Of Apples and Oranges

II: xi: Rebel

"So what do we do now?" Draco drawled, kicking his feet off the bed in boredom.

Aurum shrugged, flipping pages in her magazine. She put it down and sat up beside Draco. "I've never had an animagus, obviously. Can you do it again, by the way? Just to make sure everything's okay?"

Draco got off of the bed and without a word or wand transformed into a slender and proud silver wolf. He howled for show. Aurum clapped as he transfigured himself back into his human form. He took a bow.

Then, a picture caught his attention. He picked it up. It was of the Marauders. "It's such a shame what happened to them. Here they trusted their friend so much and he betrayed them all. I hope nothing like that ever happens to us."

Aurum pulled him into a hug as much as she could, being a dwarf compared to his height. "I do too. I feel bad we couldn't get Peter to Sirius. He bit me so much that I'd just rather not try anymore. Plus, Hermione's cat kind of had it covered. And it's true what he said. He does have only three fingers. I didn't feel the best taking advantage of Ronald's trust anyway."

"We need nicknames like the Marauders." Draco suggested.

"We can call you Silver because of your wolf pelt," Aurum said excitedly.

"You can be Moonbeam. Get it? Because you smile a lot." Draco snapped his fingers at her and winked. "But what about Crabbe and Goyle? They're not animagi."

"They should be! Ooh! We can guess what they'd be and make nicknames for that. I'd say Greg would be a gargoyle due to how protective he is. So maybe Stones?"

"Perhaps. I think Crabbe would be a dragon," Draco said. Aurum stared in confusion. "What? I just do. So maybe Ridgeback? They can match."

"We couldn't bring them into the Shack if they were that big though." Aurum noted.

"We'll have to take our adventures to Hogsmeade." Draco smirked at the thought. "Imagine us all in Hogsmeade at night. Wolves, a dragon, and a gargoyle. How crazy would that be?"

"Sounds like a good novel," Aurum said.

"I'd read it." Draco agreed.

Just then, they heard the crash of a door and the sound of someone screaming along with dog's growls.

"Shut up! Just give me that rat!" it sounded like Sirius.

"No way! I'm not giving you Scabbers!" it was Ronald.

By the hair, Sirius dragged Ronald up to the bedroom where Aurum and Draco were now at the doorway. They were all shocked to see each other.

"I'm sorry to bother you both. This was Remus' room so I just naturally came here." Sirius admitted embarrassedly.

The raggedy man took and pushed Ronald onto the bed in the back of the room. Draco and Aurum rushed to the redhead's aid. They saw the rat he cradled in his arms and grabbed for it. He shielded the pet with his body.

Aurum groaned in frustration. "Why must you be so difficult, Ronald?"

"I just don't understand why everyone wants Scabbers for." Ronald whimpered. "Besides, he broke my leg."

"Sirius, you can't just break people's legs." Draco moaned.

"Well," Sirius crossed his arms and looked away. "He was being difficult."

"Weasley, your rat is actually a fully grown man. It's hard to explain, actually." Draco scratched his nose.

"Ron! We're coming!" that must have been Hermione. Sirius heard the voices and transfigured himself back into a dog. Draco, showing off, transformed into a wolf again.