The Loyal and Just

Chapter Eighteen

Nothing really happened for a month or two. I stayed in the Shrieking Shack with Sirius the whole time, avoiding the school as much as possible. Sirius had apparently gone after Peter Pettigrew again, so tensions were high at the school. Hermione and I only ever talked during Runes and any other class we had together, she always seemed super stressed, like she was on the verge of punching someone in the face.

I actually cleaned up the Shrieking Shack a bit, at least getting rid of all of the dust. I also stole a pillow and proper sheets for the bed I slept in. I spent most of my time doing homework or reading. Not just novels, but spell books. I wanted to grow more powerful, to get revenge on Daphne and just to be better.

The one thing I ever did up at the school that I ever wanted to do was play Quidditch. The Quidditch Final was coming up soon and it was us Slytherins vs Gryffindor. I have never been pushed and pressured so much in my life. Not that I minded so much, it would be greater than anything in the world if I won this cup. We trained as much as we could, and even if the team couldn't play on the field, we'd play off the field. And even then, Malfoy, some of the other boys, and I would still train with each other, especially those of us who were much more nervous than the others. At this point, I had mastered the confundus charm and so many others, so that no one could ever tell that I used the charm. I had even gotten used to using the charm without even speaking.

The Gryffindors were also training as much as possible, I've seen some of them play, in particular, Harry, who had become nothing but a blur when he flew. It would be near impossible for Malfoy to catch the snitch, with Harry on the field. Sometimes I suggested that we focus on scoring as many points as possible so that we scored so many that even if Gryffindor caught the snitch, we'd win. Marcus said that would nearly impossible. I was determined though. Slytherin better win.

However it wasn't just Quidditch, school had become more stressful than ever. When the Easter Holidays came around, I was doing nothing but school work and Quidditch. I would work on stuff, preferably in a clearing in the forest, and then head down to the field to play Quidditch, and then come back to work on homework. Surprisingly, Sirius actually helped me a lot with my work. He was a near genius when it came to Charms and DADA. I wouldn't let him do Transfiguration work, though, I savored as much as I could. Potions, Sirius would usually snarl at, so I tended to get it all done as soon as possible.

However, it was the end of the Easter Holidays and I was stuck in Divination, a class that I hated and yet I was uncannily good at. Today we were looking through Crystal Balls. I remembered sharing my first class with Daphne and looked over at where she sat, alone, on the other side of the room. Serves her right, I think as I sit down next to Hermione, behind where Harry and Ron were. I was staring into the ball when I briefly saw a glimpse of what was to come: Hermione angrily knocking over the crystal ball and storming off.

Just then Hermione said "This is such a waste of time, I could be practicing something useful. I could be practicing cheering charms—"

Trelawney rushed by, "Would anyone like me to help them interpret the shadowy portents within their orb?" She murmured,

"I don't need help," said Ron, "It's obvious what this means. There's going to be loads of fog tonight."

Harry and Hermione burst out laughing, I chuckled a bit.

"Now, really!" Trelawney exclaims, "You are disturbing the clairvoyant vibrations!" She approached Harry's table and peered into the ball. You didn't need to be a seer to predict what happened next.

"There is something here!" Trelawney whispered, "Something moving... but what is it?" she paused, "My dear... it is here, plainer than ever before... my dear, stalking towards you, growing ever closer... the Gr —"