𝐑𝐄𝐖𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐒-ℍ𝕒𝕣𝕣𝕪 ℙ𝕠𝕥𝕥𝕖𝕣❥

𝐎𝐎𝐓𝐏 𝟐𝟕

"But why haven't you got Occlumency lessons anymore?" said Hermione, frowning.

"I've told you," Harry muttered. "Snape reckons I can carry on by myself now I've got the basics. . . ."

"So you've stopped having funny dreams?" said Hermione skeptically.

"Pretty much," said Harry, not looking at her.

"Well, I don't think Snape should stop until you're absolutely sure you can control them!" said Hermione indignantly. "Harry, I think you should go back to him and ask."

"No," said Harry forcefully. "Just drop it, Hermione, okay?"

It was the first day of the Easter holidays and Hermione and Emily, had spent a large part of the day drawing up study schedules for the four of them.

Harry and Ron had let them do it, it was easier than arguing with them and, in any case, they might come in useful.

Ron had been startled to discover that there were only six weeks left until their exams.

"How can that come as a shock?" Hermione demanded, as she tapped each little square on Ron's schedule with her wand so that it flashed a different color according to its subject.

"I dunno . . ." said Ron, "there's been a lot going on. . . ."

"Well, there you are," she said, handing him his schedule, "if you follow that you should do fine."

Ron looked down it gloomily, but then brightened. "You've given me an evening off every week!"

"That's for Quidditch practice," said Hermione. The smile faded from Ron's face.

"What's the point?" he said. "We've got about as much chance of winning the Quidditch Cup this year as Dad's got of becoming Minister of Magic. . . ."

Hermione said nothing. She was looking at Harry, who was staring blankly at Emily who was now reading a book on the floor not saying anything or taking in there conversation.

"What's wrong, Harry?"

"What?" he said quickly. "Nothing . . ."
He seized his copy of Defensive Magical Theory and pretended to be
looking something up in the index.

"I saw Cho earlier," said Hermione tentatively, "and she looked really miserable too. . . . Have you two had a row again?"

"Wha, oh yeah, we have," said Harry, seizing gratefully on the excuse. Emily was also now looking up.

"What about?"

"That sneak friend of hers, Marietta," said Harry.

"Yeah, well, I don't blame you!" said Ron angrily, setting down his
study schedule. "If it hadn't been for her . . ."

Ron went into a rant about Marietta Edgecombe, which Harry found helpful. All he had to do was look angry, nod, and say "yeah" and "that's right" whenever Ron drew breath, leaving his mind free to dwell, ever more miserably, on what he had seen in the Pensieve.

Emily was now watching them all speak, all she could think about is how everything happened. Normally Ron and Hermione were telling Harry that he should apologise to Emily after they had a fight but now they were ranting about Harry's 'new girlfriend' whilst Emily watched sadly in the corner.

The weather grew breezier, brighter, and warmer as the holidays passed, but Emily was stuck with the rest of the fifth and seventh years, who were all trapped inside, traipsing back and forth to the library.

Emily pretended that her bad mood had no other cause but the approaching exams, and as her fellow Gryffindors were sick of studying themselves, her excuse went unchallenged.