The first week of school ran smoothly: there wasn't too much homework, Ella mostly stayed out of her way and she only argued with Professor Eischeid once.
The first full moon of the school year was that Saturday, and Grace, James, Peter and Sirius were all extremely disappointed that they still couldn't join Remus and help him. However, they had been making progress on the Animagus front: James managed to grow two full antlers, Sirius' hands turned into paws, Peters arm became significantly hairier and Grace just kept on getting a tail.
"Why is it always the tail?" Grace asked no one in particular as they sat in the Great Hall for dinner, whilst Remus was in the Hospital wing
"Surely there is something we could do tonight to help. I feel like we need to do something," Sirius sighed, stabbing his fork into a sausage.
The others all nodded in agreement.
"Hopefully next month, then," Peter said.
Once, everyone had finished their dinner, dessert appeared, and Grace stood up.
"I promised Abbey that I'd sit with the others for dessert," she exclaimed. "Anyone want to come?"
"I will," Sirius replied, standing up as well.
"Is Lily going to be there?" James asked, and Grace shook her head. "Then no."
Grace then turned to Peter. "I'll stay with Prongs. Gotta have someone to pretend to listen when he goes on a rant about how good he is at Quidditch."
"Good point. See you back in the dorm then," Grace said, before heading over to the Hufflepuff table.
Abbey, Sam and Ely were seated in the very middle of the table, as always, so it was a bit tricky to squeeze Grace and Sirius in. Grace sat down next to Abbey, with Sam next to her, and Sirius sat opposite Grace, beside Ely.
"So, any of you thinking of trying out for Quidditch this year?" Ely asked "You know, fifth year is the year to play because you're older than the others – captains usually pick the older players over the younger players and unless they've got some kind of crazy skills – but your school work isn't too serious yet."
Ely had been Hufflepuff's seeker last year, and had loved it, surprisingly.
"Maybe, I'm not sure," Sam said. "I'd probably want to be a chaser if anything, but I've never really played much Quidditch before, only watched it. What about you, Sirius? Thinking of joining James?"
"No thank you," Sirius replied instantly. "I'm afraid of heights. Besides, where would the Gryffindor team be if they didn't have their one man cheer squad?"
"True," Grace commented. "I actually wouldn't mind playing Quidditch. I play a bit with my mum sometimes back at my grandparent's house. She was a star beater back in her day."
"What position would you play?" Abbey asked her.
"Probably something like seeker, because that way I'm not being beaten up and run into every five seconds. That's the only thing that I don't like about Quidditch – it can be quite physical and sometimes violent. But there's no way James' going to give up his position as seeker anytime soon."
"What about keeper?" Ely suggested.
"That actually might be alright."
They continued to talk until the Great Hall was nearly empty, and then decided that perhaps it was time to head back. The Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors went their separate ways.
However, someone was waiting for them on the staircase.
"I know you're up to something," Severus Snape announced once they passed him. "Remus wasn't at dinner again. So, what's the excuse this time? Did he break his leg? Is his mother sick? Did he get-"
"He just wasn't feeling well, okay," Grace cut him off. "He gets sick often, must have a weak immune system or something-"
"A what?"
"Doesn't matter," Sirius replied. "You have no reason to be up here. Last time I checked, the Slytherins' dormitories were down in the dungeons."
"I'll find out what you're doing. You know I will," Severus replied, making no move to leave.
"It's none of your business Severus," Grace told him, before continuing up the stairs and entering the Gryffindor common room through the portrait. She didn't realise that Sirius wasn't with her until Peter asked her.
"Oh, he was just... I left him with Snape."
"Then why hasn't he come back yet?" Peter asked. "It's past curfew."
"He's probably just... um..." Grace trailed off.
"Oh no," James gasped suddenly. "I think I know where he is. He mentioned something to me before... and I thought he was just joking, but... oh Merlins beard, I hope I'm wrong."
"What is it?"
James got up from the couch and rushed to his dorm, Grace and Peter behind him. He reached under his bed and pulled out the map that they had made. He ran his finger over it until it came to rest above two names: Sirius Black and Severus Snape.
They were walking across the grass outside of the hill, heading directly for the Whomping Willow that guarded the entrance to the Shrieking Shack.
---
I think you know all know what's coming next.
I'm also going to publish a WW1 short story I wrote for school on here this morning. Read it if you want. Don't if you don't want to. Although I'll warn you now, it's quite cheesy (or at least I think so).
school starts on Thursday uggggghhhhhhh
- Grace