Rosabella's Point Of View:
As soon as the sun started to rise I quietly got dressed and went down to the common room without waking anyone. I was surprised to see Harry in the common room scribbling frantically on a piece of parchment.
"Harry?" I asked softly, as I went to sit next to him.
"Ro, you look exhausted. How much sleep did you get?" Harry said, examining the bags under my silver grey eyes.
"Probably the same amount as you." I countered, examining the bags under his emerald green eyes.
"Couldn't sleep." Harry said simply.
"Sirius?" I said knowingly.
"Yeah. I'll fix it. He can't get caught because of me. I wont let you lose your Dad because of me." Harry insisted.
"Harry, he's coming back to protect you. Because according to him there have been multiple signs that even Dumbledore is aware of. Your scar hurting was probably just the last straw. He might have already considered coming back. It's not your fault, Harry. My Dad managed to avoid getting caught for a whole year with Dementors swarming the place. I get my craftyness from him. He'll be fine, Harry. Everything will be fine." I said kindly in the softest voice I could.
"You're probably right. But I have to try." Harry said, determined.
By now Harry had finished the letter he was writing. I insisted on coming with him and we went up to the Owlery.
It took Harry a little while to convince Hedwig to come down. Only when Harry suggested to use Pidwidgeon did Hedwig co-opperate. I giggled at her defiance.
"Please find him Hegwig." I said, softly.
"Before the Dementors do." Harry added, taking Hedwig over to the window.
She nipped Harry's finger and hooted softly as if she was trying to reassure us. She then spread her wings and took off. Harry still looked worried so I reached up to put my arm around his shoulder. He was getting quite a bit taller then me now. I then ruffled up his hair making it messier then it already is.
"Oi!" Harry said, laughing.
I laughed with him.
"Come on, I'm starving. Hermione and Ron are probably worried so let's not torment them any longer." I said dramatically.
Harry rolled his eyes and smiled. We then went down to the Great Hall together.
"That was a lie, Harry! You didn't imagine your scar hurting and you know it." Hermione said sharply over breakfast.
"So what? He's not going back to Azkaban because of me." Harry said.
"Drop it." Ron said sharply to Hermione, as she was about to argue and for once Hermione listened.
The warning look I gave her may of helped.
I could see Harry was doing his best to keep his mind off of my Dad. Every time I saw him look up to see if Hedwig was back I got his attention and did something goofy that always made him laugh. It helped a little and brought a smile to his face no matter quickly it went. I wish we still had quiditch, that was usually the way to get his mind of things. But lessons were becoming more demanding, especially Defence Against the Dark Arts. To our surprise Professor Moody announced he would be performing the Imperius Curse on us. I felt my jaw drop and I couldn't seem to close it.
"But — but you said it's illegal, Professor. You said — to use it against another human was —" Hermione said uncertainly.
"Dumbledore wants you taught what it feels like. If you'd rather learn the hard way, when someone's putting it on you so they can control you completely, fine by me. You're excused. Off you go." Moody said, pointing towards the door.
Hermione went very pink and muttered something about not meaning she wanted to leave. Harry, Ron and I grinned at each other. The last thing Hermione would ever do is miss an important lesson. I nudged her with my shoulder and stifled a giggle.
"Shut up." Hermione whispered.
Moody began to beckon students forward. No one in the class so far could fight it off. Dean Thomas hopped three times around the room singing the national anthem. Lavender Brown imitated a squirrel. Neville did some quite astonishing gymnastics.
"Black, you next." Moody said.
I got to my feet, shaking slightly, and stood at the front of the class room. I made eye contact with Harry and he gave me an encouraging smile. I took a deep breath and prepared myself.
"Imperio." Moody muttered.
It was the most wonderful feeling. I felt a floating sensation as every thought and worry in my head got gently wiped away, leaving nothing but vague and untraceable happiness. I heard Moody's voice in my head.
Do a cartwheel . . .
Why though?
Do a cartwheel . . .
No, I think I'm good.
Do a cartwheel!
Not gonna happen.
Cartwheel! Now!
No!
I felt the happiness leave me as Moody lifted the spell. I blinked repeatedly and shook my head, trying to clear it.
"THAT'S HOW YOU DO IT!" Moody shouted, making me jump.
"Did you all see that? Black thought it! Impressive, Black. Most impressive. Not many can defy the Imperius Curse on the first time." Moody said, looking proud.
"Defiance is sorta my thing." I said and dramatically flipped my hair.
The class laughed and even Moody chuckled a little.
"Potter, you next." Moody said.
Harry and I high-fived as we passed each other.
Harry did well too. He couldn't fight it of completely but he was close, really close. Moody did it a few more times and Harry managed to then throw it off completely.
"Potter, Black they'll have trouble controlling you two. Very good. Very good indeed. " Moody said.
"The way he talks, you'd think we were all going to be attacked any second." Harry said, after the lesson.
"CONSTANT VIGILANCE!" I shouted suddenly at the trio.
They all jumped slightly and then started to laugh.
All the fourth-years had noticed a definite increased in the amount of work we were required to do this term. I was grateful that I had the sense to start working on my performance for the welcome feast early.
I had finished the song and Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwhick were extremely pleased with it. I now spent a couple of evenings in the music room, Professor Flitwhick had arranged for me and he was there to help me with music arrangements. I was nearly done, which made me feel more confident with going through with it.
Professor McGonagall was checking on me almost every lesson saying I could have extensions on homework if I felt overwhelmed. Truth was that with no quiditch practice I had just enough time to deal with the work load and practice my performance.
Professor McGonagall explained why we had so much work when the class let out very loud groans when we got more Transfiguration homework.
"You are now entering a most important phase of your magical education. Your Ordinary Wizarding Levels are drawing closer —" Professor McGonagall said sternly.
"We don't take our OWLs till fifth year!" Dean Thomas said indignantly.
"Maybe not, Thomas, but believe me, you need all the preparation you can get! Miss Granger and Miss Black remain the only ones in this class who has managed to turn a hedgehog into a satisfactory pincushion." Professor McGonagall said.
Hermione and I beamed at each other, trying not to look too pleased with ourselves.
When I meet up with Harry and Ron at lunch one day, after Divination, Ron practically jumped on me before I could sit down.
"Ro! Harry and I received top marks on the homework for Treelawney! Now she wants us to do the same for next month! We're running out of ideas! We need your twisted mind! Help us out, please?" Ron practically yelled at me.
Harry just laughed at my shocked expression.
"I don't know whether to be honored or offended." I said, honestly.
The trio just laughed and I soon joined in and assured Ron I would be happy to help.
Professor Binns gave us weekly essay's to do on the Gonlin rebellions of the 18th century. Snape was forcing us to research antidotes. He's the only teacher who hasn't offered me extensions, not that I accepted any of them.
I took Professor Snape's homework seriously because he hinted that he might be poisoning one of us before Christmas to see if our antidotes worked. Professor Flitwhick had asked us to read three extra books for preparation for a lesson on Summoning Charms.
Even Hagrid contributed to the workload! Blast-Ended Skrewts were growing at a remarkably fast pace. Hagrid was delighted and told us as part of the project we had to come down at alternate evenings to observe the Skrewts behaviour.
"I will not. I see enough of these foul things during lessons, thanks." Draco Malfoy said, flatly.
Hagrid's smiles faded and Harry and Ron got ready to restrain me from attacking Malfoy.
"Yeh'll do wha' yer told, or I'll be takin' a leaf outta Professor Moody's book. I hear yeh make a good ferret, Malfoy." Hagrid growled.
The Gryffindors roared with laughter as Malfoy flushed with anger but the memory of Moody's punishment was still sufficiently painful to stop him retorting.
The trio and I left the lesson in very high spirits at seeing Hagrid put Malfoy in his place. It was very satisfactory. We couldn't get into the Entrance Hall. There was a massive crowd surrounding a notice. Ron being the tallest of the four of us, stood on his tip toes to read the notice. The foreign schools will be arriving on the 30th of October. That's only a week away!
Hermione and Ron started to get into an argument about Cedric Diggory potentially being Hogwarts champion. My breathing started to increase. I have to perform in less then a week!
What if I'm terrible?
What if I embarrass Hogwarts?
Oh Merlin! I'm not ready!
I can't do this!
What was I thinking?
My breathing was becoming frantic and the room started to spin.
"Ro? Are you okay?" I heard Harry ask but he sounded as if he was miles away.
I think I heard Hermione and Ron stop arguing. I tried to answer but I couldn't focus. The room was spinning faster and my vision was turning black. I felt extremely lightheaded and I felt myself fall into a pair of arms.
I could tell I wasn't out for very long.
"Ro? Are you okay?" Harry asked, more frantic.
I looked around.
I had a pounding headache. I then noticed it was Harry that caught me. Hermione and Ron were there too, looking extremely concerned.
"What happened?" I asked holding my head with my left hand as my right arm was around Harry's neck and clutching his shoulder.
"You passed out!" Ron said looking worried.
"We were about to take you to the hospital wing. I think we still should." Hermione said softly but anxious at the same time.
I looked round and no one had noticed, too busy anticipating the arrival of the foreign schools. Harry had caught me before I could fall to the floor and he was holding me upright.
I nodded my head tiredly and Harry supported some of my weight and helped me walk to the hospital wing.
Madam Pomfrey said I was fine, my blood pressure was just a bit high. Probably from stress. She gave me a potion to lower it and told me take it easy, and told Hermione, Ron and Harry to not let me stress out more then necessary or at all if possible.
"Nobody tells my brothers." I stated, as we left the hospital wing.
Hermione gave me a questionable look.
"They'll just stress over me and it will just stress me out. Please? I'll tell them after the performance and half the stress I'm under will be gone." I insisted tiredly.
"Okay, we won't say anything." Harry said and Ron nodded.
Hermione bit her lip hesitantly before she eventually nodded as well. I breathed a sigh of relief.
Madam Pomfrey had told the teachers and it was Dumbledore's orders that I be excused from homework intill after the performance. I tried to protest but the teachers all agreed. Snape just glared at me. I then dedicated all my free time to rehearsing.
Over the next week the suits of armour were shinier then ever and the whole castle looked cleaner. Fred and George were acting suspicious and defensive. I didn't press them because I was supposed to be avoiding stress as much as possible. Hermione was busy trying to get Harry and Ron more involved in SPEW, she left me out of it because she didn't want to stress me out. All three of them were tiptoeing around me and it was becoming annoying. My brothers and the Weasley brothers tried to convince Hermione to drop SPEW but she wouldn't listen.
We finally got a reply from Dad. He told Harry nice try and that he was well hidden and to keep changing owls. It was hard to not feel reassured that he was close by. I informed my brothers and they too were glad but still worried about him getting caught. I also told them that Dad wants us to keep him updated on everything that is going on in Hogwarts. They assured me they'll keep an eye out and tell Dad if they see anything.
We then had to get into lines in our houses. People were debating how the schools would getting here. I didn't listen, too busy thinking about the impending doom of performing tonight. Beauxbatons arrived first in a flying carriage pulled by Pegasus'. They're Headmistress was taller then Hagrid. Durmstrang arrived by an enchanted boat. There Headmaster gave me bad vibes. I didn't like him at all. Krum was among the Durmstrang students and Ron nearly fainted at the sight. If I wasn't feeling sick to my stomach I would of laughed. Tonight, I perform for the first time for an actual audience.