"Did you use pig?" Ron questioned as he yawned loudly without covering his mouth, they took a turn and Jamie grimaced when they finally spotted the door to the Potions room. Hermione wasn't there with them to tell Ron off about his yawning. Now that Jamie thinks about it, Hermione's been missing off for days now... She wonders what's wrong.
Jamie shook her head, "No, I was about to, but Hedwig came just in time with a letter from Sirius. I gave him a treat with Hedwig though, he's still jumping up and down every time."
"Thanks for that. How's Sirius then?" Ron questioned.
Jamie shrugged, "He was busy. Did I tell you that Cornelius Fudge offered him a position in the Ministry last Summer? He took it and he's under training right now. It was the reason why Sirius took time to send one back."
"Cornelius Fudge offered him a position?" Ron repeated, his face twisted into confusion and Jamie nodded. "It's not that usual to hear something like that. Why would he?" Ron's eyes widened a fraction, "No offense, Jamie. It's just... weird."
"None taken, I found it weird too. I mean, I did say some things during summer to Sirius about taking the offer, but now..." Jamie trailed off, unsure on what to say.
"There's a thing though..." Ron said and Jamie looked at him instantly.
"What is it?" Jamie asked.
"Maybe, it's just me or I don't know, but I think Fudge did it because of what happened during the Quidditch World Cup with the Bulgarian Minister?" Ron said and Jamie's thick eyebrows slowly come together, "I don't know, mate. Or maybe, I'm just getting ahead of it all?"
Jamie slowly pieced the puzzle together, "or maybe, you're right. Now that I think about it... the offer happened after the Cup too." Jamie went silent for a minute before going on, she remembered being mad because of Sirius not being able to go and she vented it out to the Ministers. "You think it's some kind of peace offering?"
Ron shrugged, "A suspicious peace offering it is if you ask me."
"Right," Jamie said and her face slowly twisted into deep thought as they avoid the smaller students that are rushing past them.
"I heard something from Fred and Geor-," Ron said as they are about to enter the potions room when they are stopped by someone tapping on Jamie's shoulder.
"Excusez-moi," a voice full of a french accent made them halt and Jamie turned her head to see one of their visitors wearing the uniform of Beauxbatons. She is standing by the Potions room door with confusion drawing her pale and pointed face, also framed by her silvery and silky long hair that is cascading down to her waist perfectly.
She is beautiful, Jamie noted. But there's something about her that glows oddly in the morning light and Jamie can't tell what it is.
"Excusez-moi," the girl repeated somewhat starting to sound impatient, "Est mon le cousin, Draco ici?"
"Wha'?" Jamie heard Ron mutter, he sounded dazed. There's no way they would understand this girl what with the language barrier between them.
Though, Jamie heard cousin and Draco between the lines. Jamie only knew one Draco in Hogwarts and that is Draco Malfoy, and she is certain that Draco is a huge bag of douche. There's a chance that she is referring to Draco Malfoy who is her... cousin? But, she could be wrong.
Jamie shook her head and Ron is still unresponsive, "I'm sorry, I-, We don't understand."
"Mon le cousin, Draco." The girl repeated slowly, "Draco zays tha' I zhall meet 'im zere."
"Er," Jamie said, she's becoming more and more amazed at the Girl's accent, "You want me to call Malfoy-?"
"Fleur," someone interrupted behind them and it's Malfoy exiting the Potions room. The girl-, Fleur brightened and smiled beautifully, "Je suis, là cousin. n'essayez pas de parler à l'autre, il est une belette et un désespéré."
Jamie's eyes widened at what she just heard. It's Malfoy speaking and talking back with an accent in what sounds like perfect french. Even Ron snapped out of his daze after hearing Malfoy's words.
Fleur chuckled and Jamie narrowed her eyes. By the smug expression in Malfoy's ferrety face, there's no doubt that the prick is talking about them.
"Don't be like zat, Draco. Zey are just trying to 'elp me." Fleur says, still chuckling.
"I can balance the candies of Bertie botts on my tongue in ten minutes!" Ron blurted out of nowhere and they all looked at him. Jamie's jaw dropped a little bit while Malfoy is smirking and visibly holding himself from laughing.
"You really had to share that kind of unusable knowledge to us, Weasley," Malfoy said amusingly, "Although, we appreciated it very much to know that you have a talent for such things. Let's just say that I kind of expected it already from someone that looks just like you."
"I will join the Tournament and I will be the first one to counter the age line out of all people!" Ron blurted out once again with reddened face and Jamie knew that she had to do something. She gripped Ron's arm tightly to shut him up from the embarrassment he's getting himself into.
Malfoy raised one of his eyebrows pointedly, "You will enter the Tournament and counter the age line, Weasley? How are you going to do that?" Malfoy said before his face made a dawning realization and smirked, "Unless... you will do something Illegal within Hogwarts?"
Jamie rolled her eyes and stepped in, "No one's going to do something illegal or whatever it is you're thinking about, Malfoy." Jamie said and Malfoy's smirk didn't waver, "Please, excuse us. Ron here is just being silly."
As they are about to step inside the Room, a hand gripped her forearm and stopped her from walking ahead. Jamie looked to see who it is that stopped her, it's Fleur.
"Wait," Fleur says and pointed something on her forehead, "I've zeen you somewhere and that zcar! I've 'eard a lot about you! You are ze girl who lived, aren't you? I was 'oping to meet you zince I came 'ere!"
Jamie didn't reply as she felt suddenly overwhelmed, but Fleur did not notice this and continued happily.
"You are 'arriet Potter!" Said Fleur, "Draco, isn't 'er ze one you kept telling me all about lazt Zummer?"
Jamie's eyebrows furrowed and the smirk is long gone in Malfoy's face, replaced by something unreadable.
"You got the wrong person, Fleur," Said Malfoy and looked at Jamie with a disgusted look. "I will never talk about this pothead over here, such a waste of ink if I did."
Fleur's eyebrows started to stitch together, "Did I?" She mumbled.
"Good to know, Ferret. Please do mind that I won't bother talking about your stinking pretentious and pompous ferret face too. It's a waste of time." Jamie retorted back sharply and dragged Ron behind her as she went inside the Potions Room. She spotted Hermione's wild and bushy hair down the aisle before going straight to where she's sitting and sat Ron down before moving to sit on Hermione's other side.
Hermione stared at Jamie before her eyes traveled to Ron who's still a shade of red that matches his hair perfectly, "What happened to Ronald?"
"We met Malfoy's cousin by the door, then Ron started talking about balancing and holding the candies in his mouth for ten minutes. He even told Malfoy and his cousin about joining the tournament! Who knows what Malfoy could do with that information!" Jamie rambled lowly, "That slimy Slytherin. I'm sure he cursed Ron secretly. I didn't even know Malfoy has a cousin here."
"You didn't know?" Hermione questioned and Jamie shakes her head, "It is his distant cousin, her name is Fleur Delacour. Parkinson got into some trouble with her in the library when I was there last week, it was mad. She thought Fleur Delacour was snatching Malfoy behind her back."
Jamie rolled her eyes. Of course, Parkinson would be in trouble with something like that, there's no doubt that girl has some issues.
"She's a veela," Ron squeaked out of nowhere and both of them stared at the red-head, "She's a Veela!"
"Who? Fleur Delacour?" Hermione questioned, "Don't be stupid, Ronald. I don't see anyone gushing down every time she's in the room."
"Veela? How did you say, Ron?" Jamie asked them with clear confusion.
"I'm telling you, she's not a normal girl!" Ron exclaimed, "They don't make them like that at Hogwarts!"
"Whatever, Ronald. Get a grip." Hermione said before going back to her book, leaving Ron staring in mid air and whispering nonsense under his breath.
"Oh, Hermione, I almost forgot to ask you about something," Jamie said and Hermione looked up to her.
"What is it?"
"Where've you been these past few days?" Jamie questions, "I mean, I know you are busy with your books and all, and you've got some things on your back. But, I rarely see you anymore... Is there something wrong?"
Hermione's brown eyes slowly widened, she looked a bit nervous. "Oh! There's nothing wrong, I promise you that, Jamie," Jamie leveled her a look and Hermione blushed madly, "I swear! I'm just... having some things prepared at the library. Nothing more."
Jamie's not sure if she believed in Hermione's reason. It's been days and Hermione has been visiting the library since then, it is one of Hermione's favorite places to go to.
"You know you can tell me everything, right?" Said Jamie.
"O-of course, Jamie!" Hermione sputtered loudly. "I trust you as my best friend, I'm not hiding anything, I swear!"
Jamie went quiet for a moment before her lips slowly formed into a smile. Jamie was about to say something when she was cut off by Snape's entrance with the door slamming against the wall loudly. Her back straightened and the class went to a silent hush. Each of their eyes followed Snape's cloaked striding form.
"Open your books to page 108," Snape ordered and Jamie opened her book dully, "Mr. Nott, kindly read the first paragraph."
The class passed by in a blur and Jamie willed her own eyes to stay open throughout the class miraculously. Jamie felt lost in a page full of words that were becoming more and more foreign to her.
She was about to give it all up by sleeping on the class when Jamie felt her ribbon tie start to loosen its hold on her hair. Jamie turned her head to try and catch the culprit once again, but her classmates seemed focused on moving their quills against their parchment about what Snape is writing on the board. Her gaze then went to where the Slytherins sat on the other side of the classroom, and to Draco Malfoy who was sitting at the back and beside his leech of a girlfriend.
It couldn't be Malfoy, he was too busy writing on his parchment. Jamie somehow thinks that Malfoy couldn't afford distractions, this is a subject where he is topping the class almost every year. Although having Parkinson as his girlfriend is seemingly enough distraction with her high pitch voice nagging around him.
"Is there a Problem, Ms. Potter?" A booming voice questioned and Jamie quickly returned to her front.
"Nothing, Professor." Jamie lied.
Snape eyed her for a moment, "Then, will you please kindly fix your bird nest of hair. It is quite distracting."
"I didn't ask for this," Jamie mumbled under her breath before moving her hands to tie her hair back again. Now it is known to her that the prankster is in her year, and he or she could be in her own house or in Slytherin.
"Perhaps a research about Antidotes won't hurt," Professor Snape drawled from the aisle and Jamie had to physically restrain herself from groaning loudly and thunk her head down into the wooden desk. "You will be passing three pages of thirteen-inch parchment individually, you might want to keep that information to your tiny minds and repeat it to yourselves."
Ron made a face and Hermione didn't show any reaction, she has been doing that an awful lot now. "I will not tolerate copying. Yes, you heard it right Weasley, no copying. Should I find any similarities in your papers, you will be punished rightfully and accordingly."
"Merlin, it's always going to be me, eh?" Ron whispered to her and Jamie giggled silently.
"Another thing, an unfortunate event has happened in my Potions storeroom," Snape informed before pausing. It made Jamie freeze when it slowly sank to her what the Potions' teacher is talking about, "There have been missing ingredients in my inventory."
Low murmurs erupted around the classroom and Snape eyed each of them, "These kinds of thefts are not unheard of, though the missing ingredients and its uses are enough for me to be concerned with what or who enters my storeroom."
"I know who the intruder is but not their intentions," Snape said, and his dark hawk eyes spotted Jamie who rooted herself on the seat, "and this shall be the last time that I hear of them breaking my storeroom, or there will be a punishment to be followed."
****
"You think it's Fred and George who nicked it?" Ron asked while they are on their way out and to the Great Hall. Jamie trailed behind her best friends as she avoided some stares and eyeing by casting her eyes down, they are becoming less for which Jamie is thankful for. She doesn't need any more unwanted attention, it is just making her feel distracted and uneasy.
"Of course. Who could it be other than them? They only now have a week to prepare whatever they're into," Hermione said with a frown and a pointed look to Ron, "You fully know well what their intentions are with the upcoming tournament. It will always be them."
"Well, Snape deserves it," Ron defended, "Giving us three pages of a thirteen-inch essay homework. I mean, how could he?!"
"He's a professor, Ronald. He has the rights to." Hermione sighed tiredly.
"Whatever, it's a bloody absurd thing to do," said Ron.
"By the way, Jamie, didn't you say you're going to work on that research?" Hermione called and Jamie looked up. She then realized they are just standing beside the doors to the Great hall. "Do you want to come with me to the library? I'm going right now for the antidote one."
The delicious aroma wafting from the Great Hall made Jamie's stomach rumble in hunger. But the thought of the goblet that is standing at the middle of the aisle and staring at them like the thing has its own eyes made Jamie feel more uneasy. There is something about the goblet and Sirius' letter made Jamie feel more uncomfortable.
"Library sounds good to me." Said Jamie.
"It's already dinner, aren't you going to eat first?" Ron asked bewilderedly.
"I ate earlier too much earlier than I intended to do, I'm not that hungry yet," Hermione said, "What about you, Jamie?"
Jamie shakes her head no, "I ate already." She lied simply.
"The library is going to close in three hours!" Said Ron, "Can't you wait until the weekends? It's not going to be due until the next Wednesday!"
"I'd rather have my works finished early unlike you, Ronald," Hermione said and anger lilting in her voice, "I don't like to pile up the given works and waste the day without any productivity!"
"Oh no, not her too!" Ron exclaimed, "You're going to turn Jamie into another version of yourself!"
"Shut up, Ronald!" Hermione said hotly, "Just go to the great hall and stuff that mouth of yours with your chickens before they run out!"
Hermione holds Jamie's wrist tightly and dragged her all the way to the library. Hermione stormed through the doors and Madam Pince gave them a death glare from her massive desk.
"Calm down, 'Mione." Jamie quietly whispered to Hermione as they pass the bookshelves and searched for the nearest unoccupied table, "You know that Ron is just being himself and he's just joking around."
Hermione's nose is still flared and Jamie winced, "I know that, Jamie. But something about him makes me mad these days. It's just... He can't shut up!"
Jamie sighed before when an idea struck her, "'Mione, do you want to fetch your books first? If you want, I'll go and look for our table so you can start right away. I'll wait, there's no rush."
"Right, I think I should do that," Hermione's angry lines that trace her face slowly relaxed, "Thank you, Jamie."
Hermione walked to one of the shelves at a now calmer pace. Madam Pince is no longer staring at them and Jamie went to search for another table. She found one by the windows that is tucked in a far off corner and behind a bookshelf that is hidden away from the eyes of the other students.
Jamie chose that table and went to sit on a chair to wait for Hermione. She dropped her bag silently on the table and sat down. She then rested her forehead on her arms and closed her eyes for a moment.
Did Fred and George know that Snape had found out that they nicked something out of the storeroom? Were they informed already? She remembered them saying that they cleared their magic traces around the area. But then, how would Snape found out who the intruders are?
Questions concerned Jamie even if she can see nothing. She opened her eyes as she tilts her head to the right while still resting on her forearm. Jamie is greeted by the window of their library section, the sky outside is clear and the stars can be seen visibly painting the night sky.
If she could only remember and understand what the lessons are last year in Astronomy, then she'd love to point the places where the set of constellations are. It just occurred to her how beautiful the stars are when she rarely goes outside on her times at the Dursley's with the skies outside that are always covered with grey clouds.
Too bad that Astronomy can only be taken every First, Third, and Fifth year. Jamie found herself looking forward to taking it next year. So that she would have greater use of her telescope other than laying it around and the storing it in her chest at the Grimmauld place.
From the windows of the library, her eyes then traveled to the sight of a thick volume of a green book that is lying on the top of the table. Her vision wasn't the greatest, but she could still read what was written on the spine of the book.
The Secrets of Potions and its Anti-Venoms (19th Century Edition)
By: Z. Budge
She was drawn to it instantly and Jamie sat up to give it a closer inspection. It looked expensive and brand new with the gold intricates on the book's green cover. A cauldron is sitting with woods burning underneath and the flames are licking up the bottoms. The picture is moving animatedly, a large spoon is mixing and stirring the contents of the cauldron on its own as smoke slowly rises up.
It is definitely a book that she needed for her Potion's research. It looked well-taken care of. Jamie felt lucky when there's no need for her to browse and waste her time counting books and shelves for research and a class that she doesn't have any care to give.
She opened it to see the rest of its content. There was something written on the introductory page. Jamie pushed back her glasses and squinted closely to read what was scribbled and written neatly in ink on the right corner of the page.
"Dragon," Jamie reads aloud, even herself can hear the confusion in her own voice.
The first thing that came to her mind is Who could be this person named Dragon? Was it an actual dragon or a magical creature that owns books and reads potions in his or her past time? Can dragons actually read and have their interest over these kinds of things?
Jamie doesn't know if this was left or misplaced by someone, or if it is a property of their library. Usually, if it is owned by the library, there would be a stamp or mark about it. But as she went deep into the pages, there's no trace of anything at all. Only the word dragon.
It could be anyone's book, it could be from the Beauxbatons or Durmstrang students who use their library as well. She doesn't know anyone among her classmates having Dragon on their name. If this 'Dragon' is a schoolmate of hers, then there's a small chance that Jamie had already encountered them in the corridors.
But there's a part of her that it's not just a coincidence, Jamie can already feel it.
"Jamie?" A familiar voice called her distracted her and Jamie looked up to see who it is.
Cedric stood by her table with a wide grin that brights up his charming face. He's a handsome young man, even Jamie cannot deny that.
"Cedric?" Jamie questioned before standing up off her seat to greet him, "What are you doing here?"
"I'm just needing a few things to have on my subjects. I'm actually here with my friend, she's helping me to catch up on some of the classes that I missed," Cedric explained still with the gleaming smile of his, "What about you?"
"Er, I'm here with my best friend too. We're working on our Potions research that Snape had given to us," Jamie said, "It's a torture, to be honest."
"It won't be called a week without Professor Snape's infamous essays," Cedric chuckled before his gaze went to look what Jamie is holding on to, "What's that in your hand?"
"It's what I found and needed for my research," Jamie said with a small smile and lifted the thick book up, "I just saw this on the table. I think it was used by another classmate of mine. Might as well look on some parts of it."
"Interesting," Cedric says, "What about you, Jamie? You are not doing any kind of troubles or rebellion again, are you?"
"That's just rude," Jamie pouted, "If I have one, you will be the first one to know."
Cedric laughed, "Oh, I'll be the first one to know alright," He said before pointing the prefect badge on her robes, "I'm a prefect after all."
"What, you are going to try and catch me doing it?" Jamie smirked, "I'd like to see you try."
"Is that a challenge I'm hearing, Ms. Potter?" The Hufflepuff said, "I've already caught a handful of students in my time as a Prefect."
"Well then, I suppose it won't be a hard task for you," Jamie remarked before smirking back, "That is if I let you catch me, Mr. Diggory."
"Cedric, I've been looking for you for ages!" A new feminine voice supplied behind Cedric. When she stepped in Jamie's view, Jamie cannot stop looking at the Ravenclaw robes and crest that are proudly stitched. She looked like a sweet and kind girl with her smile. She kinda looked familiar for Jamie.
"I'm sorry, Cho. I was just wandering around. You know how I am," Cedric said sheepishly, "Oh, and this is Jamie. I have told you about her, didn't I? You know her?"
"Of course I knew her before, Ced," Cho says and smiled at Jamie before eyeing her, though Jamie felt something off from the girl. "Who wouldn't know the girl who has beaten me on Quidditch last year?"
Oh, Jamie slowly realized to herself. She was the seeker for the Ravenclaw that Oliver was talking and laughing about her Comet 260 broomstick.
"Er," Jamie is all can only say, "You play very well."
"Likewise, Potter," The Ravenclaw said, "I've heard so much about you from Ced."
"You can call me Jamie," Jamie smiled awkwardly, "And only the good ones, I hope."
"You can call me Cho too, and do not worry, Jamie," Cho winked unexpectedly and smiled sweetly to Jamie, "Everything that he told me is safe with me."
"Cho, we better get going. I'm going to make rounds in the corridors soon. I'm sorry Jamie if I have to cut this short." Cedric apologized, he conjured the tempus charm while she and Cho were talking. Cedric looked unaware of what their conversation is about.
"Oh no, it's okay!" Jamie waved it off, "I hope I didn't bother you and took too much of your time."
"I should be the one telling you that," Cedric said, "I'm the one who disturbed you from your research and all."
"It's alright, you didn't bother me at all." Jamie smiled, "Goodluck with your patrolling and catching, Mr. Diggory."
"The same to your research and hiding, Ms. Potter." Cedric said with a knowing smile, "I'll see you around."
Jamie nodded. When Cedric's back was turned, Jamie saw the brief glance that Cho has given to her. It was a look that is very different from the sweet girl she was five minutes ago. It lacks any smiles. It lacks anything.
Maybe it's just me, Jamie thinks as she watched the pair walk away to the Library doors side by side. But if that is what Cho had intended to do, why would she do that?
"I'm sorry if I have taken too long, Jamie," Hermione said with a high pile of towering books trailing behind her by magic, she then noticed the book in Jamie's hand. "You have found your book then?"
"Er, yes." Said Jamie and she found hesitation in Hermione's face, she is hesitating about saying something.
"Well then, one book won't happen to have it all, Jamie." Hermione said and her library books are being placed on the table, "You need to have a lot of options when performing a task, Jamie. I have other books in my pile that I can lend you."
"It's okay, 'Mione." Jamie said and clutched her newfound book closer to her chest, "I think this will do it for now."
Hermione looked uncertain. But thankfully, she lets it go, "Alright, but don't think that I didn't say anything."
-----
A/n: thank you all for waiting and reading!! I appreciated those who still comments on every chapter that I posted and will make my day 10 times brighter.
And we hit 30K Reads last, last week!!!!! I know this is quite late, but I just want to thank you all!! And we also have 900 votes!!! It won't be long until we reached another Milestone of Through thick and thin.
I promise you all that I give every inch if my best on writing this fanfic, I'm sorry if it's not perfect (my grammar too), but I'm trying everything I can to push this out and satisfy every inch of my imagination, and also the lovely readers. ♡
Thank you all once again! xx