Mountain Fold (Oliver Wood)

Chapter Ten

"Like this?" Zinnia asked her.

Anna looked over at the folded piece of paper that Zinnia was holding and nodded approvingly. She had been very surprised when Zinnia had asked her for help since she had never been that interested in origami. Anna found it adorable when Zinnia had told her the reasoning. She wanted to make something to give to Alicia after the Gryffindor/Ravenclaw quidditch match later that day.

"How far along am I?" Zinnia asked her.

"You just finished step thirteen out of eighty-six."

Zinnia's eyes widened when she told her that, "how long is this going to take?"

"I told you that you chose one of the most difficult ones possible. It's not going to be easy or quick. I tried to get you to choose a different one, but you were adamant on doing that one," Anna told her.

"But this one looks cool!"

"Well we better hurry up then or it won't ready in time. And I do not want to have woken up early for nothing."

They continued for a while with Anna telling Zinnia what to do with the instructions on her lap. Anna had to admit that even she wouldn't be able to do it without the instructions. Zinnia had to admit that she wouldn't have any chance without Anna helping her, the instruction book was more confusing than her Transfiguration homework.

"How far am I now?" Zinnia asked.

"Step thirty out of eight-six."

"I'm not even halfway there," Zinnia groaned.

"Zinni, you haven't even reached the difficult part yet."

Zinnia groaned again and slumped back against the coach she was sitting in front of. Zinnia was sitting on the floor trying to construct her masterpiece on the low coffee table in front of her while Anna sat on the coach behind her and instructed her on what to do.

Just when Zinnia looked like she was going to give Darian came into the Common Room holding two plates of breakfast. They both leapt up happily and ran over to him. He handed the plates to the two hungry Hufflepuffs, pancakes for both Zinnia and Anna.

"I thought you two would be hungry. How's your little project coming along?" Darian asked them as they went and sat at the coach where they had been working. He noticed Zinnia's half-finished creation on the table.

"I didn't know you were trying to make a deformed monster."

Zinnia glared at him but couldn't say anything with her mouth full, she looked like an angry chipmunk. Darian puts his hands in the air, surrendering to the glaring Zinnia.

"It's a very pretty deformed monster."

They finished eating and Anna looked at Darian, "how did you manage to sneak food out of the Great Hall?"

"I didn't, I stopped off by the kitchens."

"Did you make these pancakes?" Anna asked.

"Yes, I did. And the house elves helped," he looked very proud of himself, and he should be, they were wonderful pancakes. Darian loved to bake things, sometimes Anna would join him and help, she found it quite fun unlike Zinnia. At first the house elves were confused by why they would want to make something themselves but slowly came to accept it over the years.

Anna turned to Zinnia who had just finished as well, "okay back to work now."

Zinnia slumped back and slowly slide down the coach and back onto the floor.

"Show some enthusiasm, it'll be worth it when you're finished," Anna encouraged. Zinnia sat up straighter and picked up her half finished folded paper, ready to get back to work. They continued, and Zinnia was constantly asking how much she had done.

"What about now?"

"Step forty-two out of eighty-six."

"How about now?"

"Fifty-three out of eighty-six."

"Now?"

"Step sixty-four."

It took them hours to complete, Darian stayed to watch but had a short nap while they were working. Finally, they were finished. It was a little messy and lopsided, but it was identifiable. Zinnia had created a little lion.

She held it up triumphantly, looking very proud of herself. Anna nudged Darian awake and they gave her an applause. Anna even taught Zinnia the enchantments she used to make her creations so lifelike, Zinnia seemed determined to do everything herself.

The little lion was a bit clumsy since its legs were oddly sized but that didn't stop it from trying to explore. Currently it was standing on Bazza the Badger's head as Bazza paraded it around the room, like he was trying to show it off to everyone. Bazza was just as proud of Zinnia as Anna and Darian.

"You finished just in time, we need to start getting ready to go to the quidditch match," Darian told them.

Anna sat next to Zinnia, Darian had gone to sit with some other Hufflepuffs that were very into quidditch. He always found it amusing how enthusiastic they got about even if Hufflepuff wasn't playing. He had taken Merlin with him, Merlin was a very social bird that required attention, which Darian's friends didn't mind. The bird always had someone to play with which is why Darian had taken him to Hogwarts with him, he was afraid Merlin would get lonely while his parents were out working, the little bird was used to getting all the attention he wanted.

Anna and Zinnia didn't mind, Zinnia had dragged Anna over to sit with Alicia and her friends. Alicia was thrilled when Zinnia gave her the paper lion, she absolutely loved it and her friends thought it was adorable. After much debate, Alicia decided to name the little yellow lion Gryffinpuff.

Unfortunately, Gryffinpuff didn't prove to be any support towards the Gryffindor quidditch team since they lost. They were doing well, thirty points up and seemed like they might be able to beat Ravenclaw when the Ravenclaw Seeker had dropped into a sudden dive. The Gryffindor Seeker, Charlie Weasley was too far away to catch up to the Ravenclaw Seeker before they caught the snitch.

Alicia and her friends had been a bit upset about losing but she seemed to be trying to focus on the gift Zinnia had made her to cheer herself up. Anna had to stop herself from grinning when she noticed the little smile on Alicia's face whenever she looked at Gryffinpuff.

Anna was looking forward to teasing Zinnia tonight.