River Grimes and the Ancient Awakening

Chapter 10: The Full Moon and the Thunderstorm...

"River! Wake up," Archie said in a whisper.

"Huh what..." River said, fighting off the sleepiness in his eyes.

"Get up," Archie said again, pulling River out of bed.

"What is it? Is Murphy ok?" River said, slipping on his slippers.

"What? Oh yeah, I don't know," Archie said, pulling River to the window. He unlatched it, and pushed the windows open revealing a clear black sky with a giant pure white full moon floating above them. "Still got the leaf?" Archie said.

River explored his mouth with his tongue, finding the leaf rolled in the bottom corner of his mouth, he nodded.

"I'll do mine first, you keep yours's in your mouth," Archie said pulling out two small glass vials and setting them on the window ceil. He stuck two fingers in his mouth, pulled out a sopping wet leaf. "Glad to not have to worry about this anymore," he said, stuffing the leaf into one of the glass vials.

"You said you wanted to do the most dangerous potions," River said. "Shouldn't you have started with the Polyjuice Potion? I read about it in a book, it's illegal to do without proper guidance and permits."

"Please..." Archie scoffed. "I did a perfect Polyjuice Potion when I was eight. I turned into Bon, and got him grounded for a month," he sniggered softly. "Shh, now let me concentrate." He held up the vial, so it was illuminated by the moons light. "One strand of hair," he plucked some hair from his head, and carefully separated them until their was just a single thin brown strand, then he put it in the vial with the leaf. "Teaspoon of morning dew," he carefully poured a clear liquid into the vial. "And finally, a Death's-Head Hawk Moth chrysalis," he shoved what looked like a mini human poop into the vial. "Now yours," he snapped his fingers holding out his palm. River spit the leaf into Archies hand. "Leaf into the vial, one strand of hair," he held the vial up into the moons light as he plucked a hair from River's head. "Morning dew, and finally the chrysalis." He sealed both vials tightly, and took a second to admire them. "Such a simple potion, but such a dangerous one," he smiled. "Beautiful. River pry up that floorboard under my bed. The third one from the foot of the bed."

River bent down, at Archies bed, patted around the floorboard until he felt a loose one. He lifted it up, to show a small little cubby. Archie knelt down next to River, and placed the two vials into the cubby, River shut the board and Archie did some sort of sealing charm on the wood. He tried to pry it up, but it wouldn't budge. "Perfect," Archie said. "Next time there's a lightning storm, with the first lightning strike we check the potions. Keeping them in here in complete darkness until then, no peaking!" he said, waving a finger at River. "If it works, with the first strike of lightning. The potion will turn blood red, then we sneak out of the castle, find a quiet place, and drink. Then we'll see flashes of the animal in our heads before we turn. I've heard the first turn is the worst, and can easily panic you. So try and keep calm."

"So is it like Werewolves?" River said. "We only turn on full moons?"

"Not at all," Archie said with a smile. "Animagus are better than Werewolves. Animagi can turn into their animal whenever they want by thinking about the animal with the intention of turning into it. Where as Werewolves can only turn on the full moon."

"Will you two shut up!" Dylan said, flinging his pillow at River and Archie.

"Sorry," River said, tossing Dylan's pillow back.

"Next thunderstorm, watch for the first strike," Archie said.

"But it's November, it'll probably snow before that," River said. Archies face went blank.