Brighter Than the Sun

Chapter Forty-Four

The storm had blown itself out by the following morning, though the ceiling in the Great Hall was still gloomy; heavy clouds of pewter gray swirled overhead as we examined our new course schedules at breakfast. A few seats along, Fred, George, and Lee Jordan were discussing magical methods of aging themselves and bluffing their way into the Triwizard Tournament.

"Today's not bad . . . outside all morning," said Ron, who was running his finger down the Monday column of his schedule.

"Herbology with the Hufflepuffs and Care of Magical Creatures . . . damn it, we're still with the Slytherins. . . ."

"Double Divination this afternoon," Harry groaned, looking down.

"You should have given it up like me, shouldn't you?" said Hermione briskly, buttering herself some toast. "Then you'd be doing something sensible like Arithmancy."

"Eh," I shrugged. "I think of it as a study hall period. I can read under the table or catch up on assignments in other classes. Or sleep."

"You're eating again, I notice," said Ron, watching Hermione adding liberal amounts of jam to her toast too.

"I've decided there are better ways of making a stand about elf rights," said Hermione haughtily.

"Yeah... and you were hungry," said Ron, grinning.

There was a sudden rustling noise above them, and a hundred owls came soaring through the open windows carrying the morning mail. Instinctively, Harry looked up, but there was no sign of white among the mass of brown and gray. The owls circled the tables, looking for the people to whom their letters and packages were addressed. A large tawny owl soared down to Neville Longbottom and deposited a parcel into his lap — Neville almost always forgot to pack something. On the other side of the Hall Draco Malfoy's eagle owl had landed on his shoulder, carrying what looked like his usual supply of sweets and cakes from home.

A gray owl with piercing yellow eyes landed in front of me, offering a letter. I took the envelope from the owl, put on my anti-dyslexic glasses, and read:

Aisling,

As there was no time to go shopping over your summer holidays, we will meet during your next Hogsmeade visit to find suitable dress robes for you then.

Grandmother

"Grandma'am wants to go shopping," I explained to Harry, Ron, and Hermione, who were looking curiously at the owl. I scribbled a reply, agreeing to meet Grandma'am and sent the owl back to her. Then I remembered I hadn't checked in on Annabeth and Luke at Camp Half-Blood since I'd arrived in England. I'd have to I-M them later.

As we set off for Herbology after breakfast, I noticed Harry was looking troubled. He walked behind Ron and Hermione, who were bickering about house-elf rights. I hung back and walked next to him for a bit, then gently nudged him.

"You're a million miles away right now," I said. "You okay?"

"Yeah," Harry muttered. "Just worried about Sirius. Hedwig wasn't in the Great Hall. I'm worried he didn't get the letter."

I frowned. After I talked to Annabeth and Luke, I would I-M Sirius and check in on him, too.

"I'm sure he's okay," I told Harry. "I'm sure he's trying to be extra careful."

Harry just nodded,

When we arrived in greenhouse three, we were distracted by Professor Sprout showing the class the ugliest plants I'd ever seen. They looked less like plants than thick, black, giant slugs, protruding vertically out of the soil. Each was squirming slightly and had a number of large, shiny swellings upon it, which appeared to be full of liquid.