No one in Gryffindor Tower slept. The castle was searched once again, and we all stayed awake in the common room, waiting to hear whether Black had been caught.
"Wish I had gotten to him," Miranda said. "I could've practiced some new curses I learned."
"He's a mass murderer, Miranda! He would kill you instantly!" I said.
"Yeah right," she laughed. "I'd like to see him try!"
"What goes on in her mind is beyond me," I told Hermione quietly.
At dawn Professor McGonagall came to tell us Black had escaped once more.
Security was increased greatly after that. The only good thing to come out of the incident was that Sir Cadogan had been fired, and the Fat Lady returned. She had been restored, but demanded extra protection. A bunch of security trolls were hired to guard her.
***
"Hogsmeade, next weekend!" said Ron as we sat in the common room one evening. He whispered something to Harry, and Hermione suddenly shut her book.
"Harry! If you go into Hogsmeade again...I'll tell Professor McGonagall about the map!" she said.
"What? Hogsmeade? And what map?" I asked.
"It's a map of Hogwarts," Harry said. "Fred and George gave it to me. I've been using it to sneak into Hogsmeade."
"And you didn't invite me?" I exclaimed, trying to keep my hair purple.
"Well— I—"
"Thanks a lot!" I grunted, standing up. I stormed out of the portrait hole and found myself in the Clock Tower a couple minutes later.
"What's with the red hair?" I knew it was Fred immediately.
"You gave Harry a map." I said simply.
"Oh, you found out."
"Of course I did! Now why wouldn't you give it to me?!" I said angrily.
"Harry needed it more! Why bother giving it to you when we can just take you to Hogsmeade ourselves!" Fred said.
"What?"
"Ella, your a metamorphmagus! Just change your appearance and we'll go!"
So Saturday morning, I waited excitedly to meet Fred and George in the common room. But instead of walking to meet the other students going to Hogsmeade, we went to the statue of the one-eyed witch.
"Dissendium!" Fred tapped his wand and suddenly a large passageway opened up.
"After you, my lady," George said. We walked for a long time before reaching the end. Fred went first, then helped us come up when the coast was clear.
"Where are we?"
"Honeydukes cellar," Fred whispered. "Now hurry, before someone finds us here." We hurried up the staircase and I was amazed as we entered the actual shop.
"Ella! Change what you look like!" George nudged me.
"Oh right," I focused hard and watched Fred and George give the same amazed expression that everyone did.
I had changed my hair to black and made myself a little taller. I didn't change into anyone in particular, just changed a few features so it was enough to blend in.
"Alright, let's have a look around." I walked through the shelves of candy. There were Chocolate Frogs and Every Flavor Beans, Pepper Imps, No-Melt Ice Cream and Acid Pops, plus so much more.
I walked out of Honeydukes with two Chocolate Frogs and some No-Melt Ice Cream. Next we headed to Zonko's, obviously. Fred and George bought more Dungbombs, and I got a Nose-Biting Teacup (just in case).
"Let's go to the Three Broomsticks," Fred suggested. We walked in and the twins ordered three Butterbeers.
"How do you like Hogsmeade?" George asked as we sat down.
"It's amazing!" I grinned.
"Er— Ella," Fred's eyes widened. "Your hair—"
I checked my hair, and sure enough, it was turning purple.
"Well that's not good," I sighed. It seemed like my metamorphic abilities couldn't endure for more than an hour.
"Can't you just change back?" George asked.
"I can try, but it won't last long. I still haven't gotten full control of my abilities, and they're not strong enough to last long." I was unbothered by it, though. Nothing could spoil this perfect day.
"Ella!" George suddenly hissed at me. He pointed and I turned around. My sister had just walked in with her sixth year friends.
"Uh oh—" I ducked under the table. Using my wand, I conjured a plant to move in front of me.
"Hey boys," I heard Miranda say as she approached us.
"Hey, Miranda."
"What are you two doing?"
"Just having a Butterbeer."
"Mind if we join?" I froze. If Miranda tried to sit down, she would sit on my head.
"Er— no thanks, Miranda. Maybe another time," George said hurriedly. I waited to make sure my sister had gone before emerging from beneath the table.
"That was close," I said, taking another sip of Butterbeer.
We returned from Hogsmeade a while later, and Hermione bombarded me with questions as I came through the portrait.
"Where were you?"
"Um— the library. I had to work on my essay for Lupin." I lied.
"Well, I just thought you should know, Buckbeak is going to be executed. Hagrid lost the case." she said solemnly.
"Who?"
"Buckbeak, the hippogriff that attacked Malfoy."
"Oh no! That's horrible! I'm so sorry, I should have helped with the case!"
"It's alright, Ella, I know you had other things on your mind."
"Is there going to be an appeal? I can help with that,"
"Of course you can help, thanks a lot, Ella."
I was determined to help Hagrid with his hippogriff's appeal. Though I wasn't as close with him as the trio, I didn't want to see the Malfoys get away with the death of Hagrid's beloved creature.
I checked book after book, trying to find anything to help. I spent my free time in the common room, doing more research. Hermione joined me awhile later, looking furious.
"Did you talk to Hagrid?" I asked.
"Yes, and then that stupid git, Malfoy, showed up!"
"I would love to hear more about Malfoy, and his total gitness, but we're going to be late for Charms." I told her. I gathered my books and my bag and made my way to the portrait hole.
"Are you coming, Hermione?"
"Yes, but I've got to grab a book from my room first, go ahead, I'll catch up with you."
But when I got to Charms, Hermione was still nowhere to be seen.
"Have you seen Hermione?" I asked the boys as we sat down.
"No, have you?" Ron questioned.
"We were in the common room together, but then she told me to go on without her. When was she with you?"
"Just before this— so how was she with you?"
"She can't be in two places at once! That's impossible!" I said. "Maybe you didn't notice her slip away."
"We would have noticed," Harry said. "After all, she had just slapped Malfoy, there was no way—"
"She what?" I exclaimed.
"She slapped Malfoy!" Ron grinned. "He was talking bad about Hagrid, and then she lunged at him and SMACK! It was bloody brilliant,"
Charms came and passed, and Hermione never showed up. When I got back to the common room with the boys, we saw Hermione at a table, fast asleep. Harry prodded her awake.
"Wh— what?" said Hermione, waking up with a start. "Is it time to go? Wh— which lesson have we got now?"
"Divination, but it's not for another twenty minutes," said Harry. "Hermione, why didn't you come to Charms?"
"What? Oh no!" Hermione squeaked. "I forgot to go to Charms!"
"But how could you forget? You were with us till we were right outside the classroom!"
"But she was with me in the common room!" I objected. "Hermione, how can you be in two places at once?"
"I don't believe it!" Hermione wailed. "Was Professor Flitwick angry? Oh, it was Malfoy, I was thinking about him and I lost track of things!"
"You know what, Hermione?" said Ron. "I reckon you're cracking up. You're trying to do too much."
"No, I'm not! I just made a mistake, that's all! I'd better go and see Professor Flitwick and say sorry...I'll see you in Divination!"
And then she hurried off once more.