Peppermint

violet

I saw this coming from the start

After last night's nightmare, I didn't get any more sleep. I sat on my bed for hours, stroking Bruce's fur and trying to process what I had just seen. But no matter how much I tried, I couldn't place the voice. I had heard it before—I was sure of it—but it wouldn't click.

"Not a bad day," Ron remarked as we looked at our schedule for the day. "We're outside all morning—"

"Double Divination," Harry groaned. "If she predicts my death one more time, I'll lose it."

"I just hope there's another empty seat somewhere," I expressed. "I can't stand sitting next to Malfoy." Especially since I still wasn't sure what his change in attitude was about.

"Maybe you three should have taken something useful, like Arithmancy."

"Arithmancy is not useful," Ron retorted. "When am I ever going to use the stuff in there?"

"When are you going to need Divination?"

"I'd like to know when I'm going to die!"

"It's not accurate! Think about it, Ron! If you have..."

Hermione and Ron argued about Arithmancy the entire way to Herbology. Harry and I trailed behind them, amused with their petty discussion.

"Looks like they'll be getting together sooner than we thought," I stated, making sure neither of them could hear me.

"Nah," Harry uttered. "Look at them. It's going to be a few tense years, but then they'll get together."

"Wanna bet on it?"

"You're on."

Herbology was rather unpleasant. We worked on extracting pus from bubotubers, which was a disgusting process. We collected the pus in small containers for Madam Pomfrey, who used it to treat stubborn acne.

Care of Magical Creatures wasn't the greatest, either. We worked with Blast-Ended Skrewts, a deformed-looking creature whose end frequently exploded. We tried to find different foods to feed them, but all they did was explode.

As Harry, Ron, and I mentally prepared ourselves for Divination at lunch, Hermione began eating extremely quickly, nearly choking on her food at least four times.

"Is this your new stand on elf rights?" Ron questioned. "You're going to make yourself puke instead?"

"No," Hermione mumbled through a mouthful of sprouts. "I just want to get to the library."

"The library? We don't even have homework yet!" Ron exclaimed.

"Yeah, what do you need to do?" I added.

Without answering our questions, Hermione shoved one last mouthful of food in her mouth and ran off, leaving the three of us confused in our seats.

"She's lost it," Ron declared. "She's officially lost it."

After lunch, the three of us made our way to the North Tower for Divination. I sat with Harry and Ron at their old table, taking Hermione's old seat.

Trelawney walked in, and eyed our table. "My dear, you can't sit there."

"Why not?" I challenged. "You let Hermione sit here last year."

"That was because we had an odd number," she replied. "This year, we have an even number, so you need to sit somewhere else."

"But—"

"Miss Vixens! Your aura is pulsing!" Trelawney cried, rushing towards her table. I grabbed my bag and trudged back to my old table. Not more than five minutes after I sat down, Malfoy joined me.