After lunch, the crew retreated to the common room. They changed, and Hermione grabbed a book (light reading, if you will). In a couple of minutes they met up in the common room. Harry and Ron had grabbed a seat and had begun to play a round of wizards chess. Amber curled up in a comfy chair by the window with a muggle magazine. Hermione was closer to the boys, with her newest book.

"So, what do you want to do today?" Harry asked, "Pawn to D1."

Ron shrugged, "Not much to do, right?" He frowned, "Pawn to I2."

"We could visit Hagrid." Hermione suggested, not looking up.

"Sounds good to me." Ron said gazing intently at the board.

"Yeah, what do you think Amber?" Harry said dictating the game.

AMber looked up, "What? Oh, no thanks, I have... Stuff, to do..." SHe smiled and looked back at her magazine.

Harry cocked his head, "Really? Like what?"

Ron groaned as Harry took his pawn, "Does it matter, watch what your doing..."

Hermione scowled, "Don't make so much noise Ron."

Amber shrugged, "I have to write some letters, and I, um, have to, ah," She looked around, "Excuse me, I need to use the loo.." She put her magazine in the chair and hurried to the nearest restroom.

After she was gone, Ron rose his brows, "That was odd."

Harry frowned, "Yeah, I know... It's like she doesn't want to leave the castle."

"This is true, when I asked her about going for a walk this morning, she said she had to do something..." Hermione said shifting, "Do you think something's bothering her?"

"Who knows, just as long as it doesn't interfere with Quiddich." Ron said.

"Or school." Hermione added.

"Whatever." Ron mumbled.

Harry frowned, "Yeah..." He blinked, "Hey! My bishop!"

"Snooze you lose, mate." Ron said grinning.

In the bathroom, Amber splashed her face. SHe shook her head, 'I can't keep doing this...' She frowns, '... I can feel somethings out there... But, I can't tell them.... Something's coming, and it's not good.' She wiped her eyes on the back of her hand, ' If I tell them what I know, Arie'll kill me, and if I don't I'll have to keep bailing on the games...'

Voices were heard, and Amber scurried into one of the stalls.

A laugh was heard, "Don't be silly, Pansy... Like that could ever work," There was a shrill voice next.

"Oh, did you hear the rumours going around about her though?" Pansy Parkinson said.

"Which one? I heard she hates Snape, which is completely true. I heard she and Draco are going steady, uh..."

"No, the one about her being related to that goody-goody from Gryffindor!" Pansy said.

" Oh yeah, shame, really..."

"Are you that thick?" Pansy says maliciously.

"ABout what? Don't look at me like that."

There was a cackle, "We should show her how we feel about that.."

"Pansy, you're starting to freak me out... What do you plan to do?"

"Something awful." She snickered, and then the water stopped, "Let's go, we have some research to do."

The footsteps were heard, and the a door creaked and the footsteps receeded.

Amber's eyes shot open, then she scowled. Arie deserved whatever was coming her way, for being such a little...

Amber returned to the common room, smiling of course. She returned to her place, and began to read again. It was a few minutes before she realized her friends were staring at her. SHe blinked and looked up, "Uhm, Yes?"

Harry blinked, "Why were you gone so long?"

"Yeah, did you go all the way downstairs or something?" Ron added.

"Oh, I uh, ran into some people..." She smiled and returned to reading.

"Really who?" Ron asked quite interested.

"No one important."

Ron and Harry exchanged looks, "Okay..."