Spells and Visions; A Harry Potter story

Chapter 10: Reunion

The mood in the school was really light after the second task, and everyone wanted to hear the stories of what happened underwater, including me. Rumors were also spreading about me and Cedric being a couple, and I couldn't deny those.

~

There was post from Sirius again. A very short note.

"Be at stile at end of road out of Hogsmeade (past Dervish & Banges) at two o'clock on Saturday afternoon. Bring as much as food as you can."

"You're going to meet him?" Neville asked. "Like, in real life?"
"You can come with us, if you like," Harry said. "You have just as much right to meet him as we do."
"Yeah, we'd have a nice family reunion," I smiled.
"That'd be great," Neville said speechless, still not believing this was real.

We went to Potions, but a group of Slytherins stood outside the classroom.
"There they are!" Pansy giggled, pointing at us. "You might find something to interest you in here, Granger!"
She threw Hermione a magazine, called Witch Weekly. Then Snape opened the door.
We went inside, and I took my usual seat, since last year, beside Seamus and Dean. Harry, Hermione and Ron went to their seats, and after they had read an article, Hermione started laughing.
"If that's the best Rita can do, she's losing her touch," she giggled. I supposed that she had written something offensive, but Hermione didn't care.

They kept talking, and I tried to make eye contact with one of the three so they'd shut up, because Snape was on his way to them. However, they didn't see me and Snape took points away from Gryffindor. Then he read a few lines from the article, but I really didn't care what it said, it was mostly lies, anyway. Next, Snape put Hermione next to Pansy and Harry in front of his desk, and leaving Ron alone at the table.
A few minutes later, someone knocked, and came in. It was Karkaroff.
"We need to talk," Karkaroff said, silently, so I had to really focus what he was saying.
The continued to talk so softly, that I couldn't hear him.
"After the lesson," Snape snapped, which I could hear.

Karkaroff seemed to have that kind of patience, since he waited the entire double lesson. When the bell rang, we left, but Harry stayed to clean up the mess he deliberately made. I saw it happen, and he probably did it to eavesdrop on Snape and Karkaroff. I left the classroom, and not long later, Harry came to panting to catch up with us.
"Do you know what I saw?" he said, out of breath.
"What?" I said.
"Karkaroff showed something on his arm."
"So?" Ron said.
"He said something about it being clearer, and that Snape must have noticed it too."
"Strange, those two are definitely suspicious."

~

"Hey, Jynx," Cedric said, his face brightening when he saw me. "You going to Hogsmeade?"
"I'm going with friends, today, sorry," I said. I really wanted to spend time with him, but I needed to see Sirius.
"Okay, er- see you later, then."
"Yeah."

"Nev, are you coming?" I asked my brother.
"I almost forgot!" Neville said. "Yeah, I'd love to see-"
"Shh!" I put my hand over his mouth. "Don't talk about it in public," I whispered. "Unless you want him to get caught again."
"Sorry."
"Let's go, Harry, Hermione and Ron are waiting."

Harry had a bag with food for Sirius. We went to the other side of Hogsmeade, where we never had been before, to the foot of a mountain. There was a big, black dog waiting, with newspapers in his mouth.
"Hello, Sirius," Harry said casually.
"Hi," Neville said nervously.
I just smiled, and we followed the dog.
We had to walk far, and climb a steep path up the mountain. It was exhausting, but at last we came to a narrow gap, where we followed Sirius through.
We came in a dimly lit cave. We saw Buckbeak there as well. All five of us bowed, and Buckbeak did the same.

I looked back at the dog, who had turned back into my father. He was wearing ragged robes, and looked more like the man from last year then the one we saw in the fire.
"Hi, dad," I smiled.
"Jynx! How good to see you! Neville, you too!"
He smiled, but he looked thin and miserable. I couldn't blame him. Harry gave him the bag with food.
"Chicken!"
It was clear he hadn't eaten good in weeks. Harry gave him some bread and pumpkin juice as well.
"Thank you," Sirius said gratefully.
He began eating the chicken instantly.
"I've been living of rats mostly."
Ew.
"Can't steal to much from Hogsmeade. Don't want to draw to much attention to myself."