Oliver Wood’s scream echoed around the hospital wing, but still Ava would not wake. Madam Pomfrey came bustling in with a very irritated look on her face. She had a bottle of pale green liquid, which she placed beside Ava’s unconscious head. She glared at Oliver who had not stopped shouting, despite her arrival. The nurse watched him look up and down himself, his shouts growing louder as he took himself in. She couldn’t understand it. She had always liked the boy; she had gotten to know him over the countless number of times he had been in the hospital wing. But now she was completely shocked by his lack of respect towards her as he continued to scream.
‘Mr. Wood, please desist that noise!’ The nurse said loudly as Oliver finally stopped shouting. Pomfrey sighed out in relief but was shocked further to find him wandering over to the full length mirror at the far end of the wing. She had never understood the use of the mirror, though it did come in handy when she needed to straighten out her robes. Madam Pomfrey followed Oliver to the mirror where he touched his reflection warily, his mouth set in a round ‘O’. She was completely bemused; she had never seen the boy act like this before. He seemed completely oblivious to his audience as he continued to swivel in front of the mirror. The nurse shook it off as another one of those teenager things. She waltzed over to him, her white robes billowing behind her like flowing water.
‘Mr. Wood I really must insist that you rest for a while longer,’ she placed a hand on his shoulder, trying to guide him back to his bed. He followed after a moments hesitation, although he was constantly stumbling over his own feet. Madam Pomfrey couldn’t understand it, he seemed quite a confident walker, but now he was leaning on her heavily. They had almost reached the empty bed when suddenly Oliver stopped.
‘Th-this can’t be real...’ he said, staring at the nurse expectantly. His hazel eyes searched desperately for an answer, as they scanned the room and fell to his own hands. ‘This can’t be...
really happening.’ His low voice shook with fear, and Pomfrey could sense the scream coming so quickly spoke.
‘Mr. Wood, I meant it when I said–’
‘Stop calling me that!’ He shouted, his voice dripping with anger. He ran his hands through his short hair, but this only seemed to upset him more as he threw his hands up in the air with irritation. Pomfrey wasn’t sure how to act, so simply softened her voice.
‘Please, just calm down Mr. Wood –’ But as if his name was a trigger, Oliver let out a loud groan.
‘I told you, I’m not Oliver Wood,’ Oliver said, as the nurse stared at him blankly, ‘I’d never want to be Oliver Wood and yet here I am – stuck in his stupid body!’ his low voice became extremely loud and shrill that Ava Spencer finally woke up.
Ava’s eyes fluttered open and she groaned quietly. She rubbed her forehead roughly, cringing slightly.
‘Jeez, how much did I drink last night?!’ Her eyes burst open as she heard the words coming out of her mouth. Oliver let out a small cry. Madam Pomfrey didn’t know how to act when Ava jumped out of the bed, staring at her body with frightened wide eyes.
‘What the hell?!’ she shouted, before glaring at Madam Pomfrey accusingly. Her piercing blue eyes finally landed on Wood’s hazel ones and her brows set in a deep frown. ‘What the hell am I doing over there?!’ she raised a shaking finger at Wood, who let out a sarcastic laugh. Pomfrey was speechless. What was going on? She had never seen two people act so oddly, and she had dealt with plenty of confunded students. She was kicked out of her thoughts when Oliver let out a loud scream, his voice breaking when it reached its limit.
‘Get your hands off me!’ he shrieked. Madam Pomfrey couldn’t see anyone touching him so followed his gaze and landed on Ava. She was clutching her chest looking thoroughly intrigued. In the next instance Oliver had rushed over to Ava and pushed her as hard as he could. She fell back on the bed with a loud thud, with Oliver smirking in front of her. Pomfrey let out a loud gasp and hurried over to the two students. Oliver was examining his hands, looking exceedingly pleased with himself.
‘Mr. Wood,’ – Ava’s head snapped up – ‘it is never right to push a young lady, disgusting behaviour!’ she spluttered, shocked at his attitude. The students weren’t listening, but had begun to bicker again.
‘Bloody hell, how weak are you?!’ Ava shot at Oliver, stretching her arms painfully. Oliver rolled his eyes, something Pomfrey had never seen him do before.
‘I am not weak, I am slight like a girl should be.’ His voice was much wispier than his usual strong voice. It took awhile for the nurse to realize that Oliver had just referred to himself as a girl. ‘Besides I’d rather be
weak than have these gorilla arms,’ – he indicated to his own bulky arms – ‘like you.’ Ava laughed and jumped up from the bed, looking ready to kill.
‘That’s rich coming from you and
this damn hair!’ she plucked a piece of her own hair and looked at it with disgust. ‘For Merlin’s sake – it’s so fucking long!’ Madam Pomfrey snapped out of her trance and quickly intervened.
‘Miss Spencer that is no way for a young lady to speak!’ she gave Ava a scalding look which she brushed off easily. Ava laughed bitterly, though she continued to glare at Wood.
‘Well I wasn’t born a woman, now was I?’ Oliver snickered and Madam Pomfrey’s eyes widened with surprise and a slight curiosity. Ava looked at them both and let out a groan. ‘No I didn’t mean it like that – Look it’s not my fault I’m stuck in this damn body!’ she threw her hands up in the air, clearly exasperated. Wood’s smirk dropped and he placed his hands on his hips, looking very out of character.
‘What and I suppose it’s my fault?’ he spat, his lips pouting. Madam Pomfrey stared at him, not sure how to react to his behaviour. The way he was standing, he looked almost... feminine. Ava flicked her hair out of her face irritably.
‘Yes it’s your bloody fault, I didn’t do anything wrong!’ she said boldy, though her voice remained high, as usual.
‘If you hadn’t kissed me – none of this would have happened!’ Oliver spluttered, blushing slightly when Madam Pomfrey stared at him curiously. The nurse knew something was different about him. Very different. But she couldn’t think what. For the next five minutes Pomfrey tried desperately to interrupt the two students, but they were having none of it. With a huge sigh she sat down on one of the freshly made bed and watched the rest of the ordeal.
‘- you just had to wear that tight dress and those devil heels!’ Ava shot at Oliver bitterly. The nurse stopped. Surely she had not just heard that Oliver Wood had worn a dress and heels. Oliver was trying desperately to think of a good come-back but had come up with nothing. He just opened and closed his mouth stupidly. Ava smirked triumphantly, folding her arms tightly across her chest. As if she had suddenly remembered of their existence, she looked down at her chest with a bemused look. Oliver rolled his eyes disgustedly.
‘Well if you hadn’t interrupted my first kiss with Cedric,’ – Madam Pomfrey’s eyes widened as she stared at Wood.
How long had he been...? – ‘I wouldn’t have been forced to drink so much!’ Wood shouted, poking his nose high in the air. Ava laughed bitterly.
‘
Forced?! Are you actually being serious?’ Oliver’s hazel eyes narrowed to slits – looking about ready to thump Ava around the head. Madam Pomfrey was oddly grateful that no lessons were on today, knowing for sure a professor would have come in wondering over the racket. ‘If you had listened to Madam Pomfrey and not drunken anything –’ Ava hissed, while Oliver rolled his eyes.
‘And who are you, my mother?!’
Ava grinned, her eyes lighting up as if recalling a memory. ‘No I’m worse – I’m your captain!’ In one split second, Oliver had thrown himself on top of Ava – who struggled under his weight. Madam Pomfrey leapt up with a shocked gasp and quickly pulled Oliver from Ava. Oliver was breathing heavily, his hands on his hips again. Ava was having none of it, however, and jumped up from the bed, eyes on Wood. Madam Pomfrey quickly pulled out her wand and shouted ‘Protego!’ Oliver and Ava were both thrown back as if they had run into a wall. Madam Pomfrey clutched her heart, her wide eyes narrowing as she stared at Oliver and Ava.
‘I have a right mind to give you two detentions!’ she spluttered, though her voice remained stern. ‘Ridiculous behaviour, this is what alcohol can do to the youth,’ she turned to Ava. ‘as I warned you yesterday Miss Spencer.’ Ava stared at her blankly, her eyebrows disappearing under her auburn fringe.
‘Actually Madam Pomfrey,’ Oliver said in his creamy Scottish voice, ‘you told me.’ Madam Pomfrey turned to Oliver, frowning.
‘No I specifically told Miss Spencer –’ Oliver quickly cut her off.
‘Exactly, that’s me – I’m Ava Spencer.’ Madam Pomfrey just continued to stare at him, her expression completely blank. Suddenly Ava’s strong voice chipped in.
‘And I’m Oliver Wood.’ Now that she looked at them both, they did look different. Their stances had completely changed. Ava stood with her legs apart, her arms just dangling by her side, while Oliver had his hip cocked out, with his hand resting on the other hip. So Ava was Oliver and Oliver was Ava. ...
‘We’ve swapped bodies somehow,’ Oliver said in Ava’s strong voice, as calmly as he could. ‘Maybe it was because she drank that alcohol that she wasn’t meant to.’ Oliver jabbed his thumb at Ava, who rolled her now hazel eyes.
‘Oh yes,’ she said in her sarcastic Scottish voice, ‘that
has to be the reason!’ she touched thin air above her shoulders, before dropping her hand angrily, remembering she no longer had her auburn locks. ‘I doubt that very much Wood!’ she spat.
‘It could be a contributing factor,’ Madam Pomfrey finally said – her voice slightly strained. Oliver smiled smugly, while Ava childishly stuck her tongue out at him. Ava’s head suddenly snapped up and she turned to the now pale nurse.
‘Wait – you believe us?’ her Scottish voice cracked again as she went too high. Madam Pomfrey nodded gravely.
‘This is Hogwarts after all – stranger things have happened.’ Ava and Oliver stared at each other incredulously.
‘Stranger than two students swapping bodies because they kissed in a damn broom closet?’ Oliver practically shouted, losing his temper once again. Ava blushed with embarrassment, looking extremely odd with her new face. Madam Pomfrey’s eyes suddenly lit up and she let out a quick gasp.
‘A broom closet?’ she asked, though she seemed to be asking herself more than anything. Ava and Oliver nodded together, staring at the nurse questioningly. ‘No it couldn’t be – but maybe – surely – I thought – just a myth.’ She continued to mutter to herself for the next few minutes. Oliver and Ava unconsciously moved closer together, completely forgetting the protective shield. For the second time that day they were both thrown off their feet, and struggled up from the floor with pained expressions. Madam Pomfrey shook her head and quickly released the charm, which melted in the air.
As soon as she placed her wand back in her snow white robes, she went back to murmuring to herself. Ava kept her mouth shut, though she was dieing of curiosity. Oliver, though usually the more patient, hesitantly interrupted the nurse’s mutterings.
‘Erm... Madam Pomfrey?’ Oliver groaned quietly as he heard how sickly sweet his voice was. ‘What’s a broom closet got to do with anything – there are hundreds of broom closets at Hogwarts!’ Despite herself, Ava nodded in agreement. The nurse slowly looked up, smiling humourlessly.
‘Yes a hundred – That is why this will prove to be exceedingly difficult.’ Ava’s eyebrow rose, her mouth set in a hard line.
‘What do you mean?’ she asked quietly, her impatience was finally leaking through.
‘I was sure it was just a silly story – a myth if you will – but like I said, this is Hogwarts.’ She sighed to herself, not making eye contact with the two students. They remained in silence for a minute or so until Ava could take it no longer. She threw her hands in the air, but not used to their height or length, knocked over a green vase off the table, where it smashed audibly.
Meh... Ava thought
it looked like Slytherin green anyhow. She felt in her pockets uncomfortably and finally found what she was looking for. ‘Reparo,’ she said loudly. The vase shook feebly but did not repair itself. Ava suddenly realized that the wand she was holding was not hers.
‘Merlin, your wand is shit.’ She shot at Oliver who gave her a look.
‘Are you dim or something?’ he shot back, ‘my wand doesn’t recognize you so doesn’t work for you – do you not know anything about wands?’ Ava rolled her eyes and handed Wood his wand, which quickly repaired the vase. They suddenly heard a clearing of a throat, and turned around to face the nurse.
‘What happened when you two kissed in that closet?’ she asked bluntly. Ava grimaced before finally answering.
‘Our lips sort of...
burned and then everything went black – once we recognized each other...’ she added irritably. Oliver simply nodded, seeing nothing else to add.
‘It is as I thought,’ Madam Pomfrey said gravely, though her voice held the slightest shred of excitement. ‘Have either of you heard of the Room of Mutatum?’
Ava and Oliver and looked at each other, frowning. ‘Should we have heard of it?’ Oliver asked, not particularly wanting to know the answer. To further shock, the nurse let out a laugh. They both watched her irritably, not appreciating her lack of information.
‘I’d be surprised if you had heard of it, like I have said – It is simply a myth.’ She smiled to herself again and didn’t continue. Ava exhaled angrily, really not in the mood for riddles. In case the nurse hadn’t noticed, she was stuck in Oliver Wood’s body!
‘No offense or anything,’ Ava said rudely, though the nurse did not look offended. ‘What exactly has this room got to do with us?’ She reluctantly pointed at Wood.
‘Everything,’ she said. Ava and Oliver stared at her waiting for her to continue, and tell them what the hell she meant by that. ‘The Room of Mutatum is where I believe you two... changed.’ She nodded to herself happily. Ava and Oliver were both far from pleased. They still had no explanation other than the fact that they had changed in some magical room.
‘So how do we change back?’ Ava snapped, not being able to control her anger. Oliver gave her an irritated look, though he was thinking the exact same thing. ‘Is there some potion or something?’ The nurse smiled, giving her a condescending look.
‘I doubt it will be that simple, as this isn’t exactly a simple transformation.’ Ava rolled her eyes once again, knowing that it was the only way she could get her feelings across. Oliver sighed, not wanting to insult the nurse. He had always liked her, but she
was being incredibly difficult.
‘Then how exactly can we change back?’ He asked as politely as he could, although he had the sudden urge to scream it at the nurse.
‘I’m not completely sure, but perhaps if you went back to the room and kissed again...’
Oliver pressed his hand against his mouth, looking disgustedly towards Ava who returned the look. Surely there was some other way. This was Hogwarts, things like this must have happened before. But even as Oliver thought this, he knew nothing like this had ever happened before. He groaned quietly and sat down on the bed, letting his head fall into his hands.
‘How the hell are we meant to find this room?’ Ava asked angrily, ‘I could barely remember my name that night, let alone the location of a broom closet!’ She groaned loudly, pacing up and down the Hospital Wing.
‘Even if you could remember,’ Madam Pomfrey said, the sternness returning to her voice, ‘it wouldn’t matter – the room constantly changes its location.’ Oliver groaned again, refusing to raise his head. Wasn’t there any good news?
‘So that means, we have to go into every single broom closet in Hogwarts and... kiss, until we find the right one?’ Apparently not. Oliver jumped up from the bed, his brows set in a frown.
‘Fine if that’s what it takes, then let’s go Spencer,’ he marched towards the double doors, but heard no movement from behind him. He turned around to face Ava. It was still a slight shock to see himself standing there, with his lips pouting, he shook it off. ‘Well?’
‘You seriously believe this?’ she asked dubiously. Oliver stared at her bemused.
‘You got any other explanation?’ he shot at her, knowing she wouldn’t have one. He smiled triumphantly as she glared at him. She stomped towards him, her eyes flashing.
‘I would rather search the entire Library for an answer than kiss you.’ She snapped, excluding the part that she had already kissed him. Oliver smirked, remembering this small fact too.
‘You wouldn’t be kissing me,’ he tried, ‘you’d be kissing yourself.’ He stopped, wondering how she would take that. Ava’s eyes narrowed and smirked humourlessly.
‘Yes, because that’s terribly inviting.’
‘Yeah, I’ve never really seen the appeal either,’ Oliver earned a whack for that one. ‘Look the only option we’ve got is this one, so unless you would like to remain in my body forever, I suggest we get a move on.’ He turned again, heading for the doors, flicking away his hair aggressively.
‘Hold up a sec!’ Ava spluttered, chasing after him. ‘Do you honestly mean that we have to go to
every single broom closet here and kiss?’
Oliver stared at her for a moment, deliberating his answer.
'That’s exactly what I mean.’
_____________________________________________________________________
A/N Soooo.... not too much drama for you lot to handle? aha. I suppose you all knew it was coming. So what do you think? Will Ava go through with it? I wouldn't mind having that excuse to kiss Oliver... although I suppose he wouldn't look like himself paha. whoah back to reality here.
Yeah, so sorry for the wait, though I did it a lot quicker than the last time - that was a lonnnngggggg wait, so be proud! woo! ;) Not sure when the next update will be, but as my exams will be finished next week hopefully soonish.
Would just like to say thanks for all the reviews and wishing me luck in my exams, really makes me smile :) < like that aha. So please review, its really nice to hear what people think of this story and if they're enjoying it or not. Hope you enjoyed this crazy chapter and that there wasn't too much dialogue ;)
Hope you all have a great Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Emily x
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