October 10th, about 9:00 am.

The sun shone brightly in the sky, scattering its rays around the grounds. A cool October breeze graced the grounds in one blow. The weather was becoming cooler slowly as the days passed by in October. Thankfully it wasn't that cold out yet, where you could walk outside without a jacket and still feel comfortable outside. This was exactly what Addison did, as she stepped put of the castle to the grounds. It wouldn't be like this for too much longer, since it would start to get colder closer to the end of the month. Thankfully, that was still a ways off.

Stepping foot on the actual grounds, Addie smiled as she looked around. Quite frankly, she had to admit that she liked being outdoors. It was always quiet, and rather peaceful outside. This was even true when there were other students playing around outside. Even though the grounds always seemed like a popular destination for students, it was still a nice place to hang out. For the current moment, there weren't too many fellow students out yet. Being a Saturday morning, most students probably weren't out and about just yet. They were probably still recovering from the last night, or sleeping.

Addie strayed off of the dirt path that would eventually lead off to the lake and further outdoor amusements. Walking through the grass, she stopped after a few moments when she spotted a big tree. She jogged quickly over to the tree. Upon reaching its base, the young girl grabbed a hold of a nearby branch. Using it as leverage, she climbed up on the tree. Reaching for another, sturdier branch, she pulled herself up on it. After positioning herself to face away from the tree, she leaned her back against the trunk. Smiling, she gazed out at the grounds, letting her mind drift off to its own imagination.

Josh was up fairly early for a Saturday, since he liked to run to keep fit. He had been around the lake and was now heading back towards the castle, when he saw Addie in a tree. Thinking a minute, he decided he could use his animagus form for a little fun. Transforming, he headed for the base of the tree.

Cats might have a reputation for getting stuck in trees, but in truth, they are fantastic climbers. They just aren't always as good at getting down again. Jumping up, he soon reached a low branch. Then, using slimmer branches than Addie would be able to, he climbed further up, soon reaching Addie's branch. He was relieved to reach the branch, as a couple of the branches had been a little weak, he had been concerned that one, in particular, would snap.

Now on the same branch as Addie, he noted the branch would be strong enough to hold both of them even if he transformed back. However, he stayed in cat form for now, sitting just in front of Addie, pawing gently at her hand, wondering if Addie would notice. She certainly wouldn't know about his animagus form, unless she had checked the Animagus Registry recently.

Addison couldn't help but let out a slight yawn as she sat comfortably up in the tree. It was just so relaxing to be outside and in that tree. It was refreshing to see that there weren't too many students out just yet. The fact that it was the weekend helped in that matter. One would think just the direct opposite, with the Tetrawizard Tournament being held at the roomy castle. They now had extra students, Professors, and other administrators from the three other schools at their humble castle. Quite honestly, she didn't mind the extra groups of students running around. Her peers in her classes were chaotic enough, where even with the added students from the other schools didn't change the mood in the classes.

Pushing a piece of her hair out of her eyes, Addie couldn't help but wonder what it felt like for the chosen students to be competing in the tournament. In the few books that she recently read on older tournaments, it sounded like a pretty risky event to risk your life in it. Yet, it was probably that risk, and competition, that drove the students to compete. For that matter, the promise for glory was certainly not lost on their minds. Even if they didn't win, those students would always be remembered as having competed in the tournament.

While thinking about the tournament, Addison kept having a minor nagging feeling. She couldn't place where it was coming from. At first, she believed it to be something that she forgot, but she couldn't think of anything forgotten. Her schoolwork was pretty much up to her high standards, so it wasn't stress. She rarely showed off her artwork, so it wasn't like she had any sort of deadline for that. It took her a little time to notice that the nagging sensation was actually a cat pawing at her hand. Letting out a giggle, she smiled to the cat. "Why, hello there," she said to the cat. She reached over to the cat, and started to pet the cat's head gently.

Josh had begun wondering if Addie would notice him, since he had been pawing at her hand for a few minutes now, when she reached out to pet him. It is noted by many Animagi that while you retain a human mind even while transformed, there are some things that are shared with the animal you transform into the form of. Needless to say, Josh purred.

After a few minutes, Josh managed to get control of himself again, quickly dodging out from under Addie's hand, then transformed back into a human before Addie could react. "Hi Addie" Josh said, wondering what his friend's reaction would be to his transformation. He hoped she wouldn't be too surprised, they were in a  tree after all.

The appearance of the cat was rather unexpected. Even though she was a muggleborn, she wasn't aware of too many cats at the school. Sure, some students were bound to have them as pets. But, she hadn't seen too many running around Hogwarts, and none with the same patterns as this cat. It could have been one of the first years, or maybe even one of the foreign students from any one of the three visiting schools. Now, that was probably more possible than really any other scenario. With that out of the picture, why exactly did that cat choose her to paw at all of a sudden? It wasn't like she had a cat at the school, and she was by far no where near as popular as some of the other students at the school. She hadn't done anything to herself to be more attractive, and she highly doubt her choice of clothing brought the cat to her. Come to think of it, wasn't it rather cliche that a cat was in a tree?

While debating all of these various questions, Addie completely took her eyes off of the cat as she continued to pet its head. Her thoughts were just so random, that she did not even notice that the cat had moved away from her hand. She didn't even notice that the cat turned into her friend Josh, nor did she notice that she was now petting Josh. When Josh spoke her name, she jumped and had to hold onto a rather low branch above them so she didn't fall. "Josh? Where did you come from?" she asked, completely surprised.

Of all the reactions he had thought of, this was not one of them. Addie hadn't even noticed him transform?!? his mouth dropped open. "How on earth... I was the cat, Addie. I'm an Animagus as of late July. How'd you not notice me transform?" Josh asked still surprised Addie had missed him transform. " I've been studying to become an animagus for a while. Finally managed it at the end of July, my registration came through early August, so everything's legal." Josh said, somewhat amused now, since he had to admit, Addie petting him without realizing was quite funny.

As soon as Addison saw Josh, the random thoughts about the cat vanished from her mind. Yet, seeing Josh in front of her now made her wonder, what exactly happened to the cat? She hadn't seen it run away. Sure she was just lost in her own little world, but when was she never really lost in her own world anyway? Even when she was not noticing what was going on around her, she would've noticed movement....right? But.....but, that didn't fully explain how Josh climbed the tree that quickly. She would've saw Josh climb. The last she checked, her eyesight wasn't bad. So, what was going on?

Thankfully, Addie didn't have to sit in total confusion for too long. That didn't mean that she was going to comprehend it right away, of course. "An ani-who?" she asked, recovering from her daze. As Josh continued on his new animagus form, she finally understood what he was talking about. The Transfiguration classes talked about it a few times. For that matter, she had read books about the animagus transfigurations before. "Oh, right, an animagus! So, you were the cat? Aw, you were such a cute little cat too!" she exclaimed.

"yes, I was the cat. A Tabby cat, to be specific" Josh said, smiling. "Cute?" Josh snorted. " Only because I trust you. Cats can get vicious against perceived threats, along with cats being fiercely territorial... well, I've had to fight in cat form before now. You wouldn't believe how hard people's pets can fight sometimes. Still, it comes in useful, since nobody thinks anything of a cat wandering about the castle. I've caught a fair few rulebreakers that way." Josh said, every word was true. he always tried not to injure people's pats, but cats... they weren't social animals. Really, though it had been debated if an animagus could speak to other animals of their type, it was somewhat irrelevant to feline animagi, since cats rarely talked.

Addie couldn't help but to smile at Josh's response to her. "Well, then I guess you would be a cute vicious cat. It would've been a big surprise for a fight to ensue, especially over territory in a tree. I certainly do hope you don't catch students up in trees too often," she joked. Indeed, it would lead to a rather hilarious situation to unfold. Of course, it could possibly lead to injuries, if anyone actually fell out of the tree, just like how she almost fell when she saw Josh. That wouldn't too much of a pleasant outcome at all. Nevertheless, it would slow down any trouble makers.

"Really? I haven't seen too many other cats running around the castle too often," she commented about Josh fighting other students' pets. That would probably have been even a stranger sight to see, especially if it was in just some random place at the castle. It probably would spread around the social students at the school. "But, wouldn't you not want to transform back from your animagus form in front of anyone? It would blow away your cover, and any troublemakers may try to use your cat appearance as a tip to run away before you could change back?"

"It's pretty rare to see a student up a tree, but it's not all that uncommon to see someone's pet in a tree, though it's usually the owls. for all that a cat stuck in a tree is a cliche, it doesn't actually happen that often. Normally we can get down easy enough." Josh said, then realized he had talked about cats as we. It was a side effect of the animagus transformation. "Cats hunt by sneaking up on their prey. The skill is also useful in keeping away from humans. Which also explains how I avoid troublemakers seeing me. I blend into the shadows, so they can't see my animagus form. You know how easy the transformation is to overlook" Josh said teasingly. "Not to mention I can transform on the move." Josh added.

Addie simply shrugged at what Josh said. It was pretty much true that an animal in a tree was more common than a student. However, she hadn't seen too many pets in the trees yet Hogwarts, even among the owls. Of course, it was certainly very possible that she was always outside whenever these animals weren't outside. "I haven't seen too many in the trees, but, yes cats can be quick and agile creatures," she agreed with a nod. Even when she was home, she never actually had a pet. But, she had seen plenty of dogs and cats when she would visit some of her muffled friends' houses. When she bought her first pet, an owl named Becky, she had to learn animal care basics as she first started Hogwarts. Naturally, she always had a rather annoyed bird pecking at her every now and then at first.

Addie couldn't help but to giggle at what Josh said. "Josh, my reactions aren't exactly always the same as everyone else's. I mean, just because I didn't notice something doesn't mean that no one else would notice it. It does take me a moment or two to leave from my own little world in my head. For that matter, I don't always notice everything as it is. Some of the troublemakers could be very perceptive as it is," she responded with a nod. From what she noticed in her last three years at the castle, there seemed to be some seemingly master troublemakers.

"true, they are perceptive, but they're usually looking for teachers. I think I've got most of them convinced that I can Apparate in the castle with how I keep turning up out of thin air. Their faces are usually more amusing than the prank. I'm not worried abotthe troublemakers escaping though." Josh said, he really wasn't bothered. He was quicker than most anyway, so if they ran, he could probably catch up. "They're getting more inventive though. I swear, if they get any more inventive they'll be swapping people's bodies or something." Josh joked.

Addie nodded to what Josh said. "I would imagine that they would look for a prefect too, which would easily land them in trouble as well. However, as I am sure that you are already well aware of, most troublemakers aren't exactly the smartest bunch in the castle. If they knew anything about Hogwarts, they would know that apparition isn't possible in the castle," she responded. Quite frankly, apparating around sounded like a fun way to travel all over the place, from what she read in a few books. However, she read that it could cause some rather strange occurrences of leaving body parts in a location. So, she assumed that it would have to take a lot of focus. Nevertheless, it would be an interesting pursuit for her, come her seventh year.

She couldn't help but to giggle at Josh's joke. "Certainly, that may come next too, similar to the Polyjuice potion, only not in the same way. Who knows, they could come up with switching body parts next if they keep it up," she responded with a short nod. It seemed rather implausible to her, but she was sure that there was probably a way to do it. Considering the fact that she was definitely not thinking about this stuff herself, she had no real interest to even look it up.

"Surprisingly, troublemakers rarely remember the prefects patrol the corridors until after they are caught. You'd think they'd learn..." Josh said. "Most of the ones that get caught are pretty stupid, yeah. I don't doubt there are more that are too smart to get caught. Not to mention I think I'm not the only animagus in Hogwarts. There's an odd fox running around that I'm not entirely sure is an animal.[1] That and there's a snow leopard running about sometimes, they aren't native to Scotland. Can't say I'd be too surprised, though I know for a fact I'm the only one registered." Josh scowled at the end. He couldn't understand how come people didn't register.

"A potion would be most likely, actually, since you'd need to get more than one person. Though switching body parts only needs a simple Switching Spell. I'm surprised it doesn't happen often, actually." Josh said, clearly thinking about it.

1.	before anyone criticizes me- he doesn't know who the animals are, nor is he certain they are animagi. He's merely suspicious, I won't have him get any more certain w/o the writer of that character's permission.

"It sounds to me that they are very daft," Addison commented. She simply shrugged to what Josh said about other animagus around Hogwarts. The most that she knew about them was that they could transform themselves into an animal and then back again. The limited information that she knew was all that she read up on the subject. Despite how much fun it must have been to change into an animal, she didn't really have a desire to become one anyway. At least, not yet. It seemed like a long process for starters.

For that matter, she had no real reason to change into one. Sure, she could turn into some animal to sneak around the library, but she could do that herself in human form. Even the restricted section wasn't that inviting to warrant changing into an animal. Josh clearly was using his form to help catch troublemakers. If that was solely the reason, then other prefects would be doing so as well. So, Josh had to have some reason for doing it, that didn't involve prefect duties. And, if Josh had to have a more complex reason, then any reason she could possibly cook up wouldn't be nearly as good.

"There are probably other ways to induce the same effect that the pranksters could find out, since most of their pranks seem to have strange side-effects all of the time. I'm surprised that it doesn't as well," she commented.