It would be any moment now, they would enter the Transfiguration classroom. Jo checked her watch through the brown tint of her sunglasses. Their class would start in six minutes but it was helped her to arrive the moment the bell would ring. Hermione, as much as Jo didn't want to, reckoned it would be easier if she got used to them beforehand and she wore them all the time in their dorm room preparing for these lessons.
"Josie," Hermione whispered, drawing the brunette's attention. "Professor McGonagall's behind you."
"What?" Alarm sunk in the pit of Jo's belly as she whipped around, robes billowing with the movement. She lifted the sunglasses to glean a closer look, gaze darting around to find no-one, and turned back with a tight frown only to let out an undignified sharp intake of breath. Jo's sight was suddenly tinted in brown again, because the said witch was currently behind Hermione.
"Did Professor Snape see you?" Hermione questioned and Jo's voice died.
"Not quite, Miss Granger."
Jo still didn't know how she had acted so exceedingly calm throughout the lesson, even as Professor McGonagall kept glancing her way.
"Please stay behind Miss Bevan."
Even as she stood in front of the witch's desk, who peered at her inquiringly over her square glasses.
"I lost a bet last week. Three Transfiguration lessons this week, doubles counting as one."
She said that so smoothly Jo wanted to rush back to Hermione and brag. Even with their dares, the witch was still a stickler for rules and authority. Except the following silence indicated the professor wanted more information.
"The first night, I was the only one who didn't sleep through Lavender's snoring. It was like a vacuum," Jo paused but the witch nodded, expressing she knew what it was. "It was impulsive and I realised after they might still be tired enough to sleep through it the following night too. Then Peeves happened, hence," Jo pointed at them, "this."
"Is Miss Brown's snoring still a problem?"
"No," she shook her head. "Whatever she forgot to take or cast those nights, she remembered after. My sleep has gotten better since then."
Arguably.
But Jo was happy enough to be dismissed after the typical 'you can come to me anytime for any concerns', until she saw the rush of students when the classroom doors reopened.
Jo could barely contain the flinch when she heard a loud sneeze, unconsciously retreating a few steps. Her jaw was clamped shut and she felt her nails dig into her palms.
She couldn't but be reminded at how unfair her magical ability was.
"Medical check ups are free, aren't they?" Jo turned around, voice quiet.
"Indeed."
Good. Very good. Very good indeed.
Because it would kill her if she came back for Christmas, with a magical disease, asymptomatic.
It would kill her to go through that bullshit for the third time.