Emily Potter- Book 4 - Goblet Of Fire

Cockroach Cluster

"Are you mad?" said Ron. "Tell Percy? He’d turn them in before a second would even pass." He stared at the window through which Fred and George's owl had departed, then said, "Come on, let's get some breakfast."

“Tell Percy what, Ronald?” Emily asked, joining in with them as they made their way to the Great Hall. Hermione filled her in with the matter. She told them of the conversation they had with Fred and George, or rather what they had eavesdropped in the Owlry talking about blackmail and such illegal matters. Emily glanced at Ron, baffled, “The twins are stupid, that’s granted but not stupid enough to get themselves sentenced to a felony.”

He shrugged, looking at her over his shoulder, “Well, who knows? They don’t follow the rules here, what more if the law?” Harry pulled Emily back from snapping at Ron, urging Hermione to go to breakfast with Ron and leave them behind. She didn’t object to it, pushing Ron further in the Great Hall. Emily glared at Harry at his doing, her eyes steady on the sight of the breakfast set on the tables, “You’d better have a good reason for denying me food, Harry.”

Harry took Emily out on the grounds for a stroll Emily didn’t resist but instead walked with him in awkward silence. It didn’t take long until she broke and asked what was going on in his mind, "Do you think it's too early to go and see Professor Moody?"

"Yes," said Emily, feeling a surge of relief when her brother finally spoke. "He'd probably blast us through the door if we wake him at the crack of dawn; he'll think we're trying to attack him while he's asleep. Let's give it till break." So they did. The twins returned to the Great Hall and ate breakfast at their respective house tables. Emily had grown so curious of what her brother was thinking, of why he would want to meet with Professor Moody. She had grown so overwhelmed by all of it, her appetite had reduced and only managed marmalade on toast, after that she got on an early start and went on her first class with Harry by her tail along with Ron and Hermione.

History of Magic had rarely gone so slowly. Harry kept checking Ron’s watch, having finally discarded his own battery-dead one, but Ron's was moving so slowly he could have sworn it had stopped working too. All four of them were so tired they could happily have put their heads down on the desks and slept; even Hermione wasn't taking her usual notes, but was sitting with her head on her hand, gazing at Professor Binns with her eyes out of focus with Emily doing the same by her side, the only difference was that she had charmed her quill to do her note taking for her.

When the bell finally rang, they hurried out into the corridors toward the Dark Arts classroom and found Professor Moody leaving it. He looked as tired as they felt. The eyelid of his normal eye was drooping, giving his face an even more lopsided appearance than usual. "Professor Moody?" Harry called as they made their way toward him through the crowd.

"Hello, Potter," growled Moody, “Or should I say Potters to be more specific.” His magical eye followed a couple of passing first years, who sped up, looking nervous; it rolled into the back of Moody's head and watched them around the corner before he spoke again.

"Come in here."

He stood back to let them into his empty classroom, limped in after them, and closed the door. "Have you got it yet?" Harry asked without preamble.

"No," said Moody. He moved over to his desk, sat down, stretched out his wooden leg with a slight groan, and pulled out his hip flask. "Did you use the map?" Harry said. "Of course," said Moody, taking a swig from his flask. "Took a leaf out of your book, Potter; Summoned it from my office into the forest. He wasn't anywhere on there."

"So he did Disapparate?" said Ron.

"You can't Disapparate on the grounds, Ron!" said Hermione. "There are other ways he could have disappeared, aren't there, Professor?" Moody's magical eye quivered as it rested on Hermione. "You're another one who might think about a career as an Auror," he told her. "Mind works the right way, Granger." Hermione flushed pink with pleasure.