Crookshanks | 𝘚𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘶𝘴 𝘉𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬

Chapter 74

Jenna waited impatiently that day for the hours to pass, so she could leave the castle and see Sirius again in Hogsmeade, after months of being apart.

Although there was one thing that happened that same day which managed to distract Jenna completely; Rita Skeeter had wrote a new article in the Daily Prophet, her victim being Hermione this time.

      A copy of the newspaper lay on a table in the common room, and so when the room had emptied for the day, Crookshanks hopped on the table to see what's the latest news was. Although her heart sank as she read the words that followed,

Miss Granger, a plain but ambitious girl, seems to have a taste for famous wizards that Harry alone cannot satisfy. Since the arrival at Hogwarts of Viktor Krum, Bulgarian Seeker and hero of the last World Quidditch Cup, Miss Granger has been toying with both boys' affections. Krum, who is openly smitten with the devious Miss Granger, has already invited her to visit him in Bulgaria over the summer holidays, and insists that he has "never felt this way about any other girl."

Later on that day, Jenna tried to see if Hermione had been offended by this article, but she was revealed to see that the young girl seemed completely unbothered by this matter. What had caught Hermione's interest and curiosity, however, was how Skeeter was managing to get all these private information.

That same night, it was hour before midnight when Jenna finally left the common room in her cat form, letting Hermione know beforehand that she probably wasn't going to return for a day or two.

Once she sneaked out of the castle, Jenna took a deep breath of the fresh air. The weather was milder than it had been all year, and by the time she arrived in Hogsmeade, she was glad that she had her ginger fur protecting her from the slight cold.

Soon she made her way up the High Street, past Dervish and Banges, and out toward the edge of the village. The winding lane was leading her out into the wild countryside around Hogsmeade.

The cottages were fewer here, and their gardens larger; she was walking toward the foot of the mountain in whose shadow Hogsmeade lay. Then she turned a corner and saw a stile at the end of the lane, where Sirius had asked her to meet him.

Jenna's stomach suddenly lurched excitedly as from afar she saw a very large, shaggy black dog. Although before greeting her, to her surprise, the black dog wagged its tail once, then turned and began to trot away from her across the scrubby patch of ground that rose to meet the rocky foot of the mountain.

Confused at first, Jenna followed after him, still in her cat form. Sirius led her to the very foot of the mountain, where the ground was covered with boulders and rocks. She followed Sirius higher, up onto the mountain itself. For nearly half an hour she climbed a steep, winding, and stony path, following Sirius's wagging tail.

Then, at last, Sirius slipped out of sight, and when Crookshanks reached the place where he had vanished, she saw a narrow fissure in the rock. It was easy to pass through it in her cat form, and soon she found herself in a cool, dimly lit cave.

      When Crookshanks looked around the cave with her large yellow eyes, she saw that at the end of the cave, one end of his rope around a large rock, was Buckbeak the hippogriff.

But Jenna's attention went back to Sirius, who had just transformed back to his human form. His black hair was longer than it had been when she had seen him appear in the Gryffindor common room's fire, and it was untidy and matted once more. He looked very thin.

Although the moment Jenna transformed to herself and was just about to greet Sirius, she yelped loudly when the Hippogriff suddenly let out a hoarse cry, fluttering his wings furiously at her sight.

"Whoa! Whoa! Buckbeak!" Sirius suddenly stepped in front of Jenna protectively, trying to calm the Hippogriff down. "Jenna, bow down."

Jenna folded her arms and raised a brow at him. "Excuse me?"

"Oh, just do it!" Sirius retorted, still trying to back her away from the furious Hippogriff.

Stubbornly, Jenna forcefully bent her head down for a few seconds, until the Hippogriff finally calmed down, lowering his wings. After regarding her imperiously for a moment, Buckbeak finally bent his scaly front knees wearily, falling quiet at last.

Jenna shook her head with a chuckle. "Never thought this day would come."

Grinning, Sirius walked toward her and brought Jenna into a hug. To be back in his warm embrace again, Jenna felt all her worries wash away for minute as he held on tight to her. She then wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him back.

      Although she let out a gasp and her eyes widened in surprise when she felt his hands travel downward until he grabbed onto her bottom.

"Sirius, what do you think you're doing?" Jenna raised a playful brow at him.

"What?" He shrugged, grinning charmingly down at her. "I missed you."

"Well, can you show me you miss me another way, other than touching my butt?" she said as she pulled away, making him laugh.

"Then what would you rather I do, Jenny?" he said, placing his hands in his pockets handsomely.

"Dunno," she shrugged innocently, walking toward him with a little smile, "but I guess a simple kiss would do."

"Okay, then," said Sirius, and then in a quick motion he grabbed her hand and pulled her toward him so briskly that Jenna bumped into his chest, catching her off guard. But then he leaned down, bringing her into a deep kiss.

      Jenna giggled at first against his lips, but at last she melted into it and kissed him back as he held her closer against him. She had missed him more than words could express.