Something Has Changed Within Me

Chapter 4

-All rights go to J.K. Rowling 

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Third Person P.O.V.

"Do you now?" Aleco said, her voice also low and dangerous. "I would be delighted it you were to share you question with the class" she said raising one eyebrow and glaring at Jack.

"I would like to know how much Muggle blood you and your brother have in your veins." The way that she said this made it so it was not a question, but a challenge. She was so angry that she had blown all caution to the winds.

The way that Alecto responded to Jack's challenge was very unexpected. She lifted her wand, and brought it up in a diagonal motion. At this, Jack's head jerked backward and a cut appeared going from her left eyebrow to her chin. "That" Alecto said, putting extra emphasis on the word "was a warning. If any of you speak out again, the consequences will be much more severe."

The cut on Jack's cheek was starting to ooze blood, but she ignored it as she sat down at her desk, still glaring at Alecto with that intense fire in her eyes.

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Luna's P.O.V.

The rest of the class went pretty quickly, but every so often I would look at Jacquie to make sure that she was still okay. After Muggle Studies we had a free period that lasted for fifteen minutes, so I took her to the infirmary, while Ginny went to see how Neville and Seamus' morning went and to tell them about what Jacquie had done that morning.

When we got into the infirmary, Madam Pomfrey was leaning over a Second Year with a cut on his face similar to Jacquie's. "Another one?" she asked looking at Jacquie. "Send her over here and I will be there in a second" she said turning back to the boy. Once Madam Pomfrey had cleaned her up, all of the blood was gone from Jacquie's face and the cut was already scabbing up. Glad that we had gotten that done with, Jacquie and I headed down to the dungeons for Potions.

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Third Person P.O.V

Outside of the dungeons, all of the other kids were talking and hanging out so Jack and Luna joined the back of the crowd. About two minutes before class started, Ginny ran over to them, red-faced and panting. "Thought I wouldn't make it. Sprinted the whole way from the Gryffindor tower." she said between pants as she clutched a stitch in her side. Just as she said this, the bell rang and everyone filed into the Potions dungeon.

Professor Slughorn was standing at the front of the class and asked the Sixth Years to make a semicircle around him. "Today, class," he said when everyone was gathered around him "we will be studying and making a healing potion called The Healer's Touch. It will take two periods to make, because it has to brew for more than an hour when it is half done. This makes it crucial that you get it to the halfway point in this period. So hurry and get started."

Luna, Ginny and Jack all sat down at the same table and started working on their potion. Jack went to get the ingredients, Luna found the page in her potions book that had the recipe and Ginny started the fire under the cauldron. The three worked in a seamless team because they had know each other for a few years and knew what the others would do and when. By the end of the period, they had successfully made the first half of the potion. Just as they finished, the bell rang, so they packed up their stuff and headed to Transfiguration.

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Neville's P.O.V

Neville and Seamus headed down to the dungeon for the second time that day. Even though Neville was excited finally to start his Clear Eye potion, he did not feel like enduring the Slytherins' taunting. The assignment that Neville had been given was to chose a potion, study it in the first Potions period, then actually make it in the second period. The potion he chose was the Clear Eye potion. He chose it because if you drink it, you can see how people are feeling inside and if they are lying, you can also see it. Neville hoped that his potion would turn out will, so that he could try it. Ten minutes before the end of the period, Neville finished his potion. Just to make sure that he had made it right, he had Slughorn come over and test it.

Professor Slughorn looked at his potion for about two minutes then said "It looks perfectly made to me. With any luck it will work just as you planned. Are you willing to try it?" and looked directly at Neville.

After a moment of thought, Neville said "Sure. But I might save it for later." With that he pocketed the potion.

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Third Person P.O.V

For Ginny, Jack and Luna, Transfiguration and lunch seemed to fly by. After lunch, Luna went to Ancient Runes, and Jack and Ginny went to Divination.

Ginny and Jack headed off to Divination feeling a bit annoyed at the thought of an hour in Trelawney's musty room. When they climbed up the ladder into the Divination classroom, most of the class was already there, but Professor Trelawney herself, was not yet there. When Trelawney entered the room, the class was waiting for her. She announced that they would be reading eachothers palms that lesson.

Feeling bored already, Ginny told Jack to hold out her palm so that Ginny could 'read' it.

Professor Trelawney shuffled over to Jack and said in her misty voice "Hold out your hand."

Jack obeyed and after Trelawney looked at her hand for a moment, she let it fall, looking at Jack with a sad expression. "You have much worry and anger inside of you." she said. "Behind the anger is an emotion that you have tried to ignore by keeping it far away. Sadness. The sadness inside of you is like a dark magic. Your secrets will be brought out into the open." With that she left Jack sitting there looking very pale.

Even though Ginny reassured Jack that Trelawney was just talking nonsense, Jack seemed unsettled for the rest of class. Ginny could not help but wonder what had made Jack so sad. She also wondered what secret Jack could be keeping and if it had anything to do with her outburst in Muggle Studies.

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