Black's Return {Jade Book 3}

Chapter 11

The next morning, we were walking back up to the castle from Care of Magical Creatures when, just behind us, I heard Draco talking about Hagrid.

"Have you ever seen anything quite as pathetic? And he's supposed to be our teacher!"

I glanced down to see Hermione, Harry and Ron just behind him.

All three of them made furious moves towards Draco. Hermione got there first. SMACK! She punched Draco hard in the face, and I couldn't help but grin.

"Don't you dare call Hagrid pathetic, you foul – you evil –"

"Hermione!" Ron exclaimed, trying to hold Hermione back.

She shook out of his grip. "Get off, Ron!"

Then she pulled her wand.

That was going a bit too far.

Draco muttered something to Crabbe and Goyle – I didn't hear what –and they ran off, past us.

Ron and Harry were looking at Hermione with respect, but I had no time to lose.

I turned away from Blaise and Anja, who were arguing (as usual), and turned the Time-Turner.

Then I walked off to my next class.

***

In Divination, everything was normal.

That is to say, Kaya was being extremely sarcastic, and Holly...well, Holly was being crazy.

So far this lesson, in her crystal ball, she had seen a rainbow, a pig, herself, and a lot of fog.

According to her, that meant she would have money, bacon, her life...and fog.

"Hmmm..." Kaya observed, peering into her crystal ball.

Her face turned serious. "Oh, what is this I see?Oh, dear me, I think it is...fog! Oh no, how terrifying!"

Holly and I burst out laughing.

Anja looked over at me, eyes raised.

I turned back to my crystal ball, attempting to see anything at all.

As Kaya said, all I could see was a whole lot of fog.

And that wasn't exactly cause for excitement.

Professor Trelawney went over to Harry's table, where he, Ron and Hermione were seated. She peered into Harry's crystal ball, and I had a very good idea of what she had 'seen'.

"My dear..." Professor Trelawney breathed, "It is here, plainer than ever before...my dear, stalking towards you, growing ever closer...the Gr –"

"Oh, for goodness' sake!" Hermione exclaimed. "Not that ridiculous Grim again!"

Trelawney stood up, giving Hermione a death stare.

"I am sorry to say that from the moment you have arrived in this class, my dear, it has been apparent that you do not have what the noble art of Divination requires. Indeed, I don't remember ever meeting a student whose mind was so hopelessly Mundane."

"Fine!" Hermione shoved her textbook into her bag and stood, glaring at Trelawney. "Fine! I give up! I'm leaving!"

And, honestly, I didn't blame her.

She climbed down the ladder out of the classroom, leaving total silence behind her.

Lavender, to my complete and utter disgust, reminded the whole class loudly of Trelawney telling us that one of our number would leave us forever.