Sunday 24th November
I know, I’m getting
worse and worse at writing in here. It’s just that we have so much homework,
what with end-of-term exams next month, I’m so stressing. All you have to do is
say the word ‘magic’ and I feel like screaming. Even Jed’s stressing and he’s
usually the cool, calm and collected one. I’ve noticed he’s started biting his
nails. In our Charms class, last lesson on Friday, Professor Flitwick announced
the possible topics that could appear on out end-of-term test paper. Scribbling
everything down with his right hand, Jed’s left hand remained cupped to his
mouth. When it comes to coping with stress, we’re both very different. I like
to eat. At the table during dinner, I’ll keep a pastry or cake or anything back
and store it in my bag. I know it sounds terrible, but studying makes me
hungry. It’s like the more I use my brain, the more my stomach growls. Jed on
the other hand doesn’t feel hungry at all. At breakfast yesterday he barely
managed a piece of toast while Scarlett quizzed him on all of the steps to make
the Forgetfulness Potion, which like the name suggests creates a slight degree
of memory loss for whoever drinks it – depending on the strength of the potion
depends on how long you forget for. While Scarlett quizzed Jed, I decided to
scribble down all what I could remember onto a napkin too. I think that I got
it all right.
The strain of studying
is even getting to Josie too. Yesterday, the three of us were in the library
and she was trying to read four books at once. Four! I swear, how in the Merlin
does that girl’s mind function? She had two Potions books out, a History of
Magic one and a Transfiguration textbook. I watched as she read one page of one
book, before moving on to the next. How on Earth could she possibly take it all
in? By the time I get to the bottom of a page I just about understand what it’s
talking about. I couldn’t then swap books instantly – I’d just get confused. I
reckon Josie did too. I mean how could anyone possibly take anything in reading
like that? I just hope she hasn’t gone completely mad.
*
Ooow! We learnt a new
spell in our last Transfiguration class. Okay, so none of us can actually do it
yet, but what happened to Jed was so funny, I couldn’t stop laughing for the
rest of the day. It even made our Flying lessons seem less bad. Okay, so
Professor McGonagall was teaching us transform a goblet into a mouse. The spell
was called Muslionfous, which was pronounced a tad different from how it looks.
Mus-lee-oy-en-fus. The first part ‘Mus’ sounds like the word must, just without
the ‘t’ at the end. The second part sounds just like the name Lee. Then it’s
‘oy’, like when you shout, “Oy,” at someone who annoyed you. Then you sound the
‘n’ and add ‘fuss’ on the end. Mus-lee-oy-en-fus. Well, after Jed’s last
mispronunciation disagreement with Professor McGonagall this spell was bound to
be just as entertaining.
Tapping
his wand against the glass, Jed said the incantation. A blue spark shot from
his wand. Then, a curly tail emerged from the side of his goblet. Clasping a
hand to my mouth, I tried to stop myself from laughing. Jed’s goblet had grown
a pig’s tail. “My, my, Mister Edwards,” said the professor as she approached
our table. With her raised brow, she seemed just as surprised as we were. “And
how does one come to grow pig’s tails on their goblets?”
“I
dunno,” Jed chuckled. “What d’ya think, Miss?”
“I
think Jed accidentally said Mus-lee-oink-fus,” I told her with a giggle.
Professor McGonagall stared down at the desk. The corners of her mouth poked
into a bit of a smile. We could tell that she was trying to fight it, but it
was too funny.
“Now
Mister Edwards, one must learn to enunciate your spells correctly, or else
spells like this – as different as they may appear, are not quite the practical
sort.” Professor McGonagall curled a piece of hair behind her ear, as she tried
to restore her strict classroom manner. “One would not wish to find the entire
Great Hall’s goblets have sprouted pig’s tails upon my next inspection,” she
warned him. Jed’s eyes widened. Oh no! Professor McGonagall had just given him
an idea. “And if I do find pig’s tails on the school’s glassware, Mister
Edwards, I shall be holding you personally responsible.”
“Yes
Professor,” Jed mumbled, trying to hide his grin.
*
After Josie, Jed and I
had finished studying last night, Jed and I were on our way back to the
Slytherin Common Room when we heard shouting coming from Professor Snape’s
office. Reaching the bottom of the winding staircase to the dungeon level, it
was obvious that someone had crossed Snape’s wires again. “Wanna bet it’s Goyle
again?” I asked Jed.
“Who
cares,” Jed laughed. “I’m j’st glad it’s not me.”
“Did
you or did you not Quirinus? It’s a simple enough question,” boomed
Snape.
“Now, now, I… Severus…” stuttered the other.
Although the voice was quiet, so it was hard to hear properly – this could be
no other person than Professor Quirrell. “Y-you know just as w, w, well as I
that that cannot be t, t, true.”
“Then say it,” Snape ordered. There was a bang.
Snape must have thrown a book against his desk for emphasis – he’s done this in
class before to get our attention. “Say you didn’t do it and we’ll put it t’
bed.”
“B, b, but-” Quirrell began.
“I’m losing my patience Quirinus,” yelled Professor
Snape. Jed and I both turned to each other, wide eyed. “I swear to Merlin you
are worse than the students.”
Everything went quiet. Pressing a hand against my
chest I held my breath, hoping to stop my heart from beating so loudly. I’m
sure they could hear it. They had to. I turned to Jed. My mouth opened, but no
words came out. He had frozen. His back pressed against the wall, he stared
ahead at the door to Professor Snape’s Office.
“I’m giving you one last chance Quirinus…” Snape
announced. We could hear, Professor Quirrell’s voice shaking, but he never
actually said anything that made sense. There was a crash. Something shattered.
Throwing a hand to my mouth, I gasped. “How?” roared Snape. “How did you do
it?” There was another bang. “Blast that! Why
did you do it? I swear Quirinus, if you don’t tell me I’ll-”
“I didn’t,” interrupted Quirrell. “I didn’t do it.
S, s, Severus, you know I would n, n-never go against Albus.” I could hear
Professor Snape growling.
One of the teachers started pacing. As the footsteps
neared the doorway Jed whispered, “Quick! Run.” Running to the opposite end of
the corridor, we whispered Salazar Slytherin’s name, the Common Room door edged open
and we scooted inside. Lucky for us the room was quite full, therefore noisy.
No one heard or saw us sneak in.
Dropping
into a seat in the far side of the room, I whispered to Jed, “What on Earth was
that about?”
Jed
shook his head. “Beats me. But I’m sure glad I’m not Quirrell right now.”
-
Josie -
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