INVISIBLE STRING, marauders era

CHAPTER SEVEN - James is a Slay Hairstylist

- 1975 -

October 13th 75' : Gryffindor Girl's Dormitories - fifth year

The following monday morning, Annabelle was the first to wake up. She had been tossing and turning all night, and finally, giving up on sleep, she made her way to the bathroom hoping to at least wash her face.

Annabelle tried her best not to disturb her sleeping roommates, but it was no use, as the second she caught sight of her reflection she let out a high-pitched scream.

Lily was the first to rush into the bathroom, closely followed by Marlene and Mary. Marlene flicked on the main light as Mary and Lily went to Annabelle sides.

"Annie!" Mary tried to lift Annabelle's head from her hands. "Are you okay?"

As light flooded the room and the eyes of the concerned girls began to adjust, they expected to be greeted with the sight of their friend hurt. After all, a fall would be the most expected and justifiable explanation for Annabelle's screams, as well as her position on the bathroom floor.

What they didn't expect was for their friend's hair to be bright blue.

"My hair," Annabelle sobbed. "Look at my hair!"

Marlene, being the first to register what really happened, fell into a fit of hysterical laughter. Lily, soon followed suite after realising the only thing Annie had actually hurt was her vanity.

Mary on the other hand was still waking up, and completely bambaffold by the girls reactions. "What happened? Are you hurt?"

"Only her pride is hurt, Mary," Lily responded through fits of laughter.

Annabelle abruptly stopped sobbing, lifting her head from her hands as she grabbed Lily's arm. "Lily! Lils, you can change this! You're amazing at transfiguration! Please save my hair, I'm begging you. I can't go to class looking like a blueberry."

"I don't know Annie, I can try but I can't promise anything, especially considering I don't know the charm that did this in the first place." Lily got up and walked back into the shared dorm to get her wand.

"How did this even happen?" Marlene struggled out, her laughter finally dying down. "Maybe Potters lot found a way past the charm we put on the stairs last year." She shivered at the thought.

"That would make sense," Mary reasoned. "He might have come into our dorm when we were sleeping, and left before we woke up."

"I thought Nash said that she was confident the charm would last at least a few years," Marlene added with a frown.

"No. James can be a jackass, but he would never come in our room while we are asleep. Plus, he promised not to mess with the charm, and I trust him." Annabelle countered, her voice muffled by her hands.

"Okay, I'm not sure how well this is going to work, but you need to sit up. And if I make it worse somehow, it's not my fault. You asked for this." Mary and Marleene moved out of the way as Lily re-entered the room, sitting herself directly in front of Annabelle. At the sound of her voice, Annabelle lifted her head and sat up straight. As Lily pointed her wand at her head, Annabelle scrunched her eyes, crossed her fingers, and began praying under her breath. "Crinus Muto."

Annabelle saw a flash of white light behind her eyelids, followed by a soft tingling sensation on her head. "Did it work? Please tell me it worked," she begged. She was met with no reply.