Ღ chapter sixteen
( a second time )
JULIET LAY WIDE awake that night, staring at the royal blue canopies that surrounded her, and the golden constellations stitched into the the panel that was draped above her. She was glad for once she'd paid attention in Astronomy, the Black family had a history of being named for celestial beings. Juliet Black sounded rather nice. She was a tiny little moon orbiting Uranus, and her father was the dog star. Maybe as an adult, when she could care less, she would revert back to the name that belonged to the once great House of Black.
The family tree was peculiar. Draco Malfoy and Calliope Rosier were apparently related to her, Draco being her second cousin, and Calliope something much further.
She was disturbed from her thoughts as hurried footsteps rushed through the dorm and yanked open her curtains. She squealed, startled, before realizing that it was simply Professor Lupin. "Quick, come with me," the Professor sighed. "You poor girl."
"Professor Lupin, it's midnight- besides, this is the girls dormitory!"
"Professor Dumbledore asked me to fetch you. There's been a disturbance," Lupin said, not caring to elaborate. "You need to come with me."
She nodded, throwing a jumper over her pajamas and sliding on her slippers. "Is it something with my mum? My dad?" she questioned, following him out of the tower. He waited until they were alone in the hallway to answer.
"It seems that your father broke into Gryffindor tower, and there are fears that he was going to do the same to see you," he replied softly. "Now Professor Dumbledore wants a teacher with you until the castle is searched. You can sleep here if you'd like," he added, as he directed her into it's office.
Jules chuckled. "I don't think I can sleep after what you just told me."
"Ahh. I thought so. Would you like some tea?" he questioned, as he directed her to sit down on a worn looking couch. They were pouring tea when the door swung open, hitting the wall loudly. Lupin didn't even jump.
"We're still searching the castle," Snape stated, setting a goblet of smoking liquid on Lupin's desk.
Lupin nodded at him. "Thank you Severus. Is that all?"
The professor nodded curtly, exiting the room rather dramatically, cloak flaring behind him. Jules sipped at her tea, as he downed the potion, wrinkling his nose.
He left to go grab them some snacks, yet when he returned, she was sound asleep on the couch, tea abandoned on the coffee table. Remus smiled softly and conjured a blanket to drape over his goddaughter, before settling into his desk and beginning to work on the papers he had began grading.
Sirius Black had escaped yet again, to Jules' chagrin. All she desired at this point, was a normal life. She'd been politely woken up by Lupin in the morning, and he'd treated her to some breakfast, before sending her off to her first class, Herbology.
Throughout the day, everywhere she went, she saw signs of tighter security; Professor Flitwick could be seen teaching the front doors to recognize a large picture of Sirius Black; Filch was suddenly bustling up and down the corridors, boarding up everything from tiny cracks in the walls to mouse holes.
Sir Cadogan had been fired. His portrait had been taken back to its lonely landing on the seventh floor, and the Fat Lady was back. She had been expertly restored, but was still extremely nervous, and had agreed to return to her job only on condition that she was given extra protection. A bunch of surly security trolls had been hired to guard her, and they paced the corridor in a menacing group, talking in grunts and comparing the size of their clubs.
Ron had become an instant celebrity, telling anyone who would listen about the night's events, if they asked. It seemed that their group had grown closer again. Jules and Harry still weren't speaking much, unless they were required to, and neither were Hermione and Ron, yet they kept sitting together, discussing mundane things such as the weather.
Neville was in total disgrace. Professor McGonagall was so furious with him she had banned him from all future Hogsmeade visits, given him a detention, and forbidden anyone to give him the password into the tower. Poor Neville was forced to wait outside the common room every night for somebody to let him in, while the security trolls leered unpleasantly at him. None of these punishments, however, came close to matching the one his grandmother had in store for him. Two days after Black's break-in, she sent Neville the very worst thing a Hogwarts student could receive over breakfast — a Howler.
Jules had never received one, thankfully, yet she felt terrible for poor Neville, as he took off across the hall, his grandmother's voice booming loudly about how much of a disgrace he was. The Slytherin table was laughing, and the glint in Draco's eyes made Jules falter just a little, dropping her fork as they made eye contact. Did he know?
"COME TO HAVE a good gloat?" Ron said savagely as he stopped in front of Jules and Hermione, Harry at his side. "Or have you just been to tell on us?"
"No," Hermione said. It seemed that the two boys had gone to Hogsmeade, while Jules had spent the last few hours consoling Hermione, skipping out on butterbeer and sweets because she was a good friend. Hermione was holding a letter in her hands and her lip was trembling; the two girls had received awful news. "I just thought you ought to know... Hagrid lost his case. Buckbeak is going to be executed."
"He sent me this," Hermione added, holding out the letter. Harry took it. The parchment was damp, and enormous teardrops had smudged the ink so badly in places that it was very difficult to read.
Dear Hermione,
We lost. I'm allowed to bring him back to Hogwarts. Execution date to be fixed. Beaky has enjoyed London. I won't forget all the help you gave us.
Hagrid.
"They can't do this," Harry protested. "They can't. Buckbeak isn't dangerous."
"Malfoy's dad's frightened the Committee into it," Hermione sniffled, wiping her eyes. "You know what he's like. They're a bunch of doddery old fools, and they were scared. There'll be an appeal, though, there always is. Only I can't see any hope... Nothing will have changed."
"Yeah, it will," Ron said fiercely. "You won't have to do all the work alone this time, Hermione. I'll help."
"Oh, Ron!" Hermione flung her arms around Ron's neck and broke down completely. Ron, looking quite terrified, patted her very awkwardly on the top of the head. Jules and Harry exchanged awkward glances. Jules wasn't big on tears, and neither was he.
Finally, Hermione drew away. "Ron, I'm really, really sorry about Scabbers," she sobbed.
"Oh- well, he was old," Ron replied, looking thoroughly relieved that she had let go of him. "And he was a bit useless. You never know, Mum and Dad might get me an owl now."
The safety measures imposed on the students since Black's second break-in made it impossible for Harry, Ron, Jules, and Hermione to go and visit Hagrid in the evenings. Their only chance of talking to him was during Care of Magical Creatures lessons. He seemed numb with shock at the verdict.
"S'all my fault. Got all tongue-tied. They was all sittin' there in black robes an' I kep' droppin' me notes and forgettin' all them dates yeh looked up fer me, Hermione. An' then Lucius Malfoy stood up an' said his bit, and the Committee jus' did exac'ly what he told 'em..."
"There's still the appeal!" Jules insisted. "Don't give up yet, we're working on it!"
They were walking back up to the castle with the rest of the class. Ahead they could see Malfoy, who was walking with Crabbe and Goyle, and kept looking back, laughing derisively. "S'no good, Ron," Hagrid said sadly as they reached the castle steps. "That Committee's in Lucius Malfoy's pocket. I'm jus' gonna make sure the rest o' Beaky's time is the happiest he's ever had. I owe him that."
Hagrid turned around and hurried back toward his cabin, his face buried in his handkerchief.
"Look at him blubber!"
Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle had been standing just inside the castle doors, listening.
"Have you ever seen anything quite as pathetic?" Malfoy snickered. "And he's supposed to be our teacher!"
Harry, Jules, and Ron all made furious moves toward Malfoy, but Hermione got there first, slapping Malfoy across the face with all the strength she could muster. Malfoy staggered.
Harry, Ron, Jules, Crabbe, and Goyle stood flabbergasted as Hermione raised her hand again. "Don't you dare call Hagrid pathetic, you foul, loathsome, evil, little cockroach!"
"Hermione!" Juliet said weakly, as she tried to grab her hand as she swung it back.
"Get off, Jules!" Hermione pulled out her wand. Malfoy stepped backward. Crabbe and Goyle looked at him for instructions, thoroughly bewildered.
"C'mon," Malfoy muttered. In a moment, all three of them had disappeared into the passageway to the dungeons.
"Hermione!" Ron said again, sounding both stunned and impressed. "You did not just punch him in the face!"
"Oh yes she did!" Jules beamed. "He got what he deserved."
"Harry, you'd better beat him in the Quidditch final!" Hermione said shrilly. "You better beat him, because I can't stand it if Slytherin wins!"
"We're due in Charms," Ron sighed, still goggling at Hermione. "We'd better go."
They hurried up the marble staircase toward Professor Flitwick's classroom.
"You're late," Professor Flitwick said reprovingly as Harry opened the classroom door. "Come along, quickly, wands out, we're experimenting with Cheering Charms today, we've already divided into pairs-"
Harry and Ron hurried to a desk at the back and opened their bags, while Juliet found Calliope waiting for her. Ron looked behind him. "Where's Hermione gone?"
Jules looked around too. Hermione hadn't entered the classroom, yet Jules knew she had been right next to him when he had opened the door. "That's weird," Harry said, staring at Ron and Jules. "Maybe she went to the bathroom or something?"
But Hermione didn't turn up all lesson.
"She could've done with a Cheering Charm on her too," Ron said, as the class left for lunch, all grinning broadly. The Cheering Charms had left them with a feeling of great contentment. Hermione wasn't at lunch either. By the time they had finished their apple pie, the after-effects of the Cheering Charms were wearing off, and they started to get slightly worried.
All Jules knew for sure, was that Hermione was going to flip when she found out she had missed Cheering Charms. According to her, everything would come up on the exams, and honestly, studies were something Jules trusted Hermione with.
( AUTHOR NOTE )
i hope you loved this chapter <3
we're about to close out act one very soon.