Crookshanks | 𝘚𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘶𝘴 𝘉𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬

Chapter 76

Jenna stayed with Sirius for a long while, but she soon had to return back to Hogwarts the next day, promising to bring him food every once in a while and keep in touch with him if anything odd happened.

Although before leaving, she warned Sirius to tell Harry and his friends to call him 'Snuffles' from now on, because Jenna had noticed throughout those months that the three kept mentioning Sirius's name a lot, and she didn't want anyone overhearing it.

The next Hogsmeade trip soon came upon them, and Harry, Ron, and Hermione payed Sirius a visit in his cave, bringing him some food. He also asked them to send him more by an owl, other than the occasions when Jenna would go to Hogsmeade and buy them something to eat herself.

Jenna was glad that there was little time left to the end of the tournament, knowing that it would get easier when it was all over. Although the third task was still on their way and it was a matter of concern to Jenna, specially now that it was closer to them than ever.

That day, Crookshanks was enjoying the warm fire inside the common room by sleeping and purring before it, curled up against the couch. It was the middle of the week and pretty early in the afternoon, so almost everyone had gone for their classes and the common room was quiet and peaceful.

     Although Jenna's attention was caught when the common room's door opened and she saw Hermione walk inside, her face blushed and her hair bushier than usual, which caught Jenna's curiosity.

     Hermione then walked toward where Crookshanks was now sitting on the couch. She nervously looked around the common room and at the group of seventh years in the corner, who were studying on their free period.

     Hermione then leaned in toward the cat, whispering so quietly that only Jenna could hear her, "Can we talk upstairs?"

     Immediately, Crookshanks hopped off the couch and followed Hermione up to the girls' dormitory, entering their room and locking the door, casting their usual silencing charms on it.

      Jenna quickly transformed back to herself before turning toward Hermione with a grin. "What's up?"

      "You're not going to believe what just happened!" the girl said so quickly that it was almost incomprehensible to Jenna.

      "What happened?" Jenna questioned, although Hermione closed her mouth and went even more pink on the face. "Well?" Jenna urged her on, curiosity taking the better of her.

      "Viktor — he — I mean — we — we sort of... kissed."

      "WHAT!?" Jenna exclaimed, her eyes widening in surprise. "You're kidding!"

      Hermione briskly shook her head, giggling. "I still can't believe it myself..."

     "Tell me everything!" Jenna said excitedly, sitting at the edge of Hermione's bed as she joined her.

     "Well, I had gone to the —"

     "Library?" Jenna cut her off with a knowing grin, receiving a look from Hermione.

     "As a matter of fact, yes," she said, rolling her eyes. But then she kept on smiling. "And... well... Viktor was there with me and we were studying, like we always do. Our table was in a corner and it was nearly lunch time, so the library was almost empty. We were just talking... and then... well, he asked me if he could... you know... kiss me... and then... it sort of happened."

     Jenna laughed. "Your first kiss, was it?"

     "Yeah..." Although Hermione eyebrows slightly furrowed as she thought of something. "Fifteen isn't too soon for that, is it?"

     "Are you kidding?" Jenna snorted in laughter at that. "I had my first kiss before I was even thirteen."

     "Really?" Hermione's eyes widened in surprise, though she was now smiling again.

     "Yeah." Jenna nodded, chuckling. "We were in our second year. Sirius had come over to our house for Christmas eve. We were alone in the kitchen, and then on our way out, we saw a mistletoe. It was a small peck, but... it still counts, huh?"

     "Wow... so you two were together ever since your second year?" Hermione mused.

     "Er... not really... it's a long story... but anyway," Jenna cleared her throat, shaking the matter off, "forget about me. Tell me what happened next!"

      For some reason, Jenna saw Hermione like her own daughter, because if she had a kid with Sirius at the same time as Lily and Alice, their child would be the same age as Hermione by this time. Although the mere thought pained her heart, so she tried to forget about this and listen to Hermione enthusiastically.

     This was exactly how Euphemia was, whenever Jenna sat with her to talk. Her mother always found a way to kick James and Fleamont out of the room so they could have some girl-to-girl talk.

      Jenna could still remember how Euphemia had told her that Sirius had feelings for her, before Jenna could even realize it herself. And the next year when Sirius and Jenna had gotten together at last, Euphemia became extremely excited upon hearing the news.

      So as Hermione was talking with Jenna, she felt a part of Euphemia in her own heart, and she felt like a mother herself. It was a strange, yet beautiful feeling which she had never got to experience.

     If only things had gone differently back then... Jenna thought to herself sorrowfully, but she quickly shook the thought away, trying to listen back to Hermione.

***

Not long after, the champions were called out, so they could be told what their third task consisted of. Apparently, they had to enter a maze and pass whatever challenges that came upon their way.

     Although that same day, the strangest thing happened; rumors about Mr. Crouch being seen in the forest went all over the castle, but he had disappeared soon after.

     When Harry was telling Ron and Hermione what had happened, Crookshanks listened in carefully, holding on to each and every word.

    Jenna didn't waste any time to go up to the Owlery and to send Sirius a letter, telling him all that she had heard. He wanted to know everything.

     She told him how Harry and Krum had gone for a walk in the forest, because he wanted talk to Harry about Hermione. But then they had seen Crouch walking through the forest, acting extremely strange as he pleaded to see Dumbledore.

      Jenna wrote to Sirius about how Harry had then gone to bring Dumbledore, but when they returned, they saw that Krum had been stunned and Crouch was missing.

     In return, Sirius sent Harry a letter immediately, asking him to swear not to leave the Gryffindor tower after hours and to watch out for himself. There was someone dangerous at Hogwarts, and this was their last chance to hurt Harry. This was, after all, the reason they had put his name in the Goblet of Fire.

     Although Harry finally managed to put aside all these horrible thoughts in the passing days, starting to practice hexes and defensive spells with the help of Ron and Hermione to ready himself for the upcoming task.

     Jenna was glad that the tournament was coming to an end. Because she knew that after the third task, everything would finally go back to normal.