Forever... Always

Year 3 - Cedric's dying!/McGonagall's assistance

Cedric's been overly paranoid to start Divination lessons. He always tells me the same things.
"I've heard Professor Trelawney predicts the death of a student every year." Cedric stated.
"And have any of them died? Not in the year she predicted, nor during their years at Hogwarts."
"That doesn't mean it can't happen. She is the great-granddaughter, or great-great-granddaughter of a Seer."
"Don't fret Cedric, I'm sure she's just a peculiar person. I think she'll be an interesting Professor. No matter, in the very least it'll be an interesting lesson."
This morning we finally get to start Divination, but not without adventures to find the class.
"Welcome to Dinivation my children." A voice echoed from a corner as students came in. "I hope my class wasn't too difficult to find."
Most students looked at each other oddly, as if they didn't piece together who it was. It was fairly easy to guess because they'd said it was their class.
"I'm Professor Sybill Trelawney. Marcus, be careful when you take your seat. Now please take your seats everyone. We'll be starting easy today, reading tea leaves."
"Starting easy she said." Fred joked.
"Fred dear, you've forgotten your textbook. You'll borrow off your brother."
Fred looked into his bag and just as Professor Trelawney had predicted, there was no textbook inside. He looked up at her in shock and Cedric gave me a worried look. I rolled my eyes and brought my attention back to our professor.
"And at that page you'll find your symbols. Now, go get a tea cup and bring it here. Lee please avoid the pink ones, I'm rather fond of those ones. I'd rather a blue one break when you bump into Chloe."
Sure enough, Lee grabbed his cup, turned around and bumped into Chloe, dropping the cup and it shattered. George, Fred, Cedric and I sat at the same table, drank our tea and then gave one another our tea leaves to be read.
"I see uh- a dog.... I think and maybe a flower. This looks like a snitch right?" Cedric told me as he kept turning my cup in circles.
"Fred, please don't touch the leaves, you can't read them properly if you move them." Professor Trelawney said as she passed Lee's table, which was across the room.
"Professor, I'm just making sure George will be incredibly happy." He said as he revealed that he'd moved the leaves into a smiley face.
The class laughed and then everyone turned back to their partners.
"I see a uh- leave? There's a ring and... oh my! Cedric!"
"What?!" He said panicked. "What is it?!"
"I see a grim." I said blankly, selling the idea that I actually saw one.
"A GRIM?! LIKE THE OMEN OF DEATH!?!"
"I was right to predict you have a sight Rayne, there is a grim in your leaves Cedric." Professor Trelawney said as she basically appeared behind me.
"Wait, where?" I asked confused.
"You should know where it is if you said it was there, right here." She said pointing at the soppy clump of leaves.
"I'M GOING TO DIE?!"
"Cedric, I was just joking..."
"I am not." Professor Trelawney stated while cutting me off.
Whispers were everywhere throughout the lesson. Most of the girls were whispering about how sad it'd be to have Cedric, of all the cute guys, die. The guys whispered that if he died, we'd have a loss of such an athletic, intelligent and friendly guy. None of this was helping Fred, George and I calm Cedric down.
"Cedric, you'll be fine." Fred told him.
"I AM NOT GOING TO BE FINE, I'LL BE DEAD!"
"You're being a little dramatic, don't you think?" George said.
"YOU BE FREAKING OUT TOO IF SOMEONE TOLD YOU YOU WERE GOING TO DIE!"
"Until next time children, the lesson is over for today." Professor Trelawney said as she disappeared back into the corner.
We all headed to lunch, which became a problem because rumors spread like wildfire. Cedric was the talk of the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff tables. Soon, everyone was talking about it and it was only making him more freaked out.
"Cedric, you'll be alright. Want to go on a walk before Transfigurations?" I asked, noticing that he wasn't eating anything. "Maybe some fresh air will help."
He nodded and we left the whispers behind us in the Great Hall. We went out to the courtyard while I reminded him that Professor Trelawney apparently predicts the death of a student every year and none of which have actually died. We sat there for a bit in silence until we saw the time and got up to head to Transfigurations.
Professor McGonagall seemed to be ignoring everyone's long faces as she tried to tell us about Animagi. I was one of very few who were paying attention, until Professor McGonagall transformed into a cat on her desk. Suddenly everyone was interested in her lesson, but before she'd continue, she finally addressed our sadness.
"Who's dying this year?" She said sarcastically.
"Cedric is!" A girl cried, followed by other girls dropping themselves onto their desks dramatically.
"I'm not one to speak poorly of my colleagues, but Sybill has been predicting student's deaths since Albus employed her. None of them have died their third year, nor any other year while at Hogwarts. Rest assured, you're not going to die Diggory."
"What had I told you Cedric, exactly that. I knew you'd be fine." I said prideful, not realizing that I'd said it out loud. "Oh dear, I'm sorry Professor, that was rather rude of me. Forgive me Cedric."
"Dutchman, you're very sensible to think that Diggory would be fine. Five points for Hufflepuff."
The lesson continued on after that. Professor McGonagall taught us about how dangerous and risky it is to become an Animagus and the severity of not registering with the Ministry.
"You'd have to be a top student in Transfigurations and Potions and even that doesn't guarantee that troubles can't arise. You can be sent to Azkaban for being discovered and not registered with the Ministry. That's all for today students. I'd like a parchment on what a certain animal form would tell us about the wizard or witch's character for next lesson. Class dismissed."
Everyone was a lot more joyful leaving than they'd been coming in. After all, it was relieving to hear from Professor McGonagall that Cedric would be fine. Despite that, I waited until everyone had cleared to talk to Professor McGonagall.
"Professor, could I ask you about something?"
"What would that be Dutchman?"
"Well, I was wondering if you could help me become an Animagus, legally that is of course." I asked nervously.
"I'd imagine you'll try to do it on your own if I don't agree."
"You had said yourself that I'd have a much easier time as I've been a top student in Transfigurations and Potions since my first year. I promise I'll get registered with the Ministry."
"You're quite determined and I'd rather you don't attempt this on your own, or with Fred and George Weasley for that matter. I'll assist you, but I will only instruct you. You will have to do the hard work yourself."
"Thank you so much Professor. That's all I could ask for. When can we start?"
"We can start this upcoming full moon, Halloween to be exact. You'll need to get a single mandrake leaf from Professor Sprout. That will be all for now."
"Thank you Professor." I turned to leave, but Professor McGonagall stopped me.
"Do not tell anyone about this. It is very dangerous and I do not want random students coming to me and asking for help becoming an Animagus. You may only tell the other Professors if they ask. I will inform Pomona and Severus that you'll be needing some of their assistance if you're to do this without rule breaking. I expect you to have the mandrake leaf in your mouth for a month beginning at the Halloween feast. Is that understood?"
"Yes. Thank you again Professor."
I left without another word. I know that I shouldn't keep secrets from my best friends, but as long as they don't ask, it isn't really a secret, just something they don't know about. I know that sounds awful, but I need to keep this to myself or I won't be able to become an Animagus and could get other students in serious danger.
I can't believe I only thought of this now. I could use the Animagi ability to study creatures' interactions with other species. It could be incredibly useful in terms of me becoming a magizoologist sometime after graduating. I hope my form will be something like a badger, or fox, or hedgehog. I'm just rather flustered at the idea that Professor McGonagall will be leading me through the transformation. It is truly an honour.