March came quickly and with lots of drama. During the first week Trewlaney was actually sacked by Umbridge, in such a public and embarrassing way during dinner. As expected everyone rushed outside when they heard people yelling and sobbing.
Jade ended up next to Draco and Blaise, she watched the show in front of her. After some minutes McGonagall walked to Trelawney, who was in tears.
"There, there, Sibyll... Calm down... It's not as bad as you think, now. You are not going to have to leave Hogwarts," McGonagall said.
"Oh really, Professor McGonagall?" Umbridge said, taking a few steps forward. "And your authority for that statement is...?"
"That would be mine," Dumbledore said, appearing as some students got out of the way to let him through.
"Yours, Professor Dumbledore?" Umbridge asked in amusement. "I'm afraid you do not understand the position I have here. Under the terms of Educational Decree Number Twenty-Three, the High Inquisitor of Hogwarts has the power to inspect, place upon probation, and sack any teacher she feels is not performing in a satisfactory way. Therefore, I have dismissed her."
"You are quite right, of course, Professor Umbridge. As High Inquisitor you have every right to dismiss my teachers. You do not, however, have the authority to send them away from the castle. I am afraid, that the power to do that still resides with the headmaster, and it is my wish that Professor Trelawney continues to live at Hogwarts," Dumbledore said with a smile.
Jade wasn't a fan of Trewlaney, but she didn't hate her. She was just a bad teacher and quite boring. But Umbridge was heartless and only her existence bothered Jade, so this time she was supporting Trewlaney and was rooting for Dumbledore.
"No — no, I'll g-go, Dumbledore! I sh-shall l-leave Hogwarts and seek my fortune elsewhere."
"No. It is my wish that you remain, Sibyll." He then turned to Professor McGonagall. "Might I ask you to escort Sibyll back upstairs, Professor McGonagall?"
"Of course," McGonagall said with a small smile. "Up you get, Sibyll."
Professor Sprout came hurrying forward out of the crowd and grabbed Professor Trelawney's other arm. Together they guided her past Umbridge and up the marble stairs. Professor Flitwick went quickly after them, his wand held out before him; he squeaked, "Locomotor trunks!" and Professor Trelawney's luggage rose into the air and proceeded up the staircase after her. Jade wished that it had hit Umbridge in the head but to her disappointment that didn't happen.
"And what are you going to do with her once I appoint a new Divination teacher who needs her lodgings?" Umbridge said with a fake smile, she was outraged at the situation and she couldn't cover it with that pathetic smile.
"Oh, that won't be a problem," Dumbledore said pleasantly. "You see, I have already found us a new Divination teacher, and he will prefer lodgings on the ground floor."
"You've found... ?" Umbridge squealed. "Might I remind you, Dumbledore, that under Educational Decree Twenty-two..."
Jade rolled her eyes, she couldn't stand the damn decrees and how Umbridge always used them in her favour.
"... The Ministry has the right to appoint a suitable candidate if and only if the headmaster is unable to find one," Dumbledore said, interrupting her. "And I am happy to say that on this occasion I have succeeded. May I introduce you?"
Everyone was surprised and confused as they heard hooves. Jade noticed some people were moving further from where the noise came from. A tall guy moved a bit to the side and Jade could see why. Jade saw white-blond hair and astonishingly blue eyes, but those didn't belong to a human, but to a centaur.
"This is Firenze," Dumbledore said happily to a furious Umbridge. "I think you'll find him suitable."
Despite disliking Trelawney and thinking her classes were a waste of time, Jade did feel bad about the situation. In a way she hated to feel that way as she never cared about other people, especially people she didn't even like.
But she found that she was okay with the change. Firenze seemed like he actually knew about Divination. Centaurs were known for studying the skies and seeing the future in them.
After that, Dumbledore left and the students went back to eat dinner but all of them were more into gossiping than eating. It wasn't common to witness a teacher getting sacked in such a way and getting a centaur for a teacher.
About ten days later, Jade had just finished breakfast and was about to leave when Graham came running towards her, he looked worried and anxious.
"Jade! We've got a problem!" he exclaimed before she could speak.
"What is the problem?" she asked calmly, as she usually did.
"It's Miles. He won't stop throwing up and apparently he's got diahrrea too."
"You are kidding me, right?" Jade asked in a dead serious tone. "We play in two hours!"
"What do we do?"
"Have you taken him to Madam Pomfrey?"
"Yes, I just came from there."
"Okay, don't worry. I'll solve it. Don't think about it too much, I need you to concentrace for this match."
Just as Graham rushed out of the Great Hall, Jade glanced at the Weasley Twins. They looked a bit shocked even when Jade had assured them Miles was going to be her victim. She gave them a small nod and stood up in a calm way. First stop was going to be the Hospital Wing and pretending to worry about Miles and begging Madam Pomfrey to fix him before the match.
Just five minutes before the match started, once they were in the dressing room, Jade announced gladly that she had found a substitute at last minute. Besides her stood a seventh-year guy, named Travis. Miles was even worse than two hours ago and there was no chance for him to play or even walk to the pitch in that state.
"How do you know that he's actually good?" Graham asked.
"Because he already played one match when Bletchley was ill, two years ago," Jade told him. "He was excellent. Thanks to Draco for remembering that. Okay, let's go now."
Ravenclaw was first to attack but Travis did block the shot and passed the ball to Lewis. Graham had to admit that it was a very good save.
"Jade Lias has opened the score!" Lee Jordan commented. "That not only means advantage to the Slytherin team but also means that Lias has broken the record for most goals scored in Hogwarts history! Let's see how many more she can score!"
Jade smiled proudly when she heard Lee Jordan and the Slytherins cheering on her. She even saw Draco smiling and giving her a thumbs up before he flew away to look for the snitch.
Jade knew she had a mission. She had to score, along with the other two chasers at least eighty points plus catching the snitch to tie points with Gryffindor. Eighty wasn't that hard but they wanted to catch the snitch fast so they had to really push themselves and score without mercy.
Things got easier when a bludger hit the Ravenclaw's keeper on the head and they had the three rings completley unprotected. Jade even scored from half the pitch. Not even one of the chasers could catch the ball and stop it from going through the middle loop.
Draco caught the snitch after thirty-seven minutes of playing. The final score was three hundred-ninety to ninety. Jade scored twenty-one times.
Still on their brooms Jade flew to Draco and gave him a hug and yes, in front of the whole school. They both let go of their brooms to hug each other in mid-air, while Draco still had the Snitch in his hand.
"We did it!" Jade said happily. "We are on first place so far, followed by Gryffindor and then Hufflepuff. Hufflepuff is only twenty points away though. Next month we are playing against them so we must be very careful to not let them score that much."
The team celebrated and clapped, all of them went to hug and congratulate Travis as he had stopped some good shots. It was because of him that Ravenclaw didn't score more. From the stands, their house mates cheered and chanted Jade's name as she had broken the record and scored almost every goal. She made a little bow and smiled, that was probably her proudest moment of her life. Once they all had their fun in the field, celebrating, they went to have showers, Draco and Jade were the last ones to leave the field.
"Congratulations on breaking two records today," Draco said with a smile as Jade stopped just outside the girls' bathroom.
"Two?" Jade asked confused.
"The further goal scored, of course there wasn't a keeper, that would have made it more epic but still..." Draco said with a shrug.
"Thanks for finding Travis and it was amazing how you caught the snitch," Jade said.
Draco said nothing, instead he pecked her lips. Jade smiled and kissed him again. Draco deepened the kiss and before they knew it, it had gotten quite heated. They were being reckless but they were too into it.
"I love you."
Jade froze in her place and as seconds passed, Draco realized what he had said and he looked uncomfortable. Jade didn't know what to do or say, and apparently Draco didn't either. Both looked away from each other, wishing they could be anywhere but there.
"Draco, I, uh..."
"You don't have to say anything, Jade. It slipped, okay? It doesn't mean it isn't true, though. I wish I hadn't said it now as you are not ready and it's not a good time, but now it's said and done. I can't take it back and I won't take it back because I do love you. But I understand you need more time."
That night she didn't celebrate with the Slytherins in the common room even when she finally managed to break the record, which had been her goal for a while. She went straight to bed and the next day she didn't do her homework as she couldn't concentrate.
She wasn't stupid, she knew that eventually they would feel more powerful emotions but she didn't expect it to happen so soon. She couldn't stop thinking about Cassius and her stupid arranged marriage. She couldn't stop thinking she would have to end things with Draco at some point and marry Cassius.
This was why she didn't want to be with anyone, she was afraid of this happening. But she thought she could give herself a chance and now she was just thinking of the pain that all of this was going to cause. He was also going to marry someone else and in a few years she was going to attend his wedding and he was going to attend hers, while they had feelings for each others.
Jade couldn't deny though, the way those three simple words made her feel. She couldn't help but smile as she remembered. In a way it was tragic that no one had ever told her those words before. I love you. Anyone would expect her parents or her brother to say it or even her grandparents but no. They never had. So, in that way, Jade felt weird, excited, different, but most of all, happy. It sort of made it more magical as it was the first time she was told those words.
Oops... did Draco messed up or... what do you think?
I'm also adding the link to my newest video down here. It's about 'Dark' :)
watch?v=fWkUPKe_Ijs
