some, Jungeun being an actual owl might’ve been the highlight of her year so far. Hopefully transforming her back would be another highlight. 

Scouring through books on Transfiguration was much lower on that list. 

The first book that’d mentioned something remotely interesting had discussed a few reasons why someone would get stuck. Some of them were being struck by the Confundus charm, stress, intoxication, a nightmare or a particularly lucid dream, or a mind-altering curses having lingering effects. 

Jinsoul wasn’t sure if Jungeun had had a particularly fun night on a Thursday, with the other curses seeming to be a lot less likely. Jungeun seemed pretty normal too, just as unpredictable and eager to cause some kind of mess. She’d been nervous about something yesterday, but had it really been that bad? 

She’d been an animagus for two years and Jinsoul was sure it couldn’t be a lack of skill. What else could it be? 

Finally, Jinsoul had given up on the books from the Transfiguration section and gone straight to the Restricted Section. 

Interestingly enough, she’d found her answer in a book about warding off magical creatures. 

In the event that a normal animal tries to harm the witch/wizard in spite of any spells cast its way, it may either be bewitched or be an animagus, though this is very rare. If the creature is bewitched, rennervate may work. If the creature is an animagus, the following reversal spell must be cast. It is of the utmost importance to do it correctly, for the spell will have no effect on a normal wizard, muggle, and animal, but it may put the animagus into a state in between their two forms. Half of the recorded cases (the total of which is six) took several years to revert to human form. Some were stuck in an intermediate form for up to seven years. The transformation back was especially painful. One was never able to turn back. 

Jinsoul was staring at the spell in question. It was a short description of the stance, position and motion of the wand, as well as the incantation itself. So simple. 

And yet there was a chance she could be the reason why Jungeun didn’t turn back into a human. 

She couldn’t go to any of the professors, because Jungeun wasn’t a registered animagi. Unless Jungeun just gave in and let her do it, she wouldn’t be exposing her. 

And she wasn’t sure if the others were supposed to be involved. Most of them hated Transfiguration too, with Yeojin being the best at it, but she was still far from this level of a spell. 

Jinsoul groaned, nearly throwing the book across the room. She only held back, because she needed to be in the Restriction Section for most of the year to finish her essays. She was also sure there was some sort of jinx on the books that would either fry her eyebrows away, make her blind for a day, or change her voice to something embarrassing. 

She wrote down everything relevant on that page, her eyes burning from reading. She couldn’t cast this spell in her state. If she was really going to be the one to do it, she needed to be awake and focused on it. 

And Jungeun would just have to stomach being an owl for one more night. 

Jinsoul almost didn’t mind that. While there was the risk of being clawed to death, Jungeun couldn’t talk. She also looked a lot less intimidating as a feathery bird than she did in green robes and blonde hair. 

Then again, Jungeun hadn't exactly asked for this. If yesterday was anything to go by, she'd fully expected to be a human today. 

She almost ran out of the library, rubbing her eyes, when she saw Hyejoo and Chaewon coming from the Hospital Wing. 

“Did they get infected?” Jinsoul nodded at Hyejoo. 

She grimaced and nodded. “Apparently I was supposed to get a,” she glanced at Chaewon, “what was that? Vizzine?”

“Vaccine,” Chaewon rolled her eyes, “can you believe they don’t get them? Tetanus too! And apparently polio doesn’t even exist here. Even Madame Selen didn’t know what it was until two years ago.” 

Jinsoul wondered if these were the usual conversations the two had, with Hyejoo being a clueless witch born into a magical household, while Chaewon was muggleborn. It made them a lot less intimidating if that was the case. “I don’t think wizards really contract that kind of thing. And even if they did, there’s potions and spells for that.” 

“Anyway,” the shorter Slytherin crossed her arms, “I’m done with this stupid bird.” She aimed a pointed look at the person beside her. 

Hyejoo shrugged. “Me too, I guess.” Then she scowled. “But if I see it, I’m hexing it.”

“Don’t,” Jinsoul said, maybe too hurriedly. “I’m serious. She was just scared.” She hadn’t even seen the first part, but if there’d been a stunning spell and a snake, she couldn’t blame Jungeun for lashing out. Even if that had almost gotten her killed by the dynamic duo of Slytherin house. 

“How can you even tell if it’s a she or he?” Chaewon frowned. “Is it the feathers or something?” She nodded at Jinsoul’s leg then. There was another feather there too. How was it possible for Jungeun to shed feathers and for them to get on her clothes? 

“Something like that,” Jinsoul replied, “but I need to get back.” She waved once. 

Before she could go, one of them called her back. 

“Did you see Jungeun yet?” Hyejoo asked. “We thought she’d be in the library again.”

Why were they all asking her? Even though it was true, they had no reason to think that otherwise. 

“Nope. Jiwoo said she was taking it easy today, so,” she trailed off, taking a step back. 

Chaewon raised a brow. “Taking it easy would mean she’s on the pitch, but she wasn’t there.”

“I have no idea,” Jinsoul raised her hands, “she’s your friend.” 

Hyejoo gave her a look. “Well according to her, you usually know where to find her after she’s,” she snickered, “you know, given Peeves a new challenge.”

What was that supposed to mean? 

The two Slytherins shared a look. 

“Well when your bird senses start tingling, let us know. I need to rub it in her face that she missed this.” Hyejoo looked smug. 

Jinsoul almost wished she could tell her that Jungeun hadn’t missed it at all. She probably would’ve wanted to miss it completely. 

“Will do.” She waved before going upstairs. 

As she walked, she frowned at something else they’d said. 

Bird senses? 

Were they making fun of her being a Ravenclaw or were they comparing Jungeun to a bird? She doubted they knew about her being an animagus, so maybe it was how Jungeun usually acted. Her laugh did sound like a bird. 

Jinsoul pushed those thoughts away. She needed to see if Jungeun was okay first. 

______ 

The dormitory was thankfully not destroyed when she got back. And there wasn’t a dead owl anywhere either. 

Jinsoul saw her flipping through a book. She was using her wing to flip the pages. 

It was the weirdest thing. Jinsoul had only rarely seen Jungeun bent over a book, or be quiet like this unless it was during an exam, or she was using said book as a pillow. 

She’d also never seen an owl read a book. She’d seen a bowtruckle do it, but once it’d realised that paper was actually wood, it’d tried to tear the book apart. 

“Hey,” Jinsoul whispered.

The owl—Jungeun—started, its wings fluttering. Then she hooted. 

“I’ve got the spell,” she said. 

Another hoot. Excited. Jungeun flew over to her feet. She didn't make her nervous as an owl. 

Jinsoul grimaced. “But I’m exhausted and I don’t think I could cast it without a big chance of it going really badly.” 

Jungeun looked up at her. Jinsoul wasn’t sure if she was going to freak or not. 

She hooted once. Then she waddled away, before flying a short distance until she got to the desk. Her feet tapped the papers on top of it. 

Jinsoul walked over. There were two messages, written in that surprisingly legible bird-scrawl. 

Sorry 4 attacking u. 

If youre 2 tired wait a day. 

“Your handwriting’s better as a bird.” 

A whack to her arm. 

“Be nice,” Jinsoul tickled her, laughing when Jungeun jumped away, “or you’ll be waiting longer than a day.”

Jungeun responded by ramming her head into Jinsoul’s side. It felt like a weak punch. 

She smiled down at the owl. Without the maddening smiles and the unpredictability that came with her having a wand in her hands, Jinsoul didn't feel the need to hold her at arm's length. It was a weird distinction to make. She wondered if that was fair of her, especially when Jungeun usually aimed pranks at rooms or objects, never really at people directly. 

Then her stomach growled. She realised then that Jungeun probably hadn’t eaten much for most of the day. 

“Oh,” she grimaced, “I’m an idiot.”

Jungeun hooted once, as if in agreement. 

“Not like that!” She glared at her. “I—are you hungry?”

The owl stared at her. Another hoot. 

“I have,” Jinsoul looked through her things, “chocolate. But owls can't have that.” She went for her bag next. 

Jungeun was then beside her again. In was a paper. She dropped it on the floor and her foot went to one of the things she’d written earlier. 

Jungeun = owl

“Chocolate isn’t dinner,” Jinsoul replied. “And I think you’d end up choking on noodles.”

Jungeun tapped the chocolate frog packet with her beak, before looking up at her expectantly. 

“Your body’s a lot smaller than it usually is.” Jinsoul put it back in her bag. “You’ll get a sugar high, or maybe a heart attack.” 

She made an oddly low sound. Was that supposed to be her grumbling? 

“I could be saving your life right now!” Jinsoul gave her a look. Then she saw the cage. What was she going to do with that now? If she put Jungeun back in there, the Slytherin would probably hold a grudge against her for the rest of their time and Hogwarts, maybe even beyond. It also wouldn’t sit well with her at all. 

She needed a place for Jungeun to go now. Then she’d get food from the kitchens. Heejin and Sooyoung wouldn’t be happy at all if she let Jungeun stay in the dorms. Few people would, when she thought about it. 

But where else could Jungeun go? It was raining now, so she wasn’t going to send her outside. The library was an option, unless Madame Kang had installed some sort of trap for owls. What about the Room of Requirement? Unless that’d be a genuine chaos? And did the windows even work? What if someone else changed the room? Could that be possible? 

With a start, she remembered the boxes. 

“You’re sure you weren’t planning a prank yesterday?” Jinsoul asked. She picked up the cage. She’d have to bring that back tomorrow. No one would need it until the holidays, but still. 

Jungeun looked at her. The hoot she gave sounded confused. Then she nodded. 

“Can you show me where the room is?” she knelt down in front of her, “that’s where you can sleep tonight.” 

Her head tilted to the side. She blinked twice. 

“The forest you made,” Jinsoul said. “Unless this’s an actual swamp and you hid alligators in there.”

Jungeun shook her head again. She started flying around the room. Then she landed on Jinsoul’s shoulder, her claws digging in softly. 

“So the long nails are from you being a bird?” Jinsoul peered up at her. “Or did you just do that on purpose?”

A hoot. She didn’t know if that was a yes or a no. 

“Let’s go.” Jinsoul walked to the door. “You attack anyone—that includes Hyejoo, by the way, then you’re getting the cage.” She walked out. 

A few people were in the common room. They all said hi, some looking at the bird with varying degrees of worry. They probably thought Jungeun was a new pet of hers. 

Jinsoul smiled at the thought. 

It was easy going up the stairs. She didn’t see anyone who might’ve been attacked by Jungeun, or others who’d start asking questions. Every now and then Jungeun’s wing lightly brushed her face. It almost felt like she was tempted to whack her. 

They reached the seventh floor. 

“Now show me where we’re going.” 

Jungeun flew off her shoulder, rounding the corner. 

Jinsoul broke into a run after her. She wondered what flying like that was like, where you didn’t need a broom. 

She didn’t see her. 

“Jungeun?” she called. 

Towards her left, she heard her hoot. 

She followed, walking past the wall for the Room of Requirement. 

Jungeun was perched on a windowsill. In front of her was a door, the base of which had a shimmer of green below it. Otherwise, it looked  completely normal. 

That explained why no one had been talking about it. 

Jinsoul braced herself, hoping that Jungeun hadn’t forgotten about some trap she’d set (because that had also happened before). 

Then she opened the door. 

A gentle breeze greeted her, as well as the scent of flowers. 

Jinsoul gasped when she saw what was on the other side. 

She almost couldn’t tell it was a classroom, save for gaps revealing the stone walls, and ceiling. The windows to the side were a giveaway too. Except for that, all she saw was green and a myriad of other bright colours. 

The trees rose towards the ceiling, ending in a canopy of leaves. She didn’t know if they grew until then, or just melted into the stone. 

There was a bed of moss where the floor should’ve been. It sank ever so slightly when she stepped onto it. 

The trees weren’t oppressive, but spaced out, leaving enough space that she could almost imagine setting up a campfire there. 

Around the edges of the room were flowers. Roses, jasmines, and even more all spaced around. Their scents weren’t overpowering, but had mixed into something comforting. She didn't know that Jungeun could make something like this. It was beautiful. 

Then she saw the pond in the far corner. Water trickled into it from what almost looked like a stream. 

She went closer to it, enjoying how the ground felt below her feet. The Forbidden Forest didn’t have moss like this unless you walked far enough. Jinsoul had done that once, but it hadn’t been worth it when she’d found the massive spider’s nest. She liked magical creatures. She’d had a tarantula before too, but the man-eating spiders had been a lot for her. Especially when the sun had started setting and she’d realised they’d wanted to actually eat her. 

Fish were in the pond. Koi and sturgeon. 

“Were these in those boxes too?” Jinsoul asked. 

A small hoot was the response. Again, she didn’t know if that was a yes or now. She'd been able to tell before. 

She looked to where it’d come from, only to see Jungeun perched on one of the rocks. She was looking up at her. Jinsoul couldn’t read that look. 

And she probably wasn’t supposed to. Because Jungeun was still an owl. 

Jinsoul spotted something else then. Something that didn’t fit. Black robes. Were those Jungeun’s?

She stood and went over. Right beside it was Jungeun’s bag. 

That meant Jungeun had turned into an owl here. 

Right. Chaewon and Hyejoo had said they’d opened the door and the owl had flown out. 

Had they known about this room? They must have. 

Jungeun flew over. She landed on the bag. 

“I’ll get you something to eat,” Jinsoul told her. She got to her feet. 

Jungeun shook her head. 

“You probably haven’t eaten since you turned,” she looked around, “and you didn’t put any fruit trees.” She glanced at the pond. “You didn’t eat any of them, right?”

Jungeun squawked. Then she gave her a sharp look as she shook her head. 

Jinsoul smiled. “Okay, so you’re hungry.” She went to the door, still surprised at how it’d all been transformed. How had boxes held this much in them? How had Jungeun even managed to make something like this? “See you soon.” 

She gave her a tiny hoot. 

Jinsoul had to force down a laugh. She was fully convinced that Jungeun was the owl, but that didn’t make any of this any less surreal. 

_____

She barely made it out of the kitchens and into the Entrance Hall when she saw several people gathered there. 

“Have you seen her?” Jiwoo asked when she saw Jinsoul. She looked close to tears. “When I tell you I’ve looked everywhere, I mean it.” 

“She’s not in the dorms either,” Haseul added. She looked equally as worried. “Do you think she went into the Forest?” She raised a brow. “I know she’d do that if she wanted to.”

Jinsoul realised then she had no idea if any of them knew Jungeun was an animagus. If any one of them had known, they would’ve been the voice of reason here. 

“Really?” Jiwoo squeaked. “But why would—” Her eyes went back to Jinsoul. Then they widened. “Oh no.”

Jinsoul looked to Yerim, hoping she’d be able to have a read on her fellow Hufflepuff. 

But she wasn’t smiling or trying to even make light of anything. 

“She wouldn’t have done that today,” Sooyoung said then. “She still hasn’t—” She glanced at Jinsoul. “Um,” she trailed off. 

“She still hasn’t what?” Jinsoul asked. Apart from the bird, more than a few of them had been acting weird. “What wouldn’t she have been doing today?”

They all exchanged a look. Jinsoul could see people walking past, giving them all questioning looks. Some tried for awkward smiles, before quickly going into the Great Hall. They’d probably be wondering if they were fighting. 

“It depends,” Hyjoo muttered. “Did you see her?”

“Tell me what’s happening first.” Jinsoul knew how easy it would be to just tell them what’d actually happened, but Jungeun had kept this secret for two years. 

Couldn’t she have just written her a note that said, you can tell them I’m the owl. 

Jiwoo was having a stare down with Yerim now, shaking her head while the latter was nodding. 

“Please tell me you’re not a part of this.” Jinsoul turned to the others. 

Yeojin, Heejin, and Hyunjin all shrugged. 

Vivi and the two devils of Slytherin were very quiet. Yerim too. 

“Spill.” Jinsoul went over to them. 

“Or what?” Chaewon raised a brow. 

She nearly told them in that moment. Either that or she’d have threatened them with the owl making a comeback. 

“I’ll say it,” Sooyoung groaned, “Jungeun set something up for you. She was gonna show it to you today, but clearly you haven’t even seen her.” She rolled her eyes. “So either something’s happened or she chickened out.”

Owled out, Jinsoul corrected. “Set what up for me?” As soon as she said the words, she knew the answer. “The forest?” Oops. 

“Wait,” Jiwoo straightened, “you saw it?” 

U = idiot. 

“Maybe,” Jinsoul muttered. “But she didn’t show it to me.” And that was an actual lie. She knew they’d see through it. “Wait.” She looked between them, their words actually setting in. 

I’m an idiot. 

It made more sense now. How nervous Jungeun had been. And then it made even less sense, because since when did Jungeun do something like that? Jinsoul's face flared up with warmth. 

“She really didn’t come find you?” Hyejoo asked. “Because you seem really calm right now.” 

“I’m not,” Jinsoul admitted. “Just really confused.” And it wasn’t because Jungeun was an owl. She’d gotten over that. 

“Well same here!” Jiwoo put her head in her hands. “The surprise’s ruined, some of you almost got killed by an owl, and she’s not here for any of it.” She looked genuinely distraught. 

She knew then and there that she needed to fix this. 

“Can you guys come upstairs in maybe ten minutes?” 

By the looks they were giving her, she probably sounded insane. 

“Trust me,” Jinsoul told them. “Just wait.” Then she ran up the stairs before they could stop her. 

Her foot sank into the trick step. She narrowly avoided smashing her head into the floor. Dizzy, she managed to get up the next set of stairs. 

As she waited for the next flight to move her way, she tried to think of what she’d even say next. And what happened if she didn’t cast the spell right? Just because she was rushed? 

Or would Jungeun just stop her from doing that? 

And then the rest would come up and see Jungeun as an owl. 

“Oh my god,” Jinsoul muttered, rushing up the stairs. Her legs were already burning. “Please let this work.” 

She was at the sixth floor now, wishing she’d actually done more sport instead of just flying around on a broom. 

When she got to the forest room, she was gasping for air. She fell onto the mossy floor, sighing in relief when she could rest her head on something soft. She nearly fell asleep. 

A hoot broke her out of her stupor. Then a light brush of a wing on her head. It was actually comforting. 

“Hey,” she muttered. “Food’s in my bag. And your friends are gonna be here in less than fifteen minutes.”

Jungeun tapped Jinsoul's head with her wing again. Twice. Three times. 

She looked up to see Jungeun looking at her with very confused red eyes. 

“I didn’t mean to!” Jinsoul pushed herself up. “They told me you set this up for me, I let it slip that I’d seen this room, but I didn’t know that,” she caught her breath, “and we have two choices now.” She pulled out her wand. “Either I turn you back now, and hopefully the spell works, or they’re gonna see you as this and I’ll have to tell them you’re the owl, or else one of them might actually hex you.”

Jungeun stared at her. 

“Come on,” Jinsoul leaned back, wondering if she was going to throw up or not, “you can hit me and that’s a no, or hoot and that’s a yes.” 

She was still looking at her. Jinsoul wondered if she was going to keel over. Had she even heard her? Had Jinsoul even said those words properly?

“Please Jungeun, either you’re eating as a human or a bird. You don’t answer, that food’s going in the water.”

Jungeun hooted. Yes. She was going to trust her with a spell she'd never cast before, when she was nervous too. 

Jinsoul gaped at her. “I’ve never cast this spell in my life.” 

Another hoot. 

“Jungeun, you might be stuck with one arm and a wing for a while. They said it’s painful.”

Jungeun squawked and flew around for a few seconds. When she landed, she glared at Jinsoul and gave a very pointed hoot.

“Okay okay!” Jinsoul took a deep breath, before looking in her bag for what she’d written down about the spell. 

Jungeun turned away to her bag. She picked something up, a rustling sound coming. She turned back and it was another paper. 

Jinsoul took it when she came closer. 

Cst spell. 

U wont . 

I hope. 

“Helpful.” Jinsoul wondered how long it’d taken her to think of that. And how long it’d taken her to make up her mind about this. 

She lifted her wand and pointed it at the owl—Jungeun. 

The owl looked back at her, winked with an odd red eye, and closed her eyes. 

Jinsoul grit her teeth. How was it so easy for Jungeun to trust her for this? 

“If this goes wrong, I’m so sorry.”

Jinsoul looked at the spell once, before breathing in and out. Very slowly. 

She tried to focus on the fact that Jungeun didn’t look nervous at all, despite those standards being set to a bird. She imagined Jungeun standing in front of her, eyes closed, blonde hair, and fully human. 

She followed the steps and the stance, before casting the spell, watching as blue light left her wand and wrapped around Jungeun. 

Her heart clenched as she watched it sink into Jungeun’s feathers. 

And then Jungeun let out a sound that sounded too much like a shriek. Her eyes opened. 

The door flew open in the next moment. Jiwoo barged in, with nine other people following. 

“Get back!” Jinsoul shouted. 

Jungeun was spasming, no sound coming out of her now. 

“What is that?” Sooyoung’s words got no response. 

Jinsoul watched the feathers melted into skin and clothes, before the head grew. The eyes turned brown again and the feathers on her head became blonde. The wings grew into arms. The talons into toes before legs shot out of the little body. It looked disgusting. 

And then Jungeun was hunched over on the ground. She cried out, swatting at her arms. She looked up, eyes wide, tears streaming out. She was human. 

“I’m back,” she croaked out. She looked at Jinsoul. Then she looked to the others. “Hi?”

Jinsoul tackled her into a hug in the next moment. She smelled vaguely like the Owlery, but otherwise of roses and jasmine again. She tightened her grip, sighing in relief. 

It was hesitant, but Jungeun put her arms around her as well. "Miss me?" 

Jinsoul huffed, trying to ignore how relieved she felt to hear her voice. "You were here the whole time," she muttered. 

Meanwhile, the stunned silence broke into chaos. 

“YOU WERE THE BIRD?” Hyejoo bellowed. 

At the same time, Jiwoo screamed, “YOU TOLD ME YOU HATE OWLS!”

“Calm down!” Vivi shouted. “She’s been a bird since this morning.” 

“Did you know?” Chaewon’s voice was surprisingly loud as well. 

“‘Course she didn’t,” Hyunjin shot back, “Jungeun was missing since this morning.” 

Jungeun patted her back. “You did it.” She laughed, a sound Jinsoul realised she’d missed. 

“You’re sure?” Jinsoul pulled away, looking at her, holding back a gasp. 

Her left eye was bruised, now swelling, while there was another one on her forehead. The base of her neck had a thin cut on it. 

“I’m sure,” Jungeun grinned, but winced, “I can talk, I can move my neck right, and I have actual joints in my legs.” She wiggled them. 

“You look like .” It was Sooyoung. 

Jungeun cackled. “I feel like it too.”

“You’re telling us everything,” Jiwoo was on Jungeun’s other side, looking both angry and relieved, “because I thought you’d been kidnapped.”

She snorted. “Please, I’d be stuck in the Forest before that happened.” She tossed some blonde hair over her shoulder. Said blonde hair had dried blood in it, just like her feathers had. 

“Explain first,” Haseul said. She waved her wand. Plates of steaming food appeared on the forest—classroom—floor. 

Jinsoul stared at it. “You’re telling me I went all the way downstairs, when I could’ve done this?”

“It would’ve been cold or rotten.” Sooyoung sat down. She grabbed a plate. “I’m surprised you even managed that spell.” She nodded at the person who’d just been an owl. 

“Me too,” Heejin took two plates, “what if it’d gone wrong?” Then she looked at Jungeun. “Did you think she could do it?”

Jungeun nodded. Then she took a plate as well, wincing as she did. Jinsoul wondered if flying was like some sort of intense workout for her. 

“I didn’t,” Jinsoul muttered. She pulled out the food she’d brought up. She wasn’t going to let that go to waste. 

Jungeun saw it and Jinsoul swore her eyes lit up. 

She handed over the sandwich and cup of soup. 

Jungeun grinned. “How was I gonna eat this?” She peered at the sandwich. 

“In little pieces,” Jinsoul replied. 

“So what was the plan?” Chaewon asked. “You’d have dinner and then wait until tomorrow?” Her brow rose. “And then turned her back?” 

She nodded. “After I’d actually slept and was calm.”

“You weren’t calm when we came in,” Hyunjin said, giving her a pointed look. 

“It still worked!” Jinsoul protested. “So can we drop it?” 

“Yes,” Yerim said, a small smile on her face. Then she frowned at Jungeun. “You have a lot of explaining to do.” 

Jungeun smiled sheepishly. “I started learning how to do this at the end of third year.” 

“Why?” Haseul’s brow was furrowed. 

“I thought it was cool.” 

“And you turned into an owl,” Hyejoo said, giving her a pointed look. 

Jungeun started telling them about the long process, the mishaps, and the way she’d had to avoid being discovered as an animagus. Jinsoul knew about the process, especially after her reading session today, but she’d never seen the shift in Jungeun after that. Was that why she’d started being so tired in class? 

“I’ll probably register by the time I leave school, but we’ll see.” 

“And you never told us. Why?” Yerim was holding up a grape, as if she was ready to throw it at her. 

“One, today was a great reason for that. You had no idea and it was hilarious,” Jungeun shrugged, “two, I don’t use it that much.” 

Many of the people there frowned. It didn’t exactly add up. Even Jinsoul could think of some potential things Jungeun could do as an owl, including messing with the mailing process. 

Jungeun blinked. “What?” 

“You are gonna need to make up for all the lost opportunities,” Hyejoo said. “Do that and I’ll forgive you for almost ripping out my throat.” 

“We’re even,” Jungeun threw back. “You sent a snake after me.”

“You attacked first,” Chaewon replied. “Who did you even think we were?” 

Her ears were brightly red. “Sorry,” she muttered, “I was freaking out.” Something shifted then. Jinsoul saw then that Jungeun was a bit more shaken than she let on. The rest probably saw that too, because no one said much more about that. 

Whenever it’d happened, Jungeun had been in this room, alone. She probably might’ve thought she was stuck in that form forever. 

“But it was great being chased across school.” Jungeun’s smile was back. “Now I know I can really outfly all of you.” 

“I’d like to see you try it on a broom.” Hyejoo smirked. “Then you can talk about that.” 

Things went back into casual conversation. There were several jokes made about today, but it became very clear that most of them were exhausted. Jungeun especially, but also the people who’d been worried about her. 

Jiwoo was currently leaning on Sooyoung’s shoulder eyes drooping. 

Yeojin was wondering aloud which animal she’d want to turn into. Yerim, Chaewon and Hyejoo had joined in. It was a semi-argument, but still a debate. 

“You’d be a cat,” Heejin said quietly. “Just like your patronus.” She hugged Hyunjin, smiling softly. 

Jinsoul turned to Jungeun then, to see her sitting back with her eyes closed. The swelling in her eye hadn’t gotten worse, which was at least a good sign. She looked terrible, but Jinsoul had never been happier to see her than she did now. 

She scooted over. “Do you have to go to the Hospital Wing?” 

Jungeun shook her head. “Does it look bad?” 

“You look like you got in a fight,” Jinsoul said. “Several.”

She hummed.

“Have you cast a patronus charm yet?” 

Jungeun opened her eyes. “A patronus?” She looked confused. “We don’t learn that.” 

Jinsoul laughed. “We also don’t learn how to turn into animals.” 

The corner of her lip tugged up. “I’m not the charms type. That’s you.” The smile formed fully. It didn't look all that frightening now. “And you’ve done it already, haven’t you?” 

“It’s one reason why becoming an animagus would not be all that great,” she said. “At least here.” 

Jungeun’s brow rose. 

“Mine’s a betta.” 

She nodded. “If you ever live by a lake, it’d make sense. At least a bit.” Jungeun frowned. “Could you even be in salt water?” 

Jinsoul smiled at that. “Probably not.” 

Suddenly she laughed. “Sorry, I was just picturing you going through the halls.” She made a jumpy movement with her hand. It vaguely looked like a flopping fish. “That’d be hilarious.”

“Glad you think so.” Jinsoul gave her a look. “Not everyone gets to be an animal that can fly.”

“We’re in a world where we have broomsticks,” Jungeun said, meeting her eyes, “and I can tell you it’s a little terrifying to fly without a broom. That’s why I stuck with quidditch.” 

“And you’ll still lose next month.” Yerim winked. 

She stuck her tongue out. “You wish.” 

“I think we’re gonna go to the dorms,” Sooyoung said, nudging Jiwoo’s head with her cheek. “It’s been a long day.”

“Same here,” Heejin stood, “but we’re not finished. I still need to know when exactly you were chewing on a mandrake leaf.” She frowned. “For a whole month.”

“And when were you waiting for the storm?” Yerim asked. “Since when’re you patient enough for that?”

Jungeun shrugged. “I thought I’d commit to it.”

Slowly, the others began to go. Sooyoung was partially holding Jiwoo up, who’d resorted to wrapping her arms around her waist, muttering something about what sort of bird Sooyoung probably was. 

Haseul was looking at Jungeun, a thoughtful look in her eyes. Vivi seemed confused, but she stayed where she was. 

“That’s why you don’t sleep,” Haseul said then. “You’re nocturnal.”

Jungeun just nodded.

“Are the traits supposed to work the other way?” She frowned.

“Not sure,” she said. “I just couldn’t sleep well once that happened.” She shrugged. “It works, but I don’t like it.”

“So you thought sleeping during class was a good idea?” Jinsoul asked. 

“Yep.” Jungeun gave her that look with the familiar challenge. “Other people had some great notes.”

“Well,” Haseul hugged her, “you’re still gonna need to start being awake for class. There’s actual important things happening.”

She snickered. “Yes, ma’am.” 

“See you later, Eun,” Haseul pulled away, “and you better be an actual human tomorrow.”

“Promise.” Jungeun grinned back at her.

“Also,” she narrowed her eyes, “if you ever turn into an owl on purpose around me, or Heejin, I’ll find a way to get you detention for a week in Herbology. And I’ll tell Longbottom to make you repot all of the mandrakes and prepare a litre of pus.”

Jungeun stared at her, stunned. “Unless it’s for a good reason, I won’t.”

“Your good reason better be the same as mine.” Haseul hugged her one more time before leaving with Vivi. 

That left Yeojin, Yerim, and the two Slytherins. 

“Look, Hye,” Jungeun went over to her, “I’m sorry I attacked you.” 

Hyejoo shrugged. “Just as long as you let me make owl jokes, we’re good.” She patted her head. “And you tell me how to become one.”

She gaped at her. “I didn’t do that—”

“I’ll cover for you when you need it, get you whatever you want from Hogsmeade, and you can use my switch.”

Chaewon frowned at that. 

Jungeun chuckled. “I won’t be having a lot of time for the switch, but the other two are great.”

Chaewon relaxed. 

“What about you?” Jungeun asked her. “You also want to turn into something?”

She wrinkled her nose. “I’ll probably end up as some insect, so no.”

Jungeun just laughed. “Well, I’ll make sure you know which books to read about this stuff. Then I’ll help you with the potion.”

Hyejoo cringed. “Books?”

She nodded, winking at her. “You need to know how it actually works.”

Both looked unconvinced, but Hyejoo nodded. Then she unexpectedly hugged Jungeun. 

“I’m glad I didn’t actually catch you,” she said. “Because you would’ve looked a lot worse if I had.”

“I think that’s called animal cruelty,” Jungeun replied. “You should resist those urges.”

Hyejoo glared at her. “You ruined the moment.”

“You both did,” Chaewon grabbed her arm, “so before it gets worse, we’re leaving.” She took Yerim’s hand too, dragging them both to the door. Yeojin waved, looking more than a little confused at what was happening. 

“See you tomorrow!” Yerim said, laughing as they went out the door. 

When it closed, Jinsoul realised they were alone. Yesterday, that probably would've been something she'd try to avoid. Now, it just made her a bit nervous. 

“Those fish weren’t conjured, by the way.” Jungeun was looking over at the pond. “They won’t vanish this time. Promise.”

“It wasn't that bad,” Jinsoul found herself saying. 

“Really,” she gave her a look, “I heard you named each of them.” Then her eyes widened. 

“Jungeun?”

She coughed once. Then she squawked. It was the bird sound again. 

Jinsoul felt a small wave of panic.

Jungeun covered , eyes wide. Another squawk. 

“Oh ,” Jinsoul gasped, “I’m so sorry.” She tried to see if there was any other sign that Jungeun was turning. “They fix this stuff in St. Mungo’s. We can just go there by the Floo Network and I’ll tell them I hexed you.” 

Jungeun smiled then. “They’d buy it.” Her voice was normal again. 

Jinsoul froze. 

“Sorry, I had to.” Jungeun laughed. It bordered on a screech. 

She punched her arm. "No you didn't."

“Ow!” She scooted away. 

“I almost thought your voice was going to change back.” Jinsoul smacked her arm again. “I wish it had.” 

“That’d be a shame,” Jungeun said, still smiling. “People love my voice.” 

“People,” Jinsoul said. “Including your parents or not?” 

“Including,” she replied. “And all my fans at home.” 

“You haven’t changed at all,” Jinsoul grumbled. “Would’ve thought twenty-four hours could’ve given you a bit of humility.” 

“I was trapped!” Jungeun protested. “And I was a badass owl. I can outfly a seeker, a beater, and a chaser.” She had that excited look in her eyes, just like when she’d been lugging the forest up the stairs. It suited her. 

“Your entire body is made for flight,” Jinsoul replied. “As a bird.” 

The corner of her lip tilted up. “It’s like that as a human too.” 

Jinsoul rolled her eyes. “You’re unbearable.” 

“I know.” She winked. “But you’re acting like I should’ve learned something about myself out there.” She shrugged “I just found out that I can smash through a window.” Her eyes fell down to the ground. “I mean, if I learned anything, it was probably about you.”

“About me?” Jinsoul tried to ignore how her face started to warm. “You found out I talk to animals like they can understand me?” 

“I understood everything.” Jungeun smiled. “My favourite part was you thinking I’d sent the bird.” 

“You tried to attack me when I said that” 

“It’s funnier thinking back now.” Jungeun’s smile faded slightly. “Sorry.” She rubbed at her neck, wincing slightly. 

“You overdid it,” Jinsoul said. “You didn’t have to break a window in the library.” She looked at the various bruises littering her skin then, and the scratches. 

“I did,” she retorted. “Either Kang was gonna kill me or someone else was.” 

“Madame Kang would never hurt a fly, let alone an owl.” Jinsoul shook her head. “Until you took a book.” 

“I’d used that when I learned how to,” she did a flapping motion with her arms, “you know. I thought I’d missed a reverse spell.” Then she sighed. “But I should’ve gone to the Restricted Section first.”

Jinsoul couldn’t stop herself from laughing. “You just made transforming into an owl sound lame.” She knocked their shoulders together. “You’re an actual animagus, Jungeun. That's amazing."

“It’s not that special,” Jungeun laughed, “if I can do it, the rest of you’ll be able to. Hyejoo’s gonna be learning it too. You could.” She moved closer, bumping their shoulders. “Even if you turn into a fish.”

She shook her head. “I'd rather take care of the fish.”

Jungeun just nodded, the smile still on her face. She glanced away every now and then, as if she couldn’t look her in the eyes. 

“You really really care about animals,” she said. “Even if they’re probably evil.” 

“Piranhas aren’t evil,” Jinsoul replied. “They just look it.” She nudged her side. She felt a lot more comfortable being close to her now. Maybe it was the owl, maybe it was the relief that Jungeun was okay now. “But you weren’t evil as a bird either. Or now, even if you’re annoying in both forms.” 

Jungeun’s smile slowly grew. “That’s the nicest thing you’ve said to me. At least in the last two years.”

She felt a pang of guilt then. She hadn't exactly meant to be like that. They just didn't talk enough for that. And if they did talk, Jungeun had just tried to destroy something. 

Her smile faded. “I didn’t mean it like that! I get it, trust me. I mean, I’ve never done something that was, you know, a pleasant surprise for you.”

The words clicked in her head. She remembered what the rest had said too. 

“Is that why you made this?” Jinsoul waved at the room. 

Her jaw fell slack. “Uh,” she stammered. “What?”

Jinsoul’s cheeks were burning. She wondered if it was showing. “Remember what I said before I cast that spell?” She barely remembered it, but she did know what the others had told her. Or what she’d made them tell her. 

She’d opened multiple times, before closing it again. She looked around the room, but didn’t focus on anything. 

“You can tell me another time?” Jinsoul suggested. 

That snapped her out of her head. “I think it can last a while, honestly. If it’s got a semi-decent ecosystem going.” She ran her hand across the mossy floor. Her ears were red again. “And yeah,” she muttered, “it’s for you.” She looked away again. All bravado had fallen away. She suddenly looked extremely nervous.

Jinsoul had known that, but hearing it was almost surreal. She still had no idea why Jungeun had done any of this. 

“For what?”

“For your animals,” she mumbled. 

“My animals?” Jinsoul repeated. 

“Or just to relax,” Jungeun added hurriedly. “This isn’t supposed to be more work for you. I just, well, you know,” she broke off.

“Do I?” She raised a brow. Jungeun didn't usually ramble. It was as funny as it was endearing. 

Jungeun lightly kicked her leg. “You’re so annoying.” 

“Funny that it’s you saying that.” She realised she was still holding her arm. She was torn between letting go and staying where she was. “But,” she squeezed her arm before letting go, “I might not be able to smuggle a shark in here, but I can think of a few creatures I’d have here.” She looked around. “Bowtruckles are a must.” 

"Of course." She snorted. “Should've known you'd get those first.” 

Jinsoul tickled her sides. She yelped and moved away. “So you’ll make it all of this and then mock me too?” 

Jungeun grabbed her hands, keeping them away from her. “Yeah.” She grinned back at her. Her eyes had lit up. “It’s kinda easy.” She let go. 

They sat there in a comfortable silence. Jinsoul didn’t know the last time that’d happened. 

Jungeun was fiddling with her wand, twirling it around her fingers. 

“You know,” Jinsoul began, “I was so confused why everyone was asking me about you.” She started laughing. “It was because you were supposed to show me this, but you,” she cackled, “you turned into an owl.” 

“I will put all this back in those boxes.” Jungeun was glaring at her, but she was smiling too. 

“No,” she nudged her with her shoulder, “this is great.” 

Jungeun looked away, biting her lip. “Great,” she said. “That’s really, really,” she trailed off. 

“Great?” Jinsoul found her eyes wandering. 

Jungeun shrugged once. Her ears were even redder. 

“Thank you.” Jinsoul met her eyes. There wasn’t a hint of a smirk, annoyance, or even any playfulness. Jungeun didn’t say anything, but she nodded. “Why’d you do this? To do a good deed?” She chuckled. “Because a new fish would’ve been enough for that.” 

“I thought about that.” Jungeun nodded. “But it didn’t really fit. This still doesn’t make up for, well, everything,” she tilted her head, looking up, “but I thought it’d at least be something nice for you. And we don’t exactly have a lot of time to go into the actual forest, and it’s getting freezing too.” She kept talking, eyes wandering across the ceiling. Again with the nervousness. “Maybe turning into a bird was good,” she laughed slightly, “you probably wouldn’t have seen it today.”

“What makes you think that?”

“You still thought this was a prank,” Jungeun replied. “I don’t blame you.” 

Jinsoul smiled. “You’re also doing something next week, so today was the exception.”

She nodded, something flickering in her eyes again. It wasn’t nervousness—that was already there. It seemed a lot warmer. 

Jinsoul was still trying to process what she'd learned. Jungeun had done all this for her? She’d turned into an owl in the process. And now they were here. Jinsoul’s hair was still on her head, but something else felt like it'd shifted. They were sitting shoulder-to-shoulder too. That was definitely a shift. 

“So,” Jinsoul turned to her, “you’re telling me how you made this later.” She got to her feet. “Because I think you actually need to go sleep.” 

“Didn’t you hear Haseul, I’m nocturnal now.”

“You look exhausted now,” Jinsoul said. “So it’s worth a try.” 

Wincing the entire time, Jungeun shifted around so she was on her hands and feet. 

“What are you doing?”

She laughed. “I’m trying to get up.” She groaned as she tried to get up. “It all hurts.”

Jinsoul took her arms and pulled her up. Jungeun winced. 

“I don’t think I’m getting out of bed tomorrow.” She put her hands on her legs, leaning on them. 

Jinsoul got her bag and her robes. “Should I walk with you?”

Jungeun looked surprised. “Uh,” her eyes went to her bag, “it’s okay, you don’t have to.” 

“I’ll be making sure you don’t turn into an owl again,” she replied. “And I don’t think you’ll be able to carry this.” She hefted the bag. “What do you have in there?” They left the room. The many scents of the room faded. Jinsoul missed them. 

She shrugged. “You can look if you want.”

Jinsoul debated whether or not she’d pry. 

She looked. 

There were several books on Herbology, Care of Magical Creatures, and something on Astronomy. 

“You don’t need all of these." Jinsoul pulled out the CMA book. 

Her brow rose a fraction. “That’s what you noticed there?”

Jinsoul frowned and looked back. 

Pushed off to the side were several blue pieces of cardboard. Was it cardboard? 

No, they were made of cloth. 

She pulled one out, only to find that it felt softer than velvet, almost as if it’d been made by from a mixture of air and water. 

“Wow,” she breathed, staring at it. “This’s incredible.” 

“Do you want one?” Jungeun asked. “Or two.”

“Did you make them?" Jinsoul was once again surprised at how Jungeun could make something so delicate. 

Jungeun only nodded, but she looked a bit embarrassed. 

"How do they work?” 

“They’re not exactly endless,” Jungeun shrugged, “but a lot fits in there.”

“You didn’t put an actual tree in one, did you?”

Jungeun laughed. “I wish,” she grinned, “but I did get some saplings in there, plus the fish.” Her eyes widened. “They were fine! An actual tank got in the second box and it wasn’t spilling.” She looked panicked. “I swear.”

“Don’t worry,” Jinsoul patted her arm, “I believe you.”

“Really?” 

Trust me. At least a little?

Jinsoul nodded. 

Jungeun looked like she was holding back a smile. She was smiling a lot. Was she always this way and Jinsoul had just missed it?

As they walked, they both became a bit quieter. Either Jungeun or Jinsoul would break the silence with a small question, usually about the work they still had to do. Jinsoul wanted to know more about the room, as well as why it was for her, but Jungeun looked exhausted. She’d probably make things awkward too, which she didn’t want. She’d always thought the two of them would be extremely awkward if Jungeun stopped being intolerable and they had a normal conversation. 

But it wasn’t anything like that. It was a lot better than she'd expected. 

It was almost over too soon. They reached the entrance to the Slytherin common room. It was a lot colder down here. 

Jungeun turned to her with a warm look in her eye. Jinsoul felt her face warm immediately. She wanted to look away, but knew that’d just make it all worse. 

“Thanks for turning me back,” Jungeun said. “And for even helping me out in the first place.”

“You were trapped as a bird,” she replied. “Of course I’d get you out of there.” 

“I mean,” she shrugged, “you could’ve had a few days of peace and quiet.”

Jinsoul raised a brow. “Today was anything but peace and quiet.You even raided the library.”

A glint of a challenge appeared in her eyes. “There might be some days where you’ll wish I was a bird again.”

“There’s a cage that’ll fit you like this too.”

Jungeun smirked. “If you were really gonna lock me up, you would’ve done it a long time ago.”

“Actually,” Jinsoul tried not to smile, “it’s because I haven’t been able to conjure a cage that big yet.”

Jungeun laughed, before cringing. She held her chest. “Ow.”

She patted her shoulder, laughing slightly. “Even if you won't sleep, you should lay down.”

Jungeun nodded. She said the password then. The wall slowly slid open. 

“By the way,” Jinsoul lightly squeezed her shoulder, “I like you a lot more as a human than an owl, so don’t start making this a thing.”

She shook her head, a little spark in her eyes. 

“Goodnight,” Jinsoul said. She almost hugged her, but held back. They hadn’t hugged before.

Then she remembered when Jungeun had turned back to a human. She’d basically thrown herself on her. 

Jinsoul was torn between being embarrassed and dismissing it. 

“Night,” Jungeun said, flashing her a brief smile. She looked slightly stunned. 

The silence that came then was suddenly very uncomfortable. 

Then Jungeun was going into the common room, glancing back once and waving quickly. 

The wall started to close. 

Jinsoul sighed as she went back up the stairs. She’d been annoyed, angry, and amused around Jungeun before, but never awkward. Not really. 

Until just now. 

______

Author's Note

I swear I meant for this to be a oneshot, but that didn't work out. There's just one more chapter, because I needed to break this into two parts. This is still my shortest story, but I'm starting to think I'm incapable of keeping things genuinely short. 

Either way, the last part will come very soon. Thank you for reading this story though. This idea had come to me pretty suddenly and I'd had so much fun writing it out. Like my other HP story, writing in this world makes me so happy, so I'm glad I was able to bring Loona in as well. 

See you next chapter!