Soon, September changed into October. Lessons were going alright. Trelawney kept shooting pitiful glances at Harry. Hagrid had given Flobberworms for the class to look after.
"Why would anyone bother looking after these?" I heard Ron say during one class and I had to agree. Ever since the Malfoy-Buckbeak incident, Care of Magical Creatures had become dull.
As expected, Snape was being harsher than ever before on poor Neville, because of the Boggart lesson with Professor Lupin.
After the conversation I had with Lupin, he was acting strange. He would stare at me, only to turn away when I noticed. He gave me awkward glances during lessons. He always avoided the scenario of having to talk with me, unless it was lesson related. This sudden change in his behaviour made me curious as to why. Could it be because Lupin knows my Mum? Or is it because my Boggart is Sirius Black?
Speaking of Black, the whispers and glances I would receive turned into a confrontation one day, when Cormac McLaggen accused me of being Sirius Black's daughter. I let him yell and vent out his anger, only to give silence and an emotionless expression to him as a response.
Although, I shed a few tears once I locked myself in the bathroom, away from prying eyes, especially away from my friends because I didn't wish for them to see me in a weakened state. Apart from that, everything was running smoothly.
I was having the time of my life with the twins and Lee, as if there isn't another care in the world. I've helped them pull a few pranks, including one on Filch.
We persuaded Peeves to cause a ruckus, which drove Filch out of his office. The four of us snuck in, planting fireworks here and there, which would be activated with a swish of a wand. Once set up, we went out to hide and waited eagerly for Filch's return. Soon enough, a grumpy Filch came back to his office only to be met with an exploding fireworks display. He screeched knowing it was us, and on cue, we sprinted away as fast as our feet could carry us, only to come to a halt once we'd lost him, and laugh until our stomachs hurt. It was one of my best memories so far of the year, that I know I'll cherish for years to come.
With October arriving, Quidditch season had commenced, meaning practices were being held. I've taken some time to watch a few of the practices, only to be amazed but I can't let the twins know that.
I was admiring yet another spectacular practice today. After an hour of practice, I made my way back to Gryffindor tower with the twins. As we entered through the portrait hole, we noticed a group of heads all huddled around the notice board. Bewildered, I followed in step with the twins. I could hear Ron telling Harry who was walking ahead of us.
"First Hogsmeade weekend. End of October. Hallowe'en."
"Excellent." Fred said. "I need to visit Zonko's, I'm nearly out of stink pellets."
"Ooh! Hogsmeade?! I can't wait! I've been wanting to visit for a really long time!" I exclaimed. "You guys have to give me a tour."
"We will love, don't worry." I felt my cheeks heat up. I touched my hair. Luckily, it had only gone pink at the tips.
He called me love. That was really cute. No! He said it in a friendly way. Yeah, in a friendly way because we're friends. Just friends...
The battle in my mind concluded when I heard the sound of yelling reach my ears. I saw Ron running after Hermione's cat, Crookshanks, who was chasing his rat, Scabbers. George lunged at the cat in an attempt to catch it but in vain. Meanwhile, Scabbers had been chased into going underneath the chest of drawers. Ron and Hermione started arguing once again. I left them to their bickering as I went to my dormitory, calling it a night.
***
We strolled along the path of the mesmerizing village of Hogsmeade. We'd just arrived, and I couldn't wipe the eager smile off my face.
"Love, you okay?" Fred asked with a grin.
"Of course! Never better? Now where to first? Honeydukes, or maybe The Three Broomsticks? Ooh! Or how about the most haunted building in all of Britain, the Shrieking Shack!" I exclaimed. The three burst into laughter.
"Rubi, you need to calm down!" Lee told me while chuckling.
"Okay, okay."
"Well, let's go to Zonko's first. I need to get more stink pellets anyways, and we'll go from there."
"Sounds good!" I said in a high pitched voice, causing Fred to snicker. As we made our way towards the joke shop, I was pondering the question of what products I could buy, and which prank would they help execute. I was imagining the look on Mum's face for how she'd react to my pranks, when I heard something.
Ring!
The sound of the bell brought me back and I stared around in awe. This was every prankster's dream come true. There were stink pellets and dungbombs to nose-biting teacups and hiccough sweets. I couldn't help but smile.
"Come on Rubina, let's go look around." Fred grabbed my arm, pulling me away from the other two. "Hmm... What do you think? Who could we use the Nose-biting teacup and dungbombs on?"
"Either Filch or that git, Malfoy." He chuckled. I grabbed two nose-biting teacups, some dungbombs, a few stink pellets and frogspawn soap, before I brought them to the front to pay. The twins and Lee paid afterwards, and we stepped out, headed for Honeydukes.
"This stuff is going to come in handy. It'll be even better to prank people now that I have this stuff. Hopefully it will be my best yet, considering the attack of pranks I had set up for the first day." I heard gasps and realized what I'd said. "Oops!"
"See I was right! It was you who had planned the attack of pranks!" Fred cried out.
"We were onto you, but it slipped off our minds after a while." George added. I howled with laughter until I ran for it when Fred started towards me. I was fast but I had to slow down when I almost knocked down another third year, giving Fred the advantage of catching up. He grabbed me around the waist and threw me onto his shoulders.
"FREDRICK WEASLEY! PUT ME DOWN THIS INSTANT!" I bellowed.
"Unless you apologize for the pie prank we got caught in, I won't put you down." He replied with a smirk.
"Okay I'm sorry! Now put me down!"
"That's more like it." He said as he gently set me down. Right when my feet hit the ground, I smacked him on the arm with a fist.
"Don't do that again!" He only grinned in response. I noticed people around us watching with amusement, I felt a bit embarrassed. I glanced at Lee and George who were sniggering, and shared a look. Pretending to be upset, I gave Fred a glare while I flicked my hair and turned, heading into Honeydukes.
The sweet scent of sugary goods greeted me. My mouth was starting to water as I realized all the different types of sweets and candies that surrounded me. There were some that were familiar like Chocolate Frogs and Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans, but most weren't. I walked through the shelves, eagerly grabbing one of everything, oblivious to the fact that Fred was still behind me. Forgetting I was acting furious with him, I turned when I realized he was there and said.
"Freddie, there's so many choices I don't know what to pick!" I looked up at him, who had a smirk plastered on his face.
"I thought you were mad at me." He said with a knowing grin. I looked down, trying to suppress a smile, before I faced him again.
"I was and I still am, but you can make it up to me if you help me with picking out the best sweets to buy."
"It'll be my honor my lady." He said jokingly with a bow, causing me to giggle. He then directed me through the shop, telling which ones he thinks I'll like the best. When I felt like I should stop, before I spend all my money, we paid and left. I took a bite out of a chocoball, and the strawberry flavored mousse and cream instantly melted in my mouth, bringing me to a whole other level of cheerfulness. Seeing the look on my face, Fred said.
"I told you it's good." I smiled at him in response until I realized.
"Where are George and Lee?"
"They left ages ago saying you were taking too long. They should be at the Three Broomsticks." He answered.
When we opened the door of the Three Broomsticks, we saw two hands waving from a table afar. As Fred and I sat down, they shoved two bottles in our direction.
"Butterbeer. You'll love it." George said, and I hastily grabbed it, tearing open the top and putting it to my mouth. A warmness spread throughout as the pleasant drink went down my throat.
"It's wonderful." Was all I managed to say. "Anyways." I said as I continued drinking. "Did you two go anywhere else since you left us?"
"No, George and I have been here for the last bit. How was Honeydukes?"
"Awesome, Fred helped me pick out the best sweets." George and Lee glanced at one another, grinning once again. Ignoring them I finished the rest of the Butterbeer.
"Hey." I started with a mischievous grin playing on my lips. "What prank should we pull on Filch next?" From there we were off on the topic of pranks once again. We sat there for such a long time that we totally forgot to visit the Shrieking Shack, much to my disappointment.
***
The Great was decorated extraordinarily for Hallowe'en. Hundreds upon hundreds of candle-lit pumpkins lazily hovered above the heads of students. Along with the pumpkins, there were live bats and orange colored streamers, floating about.
Once my eyes fell upon the promisingly delicious looking food, my mouth watered. The food tasted even better when eaten. Fred, George, Lee and I had a blast.
After a wonderful trip to the village of Hogsmeade, there couldn't possibly be a better way to end the day then the Hallowe'en feast. The four of us laughed as we recounted hilarious incidents of the year so far. George mentioned how I'd unintentionally confessed today to being the one who pulled pranks on day one. I slightly blushed, remembering the moment with Fred afterwards.
Before I realized, the feast was over, after the Hogwarts Ghosts concluded their show, and everyone trudged back to their respective common rooms. The happiness within me died in mere seconds, as I sighted a crowd blocking the entrance to Gryffindor Tower.
"What's going on?" I asked Fred, seeing as his height gave him a better view.
"I'm not sure, but I think something happened to the portrait of the Fat Lady."
My chest tightened, wondering if Sirius Black had something to do with it. I snapped back to reality when I heard Percy's voice.
"Let me through, please. What's the hold up here? You can't all have forgotten the password - excuse me, I'm Head Boy-" A silence immediately took over, sending a chill from the front to the back. "Somebody get Professor Dumbledore. Quick." Percy suddenly ordered in a sharp voice. My heart picked up speed, my breaths were coming out fast. I figured that Black was indeed involved in this situation.
Professor Dumbledore arrived, the crowd of Gryffindors made a path for him, which also cleared my way. I gasped as my eyes widened. The place where the Fat Lady should have been now bore claw marks, slashing the portrait, bits of the canvas littered below on the floor.
"We need to find her." said Professor Dumbledore, to Professors McGonagall, Lupin and Snape, who'd just arrived on the scene. "Professor McGonagall, please go to Mr.Filch at once and tell him to search every painting in the castle for the Fat Lady."
"You'll be lucky." said a cackling voice, which belonged to Peeves the Poltergeist, who was bobbing over the crowd and looking delighted, as he always did, at the sight of wreckage or worry.
"What do you mean, Peeves?" said Dumbledore calmly, and Peeve's grin faded a little. He didn't dare taunt Dumbledore.
"Ashamed, your Headship, sir. Doesn't want to be seen. She's a horrible mess. Saw her running up on the fourth floor, sir, dodging between the trees. Crying something dreadful. Poor thing."
"Did she say who did it?" asked Dumbledore quietly.
"Oh, yes, Professorhead. He got very angry when she wouldn't let him in, you see?" Peeves flipped over, and grinned at Dumbledore from between his own legs.
The pounding in my chest was getting louder. I was afraid of the answer Peeves was going to give, and the taunts I would receive afterwards.
"Nasty temper he's got, that Sirius Black."
Hey!
So this chapter is long because I had originally written it this long and I didn't split this one, so sorry if it was a long read!
Also, HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARLENE MCKINNON!! Wow three birthdays in a row!
Let me know what you thought of this chapter, and please do give any suggestions for upcoming plot, and I may add it in if I like it!!
Here's a question:
What's your favorite place in Hogsmeade?
I'm not even sure but I guess Honeyduke's for it's sweets, Shrieking Shack for where Sirius Black's innocence was proved (even if it was just to a couple of people), and I guess The Three Broomsticks for Butterbeer.
Have a wonderful August the First!
Mini-Padfoot