Found You (A Fred Weasley Story)

Chapter 74

"I can't study anymore!" Jace groaned and closed Transfiguration book with a 'thud'.

"If you want O.W.L.s you have to open that damn book and study!" Belle scolded her and went to her own studying. I had almost studied everything except Divination which I haven't even touched and Herbology. I can finally concentrate solely on my studies now. Dumbledore ended my practice the day today in the morning. He told me that I have now learned and know everything I need to know about my powers and I should avoid using them until I am of age because if I ever loose control of them, people might get hurt. Quidditch season ended so I don't have anything to worry about. The Slytherin house didn't blame the team instead they supported us and even Snape said we had so many Cups that losing this year didn't even matter. That was a total surprise there. Two or three practices more and we can fully transform into our animagus forms. During Eastor Holidays and last week we had practiced so hard that we were almost there to become a full animagus.

"Why did I have to take Divination? I don't understand a bloody thing!" Erica cried and we all laughed.

"Poor baby, need some help?" Jace chuckled. Erica showed her the third finger. This banter is never gonna end between us. Studying for O.W.L.s was nerve wrecking and it was taking a huge toll of stress on us. I would rather face Voldemort rather than studying Divination as I eyed its book.

After four or so we all went down for dinner. The teachers let us have free classes so that we could study on our own hence the girls and I were in our dorms mugging up our syllabuses.

The exam schedule was put up on the notice board. We had two weeks of exams and each day in the morning we had theory exam and after lunch we had practical exams. The exams will be examined and held by some external examiners from the Ministry.

I borrowed some parchment and quill from a second year student and wrote down my exam time-table.

First Week:

Charms- Monday
Transfiguration- Tuesday
Herbology- Wednesday
DADA- Thurdsday
Ancient Runes- Friday

Second Week:

Potions- Monday
Astronomy- Tuesday
Divination- Wednesday
History of Magic- Thursday

I frowned as I read my time-table. I had exams continously and had a break of Saturday and Sunday only. Oh God! Help me. That night dinner was filled with dread of me failing if I don't study and finish soon.

*****

It was our first exam today of O.W.L.s. The Great hall's long tables were vanished and in place of them were single table and chair with parchments and ink pots with quills. Proobably they were anti-cheating quills and anti-cheating spells must have also been done. Our examiners were Griselda Marchbanks and Professor Tofty. We all were sitting accordingly in the alphabetically order of our last names. The theory paper were for three hours each. I took a deep breath before seeing the question paper the examiner had just given me and we were called for practicals in this order too.

Charms theory and practical was easy-peasy, Transfiguration's theory was a little bit difficult but its practical went well, we had to the Vanishing spell. Herbology, DADA, Acient Runes were like a piece of cake. I think I even collected along with the girls bonus points for doing the Patrnous charm for bonus. The first week went by in swish of wand.

The second week's first exam was Potions. The theory exam was like a foregin language to me even when I aced Potions. Still I gave my best and tried to do better in its practical. Astronomy exam was very easy and interesting. Divination's theory was easy because I had mugged up the whole book before the night of the exam but I can't say the same for practical. Crystal ball and tea-leaf reading was still better as I could make up anything and the believed me but when the time for palm reading came I cursed myself for not listening to Professor Trelawney. But you can't blame me for that, can you? That lady was hell bent on predicting something or everything against Harry. The last exam, History of Magic was only written and it was so damn easy. Of course, it was easy if you learn each and every word from its book no matter how sleepy you feel.

I felt a relief wash over me as I walked out of the Great hall after handling over the last paper to the examiner and hugged Erica from back who was walking ahead of me with Rose. Jace and Belle were beside me.

"I cannot thank you guys! You have all helped me so much. If it weren't for you guys I definitely wouldn't be getting any O.W.L.s this year!" Jace said seriously.

"Come on, we can't take all the credit. You do sometimes use that dusty brains of yours." Rose joked and we all laughed when Jace scowled. We spent the time till dinner together, chatting with our house in the common room and making jokes and laughing around. Everything was back to normal between us girls. The dinner was great because the atmosphere was much light with no tension and only relief. The exam stress was so much that I had forgotten about my break up, Harry ignoring me and me kissing Fred. All that was forgotten for tonight at least.

*****

Belle and I were hanging out with Remus in his office. Remus was busy studying the Marauder's Map and answered us when we asked him something. I think he was feeling nostalgic after seeing the map he made with his best friends. Suddenly, Remus stood up and ran out of the room. Belle and I looked confusedly at each other and called out for him. We shouted for him but he didn't stop. We even looked the map but didn't know what he particularly saw to make him run like that. We all ran out of the castle into the night. Remus didn't seem like he was listening to our calls. He ran towards the Whomping Willow. Is he mad?

"Remus! The hell has gotten into you?" I shouted but he didn't listen to me. He touched the knot in the of that tree with his wand and the tree stopped trashing around is branches. Then Remus went to a hole near the roots at the bottom of the Whomping Willow. I looked at Belle and it seemed like she knew something that I didn't know. She followed Remus and I followed her. We first slid down an earthy slope then we were crawling to where ever this tunnel led us. Remus had his wand out and the tip of his wand was providing us light. It was like Remus was in a daze and he hadn't yet realized we were behind him. After what seemed like hours the tunnel began to rise; moments later it twisted. I was breathing hard by now but I couldn't stop and take a breather as Remus and Belle were moving forward. They knew something and I didn't and it killed me to not know it. We were in a room, a very disordered, dusty room. Paper was peeling from the walls, there were stains all over the floor, every piece of furniture was broken as though somebody had smashed it. The windows were all boarded up. The room was deserted but a door on the right stood open.

"WE'RE UP HERE!" A girl screamed and to be more specific it seemed to be Hermione, "WE'RE UP HERE --SIRIUSBLACK - QUICK!" Sirius? What the hell? Whatever was happening, Remus dashed towards the door and threw it open with the help of his wand. Belle rushed past him and entered in.

"DAD!" I heard her cry. I was frozen on my place. Dad? Sirius was here? Did they both knew about it? Because that would only explain why Belle seemed like she knew what was going on.

I slowly walked and hid myself by the wall and peeked in. Nobody seemed to notice me anyway. All of their attention was focused on Belle and Remus. I look around and saw bloodied and injured Ron, lying on the floor, over an injured Hermione, cowering next to the door, to also injured Harry, standing there with his wand covering a man. A mass of filthy, matted hair hung to his elbows. If eyes hadn't been shining out of the deep, dark sockets, he might have been a corpse. The waxy skin was stretched so tightly over the bones of his face, it looked like a skull. His yellow teeth were bared in a grin. It was Sirius Black and he crumpled and bleeding at Harry's feet. Belle was holding him and a cat, I think it was Hermione's cat Crookshanks was covering Sirius's chest protectively. All of them were seriously injured except Belle and Remus. I didn't want to intervene. I just listened to what was happening by the wall.

I heard low and muffled footsteps behind me. I looked around and my eyes widened. Snape was their holding Harry's invisibility cloak. He put a finger on his lips and told me to keep quite and nodded. How the hell did he come here or what the hell is he doing here?

I felt fear. If Snape went inside, he would know about Sirius and he would go running inside and alert the Dementors. I had to do something. Snape was looking at me and analyzing me. Of course, he was as I stood there staring at him like a creep. I discreetly took out my wand from my jeans pocket and raised towards Snape. But I think I was not to discreet as he had already his wand pointed out at me and he muttered a non-verbal spell and a bluish light came from the wand tip before everything went black.

Just my luck!