The unspoken Bond

Chapter 5

Pansy and I overslept, and when we woke up, we were in a rush to get ready. We hurriedly pulled on our robes, and dashed out of the dorm, racing toward the Great Hall in hopes of finding something to eat. Thankfully, there were still some leftovers from breakfast, and we sat down, hastily grabbing whatever was left.

Pansy had to leave earlier than me since her class started sooner, so she gave me a quick hug and said, "Good luck. See you later!" She winked and ran off, leaving me alone with my half-eaten toast.

I was enjoying the moment of peace when I noticed the Golden Trio approaching me. Pansy had explained the nickname to me the night before—everyone in school seemed to call Harry, Ron, and Hermione that for obvious reasons. I glanced up at them, still chewing, with a confused look on my face.

Ron, blurted out, "So that's why you didn't wanna say anything, Avery Black! 'Cause you know your uncle escaped to finish off harry."

I stared at him, my chewing slowing as I raised an eyebrow confused on what he meant by that but ignored it for the moment being. "And how do you guys know he's my uncle and not maybe my dad?" I answered jokingly.

They both turned to Hermione, who looked slightly sheepish. "I, uh, read a book once about pureblood family trees, and well yours was in it as well" she admitted, trying to offer a small smile.

I nodded, I didn't even know I was noted down in our family tree. I was about to explain, "Well, I didn't say anything because—" but before I could finish my sentence, I felt someone yank me up from my seat. My heart raced in shock.

"She doesn't have to explain shit to you three," said a rude-familiar voice.

I turned around, facing Draco Malfoy. His grip on my arm was tight, and his face was full of that smug superiority he always wore. I narrowed my eyes at him, my voice low as I leaned closer. "You're right, but I had no problem explaining." I stepped even closer, my voice dropping to a whisper as I added, "Touch me again, Malfoy, and I'll cut your hand off."

I smiled sweetly at him, enjoying the flicker of uncertainty in his eyes. He scowled, but said nothing. He let go of my arm, muttering under his breath as he stalked off, mumbling to himself.

I sat back down, grinning as I watched him leave. Ron, Harry, and Hermione stared at me, wide-eyed.

"Sooo how do you deal with him, huh?" Ron said, clearly impressed.

I shrugged. "Pansy said I would get used to it."

We continued talking, it didn't take me long to realize that Ron was absolutely hilarious, his unfiltered comments and blunt humor. I found myself laughing more than I had in a while. Harry and Hermione smiled, but not really relaxed around me.

I finished the last of my toast and wiped my hands. This might not have been the start I expected.

After we finished breakfast, the 3 of us realized we had next class together—Divination. As we left the Great Hall. Except for Hermoine who walked the other way to agent runes.

We made our way up the winding staircases toward the top of the North Tower, where Divination was held. The climb felt endless, each step harder than the last, and halfway up, I could feel my legs burning.

As we reached the final stretch, Ron and I groaned at the same time, exclaiming, "Ugh, they should make the way up here shorter or worth a good lesson!"

We both glanced at each other, surprised at having said the same thing, then burst out laughing. Harry rolled his eyes, though I could tell he was suppressing a smile, clearly used to Ron's complaints.

"They probably make it this long on purpose," he says, "Maybe they think the climb will help clear our minds for better focus."

Ron gave him a dramatic look of disbelief. "Clear our minds? By the time I get up here, my legs are jelly and my brain's barely functioning!"

I laughed, nodding in agreement. "Yeah, it's like we're supposed to predict our own exhaustion at this rate."

Out of breath but still laughing, we made our way into the stuffy, incense-filled classroom. The circular room was dimly lit, with small round tables scattered around. Draped fabrics hung from the ceiling, and the air was thick with the scent of burning herbs.

I took a seat next to Ron, who immediately leaned back in his chair, looking like he was about to fall asleep right there. Next to him Harry.

"Let's hope we don't have to climb any more stairs today," I replied, earning a groan of agreement from him.

............................

As the lesson went on, the warm,  and the nearly sleepless night started to catch up to me. My eyelids grew heavier with every minute, and I found it difficult to focus on Professor Trelawney's dreamy, mystical voice as she rambled on about the importance of "clearing our inner eye" to read the future.

Despite my best efforts, I felt myself slowly drifting off. The soft cushions on the armchair didn't help either, and soon, I was fast asleep, my head resting against the back of the chair.

I was shaken awake. My eyes flew open, startled, and I blinked, trying to make sense of where I was. I looked over to see Ron and Harry grinning at me. Ron gave me a quick nod and pointed toward Professor Trelawney, who was making her way over to our table.

I quickly grabbed the teacup in front of me, pretending to study it with great interest. Ron smirked, clearly amused by my last-minute attempt to look busy.

Professor Trelawney arrived at our table, her large, magnified eyes behind her glasses peering down at us with a sense of dramatic flair. "Ah, my dears," she said, her voice floating like a wisp of smoke. "What do we have here? Let me see."

She reached down and gently took the teacup out of Ron's hand, lifting it to her face as she squinted into its depths. The atmosphere around our table suddenly became tense as she tilted the cup, her expression growing serious.

Ron glanced at Harry with a raised eyebrow, clearly not expecting much. But Harry, sitting beside him, looked a little more curious.

Professor Trelawney's voice dropped to an ominous whisper. "The... Grim," she breathed, her large eyes widening dramatically. "I see... the Grim."

Ron's confused look mirrored my own, but Harry's face went pale for some reason. He shifted in his seat, his eyes fixed on the cup.

"The Grim?" Ron repeated, incredulous. "What's that?"

Trelawney stared deeply into the cup, her hands trembling slightly as she continued. "The Grim, my dear boy'' but she was cut off by one of her students... ''The Grim is an omen of death. It is the most feared omen in our world" he finished her sentence.

Ron's eyes darted to Harry, who looked uncomfortable. I glanced between them, feeling the tension. Trelawney's words hung heavily in the air, and I wasn't sure if she was simply being dramatic or if she was serious.

Ron tried to lighten the mood. "So... Harry's going to die because of a dog?" he said, half-joking, though the unease in his voice was clear.

Harry, however, didn't seem to find it funny. He stared at the cup in silence, his expression tight.

I nudged Ron under the table, giving him a subtle shake of the head to drop it. The room's dim lighting and Trelawney's spooky declaration made the whole situation much more intense than it probably was.

As Professor Trelawney drifted away to another table, Ron turned to Harry. "You don't actually believe this, do you?"

Harry shrugged, but his eyes were still clouded with concern. "I've... seen something like it before. A dog. It was huge, black, and watching me... right before I left Privet Drive."

That caught my attention. I frowned slightly, thinking about his words.

A black dog could be a coincidence, but given everything I read about my uncle...made me not to sure.

"Maybe it's usual?" I suggested lightly, trying to ease the tension. But I couldn't help but feel uneasy.