Augury [Harry Potter Fanfic]

d. one

"Hey, no pointing at me with sharp objects!"  she warned him, as Oliver turned to look at her.

"Oh yeah, what's with it? You've been busy with my exams and didn't study for yours." Oliver seemed guilty, glancing at the neatly written paper in front of him.

"You're forgetting I've been helping students from pretty much year, I know pretty much every subject in O.W.Ls level, if not N.E.W.Ts."

"You're a nerd," Lee stated as he sat next to them, over-hearing the last sentence. "We all know that."

"Shut up Jordan," she told him, pointing her wand at him playfully.

"Should I take down points from Gryffindor, Ms. Wilde?" Snape's voice loomed over in his monotone drawl, and she turned to him, a flash passing her mind, making her stay silent for a moment. She was curious about his past, more so than his future.

"Certainly not, sir, I was just showing Lee my new wand, he hasn't realized that I bought a new one."

"You've shown him, get it away from my sight now."

"Yes sir," she grinned quite cheekily as he walked off, and the four looked between them for a moment.

"I'm pretty sure his hate for you is stronger than for most Gryffindors."

"Yeah, it's just old grudge."

They knew better than to question it any further by that point.

::

Two wizards came through the castle doors, followed closely by Sawyer, who was dead-set on speaking with Minister Fudge. One was so ancient he appeared to be withering before their very eyes; the other was tall and strapping, with a thin back mustache. Sawyer recognized them as representatives of the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures, because the very old wizard squinted toward Hagrid's cabin and said in a feeble voice, "Dear, dear, I'm getting too old for this....Two o'clock, isn't it, Fudge?"

The black-mustached man was fingering something in his belt; a sharpened axe.

"Excuse me?" Sawyer hurried past Harry, Hermione and Ron. "Minister Fudge?"

"Dear Merlin! Amanda Wilde?"

"Sawyer Wilde," she corrected, offering a hand to shake, "her daughter. She died during my labour," she lied so easily it almost worried her, almost. "I have something to discuss with you, if you could please make some time?"

"Of course, of course, Amanda was a childhood friend of mine, you know. Her mother, your grandmother, was second cousin to my aunt. We're somewhat of a family!"

"I've never known!" Sawyer said in fake-surprise, rolling with him. "Have you got some free time for me then, please?"

"Of course, are you done with your exams for the day?"

"Yes, my last exam was this morning," she smiled, thinking about the great Care of Magical Creatures exam, and he nodded.

"We have quite a while until the appeal's starting, then let's go ahead and discuss it. Would you mind if I checked with the Dementors in the mean-while?"

"Of course not," she smiled, the two starting to walk, "it's actually about the centaurs, see..."

::

"So it's settled," Bada smiled widely, "they're giving us more grounds."

"Yes, I told you, you could count on me," Sawyer grinned. "I think you should know it's probably temporary, but as long as Fudge's the minister─"

"That won't be forever," Bane spoke bitterly, "and then we'll have our grounds reduced. Again."

"By the time Fudge's out of his job, I'll be a Seventh year, and the plan would already be starting to set motion, I'm certain you could survive to that point."

"I suppose," Bada sighed, and the three turned to glance at the rest of the centaurs, who were standing back. "Thank you Sawyer, I'm glad we've met."

"I'm glad to know you too, Bad," she grinned at the centaur. She took liking in him, he was hot-tempered and quite funny, "okay, tonight's the full moon, so it's happening. I'm gonna play it up a bit against myself, I'd hate to see him die."

"He won't die, he'll have his soul taken away."

"Which is the exact reason I can play it up," she winked at Bada, who laughed, as Bane shook his head with a smile. "I'm dropping off at the werewolves' territory to grab that stupid cat of mine, anything I should let them know about the new territories?"

"No," Bane sighed. "Tell them to meet us at the neutral territory, the new territory assignments by Fudge interfer with their hunting habits, we'll have to change up the borders a bit."

"Tomorrow, mid-day?" Sawyer asked, starting to walk off.

"Thanks Sawyer!" Bada nodded as she waved, starting to trail back to the pack. The moon was starting to show behind clouds, the North star shining brighter than the rest. Sawyer paused for a moment, tracking the second star to the right, sighing into the soft evening breeze.

She never did too well on the broom, which saddened her, since she always loved flying. That's why she enjoyed the lesson about Hippogriffs the year prior, and why she was excited for Sixth years' course of Care  of Magical Creatures. She could always fly on Ace though, she supposed.

Sawyer shut her eyes, sighing again, before proceeding in her trail, soon meeting Meeko half-way, followed by Agambir, who was about to take watch.

"Agambir, the Centaurs are looking forward for meeting you tomorrow to discuss borders and territories, at neutral ground, of course." Agambir seemed wary of the idea, "don't worry, I already discussed it with Bada and Bane, and I have their word that they will not harm any of you. If they do, they'll lose quite a bit, so make an effort, for me? They're doing it because the Ministry assigned new territories for the forest, and it interfers with your hunting grounds. They're meeting you half-way, Ag. So make an effort?"

He howled a bitter agreement, making Sawyer grin, ruffling up his fur.

"Remember the big picture, okay?"

He howled back something quite similar to Okay, and she grinned, walking off.

The big picture.

Too bad it was almost too complicated for even Sawyer herself.