Mischief Managed | 𝘚𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘶𝘴 𝘉𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬

Chapter 94

The following week, Jenna was extremely glad when James returned McGonagall's book to her without a single scratch it. Although he still refused to tell her why he needed this book.

     After returning the book to Professor McGonagall's office, Jenna walked back to the Gryffindor common room. But when she opened the door to her dormitory, she stopped in her tracks and when she found Alice crying on her bed, with Lily and Marlene trying to comfort her.

     "What is it? What happened?" Jenna asked worriedly, quickly walking toward her mourning friend.

     "I-it's woody — he — died this morning." Alice began to sob harder. She had grown way too attached to her pet bowtruckle.

     "Oh..." Jenna muttered sympathetically, moving forward to sit at the edge of her bed. "I'm so sorry, Al."

     "Alice thinks he had been sick even when Alice had found him," Lily explained to Jenna in a quiet whisper.

     "Well, at least he had lived with you happily during the last months of his life," Marlene tried to tell Alice comfortingly. "He wasn't happy with the other bowtruckles, remember? They were all bullying him."

     "Yeah. I'm sure he was glad to have you, Al," said Lily, gently caressing Alice's back.

     "B-but he was so young." Alice tried ro wipe away her tears, but more followed. "I didn't take care of him good enough."

     "Actually, he had a lot of leaves on his head. The more leaves they had, the older they are," Lily said. "Maybe he wasn't sick. He died from natural causes. He was just old. You did everything to keep him happy, Al. There was nothing else you could do."

     "Where is he now?" Jenna asked.

     Alice sniffed, slowly opening her hand. There Woody was, in the palm of her hands, looking as if he were in a peaceful sleep. The girls sat there in a gloomy silence for a minute, until Jenna finally said,

     "Let's go and bury him. Somewhere quiet and beautiful."

     "Wh-where?" Alice sniffed once more, her nose red and puffy.

     "By a willow tree near the Black Lake. I'm sure he would've liked that very much."

     Alice finally nodded in acceptance, looking down at Woody. "Will you guys come with me?"

     Lily and Marlene quickly nodded, and Jenna gave her friend a comforting smile. "Of course."

***

After dinner that night, the girls made their way back to the Gryffindor tower. Alice hadn't yet fully recovered from losing her bowtruckle, but she was feeling much better since that morning. And that was all thanks to her friends who were there for her, trying to cheer her up all day long.

     Saying the password, the Fat Lady opened the portrait for them to climb inside. But there was an odd atmosphere inside the common room which the girls noticed as soon as they stepped inside.

     "Huh, that's weird," said Jenna, looking down at her wrist watch. "It's seven o'clock, but the couch in front of the fireplace is empty. Those are the best seats in the common room."

     "I know." Lily nodded. "This is usually the busiest hour inside the common room."

     "Something's off," Jenna said suspiciously. She looked around, but every other seat was taken. The only ones empty were the ones on the couch in front of the fireplace.

     Marlene shrugged, grinning. "Oh, who cares. I say let's just take advantage of these seats while we have the chance."

     The moment Marlene dropped herself on the couch, an uncomfortable look was formed on her face. "Oh, no..."