She felt like she always missed the exciting stuff, when Jade went down to the Great Hall for breakfast everyone was talking about how Sirius Black had tried to come after Harry again during the night. Thankfully, no one was hurt but Black had escaped again. The day went by normally but Jade noticed the threat of Black had tightened the security around the castle. It reminded her a bit of last year when the teachers escorted classes to and from their lessons, they weren't quite at that level yet but Jade noticed Professor Flitwick enchanting the front doors to recognize Sirius Black's picture. Filch was running around the castle trying to cover up cracks and holes, way too small for a man to scuffle through but fear had everyone on edge. Hermione had told Jade that the knight who had been guarding the Gryffindor Tower, Sir Cadogan, had been fired. His portrait had been taken back to its lonely landing on the seventh floor, and the Fat Lady was back.

"D'you reckon we should tell someone?" Harry asked Ron.

"We know he's not coming in through Honeyduke's," Ron said dismissively. "We'd've heard if the shop had been broken into."

"What are you two talking about?" Jade asked, setting her spoon down.

"Everyone's wondering how Black is getting into the castle," Hermione told her at her side.

"What does that have to do with Honeydukes?" Jade asked the boys and they exchanged a look and then both looked at Hermione. "What?" They all were quiet for a minute, having some silent discussion but then Harry spoke.

"There's a… secret passageway that leads from Honeydukes to the castle."

"What? Where?" Jade asked loudly and Ron shushed her. "Sorry. How do you know about it? How'd you find it?" She tried again quietly.

"There's a statue of a one-eyed witch-"

"Yeah, I know the one," Jade remembered the stone figure, she passed it often.

"You give it a password and it opens up the hump which leads to a tunnel that leads to Hogsmeade," Harry explained. "Fred and George gave me a map." Harry reached into his cloak and showed her a folded-up parchment. He unfolded the map and looked around before lowering it onto the table and covering it from others around them. "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." Before her eyes, the empty parchment seemed to come to life, ink magically appeared and began to bleed onto the withered parchment.

"Wait, that's-"

"The castle." Harry finished.

"And it shows-"

"Everyone in the castle!" Ron exclaimed and Jade looked up at the two of them, irritated that they kept interrupting her. "Sorry."

"So, you're saying Black could've come through that passageway?"

"No, because there's been nothing about Honeydukes getting broken into," Ron told her.

"Well, how else could he get in, Ronald?" Jade asked, exasperated.

"You think I don't want to know?" Ron spit back. "He could've killed me last night." Jade paused, there were whispers about what happened but she didn't know exactly.

"I'm sorry." She told him and reached over and grabbed his hand. "Are you okay?" He nodded, "What happened?" Ron looked down at the table and then at Harry before turning to her.

"I was asleep... and I heard this ripping noise. I thought it was in my dream, you know? But then there was this draft… I woke up and one side of the hangings on my bed had been pulled down, I rolled over and I saw him standing over me… like a skeleton with loads of filthy hair. Holding this great long knife, must've been twelve inches, and he looked at me, and I looked at him, and then I yelled and he scampered." Before Jade could say something Ron looked back at Harry, "Why, though? Why did he run?" Sirius Black was dangerous and capable of murder but maybe it was different when it was a scared thirteen-year-old boy. Why didn't he just go to Harry? He saw that Ron was the wrong boy but Harry was a few feet away.

"He must've known he'd have a job getting back out of the castle once you'd yelled and woken people up," Harry finally said. "He'd've had to kill the whole house to get back through the portrait hole… then he would've met the teachers…" The daily mail came then and a storm of owls swooped in, Hedwig landed gracefully next to Harry and a note was clutched between her beak. Harry grabbed it and thanked her. "Dear Harry and Ron, How about having tea with me this afternoon 'round six? I'll come collect you from the castle. Wait for me in the Entrance Hall; you're not allowed out on your own. Cheers, Hagrid"

"Only you and Ron?" Jade pouted.

"I'm sure the boys wouldn't mind if you joined," Hermione added, Jade was surprised Hermione didn't jump on the opportunity as well, probably because she and Ron weren't the best of friends still. Which means Ron hadn't talked to her like Jade had suggested, but there was some improvement, breakfast had gone by without any arguing or name-calling.

"He probably wants to hear all about Black," Ron spoke. "Yeah, alright, you can come."

So at six o'clock that afternoon, the three of them gathered patiently in the Entrance Hall. Hagrid was already waiting for them.

"All right, Hagrid!" Ron smiled. "S'pose you want to hear about Saturday night, do you?"

"I've already heard all abou' it," Hagrid told him, opening the front doors and leading them outside.

"Oh," said Ron, looking slightly disappointed, Jade let a small laugh slip and he glared at her. The first thing they saw on entering Hagrid's cabin was Buckbeak, who was stretched out on top of Hagrid's patchwork quilt, his enormous wings folded tight to his body, enjoying a large plate of dead ferrets. Jade approached him cautiously but Hagrid held a hand up for her to stand still.

"I wouln't get fingers close to that beak of his while he's eatin'." Hagrid warned her and Jade backed up a bit.

"What are they for, Hagrid?" Harry pointed towards the brown furry suit in the corner.

"Buckbeak's case against the Committee fer the Disposal o' Dangerous Creatures," Hagrid barely glanced where Harry was looking. Jade had forgotten about Buckbeak's trial. "This Friday. Him an' me'll be goin' down ter London together. I've booked two beds on the Knight Bus…" Hagrid poured them tea and offered them a plate of Bath buns but they knew better than to accept. "I got somethin' ter discuss with you two," Hagrid told the boys, sitting himself between them and looking serious.

"What?" Harry asked.

"Hermione," Hagrid said and Ron immediately rolled his eyes.

"What about her?" He sighed.

"She's in a righ' state, that's what. She's bin comin' down ter visit me a lot since Chris'mas. Bin feelin' lonely." Jade looked at the boys, she understood why Ron was being a prick and holding a grudge but what was Harry's excuse for being so distant and choosing sides. "Firs' yeh weren' talking to her because o' the Firebolt, now yer not talkin' to her because her cat-"

"Ate Scabbers!" Ron interrupted angrily.

"Because her cat acted like all cats do." Hagrid continued, the stern look on his face fading slightly. "She's cried a fair few times, yeh know. Goin' through a rough time at the moment. Bitten off more'n she can chew, if yeh ask me, all the work she's tryin' ter do. Still found time ter help me with Buckbeak's case. She's found some really good stuff fer me, reckon he'll stand a good chance now…" Jade could vaguely remember having a conversation with her friends about helping Buckbeak but quickly after that day the thought left her mind, and now she felt incredibly guilty. She looked at the beautiful eating in the corner of Hagrid's hut.

"Hagrid, we should've helped as well. We're sorry-" Jade said.

"I'm not blamin' yeh!" Hagrid dismissed the apology with a wave of his hand, "God knows yeh've had enough ter be getting' on with." Hagrid turned to Harry and gave him a small smile. "I've seen yeh practicin' Quidditch every hour o' the day an' night. But I gotta tell yeh, I thought you two'd value yer friend more'n broomsticks or rats. Tha's all." Jade took a step to Hagrid's side.

"I completely agree." Jade crossed her arms under her chest and Harry and Ron exchanged uncomfortable looks.

"Really upset, she was," Hagrid went on. "When Black nearly stabbed yeh, Ron. She's got her heart in the right place, Hermione has, an' you two not talkin' to her-" Ron's tight lip relaxed a little.

"If she'd just get rid of that cat, I'd speak to her again!" Ron huffed, "But she's still sticking up for it! It's a maniac, and she won't hear a word against it!"

"Ah, well, people can be a bit stupid abou' their pets," Hagrid gave him a pointed look and Jade smiled when Ron realized the comment was directed towards him. "Now, how's Quidditch goin'?" Hagrid asked, changing the subject. They spent the rest of their visit discussing Gryffindor's improved chances for the Quidditch Cup. By the time Hagrid walked them back up to the castle, darkness had completely cloaked over everything and they could only see what the lantern Hagrid held illuminated a few feet in front of them. "I'll talk to yah guys la'er!" Hagrid gave them a wave before the front doors to the castle closed behind him. Jade gave them a fleeting good night and snuck into the Slytherin Common Room to find it buzzing loudly with conversation, a group of students talking by the new parchment posted to it. Jade walked over to the board and tried to see what it was around the group of people.

"Hogsmeade, next weekend." Draco's voice drawled behind her and she sighed before turning and seeing her friends sitting in their usual spots, her seat left unoccupied.

"So, what are we doing this time?" Jade asked as she sauntered over to her spot and sat.

"Sure you'll be joining us?" Draco asked.

"Yes? Why wouldn't I?" Jade asked, casting a glance around at her friends who avoided her gaze when she met their eyes.

"What about Potter and-"

"Pack it in. Be happy I'm speaking to you at all after the stunt you pulled at the game." She cut him off and he held up his hands, it seemed like he was just proving a point, not actually trying to argue about it. "Something wrong?" Jade looked around, locking her eyes with Pansy, she knew she could get her to say what was bugging her before the boys. "Pansy?"

"It's nothing new, Jade." She sighed after a few seconds of silence. "We're done reminding you of the fact that we are your friends too."

"Oh, so this is a group consensus." Jade scoffed. "You know, they don't complain about you guys."

"Why would they? They're winning." Theo mumbled.

"Winning? Winning what?" Jade held up her hand before anyone could answer, "I love you all, of course, I will go to Hogsmeade with you." Closing the discussion from going any further and causing a large fight, she looked at Draco, "We'll go to the Shrieking Shack." Jade smiled and Draco's face softened a little. "We haven't been able to get to it yet."

"Yeah, okay." Draco agreed.

"When you say you love us all-" Theo chimed in.

"Shut up, Nott." Came Draco's swift reply.

On Saturday morning, Jade got up and got ready for the trek to Hogsmeade and quickly joined her friends for a small breakfast until it was time to meet Filch in the Entrance Hall and start their walk. Hogsmeade was a nice place to go on the weekends instead of staying at the castle but after today they would have officially seen everything Hogsmeade has to offer.

"Do you even know where it is?" Pansy asked once they reached the town square. Her legs were tired and she hadn't slept well the night before, which meant everyone would get to deal with the aftermath of it.

"Well, Pansy." Draco started and then walked over to the wooden signs posted a few steps away. "Maybe if we follow the sign that says 'The Shrieking Shack' it will take us to the Shrieking Shack." He grinned and Pansy rolled her eyes.

"You don't have to be a smart-" Blaise pushed Pansy towards the path that veered away from the stores, "I'm going." She shrugged away from his touch. Jade walked silently at Draco's side and he smirked at her before looking at the next sign and leading them to the left.

"What?" She asked.

"Don't think about starting another snow fight." Jade smiled at him.

"I won't. I'll wait until I'm better prepared next time." They climbed the small slope that led to a fence that separated them from the rest of the way to the Shrieking Shack. The building was still a bit away but they could see how tall and old it was. Even during the day, the building looked eerie.

"What are you doing, Weasley?" Draco asked and Jade looked towards the two students he was talking to. Jade hadn't even noticed Ron and Hermione, they seemed to be in the middle of a conversation until they were rudely interrupted. Draco looked up at the crumbling house behind Ron. "Suppose you'd love to live here, wouldn't you, Weasley? Dreaming about having your own bedroom? I heard your family all sleep in one room, is that true?" Theo laughed behind Jade.

"Give it a rest, would you?" Jade drawled. "You don't have to be an asshole every time your paths cross." She told Draco.

"My apologies Jade." Draco grinned at her and then he turned back towards Ron and Hermione. "We were just discussing your friend Hagrid."

"No, we weren't," Pansy muttered behind them and Draco shot a look back at her. "Just trying to imagine what he's saying to the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures. Do you think he'll cry when they cut off his Hippogriff's-" Draco was cut off by the sudden ball of snow and mud that hit the back of his head. "Seriously?" He faced Jade and she would've been angry with him if she wasn't caught in shock.

"It wasn't me." Was all she could say, she watched the mud and dirty water drip from his silver-blonde hair as he whipped his head around to look at Pansy and the others accusingly.

"If it wasn't-" Draco was cut off again as Ron crumpled into a fit of laughter, holding on to the fence to keep himself standing. "Who did it?" Draco wiped at the back of his head as he looked from Ron and Hermione to his friends.

"Very haunted up here, isn't it?" Ron noted casually, as if he were commenting on the weather. Jade would've helped Draco get the large chunks of mud out of his hair if he hadn't been so insolent towards Ron, so instead, she took a step back and watched him act like a fool. Jade thought she heard someone come to her side but when she looked to her left, no one was there. With another splat, another glob of mud and slush hit Draco in the back. Pansy shrieked behind her and Jade watched as she turned to Blaise and he wiped some stray slush that hit her face.

"How are you doing that?" Pansy hissed at Ron but he just smiled brightly at them.

"Doing what?" Jade furrowed her eyebrows as she looked at Ron, he seemed too relaxed. A change from just a few moments ago when Draco was talking badly about his family.

"Ron?" Jade called to him and he looked at her, before she could ask him anything, Draco interrupted her.

"It came from over there!" Draco yelled as he tried to shake out of his dirty cloak. Blaise took a few cautionary steps to the area where Draco was gesturing towards. A stone flew at Blaise's back and he spun around quickly, Jade had eyes on everyone and none of them had moved. Blaise fixed his eyes on Ron and started towards him.

"Blaise, it wasn't him." Jade stepped in between the boys but before Blaise got close to her he seemed to have tripped and fell. Slowly, things started clicking into place in her head. Why Ron and Hermione weren't confused like the rest of them, why things seemed to be hurling at them out of nowhere. "Come on, let's just go." Jade helped Blaise get up and then turned him around.

"Agreed." Pansy nodded and she and Theo turned to head back down the small hill.

"Draco." Jade came to his side, his eyes burning into Ron who had a victorious smug grin on his face. "Come on." She looped her arm through one of his and he relented as she pulled him away. She stopped once they were at the bottom of the hill. "Your cloak, you dropped it. I'll be right back." Draco looked her over, but he didn't say anything, just unlooped his arm from hers. Jade started up the hill again and glared at Hermione and Ron but her face softened when she saw them laughing with each other. "That wasn't funny," Jade called to them and they froze for a second but then relaxed when they saw it was just Jade. "Come out, Harry." She said as she bent over and picked up the rumpled cloak on her way over to them, she looked around for any sign of him. Harry's head appeared at Ron's side. It was an odd sight, just his head floating there.

"Come on, you have to admit, that was brilliant!" Ron laughed and Jade smirked.

"It was good." She admitted.

"He deserved it," Harry added and Jade debated but only for a second before nodding.

"Yeah, he did." Jade hit out towards Harry, hoping to make contact with his body but she missed. "But leave Blaise alone." Another fit of laughter erupted from the three of them.

"Maddex!" She heard Draco call for her and a moment later he was coming back up the hill, "How long does it take for you to-" Harry and Draco's eyes locked and instead of running at Harry like Jade thought he would do, he turned around and bolted back down the hill.

"Not very brave of him, is it?" Ron chuckled. Harry had disappeared again under his cloak. "Harry?"

"Harry, go!" Hermione called to the emptiness in front of them. "Get back to the castle before Malfoy can tell someone."

"Right, see you later," Harry's voice sounded further away from them.

"I'll go and try and keep him from telling anyone," Jade told them and Hermione nodded. Jade took off after her friends and caught up to them as Draco was trying to convince the rest of them of what he saw.

"Just his head?" Pansy asked, "How hard did that muck hit you?" Theo laughed and Draco sighed before noticing Jade,

"Tell them, will you?"

"Tell them what?" Jade sighed, trying to catch her breath.

"Potter! By the Shrieking Shack!"

"Harry can't come to Hogsmeade he didn't get his permission slip signed," Jade told him.

"Don't be daft. You were talking to him!" Draco argued and Jade glared at him.

"I'm not being daft. I was talking with Ron and Hermione. Did you say it was just a head?" Jade asked for clarification and he looked like he wanted to scream. He groaned as he clenched his hands into fists in front of them. "Remember? I went up there because you left your cloak, then I asked them if they knew what was going on and they didn't. Then, you come up there, stare at us like you've just seen a ghost, and you ran back down here." Draco's certainty faltered in his eyes as he listened to her. Would it be that easy to trick him into believing he just made it up? Draco's face set in determination and he turned, leaving them to follow. Guess not.