Magic? || Years 1-5

'Dementors': Year 3

And then Ron and Hermione were back to no longer speaking with each other.

Again.

Amisty, not wanting to stir up more conflict, avoided all mention of Crookshanks and Scabbers at all.

Harry, however, hadn't been that careful.

He had tried explaining to Hermione that all the evidence pointed to Crookshanks and she... she hadn't been too pleased.

"Okay, side with Ron, I knew you would! First the Firebolt, now Scabbers, everything's my fault, isn't it! Just leave me alone, Harry, I've got a lot of work to do!" She shouted, slamming her hands down on the table.

Amisty took that as a cue of her own to let her simmer down and joined Fred, George, Ginny, and Ron with Harry.

"Come on, Ron, you were always saying how boring Scabbers was. And he's been off-colour for ages, he was wasting away. It was probably better for him to snuff it quickly -- ones swallow -- he probably didn't feel a thing," Fred attempted to comfort him.

Amisty struggled to keep from hitting him.

"Fred!" Ginny exclaimed, glaring at him.

"All he did was eat and sleep, Ron, you said it yourself," George added bracingly.

"He bit Goyle for us once! Remember, Harry, Amisty?" He replied miserably, head in his arms.

"Yeah, that's true," Harry admitted as Amisty nodded.

"His finest hour. Let the scar on Goyle's finger stand as a lasting tribute to his memory," Fred was attempting and failing to not smile.

"Oh, come on, Ron, get yourself down to Hogsmeade and buy a new rat, what's the point of moaning?"

-=+=-

It was the end of the day, Hermione and Amisty were sitting next to each other going over things to help with Buckbeaks's case.

"Amisty, I just wanted to say sorry for snapping at you. I never did apologize for that," Hermione set down her quill, looking up at her.

"And I'm sorry for not listening to you," Amisty replied with a small smile, putting her own quill down.

"I really didn't mean anything I said about you and Harry, honest, I was mad and I didn't know what I was saying," She sighed, running her hands through her hair to hide her face.

"I... I know," She nodded, shifting awkwardly before adding, "And you know I would always be there for you. No matter what happens, if you need me I'll make sure that I'm there for you."

"Of course, and I'll always be there for you," Hermione's eyes were starting to sparkle.

As if she were fighting back tears. Amisty really hoped that they were happy ones.

"You know, I could never get mad at you properly, right? You're my best friend, Hermione, nothing's ever going to change that," She reassured.

Hermione didn't have the words to reply.

She didn't need to speak. She flung her arms around Amisty's shoulders.

Right then and there Amisty could've sworn their friendship had never been stronger up to that point. She smiled, wrapping her own arms around her as Hermione let out a shaky breath.

There were a few cold drops seeping through her robes.

"You're my best friend, too," She whispered softly, her voice strained.