Black's Return {Jade Book 3}

Chapter 6

After our Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson, everyone was talking about Neville's Boggart and it didn't take long for this news to reach Father.Father himself now hated Professor Lupin, which left me in an uncomfortable position, since I enjoyed Defense Against the Dark Arts and Potions equally.

***

In Divination, I became good friends with Holly Burton and Kaya Adams, the two Ravenclaws I had met in my first lesson.Trelawney still seemed to think that I had the Sight, even though all I did was 'see' the Grim and other ill omens.

Today, Holly and I were looking into each other's tea leaves and Kaya came over to our table. She looked into my cup with a smirk and an expression of mock horror. "Oh, Jade, I can see a skull..." Her smirk intensified. "...and the Grim!"

Kaya seemed to think that this whole thing was a joke. Holly took it more seriously. "Kaya, you know what I saw in Jade's cup?"

She raised her eyebrows. "A duck?"

We all burst out laughing, which got us a few stares.

Holly's face turned serious again and she shook her head. "I saw...I saw the Grim."

Kaya gaped. "For real?"

Holly and I nodded together. "For real."

Kaya frowned but said nothing.

I glanced into my textbook. "I believe that a duck is a sign of failure, so you wouldn't want that anyway."

Holly giggled.

***

In Care of Magical Creatures, lessons became depressingly boring. All we did was feed lettuce to these stupid worms called Flobberworms.Hagrid seemed to have lost his confidence, and therefore Draco Malfoy was generally in a great mood.

***

Finally, the Quidditch season began approaching. Our team began training to win the Quidditch Cup.

One lunchtime, Alex came over to the Slytherin table, looking excited. "Guess what?"

Anja turned right around in her seat. "What?"

Alex grinned. "I got into the Ravenclaw Quidditch team! I'm a Chaser!"

"Well done!" Anja exclaimed, and I nodded.

"Just like your sister."

He looked solemn. "Yeah."

Alex's sister was Angelina Johnson, one of the Gryffindor Chasers.

***

One evening, Sirius Malfoy and Gemma Farley, the 7th-year Prefects, pinned notices around the Common Room.

Within a few seconds, each notice around the room was surrounded by 5th, 6th and 7th years.

"What does it say?" I asked, trying to get a better look.

Sirius turned to look at me. "The first Hogsmeade weekend is coming up. On the 31st of October. Hallowe'en," he clarified.

I sighed.

I really, really disliked Hallowe'en.

On Hallowe'en in my first year, a troll had attacked Hermione and me, and I had encountered a three-headed dog that seriously injured my father. In my second year, Ginny, possessed by Tom Riddle, had Petrified Mrs Norris using the basilisk, the first of the attacks.

Hopefully this year would be better.

"You do have a permission form, don't you?" Sirius asked, pulling me from my thoughts.