Sage LeClair

Jaded

    Ink blotted parchment, scattered books, and stress marked the days leading up to first year exams. Everything was a blur, and as my notes became more scattered with "vital information" the more it seemed like my brain was frying. Quinn's late night studies got later, but she still flawlessly did everything with a sense of grace that seemed to stun us all. John was so deep in his stress abyss that he seemed eerily calm. Meanwhile I was just trying my best. I was more than a little stressed, but I was trying to get all the extra homework and studying done quickly. The only thing pulling me through this ordeal was my friends's support and Persephone's weekly letters, which I responded to with very short replies, and swore that I would write longer ones when I had the time. 

      Exams came quickly, and though I felt completely unprepared, I struggled through most of the exams. I managed to make a pineapple tap dance in charms, and turn a mouse into a snuff box for transfiguration. Professor McGonagall wasn't exactly impressed when mine still had some fur patches on it afterwards. My forgetfulness potion for Potions was barely acceptable and extremely mediocre, according to Snape, and the History of Magic exam felt like getting repeatedly hit by a Bludger. But I managed to scrape by with a passing grade, and the same with John, as he spent most of study time sleeping or looking dead inside. Quinn got the second highest marks of all the first years, rivaled only by a Gryffindor girl.

   But nonetheless, exams were over, and all of us were extremely glad for that. We slowly headed back to the common room, worn out from exams. We stumbled over our feet, pushing open doors, trying to find our way back to  the common room. John slammed open a door, as we stumbled down the corridor, sleepy eyed and zombie-like. Torches lit up as we passed, and we opened another door. I thought I heard a growl, but I figured it was just my lack of sleep brain being odd. But as I looked up, 3 pairs of brown eyes and sharp teeth met my gaze.

   I screamed, which seemed to wake up Quinn and John from their post-exam state. I stumbled backwards in fear, tripping and falling as I moved towards the door. I couldn't breath. I blurted out a few defense spells, but nothing happened. Quinn was spitting spells quickly, John behind her, protecting them both from some of the dogs vicious swipes. A few of the spells were hitting the thing, but not doing much damage to whatever it was. I took a moment, and then realized, it was... a three headed dog? Why in the world would that be at Hogwarts.

Oh no.

Oh god.

The third floor corridor.

Why did it have to be some stupid dog. It looked just like the one from the memories I had tried so hard to forget. I couldn't seem to move, I was frozen. My entire body seemed to be collapsing on itself. Quinn kept yelling spells, but I watched in horror as the dog lifted its huge paw, and swiped it towards her. She managed to move, but not before it could cut her, badly. She shrieked in pain, and fell to the floor clutching her arm and face. John ran at the dog, not doing as much damage as Quinn, but managing to keep the dog from killing Quinn as I pulled her out of the way and pushed her back to where I was moments ago. I heard the door behind us open, but I saw the dog push John against the wall as he struggled to get out of its grasp.

    I stuttered out a spell that shot John back to where Quinn was. My breath was nonexistent, and I felt like I was suffocating. My vision was beginning to blur from tears and lack of air, and I just laid on the floor of the corridor, slowly going unconscious as I felt the dog's sharp paws slice against my back and legs, almost totally ripping my clothes in half before a hand grabs my arm, and drags me out of the way, before everything goes black.

Hey guys! Apologies again for not writing in forever. Hopefully this will suffice for now! I'm going to try my best  to write more often, but writers block always sucks. If you're reading this after my months long break, that you so much for sticking with me through this obstacle in my writing life. Thanks so much for reading, and don't forget to vote, and leave me some feedback!

Until next time, bye! ~Maya <3